Social Alienation Research Articles

The mediating effect of stigma on the relationship between fear of disease progression and social alienation in patients with haematological malignancies

ABSTRACT Objective: To explore the mediating effect of shame in patients with malignant haematological diseases between fear of disease progression and social alienation. Methods: Recruiting 310 patients with haematological malignancies as the research population, the convenience sampling method was used to investigate the general information questionnaire, the fear of disease progression scale, the social influence scale and the general alienation scale. Results: The patients with haematological malignancies scored (36.02 ± 9.74) points for fear of disease progression, (58.02 ± 9.52) points for stigma and (31.31 ± 5.85) points for social alienation. Social alienation in patients with haematologic malignancies was positively correlated with stigma (r = 0.500, P < 0.01) and fear of disease progression (r = 0.424, P < 0.01), and fear of disease progression was also positively correlated with stigma (r = 0.405, P < 0.01). Bootstrap test results showed that the mediating effect of stigma on the relationship between fear of disease progression and social alienation in patients with haematological malignancies was 0.159, accounting for 37.5% of the total effect. Conclusion: The sense of shame plays an intermediary role between fear of disease progression and social alienation in patients with malignant haematological diseases. Clinical nurses should pay attention to the current situation of fear and shame in patients with such diseases and take appropriate intervention measures to reduce the occurrence of negative emotions such as social alienation.

Infralimbic Cortex and Behavioral Responses to Mild Stress after Repeated Social Stress Exposure

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is an emotional impairment that can have debilitating consequences for afflicted individuals. Social stress, including isolation or alienation, may be an important factor that contributes to MDD. In two experiments, repeated social defeat was utilized in rodents to induce social stress, modeling the social stressors that are thought to contribute to MDD in humans. Behavioral analyses revealed that dominance and submissive behaviors in the social defeat sessions were quite stable across repeated sessions. Accordingly, there appeared to be little variability between the rats in their social stress experience. This validates the model and allows for the study to draw inferences concerning the impacts of the stress experience from means testing of behavioral and physiological outcomes. The second experiment evaluated the impacts of repeated social defeat on cortical responses to the mild stress of a novel environment. RNAscope was utilized evaluate expression of c-Fos, GAD65, and VGluT1 mRNA in the infralimbic cortex. mRNA for c-Fos was labeled to identify which neurons were active in the infralimbic cortex. This was combined with labels for vGluT1 and GAD65 mRNAs to evaluate if those neurons were excitatory (glutamatergic) or inhibitory (GABAergic). The socially stressed rats exhibited increased mRNA expression for GAD65 in the infralimbic cortex. This suggests increased stress-induced biosynthesis of GABA in inhibitory neurons of the infralimbic cortex.

Veteran suicide thoughts and attempts during the transition from military service to civilian life: Qualitative insights

A rapidly growing literature highlights a critical need for targeted suicide prevention and risk mitigation strategies for veterans navigating the military-to-civilian transition. Although various risk correlates of suicidal thoughts and behavior among transitioning veterans have been identified, how and why these correlates occur and interact to affect suicidality remains unclear. Guided by the 3 Step Theory of Suicide, 10 recently discharged United States military veterans with a history of post-discharge suicide thoughts, urges, or behaviors completed interviews on the military-to-civilian transition and suicidal thoughts and behaviors occurring during this time. Thematic analysis highlighted an overarching theme of transition whiplash comprising four subthemes: unpreparedness, economic vulnerability, identity disruption, and social alienation. Veterans’ recommendations for improving suicide-prevention efforts included providing a primary contact to provide personalized support and guidance throughout transition and increasing accessibility of peer support. Results provide nuanced insight into experiences that may underlie suicide risk during the military-to-civilian transition.

