Positive Identity Research Articles

Identity positioning of experienced school principals when facing critical incidents

The study focused on experienced school principals' identity positions when facing critical incidents that arise over the course of a school year with the aim of better understanding their identity positioning. Ultimately, we intended results to inform on training proposals and school principals’ professional identity development. We used a dialogic framework and a longitudinal design to analyze the positioning processes that allowed four experienced school principals to solve the incidents they faced during their regular activity. Results confirm the dynamic nature of identity and suggest that the positive resolution of critical incidents involved interventions from main positions (core positions, promotor positions, and meta-positions) coalitions with prominent secondary positions, and creation of new positions. Such results indicate to what extent dialogue helped principals deal consciously and strategically with the incidents that configure their professional practice and ultimately contribute to the construction of their identities.

Adult immigrant students’ identity positioning and english-only ideologies in the US: a quantCrit case study

This QuantCrit case study examines how adult emergent multilingual language learners (EMLLs) attending English language skills classes at a public school district in the US construct their linguistic identities in response to English-only ideologies. The small sample size was limited to adults enrolled in the program (n = 19), as this study is intended to be duplicated in different spaces to account for multilingual and cultural diversity. The study asks the question, how do adult EMLLs attending an English class position themselves and their perceived English fluency? To answer this question, participants completed a mixed-methods survey that addresses demographics, languages, perception of one’s own language ability, and perception of what others think about one’s language abilities. The findings were analyzed through the lens of Darvin and Norton’s (2015) Model of Identity Investment that considers identity, ideology, and capital and the raciolinguistics perspective (Flores and Rosa 2015). The results indicate that there is a significant relationship between English-only ideologies and participants’ constructed linguistic identities and reveal a troubled relationship between the way participants position themselves against the deficit-oriented perceptions of English-only speaking Americans. Overall, the results emphasize the importance of centering adult EMLLs’ linguistic and cultural transnational assets in designing curricula, policy, and research.

Antigen-driven Convergent Evolution of Polysaccharide-specific "DH-less" B Cells in Glycoconjugate Immunized Mice.

Glycoconjugate vaccines elicit robust anti-polysaccharide Ab response by recruiting T-cell help. Multiple doses of glycoconjugate vaccine are required to induce long-lasting immunity. The characteristics of anti-polysaccharide Ab response have been reported previously. However, the effect of glycoconjugate booster immunization on anti-polysaccharide and anti-carrier protein Ab repertoire remains poorly understood. In this study, we used clinically relevant pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide type 14 (PCP14) conjugated with cross-reactive material 197 (CRM197) as a model glycoconjugate Ag (PCP14-CRM197). We performed a comprehensive sequence analysis of mouse mAbs generated against PCP14 and CRM197 following immunization with one or three doses of PCP14-CRM197. Analysis of the paired Ig H and L chain transcripts revealed that anti-PCP14 Ab repertoire is extremely restricted. The reoccurrence of five replacement mutations at identical positions in anti-polysaccharide mAbs generated from different mice provided evidence for Ag-driven selection in PCP14-specific B cells. Convergent evolution was observed wherein distinct V(D)J rearrangements resulted in identical or nearly identical CDR3 in anti-PCP14 mAbs. Abs that lacked DH encoded amino acids dominated the anti-PCP14 Ab response. In contrast, anti-CRM197 Ab response was quite diverse, with fewer mutations compared with the anti-PCP14 mAbs, suggesting that conjugation of the polysaccharide to a carrier protein interferes with the development of carrier protein-specific Ab responses. Our findings provide molecular insights into the maturation of Ab responses driven by booster doses of glycoconjugate. This has fundamental implications for the design of glycoconjugate vaccines, especially where the development of Ab response against the carrier protein is also crucial.

Self & Parent-Reported Autism Identity Perception Among Adolescents With ASD

Abstract Date Presented 03/21/24 There is a high agreement between self- and parental report of adolescents' autism identity perception. Promoting positive autism identity when working with adolescents and parents is crucial for improved quality-of-life outcomes. Primary Author and Speaker: Liron Lamash Additional Authors and Speakers: Sonya Meyer, Eynat Gal Contributing Authors: Yael Gutman

Hox gene activity directs physical forces to differentially shape chick small and large intestinal epithelia.

