Previous Negative Experiences Research Articles

Perceived benefits and challenges of academic involvement in three strategic environmental assessments in Central Europe

The main objective of this paper is to reflect on the contribution academics make to SEA processes in practice, in particular the benefits that arise from that collaboration for both, practitioners and academics, as well as challenges. In this context, the authors focus on the perceptions of those involved in SEA. Three non-routine SEA case studies from Central Europe are explored, including a Polish-German development programme SEA, a 6-country (Austria, Slovenia, Italy, France, Switzerland and Germany) Alpine program SEA and a German marine spatial plan SEA. Information was obtained through interviews and questionnaires conducted with academics as well as private and public SEA actors. Participant observations were used to support the interpretation of results. In the three cases, academics fullfilled different roles, including being providers of expert knowledge and being members of advisory committees. Results suggest an overall positive perception of collaboration between academia and practice, with important contributions being the introduction of novel ideas and innovative assessment methods in SEA, the contribution of knowledge from the academic literature, and the generation of scientific backing for new approaches. Potential challenges for collaboration were found to be associated with negative previous experiences of actors with science-practice interactions along with some contextual factors. Academics benefit from implementing research knowledge in practice. Furthermore, teaching becomes informed by practice and can thus better embrace real life situations.

Mechanisms of recovery: Community perceptions of change and growth following multiple disasters.

The geographic location of the Gulf South leaves communities in continuous threat, response, and recovery disaster cycles. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 provided an opportunity to study disaster mental health. Less than 5 years after the storm, many Hurricane Katrina survivors were impacted again by the Deepwater Horizon Gulf oil spill. Despite adversities impacting Gulf communities, over 90% of participants reported they were resilient. The purpose of this study was to improve the understanding of the mechanisms that contribute to strengths following adversity in communities affected by repeated disasters. Specifically, we focused on survivor perceptions of personal, spiritual, or community changes in efforts to describe community resilience and posttraumatic growth (PTG). Participants were recruited through a quantitative survey and community flyers. Participants represented southeastern Louisiana, in areas impacted by hurricanes and the oil spill-for a total of five focus groups and 41 participants. Focus groups began by asking each participant to provide a brief overview of their disaster survival story and three additional guiding strengths-based questions. Data were transcribed using Dragon Speech Recognition software. A total of 963 unique responses were analyzed and coded. The following themes were identified: connectedness (n = 259), coping (n = 94), spirituality (n = 60), adaptability (n = 47), and self-reliance (n = 23). Participants noted a growth mindset from the disasters and also acknowledged coinciding negative experiences (n = 154) associated with community change and loss, where subthemes included change in connectedness (n = 97), crime (n = 26), and feeling like an outsider (n = 31). These findings help scholars and mental health practitioners better understand the lived experiences of PTG in a community of survivors impacted by recurring traumatic experiences. In keeping with previous literature, PTG and negative experiences associated with trauma are not mutually exclusive, but occur simultaneously. Our results offer a holistic picture of coping with cumulative or repeated traumas and suggest that connectedness, coping, and spirituality provide important buffers to negative psychosocial outcomes.

Sources of Second Language Speaking Anxiety: An Investigation into the Lecturers’ Perspective

‘Anxiety’ experienced in speaking English as a second language has been a topic of much interest in the field of language learning as it is debilitating and it creates an impact on the achievement of the language learners in an adverse manner. This nervousness or anxiety seems to be inducing when the students are asked to speak in the second language in the class. Presumably, speaking has become a complete fallout in acquiring the language. Thus, it was of paramount importance to embark in a research on this circumstance with the aim of investigating the perspectives of the lecturers in order to integrate students into an English speaking environment with greater ease and to increase the students’ enjoyment when learning and communicating in English. To accomplish the objectives of this study, a total of 40 academics from the Faculty of Social Sciences & Languages, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka were selected. The data gathered were analyzed through a mixed approach which consisted of both qualitative and quantitative data analyzing methods using descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages. A total of 40 academics participated in the study. The majority of the participants were females (92.5%), aged between 31- 40 years (52.5%) with 3-5 years of working experience (47.5%). The responses revealed some intriguing findings and three categories of possible sources for second language speaking anxiety were explored as psychological, methodological and social. It was distinct through the lecturers’ perspectives, that psychological causes of speaking fears could stem from the lack of self-confidence, low esteem, fear of failing the subject, fear of negative evaluation, the need to be perfect & accurate and previous negative experiences. It was also apparent that the instructional methods employed in the classroom such as anxiety-ridden classrooms, monotonous teaching style, competition within the classroom, boring topics and activities evaluations and grades as well as social causes such as public embarrassment, negative judgement from teachers and students, unhealthy relationship with peers and isolation will contribute to second language speaking anxiety. Hence, this study can be taken as a reference for the lecturers in determining the possible sources of second language speaking anxiety. Thereby, to decide on the effective strategies that can be employed in order to alleviate the speaking anxiety of the students. The findings also pave the path for the lecturers to realize their own reactions that can possibly enhance or lessen the speaking anxiety of the students.

