Professional Identity Research Articles

Perceived Effectiveness of a Positive Thinking Training Course on Professional Identity: Reconciliation of Bipolar English as a Foreign Language Teachers with Positive Thinking

Objectives: About 5% of the world’s population suffer from bipolar disorder. These people, in general, and teachers in particular, have many personal, social, and working problems. Different approaches, such as positive thinking, have been suggested to cope with such issues. Moreover, professional identity, similar to general identity, has been applied in various ways in teacher and instructor training. Using a basic interpretive design, we explored perceptions of English foreign language (EFL) teachers with bipolar disorder and the effectiveness of a training course on positive thinking on their professional identity. Methods: The participants consisted of 25 (16 males and 9 females) bipolar EFL teachers who were purposefully selected from EFL teachers teaching in private language institutes in Kerman City, Iran. A bipolar spectrum diagnostic scale and a semi-structured interview were used to collect the study data. Also, a positive thinking training course was developed to be administered in ten 60-minute sessions. Results: Regarding the effectiveness of the positive thinking training course on professional identity, the output of a thematic analysis of the interviews conducted with bipolar EFL teachers were as follows: Improvement in communicative and motivational skills, enhancement of willingness to reach professional development and classroom management skills, working on English language proficiency, seeking the best teaching methods, attention to students’ needs, enhancement of verbal skills, and reducing teaching fear. Discussion: The research results help people participate in bipolar tests and psychological studies and strive for their mental health. It will also create a spirit of hope in patients. The findings have some implications for EFL teacher education administrators and bipolar EFL teachers. Training on positive thinking skills can contribute to positive changes and orientations in EFL bipolar teachers, reconstructing their professional identity.

Becoming a ‘Professional’: Researching the development of career practitioners’ professional identity in a New Zealand context

This paper outlines my current PhD research which examines how career practitioners’ professional identity construction is affected by their environment. The research takes a post-structural approach, focusing on the issue from the perspective of the ‘subjects’ or careers practitioners, rather than the structural, ‘top-down’ requirements of policy-makers and other agencies. The paper introduces the research, identifies the research problem, gives a brief insight into the literature, sets out the aims and methodology, and identifies the potential contribution to understanding the effect of the environment on career practitioners’ professional identity. Once my PhD is completed, I hope the outcomes of the research will contribute to understanding how practitioners construct their identity in relation to the discourse of professionalisation.

Exploring alternative practice placement models in occupational therapy and physiotherapy: perspectives and experiences of learners and practice educators: a qualitative systematic review

AbstractWithin physiotherapy and occupational therapy practice placements, there is a predominance of the one-to-one supervision model which creates limitations for placement capacity expansion. Alternative placement models must be explored to meet training requirements for these professions and ensure the availability of a future workforce. The aim of this review is to explore the experiences and perceptions of practice educators and learners regarding alternative placement models, to inform future planning and the adoption of these opportunities. This qualitative systematic review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. A comprehensive search was conducted across six databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus, ERIC, PsycINFO), covering the period from January 2010 to December 2022. Meta-aggregation was used to synthesise the findings from the included studies. A total of 16 articles were included within this review. The learner voice was represented in 14 categories aggregated to five synthesised findings: professional growth and development, personal and psychological adaptation, alliances within collaborative learning, educational and learning process, and managing professional relationships. The practice educator voice was represented in 11 categories aggregated into four synthesised findings: providing the right support; professional identity; peer relationships and levels of satisfaction. This review highlights positive aspects associated with skill development, personal growth, and the formation of professional identity following alternative placement experiences. However, it also reveals concerns including uncertainty and anxiety related to role clarity, expectations, and the structure within these environments. This understanding of the perceptions and experiences of both learners and practice educators can inform the development of targeted support and guidance from universities, addressing these challenges and enhancing overall satisfaction. Further adoption of alternative placement models has the potential to expand practice placement capacity for learners offering a promising environment for healthcare education. These models provide learners with invaluable experiences and skills essential for their future careers.

Dynamic positioning in identity development: Case studies of Chinese university English language teachers

This multiple-case study examines the dynamics of identity among Chinese university teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) in response to challenges that arise from individual teaching contexts. Grounded in Dialogical Self Theory (DST), the study investigates how these teachers navigate conflicting pedagogies, exercise agency, and negotiate their professional identities. Through in-depth interviews and classroom observations, the findings demonstrate the ways in which participating teachers drew on diverse position repertoires to manage the complexities of their teaching roles. The study identified several key positioning strategies, including the adoption of meta-positions, the creation of third positions, the utilization of promoter positions, the formation of coalitions of positions, and the management of cacophonous positioning. The findings contribute to the growing body of research on language teacher identity, highlighting the dynamic complexity of identity construction. The study offers implications for professional development programs, advocating for opportunities that foster critical reflection on teachers’ multiple I-positions.

