ABSTRACT School counsellors play a vital role in fostering immigrant students’ development through consultation services. However, counsellors often face significant challenges in delivering these services to immigrant families. This study explored school counsellors’ experiences in their consultation roles, focusing on their challenges, competencies, and needs. A qualitative research methodology using a phenomenological approach was employed. Twelve school counsellors (nine females and three males) participated in the study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews containing six open-ended questions. The results yielded three overarching themes: complexity of addressing immigrant parents’ consultation needs, facilitating support resources, and school counsellor competencies and areas of need. The findings identify the multifaceted and multisystemic issues counsellors face, and counsellors’ assets and needs to provide better consultation services for immigrant families. The findings are discussed based on the literature and several implications are provided for school counsellors, administrators, communities, governmental institutions, and counsellor educators.

Metro rail construction projects in India operate in a complex and risky urban environment, where early risk identification is essential to prevent accidents. Despite the availability of comprehensive safety procedures and engineering controls, accidents still occur. The results of accident analyses indicate that workers have identified early warning signs of accidents but have not been able to report them, thereby increasing accident risk formally. This research conceptualises communication silence as a behavioural factor contributing to the escalation of safety risks in metro rail construction projects. A qualitative exploratory research methodology was employed, drawing on secondary data from published literature, analyses of standard operating procedures, and two case studies of Chennai Metro Rail projects. The findings of this research indicate that hierarchical site culture, fear of attribution, low psychological safety, and variability in supervisory responses are important factors that impede worker voice. The existing safety procedures, which are technically sound, do not address behavioural factors. To overcome this limitation, this research proposes a Behavioural Safety-Integrated Communication Framework that integrates multi-channel reporting, behaviour-based safety, and supervisory accountability with existing safety procedures.

The digitalization of financial services has transformed traditional financial systems and posed significant challenges for civil law regulation. This study aims to analyze the priorities of state policy in regulating digital financial services, with particular attention to the legal recognition of digital financial assets as objects of civil law. Using a qualitative doctrinal research methodology, the study examines peer-reviewed journal literature on fintech, cryptocurrency regulation, and civil law theory. The research relies on scholarly analysis accessed through Google Scholar and contextual regulatory information from public domain sources. The findings reveal persistent legal uncertainty regarding the classification of digital financial assets, significant fragmentation in regulatory approaches, and a growing scholarly consensus on the need for adaptive legal frameworks. The study concludes that functional, technology-neutral regulation and explicit civil law recognition of digital financial assets are essential for ensuring legal certainty, financial stability, and sustainable digital innovation.

Full-service schools have been structured to cater for all public-school learners, including learners with disabilities. However, it remains questionable if full-service teachers are well-equipped to provide quality education in an inclusive, diverse classroom. This study explored the challenges experienced by rural primary teachers in providing quality education in a rural Full-service school in the Eastern Cape Province. The study was guided by a qualitative research methodology. The sample size for this study was composed of ten teachers who were selected through purposive sampling. Participants were therefore interviewed through semi-structured interviews and document analysis to probe their experiences in teaching both mainstream and learners with disabilities. The findings indicated that full-service teachers have not been professionally developed to teach in a full-service school. From the findings of this study, the researchers find it inconvenient for mainstream teachers to teach in a full-service school without any professional development for such a cause. For this reason, the study recommends that there should be frameworks for ongoing teacher training programmes that would enable teachers to be on par with the task at hand. The study concluded that the rural full-service schools should be prioritised in providing all the necessary resources that would enhance quality teaching and positive outcomes. The study contributes significantly to scholarship in educational research, teacher training, and rural education. The insights derived from this study enhance the understanding of the challenges faced by teachers in specific contexts and inform broader discussions about educational practices and policies in developing regions.

Qualitative analysis constitutes an essential methodological approach in physical therapy research, offering comprehensive insights into patients' subjective experiences, perceptions of therapeutic interventions, and recovery trajectories, thereby facilitating evidence-based intervention development and optimizing clinical outcomes. Nevertheless, conventional qualitative analytical approaches applied to physical therapy patient interviews encounter substantial limitations regarding analytical efficiency and inter-rater reliability. The present study examines the integration of Large Language Models (LLMs) into qualitative research methodologies within the physical therapy domain to address these methodological constraints. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with one stroke patient as a pilot case, and three LLMs (ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini) were employed with 160 iterative measurements each to implement the Large Language Model Quotient (LLMq) methodology—a quantitative framework for systematic qualitative coding—to evaluate its validity and applicability within the physical therapy research context. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) analysis demonstrated ICC(3,1) of 0.802 and ICC(3,k) of 0.924, meeting Cicchetti's (1994) criteria for excellent reliability. Findings demonstrate that this analytical approach significantly enhances the efficiency of qualitative data analysis (reducing analysis time from weeks-months to hours-days) while mitigating subjective interpretive bias (ICC 0.802), thereby substantiating the considerable methodological value that LLM-based approaches confer upon physical therapy research endeavors.