Quality of life after otoplasty for prominent ears in children

AimProminent ears are a common congenital malformation and are associated with low self-esteem, social isolation and diminished school performance. Our goal was to evaluate the influence of otoplasty on children’s quality of life (QoL). Material and methodsPatients submitted to otoplasty from 2016 to 2018 were summoned for a reevaluation. Seventy patients and respective caregivers agreed to participate. Surgical, demographic and clinical data were reviewed from electronic registries. Two sets of inquiries were performedPediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 (for parent and child) and an adaptation of the Glasgow Children Benefit Inventory (GCBI-b). Fifteen patients were excluded for incomplete inquiries. ResultsFifty-five patients were included, 70.9% were males. Median age at surgery was 7.7 ± 3.3 years. Aesthetic dissatisfaction was the main previous negative experience. Median self-report quality of life was 85.6% and parent-report was 86.9%. Median GCBI-b was +20.5, indicating an improvement in patients’ QoL. Bullying and high parental expectations for life change post-surgery were predictive of higher GCBI-b scores (p < 0.05). Ninety-six percent of parents would recommend surgery to other children. ConclusionsOtoplasty is a valid treatment option for prominent ears in children,improving not only aesthetics but also health-related QoL.

A wound care and immunization needs assessment for participants of a mobile syringe services program in Austin, TX

BackgroundPeople who inject drugs (PWID) are subject to injection-related harm, including skin and soft tissue infections. Syringe services programs (SSPs) provide sterile syringes, disposal of used syringes, and other supportive services. Given their contact and credibility with PWID, SSPs could facilitate triage and treatment of wounds and access to immunizations for communicable diseases. ObjectiveThis work aimed to assess wound care and immunization needs among participants accessing mobile SSP services in Austin, TX. MethodsA 21-item mixed-methods survey was created to assess frequency and severity of wounds, wound care approaches, and vaccination status. Participants were included if they reported injection drug use and experienced a related wound in the previous 6 months. Interview sections included screening, demographics, wound care, and immunization status. ResultsA total of 21 participants completed the semistructured interview. A majority identified as male (n = 13, 61.9%), white (n = 12, 57.1%), and were unhoused (n = 12, 57.1%). The primary drug of injection was heroin alone (n = 14, 66.7%). Many avoided seeking wound care from health care providers (n = 16, 76.2%) owing to stigmatization (n = 13, 61.9%) and previous negative experiences (n = 7, 33.3%). Self-treatment of wounds included over-the-counter medications (n = 10, 47.6%), over-the-counter supplies (n = 10, 47.6%), and antibiotics (n = 9, 42.8%). In the past 5 years, few had received vaccination for hepatitis A and B (n = 3, 14.3%) or tetanus (n = 7, 33.3%), and many expressed interest in receiving vaccinations through the SSP. Interest for other expanded services included access to antibiotics, an on-site provider, wound care supplies, and education. ConclusionsPWID may avoid professional health care for wound care or immunizations owing to perceived stigma. Expanding availability of wound care services and immunizations directly through mobile SSPs is desired by participants and could positively affect public health.

P10 Psychologist? But the pain is not all in my head…

P10 Psychologist? But the pain is not all in my head…

"Sports for All"-An Evaluation of a Community Based Physical Activity Program on the Access to Mainstream Sport for Children with Intellectual Disability.

