Peer Connections Research Articles

Parental Challenges, Facilitators and Needs Associated with Supporting and Accepting Their Trans Child’s Gender

Parental support is strongly correlated with protective factors for trans youth yet most experience parental rejection or ambivalence regarding their gender. Many parents report a desire to support their child but indicate lack of understanding and support as key barriers. We aimed to develop a nuanced understanding of the challenges and facilitators experienced by Australian parents in developing understanding, support and acceptance of their child’s gender and their needs to do so. Using data from semi-structured interviews (N = 30), the General Inductive Approach (GIA) was employed to explore primary themes within parental narratives. Participants described a range of complex emotions and exhausting mental burden as they simultaneously supported their child, searched for information, and navigated multiple systems (e.g., school, health). Good-quality information, seeing positive change in their child once affirmed and peer connections were powerful facilitators for increased support. There was strong thematic unity regarding their needs. Parents reported wanting an online ‘one-stop hub’ with evidence-based information and resources, and access to others’ lived experiences. Better understanding of the parental experience and what parents need to optimally support their child holds implications for the development of online interventions to promote parental understanding, support and acceptance of a child’s gender.

The mental health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children and adolescents: Risk and protective factors.

The restrictions to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have led to considerable social isolation, posing significant threats to mental health worldwide. The preventive lockdowns may be especially difficult for children and adolescents, who rely extensively on their daily routines and peer connections for stability and optimal development. However, there is a dearth of longitudinal research examining the mental health and daily life impact of the pandemic among children and adolescents. This study addresses this gap by examining the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on children and adolescents' mental health and well-being, and potential risk and protective moderators of mental health change. In the present study, 1,537 Israeli children and adolescents (Mage = 13.97; 52% girls) completed a battery of questionnaires in September 2019; before the COVID-19 outbreak and immediately after an 8-week lockdown period when schools reopened in May 2020. A repeated measures multivariant analysis of variance (MANOVA) revealed significantly greater anxiety, depression, and panic symptoms, increases in video game, Internet and TV screen time use, and decreases in positive emotions, life satisfaction, social media use, and peer support during the pandemic. Participants with higher baseline mental health symptoms showed greater symptoms after the lockdown period. Perceived social support and consistent daily routines were found to act as significant protective factors against symptomatology. The results highlight the significant mental health consequences of the pandemic on children and adolescents, and substantiate the significant parents' and peers' roles in children's and adolescents' coping during this global pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Knowledge is Power: Trans Young People’s Perceptions of Parental Reactions to Their Gender Identity, and Perceived Barriers and Facilitators to Parental Support

Parental support is strongly correlated with protective factors for trans youth, however, most experience unsupportive parental attitudes. We aimed to better understand how youth perceive parental reactions to their gender identity disclosure and what they consider to be barriers to, and facilitators of, support. We qualitatively explored primary themes in semi-structured interviews (N = 14). Participants described a spectrum of initial parental reactions ranging from rejection to unconditional support. Barriers included lack of knowledge of gender diversity and parental isolation, stigma, and fear. Powerful facilitators included good-quality information, peer connection, and exposure to positive trans representation. Importantly, these facilitators commonly impacted positively upon initially unsupportive stances over time. Several implications are highlighted, particularly the pressing need for easily accessible, good-quality information, and exposure to peer support and positive trans representation.

Transition from Online to Face-to-Face Education after COVID-19: The Benefits of Online Education from Students’ Perspective

The COVID-19 pandemic has left a mark on education as it had been known before. Beyond his, attention needs to be paid to the transition back to face-to-face learning and its implications. Within this context of change, the present research focuses on identifying the students’ preferred aspects of online education during the pandemic, namely learning, teaching, assessment, and interaction with peers and teachers, in order to improve face-to-face education by contextually adapting it to their needs. A survey was used on a representative sample of students from Politehnica University of Timisoara, Romania, who were required to indicate their preferred form of education and the most beneficial one for their professional development. The results indicate the targeted students’ several preferences, such as teachers’ support with electronic educational resources, the use of online educational platforms to access resources and take tests, the easier and individualized communication with teachers, as well as peer connectivity in common projects. These findings identify practical suggestions that lead to a balance between face-to-face and digital education, probably under the form of blended learning, which could be considered by the main stakeholders in order to have a future sustainable education.