Hox transcription factors play crucial roles in organizing developmental patterning across metazoa, but how these factors trigger regional morphogenesis has largely remained a mystery. In the developing gut, Hox genes help demarcate identities of intestinal subregions early in embryogenesis, which ultimately leads to their specialization in both form and function. Although the midgut forms villi, the hindgut develops sulci that resolve into heterogeneous outgrowths. Combining mechanical measurements of the embryonic chick intestine and mathematical modeling, we demonstrate that the posterior Hox gene HOXD13 regulates biophysical phenomena that shape the hindgut lumen. We further show that HOXD13 acts through the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) pathway to thicken, stiffen, and promote isotropic growth of the subepithelial mesenchyme-together, these features lead to hindgut-specific surface buckling. TGF-β, in turn, promotes collagen deposition to affect mesenchymal geometry and growth. We thus identify a cascade of events downstream of positional identity that direct posterior intestinal morphogenesis.

Working Remotely, Feeling Remote? The Role of Digitally Mediated Communication in Shaping the Identity of Virtual Expatriates.

Utilizing the social identity theory, this conceptual article has proposed how digitally mediated communication between expatriates and host country nationals (HCNs) in a remote work arrangement is linked with individualized change experiences of virtual expatriates. The conceptualized model proposes that the lack of in-depth conversations via virtual communication platforms leads to the development of weak emotional interactions between virtual expatriates and HCNs. However, weakened emotional interactions might result in positive or negative impact on expatriates' identity based on personality-based differences. In this regard, expatriates with collective self-esteem are likely to experience social identity threats because of weakened social ties with HCNs. Contrary to the above group, expatriates having personal self-esteem would view weak socialization as an opportunity and experience an improvement in their leader identity, thus experience a positive social identity change over time. This research has conceptually explored outcomes of digitally mediated communication between expatriates and HCNs on the identity change experiences of expatriates, and holistically covers the role of positive as well as negative change experiences. Unlike the focus of the majority of literature on traditional expatriation, the proposed model has focused on experiences of virtual expatriates, and how working in remote work settings lead to long-term socio-psychological changes in these individuals.

Narrative Identity of Christian College Students in Western New York

<i>Narrative identity has proven valuable in understanding identity development. However, its application to emerging adults in college settings has been limited. This qualitative research explored the narrative identity of Christian college students in Western New York through a life story analysis. </i><i>Ten in-depth interviews with students were recorded and transcribed, resulting in 173 pages of transcripts that were analyzed using seven coding categories. </i><i>The study revealed that the participants’ identities were shaped by a complex interplay of factors, including their Christian faith, interpersonal connections with family and peers, academic and professional aspirations, and challenges related to physical and mental well-being. The findings highlight the dynamic nature of identity, constantly evolving as individuals interact with their surroundings. The participants’ rich life stories painted a vivid picture of who they were, and their identity evolved as their stories unfolded. </i><i>These findings can illuminate future research on the identities of Christian college students and guide them in navigating their journey of self-understanding and positive identity <b>development</b>. This research can also inform the development of programs and support services that address the specific needs and challenges faced by Christian college students as they navigate their identities. Understanding the sources of social support these students value can be crucial in creating a more supportive campus environment.</i>

Addressing the Global Crisis of Social Connection: Singers As Positively Energizing Leaders Who Create Belonging in Our Communities

ABSTRACT Social connection is fundamental to good mental and physical health, yet globally we are experiencing a crisis of connection. Singers exhibit leadership qualities which can be harnessed to rebuild social connections through community group singing activities. Increasingly, music and singing are understood and enacted as a practice of care. Despite this, and partly due to the predominance of performing and teaching within singers’ working lives, community music practices such as group singing for social connection remain on the margins of singers’ career portfolios. This article introduces a range of perspectives not often considered within the singing voice research literature—from leadership theory and social psychology—to position singers as “positively energizing community leaders” who can help address this crisis of connection. Singers’ embodied, aesthetic practice, coupled with their natural desire to connect with others and share human experiences, enables them to build positive, caring relationships and health-enhancing social identities within community singing groups. The article concludes with discussion of the opportunities and challenges for singers in taking up the mantle of positively energizing community leadership, and a call for robust research to establish how singers contribute to addressing the social connection crisis across diverse contexts.