Access to club sports is still not a given for children with ID. Parents and children report numerous structural and social barriers to accessing mainstream sports. Sports clubs, on the other hand, want to include this group of people, but often do not know how to do it. Using a community-based approach, children with intellectual disabilities (8–15 years) and their parents were given the opportunity to participate in an 8-week sports program in four mainstream clubs organized by a self-help organization for people with intellectual disabilities. Focus groups were conducted with all participants (parents, children, and club representatives) before and after the program and evaluated by means of a thematic analysis. The children rated participation very positively and only very occasionally reported that they had been excluded. The parents confirmed this experience, but were nevertheless more critical in their assessment. Outside the research context of this study, the sports clubs hardly provided good support, which can also be deduced from previous negative experiences of the parents. The sports clubs themselves received valuable information about what their failings were: sufficiently available and qualified staff, better access to sports facilities, and a wider range of inclusive groups are needed. On the other hand, there was hardly any prejudice on the part of the non-disabled club members towards the new members with ID, which was evaluated extremely positively, albeit surprisingly, by the sports clubs.

Young adults’ expectations for healthcare following institutional betrayal

ABSTRACT Healthcare-related institutional betrayal has been used to examine how patients’ previous negative healthcare experiences influence their current provider-level trust and future interactions with the healthcare system. However, healthcare-related institutional betrayal has rarely been considered among emerging independent users of the healthcare system: college students. Moreover, it is unknown whether healthcare-related institutional betrayal is associated with future healthcare expectations among this population. Using a trauma-informed framework, this study examined the relations among self-reported experiences of healthcare-related institutional betrayal, trust in healthcare providers, and subsequent expectations for healthcare among college students (n = 967). Analyses considered whether greater past healthcare-related institutional betrayal during one’s worst healthcare experience predicts i) lower current trust in healthcare providers and ii) greater negative expectations for future healthcare above and beyond trauma symptoms and the perceived severity of participants’ worst healthcare experiences. Sixty-nine percent of participants endorsed having experienced at least one act of institutional betrayal, the most common being the institution not taking proactive steps to prevent unpleasant healthcare experiences (28.5%). As predicted theoretically, greater experiences of institutional betrayal accounted for 16% of the variance in current trust in healthcare providers, even after accounting for trauma symptoms and the severity of the worst healthcare experience. Greater endorsement of institutional betrayal experiences were also significantly associated with negative expectations for future healthcare. Given the youthfulness of the sample, it is noteworthy that 41.4% of participants endorsed at least one negative expectation for future healthcare. Future research should examine how negative expectations are related to healthcare avoidance behaviors.

Emergency care for older people living with frailty: patient and carer perspectives

BackgroundLittle is known about how frailty impacts on older people’s experiences of emergency care, despite patient experience being essential to providing person-centred care. This qualitative study reports on the experiences...

Motivators, Barriers, and Preferences to Engagement With Offered Social Care Assistance Among People With Diabetes: A Mixed Methods Study

A substantial proportion of patients screening positive for social risks either decline assistance or do not follow-up with offered resources. This study examined patient interest in and engagement with offered social care assistance among adults with poorly controlled diabetes at an academic medical center. Surveys (n=307) and purposively sampled follow-up interviews (n=40) were conducted 6 months after randomization to receive guided online self-navigation or in-person assistance to address unmet social needs. Integrated mixed methods (data collected in 2019-2021) explored the motivators, barriers, and preferences regarding the uptake of offered assistance. Results were analyzed in 2021 using descriptive statistics, rapid qualitative analysis, and joint display models. A total of 77% of people randomized to online self-navigation and 14% randomized to in-person assistance engaged with offered assistance. Motivators for engagement were similar across groups and included ease of use, anticipating assistance that could address 1 or more needs, and interest in learning more about available resources. Barriers to engagement included not needing or desiring assistance, participants perceiving that offered assistance was not relevant to their needs or that they would not qualify, competing priorities/forgetting, previous negative experiences or stigma, and technology or access challenges (online self-navigation group). Preferences around offered assistance that directly addressed barriers to uptake included changing messaging and framing around offered help and the ability to tailor modalities. There are key barriers to the use of social care assistance that may directly reflect the process by which individuals are screened and offered assistance. Strategies to increase uptake should be patient centered and ideally provide multiple options for type of assistance and mode of engagement.

UK parents' help-seeking for child sleep: A qualitative investigation into parental preferences and reservations about resources.