2.68 Little Adults: Patterns of Parentification in a Group-Based Sibling Support Program

Typically developing siblings of children with mental illness are often thrust into caregiving roles, in a process known as parentification. The Sibling Support Program (SSP) is a targeted intervention for this population, designed to build resiliency through coping skills and peer connections. The objective of this research is to examine the impact of mental illness on siblings of youth who are admitted to an inpatient psychiatric unit and to explore patterns of parentification based on birth order and gender.

Social Media Use and Health and Well-being of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Youth: Systematic Review.

BackgroundLesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals are at higher risk of poor mental health and well-being. Social media platforms can provide LGBTQ youths with a space that counters heteronormative environments and potentially supports mental health and well-being. Mental health includes an individual’s state of psychological and emotional well-being and not merely the absence of mental disorders.ObjectiveWe sought to identify how LGBTQ youths and adolescents use social media for connection with other LGBTQ peers and groups, identity development, and social support and how these affect mental health and well-being.MethodsPRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) procedures were used to guide this review. Searches were conducted in ACM Digital Library, CINAHL, Ovid Embase, Ovid MEDLINE, and Web of Science in March 2021. This review focused on LGBTQ youths aged 10 to 24 years. Included peer-reviewed studies must comprise social media; explore peer connection, identity development, or social support; and be published from 2012 onward. In total, 2 researchers extracted data and performed quality assessments independently using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for quantitative articles and the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme for qualitative articles. Qualitative synthesis was performed on articles that satisfied the eligibility criteria.ResultsA total of 26 studies (n=15, 58% qualitative; n=8, 31% quantitative; n=3, 12% mixed methods) met the inclusion criteria. Of the 8 quantitative studies, 6 (75%) were cross-sectional, and 2 (25%) were cohort studies. All studies ranged from moderate to high quality. Social media was a popular tool used by LGBTQ youths to connect with LGBTQ communities. In qualitative data, we found that LGBTQ youths negotiated and explored identity and obtained support from peers on social media. Instagram, Tumblr, and Twitter were commonly used to access LGBTQ content owing to ease of anonymity. Identity management was the most studied social media affordance, important to LGBTQ youths for strategic disclosure. Key strategies for managing identities included being anonymous, censoring locations or content, restricting audiences, and using multiple accounts. Quantitative studies (3/8, 38%) showed that social media was associated with reduced mental health concerns and increased well-being among LGBTQ youths. Mental health concerns arising from social media use were attributed to discrimination, victimization, and policies that did not accommodate changed identities.ConclusionsWe found that social media may support the mental health and well-being of LGBTQ youths through peer connection, identity management, and social support, but findings were limited by weaknesses in the evidence. More robust and longitudinal studies are needed to determine the relationship between social media use and LGBTQ mental health, particularly among adolescents. The findings may inform interventions to promote social media health literacy and the mental health and well-being of this vulnerable group.Trial RegistrationPROSPERO CRD42020222535; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=222535

Early career psychologists “muddling through the same challenges”: how the experience of structured group supervision can support the transition to work