Surface hardness imaging of a low-alloy steel using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Conventional tactile hardness testing methods such as Brinell, Rockwell or Vickers rely on direct mechanical contact, which results in significant surface damage and prohibits their application to complex specimen geometries. Furthermore, the sample must have a certain thickness for tactile testing methods to be applied. In this work, we investigated the use of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy as a fast non-quantitative alternative for visualizing surface hardness gradients. To eliminate the influence of different chemical compositions, we manually heat-treated low-alloy steel pieces cut from the same raw material and batch. By partially quenching a sample piece, we were able to obtain a hardness gradient along the longitudinal axis. We found a positive correlation between the ratio of ionic to atomic line intensities of iron (I Fe II 263.1 nm / I Fe I 358.1 nm) and the mechanical hardness of the sample surface. By scanning the surface and measuring the line intensity ratios, we were able to obtain a spatially resolved map directly correlating with the surface hardness distribution. Additionally, it was observed that the irradiation of laser pulses resulted in significant surface alterations, thereby invalidating subsequent measurements and scans at identical positions.

Flourishing in life in patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: The role of illness identity and health-related quality of life.

Amidst chronic challenges in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), including physical symptoms, emotional stress, and social constraints, this study aimed to elucidate how patients' perceptions of their illness and its integration into their self-concept are related to their ability to flourish in life. We hypothesized that having a positive and integrative illness identity and social identification will predict higher flourishing, mediated by enhanced health-related quality of life (HRQoL). In an online survey with 244 German-speaking IBD adults (Mage = 36.62, 85% women), we found that lower engulfment (where the disease dominates one's identity) predicted higher levels of flourishing, mediated by higher HRQoL. Enrichment, reflecting personal growth from illness, directly predicted higher flourishing, while stronger social identification predicted higher subjective well-being, but not flourishing. The results highlight the potential of fostering positive illness identities and social connections to enhance flourishing in individuals with IBD or similar chronic conditions.

Rejecting Multiracial Stereotypes: Parental Socialization Practices at the Intersection of Race and Gender

Stereotypes surrounding multiracial individuals include being viewed as inherently attractive because of their mixed-race background, and, therefore, having a superiority complex, which reinforces racial hierarchies and creates division and tension within communities of color. This superiority complex is often rooted in colorism and proximity to White beauty standards. Drawing upon in-depth, semistructured interviews with 19 sets of interracial parents in the United States, I describe parents’ awareness and perceptions of these stereotypes at the intersection of race and gender. Parents understand that their Black multiracial boys must contend with both multiracial stereotypes and controlling images of Black men and boys. I argue that parents’ understanding of both multiracial stereotypes, like the Biracial Beauty Stereotype, and controlling images of Black boys and men informs their racial socialization practices as they help their child(ren) build a positive racial identity and prepare for discrimination.

“Mirrors and windows:” a case study of educators’ culturally responsive teaching aspirations and syllabi transformation in the arts

This qualitative case study explored educators’ aspirations to transform arts pedagogy into a culturally sustaining praxis. Twenty-four educators engaged in a 20-h online training, including engaging with prints in the Artura.org print collection, reading culturally sustaining scholarship, dialoguing, and decolonizing lesson plans. Twenty educators participated in dyadic interviews, revealing a deeper understanding of cultural identities and pedagogical changes to shape positive cultural identities for students. Findings highlight how art contributes to social justice teaching goals emphasizing intentional educator self-reflection to anticipate challenges and avoid cultural exploitation. Recommendations include utilizing online art databases with diverse artists in teacher professional development.

"I didn't come here for your judgement" alongside "they understand you and encourage you": Exploring the narratives of young black and mixed-race LGBTQ+ people who have a physical health condition and their experiences within physical health services.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning (LGBTQ+) individuals experience health inequalities. Young people living with a health condition are also more likely to experience adverse mental health outcomes. Developing positive identity can help to mitigate the impact of this. Young black LGBTQ+ people have additional barriers to developing positive identity. Current research rarely considers the intersection of these identities for young people despite the discrimination they may face, and the impact this may have on their health. A narrative approach allows these voices to be heard in research. Eight participants were interviewed using a narrative approach. Interviews were analysed using content and thematic narrative analysis. Global summaries of each interview were developed and 'plot lines' emerged from these. A central plot related to identity development, with two plots embedded in these exploring experiences of illness and of healthcare. Participants had positive experiences of healthcare despite encountering stigma. Access to positive role models and being able link in with various communities allowed participants to integrate and accept their identities. A key discussion point in this study is the ways in which healthcare staff could become role models for young LGBTQ+ people and help them to integrate and accept their identities.

