Personal Connections Research Articles

Personal and social connection to psychedelics is associated with lower drug use stigma among psychiatrists in the United States

AbstractBackground and AimsThis study sought to identify patterns of psychedelic use among American psychiatrists, to compare the demographic variables across categories of social proximity and personal use, and to determine how these categories influenced psychiatrists' attitudes towards drugs and people who use drugs.MethodsRespondents (N = 180; mean age = 48.4 [SD = 16.2]; male = 65.5%; trainees = 24.1%) were recruited via email lists/listservs and personal networks (snowball sampling).ResultsApproximately one-third (32.8%) of psychiatrists reported Personal Connection (i.e., history of personal use and social connection) to psychedelics. Psychiatrists with Personal Connection to psychedelics were more likely to be younger (p = 0.006, ηp2 = 0.057) and have fewer years of practice (p = 0.008, ηp2 = 0.058). Almost all (92%) of those with No Connection to psychedelics were out of training, compared with only 8% of those in training. Those with Personal and Social Connection to psychedelics were more likely to disagree: that using illegal drugs is morally wrong (p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.28), that illegal drug users should go to prison (p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.15), are weak minded (p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.10), have no future (p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.12), are not well educated (F(2.0, 170) = 7.38. p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.08), are dishonest (p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.10), and that illegal drug users ‘make me angry’ (p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.10).ConclusionsPersonal and social connection to psychedelics is associated with decreased stigma towards drug use and people who use drugs. Future research should examine whether proximity to psychedelic use impacts other factors (e.g., empathy, therapeutic alliance) involved in psychiatry training and practice.

Factors contributing to the development of health-promoting schools, applying Fullan’s triple change model – A qualitative study

Objective: Schools and the education system are powerful tools for cultivating healthy lifestyles. This research focuses on characterising the factors contributing to the development of health-promoting schools in Israel, and understanding how schools can offer a framework for improving students’ health. Fullan’s triple change model with its focus on three phases in the change process in schools – the initiation phase, the implementation phase and the institutionalisation phase – served as a framework for analysis. Design and setting: This qualitative-constructivist study involved the analysis of data collected from 26 elementary school principals in Israel, 15 of whom belonged to the health promotion school network (HPSN) and 11 who did not. In addition, 10 health promotion leaders from within the schools were interviewed. Methods: Data collection took place by means of semi-structured interviews. in which the questions asked referred to the three phases identified in Fullan’s process of change model. We analysed the data using thematic content analysis. Results: Each identified theme was associated with one of the phases proposed in Fullan’s model of change. The initiation phase included collaboration with key stakeholders, principals’ personal commitment, and dissemination of ideas through personal connections. The implementation phase included gaining access to appropriate tools and materials, action to deal with barriers to change, and the creation of a holistic health promotion environment. The institutionalisation phase included the development of administrative strategies such as adherence to routines, the inclusion of regular events in the school calendar, and the allocation of time frames for the activities undertaken. Conclusion: Fullan’s model proved useful in analysing efforts to develop health-promoting schools. The model signalled the importance of using a structured approach throughout the institutionalisation phase in a manner attuned to the unique nature of the school. Alongside identifying key factors that support assimilation, it is crucial to assess their integration into the school culture. The school principal’s role is critical throughout all the phases of the development process.

What Mamá Gallina Can Teach Literacy Educators about Healing Biliteracies

AbstractIn this Action & Learning article, we describe the connections between the popular Spanish nursery song “Los pollitos dicen” (The Little Chicks Say) and Aesop's fable's “The Fox and Hen” with the literacy teaching of bilingual Latinx students. In this metaphor, the bilingual teachers represent the Mamá Gallina (Mother Hen) and their students represent the pollitos (little chicks) in their care. Then, we detail the teaching context from three elementary classrooms with bilingual Latinx students that spurred the metaphor for Mamá Gallina taking care of her pollitos in the classroom. These classrooms suggest how teachers could act as the “Fox” and perpetuate white English hegemony and the “Mother Hen” who mobilized their biliteracies to metaphorically feed and clothe their “baby chicks” with cariño (often translated as “care”). The rest of the article centers on how the metaphor of Mamá Gallina serves as a compelling vision for the healing practices of bilingual teachers themselves, before detailing principles for healing biliteracies in the classroom. These tools include: personal connections, cultural practices, linguistic relevance, and bilingual/biliterate pride. Ultimately, this metaphor illustrates how emancipatory pro‐Latinx teaching must attend to dual purposes: responding to the harm to bilingual teachers and students' biliteracies while also nurturing their dynamic beauty.