ABSTRACT Objective The transition from postgraduate psychology student to health professional is associated with steep learning and is under-researched. This qualitative study aimed to understand the experience of newly graduated psychologists and evaluate whether participation in a group supervision program offered within an Australian public health service assisted in the transition to work. Method All psychology graduates attending the group supervision program were invited to participate in a focus group. All responses were audio-recorded, transcribed and de-identified. Two focus groups were held with psychology graduates (n = 7) and one focus group was held separately with the psychology primary supervisors (n = 4). Results Thematic analysis generated five key themes: developing proficiency in core competencies, meeting psychology registrar requirements, meeting professional development needs through supervision, connecting with peers and feeling valued by the organisation. Conclusions While the experience of psychology graduates can be stressful and isolating, the group program provided peer connections, normalised transition to work experiences and provided a supportive platform for acquiring new knowledge and skills. The provision of a structured and competency-based group supervision program has benefits of meeting the developmental needs of psychology graduates professionally and helps them feel valued and supported by their workplace. KEY POINTS What is already known about this topic: New graduates in psychology are an expanding and important workforce in Australian health services. The transition from postgraduate degree to practicing psychologist is associated with steep learning and can be stressful at times. Group supervision is available in training and workplaces but is often inconsistent and its benefits are under-researched for recent psychology graduates. What this topic adds: (1) The provision of a structured and competency-based group supervision program for early career psychologists has the potential to meet the professional needs of these psychologists and help them feel supported and connected to their peers. (2) Structured group supervision programs offered in the workplace help normalise the psychology registrars experience and help them feel valued by their workplace, potentially impacting workforce retention. (3) A model is proposed for providing professional development and support in new psychology graduates that may be applied to other health services in Australia.

Application of Clustering Method For Customer Royal Data Grouping at CV. Garuda Mas Motor Binjai

Communication is a very important activity. Communication is carried out with the aim of exchanging information between several individuals. Communication can be done in various ways. Those who wish to communicate with each other can meet in person or through intermediaries. There are several types of media that function as intermediaries of information. You can use several media such as print media, electronic media, and online media to get various information. Digital communication in the modern era is not far from the Internet because almost all digital communication tools use the Internet. Internet needs vary greatly from old to young, because Internet needs are different, connection management is needed (Management Bandwidth) so that client requests with high connections do not interfere with clients with relatively low connection requests. One of the tools commonly used for connection management is MikroTik with the Peer Connection Queue (PCQ) feature. The reason for choosing Mikrotik is because Mikrotik has complete features at an affordable price. The importance of connection management is to maximize the connection provided by the ISP so that clients can use the Internet without buffering.

“It Was Rough”: The experiences of first‐generation collegians transitioning into higher education amid COVID‐19

AbstractDuring the global health pandemic caused by COVID‐19, most collegians and higher education agents abruptly transitioned to online learning and virtual interactions. Although online education is not a new phenomenon, this was an unforeseen transition for most students in higher education. This study investigated what first‐generation collegians in their 1st year and 1st‐year transfers experienced at a public university in the northeast United States during the 2020–2021 academic year. Findings include increased isolation and mental health issues, connection‐building, a lack of faculty and peer connections, and belongingness via in‐person and virtual community spaces. Recommendations are provided for how higher education agents can best serve these collegians in virtual courses, programming initiatives, and beyond.

Experiences of COVID-19 patients in a Fangcang shelter hospital in China during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative descriptive study

ObjectivesThis study aimed to examine COVID-19 patients’ experiences in a Fangcang shelter hospital in China, to provide insights into the effectiveness of this centralised isolation strategy as a novel solution...

Competent, trustworthy, and likeable? Exploring which peers influence photovoltaic adoption in Germany

Little is known about the role of active peer effects (interpersonal contact) compared to passive peer effects (noticing or seeing) regarding residential photovoltaic (PV) diffusion. Recent literature suggests that peer effects are determined by the perceived credibility of one’s active peer connections regarding PV and passive peer effects. Utilising data from a survey of German house owners who either own a PV or indicate purchase intention (N = 1,165), this paper explores the underlying mechanisms of active peer effects during different stages of PV adoption decision-making. Our findings suggest that the perceived credibility of peers on PV related issues is positively associated with the reported number of adopters in the decision-maker’s peer group (passive peer effect) and also with the progress in the PV adoption decision process. Furthermore, we find a relationship between the perceived credibility of peers regarding PV and the reported influence strength of peer interactions throughout the decision-making processes of German householders, suggesting that subjective evaluations of peers play a role in active peer effects. Finally, we observe an association between the rate of self-initiated peer interactions about PV for respondents with a higher reported number of peers that have adopted PV, suggesting that passive effects (knowing peer PV adopters) play a role in initiating active peer interactions. These results are significant for all sub-groups, regardless of the decision progress. From a policy-making perspective, “bottom-up” efforts such as peer consultation and community-led outreach should be promoted in Germany to empower potential adopters.

