Subjective Experience Research Articles

Cultivating Leadership and Teamwork in Medical Students Through Rowing: A Phenomenological Study.

This study was conducted to allow us to understand the subjective experiences of medical students participating in rowing exercise classes at a medical school in South Korea and to derive implications for medical education. Accordingly, we analyzed their reflective journals, focusing on leadership and teamwork development. The study involved 40 second-year premedical students, and Colaizzi's analysis was employed to understand and structure their experiences. The comprehensive analysis revealed 149 meaningful statements expressing students' thoughts and experiences regarding the rowing exercise. From these statements, 13 meanings were synthesized, resulting in nine themes and four overarching categories, which provided a multilayered understanding of students' experiences. The factors that enhanced teamwork included communication, trust, respect among team members, and a sense of responsibility. By contrast, the hindering factors were competitiveness, impatience, and avoidance of responsibility. Before the class, a mix of anticipation, excitement, and dissatisfaction regarding the rowing exercise course was observed. However, after the class, students realized that the role of the entire team, rather than individual ability, is crucial, and collaboration with peers is key-the concept of shared leadership. This study is significant in that it demonstrates rowing's potential as a team sport to serve as an effective program for fostering collaboration and leadership within the medical school curriculum.

Sensory representations in primary visual cortex are not sufficient for subjective imagery

The contemporary definition of mental imagery is characterized by two aspects: a sensory representation that resembles, but does not result from, perception, and an associated subjective experience. Neuroimaging demonstrated imagery-related sensory representations in primary visual cortex (V1) that show striking parallels to perception. However, it remains unclear whether these representations always reflect subjective experience or if they can be dissociated from it. We addressed this question by comparing sensory representations and subjective imagery among visualizers and aphantasics, the latter with an impaired ability to experience imagery. Importantly, to test for the presence of sensory representations independently of the ability to generate imagery on demand, we examined both spontaneous and voluntary imagery forms. Using multivariate fMRI, we tested for decodable sensory representations in V1 and subjective visual imagery reports that occurred either spontaneously (during passive listening of evocative sounds) or in response to the instruction to voluntarily generate imagery of the sound content (always while blindfolded inside the scanner). Among aphantasics, V1 decoding of sound content was at chance during voluntary imagery, and lower than in visualizers, but it succeeded during passive listening, despite them reporting no imagery. In contrast, in visualizers, decoding accuracy in V1 was greater in voluntary than spontaneous imagery (while being positively associated with the reported vividness of both imagery types). Finally, for both conditions, decoding in precuneus was successful in visualizers but at chance for aphantasics. Together, our findings show that V1 representations can be dissociated from subjective imagery, while implicating a key role of precuneus in the latter.

Pupil dilation responds to the intrinsic social characteristics of affective touch

Affective Touch is characterized by both emotional and arousing dimensions that rely on specific features of a gentle human caress. In this study, we investigated whether and how both the nature of the touching effector (Human hand vs. Artificial hand) and touch type (Dynamic vs. Static) influenced the participants’ pupil dilation and their subjective experience during tactile stimulation. We observed that when participants received a dynamic touch, their pupil dilation increased more when the touch was produced by a human compared to an artificial hand. This discrimination was not present for static touch. Also, dynamic touch given by a human hand invoked a supralinear enhancement of pupil dilation indicating that the combination of these two features induced a stronger autonomic activation than the summed effects of each separately. Moreover, this specific type of touch was perceived as the most pleasant compared to all other tactile stimulations. Overall, our results suggest that pupil dilation could reflect the pleasant experience of human-to-human tactile interactions, supporting the notion that the autonomic nervous system is responsive to the emotional and hedonic aspects associated with Affective Touch as a part of a complex and holistic social experience, rather than solely reacting to its low-level sensory properties.

Evaluasi Pemekaran 6 Provinsi di Papua: Studi Pandangan Tokoh Adat Papua

The expansion policy regulated in Law Number 2 of 2021 mandates the formation of three new provinces in Papua, namely South Papua, Central Papua, and Mountainous Papua. They believe that expansion will bring more attention and resources to areas that have been neglected. The purpose of this study is to look at the impact of provincial expansion in Papua from the perspective of indigenous leaders, given that this policy has created six new provinces in the country. As part of the Indonesia government's efforts to improve administrative efficiency and accelerate development, these changes have generated a lot of response from the community, especially from indigenous Papuan leaders who have an important role in the country's social and cultural structure. This study uses a qualitative approach with literature review to reveal the subjective views and experiences of indigenous leaders related to provincial expansion. The results of the study show that traditional leaders support and oppose this expansion policy. Support comes from those who believe that expansion can accelerate progress and well-being, while objections stem from concerns that it could disrupt social and cultural stability. This research helps to understand the impact of expansion from the perspective of indigenous leaders, emphasizes that cultural and social aspects must be considered when making expansion policies, and suggests that an inclusive and local wisdom-based approach should be applied in Papua's development process.

