Social Climates Research Articles

Why a medical student's learning environment matters: the enabling effect of supportive social climates.

Why a medical student's learning environment matters: the enabling effect of supportive social climates.

Association Between Three Levels of Social Exclusion and Quality of Life in the Oldest Old Australians: An Analysis of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Data.

This study examined associations between three levels of social exclusion and quality of life in the Australian oldest old. We performed cross-sectional analyses of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia data using 203 participants aged ≥85. Principal component analysis was used to construct social exclusion variables at an individual level (lack of supportive relationships), neighborhood level (disadvantaged neighborhood social climates), and community level (community disengagement). Quality of life was assessed using physical and mental component summary scores of SF-36. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed separately for men and women. Lack of supportive relationships was negatively associated with physical and mental quality of life in all participants. Among men, community disengagement was associated with low physical quality of life. Policies to reduce social exclusion in this age group should focus on improving supportive relationships to enhance quality of life, rather than neighborhood or community levels.

The Evolution of Indigenous Identity in Native Indian Drama: A Comparative Study of Cultural Representation from Metamora to The Thanksgiving Play

This paper seeks to understand how Indigenous identity and representation have changed over time in Native American drama. For works historic and contemporary, the characters, themes, and cultural narratives present in plays written by and for Native peoples may provide insight into the social and political climates of the times when those plays were penned. The difference between the portrayal of Indigenous peoples in plays such as Metamora; or, The Last of the Wampanoags and the portrayal of Indigenous characters in plays like The Thanksgiving Play and Body Indian is striking and significant. Playwrights who have been part of the historic tribal memory of their peoples may serve as an Indigenous lifeline to live historical memory rather than politicized “wokeness,” which seems to be the societal expectation of plays these days.

The International Legal Framework Governing the Protection of Cultural Heritage

The study delves deeply into the historical contexts of the countries involved, examining how the idea of cultural heritage and its protection under international law has changed through the years and in various social, economic, and political climates. When preserving cultural assets under public international law, we also consider the humanitarian aspect of this phenomenon. The study examines whether people and groups limit a state's power to act beyond limitations imposed by other states and international organizations. This research further examines the role of international human rights laws in this setting, the preservation of the individual's connection to cultural products, and whether or not an individual becomes a significant player in international law. The study's findings provide conclusive evidence of the pivotal catalytic role that UNESCO and similar international organizations play in the worldwide preservation of cultural heritage. UNESCO is the principal venue for monitoring whether or not states are adhering to international protection principles. Whether or not UNESCO can be effective without ratification processes for cultural preservation has to be investigated more deeply. The study's findings indicate that protecting cultural assets involves a wide range of aspects, including the rights and responsibilities of governments and the rights of cultures. In addition, our research suggests that the ever-evolving international legal system can improve its framework, which is relevant to preserving cultural treasures.

The Making of Future Scientists: Faculty Mentor Cultural Awareness and Inclusive Science Labs.

A compelling body of research suggests that students from racially marginalized and minoritized (RMM) backgrounds are systematically deterred from Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields when teachers and scientists create ideologically colorblind STEM learning environments where cultural differences are deemed irrelevant and disregard how race/ethnicity shapes students' experiences. We examine whether and how STEM faculty can serve as important sources of information that signal racial/ethnic diversity inclusion (or exclusion) that influence RMM students' motivation to persist in STEM. Specifically, we focus on RMM students' perceptions of their faculty research mentors' cultural awareness-the extent to which students believe that their faculty research mentor acknowledges and appreciates racial/ethnic differences in STEM research. Results from a longitudinal survey of RMM students (N = 150) participating in 74 faculty-led STEM research labs demonstrated that RMM students who perceived their faculty research mentor to be more culturally aware experienced more positive social climates in the lab and were more identified as scientists. Increased science identity, in turn, predicted their motivation to pursue STEM careers 3 months later. These findings demonstrate the importance of acknowledging, welcoming, and celebrating racial/ethnic diversity within STEM learning environments to broaden inclusive and equitable participation in STEM.