The Subject as Vibrant Matter

In the article Hartmut Rosa’s concept ‘resonance’ and Jacques Rancière’s concept ‘le partage du sensible’ are explored through an aesthetic and musical interpretation of teaching. The main aim is to bring understanding into how educational practices, in particular teaching practice, can bring life into subject matter, and construe it as meaningful, significant, and important in times of social acceleration and alienation (Rosa, 2015; Stiegler, 2010). Besides texts from Rosa and Rancière, the article draws on discussions from music philosophy (Bucht, 2009; Lingis, 2004), and educational philosophy (Benner, 2015; Mollenhauer, 2014; Uljens, 1998). The article suggests that Rosa’s concept of ‘resonance’ and Rancière’s concept of ‘le partage du sensible’, read together and against each other, bring insights into discussions about the phenomenological nature of teaching, described as a sort of experiential frequency-modulation that aims for resonant relationships between students and the world. While Rancière’s aesthetics can be used to highlight the abstract logics and politics of educational relations, Rosa’s sociology of resonance provides a valuable complement that grounds teaching practice in lived experience. Resonance implies, according to Rosa, an aspect of constitutive inaccessibility, which requires that both subject and world are sufficiently “closed” or self-consistent so that both sides can speak “in their own voice”, while also remaining open to be affected or reached by each other. Interpreting this resonant state educationally, and from the perspective of Rancière’s aesthetics, turns teaching into a resonance-enabling practice where students, as unique subjects, are allowed to confront the teaching content in its pure materiality; to hear it sing with its own voice, key, and rhythm.

Liberation Theology in Indonesia: The Role of Cak Nun and Maiyah Community in Social Transformation

This article aims to examine the application of liberation theology in Indonesian Islam, focusing on the efforts of Muhammad Ainun Nadjib (Cak Nun) and the Maiyah Community Assembly, analyzed through Ali Shari’ati's concept of rausyanfikr. The study aims to explore how Cak Nun contextualizes Islam to address contemporary issues of injustice, oppression, and social alienation. Utilizing qualitative library research methods, it investigates various literary sources to evaluate the role of Islamic teachings in cultural and social emancipation. Findings indicate that Cak Nun and the Maiyah Community Assembly have played crucial roles in heightening community awareness about prevalent oppression, employing the Quran and Islamic thought as tools for liberation. The study concludes that Islam, as interpreted by Cak Nun, serves as an effective means for societal change, promoting a comprehensive application of Islamic teachings to address modern societal challenges. This research holds significant implications for scholars and practitioners interested in the intersections of religion and social transformation.

Nihilism in Modern Literature: The Case of The Catcher in the Rye

The present research examines cultural implications of the 1951 novel The catcher in the rye by J. D. Salinger. The paper analyses the intradiegetic sentences made by the novel's main character, Holden Caulfield, and investigates on the inferences drawn from them. To this end, it would be used a structuralist methodological approach created by Gérard Genette and Roland Barthes in the 1970s. The conclusions reached indicate that around the date the book was written, a new type of nihilism was common for new generations in themes, characters, and symbols found in literary productions. In such manner, it is suggested that realist literature with intimate and existentialist characters, as well as other cultural objects, allow us to infer which are the daily life conditions. In the case of our work, those conditions are based on social discontent and cultural alienation of adolescents, which is in this research outlined as a new type of nihilism.

Psychosocial correlates of LGBTIQ+ experiences in selected African countries: Reimagining LGBTIQ+ research

AbstractThis paper explores the multifaceted experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, or queer (LGBTIQ+) people in selected African countries within legal, health, and educational sectors, and the broader society. It further highlights efforts that address issues around inclusion and social injustice. In the selected African countries (e.g., Ghana, Namibia, Kenya, and Uganda), LGBTIQ+ related activities are constitutionally illegal, leading to social discrimination or criminalization. Discrimination and stigma occur in various institutions which promotes homophobic sentiments, self‐harm and ostracization among LGBTIQ+ people. Notable countries like South Africa and Mozambique, have decriminalized same‐sex relationships, but these have not necessarily halted incidences of homophobia, social alienation, and discrimination that persist across the continent. In this article, queer theory and sexual minority stress theory are applied as contextual tools to explicate the everyday experiences of LGBTIQ+ people in sectors such as law, education, and health. As a contribution to the discourse on LGBTIQ+ people and research in Africa, this article further explores how discrimination, stigma, compulsive survival coping strategies, and legislation impede the overall psychosocial wellbeing of LGBTIQ+ people. Although this paper's narrative is primarily restricted to a few selected African countries, the narratives are relatable to non‐Western states with collectivist cultural orientations.