Decoding sound content in the early visual cortex of aphantasic participants

Listening to natural auditory scenes leads to distinct neuronal activity patterns in the early visual cortex (EVC) of blindfolded sighted and congenitally blind participants.1,2 This pattern of sound decoding is organized by eccentricity, with the accuracy of auditory information increasing from foveal to far peripheral retinotopic regions in the EVC (V1, V2, and V3). This functional organization by eccentricity is predicted by primate anatomical connectivity,3,4 where cortical feedback projections from auditory and other non-visual areas preferentially target the periphery of early visual areas. In congenitally blind participants, top-down feedback projections to the visual cortex proliferate,5 which might account for even higher sound-decoding accuracy in the EVC compared with blindfolded sighted participants.2 In contrast, studies in participants with aphantasia suggest an impairment of feedback projections to early visual areas, leading to a loss of visual imagery experience.6,7 This raises the question of whether impaired visual feedback pathways in aphantasia also reduce the transmission of auditory information to early visual areas. We presented auditory scenes to 23 blindfolded aphantasic participants. We found overall decreased sound decoding in early visual areas compared to blindfolded sighted ("control") and blind participants. We further explored this difference by modeling eccentricity effects across the blindfolded control, blind, and aphantasia datasets, and with a whole-brain searchlight analysis. Our findings suggest that the feedback of auditory content to the EVC is reduced in aphantasic participants. Reduced top-down projections might lead to both less sound decoding and reduced subjective experience of visual imagery.

Luminance-based methodology for assessment of low level haze in glazing

AbstractVisual defects, in particular haze, in glass and façade technologies can significantly impact the aesthetic quality and human experience of daylight and views in buildings. The glass and façade industry increasingly requires methods that can objectively predict and measure the subjective user experience of haze. This is required to appropriately inform the manufacturing process, ensuring optimal functionality and performance, and avoiding material waste and economic losses due to the replacement of defective glazing. Existing methods for measuring haze are not appropriate for assessing large samples, either at manufacturing sites or in-situ. However, haze defects are often only exhibited and visible when glazing is produced in large samples or installed under real luminous conditions. This paper introduces a novel luminance-based method that measures haze by evaluating the halo around a light source that is observed through the glazing. This method is initially tested in a controlled laboratory setting on small glazing samples with varying level of haze. The halo serves as a proxy for haze severity and it is quantified by using luminance-based measurements. In this work, the newly-proposed method is verified by comparing the ranking in haze severity of different samples as performed by means of a standard haze meter and the newly proposed method. Additionally, the paper examines the dependence of this ranking on factors such as camera setup distance and light intensity. It was found that the proposed method was able to effectively ranks samples differing in haze intensity by more than 0.1 orders of magnitude. Positioning the camera closer to the glazing and using higher light intensity yielded more accurate results. However, for haze levels below 1% and differences smaller than 0.1 orders of magnitude, the accuracy is insufficient. To define the expected level of accuracy of methods for haze characterisation in-situ, the sensitivity of the human eye to haze under varying luminous environments and view content needs to be quantified.

Dual Narratives, Shared Radiance: A Tropical Asian Queer Collaborative Autoethnography

Employing a tropical Asian queer collaborative autoethnographic approach, this article explores the unique narratives of two diasporic researchers hailing from the Philippines and Taiwan. The paper elucidates the voices, perceptions, and lived experiences of the authors and shows how these align with Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory of human development, which asserts that individuals are influenced by their socio-cultural environment comprised of the macrosystem, exosystem, mesosystem, and microsystem. The relationship of these overlapping systems is explored through the lives of the two researcher-authors through personal narratives. These narratives accentuate the methodological queering aspect, employing personal vignettes as pivotal focal points. By intertwining subjective experiences within the socio-ecological systems model, the article seeks to vividly depict the knottiness of tropical Asian queer identity and experience. Through this exploration, the discourse not only enquires into the intricacies of the researcher-authors’ stories but also contributes to a broader understanding of how queer socio-cultural factors shape the diverse narratives within the queer community in tropical Asia.