Mental wellbeing, but not prison climate, mediates the association between autistic traits and treatment readiness among men with sexual convictions

ABSTRACT Research suggests that autistic individuals have qualitatively unique experiences of prison social environments, and that these experiences may have implications for autistic prisoners’ mental wellbeing and engagement with offending behaviour interventions. However, this has yet to be quantitatively tested. Using a sample of 177 adult prisoners from two UK prisons that exclusively house individuals with sexual convictions, this study tested a hypothesised double-mediation model, to investigate associations between autistic traits and prisoners’ readiness to engage with treatment, and whether this was mediated by experiences of the prison social climate and mental wellbeing. Results indicated that prisoners with higher levels of autistic traits had poorer experiences of prison social climates, which, in turn, predicted higher levels of anxiety and depression, which subsequently predicted reduced level readiness to engage with offending behaviour interventions. Implications for research and practice are discussed, emphasising the need for increased autism-related awareness and support provisions in prisons. PRACTICE IMPACT STATEMENT The present study is a novel quantitative study, which is the first to statistically demonstrate that neurodivergence can significantly influence prisoners’ perceptions of prison social climates, mental wellbeing, and ultimately readiness to engage with rehabilitate interventions. As such, these findings emphasise the importance of embedding understanding neurodiversity in prison staff training, as well as considering and accommodating neurodiversity as a key dimension in the development of a prison’s rehabilitative culture.

Revisiting Transnational Activities: Korean Immigrant Mothers’ Home Visit for Families

Immigrant mothers engage in numerous transnational activities. In this qualitative study, we explored one distinct type of transnational activity, a return trip to the home country for visit, as experienced by Korean immigrant mothers. Through purposeful sampling, 11 married middle-class Korean immigrant women with children were recruited to be interviewed during their visit to South Korea. By exploring the transcripts through the thematic analysis, we paid attention to how these women negotiated and constructed the meaning of their return trip. These mothers carefully planned and coordinated these return trips so that their children could find their Korean roots by being immersed in the culture and build close intergenerational relationships. The mothers also perceived the trip as an opportunity to see their relatives face-to-face and spend quality time with their aging parents. Similar to other transnational activities, the meanings of return trip to home country might reflect social and cultural climates of Korea and the United States.

“It’s a Chance, Not a Choice”: Black Families, School Choice, and Gentrification in Washington, D.C.

Background: Public education reforms, such as expanded school choice, have become a critical lever for remaking urban landscapes. These reforms often aim to attract and retain affluent and White families in urban schools, so scholars have examined how these parents navigate the perceived risk of choosing these schools for their children. Purpose: This paper extends this scholarship to understand how other families experience these reforms in gentrifying landscapes. We ask: (1) How do Black parents navigate school selection in a gentrifying and expansive education marketplace? (2) How do Black parents’ perceptions of schooling shape their approach to school selection? (3) How do parents’ positionalities (e.g., gender, class, place attachments, and tenure in the city) influence their experiences? Research Design: We leverage a qualitative meta-analysis design that pools data from three separately conducted studies of gentrification in Washington, D.C. For this analysis, we center on 34 Black parents’ experiences as they navigate school selection. We reanalyzed data through the lens of critical spatial and racial theories. We paid particular attention to participants’ attachments to place, their perceptions of their choices, the school and neighborhood attributes participants valued, and how they navigated school selection. Findings: Parents considered a broad range of school and neighborhood characteristics as they constructed their choice sets. As they searched for schools, Black parents made a series of racialized compromises to find schools they perceived to be racially, physically, and socially safe for their children. Parents, for example, negotiated their desire for academic rigor with their perception of schools’ social climates and their perceptions that schools would be racially affirming and inclusive. Place and space were essential to parents’ choice set construction. Schools’ physical locations and perceptions of safety influenced whether parents viewed schools as viable options for their children. Conclusion: Our study underscores the multiple factors that bound choice set construction. Critically, Black parents’ experiences as they navigated school selection suggest that the expansive educational marketplace offered a “chance, not a choice” at high-quality educational opportunities.