Sufi saints and spiritual reformers who advocated for love, tolerance, and togetherness have long resided in Sindh. As a pioneering Sufi poet, Sachal Sarmast is a notable figure among them. His Sindhi Kafis are an exquisite blend of artistic brilliance and mystical philosophy. This study highlights the literary inventiveness and spiritual depth of Sachal Sarmast's Sindhi Kafi poetry by critically examining its structural (artistic) and intellectual (philosophical) qualities. What are the main artistic elements and structural patterns of Sachal Sarmast’s Sindhi Kafis? In what ways does his poetical thinking embody the principle of Wahdat al-Wujud (Unity of Being)?What connection is there between Kafi’s mystical philosophy and creative structure? The main aim of this study is to examine Sachal Kafis's structural composition, poetry forms, rhythm, internal rhyme, and stylistic techniques. Additionally, it seeks to examine the philosophical underpinnings of his poetry, namely his mystical ideas of self-awareness, annihilation (Fana), permanence (Baqa), and the rejection of duality. The qualitative research methodology used in this study is based on textual and analytical techniques. Thematic analysis and close reading are used to analyze a few of Sachal Sarmast's Sindhi Kafis. The philosophical interpretation of Sufi ideas, particularly the theory of Unity of Being, is examined with the artistic features, poetic meters, and structural patterns. The investigation comes to the conclusion that the Sindhi Kafis by Sachal Sarmast represent a harmonious fusion of profound mystical knowledge and creative excellence. In terms of structure, he included ghazal-like features, internal rhymes, and a variety of Kafi forms and stanzaic patterns. His poetry highlights the spiritual journey from Fana to Baqa, the collapse of duality, and the discovery of divine unity from an intellectual standpoint. His audacious articulation of global humanism and “Ana al-Haq” demonstrates both intellectual clarity and spiritual bravery. Thus, by bringing Sindhi Kafi poetry to a higher level of artistic sophistication and intellectual profundity, Sachal Sarmast greatly enhanced it.

Young sexual minority men (YSMM) are at elevated risk for intimate partner violence (IPV) but often underreport IPV experiences and face barriers to help-seeking due to systemic discrimination and internalized stigma. Using Consensual Qualitative Research methodology, we analyzed interviews with 26 YSMM to explore how they make sense of past IPV. Five emergent themes reflected adaptive (increased understanding of IPV, posttraumatic growth, and awareness of desensitization to violence) and maladaptive (minimization of violence and pervasive distrust) meaning-making. Abuse was often recognized only after the relationship ended (often through therapy) and shaped by earlier IPV exposure. Findings underscore the urgent need for culturally responsive IPV services that address the psychological and structural barriers YSMM of color face, including intersecting forms of marginalization that silence help-seeking and delay recovery.

This article is a case study dealing with virtual communication experiences of the Indian executives engaged in remote work using online media during the pandemic phase. The author employs qualitative research methodology of ethnography by using a questionnaire circulated online to garner descriptive data regarding virtual communication from Indian executives in various corporate roles who had to take recourse to full-time virtual communication channels to continue their work. The data obtained from a longitudinal study of 12 months spanning from March 2021 to March 2022 was coded with an objective to plot the experiential spectrum of corporate managers using media richness theory and a psychobiological model, as online communication became a singular medium to process all kinds of conversations ranging from routine to negative and persuasive. It became the only tool for leadership execution as well as leadership enhancement compelling corporate heads to improvise media customization methods expeditiously to overcome the limiting constraints of its intrinsic lean outlet. After analyzing the data, the author concludes that virtual communication has now become an integral part of contemporary corporate communication ecosystem owing to the ‘best practices’ that managers invented during their ‘remote work only’ period when they were thrown into the virtual space with its insular gamut of applicability. Remote work also coerced executives to discover the latent potential of this communication channel, which was not apparent when this medium existed only as an elective channel in the ‘plurally channelled’ pre-pandemic work environments. The study provides a comprehensive repository of virtual communication techniques not just for the consumption of management classroom embedding industry inputs into the theoretical curriculum but also for corporate executives who began their careers in an environment of ‘channel sovereignty’ in the post-pandemic setups. The case study, thus, acts as a communication lab presenting online communication pathology and its incubation in industry environments. The author posits that the communication experimentation done during the remote work phase of the pandemic has changed the status of this medium in the realm of management communication from debilitating to dynamic irreversibly.