Illusions of control: A quasi-experiment comparing skill-based and traditional slotmachines.

Electronic gaming machines (EGMs) are a significant source of gambling spend due to their widespread use. Skill-based gambling machines (SGMs) represent an innovative adaptation, merging EGMs' chance-based rewards with video game-like skills. This study aimed to explore the appeal and behavioural consequences of playing SGMs in comparison to traditional reel-based EGMs, particularly focusing on illusions of control, betting behaviour, and the subjective experience of gamblers. Participants (N = 1,260) were recruited online and engaged in an online task simulating either an SGM or a reel-based EGM, with outcomes represented to influence their survey compensation. The study examined the effect of SGMs relative to EGMs on bet size, persistence, enjoyment, illusionsofcontrol, game immersion, and the influence of demographic and gambling problem severity. SGMs particularly appealed to younger adults, regular EGM players, and people with more gambling problems. Despite identical payout structures, people assigned to play SGM showed greater illusions of control, believing in the influence of skill on game outcomes and that practice could improveresults. However, there was no significant difference in overall betting intensity between SGM and EGM players, although specific demographic groups showed faster betting speeds in SGMs. SGMs, despite not inherently encouraging higher betting intensity, attract vulnerable groups and create illusions of control, posing new regulatory challenges. The visual and interactive features of SGMs, while appealing, might contribute to these perceptions, indicating a need for careful regulation and further research on their long-term impacts on gambling behaviour and harm.

Exploring the lived experience and coping strategies of Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) among emerging adults

AbstractThe Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) phenomenon has become increasingly prevalent in the 21st century, fueled by the rise of social media. FoMO, characterized by the apprehension that others may be having more rewarding experiences and a desire to stay continually connected, has significant implications for mental health, particularly among emerging adults. This qualitative study aims to explore the subjective lived experiences of FoMO and the coping strategies employed by emerging adults. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, and thematic analysis was used to interpret the data. The findings revealed that participants experienced FoMO as involving feelings of exclusion, disconnection, and inadequacy upon becoming aware of experiences peers were having. However, FoMO was also perceived as an important signal of unmet needs, prompting reflection on the misalignment between one’s actual life and desired life. FoMO was amplified in contexts involving identity formation and pivotal life choices, such as social, professional (education/work/career), and dating situations. Participants described various spontaneous coping strategies, such as cognitive reappraisal and perspective-taking to reframe it constructively, emotional coping through self-soothing, and behavioral approaches like temporarily disconnecting from social media. These self-initiated coping methods suggest a potential for developing new interventions aimed at empowering emerging adults to manage the effects of FoMO on their well-being. While most research emphasizes the connection between FoMO and technology, this study advances the understanding of FoMO by highlighting its characteristics as an everyday experience in various life domains along with ways of coping during the developmental period of emerging adulthood.

Applying Virginia Held’s Ethics of Care to Resolve the Social-Cultural Problem of Violence against Women in Kurya Society

The study focused on addressing violence against women in the Kurya society of Tanzania by applying Virginia Held’s ethics of care. It explored cultural practices such as FGM, child marriage, and intimate partner violence, emphasizing their impact on women’s health and human rights. Using a phenomenological research design, the study aimed to understand the subjective experiences of individuals affected by violence against women. The expected outcomes included a better understanding of the cultural practices perpetuating violence, the development of a comprehensive approach grounded in ethics of care, and contributing to gender equality and human rights in Kurya society.

Linking brain-heart interactions to emotional arousal in immersive virtual reality.

