Strong Sense Of Self Research Articles

Narrative Identity Anchors the Self During Instability: The Structuring Effect of Cinematic Self

According to narrative identity theory, narratives underlie a strong sense of self because they unify and integrate identity (McAdams, 2008). Consistent with this, individual differences in cinematic self, how storied people experience themselves (Wong, Dirghangi, & Butner, 2020), positively relate to stronger self outcomes. If narratives provide a robust structure for identity, then the consequences of having a stronger or weaker narrative identity may be particularly evident during instability. Two studies tested the hypothesis narrative identity moderates the relationship between self-instability and sense of self. Significant interactions were observed across university students ( N = 172) and online adults ( N = 248), that were consistent across measures of self (self-concept clarity, self-alienation, self-awareness) and stability (stability of self, labile self-esteem), and remained significant controlling for self-esteem. The results support the idea a highly storied identity structures a more robust self than a lesser storied identity and that narrative identity promotes resilience during unstable times.

Exploring fear of Missing Out (FOMO) among students during COVID-19 pandemic at university level

This qualitative research aims to explore how students in a single autonomous institution of Sargodha were affected by FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). It was common during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it has been characterized as "a constant fear that others may be experiencing gratifying experiences that one is losing out on that one is missing out on". Six students were interviewed one-on-one in semi-structured interviews from the first and third semesters. It showed that during COVID-19, students had surprising grassroots support systems that were mostly isolated from one another, such as their fellow students in university. They missed events with peers and fellows and remain confused during pandemic but the significance of social media also added in fear of missing out due to its use during COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers recommend that students should be taught how to manage the situation emotionally when confronted with crises. Students in higher education, as well as people of all ages, could benefit from resilience-building programs. One of the most effective ways for students is to cope with the problems that have a strong sense of self and who is positive and resilient in such type of situations.

Exploring fear of Missing Out (FOMO) among students during COVID-19 pandemic at university level

This qualitative research aims to explore how students in a single autonomous institution of Sargodha were affected by FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). It was common during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it has been characterized as "a constant fear that others may be experiencing gratifying experiences that one is losing out on that one is missing out on". Six students were interviewed one-on-one in semi-structured interviews from the first and third semesters. It showed that during COVID-19, students had surprising grassroots support systems that were mostly isolated from one another, such as their fellow students in university. They missed events with peers and fellows and remain confused during pandemic but the significance of social media also added in fear of missing out due to its use during COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers recommend that students should be taught how to manage the situation emotionally when confronted with crises. Students in higher education, as well as people of all ages, could benefit from resilience-building programs. One of the most effective ways for students is to cope with the problems that have a strong sense of self and who is positive and resilient in such type of situations

Individual Seeking Identity in the Digital World

At the beginning of the remarkable developments in the 21st century in the world, it can be expressed as the fact that digital applications have become an indispensable part of human life. It can be said that these practices affect human life in two ways, positively and negatively. Societies or individuals with a strong sense of self and identity, who evaluate these practices in terms of individual and social awareness, can see the reflections of many advantages in their lives thanks to these practices. However, it can be stated that the meeting of identity with the digital era offered by the globalizing world influences the thinking system of the individual while questioning the concept of self through these applications throughout his life. It can be said that with the digital age, the individual's distancing from the social environment he / she lives in has both positively and negatively affected the level of self-questioning. In this study, the quest for self-knowledge and recognition of individual, who is under the influence of the digitalized world, has been evaluated. In this study, in which the scanning model was used, the results of the studies conducted similar to the subject of the study were discussed and evaluated. Note: This study is supported by the Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit of Inonu University with the Normal Research Project coded SBA-2019-1755. As a result of the study, the study subject was evaluated from different angles and striking results were achieved.

Internet Usage and Adolescents' Happiness

Abstract Adolescence, a phase of 'stress and strain', is a crucial period for building a strong sense of self, personality, social connections, and identity. Happiness is also a critical issue concerning adolescents’ development. Adolescents are happy when they are satisfied with their lives and relationships. During the last two decades, the internet has been incorporated into the daily lives of adolescents to such an extent that it has become a magic wand for satisfying their psychological needs and making them happy. The present review seeks to explore the factors of internet usage affecting the happiness of adolescents in order to make recommendations for mindful usage of the internet that would eventually result in a happier adolescent. The review has established that time spent online and the purpose of using the internet are the influential factors of internet usage that impact the happiness of adolescents. It has also been revealed that adolescents use the internet for four main purposes: retrieving information, knowledge, communication, entertainment, and commerce, of which communication predominates. Though there are mixed results regarding the relationship between time spent online, the purpose of its usage, and happiness, as well as a hazy understanding of the relationships that exist between the obtained factors of internet usage, the evidence of the negative effects of prolonged and purposeless internet usage necessitates diplomatic strategy implications by policymakers for its mindful usage in order to promote its positive effects and mitigate the potential harm.