Securitization of immigrants is the framing of immigrants as security threats that need to be curbed, thwarted and eliminated. Yet immigration is only but a small segment of migration, which is necessary for economic growth. Migration is an organic phenomenon that is as old as humanity itself. It happens within national borders, often referred to as internal migration, or even internal displacement at times. When migration happens in the international realm, immigration processes and laws become necessary, and should be adhered to, observed, and enforced. However, when immigrants become securitized, it often puts them at risk of being targeted, victimized and objectified, by not only the authorities of the host state, but communities where immigrants live in. This paper sets out to interrogate the claims that influence and inform movements such as Operation Dudula and other political parties in South Africa, that African immigrants particularly pose a security risk in South Africa. The research question that the paper seeks to answer is: Are African immigrants a national security risk for South Africa? The paper uses a qualitative research methodology to conduct textual analysis of primary and secondary sources, policy documents as well as government documents. A genealogical approach informs this research as it is interested in situating the current tensions in context.

Pragmatic Decisions: Choosing a Qualitative Research Methodology

Gender is frequently overlooked in the analysis of contemporary populist politics, despite its significant influence on the policies enacted by populist regimes. This article aims to elucidate how populism in West Bengal strategically employs social welfare schemes to secure electoral support, particularly targeting female constituents. To facilitate a comprehensive investigation of the dynamics associated with these welfare schemes and their effects on women voters, this study utilizes qualitative research methodologies, specifically through in-depth semi-structured interviews with female participants. Following the transcription of these interviews and a thorough review of the respondents’ feedback, qualitative coding was employed for thematic analysis using NVivo 10, qualitative data analysis software. The results indicate that the respondents demonstrated a predominant awareness of welfare schemes instituted by the state government, whereas awareness of initiatives provided by the central government was notably limited, highlighting a critical gap in communication from national authorities. The welfare populism promoted by the All India Trinamool Congress had a profound impact on the electoral landscape. Participants expressed a sense of empowerment derived from these schemes, perceiving them as just compensation for their undervalued unpaid labour. This emerging sense of empowerment may lead to retrospective voting, as individuals reflect on the benefits accrued from these schemes when making their electoral decisions.

Background: This study examines legitimacy and legitimation under Islamic law (Sharīʿah) and how they relate to social justice and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In Islamic jurisprudence, legitimacy flows from divine sovereignty expressed through the Qur’an, Sunnah, and scholarly consensus (ijmāʿ). This includes legal validity, moral authority, and spiritual accountability. Legitimation, by contrast, is a socio-legal process. Authority and institutions gain communal recognition through ijtihād, fatwas, and social practices. Understanding this relationship is crucial. It helps explain how Islamic law preserves justice, promotes accountability, and sustains institutional legitimacy within changing socio-political contexts. Building on this conceptual foundation, the study adopts a systematic methodology to examine these dynamics in greater detail. Methods: The study employs a qualitative, doctrinal, and comparative legal research methodology. Primary Islamic sources—the Qur’an, Hadith, and classical fiqh manuals —are analysed alongside modern constitutions, international legal frameworks, and institutional reports. The maqāṣid al-sharīʿah (higher objectives of Islamic law) framework guides the analysis, emphasising justice, dignity, and social welfare. Comparative perspectives are drawn from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), the Council of Europe’s principles, and the United Nations SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) to identify areas of convergence, divergence, and mutual reinforcement. This comprehensive approach enables the study to produce findings relevant to both Islamic and international legal frameworks, as elaborated in the results and conclusions. Results and Conclusions: Findings reveal that legitimacy in Islamic law provides a transcendental and normative foundation rooted in divine command and moral accountability, while legitimation functions as its operational dimension through communal validation and interpretative flexibility. This duality enables Islamic law to preserve doctrinal consistency while accommodating evolving social realities. Interpreted through the maqāṣid al-sharīʿah, Islamic notions of legitimacy and justice align closely with SDGs 5 (Gender Equality), 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and 16, demonstrating Islam’s intrinsic commitment to fairness, institutional integrity, and social inclusion. The study concludes that distinguishing between textual legitimacy and contextual legitimation enhances the coherence and adaptability of Islamic legal processes. Integrating maqāṣid-based reasoning into global justice and governance frameworks complements international norms of accountability, transparency, and participatory governance. This synthesis reinforces Islam’s enduring relevance to contemporary legal and ethical discourse, offering a model of legitimacy that is both divinely grounded and socially responsive.