Transpositioning in English medium instruction classroom discourse: insights from a translanguaging perspective

The concept of ‘transpositioning’ is an emerging notion in the field of Applied Linguistics, influenced by positioning theory and liquid modernity. Transpositioning involves individuals breaking away from their predefined roles and adopting different perspectives through translanguaging. However, there is currently a lack of research exploring how multilingual classroom teachers can transcend their positions using translanguaging to achieve their specific communication goals in multilingual classrooms. This study is the first study that investigates how an English-Medium-Instruction teacher undergoes transpositioning by adopting different positionings to construct an imaginary scenario and engaging in co-learning with students. The study employs Multimodal Conversation Analysis to analyse the classroom interaction data, and the findings are triangulated with video-stimulated-recall-interview data, which is analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The paper argues that transpositioning is a fundamental aspect of the teacher’s classroom translanguaging competence. This competence involves not only the strategic utilization of multilingual and multimodal resources to construct new knowledge and achieve specific pedagogical goals, but also requires the teacher to selectively draw from his repertoire and modify his identity positions in response to the evolving dynamics of classroom interaction.

Growth patterns of caudal fin rays are informed by both external signals from the regenerating organ and remembered identity autonomous to the local tissue

Regenerating tissues must remember or interpret their spatial position, using this information to restore original size and patterning. The external skeleton of the zebrafish caudal fin is composed of 18 rays; after any portion of the fin is amputated, position-dependent regenerative growth restores each ray to its original length. We tested for transcriptional differences during regeneration of proximal versus distal tissues and identified 489 genes that differed in proximodistal expression. Thyroid hormone directs multiple aspects of ray patterning along the proximodistal axis, and we identified 364 transcripts showing a proximodistal expression pattern that was dependent on thyroid hormone context. To test what aspects of ray positional identity are directed by extrinsic environental cues versus remembered identity autonomous to the tissue, we transplanted distal portions of rays to proximal environments and evaluated regeneration within the new location. Native regenerating proximal tissue showed robust expression of scpp7, a transcript with thyroid-regulated proximal enrichment; in contrast, regenerating rays originating from transplanted distal tissue showed reduced (distal-like) expression during outgrowth. These distal-to-proximal transplants regenerated far beyond the length of the graft itself, indicating that cues from the proximal environment promoted additional growth. Nonetheless, these transplants initiated regeneration at a much slower rate compared to controls, suggesting memory of distal identity was retained by the transplanted tissue. This early growth retardation caused rays that originated from transplants to grow noticeably shorter than neighboring native rays. While several aspects of fin ray morphology (bifurcation, segment length) were found to be determined by the environment, we found that both regeneration speed and ray length are remembered autonomously by tissues, and that persist through multiple rounds of amputation and regeneration.

Survivor Narratives and the Politics of Echmukutty’s Memoir

Recognising the poignance of women’s autobiographical discourses in engenderingdiscussions around domestic abuse and sexual violence, this study takes up the memoirIthente Rakthamanithente Mamsamanetuthukolluka (This is My Blood, This is My Flesh,Take Them) by the Malayalam writer Echmukutty to examine the politics and possibilities ofthe narrative in not only exposing the microstructures of hegemonic patriarchy but also infostering feminist dialogues on women’s rights and justice. To this end, the study reads theselect memoir as a ‘claims narrative’ that forges affective ties with its readers, therebyclaiming an ethical response from them. The study critically contextualises the memoir totease out the ways in which Echmukutty narratively constructs her identity position as anagential subject who speaks and affectively prods others to speak. It further argues thatEchmukutty’s memoir—an archive of trauma—potentially serves to problematize and, to anextent, alter the generic perceptions regarding the state’s development narratives.

Reconstruction of OFDM Signals Using a Dual Discriminator CGAN with BiLSTM and Transformer.

Communication signal reconstruction technology represents a critical area of research within communication countermeasures and signal processing. Considering traditional OFDM signal reconstruction methods' intricacy and suboptimal reconstruction performance, a dual discriminator CGAN model incorporating LSTM and Transformer is proposed. When reconstructing OFDM signals using the traditional CNN network, it becomes challenging to extract intricate temporal information. Therefore, the BiLSTM network is incorporated into the first discriminator to capture timing details of the IQ (In-phase and Quadrature-phase) sequence and constellation map information of the AP (Amplitude and Phase) sequence. Subsequently, following the addition of fixed position coding, these data are fed into the core network constructed based on the Transformer Encoder for further learning. Simultaneously, to capture the correlation between the two IQ signals, the VIT (Vision in Transformer) concept is incorporated into the second discriminator. The IQ sequence is treated as a single-channel two-dimensional image and segmented into pixel blocks containing IQ sequence through Conv2d. Fixed position coding is added and sent to the Transformer core network for learning. The generator network transforms input noise data into a dimensional space aligned with the IQ signal and embedding vector dimensions. It appends identical position encoding information to the IQ sequence before sending it to the Transformer network. The experimental results demonstrate that, under commonly utilized OFDM modulation formats such as BPSK, QPSK, and 16QAM, the time series waveform, constellation diagram, and spectral diagram exhibit high-quality reconstruction. Our algorithm achieves improved signal quality while managing complexity compared to other reconstruction methods.