Child sleep is a common parental concern and there is an array of resources available to parents. However, an exploration of UK parents' help-seeking behaviours around child sleep is lacking. This study sought to identify the resources parents use to seek information and help for child sleep, as well as to explore what factors parents prefer about certain sources and their reservations about using other resources. Parents of 6-36 month old children residing in the United Kingdom (UK) completed an online questionnaire between October 2015 and October 2016 about their use, opinions and experiences regarding resources for child sleep. Quantitative data were descriptively analysed and thematic analysis was conducted on parents' open-ended text responses. Participants were 266 UK parents (97% mothers). Parents' ages ranged from 21 to 45 years (M=33.49 years, SD=4.71) and all resided in the United Kingdom (UK). General Internet searches were the most commonly reported source used by 47% of parents with a range of other informal resources also frequently consulted. Health Visitors (HVs) were the most accessed healthcare professional reportedly consulted by 38% of parents. Seven themes represented parental preferences for their resource use. Most strongly endorsed included a desire for information from other parents, particularly those with practical experience and accessing information that aligned with their parenting values. Parents preferred sources that provided support and reassurance, as well as those that afforded parents the ability to select relevant elements from a range of information. Seven themes represented parents' reservations about resources. Most strongly endorsed were concerns about reliability, being judged and challenges associated with filtering vast amounts of information. Parents reported having reservations towards sources if they had a previous negative experience with the source. Possible implications of the findings and specific suggestions about how existing and future resources could be adapted to better meet parents' needs are highlighted.

The Barriers to Accessing Health Care for Women Previously Trafficked: Scoping Review

ABSTRACT The stereotyping of the experiences of women and sensational imagery of anti-trafficking awareness campaigns restricts the efforts of healthcare providers to address the needs of women previously trafficked. The purpose of this scoping review was to explore the barriers to accessing health care for women previously trafficked. A scoping review was conducted to assess the initial breadth of available research. In early 2021, the titles, abstracts and subject headings were searched in CINAHL Plus with Full Text, Medline, Embase, SocINDEX with Full Text, Scopus, and Psych Info. The resulting articles were screened by two reviewers based on established inclusion and exclusion criteria. Conflicts were resolved through conversations between the two reviewers. The overall search yielded a total of 1241 records after duplicates were removed. A total of 12 full-text articles were included in this review. Barriers included control by trafficker(s), lack of documentation, and previous negative experiences with healthcare and service providers. There was a lack of congruency with identifying self-reliance and self-treatment as a barrier or facilitator. Recommended policy changes include less prosecution-orientated approaches, a focus on social policy for the protection of women, and poverty alleviation. Peer-to-peer support can facilitate access to health care for women previously trafficked.

2022 ISFM Consensus Guidelines on Management of the Inappetent Hospitalised Cat.

Inappetence may have many origins and, as a presenting sign or observation in the hospitalised patient, is common in feline practice. Nutritional assessment of every patient is encouraged, to identify the need for, and appropriate type of, intervention indicated. The impact of malnutrition may be significant on the feline patient, perpetuating illness, delaying recovery, slowing wound healing and negatively impacting gut health and immunity. Delayed intervention may result in the cat's deterioration; hence prompt control of contributing factors such as the underlying illness, pain, nausea, ileus and stress is vital to optimise voluntary food intake. Management is multimodal, comprising reduction of stress, medications and assisted nutrition in the form of tube feeding or parenteral nutrition. Use of antiemetic, analgesic, prokinetic and appetite stimulant medications may restore appetite, but placement of feeding tubes should not be delayed. Feeding tubes are generally well tolerated and allow provision of food, water and medication with minimal stress, although clinicians must be aware of complications such as stoma site infections and refeeding syndrome. Cats are vulnerable to malnutrition owing to their unique metabolism and specific nutritional requirements. Moreover, their nature as a species means they are susceptible to stress in the hospital environment, which may result in reduced food intake; previous negative experiences may compound the problem. In particular, an inappropriate clinic environment and/or handling may cause or exacerbate inappetence in hospitalised patients, with negative impacts on recovery. Postponing interventions such as feeding tube placement to await improvement, owing to clinician or caregiver apprehension, may hinder recovery and worsen nutritional deficits. The 2022 ISFM Consensus Guidelines on Management of the Inappetent Hospitalised Cat have been created by a panel of experts brought together by the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM). Information is based on the available literature, expert opinion and the panel members' experience.