The subjective experience of emotions is linked to the contextualized perception and appraisal of changes in bodily (e.g., heart) activity. Increased emotional arousal has been related to attenuated high-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV), lower EEG parieto-occipital alpha power, and higher heartbeat-evoked potential (HEP) amplitudes. We studied emotional arousal-related brain-heart interactions using immersive virtual reality (VR) for naturalistic yet controlled emotion induction. Twenty-nine healthy adults (13 women, age: 26 ± 3) completed a VR experience that included rollercoasters while EEG and ECG were recorded. Continuous emotional arousal ratings were collected during a video replay immediately after. We analyzed emotional arousal-related changes in HF-HRV as well as in BHIs using HEPs. Additionally, we used the oscillatory information in the ECG and the EEG to model the directional information flows between the brain and heart activity. We found that higher emotional arousal was associated with lower HEP amplitudes in a left fronto-central electrode cluster. While parasympathetic modulation of the heart (HF-HRV) and parieto-occipital EEG alpha power were reduced during higher emotional arousal, there was no evidence for the hypothesized emotional arousal-related changes in bidirectional information flow between them. Whole-brain exploratory analyses in additional EEG (delta, theta, alpha, beta and gamma) and HRV (low-frequency, LF, and HF) frequency bands revealed a temporo-occipital cluster, in which higher emotional arousal was linked to decreased brain-to-heart (i.e., gamma→HF-HRV) and increased heart-to-brain (i.e., LF-HRV → gamma) information flow. Our results confirm previous findings from less naturalistic experiments and suggest a link between emotional arousal and brain-heart interactions in temporo-occipital gamma power.

Waterpipe size matters: the effect of waterpipe size on toxicant exposures and subjective experiences.

Waterpipe (WP) tobacco smoking remains popular among US young adults, yet specific regulations for WP devices are lacking. This study examines how WP device size (base volume and height) affects smoking behavior, toxicant exposures, and subjective experiences. Thirty-eight individuals who smoke WP aged 21 to 39 participated in a randomized crossover study. Each completed three 45-minute ad libitum smoking sessions using small, medium, and large WP sizes. Saliva nicotine and exhaled carbon monoxide (eCO) were measured before and after smoking. Puff topography was recorded during sessions, and subjective smoking experiences were collected afterward. Significant differences were observed in saliva nicotine between the three WP sizes, with higher concentrations for the small WP relative to larger sizes (Ps<0.05). Exhaled CO was significantly higher after smoking the large WP compared to smaller sizes (Ps<0.05). Puff topography revealed significant differences and followed a dose-response pattern, with larger size associated with longer puff duration, greater smoke volume inhaled, and larger puff volume (Ps<0.05). The large WP was associated with enhanced subjective experiences for satisfaction and concentration compared to the small WP (Ps<0.05). WP size substantially impacts smoking experiences and exposures. Regulation of WP size should be essential in comprehensive tobacco control policies aimed at curbing WP use among young adults. These findings will aid in developing of WP size-specific standards to regulate the marketing and sales of WP devices. Such regulations should aim to minimize toxicant exposure by controlling the dimensions and design of WP components, which can significantly influence smoking behavior and toxicant intake. This study underscores the critical role of waterpipe (WP) size in shaping smoking behavior, experiences, and exposures among young adults.

The impact of antidepressant discontinuation prior to treatment with psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression

It has been suggested that the recent use and discontinuation of antidepressant drugs compromises the action of psilocybin. As evidence is only available from small or uncontrolled samples, this post hoc analysis investigated this using data from the largest, phase II, randomized controlled trial of psilocybin treatment to date. Data from 233 participants with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) who received 25 mg, 10 mg, or 1 mg of investigational drug COMP360 psilocybin (a proprietary, pharmaceutical-grade synthetic psilocybin formulation, developed by the sponsor, Compass Pathfinder Ltd.), administered with psychological support, were compared for groups of participants who either discontinued one or more antidepressant drugs during screening or entered the trial antidepressant drug free. Measures of depression symptom severity change during the antidepressant drug discontinuation period, baseline suicidality, acute subjective psychedelic effects, and the study's primary endpoint (change in depression symptom severity between Baseline and Week 3) are described for both groups. Antidepressant drug discontinuation was not related to worsening of depression severity before Baseline. Suicidality was comparable between groups at Baseline. Psilocybin treatment efficacy and the subjective psychedelic experience did not appear to be compromised by antidepressant drug discontinuation. Thus, it does not limit the feasibility of psilocybin treatment for the future. These findings also support the overall homogeneity of our findings with psilocybin treatment as a monotherapy for TRD. The prior contradictory reports may come to appear misleading.

Oro-Dental Characteristics in Patients With Adult-Onset Hypophosphatasia Compared to a Healthy Control Group-A Case-Control Study.