GENERATION Z AND THEIR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS

In the ever-changing 21st century, a new generation has emerged that is ready to change the way we see and interact with others. The aim of this article is to observe the intricacies and complexities of Generation Z's personal relationships. To study this particular generation in more detail, we conducted a quantitative study, a survey to be precise, and the results were interesting. We were able to observe how much value these people place on their personal relationships, how they maintain them, how they engage with each other and how important these relationships are to them personally. Personal connections were highly valued by the majority of participants and had a major impact on their lives. Most of them enjoy meaningful relationships and are satisfied with their circumstances. Despite the fact that this generation is chronically online, it seems to be much easier for most of them to build relationships offline, face-to-face. The ability to express ourselves better in person, the fact that we are social creatures, and the fact that real friendships can form and last much longer are just some of the reasons why some people find it easier to build relationships offline.

Роль ценностных ориентаций в академической адаптации студентов в связи с удовлетворенностью их потребностей в автономии, компетентности и связанности с другими

<p>This study aims to clarify the role of value orientation in the satisfaction of basic needs and academic adaptation of students. It will allow us to set goals, which help to achieve psychological well-being. The study involved (N=390) students of pedagogical profiles of the university (35% men, 65% women), aged 17–22, average age 19,85, SD=3,17. The following methods were used in the study: A scale of satisfaction of basic needs (M.M. Johnston, S.J. Finney, 2010); a "Portrait value questionnaire" (S. Schwartz, 2012); a methodology for diagnosing academic adaptation (R.M. Shamionov, M.V. Grigorieva, E.S. Grinina, A.V. Sozonnik, 2022) and a questionnaire to establish socio-demographic characteristics. It is established that the preservation and openness values are positive predictors of satisfaction of basic psychological needs as an personal autonomy, competence and connection with others. The positive effect of preservation values and the negative effect of openness on variations in academic adaptation is mediated by satisfaction of basic needs for autonomy and competence, which respectively enhance or reduce these effects.</p>

Boosting Comprehension: Engaging Strategies for Teaching Reading

Reading unlocks the doors to knowledge, imagination, and empathy. It is a gateway to knowledge to transform learners’ potential. Employing purposive sampling, this qualitative case study investigates engaging strategies to enhance reading comprehension based on semi-structured interviews and non-participant classroom observations of three basic level teachers. Five key themes emerged from the qualitative analysis of data: Activating prior knowledge, posing thought-provoking questions, summarizing key points, encouraging predictions, and fostering personal connections. These strategies were found to promote active reading, suggesting potential for wider implementation. Future research should examine their long-term impact on achievement and effectiveness in diverse settings.

“An Era More than Bleak”

AbstractFerenc Farkas, a remarkable twentieth-century Hungarian composer, was one of the most influential professors of composition throughout the history of the Liszt Academy of Music, Budapest. A less known chapter of his life is his involvement in the ethnicist and anti-Semitic political movements of Hungary, during the late 1930s and early 1940s. In 1940, he was among three musicians who elaborated a proposal to establish, in line with the rise of corporatism, a Hungarian Music Chamber. One of the main aims of the new organization would have been a total exclusion of Jewish musicians from all branches of Hungarian musical culture. The Chamber was never actually founded. In 1941, Farkas left Budapest for the Transylvanian city Kolozsvár (Cluj), where he was appointed professor of composition at the Conservatory. One of his first students was György Ligeti, a native Transylvanian, born into a Hungarian family suffering under the anti-Semitic legislation of the Hungarian state. As Ligeti recollected, Farkas “wanted to teach me everything he had learned from his teacher Ottorino Respighi.” Based on archival sources, this study offers new insights into the personal and professional connection between Ligeti and Farkas during the 1940s, and also follows Farkas's post-war path from relative isolation and marginalization to the elite of state socialist music culture.

Predictors and patterns of suicidal ideation disclosures among American adults.

When experiencing suicidal thoughts, many individuals do not tell others, making it difficult to ensure suicide prevention resources reach those who need it. The current study utilizes a large sample of US adults who have experienced suicidal ideation in their lifetime (n = 1074) to examine predictors of disclosures. We also explore who participants disclose to and how helpful these disclosures are rated. A majority (n = 812, 75.6%) reported disclosing. Black and Hispanic participants were less likely to disclose than White participants. Those who were never married were more likely to disclose, as were those who have attempted suicide. Mental healthcare utilization and favorable attitudes toward mental healthcare were also positive predictors of disclosure. More participants reported disclosing to a personal connection (n = 532, 65.5%) than a mental health professional (n = 282, 34.8%). On average, most sources were rated as neither helpful nor harmful. The study highlights those who may be at a higher risk of experiencing suicidal thoughts but going unidentified. To increase helpfulness of disclosures, suicide prevention programming should emphasize training for laypersons and professionals on how to effectively respond when someone reveals that they are thinking of suicide.