Learning from the best: How medical-students construct role models in general practice during the COVID-19 pandemic and what factors influence this process, a qualitative study.

Background Role-modelling has been found to strongly influence speciality choice for medical students either positively or negatively. There is a deficit in recruitment toward general practice, set to exacerbate the shortfall in GP numbers over the coming decade in the face of spiralling demand. In medical school, students acquire knowledge, skills and start to form their professional identity by observation and interaction with medical educators through the process of role-modelling. Given the significance of this process, the present study attempted to explore the “lived experience” of medical students encountering potential role models during their GP placement using a qualitative method. Methods Following a design based upon the principles of Grounded Theory 10 qualitative interviews were conducted with third-year medical student volunteers at Warwick Medical School. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using theoretical axial coding demonstrating data saturation in key themes. Results Analysis of data gave insights regarding student perception of positive and negative role modelling in three corresponding domains: Personal Attributes, Student Relationship and Patient Relationships. Conclusions The findings offer unique insights into the influence and impact of GP role-modelling on medical student’s experiences and perceptions during a time of the Covid-19 pandemic and the immediate post-pandemic period and add to the wider body of literature by exploring the influences GP role-modelling has on medical student training experience. The findings support easily implementable recommendations to strengthen positive role modelling in the GP medical student placement context.

The Discursive Journey of Meta-Awareness: Literacy (Teacher) Identity Within Preservice Teacher Preparation

The purpose of this study is to examine preservice teachers’ (PTs) meta-awareness related to their developing literacy (teacher) identities and examine the discursive belief systems and patterns embedded within this context. In this instrumental case study, we aim to determine the relationship(s) between meta-awareness and PTs’ literacy (teacher) identities through how they demonstrate their knowledge of literacy instruction and envision future literacy practices. The findings include PTs’ demonstration of their meta-awareness of literacy through their use of evaluative language, explicit memories, and content appropriation. Because personal and professional identities draw deeply from one another in shaping how PTs demonstrate their learning, our discussion expands upon this duality. Implications for teacher educators include recontextualizing one's past experiences as a reader and writer in literacy methods coursework as a means of moving toward agentic redress and responsive instruction.

Experienced art therapists’ perceptions of the EDPP supervision model and its impact on their professional work and identity

ABSTRACT This qualitative study documented 14 experienced art therapists’ perceptions of their supervision experiences, professional identity, and development while engaged in the El Duende One-Canvas Process Painting (EDPP) supervision model. Four main themes emerged from the thematic analysis of the interviews: (1) the role of the canvas in supervision, (2) the model’s impact on professional development and identity, (3) the role of the group in the EDPP model, and (4) challenges during the supervision process. The discussion focuses on the canvas as an adjunct-internal visual supervisor supporting clinical work and the EDPP as a support for professional development and identity.

“What is it like to be(come) a social worker?” professional-identity formation from final-year social work students’ perspectives – photovoice-based study

ABSTRACT In applied professions achieving a professional identity is a key educational goal during the transition from student to professional. To facilitate this transition within academic teaching, it is essential to establish dedicated reflective spaces using creative methods. The study investigated the perspectives of final-year social work students on their professional identity formation as near-future social workers, using the photovoice methodology. Conducted within a dedicated research seminar course, the study involved 29 participants between 2018 and 2021, resulting in the collection of 289 photovoices. Four components of the social worker’s professional identity emerged: a) between the personal and the professional; b) professional responsibility; c) spaces of guidance, maintenance, and support; and d) personal-professional growth. From the reflexive perspective of final-year social work students, this study indicates a dynamic approach to understanding their professional identity formation as near-future social workers, shaped by the interconnectedness of knowing, being, and doing social work.