‘The role of encourager’: Exploring the experiences of mental health professionals working with older adults with hoarding disorder

Hoarding disorder affects 2–5 per cent of the population, with older adults making up a substantial proportion of that due to the chronic nature of hoarding behaviours and consequent clutter. Multiagency hoarding frameworks are being developed all over the UK, with mental health services working alongside other agencies to support an individual with hoarding difficulties holistically. Mental health clinicians have previously reported finding their role in this difficult. Therefore, this study recruited 30 clinicians working in an older adult mental health team and explored their experiences through a questionnaire. Thematic analysis identified six key themes detailing the clinicians experiences of working with hoarding: (1) contextual factors (time constraints, scale of clutter, previous negative experiences influencing current treatment, lack of skills); (2) assessment (risk, life story, beliefs and motives, MDT); (3) formulation (co-creation, motives and beliefs, helping staff understanding); (4) treatment (values based, support systems, discarding, meaningful activity, monitoring progress); (5) therapeutic relationship (trust, making the time, reinforcement); (6) multiagency working (skill profile, differing perspectives, coordination). The data highlighted the need for staff training and support, providing the necessary tools to deliver evidence-based assessment, formulation, and intervention. The challenges described suggest better links between different agencies is required. Meaningful interactions and success stories were linked to developing trusting relationships, introducing values and needs based approaches, and making use of the skill mix with the mental health team. Keywords: Hoarding; Older Adults; Multidisciplinary team; Multiagency working.

Learning analytics and flipped learning in online teaching for supporting preservice teachers’ learning of quantitative research methods

Research methods, including those of a quantitative nature, are an important part of preservice teacher training in Finland. However, quantitative research methods are considered challenging, often feared, and even hated among preservice teachers. This may be due to previous negative experiences and emotions associated with their use, which also influence other aspects of learning such as self-regulation, self-efficacy, and orientations. Given such circumstances, new ways to teach and support the learning of quantitative methods are needed. Here, we investigate the self-regulation, self-efficacy, orientations, and emotions of preservice teachers (N = 38) enrolled in a quantitative methods online course incorporating learning analytics and a flipped learning approach. Dispositional learning analytics data from five measurement points were used, and data were analyzed via descriptive statistics, internal consistency (Cronbach alpha), bootstrapped paired sample t-test (between first and final measurement point), and profiles based on mean. The results demonstrate that in this teaching context, preservice teachers’ time management skills can be improved, and task avoidance, anxiety, and boredom towards quantitative methods decreased. The meaning of these results from the teaching context perspective are also examined, as are the limitations and implications of this study.

Identifying Barriers to Trainees Addressing Corporal Punishment and Effective Discipline Using Simulation and Semistructured Debriefing.

The objective of the current study was to examine (1) physician trainee interventions when confronted with a situation in which corporal punishment (CP) occurs in a simulated medical setting and (2) their knowledge, comfort, and experiences shared during a semistructured debriefing. Themes were developed from simulation sessions from 2018 to 2019, where a convenience sample of training physicians was invited to participate. The simulation involved a medical visit where a caregiver becomes increasingly aggravated, eventually striking her child on the back of the head. There were a total of 7 simulations with one trainee participating while others observed. All trainees subsequently participated in a debriefing and educational session. A total of 37 physician trainees participated. Themes of not having the wording to address CP, not knowing the distinction between CP and physical abuse, previous negative experiences discussing discipline with families, and fear of offending families negatively impacted trainees' ability to intervene during the simulation. Trainees were interested in future education including simulated medical encounters to improve their responses to CP in the future. Trainees felt uncomfortable with intervening when CP was observed and did not know how to provide appropriate guidance to families on discipline. Moreover, performance during the simulation and discussions during the debriefings revealed knowledge gaps regarding the difference between CP and physical abuse, how to word recommendations about CP to caregivers, and what resources should be provided. These data suggest the need for education on CP and discipline to be integrated into pediatric training.

Communicative Relations in the Educational Environment: Exploration of Parents’ Views on Communicative Relations with the School Principal

This study delves into the issue of parent – teacher communication and the relations formed in the educational environment with emphasis on the parents’ views about the relation between parents and educational leadership. The thorough literature review provides both theoretical and research dimensions which form the frame of our research process in the specific field. In this respect, our study utilizes the semi-structured interview as a methodological tool. The case study focuses on Crete, a Greek island in the south of the country. The interview results document and analyze the views of 18 parents, 5 of which are members of the Parents and Guardians Association. Their views are classified in terms of: 1) the reasons, ways and frequency of their communication with the school principal, 2) the quality of communication and possible factors of negative impact on their communication and 3) the school principal’s communicative profile along with their features that promote or hinder their communication with parents.&#x0D; Our research data showed that: 1) the communication with the school principal is rare, non-systematic, unscheduled while the main reasons for communication are problem management and solving, 2) there is positive communication in the frame of a conventional, neutral or weak relation with the principal. The main factors of negative impact on communication are: a) parents’ previous negative experiences, their disappointment due to insufficient information provision from the Principal, c) their comparisons and subjective perceptions about principal effectiveness, d) their goal for more frequent and systematic communication with the classroom teacher. Finally, 3) it was found that the majority of parents have positive views about the principal’s communicative profile meaning that the principal’s skills and personality features outweigh any other factors regarding the promotion of communication between the two sides.&#x0D; &#x0D;

"I wanna live and not think about the future" what place for advance care planning for people living with severe multiple sclerosis and their families? A qualitative study.