Предикторы осмысленности жизни у тувинцев, проживающих в сельских районах и городах Тувы

<p>The article presents the results of a study of the characteristics of the value-semantic sphere of Tuvans living in remote rural areas of Tuva. The assumption was tested that one of the predictors of meaningfulness among Tuvans may be ethnicity: features of ethnic identity and values. Tuvans living in three rural districts of Tuva (Erzin, Mugur-Aksy, Toora-Khem) and Kyzyl were compared. 825 people were recruited for this study. To test this assumption, the multiple linear regression method was used: the dependent variable was the indicators of the PIL test, and the indicators of the “Values Questionnaire” by S. Schwartz and “Types of Ethnic Identity” (S.V. Ryzhova, G.U. Soldatova) were considered as predictors. It was shown that significant predictors of meaningfulness among Tuvans are ethnic negativism (-0.307), positive identity (0.148), values of achievement (0.195), power (-0.150) and kindness (0.098). Regression models obtained for individual regions had their own specifics. It was also shown that residents of the districts differ significantly in the indicators of the PIL test, scales of the “Types of Ethnic Identity”, as well as the values of conformity, tradition, kindness and universalism. Based on the results obtained, a conclusion was made about the contribution of ethnicity to the dynamics of meaningfulness among the residents of Tuva.</p>

Linking nursing students' professional identity, clinical learning environment, financial incentives, and career opportunities with migration intent: Structural equation modeling.

To investigate how nursing students' professional identity, clinical learning environment, financial incentives, and career opportunities influence their intention to migrate. There is a preponderance of studies about nurse migration and its impact on the global nursing workforce. However, a critical gap remains about nursing students' intentions to migrate, particularly among developing countries like the Philippines. Using a cross-sectional design, third- and fourth-year nursing students (n=316) from the largest comprehensive university in Manila were conveniently recruited. Data were collected from November to December 2023 using five validated self-report scales. Descriptive (e.g., mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistics (e.g., Spearman rho, covariance-based structural equation modeling) were used to analyze data. The emerging model demonstrated acceptable model fit indices. Nursing students' professional identity (β=0.18, p=0.043) and financial incentives (β=0.10, p=0.046) significantly and positively influence the intention to migrate. The satisfaction with future career opportunities (β=-0.12, p=0.038) and clinical learning environment perception (β=-0.15, p=0.048) negatively influence the intention to migrate. These four predictors accounted for 4.60% of the total variance of intention to migrate. Nursing students' professional identity and financial incentives directly impact intent to migrate, whereas future career opportunities satisfaction and clinical learning environment inversely affect intent to migrate. This study underscores the imperative for nursing colleges and faculty to promote positive professional identity and provide a conducive clinical learning environment to develop sustainable nurses' migration policies.

A scoping review of the research evidence of the developmental assets model in Europe.

Positive Youth Development (PYD) is a strength-based perspective that focuses on the resources to promote a successful transition to adulthood, derived from the Relational Developmental Systems theory. In this line, the Developmental Assets (DA) model focuses on describing the personal resources (Internal Assets) and contextual resources (External Assets) that help to reach PYD. Most research from this approach has been carried out in United States and, to a lesser extent, in the European continent. The aim of this scoping review was to examine the evidence collected for the DA model in Europe. Web of Science database was used to search for articles published between 2013 and February 2024. Initially, there were 55 possible articles to be included, but after applying the exclusion criteria, this number was reduced to 11. The findings suggested that the evidence for DA in Europe was in line with North American research, so that a higher presence of DA was related to higher well-being, better psychological adjustment, and lower risk behaviors. Internal Assets were the most influential assets, with the Positive Identity category being especially remarkable. Commitment to Learning and Social Competencies were also highlighted in the studies included in the review. Concerning External Assets, Positive Boundaries-expectations and Empowerment were emphasized as protective factors in youth development. These assets were found to present a protective effect against risk behaviors and were positively associated with PYD and socioemotional skills. Thus, these findings support the applicability of the DA framework in promoting PYD in European context, and some intervention strategies are discussed considering cultural diversity.