Provision of pain care services for people with Parkinson's disease from the perspective of healthcare providers: A qualitative descriptive study.

Purpose The scope of practice for dental hygienists continues to expand into diverse roles in clinical practice, education, administration, corporate environments, and public health, underscoring the need for robust leadership training. The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions of leadership education among dental hygienists in administrative roles; describe the leadership skills identified by dentists; and examine the views of dental hygiene faculty on leadership education and skills within the dental hygiene curriculum.Methods Qualitative research methodology was used with semi-structured interviews conducted on an online platform. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used to recruit participants across the three stakeholder groups: dental hygienists in administrative roles, dentists, and dental hygiene faculty from baccalaureate programs. Recruitment in each phase continued until thematic saturation was reached. Open, axial and selective coding were used to analyze the data.Results Four main themes emerged: Building Bridges, Collective Growth, Embracing Responsibilities, and Overcoming Obstacles, through the interview sessions with dental hygienists in administrative roles (n=11), dentists in private practice (n=6), and dental hygiene faculty members (n=19).Conclusion This research underscores the strategic value of integrating leadership education into dental hygiene curricula, laying a strong foundation for students' future roles as leaders in health care. Recommendations include thoroughly reevaluating current curricula, adopting a strategic approach to embed leadership education, and creating a leadership training framework for dental hygiene education programs.

ABSTRACT Photovoice as a qualitative research methodology can be used to examine pertinent and sensitive issues using images captured by participants. Photovoice has been utilized in a range of disciplines as a creative and engaging teaching method. This article presents an example of a photovoice assessment task used in social work education as a pedagogical tool to examine disablement and ableism. In this assessment, students took photographs to symbolize an issue in their community where barriers for participation by a person with disability were identified. Engagement in this task promoted critical reflection, aiming to develop the student’s self-awareness of biases, assumptions and stereotyping that create societal barriers for people with disability. The task was found to enhance students’ understanding of the issues that underpin disablement and ableism. Since the introduction of the assessment in 2023, variations have been adopted to improve the student experience including the provision of an hour-long preparatory workshop. Ethical approval will be sought to develop a pre and post assessment task survey to evaluate student learning engagement and effectiveness of the task for demonstration of social work student competencies.

ABSTRACT Autistic children are highly sensitive to visual stimuli, and environmental elements such as colour and lighting can significantly impact their comfort, focus and behaviour in physical learning environments. This study investigates the impact of colour and lighting on autistic children, aiming to identify suitable colour palettes and lighting strategies for autism-friendly classrooms. A qualitative research methodology was used, combining previous literature with semi-structured interviews at selected autism learning centres in Malaysia. Six experienced professionals from five autism centres in Penang participated in the interviews. The findings indicate that classrooms should incorporate muted tones such as soft blues, greens, purples, and neutral colours while bright or glittering colours and visually complex patterns should be avoided to prevent overstimulation. For lighting, classrooms should provide ample indirect natural daylight with glare control. Indirect, flicker-free LED lighting with dimming and task-adjustable options should be incorporated to accommodate individual needs. Harsh direct lighting, fluorescent or ultraviolet sources, and poorly lit areas should be avoided. These findings underscore the importance of adaptable, evidence-based design strategies for autism-friendly learning environments, providing practical guidance for architects and educators.