Lonely Times, Lonely Places: Christopher Isherwood’s Chronotopography of Loneliness

This article outlines the connections between the phenomenon of loneliness and the categories of time and space in Christopher Isherwood’s writing. Characteristically autobiographical, it reflects the author’s quest for self, including the geography of his wanderings around Europe and emigration as well as the complexities of the historical context of his life. The study starts with a discussion of loneliness as an existential issue and goes on to explore its temporal and spatial manifestations at the various levels of national, gender, and age identity, including the experience of being a foreigner in an alien sociocultural space and psychological immaturity as a specific temporal modality of emotional estrangement. The article then investigates how Isherwood uses time and space to construct narratives of historical change, in which the pre-war anxiety and the post-war consumerism are revealed through the city/nature juxtaposition. The social dimension of loneliness is analysed in terms of the Foucauldian concepts of heterotopia and heterochrony. Gay bars, hospitals, and universities alike constitute spaces of contained otherness, where time is experienced differently, reinforcing either the sense of community or social alienation. Finally, the article looks at the notion of home, which functions as a chronotope and the point of conceptual and structural organisation for the circadian novel.

B - 79 Examining the MMPI-2-RF Profiles of Diagnosed Autistic Adults

Abstract Objective The current study examined the psychopathology and personality trait presentation in Autistic adults utilizing the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form. We sought to identify patterns in the overall MMPI-2-RF score profiles of adults with autism spectrum disorder as well as to explore group differences between an ASD sample and a non-ASD group. Method Archival data was collected from a private clinic specializing in differential diagnosis in the Midwestern United States. 26 participants in the ASD group (57.7% male; 18–60 years old; 65.4% Caucasian) and 26 participants in the non-ASD group (53.9% male; 19–62 years old; 76.9% Caucasian) were matched using a one-to-one propensity score match with verbal composite score, age, and sex as the variables. The non-ASD group included clients administered the MMPI-2-RF and diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder and/or Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Results Results showed statistically significant group differences on three validity scales as well as the scales of Ideas of Persecution, Dysfunctional Negative Emotions, Aberrant Experiences, Behavior-Restricting Fears, Juvenile Conduct Problems, Disaffiliativeness, Psychoticism-Revised, and Thought Dysfunction. Conclusion Several statistically significant and clinically relevant group differences were identified such as on scales of Aberrant Experiences and Disaffiliativeness which may be explained by social alienation &amp; maladjustment experienced by autistic adults. Furthermore, differences on validity scales assessing infrequent responses and Uncommon Virtues may reflect rigid thinking. Findings also align with past research showing higher levels of anxiety, depression, and suicidality experienced by Autistic individuals. Overall, we established a pattern of elevated psychopathology and personality trait presentation in autistic adults which may be used to guide treatment interventions.

If We Care, We Should Take Care of Them: Social Justice Pedagogy in Directness of Collaborative Learning

Abstract This study argues that initiating education on social movements and justice in higher education with an understanding of students’ social vulnerabilities and alienation is crucial. Addressing feelings of disconnectedness and apathy, this pedagogical approach fosters an environment where students feel safe to express personal grievances, thus deepening their engagement with the curriculum and enhancing the relevance of social justice education. This foundation encourages a profound, empathetic interaction with the subject, promoting an inclusive and transformative learning experience. Moreover, maintaining student interest in these complex subjects necessitates innovative teaching strategies, including guest lectures, multimedia integration, and interactive sessions. Regular feedback mechanisms further allow for the dynamic tailoring of course content, ensuring responsive and effective teaching. This research offers critical insights and practical tools for educators to refine their creative pedagogical practices, contributing to more holistic and impactful educational outcomes.