Iterative social consolidations: Forming beliefs from many-valued evidence and peers’ opinions

Abstract Recently, several logics modelling evidence have been proposed in the literature. These logics often also feature beliefs. We call the process or function that maps evidence to beliefs consolidation. In this paper, we use a four-valued modal logic of evidence as a basis. In the models for this logic, agents are represented by nodes, peer connections by edges and the private evidence that each agent has by a four-valued valuation. From this basis, we propose methods of consolidating the beliefs of the agents, taking into account both their private evidence as well as their peers’ opinions. To this end, beliefs are computed iteratively. The final consolidated beliefs are the ones in the point of stabilization of the model. However, it turns out that some consolidation policies will not stabilize for certain models. Finding the conditions for stabilization is one of the main problems studied here, along with other properties of such consolidations. Our main contributions are twofold: we offer a new dynamic perspective on the process of forming evidence-based beliefs, in the context of evidence logics, and we set up and address some mathematically challenging problems, which are related to graph theory and practical subject areas such as belief/opinion diffusion and contagion in multi-agent networks.

Generation gap, learning from the experience of compulsory remote architectural design studio

Physical design studio has been the mainstream method of architectural pedagogy for more than a century. Although the past two decades have brought forth emerging possibilities via advancements in digital communication, Virtual Design Studio (VDS) remained an experimental novelty until 2020. The interruption of face-to-face educational activities saw architecture schools facing a rapid paradigm shift because their studio-centred pedagogy retains intrinsic spatial qualities that are often attributed as critical dimensions of the learning process. This article explores the transition to the virtual design studio in a department of architecture after distance education became mainstream due to the global pandemic. The paper provides a comparison between students’ and lecturers’ points of view regarding different aspects of the virtual design studio. This addresses a potential generational gap concerning digital communication in a case study. A survey was administered to a group of architecture students who travelled back home and continued their education online and to the teachers of design studios who instructed VDS after the pandemic outbreak. The findings show the significant influence of effective communication, access to proper resources, maintenance of peer connections, and group works on the positive outcomes of the architectural design studio.

A Testing Campaign Intervention Consisting of Peer-Facilitated Engagement, Point-of-Care HCV RNA Testing, and Linkage to Nursing Support to Enhance Hepatitis C Treatment Uptake among People Who Inject Drugs: The ETHOS Engage Study.

This study evaluated HCV treatment initiation among people who inject drugs (PWID) following an intervention of campaign days involving peer connection, point-of-care HCV RNA testing, and linkage to nursing support. ETHOS Engage is an observational cohort study of PWID attending 25 drug treatment clinics and needle and syringe programs in Australia (May 2018–September 2019). Point-of-care results were provided to the nurse, facilitating confirmatory testing and treatment. The study aimed to evaluate treatment uptake and factors associated with treatment at 24 months post-enrolment. There were 317 people with current HCV infection and eligible for treatment (median age 43, 65% male, 15% homeless, 69% receiving opioid agonist treatment, 70% injected in last month). Overall, 15% (47/317), 27% (85/317), 38% (120/317), and 49% (155/317) of people with current HCV infection had initiated treatment at 3-, 6-, 12-, and 24-months following testing, respectively. Homelessness (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR): 0.40; 95% confidence interval: 0.23, 0.71) and incarceration in the past 12 months (vs. never, aHR:0.46; 0.28, 0.76) were associated with decreased treatment initiation in the 24 months post-enrolment. This testing campaign intervention facilitated HCV treatment uptake among PWID. Further interventions are needed to achieve HCV elimination among people experiencing homelessness or incarceration.