University students’ participation in outdoor recreation and the perceived well-being effects of nature

It is increasingly recognized that interacting with nature promotes well-being and health for both adults and children. Less is known about the role of nature in people's everyday lives during emerging adulthood which means the shift from adolescence to young adulthood. This study examines university students' participation in outdoor recreation and the perceived well-being effects of nature. The qualitative data consists of thematic writings (N = 47) produced by environmental students at the University of Helsinki, Finland, in 2020. The findings show that most students have negotiated time and other constraints and maintained active participation in outdoor recreation. The findings highlight that nature can have an important role in students' well-being during a life stage loaded with stress factors, and especially in times of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nature provides opportunities not only for physical activity but also for emotional and cognitive renewal, strengthening social relationships, and relieving the negative physiological effects of various stressors. Nature helps students in reflecting on their lives and even gaining a stronger sense of self. Natural settings provide a venue for students' socially shared experiences but also support retreat behaviors by enabling ‘being away’ and providing freedom from the pressures of student life. To prevent decline in connection with nature, special efforts should be made to support young adults' interaction with nature and gaining well-being benefits. Encouraging outdoor recreation at all life stages is needed to foster a lifelong nature connection and well-being experiences. The study highlights the importance of hearing young adults' voices in decision-making and land-use planning to provide diverse opportunities for outdoor recreation and nature-based tourism. The findings stress the value of urban green spaces in supporting students' well-being in their everyday lives. To provide a sense of extent and ‘being away’ from daily routines and requirements within the city, it is important to preserve slightly managed natural settings that generate opportunities to explore nature and receive multisensory and embodied experiences. Emphasis on multisensory experiences, such as hearing bird song and breathing fresh air, also stresses the importance of taking natural elements into account in all urban planning. Promoting easy access to both urban green spaces and more distant natural settings is important for young adults. Organizing outdoor activities may also help students in familiarizing themselves with green spaces and socializing with peers.

Program builds self‐awareness in students with autism

Students with autism at Bellevue College in Washington have seen dramatically improved achievement and retention through participation in the Neurodiversity Navigators program. Program designer and Director Sara Sanders Gardner discussed the initiative's efforts to build a stronger sense of self in students.

The self-concepts of people with Dark Triad traits tend to be weaker, less clearly defined, and more state-related

Researchers have examined overt social-behavioral manifestations of Dark Triad traits, while mostly ignoring the similarities in the covert self-concept of these individuals. Across two independent samples, we investigated aspects of an unstable self-concept in relation to the Dark Triad traits. In Study 1 (N = 298), we found that higher levels of the Dark Triad traits were related to a weaker sense of self, decreased trait-term usage, and greater state-term usage in a spontaneous self-concept task. In Study 2 (N = 262), we sought to obtain a more fine-grained understanding of these associations. In regression models, secondary psychopathy followed by vulnerable narcissism emerged as the only predictors of both a weaker sense of self and lower self-concept clarity, whereas the Leadership/Authority aspect of grandiose narcissism emerged as a significant predictor of a stronger sense of self and increased self-concept. These findings are discussed within the context of existing theory (i.e., the life strategy approach and the Vulnerable Dark Triad model).

A Qualitative Study of Patient Protection against Postoperative Opioid Addiction: A Thematic Analysis of Self-Agency.