The role of White identity in anti‐racist allyship

AbstractAlthough White allies attempt to support racial justice movements, their behaviors can be interpreted as performative rather than genuine by racially minoritized individuals. In the current work, I discuss how White individuals' personal connection to their racial identity and the power it confers—White identity form—shapes their allyship behaviors. Specifically, moving beyond conceptualizations of White identity as centrality, I call for a study of White identity that incorporates power‐relevant ideologies, understanding how White individuals make meaning of their unearned privilege and incorporate it into their self‐concept. I suggest that a power‐cognizant identity form, which involves personally connecting the self to Whiteness and unearned power, is necessary for White individuals to engage in genuine anti‐racist allyship. I discuss White identity measurement issues as well as potential interventions for promoting a power‐cognizant identity form.

Engaging Vernacular Languages and Cultural Diversity in Producing Laughter in Standup Comedy Shows: Translations of Punchlines in the Subtitles of Jo Koy's Netflix

This study explores the engagement of vernacular languages and the nuances of cultural diversity in the translation of punchlines in standup comedy shows. It examines Jo Koy's Netflix. Jo Koy, an American comedian with a Filipino mother, often associates Filipino English and culturally specific references into his routine and makes humor by relating his cultural background. However, translating humor for a global audience is not easy, especially while keeping the humor impact of vernacular languages. This research focuses on the cultural diversity issues in translating punchlines, and interactions between two different elements: English and Indonesian. It examines subtitles from Jo Koy's comedy show ‘Comin' In Hot’, broadcast on Netflix, and the context: the Hawaiian and Indonesian audience, and the American comedian. The study demonstrates that standup comedy shows address cultural diversity. Hawaii, the similarities between Mexicans and Filipinos, Asian English accents, Jo Koy's mother, Filipino culture, and the father-son relationship are all referred to in the punchlines. Delivery of the punchlines articulates the notion of 'difference' and personal connection. In them, cultural issues rise through place names, customs, beliefs, linguistic culture, characters, and objects. Translation techniques such as compressing, shifting, borrowing and adding are used to reach the audience. When employing these techniques, space limitations, duration, understanding of the audience, and cultural issues play a role. The study suggests that the intersection of language, culture, and translation in global media contribute to a broader understanding of how comedy can transcend linguistic boundaries while retaining its original comedic intent.

Developing a Conceptual Framework for a Person-Centered Approach to Improving Adherence and Outcomes in Lung Cancer Screening: The Engaged Approach to Lung Cancer Screening: A Brief Report

IntroductionTranslating outcomes from randomized trials of lung cancer screening into community practice settings has been challenging. We developed a framework—the Engaged Approach to Lung Cancer Screening (EA-LCS)—for improving adherence and individual and population health outcomes in LCS. MethodsEmploying community-engaged research, we conducted semistructured interviews with LCS program staff (N = 15) and participants (N = 7) and administered brief surveys to understand LCS adherence. We combined our knowledge of LCS implementation with data to formulate the EA-LCS framework, including principles and strategies instrumental for LCS adherence. ResultsProgram staff identified four factors that facilitated adherence: (1) the use of specialized tracking software, (2) the importance of personal connection and a reliable touchpoint, (3) centralized program operations, and (4) standardization/streamlining of reports to participants and clinicians. Participant data identified four factors supporting adherence: (1) a single contact point and information availability, (2) tailored communications, (3) personalized results delivery, and (4) increased scan accessibility. Combined analyses identified three overarching themes in the EA-LCS framework: (1) respect, (2) trust, and (3) engagement. ConclusionsThe EA-LCS conceptual model integrates three foundational principles (person-centeredness, trustworthy relationships, and sustained communications) to enhance LCS adherence. Efforts are underway to translate the EA-LCS framework into materials to support adherence.

