Sense Of Cohesion Research Articles

Pilot study of the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality-Group.

Few evidence-based options exist for outpatient treatment of patients at risk of suicide, and to-date almost all research has focused on individually delivered psychotherapy. Group therapy for veterans at risk of suicide is a promising alternative. Thirty veterans receiving care at an urban Veterans Affairs Medical Center in the southern United States were randomized to either care as usual (CAU) or to CAU plus the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicide-Group (CAMS-G). Veterans were assessed prior to randomization to condition and at 1, 3, and 6months post-randomization on a range of suicide-specific measures, burdensomeness, belonging, treatment satisfaction, and group cohesion. Across measures and follow-up assessments, veterans in CAMS-G reported good satisfaction with the intervention, a sense of cohesion with other members of the group, and reduced symptom distress. Veterans in both conditions reported decreases in suicidal ideation and behavior, with CAMS-G participants potentially improving slightly faster. This description of CAMS-G for veterans adds to the growing literature on suicide-specific interventions and supports the need for additional research to determine if wide-spread rollout is justifiable.

The great leveller? COVID-19's dynamic interaction with social inequalities in the UK.

It has been claimed that the global pandemic is a ‘great equaliser’ that creates a sense of cohesion, however, this is problematic since COVID-19 has revealed the stark divisions in our societies. For instance, in the UK COVID-19 has hit northern cities particularly hard. Therefore, by focusing on the north of England, and Bradford especially, this paper offers suggestions which may help us see clearly through COVID-19, creating a future that is more equitable.

The Effectiveness of Self-Healing Training (the Healing Codes) on the Sense of Cohesion in Substance-Dependent Males

The Effectiveness of Self-Healing Training (the Healing Codes) on the Sense of Cohesion in Substance-Dependent Males

The Effectiveness of Self-healing Training (Healing Codes) on Psychological Capital and a Sense of Cohesion in Drug Addicts

Background: Drug addicts are exposed to many psychological and physical injuries due to the problems they experience in their lives; thus, they need training for psychological improvement. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of self-healing training on psychological capital and a sense of cohesion in drug addicts in 2020. Methods: This study was a two-stage quasi-experimental study (experimental and control) in three stages (pre-test, post-test, and follow-up). Using convenience sampling, we selected 30 men willing to participate in the project and randomly divided them into the experimental (n= 15) and control (n= 15) groups. The Psychological Capital Questionnaire and the Sense of Coherence Questionnaire were administered as a pre-test. The experimental group underwent 14 sessions (90 minutes per week) of self-healing training. The follow-up was performed after 45 days. Analysis of the data involved both descriptive and inferential statistics, including mean, standard deviation, and the repeated measures ANOVA. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 24. Results: The results showed that self-healing training had a significant effect on increasing psychological capital, increasing hope with the most effect and resilience with the least effect, as well as increasing participants’ self-efficacy and sense of cohesion (P<0.05). The self-healing training had no effect on optimism. The results remained until the follow-up stage. Conclusion: According to the results, self-healing training can be used as one of the new positive approaches to increase the mental health of drug addicts in treatment centers related to addiction with relatively lasting effects to increase self-care skills.

Awe, Group Cohesion, and Religious Self-Sacrifice

ABSTRACT Awe is an emotion frequently experienced in religious contexts. Research has documented the effects of awe on feelings of small self, spirituality, and sense of interconnectedness. We extend this literature by investigating the relationship between awe and religious group cohesion, which can ultimately lead to sacrifice for one’s religious group. Study 1 found that U.S. adult participants (N = 782) who experience greater dispositional awe-proneness are more willing to self-sacrifice for their group. This relationship was explained (mediated) by greater reports of a sense of vastness and greater cohesion with one’s religious group. In Study 2, U.S. community participants (N = 187) were randomly assigned to an awe induction condition or a neutral condition. While the manipulation successfully elicited feelings of awe and small self (both vastness and self-diminishment), it did not directly affect our other measures. We still found partial evidence for an indirect pathway from awe to vastness, group cohesion, and sacrifice for one’s religious group. This research highlights an emotional component of religious group cohesion, with implications for the role of awe in self-sacrificial forms of devotion.