Educational exclusion and socio-cultural constraints for tribal women in the Ganderbal district

Using a phenomenological approach, this study aims at understanding tribal females' educational deprivation due to socio-cultural limitations. The study, conducted in the Ganderbal district of Kashmir in 2022, included 30 women. A semi-structured interview schedule and observation method was used to collect data, which was analyzed with Moustakas' modified Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen phenomenological approach. We identified four themes associated with women's challenges in their communities: (a) poverty, domestic duties, and co-education challenges, (b) cultural and structural barriers, (c) economic exploitation, early marriage, and gender bias and (d) intersection of marginality. Deep-seated cultural norms favoring men's education and relegating women to domestic roles hampered tribal women's access to education. These norms, in turn, resulted in detrimental practices such as child marriage, forced labor, child labor, exclusion from the market, social alienation, exploitation and backwardness, poor decision-making power, and increasing school dropouts. To promote educational inclusion among tribal members, it is necessary to implement National Education Policy (NEP)-2020 fully and make both tribal men and women aware of the impact of socioeconomic and cultural exclusion on their mobility.

THE INFLUENCE OF THE PSYCHO-EMOTIONAL STATE ON THE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH OF WOMEN AFTER THE EXPERIENCED DISEASE OF COVID-19

Introduction. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) recognized as a pandemic caused by the rapid spread of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus has become a serious challenge for the health care system around the world. Consequences of psychological health during recovery from COVID-19 can contribute to social alienation, social isolation, and economic losses. In particular, it remains to be investigated how the reproductive system can be directly or indirectly affected by SARS-CoV-2, in the long-term, precisely against the background of psycho-emotional changes. Aim. To study the psycho-emotional state of women and the impact on the reproductive system due to the impact of SARS-CoV-2. Materials and methods. In order to determine the impact of changes in the psycho-emotional state after suffering from the COVID-19 disease on the reproductive function of women with infertility, we included 80 patients who applied to the Carpathian Center for Human Reproduction in Ivano-Frankivsk in the period 2020–2022 for infertility treatment in a comprehensive examination, aged 18–40. Results. Vegetative dysfunction syndrome (VD), which was previously called vegetovascular dystonia (VDD), is attracting the attention of researchers again, in particular in association with "long-Covid-19", an increase in stressogenic loads. Currently, in world medicine, the term somatoform autonomic dysfunction is used, which most often refers to symptoms that are a consequence of another disease. Personal psycho-emotional characteristics of patients play a certain role in the occurrence and course of diseases, especially psychosomatic ones, which include the long-COVID-19 syndrome. A strong correlation of the severity of SVD with three main scales of the FPI personality test was established: with neuroticism (the strongest direct relationship, ρ = 0.72), depression (strong direct relationship, ρ = 0.64) and equanimity (strong inverse relationship, ρ = -0.61). Thus, the vast majority of women with long-Covid-19 were in an anxious state (91.2% vs. 30.0% of women in the control group, p&lt;0.05), 22.5% had an anxiety level of 11 or higher and corresponded to clinically expressed, only 5.5% patients with clinically expressed anxiety were found in the group without COVID-19 (p&lt;0.05). Clinically expressed depression in the main group was diagnosed 5 times more often than in the control group (13.8% vs. 2.5%, respectively, p&lt;0.05). Conclusions. Disturbance of the psycho-emotional state in women with impaired fertility of reproductive age after suffering from Covid-19 has an impact on the effectiveness of infertility treatment. Understanding the mechanisms of the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 virus on the psycho-emotional state of women with infertility will contribute to the search for ways to prevent reproductive losses and pregnancy complications in women who have experienced COVID-19.