Care-experienced young people’s views and experiences of accessing general practice and dental services and attending health reviews in England: a qualitative study

BackgroundChildren in care and care leavers have worse health outcomes than their peers without care experience. This study addresses an evidence gap in exploring care-experienced young people’s views and experiences of accessing general practice and dental services and attending health reviews in England.MethodsWe conducted a qualitative study using podcasting as a creative medium. We recruited young people from two sites: one in South England (A) and one in greater London (B). We held two paired discussions in site A and two focus groups in site B, with 14 participants in total. Participants were aged between 13 and 22 years and were diverse in gender, ethnicity, and care experiences. Data were analysed thematically using candidacy theory as a theoretical framework.ResultsMental health was a prevailing concern for participants, but general practice was not considered a place to discuss it. Most participants reported distant relationships with primary healthcare professionals and considered opening-up to a professional to be risky, for example, it could result in an unknown/unwanted outcome. A lack of time and personal connection in appointments, and experiences of feeling judged, dismissed, or misunderstood, hindered young people’s ability to disclose mental health or relationship concerns. Participants reported variation in the timeliness and location of services, with salient examples of extensive waiting periods for braces. Participants perceived annual health reviews to be largely inconsequential.ConclusionsAny primary care presentation by a care-experienced young person should trigger additional professional curiosity. To build rapport and trust, professionals should not underestimate the power of active listening, being reliable and honest, and small acts of thoughtfulness, for example, ensuring medical letters are provided promptly. Carers and other trusted professionals should help care-experienced young people to understand the role of primary care and support them with access. Health reviews may not be of value to all young people in care. Further research is needed to examine primary healthcare access for care-experienced young people with significant safeguarding and healthcare needs.

Navigating Real-World Randomized Clinical Trials: The 'Parents as Teachers' Experience.

The Parents as Teachers Randomized Controlled Trial (PAT RCT) Case Study investigates the multifaceted impact of implementing the PAT RCT in Arizona, U.S.A., shedding light on both the positive and negative effects. There has been a recent focus on improving the implementation of RCTs in community settings, as this issue has not been fully addressed. This research presents a case study examining the implementation of a community-based RCT in home visitation. This study also addresses the strategies that can be employed to mitigate some of the challenges in the implementation of an RCT, offering valuable insights for future RCTs in the domain of home visiting. The PAT program, aimed at providing parent education and family engagement for children from birth to kindergarten, encompasses a range of services, including personal visits, group connections, child screenings, and community resource linkages. The Parents as Teachers Randomized Controlled Trial (PAT RCT) directly promotes health by educating parents about health and wellness as well as providing early child screenings and heath referrals, all of which enhance health outcomes through timely interventions and improved parental practices. Lessons from the study also aim to improve the implementation of future health-related RCTs, ensuring effective delivery and impactful results.

Enhancing doctoral training with reflexive practices: Insights from a collaborative autoethnography

ABSTRACT As calls increase to give public affairs doctoral students more agency in their learning, we report on the effects of implementing professional development, self-reflection, and original research into a first-year, first-semester introductory doctoral seminar. Using Scott et al’s framework, we purposively integrated elements of socialization and self-reflection into the course materials and assignments. Via collaborative autoethnography, we argue that reflexivity and deliberation in real-time yields: personal connection to the materials and each other; kinetic energy and information retention; the blending of academic rigor with an ethic of care. The conclusion offers a framework based on our findings to assist other professors in developing courses with built-in reflection and professional development to work toward equity in the classroom.

Deep Roots, Bama Soil: Narrative multimodal anthropology and fugitive histories

AbstractThis article explores the concept of fugitive histories through narrative multimodal anthropology in Black memory spaces. The aim of this research was to understand how multimodal anthropology and fugitive histories can be used to preserve and re‐imagine narratives that counteract erasure. This article presents a narrative multimodal podcast I produced exploring my personal connection to racial violence, in conversation with a visit to the National Memorial for Peace and Justice and Legacy Museum to consider the ways in which narrative multimodal production and curation may benefit the health and well‐being of Black communities, with a focus on Black fugitivity refusal, and reclamation as a strategic application of the Black Radical Tradition.

Family Provision across Borders

It takes little for family provision claims to cross borders, whether state or national. The property may be located in different places — other states or countries; the personal representatives, claimants or beneficiaries under the will may be from different places; or the deceased may have had a strong personal connection with another place. Any one of those cross-border considerations raises questions of a court’s jurisdiction to deal with a family provision application, or of the law that will apply to it. In this article, we give an account of the principles of private international law — which in this area also apply in interstate matters — that affect family provision claims in Australia. In doing so, we explore recurrent complications with these cross-border family provision claims, including those arising under the cross-vesting scheme and in the federal jurisdiction. While we consider that the current equitable principles of choice of law remain best placed to address how provision should be made from different forms of property, reforms must be made to the equitable principles of jurisdiction if complications raised by the cross-vesting scheme and the possible exercise of federal jurisdiction in family provision claims are to be overcome.