Criminals, Business and State in Post-Soviet Ukraine

On the thirtieth commemoration of Ukraine's independence, the present condition of the country highlights the necessity of contemplating the historical trajectory that post-Soviet Ukrainian society has traversed. This is not merely a retrospective consideration encompassing the past and present, but also, perhaps more crucially, a forward-looking assessment of Ukraine's future. While Ukraine exhibited a sense of cohesion and significant societal integration shortly after declaring independence, as evidenced by the outcomes of the All-Ukrainian referendum conducted on December 1, 1991, the year 2021 reveals a notable departure from these characteristics (State Archival Service of Ukraine, 2013). Present-day post-Soviet Ukrainian society has become fragmented, marked by discernible social fault lines. As Samuel Huntington (1996) observes, Ukraine is a nation divided along cultural lines, with two distinct civilizations. The fault line between these civilizations, demarcating the West from Orthodoxy, has bisected the nation for centuries (Huntington, 1996). Over the post-Soviet era, Ukraine has experienced a profound transformation in the role of the state, which has rapidly diminished in its capacity to effectively manage the fundamental pillars supporting society. Throughout this period, Ukrainian society has grappled with an enduring systemic crisis. The erstwhile Soviet framework of existence in Ukraine was dismantled, yet efforts to establish a novel system predicated on principles like market economy, human rights, and democracy have encountered significant challenges. While the contemporary Ukrainian society may project an appearance of stability, it conceals vulnerabilities to the deleterious trends stemming from its transformation, which are driven by three primary factors: the state, business entities, and criminal elements.

Improving health care from the bottom up: Factors for the successful implementation of kaizen in acute care hospitals.

Kaizen-a management technique increasingly employed in health care-enables employees, regardless of their hierarchy level, to contribute to the improvement of their organization. The approach puts special emphasis on frontline employees because it represents one of their main opportunities to participate directly in decision making. In this study, we aimed to (1) understand the experiences of nurses in two hospitals that had recently implemented kaizen, and (2) identify factors affecting the implementation of the technique. By means of purposeful sampling, we selected 30 nurses from different units in two private acute care hospitals in Switzerland in May 2018. We used the Organizational Transformation Model to conduct semi-structured interviews and perform qualitative content analysis. Lastly, originating from Herzberg's motivation theory, we suggest two types of factor influencing the implementation of kaizen-hygiene factors that may prevent nurses from getting demotivated, and motivational factors that may boost their motivation. Nurses generally experienced kaizen as a positive practice that enabled them to discuss work-related activities in a more comprehensive manner. In some cases, however, a lack of visible improvement in the workplace lowered nurses' motivation to make suggestions. Nurses' attitudes towards kaizen differed across both hospitals depending on the available managerial support, resources such as infrastructure and staffing levels. From our findings, we derived several coping strategies to help health practitioners implement kaizen for the benefit of their organization and employees: Strong managerial support, appropriate use of kaizen tools, and a greater sense of team cohesion, among other factors, can influence how effectively hospital teams implement kaizen. To reap the benefits of kaizen, hospital managers should promote the exchange of opinions across hierarchy levels, allocate the necessary resources in terms of personnel and infrastructure, and show nurses how the technique can help them improve their workplace.

Communication, Cohesion, and Corona: The Impact of People’s Use of Different Information Sources on their Sense of Societal Cohesion in Times of Crises

ABSTRACT Solidarity among society is considered crucial to tackle the corona pandemic. With the crisis evoking a high need for orientation, the information people obtain from different sources may shape whether they feel a strong sense of cohesion in the pandemic. To test this assumption, an online two-wave panel survey among a quota sample representing the German population aged 18+ was conducted in March and April 2020. Applying a path model, we show that using high-quality news media for information on the corona crisis (e.g., public broadcasting services) nourished people’s sense of cohesion, while using alternative and hyperpartisan news sites had a detrimental effect. Relying on information from low-quality news media (e.g., tabloids) did not affect people’s sense of cohesion, while talking to private contacts had a limited positive effect. Perceiving the public discourse as constructive vs. dramatized mediated the effects. These insights illustrate how the news media and other information sources in high-choice media environments contribute to a solid vs. polarized community in disruptive times of a crisis.