Opioids are commonly used following outpatient surgery. However, we understand little about patients' perspectives and how patients decide on postoperative opioid use. This study seeks to investigate aspects of patients' thought processes that most impact their decisions. The authors conducted semistructured interviews with 30 adults undergoing minor elective hand surgery at one tertiary hospital. Narratives were content-coded to arrive at the authors' thematic analysis. The authors incorporated Bandura's concept of self-agency to interpret the data and develop a conceptual framework that best explained the implicit theory within participants' responses. The authors found six themes under two domains of self-agency. Participants actively sought out protective mechanisms supporting their decision on opioid use, but sometimes did so unconsciously. They would avoid opioids postoperatively because they were "tough" and wanted to evade the risk of addiction as "good citizens." They conveyed a nuanced safety against addiction because they were "not the kind" to become addicted and because they trusted the surgeons' prescribing. However, participants felt discouraged by the stigma associated with opioids. Both intentionally and unintentionally, participants integrated a strong sense of self in their decision-making processes. A robust understanding of how patients choose to take opioids for postoperative pain control is imperative to develop patient-centered strategies to treat the opioid epidemic. Effective opioid-reduction policies should consider patients as active agents who negotiate various internal and external influences in their decision-making processes. Surgeons must incorporate patients' individual goals and perspectives regarding postoperative opioid use to minimize opioid-related harm after surgery.

Influence of Parental Attachment on Adolescent Identity Styles Development

Identity formation has been identified as one of the problems associated with socialization process during adolescence. Adolescents who receive proper encouragement through personal exploration will emerge from this stage with a strong sense of self and the ones who remain unsure of their beliefs and desires will feel insecure and confused. This study assessed the influence of parental attachment on identity style development among students in public senior secondary schools in Ogun state. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 396 adolescents from four geo-political zones in Ogun state. Adapted questionnaires (Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment and Identity Style Inventory (IPPA) and Identity Style Inventory (ISI-) were used to elicit information from the respondents on parental attachment and identity styles. Data were analysed using multiple regression. The study was able to establish that maternal and paternal attachment fosters informative identity style (standardized beta weight of .259 and .268) and normative identity styles (standardized beta weight of .206 and .224) in adolescents but not diffuse avoidant identity style (standardized beta weight of .101 and -.037). The study therefore recommends Programs should be developed which will aim at sensitizing parents on the neurocognitive, social and emotional changes that occurs during adolescence and how their continued responsiveness to their adolescent needs impact their identity development. Keywords: attachment, normative, informative, diffuse-avoidant DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/11-2-05 Publication date: January 31 st 2021

Choral singing with dementia: Examining the experience and impact of embodied and relational musical performance

AbstractBackgroundPromising research points to the potential of singing as a novel intervention to improve cognitive function and reduce levels of stress, anxiety, loneliness, and depression in persons with dementia (PwD) (Elliott and Gardner, 2018; Unadkat et al., 2016). This study explores the impact of participation in Voices in Motion (ViM), an intergenerational community choir program designed to engage and support persons with dementia (PwD), their care partners, and students in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Combining narrative interviews, focus groups and observations, the study examined care partners and PwD’s experiences of ViM and their views of the benefits of choir involvement and considered the impact of ViM on social inclusion and social relationships.MethodOver an 18‐month period, the study initiated and followed two ViM choirs—one active in research for three 3‐month sessions and the other for two sessions of the same time length. Data came from interviews with 23 dyads of PwD and care partners and focus groups with 29 high school students across the two ViM choirs. The interviews and focus groups were conducted at the end of each choir season over the course of the study.ResultThe thematic analysis revealed that PwD maintained an embodied ability to learn, experience, and perform songs in the choir despite considerable deficits in cognition, language, and memory. Results indicate that choral participation, as a type of embodied activity, effectively engages PwD and allows them to meaningfully express themselves as both singers and human beings. The ViM choirs facilitated the emergence of strong social relationships between PwD and care partners with the students who reported gaining a deeper and sympathetic understanding of PwD as individuals with rich life stories. Choral singing also served as an inspiring avenue for PwD to develop a strong sense of self and identity as choristers and performers.ConclusionViM facilitates the re‐humanization of dementia through well‐attended concerts and performances at public events while also challenging social narratives of decline which remain prevalent in society and stigmatize individuals living with dementia.

Sensing the self: a dance/movement therapy model of embodied identity development

ABSTRACT Identity development has been thetopic of much literature, and a strong sense of self is considered important for mental health. However, most literature has taken a primarily cognitive approach to the issue, and has insufficiently addressed the factors that propel the developmental process. This article examines identity development through the somatic lens of dance/movement therapy, and proposes an Embodied Identity Development Model rooted in interoception, developmental movement (The Five Fundamental Actions or The Satisfaction Cycle), and the sensorimotor loop. After locating identity as a bodily phenomenon, this model will address how one gains a sense of identity via the body and one’s present-moment embodied experience. Clinical applications are suggested.