Futures empathy for foresight research and practice

Foresight methods help us to think about the future and overcome a bias toward short-term thinking in decision making. However, many approaches to investigating the future tend to leave implicit how individuals involved in the interventions relate to the present and to the future in practice and over time. To address this gap, our study highlights the affordances of two methodologies —Scenario Planning and Future Design. In a pilot study combining these methods, we report the results of the novel hybridized approach applied in strategic planning workshops across four corporations. Initial reflections and learnings from the pilot case study and literature review helps to build understandings of the practical and theoretical workings of the methodological innovation. By investigating this combination of foresight methodologies, this research opens up new ways for thinking about futuring and proposes a theory of Futures Empathy. Futures Empathy harnesses a person’s capacity for empathy in a novel way by applying it toward a future context. It consists of an iterative double looping process between self and a not yet existent future. Through imagination and reflection, foresight methods that build Futures Empathy can enhance personal connection and integration with a longer time horizon, thus overcoming presentism. By proposing a theory of Futures Empathy, we hope to contribute to better present and future relating in practice and over time across a multitude of foresight interventions.

Introduction to Special Issue: Centering Community Healing, Sustenance, and Resilience in STEM and Computing Education Through Art and Social Justice

Computing, technology, and engineering education are in particular need of examining how we can bring love, community, and joy to the center of learning experiences to support a diversity of youth to flourish. Computing and STEM disciplines are often taught in ways that detach knowledge from people and communities, making it difficult to explore a variety of personal, social, and societal connections that are not already at the center of the tech industry. These exclusionary practices limit the way work is accomplished—including who is involved in the design work and who technological innovations are designed for; as well as the way the work is situated within our society—including what problems technology is designed to solve and who benefits from particular innovations (Benjamin, 2019; Noble, 2018). Learning experiences and spaces for technology education should support youth as they develop new knowledge and skills in ways that recognize them as full humans, and enable them to ground it in their ideas, perspectives, interests, goals, identities, communities, relationships, and local environments. The goal of this special issue is to bring together educators’, researchers’, and youth voices in conversation about how we are centering self-empowerment in our educational work and how we can drive forward our practices.

Do personal political ties matter in SOEs’ access to bank credit? Evidence from China

The role of personal political ties in State-owned enterprises (SOEs) remains under-investigated due to the difficulty of disentangling these ties from SOEs' inherent political connections. Leveraging China's anti-corruption campaign, this paper distinguishes between personal and inherent political ties within SOEs to explore the effect of personal political ties on access to bank credit. Using ordinary least squares and difference-in-difference models, we find that SOEs whose executives lose personal political ties receive significantly less bank credit, resulting in more severe financing constraints. In an attempt to compensate, these SOEs employ tax avoidance strategies, though these measures prove insufficient. Consequently, such SOEs reduce their investment in long-term assets while increasing investment in research and development. Furthermore, our study reveals that the negative impact of severed personal political ties on access to bank credit is more pronounced in SOEs with high state ownership. The reduction in personal political ties among SOEs following the anti-corruption campaign helps mitigate the misallocation of bank credit. Overall, this study identifies personal political ties as a key factor influencing SOEs' access to bank credit and provides new evidence on the effectiveness of China's anti-corruption campaign by categorizing SOEs' political ties into personal and inherent connections.

Unmasking the Authoritarian Mob Boss: A Critical Analysis of Donald Trump’s Political Leadership

This article comprehensively examines Donald Trump’s political leadership, arguing that his tenure as the 45th President of the United States exhibited characteristics commonly associated with authoritarian mob bosses. Drawing upon various empirical evidence and theoretical political science frameworks, the study sheds light on the underlying dynamics that shaped Trump’s leadership style and its implications for democratic governance. The analysis begins by contextualizing Trump’s rise to power within the erosion of democratic norms. It explores how his rhetoric, characterized by demagoguery and the demonization of opponents, mirrors the tactics employed by mob bosses to consolidate their power and suppress dissent. Moreover, the study uncovers the striking similarities between Trump’s administration management and the hierarchical structures of organized crime, highlighting his reliance on loyalty, personal connections, and a disregard for institutional checks and balances. Furthermore, this research delves into Trump’s autocratic tendencies, as evidenced by his disdain for the free press, attacks on the judiciary, and attempts to undermine the integrity of democratic processes. It reveals how these actions align with the strategies employed by authoritarian leaders to silence opposition and perpetuate their dominance. By examining Trump’s presidency through process tracing, this study contributes to our understanding of the complex relationship between authoritarianism and the erosion of democratic institutions. The findings underscore the urgent need for continued scholarly and public scrutiny of leaders who exhibit traits akin to authoritarian mob bosses to safeguard the principles of democratic governance and protect the integrity of liberal democracies.