Invisibility and silence: an extreme form of art resistance of Aaron Curme

ABSTRACT Social alienation necessitates a critique against social paradoxes that disregard individual experiences and portray societal failures as successes. Aaron Curme adopts the extremes of invisibility and silence to counteract these paradoxes and constructs an artistic identity of resistance, a demonstrative choice of resistance, an extreme, ironic and paradoxical behavior aiming to directly expose the core of problems. Employing auto-hermeneutics, the artist’s self-conscious artistic practices are observed that embody paradoxical empowerment through absence, and constantly transform the silence into a subtly communicative and aesthetically appreciative form that offers a novel interpretation towards the unheard perspectives of others.

The glocalization of death in the digital age: traits and limits

This perspective article explores the interplay between death and glocalization in digitally saturated societies. The central question driving our perspective is how societal responses to death reflect and inform the process of glocalization within the context of increasing digital connectivity. In this study, we discuss that societal response to death provides a unique perspective on how global digital trends intersect with deep-seated beliefs and traditions in glocalization dynamics. Thus, the main section of the article (Section 3) examines the traits and limitations of digital glocalization in mortality contexts, revealing its multifaceted nature: digital glocalization is relational, post-metaphysical, naturally occurring, and a boundary solution to crises. Constraints in glocal forging in the context of bereavement include interpersonal challenges, social alienation, evolving local customs, religious considerations, and timing issues. Our perspective, informed by brief ethnographic insights from contemporary Romania, highlights the fusion of ancient customs, digital tools, and religious beliefs in shaping distinctive responses to death in digitally enriched environments. Ultimately, this study concludes that death serves as a catalyst for glocalization, harmonizing local traditions and digital advancements in navigating the complexities of life and loss in the digital age, portraying death as the great “glocalizer.”

Illusions of Prosperity: The Socio Economic Delusions in John Steinbeck’s The Pearl

This article examines the extent to which the pursuit of unreal goals, terms here as “Illusions of Prosperity,” alienates individuals from reality, using John Steinbeck’s The Pearl (1945) as a case study. Focused on Kino, the protagonist, the narrative explores how his discovery of a large pearl sets off dreams of social elevation and economic freedom within a colonially dominated Mexican village. The analysis reveals that despite the pearl’s promise of erasing historical humiliations and bringing prosperity, it ultimately leads to Kino’s psychological and social alienation, reflecting a broader critique of the materialistic pursuit under colonial influence. This paper highlights how personal aspirations, when intertwined with colonial and capitalist ideologies, can lead to disillusionment and societal estrangement.

Fair space for life: A dynamic care monitor working up to growth and flourishing for all.

Mental health disparities persistently cause inequity and social exclusion. Extensive research underpins the need to embrace the social determinants of health and facilitate network learning at various ecosystem levels. Despite valuable quality frameworks and ratified conventions, local practices which counter health inequity are scarce. The Dutch HOP-TR study collected health and needs of Homeless Service Users (HSU) in a rights-based, transdiagnostic, recovery framework. We assessed the survival modes and conducted a socio-ecological analysis, exploring what happened in care pathways at three ecosystem levels: individual HSU, caregiver networks, society. While documenting vital conditions for growth and citizenship, we explore major opportunities to develop 'fair space for life'. Under low distress levels, prosocial behavior is prominent (32.9%). High distress levels are found with an avoidant (42.0%) or aggressive mode (24.9%). Rising distress levels give more frictions in relations, psychiatric admissions, and police-justice contacts. The distress-induced descent in the social hierarchy causes social withdrawal, alienation, and marginalization. At society level, fair conditions for growth and citizenship are challenged by the cumulative impact of distress over the HSU' lives. This care monitor uncovers the impact of distress on caregiver interactions. The care pathways reveal that the survival strategies reflect a systematic, pervasive neglect. Unfair representations hold HSU personally responsible of their situation, disregarding the cumulative impact of environmental conditions over their lives. The diverse sources of unfairness are intrinsic to the health care system and culture. Therefore, the survival modes ask for profound culture transformations in a whole-system-whole-society approach. Given the need for action on health equity and the social determinants of health, this paper provides an example of a dynamic care monitor. The actionable data elicit dialogs and stimulate to enrich opportunities for inclusion and growth in communities and societies.