Bandwidth Management and Web Filtering with Per Connection Queue (PCQ) Method using Microtik

Communication is a very important activity. Communication is carried out with the aim of exchanging information between several individuals. Communication can be done in various ways. Those who wish to communicate with each other can meet in person or through intermediaries. There are several types of media that function as intermediaries of information. You can use several media such as print media, electronic media, and online media to get various information. Digital communication in the modern era is not far from the Internet because almost all digital communication tools use the Internet. Internet needs vary greatly from old to young, because Internet needs are different, connection management is needed (Management Bandwidth) so that client requests with high connections do not interfere with clients with relatively low connection requests. One of the tools commonly used for connection management is MikroTik with the Peer Connection Queue (PCQ) feature. The reason for choosing Mikrotik is because Mikrotik has complete features at an affordable price. The importance of connection management is to maximize the connection provided by the ISP so that clients can use the Internet without buffering.

What helps distressed Australian adolescents impacted by cancer? Mechanisms of improvement of the PEER program.

PEER is a four-day residential program for adolescents impacted by their own or a relative's cancer, with both psychosocial (acceptance and commitment therapy, self-compassion) and recreational components. This study aimed to determine whether previously observed improvements in quality of life amongst highly distressed participants were mediated by improvements in processes targeted by psychotherapeutic elements of the program (psychological flexibility, mindfulness, self-compassion, peer support, distress). Adolescents attending PEER completed surveys assessing the quality of life and proposed mediator variables at pre-program, post-program and two-month follow-up. Adolescents experiencing high/very high levels of baseline distress (n= 52; 5 patients/survivors, 31 siblings/offspring, 13 bereaved siblings/offspring) were previously identified as experiencing clinically significant improvements in psychosocial well-being; here, mediation analyses explored whether these improvements were associated with improvements in process variables. Findings evidenced improvements in quality of life amongst distressed PEER participants, mediated by increases in psychological flexibility and self-compassion, and reductions in distress. Peer support and mindfulness were not significant mediators. Together, this suggests that the psychosocial benefits of PEER observed for highly distressed adolescents are linked to the specific therapeutic approaches used in the program, rather than being non-specific effects of peer connection or recreation. Findings from this evaluation provide further evidence for the efficacy and mechanisms of the effect of PEER for supporting distressed adolescents impacted by cancer. The study also demonstrates the viability and utility of the therapeutic approaches (acceptance and commitment therapy, self-compassion) used, showing that they have psychosocial benefits for this population.

Parent Preferences for Peer Connection in eHealth Programs

Background Social support and connection with other parents are important factors associated with parental mental health and parenting practices. These social connections can be integrated in parental eHealth programs through forums or group therapy sessions, but parental needs and preferences regarding these eHealth features are unknown. Objective This study aims to examine parents’ preferences for connecting with other parents in eHealth programs. Methods In total, 162 parents of 0-5–year-old children in the United States were recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk; mean age 32.7, range 22-61 years; 80.2% White; 59.9% men, 39.5% women, and 0.6% nonbinary; 93.8% biological parents). Participants filled out a one-time survey. Best practice recommendations for using MTurk were employed (through captcha verification and attention checks). Descriptive statistics were run in SPSS (version 27; IBM Corp) on MacOS. Results Parents were asked to rate how likely they would be to use a digital program with weekly opportunities to connect with other parents in the program (1=very unlikely to 5=very likely). Overall, 13.4% of parents indicated that they would be (very) unlikely to use a program with that feature and 59.8% of them indicated that they would be (very) likely to use it, with the remaining 27.8% of them being neutral. On being asked specifically about their preference, 85% of parents indicated that they would prefer connecting with other parents in the program, with 70% of those preferring to connect anonymously. On a forum, 67% of parents indicated that they would be comfortable connecting with all parents (as opposed to mothers or fathers only); regarding videoconferencing, that number was 61%. Conclusions Considering that studies have shown the positive impact of social support for parental mental health and parenting practices, integrating anonymous connection with other parents should be considered in developing parental eHealth programs and would be in line with the preferences of most parents. Conflicts of Interest None declared.