The need to strike a balance between maintaining identity, cultural values and inclusion by migrant churches in the diaspora has remained a topical issue in academia. This research is located in the United Kingdom (UK). It aimed to analyse how the selected churches, namely the Zimbabwe Catholic Community in Birmingham, the Apostolic Faith Mission International Ministries in Coventry and Forward in Faith Ministries International in Manchester, navigate their dual existence to address the challenges of inclusivity and cultural negotiation while upholding their religious traditions. The article is informed by a hybridity conceptual framework, as espoused by Homi Bhabha, to explore how these churches preserve their cultural traditions while adapting to British societal norms. Moreover, the article employed a qualitative research methodology to analyse the ecclesial and theological gap experienced by Zimbabweans as they worship in the UK. The findings suggested that hybridity is a crucial survival strategy for diaspora communities. Through hybridity, Zimbabwean churches establish their doctrinal uniqueness and create accepted venues within the religious ecology of the UK. Their adjustments position them as intentionally self-defined, culturally distinct yet socially integrated entities. The article advocates for the third space, where traditional elements merge with innovations, enabling members to sustain international connections while developing local identities. Contribution: The study makes a significant contribution to scholarship by integrating theory and practice, providing practical guidelines for church leaders and congregations to navigate hybrid identities effectively. It highlights the imperative of reconciling theological integrity with cultural adaptability, creating inclusive worship settings and fostering social cohesion.

This study examines the concept of non-fault liability offences through a comparative analysis of the Sudanese and Libyan legal systems. Employing a doctrinal qualitative legal research methodology, it relies on primary legal sources – including legislative texts and judicial precedents – as well as secondary sources such as scholarly writings and legal commentaries. The research seeks to interpret and critically assess how non-fault liability is addressed legislatively and jurisprudentially within each jurisdiction. The selection of Sudan and Libya is deliberate, as each represents a distinct legal tradition: the Sudanese law is primarily influenced by the common law system, which emphasizes judicial precedents, while the Libyan law follows the continental (civil law) system, grounded in codified statutes. This comparative framework provides insight into how these divergent legal heritages influence the interpretation and application of non-fault liability offences. Furthermore, the study explores the extent of legislative and jurisprudential acceptance of non-fault liability, as well as the specific areas of application of such offences within both legal systems. The research concludes with recommendations aimed at clarifying legislative definitions, ensuring constitutional consistency, and promoting balanced application of non-fault liability in contemporary criminal law.

This paper examines the strategic importance of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) within the larger framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). While much research has focused on the bilateral aspects of CPEC, there is a significant gap in understanding its emerging extensions into Afghanistan and Iran, and how these extensions collectively strengthen the BRI's westward expansion. To address this gap, the paper poses the research question: “What is the role of the emerging extensions to Iran and Afghanistan in strengthening the BRI's westward expansion?” To answer this question, a qualitative research methodology is employed, guided by a theoretical framework that views geopolitics and geoeconomics as interconnected. This is complemented by a systematic analysis of official documents, policy statements, and expert commentaries from 2016 to 2024. The findings indicate that CPEC serves as the central artery of the BRI, transforming Pakistan into a crucial hub and extending its influence across South, Central, and West Asia. The Afghan sub-corridor offers a vital southern route for the Central Asian Republics (CARs) to access a warm-water port. Meanwhile, the connection to Iran creates an essential link to West Asia and Europe. These extensions allow China to diversify its trade and energy routes, mitigate vulnerabilities such as the “Malacca Dilemma,” and contribute to a more multipolar world order.

This study aims to examine the individual and social experiences of individuals with diabetes, beginning from the pre-diagnosis period and extending throughout the course of the illness. Employing a qualitative research methodology, in-depth, face-to-face interviews were conducted with fifteen young participants diagnosed with diabetes. The data collected were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal that diabetes constitutes a complex experience that transcends its characterization as merely a metabolic disorder, profoundly impacting individuals’ self-perception, social relationships, and daily life practices. Participants' narratives illustrate stages such as the misinterpretation of symptoms prior to diagnosis, difficulties in accepting the illness following diagnosis, and the gradual adaptation to living with the disease. It was identified that young individuals with diabetes interpret obligatory lifestyle changes—such as dietary restrictions and the requirement for regular physical activity—both as a disadvantage and as a "compulsory health opportunity." Moreover, concerns such as fear of isolation and feeling different in social environments emerged as common experiences among participants. The attitude of the social environment appears as a critical factor in diabetes management; a supportive environment facilitates treatment adherence, whereas negative attitudes may lead to social withdrawal and poor treatment compliance. This research underscores that effective diabetes care must address not only the physiological but also the social dimensions of the illness. Furthermore, the study’s findings render visible the broader societal context within which the experience of diabetes is situated.