Identity Construction in Academic Writing of Student Writers Who Use English as an Additional Language: A Literature Review1

Abstract Academic writing is social interaction between writer and reader, during which writers can employ discursive and non-discursive features to construct their identities. However, many student writers who are users of English as an additional language (EAL) may find it challenging to construct their identities in academic writing. Properly constructed identity in academic writing can help EAL student writers develop a stronger sense of self, exercise their agency, and negotiate the academic discourse. Therefore, this paper reviews empirical studies on EAL student writers’ identity construction when they write in English to investigate the features of identities that EAL student writers construct in texts and the factors that influence their identity construction. The findings show that, compared with expert writers and native-English-speaking (NES) counterparts, EAL student writers tend to present a weak authorial identity. Furthermore, EAL student writers tend to be more engaged with texts than with readers and lack commitment to their claims. The identities that EAL student writers construct in academic writing are also interwoven with EAL students’ English proficiency levels, educational experience, disciplinary conventions, genre affordances, and audience awareness. The findings of this literature review can help teachers and educators raise EAL students’ identity awareness and facilitate students in strategically constructing writer identities in academic writing.

Expanding Our Reach: Cross-Institutional Collaborations and Teacher Preparation in Hispanic Serving Institutions

This paper addresses the role of cross-institutional collaborations among Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI). Specifically, we focus on the Enseñamos en el Valle Central Initiative—a five-year, Title V, Developing Hispanic Serving Institutions (DHSI) grant for recruiting and preparing bilingual, Latinx teachers with a strong sense of self and service to their communities. While California four-year state institutions have historically been at the helm of preparing bilingual Kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) teachers, this has not been the case for community colleges, which continue to be the first entry point into higher education for many Latinx communities. We discuss how the process of a two-week summer institute among two- and four-year faculty at two community colleges and one university expands conventional notions of teacher preparation, and how these non-normative approaches can lend to stronger pathways into the profession. Moreover, we share how our faculty development approaches disrupt the status quo in teacher preparation and how non-tenured Faculty of Color navigate the politics of disruption and how these race-gendered experiences hold relevance for how we understand teacher preparation and expanding access to underrepresented Teachers of Color into the teaching profession.

My journey into the ‘heart of whiteness’ whilst remaining my authentic (Black) self

The dire implications of navigating the overwhelming whiteness of the education system for Black women is foregrounded by the author’s autoethnography about her educational journey and experiences. Within it, the author illustrates the key role of her Black identity - despite being immersed in whiteness– to provide a strong sense of self, pride and resilience, which ultimately leads to her survival in the unequal spaces of the education system. By way of her own educational experiences, the author shares how she becomes motivated to embark upon a PhD as a way to centre and affirm Black identities and in order to make palatable spaces within the hostility of whiteness. Drawing on her PhD research, which is framed by Black feminist epistemology, Critical Race Theory and Bourdieu’s theory of practice, her findings, based on the semi-structured interviewing of 25 other Black British women graduates, illustrates that the participants share similar educational experiences and responses. The paper concludes by asserting that the attainment of Black girls and young women often does not reflect their strong commitment to education- which evidences one consequence of journeying into the ‘heart of whiteness'. Therefore, the author argues for the necessity of more research and support for this diverse group.

A Community Partnered Approach for Defining Child and Youth Thriving.

To develop a community-informed definition of child and youth thriving and identify community priorities for child/youth thriving. Through concept mapping, a mixed-methods community-based participatory research method, this study examined community and health professionals' conceptualizations of child and youth thriving. We conducted brainstorming, sorting and rating, and interpretation sessions in 3 geographically distinct neighborhoods with concentrated disadvantage; simultaneously, researchers and health professionals participated in online sessions. Participants included 91 community members, health care and social service professionals, and researchers who identified 104 items related to child and youth thriving and grouped these items into 7 distinct clusters. Two clusters focused on child-level factors (Strong Minds and Bodies; Positive Identity and Self-Worth), 2 focused on place-based factors (Healthy Environments; Vibrant Communities), and 3 focused on relationships and interactions between children and their environments (Caring Families and Relationships; Safety; and Fun and Happiness). The community-informed conceptualization of child thriving builds on previous models, adding dimensions of physical health and safety. Participants ranked having "someone to talk to," being "comfortable in their own skin," having "pride in themselves," and having a "strong sense of self and self-worth" as most important to child and youth thriving. By integrating perspectives of community members from diverse neighborhoods with those of researchers and health professionals, this study captures novel domains to inform a conceptual model of thriving that focuses on stakeholder priorities. Findings will guide development, implementation, and evaluation of community-based interventions and their impact on child and adolescent health and thriving.