Negative Consequences of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Life of the Elderly: A Qualitative Study

Negative Consequences of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Life of the Elderly: A Qualitative Study

The Spirituality and Quality of Life in the Elderly: The Mediating Role of Self-Compassion and Sense of Cohesion

با توجه به رشد فزاینده جمعیت سالمندی، مطالعه عوامل مرتبط با سلامت افراد سالمند که مرتبط با کیفیت زندگی آنان است، ضروری می‌نماید. پژوهش‌های اخیر نشان می‌دهد معنویت، خودشفقت‌ورزی و حس انسجام، ممکن است سلامت را در این جمعیت ارتقاء بخشد. بنابراین هدف از این مطالعه مدل‌یابی کیفیت زندگی بر مبنای معنویت از طریق نقش میانجی خودشفقت‌ورزی و احساس انسجام بود. جامعه پژوهش شامل سالمندان شهر زنجان بود که از بین آنها 370 نفر به شیوه در دسترس انتخاب شدند. ابزار اندازه‌گیری شامل پرسشنامه معنویت پارسیان و دونینگ، پرسشنامه فرم کوتاه خودشفقت‌ورزی ریس و همکاران، پرسشنامه حس انسجام آنتونووسکی و پرسشنامه کیفیت زندگی سازمان بهداشت جهانی بود. برای تحلیل مدل علی از تحلیل مسیر استفاده شد. نتایج نشانگر برازش کامل مدل با داده‌ها بود. همچنین نتایج تأثیر مستقیم و معناداری را بین معنویت (05/0> pو 28/0β=)، خودشفقت‌ورزی (05/0>p و 23/0β=) و حس انسجام (05/0>p و 40/0β=) با کیفیت زندگی نشان داد. همچنین تحلیل نقش میانجی چندگانه با رویکرد پرچهر و هایز، میانجیگری خودشفقت‌ورزی و احساس انسجام را در رابطه بین معنویت و کیفیت زندگی تأیید کرد. این نتایج به دانش نظری در مورد اینکه معنویت چگونه بر کیفیت زندگی در جمعیت سالمند تأثیر می‌گذارد، کمک می‌کند. یافته‌ها نشان داد معنویت بواسطه خودشفقت‌ورزی و حس انسجام، توان لازم برای پیش‌بینی کیفیت زندگی در بین سالمندان را دارد؛ هر سه متغیر پیش‌بین قابل ارتقاء هستند و می‌توانند در مداخلات ارتقای کیفیت زندگی در جمعیت سالمند مورد استفاده قرار گیرند.

The Coronavirus Anxiety in the Elderly: The Role of Coping Styles with Stress and Meta-Worry

The Coronavirus Anxiety in the Elderly: The Role of Coping Styles with Stress and Meta-Worry

Nurturing Spiritual Resilience to Promote Post-disaster Community Recovery: The 2016 Alberta Wildfire in Canada.

The 2016 Alberta wildfire, the largest insured natural disaster in Canada, led to a mass evacuation of residents of Fort McMurray, a small city in northern Alberta. The wildfire resulted in significant damages to housing and community infrastructure. The entire community was displaced for several weeks. Post-disaster, community members experienced individual and collective trauma, and other negative mental health impacts in response to the significant losses and grief they endured. Spirituality has been found to be a major protective factor in facilitating resiliency and recovery following the experience of disaster. Nonetheless, little focus has been directed toward how spirituality can strengthen and empower community capacity and growth during post-disaster recovery. Our study explored various meanings and concerns, along with tools and strategies that helped to nurture spiritual resilience and well-being among residents of Fort McMurray following the Alberta wildfire. Data were collected through interviews and focus group discussions with community influencers working to support long-term recovery efforts in the city. Participants identified a number of spiritual resources such as a strong sense of belonging, a shared positive outlook, faith and hope, compassion, and sense of gratitude, which contributed to increased resilience and positive health and well-being and helped them to support families and communities in the post disaster recovery period. Our findings indicate that spiritual values and beliefs can play a significant role in building resilience and promoting individual and communal healing and recovery post-disaster. These findings have important implications for post-disaster recovery strategies, as they highlight the need to ensure supports for interventions and initiatives that strengthen a collective sense of identity and social cohesion, informed by communal norms and beliefs, including programs and resources which support opportunities for reflexivity to foster shared healing and ongoing recovery processes.