A Path Towards Assessing and Increasing Health System Resilience in Non-traditional Flood Areas

Abstract Rapid deforestation, urbanization, and biodiversity loss over the last century has changed landscapes and disorientated the climate. This has magnified temperature, wind speed, air quality, and other meteorological variables. For example, the urban heat island effect has resulted in city areas being hotter than nearby rural areas and expanding physical landscapes combined with shifting precipitation patterns has increased flood risks in new locations. The result has been unexpected disruption to healthcare, supply chains, and changes in vector, water, and foodborne disease patterns. To find solutions to this challenge, a transdisciplinary approach is needed to assess and anticipate the impact of floods and other emerging risks on public health systems. The United Nations Public Health System Resilience Scorecard (Scorecard) could provide the process needed for this to occur. This is a reliable, scalable, and versatile tool that has been applied and tested in multiple communities and countries. Attendees to this session will learn about the Scorecard methodology and how it can be applied in different settings, used to build consensus, and employed to inform future resilience actions. Ultimately, providing a framework for maximizing the resilience of public health systems during a time of rapidly shifting environmental, social, and fiscal climates. Learning Objectives Identify the impact floods and other disasters can have on public health systems in non-traditional at-risk areas. Explore the United Nations Public Health System Resilience Scorecard (Scorecard) and its alignment with the 2030 United Nations agenda. Understand why a transdisciplinary approach is needed to assess the impact of floods and other emerging risks on public health systems. Demonstrate how the Scorecard can be applied in multiple communities and countries to identify, rank, and prioritize resilience actions for public health systems.

Precepting in critical care: Building the future of critical care nursing

Precepting new graduate nurses and experienced nurses new to the critical care specialty is vital to supporting the growth and development of the critical care nursing profession. However, in today’s healthcare and social climates, together with the ongoing global shortage of nurses, preceptors often have little preparation or support for this crucial role. This article is the first in a series that aims to support new and experienced critical care nurse preceptors as they guide those who will be the future of critical care nursing. Keywords: clinical education, preceptor, precepting, teaching and learning

From hutong to horizon: a study of the transformation of labour NGOs in China

PurposeThis study examines the transformation of labour non-governmental organisations (NGOs) operating in Mainland China since the enactment of the 2017 Overseas NGO Management Law, which aims to regulate foreign concerns functioning outside the direct control of the state. It focuses on the extent to which these organisations have responded to the rapidly changing political and social environment by altering their goals and strategies in support of migrant workers. It also considers the relevance of Western social movement theories (SMTs) to China's grassroots labour movement in the 2020s. Design/methodology/approachThe research is based on case studies of ten labour NGOs operating in Beijing, Tianjin and Yunnan. It draws upon fifteen semi-structured interviews with the founders, leaders and activists affiliated with those organisations, as well as records and documented information of each of those organisations.FindingsWhile the power and influence of labour NGOs markedly diminished, most have been able to adapt their goals and the strategies remain sustainable amidst both China's changing political and social climates and the global pandemic. It suggests that conventional SMTs can still offer valuable insights into understanding the development of labour NGOs in China, although they might not fully interpret the specific conditions and challenges faced by these organisations.Originality/valueThis study stands out as one of very few to offer empirical evidence on the inner workings of China's labour NGOs over the last six years. It also contributes to our understanding of social movements in a non-Western context.

The Myth of the 50-Minute Epiphany: #MeToo and Implications for Teaching

Because university campuses are microcosms of broader political and social climates, the increasingly polarized climates outside universities can permeate the classroom, challenging faculty who teach topics characterized by controversy and discomfort. We conducted a lesson study project at a college in the southeastern United States in three first-year courses from different disciplines to examine how the broader tensions of the #MeToo movement emerged and affected a class activity focused on gender. We sought to understand our students’ responses to a moment of discomfort generated by discussions of sexual roles, consent, and assault—issues that are relevant in both this cultural moment and in the lives of many first-year college students. We observed responses ranging from affirmation to resistance in what felt at times like our own failure. Without this collaboration, each of us may have been left with a narrower view of what the students learned and an incomplete sense of our own work. What began as an investigation into students’ transformative learning experiences ended as a transformative experience in our own understanding of the acts of teaching and the complexities of student learning.