“Thriving at the Margins”: Understanding Workplace Mistreatment and the Impostor Phenomenon Among Latina Faculty in STEM

ABSTRACT Impostor phenomenon among Latina faculty in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is understudied. Latinas hold only 1.7% of all STEM-related jobs, experiencing both mistreatment (conscious and unconscious; physical, and mental forms of harassment and violence) and impostor phenomenon (feeling like a fraud and the inability to internalize success). Using Crenshaw’s theory of intersectionality, this exploratory study examined how Latina STEM faculty related their impostor phenomenon with interpersonal mistreatment. This qualitative study examined the intersectionality of multiple identities: professional, personal, and cultural, related to their impostor experiences, among 13 participants. One-on-one phone interviews were analyzed inductively. Thematic analysis revealed that interviewees experienced explicit or implicit messaging at work; mistreatment of colleagues and students; and the internalization of mistreatment. Multiple identities (cultural identity as Latina, gender identity, and professional identity as STEM faculty) intersected, contributing to feelings of being marginalized. This is the first study to examine how Latina faculty thrive at the margins, being told that they do not belong in STEM and their minority background got them the position. This study positions impostor phenomenon as more than an internal feeling and critically examines power structures that keep minorities at the periphery.

Part I: examining the broken history of manual therapy across professions. A survey-based analysis

ABSTRACT The historical development of manual therapy is an area of ongoing debate impacting clinical practice, education, and practice regulations. Primary professions utilizing manual therapy include chiropractic, manual medicine, osteopathy, and physiotherapy. A survey was developed to explore perceptions, experiences, and opinions across professions, and was disseminated globally. It was completed by 194 individuals. Results demonstrated this topic is of significance with over 80% reporting that knowledge of historical development informs professional identity. Of the respondents, 64% had over 20 years professional experience. Student participation was low (<1%). Over 95% acknowledged an ancient basis for manual therapy, with 67% emphasizing bonesetter contributions. North America was reported as the primary area for the development of modern manual therapies by all except physiotherapy, which identified Northern Europe. Osteopathy’s impact on current practice was recognized, though each profession ranked its own impact highest. Of respondents, 85% agreed there was conflict between professions over history. Thematic elements identified a shift for respondents from their initial education to a more nuanced understanding of the history over time, and an appreciation that there is not one profession that owns or developed manual therapy. Practice limitations were identified, as 19% of respondents reported limitations due to inaccurate historical understanding. This study highlights a lack of historical knowledge and its potential benefits for practice, education, regulation and interprofessional relations if recaptured. (the abstract was rewritten per reviewer comments to reformat)

Analysis of influencing factors of orthopedic nurses' spiritual care competencies based on structural equation model

PurposeTo comprehensively understand the spiritual care competencies of orthopedic nurses and analyze the factors that affect them.MethodsThis study employed convenience sampling to conduct a cross-sectional survey among orthopedic nurses at Hefei First People's Hospital. Data was collected utilizing a general information questionnaire, alongside the Chinese versions of the Spiritual Care Competence Scale, the Spiritual Care Perspective Scale, the Professional Identity Assessment Scale, and the Hospital Ethical Climate Scale. Guided by the Person-Environment Fit theory and the Triadic Reciprocal Determinism theory, a structural equation model was utilized to analyze the influencing factors and pathways related to the spiritual care competence of orthopedic nurses.ResultsA total of 112 valid questionnaires were obtained, yielding an overall score of 68.92 ± 11.03 for orthopedic nurses' spiritual care competencies, with an average score of 3.14 ± 0.50 per item. The results of the Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant positive correlation (all P &amp;lt; 0.01) between spiritual care competence and the scores for spiritual care perspective, professional identity assessment, and hospital ethical climate. The spiritual care perspective, professional identity, and hospital ethical climate emerged as the influencing factors of orthopedic nurses' spiritual care competence, exhibiting total effects of 0.30, 0.53, and 0.85, respectively. Notably, the hospital ethical climate exerts an indirect influence on spiritual care competence through the mediation of spiritual care perspective and professional identity, with the indirect effect accounting for 61.18% of the total effect.ConclusionThere remains significant potential for enhancing the spiritual care competencies of orthopedic nurses. The hospital's ethical climate not only has a direct and positive impact on spiritual care competence but also indirectly influences it through the lens of nurses' spiritual care perspectives and professional identity assessments. Hospital administrators may wish to consider strategies for bolstering the hospital's ethical climate, fostering a deeper spiritual care perspective and heightened professional identity among nurses, and ultimately improving their spiritual care competence.