Alienated social workers in China’s communities: The impacts of role stress, professional efficacy, and state interventions

Chinese community-service social workers face work alienation due to role stress. This study highlights the impact of government resources on a role stress–professional efficacy–work alienation research model. Paradoxically, state support may escalate role stress, thus hindering professional development and causing work alienation in this state-dominated profession.

Theories of Social Alienation Analysis in the Family

Family, as a small effective system for the establishment of the entire society always leaves heated questions to scholars and social workers. Throughout the research, the issues of parental alienation have been apparently highlighted. The reasons for the foremost problems are numerous incompatibilities among the couples and the raise of many divorces. Family, as a small corporation contains several other correlations like the relation between the husband and the wife, as the formation of all the other family relations. Besides, the interactive relations of the family members then the compound families are seen. Furthermore, the new mode of the formation family relations, in the terms professions, positions, age, and literacy rate change, according to the present time of the society, culture, tradition, religion and different extents.The existence and non-existence of the modern world’s reality, family relations take many questions and issues, when this reality has apparently expressed, that the initiation, formation, role and duties are constantly changing. Furthermore, in the standard of living, the family members face challenges, alternatives and determination which all leave their influence the variety of family relations. In one way or another, the influences are seen as the catalyst of the emergence of social alienation among the families.

Barriers and facilitators to social participation in people with mental health and substance use disorders: a formative qualitative study

PurposeThis study aims to explore how people with concurrent mental health and substance use disorders and lived experience of deep social marginalization perceived barriers and facilitators to mainstream social participation. The purpose of this study is to identify meaningful and relevant learning content for a virtual reality-based intervention to promote social participation in this group.Design/methodology/approachThis formative qualitative study was conducted in Norway during Autumn 2022. Nine in-depth individual interviews with adults recovering from dual diagnosis were conducted, audiotaped, transcribed and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis in a collaborative analysis process.FindingsResults indicated that social alienation, poor social skills, stigma, low self-esteem and social anxiety were key barriers to social participation in this group. This study suggests a need to learn appropriate social behaviour in mainstream society, in addition to better employability skills, civic literacy and health literacy to improve utilization of social opportunities.Practical implicationsThis study implies that virtual reality-based interventions for promoting social participation in people with dual diagnosis should primarily focus on learning and practising appropriate social behaviour in shared public spaces before practising advanced social skills such as employability skills in simulated work environments. Learning and practising social skills appears decisive for using more complex social opportunities, such as in education, health, social services and work.Originality/valueThis research provides suggestions for the content of a novel virtual reality-based intervention to promote social participation among people in recovery from dual diagnosis.

The Experience of Social Alienation in Elderly Lung Cancer Patients: A Qualitative Study

PurposeThe aim of this study was to understand the experience of social alienation in elderly lung cancer patients, to explore its causes, and to propose targeted intervention strategies. MethodsFrom July to August 2023, 16 elderly lung cancer patients attending the respiratory department of a tertiary hospital in Changsha City, Hunan Province, were selected for semi-structured interviews using a purposive sampling method. The Colaizzi 7-step method was used to analyze the data. ResultsA total of four themes were distilled: the experience of social alienation in elderly lung cancer patients (pessimistic feelings, inferiority complex, and heavy psychological burden), subjective causes (disease-included shame, avoidant social behavior, and stigmatized labels), objective causes (isolated social states, and reduced amount of socialization), and rehabilitation support. ConclusionThe causes of social alienation in elderly lung cancer patients include multiple aspects of personal, family, and social support, and symptom management and psychological guidance should be strengthened for this population to construct a hospital–society–family triple-linkage care program to help patients recover.