Family Resilience during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Literature Review.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has spread rapidly in many countries. This pandemic has led to short-term as well as long-term psychosocial and mental health implications for all family members. The magnitude of family resilience is determined by many vulnerability factors like developmental age, educational status, preexisting mental health condition, being economically underprivileged or being quarantined due to infection or fear of infection. Methods: PubMed, SCOPUS, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Cochrane, and ProQuest were searched from the inception of the pandemic to December 31, 2020. Articles were screened for inclusion by Authors. Results: After exclusion, there were eight studies included in the analysis with 165,515 participants. The literature review demonstrated that pandemic has caused mental health problems such as anxiety, stress, and depression. Creating daily practices of gratitude is important to build family wellbeing. It is essential to have good and healthy communication and to find positive activities to do together among family members which can build a sense of togetherness, trust, cohesion, and happiness. Conclusion: In conclusion, the pandemic has caused unpredictable and uncertain impacts that can pose a threat to the wellbeing of the families. Pandemic has caused mental health problems such as anxiety, stress, and depression. A healthy relationship, communication, faith-based practices, a positive mindset, and building social support are adaptive coping to respond to the crisis and adversity together.

Spatial Genealogies: Mobility, Settlement, and Empire-Building in the Brazilian Backlands, 1650–1800

Abstract This study examines the territorial expansion of Portuguese colonization in South America by analyzing the spatial practices of Luso-Brazilian families in the captaincy of São Paulo, Brazil during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. After the 1690s, successive discoveries of mineral wealth lured thousands of colonists to scattered settlements in the interior of the continent, challenging the long-established maritime orientation of the Portuguese empire. Given obstacles posed by distance and lack of infrastructure as well as the near absence of formal institutions, this study asks how the Portuguese extended the occupation into the backlands and what mechanisms enabled the integration of these new pockets of settlement into the rest of the empire. It combines different computational methods, such as text mining, data modeling and analysis, and digital mapping to examine a large corpus of genealogical writings about prominent families of colonial São Paulo, reconstituting patterns of geographic mobility of more than 3,000 individuals. These patterns indicate that mobility was shaped by family ties, which allowed colonists to marshal resources, share geographic knowledge, and forge alliances for travel and exploration. Because kinship was an enduring form of social relationship, it provided lasting linkages that connected distant settlements to the consolidated areas of occupation and gave a sense of spatial cohesion that sustained the empire inland.

Foreign Models, Familiar Themes: The Aesthetic Function of Folklore in Works by Szymanowski and Górecki

There is an overwhelming tendency for scholars of Polish music to politicize the presence of folk music references when they appear in art music compositions. This has particularly been the case in studies of Frédéric Chopin, where certain myths pertaining to that composer’s extramusical intentions have long dominated how his music was unpacked in musicological literature. In this article, I demonstrate that our understanding of later Polish composers suffers similarly from the politicization of folklore. In an examination of the discourse surrounding both Karol Szymanowski and Henryk Mikołaj Górecki, I argue that a myopic understanding of the compositional possibilities bound up in folk music engagement has limited the scope of our interrogations into their compositional practices. I then reposition folk music as an aesthetic tool in their works that has enabled these artists to negotiate the compositional challenges confronting their respective generations. In addition to improving our understanding of these two composers’ methods, my analyses highlight how folk music models can lend a sense of familiarity and cohesion to the modern musical aesthetic.