Thriving Not Surviving: LGBTQ+ Students’, Staff, and Parents’ Experiences of Schools as Sites of Euphoria

IntroductionInternationally, research has shown Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender/gender diverse, and Queer (LGBTQ+) people experience multifaceted challenges within school contexts. However, there is only a small emergent body of research on how LGBTQ+ community members might also experience positive, joyful, or euphoric experiences in these same spaces. Using euphoria and minority stress models, this article aims to consider whether schools themselves can be supportive and protective environments for LGBTQ+ people, how features of the school environment and school community might enable experiences of LGBTQ+ -related euphoria, and how euphoric experiences may be similar for students, staff and parents, and cisgender and gender diverse (GD) members of the LGBTQ+ community.MethodsThe study employed elements of grounded theory to analyse survey responses of LGBTQ+ students (n = 706), school staff (n = 107), and parents (n = 57). The survey data was collected online from 2021 to 2022 and explored LGBTQ+ community members’ experiences in, and perceptions of, Australian schools.ResultsEuphoria was predominantly related to school social contexts (such as supportive social climates), followed by school practices (such as LGBTQ+ representation), and internal experiences (such as pride). These events were shared by students, staff, and parents similarly. Euphoric events were shared by cisgender and GD participants, although gender-affirming social contexts and school practices were valued particularly by GD students, parents, and staff.ConclusionsSchools can act as supportive contexts for LGBTQ+ students, staff, and parents in terms of social characteristics and school practices using mostly similar methods. Implications for policy development include school-wide interventions that include and reflect all LGBTQ+ people in all education-based roles, via school curricula and activities, public education, and awareness-raising endeavours.Policy ImplicationsImplications for policy development include school-wide interventions that include and reflect all LGBTQ+ people in all education-based roles, via school curricula and activities, public education and awareness-raising endeavours.

LGBT+ Self-Identification Among Youth in Ireland Aged 17-18 Years: A Research Brief

In 2016, for the first time, a nationally representative survey of 6216 respondents, Growing Up in Ireland (GUI), included measurement of sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) among young people. Irish LGBTI+ youth and inclusion strategies identified collection of SOGI data as a policy objective, prioritizing analyses of GUI. In line with policy objectives, this research brief reports previously unpublished LGBT+ self-identification for youth in Ireland from Cohort ’98 born five years after decriminalization of homosexuality, with their coming-of-age coinciding with the marriage equality referendum, and legislation providing for greater gender recognition (2015). Ten percent of youth in Ireland, at 17-18 years, identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, asexual or describe their gender as other. Female youth are significantly more likely to identify as a sexual minority, and to be bisexual than their male peers. A quarter of LGBT+ youth are questioning their sexual orientation. This finding supports the inclusion of a ‘questioning’ response in surveys collecting SOGI data, and also suggests sexual orientation self-identification is a dynamic process. A small percentage identify as asexual (0.2%). Just over 1% of young people identify as transgender or describe their gender as other. As the first generation in Ireland to grow up in an environment with increased LGBT+ visibility and social acceptance, these findings of a relatively high proportion of sexual and gender minorities among young people likely reflect improved social and legal climates. The importance of publication of SOGI estimates is underscored. GUI are committed to ensuring visibility of LGBT+ youth populations in data collection. Suggestions for improved SOGI placement and phrasing will be considered in the questionnaire with Cohort ’08 at age 17, currently being drafted. The findings from these analyses will inform future policy and research. GUI offers rich possibilities for future comparative cross-cohort analyses.