Little is known about how people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and their families comprehend advance care planning (ACP) and its relevance in their lives. To explore under what situations, with whom, how, and why do people with MS and their families engage in ACP. We conducted a qualitative study comprising interviews with people living with MS and their families followed by an ethical discussion group with five health professionals representing specialties working with people affected by MS and their families. Twenty-seven people with MS and 17 family members were interviewed between June 2019 and March 2020. Interviews and the ethical discussion group were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed using the framework approach. Participants' narratives focused on three major themes: (i) planning for an uncertain future; (ii) perceived obstacles to engaging in ACP that included uncertainty concerning MS disease progression, negative previous experiences of ACP discussions and prioritising symptom management over future planning; (iii) Preferences for engagement in ACP included a trusting relationship with a health professional and that information then be shared across services. Health professionals' accounts from the ethical discussion group departed from viewing ACP as a formal document to that of an ongoing process of seeking preferences and values. They voiced similar concerns to people with MS about uncertainty and when to initiate ACP-related discussions. Some shared concerns of their lack of confidence when having these discussions. These findings support the need for a whole system strategic approach where information about the potential benefits of ACP in all its forms can be shared with people with MS. Moreover, they highlight the need for health professionals to be skilled and trained in engaging in ACP discussions and where information is contemporaneously and seamlessly shared across services.

Accessing Diabetes Specialty Care for Persons With Lived Experience of Homelessness in Canada: Challenges and Opportunities

ObjectivesPersons with lived experience of homelessness face many challenges in managing their diabetes, including purchasing and storing medications, procuring healthy food and accessing health-care services. Not only do these individuals have challenges in accessing primary care, they are also seen by diabetes specialists (endocrinologists, diabetes educators, foot- and eye-care specialists) less frequently. MethodsWe conducted a qualitative descriptive study using open-ended interviews of 96 health and social care providers across 5 Canadian cities (Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Vancouver, Toronto). We used NVivo qualitative software to facilitate thematic analysis of the data, focussing on homelessness-related patient barriers to diabetes specialty care. ResultsBarriers identified included patients’ competing priorities and previous negative experiences with specialists, long wait times from referral to appointment, difficulty in contacting patients and location of the clinics. Primary care providers were confident in managing diabetes in most patients and believed that patients were best served under their care. Other barriers included specialists’ limited understanding of patients’ complex social situations and medication coverage as well as out-of-pocket costs associated with some specialist care. Recommendations for improving access to diabetes specialty care for these medically and socially complex patients included holding diabetes specialty clinics at community health centres, providing physician-to-physician direct referrals, and selecting specialists with an interest in health of the homeless population. ConclusionsBarriers to diabetes specialty care for persons with lived experience of homelessness are due largely to the physical and social environment of the clinics. Innovative solutions may be implemented to address these challenges and improve access for this population.

Investigating the relationship between mathematics anxiety, mathematical resilience and mathematics support engagement: an analysis of demographic and cohort factors

Engagement with mathematics support has been of interest for several years, particularly because some students who may benefit from using support do not avail themselves of it. It has been suggested that these students may be those who are mathematics anxious; they may have had previous negative learning experiences with mathematics and thus demonstrate avoidance behaviours such as procrastination and not seeking help. In this paper, the results of mathematical resilience (MR) and anxiety questionnaires (MA) will be investigated. This investigation is conducted at the level of the whole cohort of students and also broken down by a range of demographic features. Consideration is also given to whether there is any relationship between student mathematics anxiety and resilience on the one hand and whether or not they engage with mathematics and statistics support services on the other.The analysis reveals a weak negative correlation between MA and MR at whole cohort level. In terms of demographic characteristics, students on courses with no mathematics A-level entry requirement were significantly more mathematics anxious than those on courses with a mathematics A-level entry-requirement. They were also less mathematically resilient. Female students, non-Asian students, mature students and disabled students, on average, also had higher MA scores, whilst female students and mature students were also significantly less mathematically resilient.