A Mixed-Methods Study of Nurse Managers' Managerial and Clinical Challenges in Mental Health Centers During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

PurposeThe worldwide outbreak of the COVID‐19 pandemic has posed challenges for nurses. The aim of this study was to examine the managerial and clinical challenges of nurse managers in mental health centers during the current COVID‐19 pandemic.DesignA mixed‐methods study based on an analysis of data obtained in focus groups with 25 nurse managers from two mental health centers in Israel.MethodsThe quantitative phase was conducted prior to the group sessions using a structured self‐administered questionnaire that examined the nurse managers’ (a) background data, (b) communication with the staff nurses, (c) perceptions of nurses’ functioning, (d) perceptions of their own functioning, and (e) management as impacted by the pandemic. The qualitative phase included three sessions of focus groups in which the nurse managers discussed both their challenging and positive issues during the pandemic.FindingsThe most important challenges were related to the need to protect patients from infection and communicating with families and primary caregivers. Work policies and procedures were less well adapted to pandemic conditions; nevertheless, nurse managers felt a sense of purpose, duty, and pride in their work. Three themes emerged: (a) "management complexity" included the change from a familiar routine to a new reality, working in capsules, protecting against infection, functional confusion, and insights into future epidemics; (b) "challenging communication" included communication with patients through glass walls and communication with staff through screens and (c) "bright spots" referred to staff cohesion and the provision of respectful care.ConclusionsMental health nurse managers have experienced during the pandemic a change in their roles from being less managerial to focusing more on clinical work. Communication between nurse managers and staff nurses and between mental health patients and staff were the main challenges. Nurse managers favorably noted the uniformity and humanity of the staff, sense of cohesion, and shared responsibility.Clinical RelevanceIn the first wave of the pandemic, there was confusion as to the functional role of ward nurse managers, as the focus of their activities became more clinical and less managerial. During and after the pandemic, preventive interventions should be carried out in order to assist patients, staff nurses, and nurse managers in mental health centers.

Implementing out of hours MDT safety huddles at the Ladywell Unit, Lewisham, South London and the Maudsley (SLAM) NHS Foundation Trust

Aims•For 100% of patients admitted OOH (Friday 5pm – Sunday 9am) to have a multi-disciplinary review of their treatment•For 100% of patients with deteriorating physical and mental health to be discussed•To improve multi-disciplinary team (MDT) morale, working relationships and team cohesiveness OOHBackgroundIn most specialties, the standard of best practice is that patients admitted to the ward out of hours (OOH) receive a senior review over the weekend. However this does not usually take place in Psychiatry, and patients routinely wait until Monday to be seen by the ward team. This has been highlighted as problematic in cases where patients are agitated and not receiving any treatment for > 24 hours.We trialled a weekend teleconference safety huddle in Lewisham involving the on call consultant, registrar (SpR), core trainee (CT) and duty senior nurse (DSN).MethodThe weekend huddles were through a teleconference line, with participants dialling in at 9.45am.Issues discussed: 1)Management plan for newly admitted patients OOH.2)Plan for patients with deteriorating mental health or escalating level of aggression.3)Plan for patients with deteriorating physical health.Feedback was collected from CTs, SpRs and consultants focusing on whether the huddle made any difference to the speed of care, cohesiveness of the OOH team, and whether it was generally helpful or not.Result54% of CTs (n = 11) felt that patients admitted OOH had an MDT review, and 90% felt that patients with deteriorating mental and physical health were discussed and a plan put in place. 80% of CTs, 63% of SpRs (n = 8) and 67% of consultants (n = 6) agreed it improved team cohesiveness. 90% of DSNs felt safer and more supported in decision-making OOH.80% of CTs, 63% of SpRs and 83% of consultants found weekend huddles helpful.Data were also collected on violent incidents OOH, and there was a slight reduction in the number of violent incidents in the weeks following introduction of the huddle.ConclusionIntroducing safety huddles in Lewisham has facilitated the prompt discussion of the management of patients admitted OOH, and of those with deteriorating mental and physical health. It has also fostered a greater sense of cohesiveness in the MDT team.In light of this feedback, safety huddles have now been established as part of the weekend schedule in Lewisham, and are being rolled out to other boroughs within SLaM.