Teacher Identity Discourses in Place—Exploring Discursive Resources in Pre-Service Teachers’ Constructions of Teacher Identity

This methodological article focuses on how to effectively map pre-service teachers’ use of discursive resources in professional identity production. By adopting a discourse analytical approach, this study views identity construction as a situational, real-time process occurring in interaction. The aim is to contribute knowledge about how to systematically map and analyze the resources that pre-service teachers use to construct their teacher identities during their education. Drawing on the framework of Mediated Discourse Analysis, this article presents a model that integrates two key concepts: discourse domains, which refer to the types of discourse commonly used in teacher education, and layers of discourse, which address societal levels in identity construction. The results suggest that using these concepts to map students’ use of discursive resources highlights how their knowledge of the teaching profession, their education and everyday experiences can be assets when constructing their teacher identities. While the model can be further refined and developed to better show the complexity of discursive resources in identity construction processes, it shows promise as a fruitful approach. By mapping and visualizing discursive resources through this model, this study offers valuable methodological insights into how to approach professional identity development among pre-service teachers.

Influence of perceived stress on professional identity among nursing students: a chain mediating role of self-control and self-directed learning ability

BackgroundA positive professional identity is key for nursing students in determining career direction and predicting future engagement in the profession. Despite its complexity and susceptibility to various influences, the factors shaping nursing students' professional identity remain poorly understood.ObjectivesThis study aims to investigate how perceived stress can directly and indirectly influence professional identity among nursing students, with self-control and self-directed learning ability as mediators.Materials and methodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted from October to December 2023, collecting data from 675 nursing students across five tertiary hospitals in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China. The survey captured detailed data on sociodemographic characteristics, perceived stress, self-control, self-directed learning ability, and professional identity among the participants. Descriptive analysis and correlation matrices were used to analyze participant characteristics and assess bivariate correlations. The mediation model was analyzed using the PROCESS macro for SPSS.ResultsPerceived stress showed a direct and negative influence on professional identity among nursing students; self-control was shown to play a mediating role between perceived stress and professional identity; self-directed learning ability was shown to play a mediating role between perceived stress and professional identity; and self-control and self-directed learning ability were shown to play a chain mediating role between perceived stress and professional identity.ConclusionSelf-control and self-directed learning ability have a chain mediating role in between perceived stress and professional identity among nursing students. It suggests that nursing managers and educators can improve the self-control and self-directed learning ability of nursing students to mitigate the negative impact of perceived stress on professional identity.

Transformation processes of professional identity against the background of media convergence

The purpose of the work is to study the transformation processes of constructing professional identity under the influence of new information technologies and to consider the evolution of views on the processes of scientific and practical understanding of new media resources in the context of the development of convergent journalism as a phenomenon of the modern information society. It was established based on the conducted research that the values and beliefs of journalists, reflecting the process of professional self-identification, are forming in the process of choosing certain options among a variety of alternatives and transforming further under the current conditions of the information and communication environment. In the process of the study, the article identifies the features, content, and main trends in the transformational processes of professional identity and professional culture of journalists in the context of technological changes in the media industry. The dynamics of the development of media convergence are shown from the point of view of the mutual influence of traditional and new media and the tendency of improving their technological and dialogue features and capabilities in content creation and broadcasting. An assessment is made of the degree of adaptation of regional media to modern conditions of the information and communication environment in the context of organizational, professional, and communicative convergence.

Inhabiting the “Third Space” in Higher Education:

This institutional-level case study seeks to explore the experiences of a subset of educational technology practitioners working in an Irish university. The concept of the “third space” in the context of higher education is utilised to understand the space that crosses pedagogical, technological, and academic fields in which educational technologists find themselves operating in. Drawing on Celia Whitchurch’s typologies of “third-space” higher educational professionalism the paper reflects on the true experiences and insights of educational technology practitioners who inhabit this space. It reveals their actual job realities as they seek to carve out their role and legitimise their identities within existing university structures. The discussion draws upon the themes emerging in the context of the scholarly field in which the research is situated. The author advocates that universities need to enable more supportive structures which are conducive to educational technologists working effectively in the third space and developing professionally in a responsive manner to the changing higher education landscape. To conclude, the practical implications of the study, the limitations and further research opportunities are highlighted. Keywords: third space, higher education, educational technologists or learning technologists, professional identity

Developing a Career as a Clinician-Educator in Breast Imaging.

For the breast imaging radiologist, developing a career as a clinician-educator can be accomplished in a number of ways. Whether it be a new graduate or perhaps a radiologist making a midcareer or late-career pivot to the academic world, there are several opportunities and resources that can support a faculty member at any stage in this journey. In this article, the breast imaging radiologist will learn a variety of methods to strengthen their professional identity and career path as a clinician-educator through the early-, mid-, and late-career professional journey.

A "Wise" Intervention to Increase Hand Hygiene Compliance of Nurses in Acute Care Units in US Hospitals: A Multiple Baseline Interrupted Time-Series Evaluation.