OPTIMALISASI PEMBERDAYAAN SUMBER DAYA MANUSIA DALAM LINGKUNGAN BEKERJA

Through the empowerment of employees, the sharing of power will occur, where the sub-ordinates are collectively involved with the management/chairmen to carry out changes by implementing various managerial approach. A leader of an institution or organization can significantly strengthen the sub-ordinates’ self-confidence in their ability. With stronger sense of self of efficacy, the sub-ordinates will be more capable to conduct and succeed in carrying out various challenging jobs. The empowerment should have been pioneered following the globalization era and it needs to create win-win solution situation in an educational institution or organization so that every person will have ability and will have opportunity to be qualified in performance, creative, innovative and maximum self-development in carrying out jobs in their working environment.Kata Kunci: optimalisasi; pemberdayaan SDM; lingkungan kerja

Disabled young people’s hopes and dreams in a rapidly changing society: a co-production peer research study

The idea that disabled young people should be at the centre of decision making about their future is promoted in policy, practice and research, yet this often translates into a narrow agenda on transitions through service and benefits systems. In this project, we aimed for an expansive exploration of disabled young people’s hopes and dreams in the context of unprecedented societal changes. Co-production methods brought academics, members of a Centre for Independent Living, and nine peer researchers together to host knowledge cafes with fifty seven disabled young people. Peer researchers visited a robotic laboratory and developed key messages around the freedom to define their future that engaged stakeholders in the impact events they took part in. The themes: being responsible, giving love, freedom and happiness and a strong sense of self and togetherness, convey a more filled-out vision of disabled young people’s futures and a new politics of the possible. Points of interest A co-production research approach was chosen to explore and promote disabled young people’s own views of their future in a rapidly changing society. Key themes arising from the research on ‘being responsible’, ‘giving love’, ‘freedom and happiness’ and a ‘strong sense of self and togetherness’, suggest rich visions of the future possibilities. New technologies, such as the automation in home and travel environments, were not highlighted by peer researchers, but were seen as possibilities supporting their key messages about quality of life. Peer researchers’ presentation of their key messages to public sector workers and politicians focussed on independence and social connections, rather than welfare services and benefits. The project themes discussed here resonate with those of disabled young people involved in citizenship research internationally. Reflections question ideas about ‘the future’ for a wider rich vision of life.

How cash transfers enable agency through livelihoods in South Africa

Abstract Although cash transfers primarily support recipients' consumption of goods for basic needs, there is a growing body of evidence showing that they can also promote livelihood activities. Yet there has been little theoretical or empirical analysis of the contribution of human agency in facilitating the conversion of cash transfers into livelihood strategies. This paper presents findings from a qualitative study conducted in a poor urban community in South Africa. Giddens’s structuration theory provides an analytical tool to understand how cash transfers enable agency through livelihood activities. The first finding is that beneficiaries conceptualized as “developmental agents”, were highly motivated to improve their lives; and that they were decision-makers who made different types of strategic and operational decisions to improve their livelihood activities. Agency expressed through a strong sense of self, ingenuity and resilience denoted participants as active rather than passive recipients of public assistance. Receipt of cash transfers activated agency, enabling recipients to start or diversify livelihood activities. Second, the challenges and constraints are identified that limited their livelihood outcomes, such as high levels of poverty in the community and unemployment. Finally, it shows how beneficiaries attempted to circumvent structural barriers to human development. The study contributes to understanding the interaction between citizens and the state in reducing poverty and in promoting social and economic development.

Transformative Learning: Developing Agency, Independence and Promoting a Strong Sense of Self in Teen Mothers

Adolescents who become pregnant during their secondary education experience a range of challenges that intersect and limit their opportunities to complete schooling and take up university places. One approach to addressing this issue at an Australian regional university is through the Tertiary Preparation Pathway (TPP) which has been delivered within the Supporting Teenagers with Education, Mothering, and Mentoring (STEMM) program, since 2008. The STEMM program offers teen mothers an opportunity to continue or re-engage with education during and beyond pregnancy. Adopting an intersectionality lens, interviews with adolescent mothers identified three key elements underpinning the success of the TPP/STEMM program: recognising the educational aspirations of teen mothers, developing agency and independence and promoting a strong sense of self. This article aims to provide practical implications for educators wishing to establish or develop programs based on this transformative teaching.