Arts, Culture, and Creativity as a Strategy for Countering the Negative Social Impacts of Immigration Stress and Gentrification.

Background. This article looks at the role that arts, culture, and creativity play in promoting social cohesion and community well-being. It presents research on the role that a community arts center plays in an ethnic enclave that is under stress of immigration and gentrification. Method. An academic-community research partnership conducted this research. A mixed-methods approach was used. Twenty-four interviews were conducted with stakeholders (including community leaders, neighborhood residents, and business owners). Surveys (n = 102) were done of community members and those who participate in the Center activities. Results. Interviewees and survey respondents point to the importance of the ethnic enclave as a close-knot community that helps to foster a sense of belonging, security, and cultural identity. Arts, culture, and creativity plays a role in maintaining this sense of social cohesion, despite the threat of gentrification. Engagement in the arts and creative practice are important for buffering the stress of immigration. Discussion. The center has an important role as a critical cultural, civic, and creative space for the neighborhood and the broader community who sees the ethnic enclave as their cultural home.

A Study of the Enablers of Social Capital in an Organization : A Total Interpretative Structural Modelling and MICMAC Approach

Purpose : The purpose of this research was to study the enablers of social capital that encouraged knowledge sharing practices among faculty members. We designed a model that showed the relation and linkages between the identified enablers. Design/Methodology : The enablers of social capital were identified systematically through extant literature review. We validated the identified enablers through expert opinion. Once the enablers were finalized, the research techniques : total interpretative structural modelling (TISM) and MICMAC analysis were used to study the nature of interaction between the enablers. Findings : The derived model had four levels of interactions. Shared Beliefs and Reciprocity were identified as the most important enablers. Shared Beliefs and Bonded Solidarity mutually impacted each other and had a role in creating a sense of social cohesion. Reciprocity helped to strengthen the organization culture. Organizational Culture and Bonded Solidarity were placed at Level 2. Generalized Trust and Moral Obligation impacted the levels of Employee Engagement, Closed Structure Networks among faculty members, Intrinsic Motives, and Affective Commitment. Based on the MICMAC analysis, Reciprocity, Organizational Culture, and Bonded Solidarity were the linkage variables, Closed Structure Networks, Generalized Trust, Intrinsic Motives, and Affective Commitment were the drivers. Shared Beliefs was a dependent variable and Moral Obligation and Employee Engagement were the autonomous variables. Originality and Significance of the Study : The paper proposed a framework of the interrelationships of the enablers which had a role in improving social capital. This research would benefit researchers, HR professionals, management involved in the education sector, and faculty members.

Fostering Interactions at Public Open Spaces. The Role of Physical Interface in Facilitating User Interactions in the UAE

Over the past few decades, the importance of public open spaces has been substantially increased due to rapid urbanization and developments. Likewise, cities and communities in the Arab world are also going through urban transformation; driven by the global context in which cities are being reshaped along with the modernization of urban planning themes. Over the last 15 years, Dubai has emerged as one of the world’s fastest growing cities. It has been associated with the desire to build tall buildings as a statement of modernity, globalization, and economic prosperity, which lead to a rapid growth in population. This expansion has caused many environmental and urban planning challenges. Hasty urbanization, demographic, and economic growth alongside land privatization process has progressively changed the nature and theme of public open spaces within the UAE which in turn creates a gap between social life and community urban planning. The regeneration of public open spaces in cities of the UAE is a major issue as multiple factors must be taken into consideration during the design stages. This paper aims at understanding the role of physical interface of the public open spaces in context of UAE and its transformation over the years. These spaces act as a catalyst which accelerate this transformation of urban scenario and there by citizens life. Open places play an important role for bringing people closer and act as a socio-cultural entity for the sake of improving social life and interactivity. Social well-being arises from a sense of security, belonging, familiarity, support, cohesion, and integration of social groups, based on respect for different cultures, traditions, and backgrounds. Hence this research analyzes the influence of such tangible and intangible elements in the public open spaces, through which the social interaction happens and offers unprecedented experience to the users, visitors and urban community alike.