Objective: This study tested a 'wise' intervention (quick prompt of a specific psychological mec) in acute care hospital units to improve nurses' hand hygiene compliance (HHC). Design: A multiple baseline design in two medical-surgical teaching hospitals in the United States. Measurements: Hand hygiene data was collected using an electronic compliance monitoring system with sensors placed in doorways and on corresponding soap and alcohol-based hand rub dispensers. The outcome measure was the proportion of opportunities in which HH was undertaken by staff per week in each unit. Intervention: A quick-and-easy psychological prime to reinvigorate professional identity. Methods: Interrupted time series analysis using a quasi-Poisson regression model with statistical process control charts for each unit. Results: A statistically significant increase in HHC rates that was sustained for months post-intervention. However, the patterns by unit were not statistically significant once temporal trends were considered. Other factors, such as the unit type and the use of incentives could have impacted the results. Conclusions: These analyses suggest that the aggregate impact should not be taken as evidence of intervention effectiveness. This study therefore cannot be considered to have provided a strong foundation for use of a 'wise' intervention, despite its relatively small financial, logistical and psychological cost.

An ecological approach to understanding the agency of novice EFL teachers without initial teacher education background

ABSTRACT Existing research extensively explores challenges faced by novice teachers with initial teacher education (ITE) backgrounds, whereas those without ITE exposure (non-ITE backgrounds) remain less investigated. Utilising the ecological model of teacher agency, this study examines the affordances and constraints encountered by English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers with non-ITE backgrounds during their first year at 12 Chinese state junior high schools. Thematic analysis of interviews with 21 purposively sampled participants reveals that non-ITE backgrounds pose constraints, such as limited pedagogical knowledge, perceived inadequacy by peers with ITE exposure, and professional identity crises. However, significant affordances were also identified, including broad knowledge bases from diverse academic backgrounds and varied internship experiences, high intrinsic motivation, and robust innovation capabilities. Implications for teacher education programmes and school administration are discussed, highlighting the need for tailored support mechanisms to address the unique challenges and leverage the strengths of teachers without ITE backgrounds.

AI assistance in enterprise UX design workflows: enhancing design brief creation for designers

The study explores the impact of AI tools on the daily tasks of designers in corporate environments, with a focus on the creation and evaluation processes of design briefs. Given ChatGPT’s advanced natural language processing capabilities and its potential to meet the complex communication and analysis needs of design work, this tool was selected to investigate its application in designers’ workflows. Through expert interviews, experimental testing, and third-party expert evaluations, we collected and analyzed data to understand the impact of AI on work processes. The findings indicate that AI tools significantly enhance both operational experience and subjective perceptions across most tasks. Additionally, the study provides a visual comparison of the testing process through a user experience map, highlighting AI’s positive influence on work efficiency, information retrieval, verification, analysis, communication, and decision-making. However, challenges remain in ensuring information authenticity, protecting content copyright, and maintaining professional identity. The primary objective is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the current state of AI application in business contexts and its impact on designers’ roles. By analyzing real-world feedback, the research aims to identify the strengths and weaknesses of AI solutions in enterprises and offer practical recommendations. The study underscores the importance of integrating AI thinking into workflows and adopting a human-centric approach for the future development of corporate work environments.

Professional Identity in Speech-Language Pathology Students

Purpose: Professional identity (PI) serves to aid preprofessionals by contributing to a sense of purpose as students pursue their academic requirements. The importance of PI has been explored across other allied health fields including nursing, social work, and medicine. However, this topic has not been thoroughly investigated in communication sciences and disorders (CSD), and there is limited information on perceptions of PI among CSD students. Method: The current study is a secondary analysis of existing data. An adapted version of the PI Five-Factor Scale was administered via an anonymous online survey. Student participants self-reported perceptions of PI and perceived program support. Differences on the factors were tested using t tests and analysis of variance to explore differences between groups. Results: Significant differences were found between monolingual and multilingual students, with monolingual English-speaking students reporting higher perceptions of PI. There were no significant differences in PI between genders, racial groups, or first-generation students versus students of parents with varying educational backgrounds. Participant responses skewed toward a positive PI. Similar results were found for participants' perceptions of program support for PI across the five factors. Conclusions: PI has been extensively explored in allied health fields, but the topic has not been explored in speech-language pathology. Study findings can be used to help better serve students, particularly those from underrepresented groups. These data can support the recruitment and retention of culturally and linguistically diverse students with goals to increase the diversity of the pipeline of future professionals.