Composing as play: a vision for collaborative, multimodal authorship

PurposeThe following article examines the playful composing practices of two youth who built on their backgrounds as fan fiction writers, role-players, visual artists and gamers to co-author a multimodal novel across mediated spaces for composing throughout their high school careers.Design/methodology/approachThe study draws on “connected ethnography” and qualitative practitioner inquiry to examine the playful composing practices of two urban youth.FindingsThe study demonstrates the playful, multimodal composing practices of youth – for learning, affiliation and leisure. Participants’ creative use of digital media reveals robust and productive composing practices that rely on collaboration; extensive multimodal experimentation (e.g. transmediation, the creation of paratexts and worldbuilding); and shared and individual expertise and socialization in various media communities (e.g. gaming and fan fiction).Research limitations/implicationsThe study is limited by its small scope.Practical implicationsParticipants’ leisure writing activities offer important insights into multimodal play, composing, collaboration and co-authorship.Social implicationsSchools have been slow to take up the multimodal and collaborative approaches to writing. The article offers implications for reimagining writing and the teaching of writing through creativity, play and collaboration.Originality/valueThe author argues that collaborative, multimodal authorship offers a social outlet, peer connection, and creative possibilities for writing development both in face-to-face and fully digital learning environments, something especially important to consider amid the unexpected surge of online learning due to COVID-19.

Impacts of a Resident Camp Experience on the Lives of Military-Connected Youth

Children and adolescents in U.S. military families experience several challenges such as multiple relocations, being separated from a service member parent, the deployment of a service member parent to a war zone, changing peer groups, and fear of death/injury of a service member parent. These unique attributes of being a military-connected child can be somewhat attenuated with programs specifically designed for this population. Using Positive Youth Development (PYD) as the theoretical underpinning, the purpose of this study was to explore the impacts of a week-long resident camp specifically designed for youth of injured, ill, or fallen service members—a much understudied group. An end-of-camp survey intended to determine if attending camp had an impact on three pre-conceived constructs (self-confidence, connections to others, positive coping skills) provided secondary data which were analyzed in this study. More than 3,000 youth ages 8 to 15 years old completed the questionnaire. Demographic information collected was limited to gender and age. Initially, an EFA was conducted to determine if the intended constructs were indeed measured. Following this, t-tests and ANOVAs were applied as appropriate to the data. The EFA determined that four constructs were measured by the survey (selfconfidence, peer connections, coping skills, and perceived counselor support [adult/child relationships])—all dimensions of PYD. Some age and gender differences were also found. The study findings suggest that military-related camp programs be implemented that target boys with active programming and intentional down-time activities (e.g., informal conversations and interactions) to help them create and develop friendships. In addition, by continuing to provide opportunities that are both novel and challenging to campers, staff can help young people to develop a sense of competence and confidence in their ability to take on new activities. As younger campers struggle with positive coping skills, staff have an opportunity to engage the youngsters in conversations and corrective actions to help them develop and practice positive coping strategies. Lastly, the data show that returning to camp for multiple years makes a difference in some aspects of PYD for campers. This suggests that camps may wish to encourage campers to return for several consecutive years; this may conflict with camps that have waiting lists of potential campers and wish to limit the number of times a child may return in an effort to serve more children.

Connecting the dots: social networks in the classroom and white matter connections in the brain.

Peer connections in school classrooms play an important role in social-emotional development and mental health. However, research on the association between children's peer relationships and white matter connections in the brain is scarce. We studied associations between peer relationships in the classroom and white matter structural connectivity in a pediatric population-based sample. Bullying and victimization, as well as rejection and acceptance, were assessed in classrooms in 634 children at age 7. White matter microstructure (fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD)) was measured with diffusion tensor imaging at age 10. We examined global metrics of white matter microstructure and used Tract-Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS) for voxel-wise associations. Peer victimization was associated with higher global FA and lower global MD and peer rejection was associated with lower global MD; however, these associations did not remain after multiple testing correction. Voxel-wise TBSS results for peer victimization and rejection were in line with global metrics both in terms of direction and spatial extent of the associations, with associated voxels (pFWE <.05) observed throughout the brain (including corpus callosum, corona radiata, sagittal stratum and superior longitudinal fasciculi). Although based only on cross-sectional data, the findings could indicate accelerated white matter microstructure maturation in certain brain areas of children who are victimized or rejected more often. However, repeated measurements are essential to unravel this complex interplay of peer connections, maturation and brain development over time.