A study protocol for community implementation of a new mental health monitoring system spanning early childhood to young adulthood

Findings from longitudinal research, globally, repeatedly emphasise the importance of taking an early life course approach to mental health promotion; one that invests in the formative years of development, from early childhood to young adulthood, just prior to the transition to parenthood for most. While population monitoring systems have been developed for this period, they are typically designed for use within discrete stages (i.e., childhood or adolescent or young adulthood). No system has yet captured development across all ages and stages (i.e., from infancy through to young adulthood). Here we describe the development, and pilot implementation, of a new Australian Comprehensive Monitoring System (CMS) designed to address this gap by measuring social and emotional development (strengths and difficulties) across eight census surveys, separated by three yearly intervals (infancy, 3-, 6-, 9- 12-, 15-, 18 and 21 years). The system also measures the family, school, peer, digital and community social climates in which children and young people live and grow. Data collection is community-led and built into existing, government funded, universal services (Maternal Child Health, Schools and Local Learning and Employment Networks) to maximise response rates and ensure sustainability. The first system test will be completed and evaluated in rural Victoria, Australia, in 2022. CMS will then be adapted for larger, more socio-economically diverse regional and metropolitan communities, including Australian First Nations communities. The aim of CMS is to guide community-led investments in mental health promotion from early childhood to young adulthood, setting secure foundations for the next generation.

In critique of moral resilience: UK healthcare professionals’ experiences working with asylum applicants housed in contingency accommodation during the COVID-19 pandemic

This research explores the experiences of UK NHS healthcare professionals working with asylum applicants housed in contingency accommodation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a critical understanding of the concept of...

Turner Family Stories: From Enslavement in Virginia to Freedom in VermontThe Most Costly Journey: Stories of Migrant Farmworkers in Vermont, Drawn by New England Cartoonists

Turner Family Stories: From Enslavement in Virginia to Freedom in VermontThe Most Costly Journey: Stories of Migrant Farmworkers in Vermont, Drawn by New England Cartoonists

Women Incarcerated in Rural Southern Prisons in the United States: A Review of Existing Multidisciplinary Literature and Suggestions for Future Directions

Prisons in the Southern United States are a particularly unique kind of rural institutions not only because of their geographic locations, social climates informed by the rural cultures of staff and prisoners, and, for many older Southern prisons, their roots in plantation agriculture. Despite these realities, rural criminology has yet to systematically synthesize and explore what existing research indicates about the everyday lives of over 30,000 women currently serving time in state prisons throughout the Southern United States. The present study attempts to fill this gap in the literature by synthesizing all the available literature on women incarcerated in rural Southern prisons and identifying four prevailing themes in this body of work: regional culture in historical context, relationships and social dynamics, victimization and wellbeing, and journeys through the system from sentencing to reentry.

Oral health issues of late Baby Boomers (1956-1964).

To examine the issues and forces on the oral health of late Baby Boomers born in 1956-1964 that have shaped their oral health status and the opportunities and disparities in oral health care that this generational cohort has experienced. Past and current literature on the oral health status of this cohort was reviewed in light of concurrent social, political, and economic climates in order to better understand current and future needs in oral health care for this generation. The majority of late Baby Boomers have not yet had their 65th birthday. They have benefitted from more opportunities for education, preventive health care, and technological advances in dentistry and medicine than any other prior generation, including their big brothers and sisters-the early Baby Boomers. Yet they have had fewer economic advantages than the early Boomers. Age prevalent diseases, conditions, and medications common to older adults will pose new risks to oral health. Discrete, longitudinal data on oral health status and needs by generational cohort-such as for the late Baby Boomer cohort-is lacking. Despite retaining more of their dentition than any other generation, it also evident that over the course of their lifetime, poverty, racism, and limited education have been unrelenting barriers to oral healthcare and undermine outcomes of care.

Echoes of Slavery: Reflections on Contemporary Racial Discrimination in Black Americans’ Romantic Relationships

Informed by ecological and intersectional perspectives, this study examined how Black Americans’ reflections on the historical context of slavery and experiences with discrimination shaped their understandings of and experiences within their own relationships. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 individuals in romantic relationships. Findings of the thematic analysis covered five themes: comparing social climates, assumptions about Black relationships, the discrimination triad, an opportunity to respond, and valuing and celebrating Black love. Contemporary experiences of discrimination were a filter that echoed the historical devaluing and mistreatment of Black individuals and their relationships. Partners’ interactions around discrimination were critical opportunities to offer support to their romantic partner.