Hypophosphatasia (HPP) is a rare inherited disease that affects multiple organ systems including bone and teeth. Limited knowledge exists on dental and oral health in patients with adult-onset HPP (aHPP). The aim of this study was to investigate oro-dental characteristics in patients with aHPP compared to healthy controls. This case-control study included 20 patients with aHPP compared to 31 healthy controls. Oro-dental manifestations were examined by standardised interviews, clinical examinations as well as radiological registrations on panoramic radiograph (OP) and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans. The subjective experience of tooth fractures (p = 0.010), caries in permanent teeth (p = 0.032) and early loss of permanent teeth (p = 0.002) was significantly higher in patients with aHPP compared to the controls. In the aHPP group, the presence of specific teeth (p ≤ 0.045) and attrition of 11 were significantly lower (p = 0.012) compared to the controls. Opacity of a few teeth (p ≤ 0.049), presence of denticles (p = 0.024), the distance between the enamel-cement junction (CEJ) and the marginal bone level at specific sites (p ≤ 0.021) and crown height of 11 (p = 0.017) were significantly higher in patients with aHPP than in healthy controls. The results indicate that patients with aHPP have a subjective experience of having poorer dental health. Loss of permanent teeth, less attrition, tooth opacities, denticles and larger distance between CEJ and marginal bone level are possible oro-dental findings in patients with aHPP.

Policy engagement as ‘empowered representation’: democratic mediation through a participatory research project on climate resilience

Background: The article analyses the policy engagement component of a research project on climate resilience in vulnerable communities that took place in Cape Town, South Africa. Conducted in 2022, the engagement included community and stakeholder events in three research sites, and a cross-cutting policy event with municipal officials, held at the end of the project. Importantly, this policy engagement process occurred in a context of political marginalisation, that is, one characterised by low trust, and little meaningful representation or even communication between these vulnerable communities and the city. Aims and objectives: This article examines the impact of policy engagement on political relations between local government and vulnerable communities. Methods: The overall methodology of the article is qualitative, using an illustrative case-study research design to unpack the subjective experiences of both government officials and residents of vulnerable communities. Primary data included many primary documents, direct observation of the engagements and post-event interviews. Findings: First, the engagement process created new ‘invented’ spaces for the representation of community perspectives to the city, and the city’s perspective to the community. Second, the engagement facilitated community self-representation through educating community members to advocate for their ideas in these new invented spaces. Third, this engagement tended to be more constructive and deliberative than polarising and confrontational. Discussion and conclusions: Drawing on the theoretical framework of ‘political mediation’, the policy engagement process is characterised as a positive instance of democratic mediation through ‘empowered representation’, with some specified limitations.

Pemaknaan Generasi Sandwich Dalam Perspektif Generasi Z (Studi Fenomenologi pada Generasi Z di Kabupaten Kuningan)

The sandwich generation is a group of individuals who are caught between two responsibilities, namely taking care of the upper generation (parents) and the lower generation (younger siblings). This phenomenon is increasingly relevant among generation Z who are entering their productive age by facing financial and emotional challenges in managing family responsibilities. The aim of this research is to explain how generation Z in Kuningan Regency interprets and understands their role as part of the sandwich generation. The research method uses a qualitative method with a phenomenological approach to find information about participants' subjective experiences by conducting in-depth interviews to collect data. The results of this research show that generation Z who are the sandwich generation have different meanings such as family responsibilities, social pressure, disaster and a gift from God to repay their parents' services. This research also found that factors that influence it include the economic, cultural and social conditions of society. It is hoped that this research will provide new insight into the dynamics of the sandwich generation in Indonesia, especially among generation Z, and help identify relevant interventions to support them in carrying out this role.

Pen-based vibrotactile feedback rendering of surface textures under unconstrained acquisition conditions

Haptic rendering of surface textures enhances user immersion of human–computer interaction. However, strict input conditions and measurement methods limit the diversity of rendering algorithms. In this regard, we propose a neural network-based approach for vibrotactile haptic rendering of surface textures under unconstrained acquisition conditions. The method first encodes the interactions based on human perception characteristics, and then utilizes an autoregressive-based model to learn a non-linear mapping between the encoded data and haptic features. The interactions consist of normal forces and sliding velocities, while the haptic features are time–frequency amplitude spectrograms by short-time Fourier transform of the accelerations corresponding to the interactions. Finally, a generative adversarial network is employed to convert the generated time–frequency amplitude spectrograms into the accelerations. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is confirmed through numerical calculations and subjective experiences. This approach enables the rendering of a wide range of vibrotactile data for surface textures under unconstrained acquisition conditions, achieving a high level of haptic realism.

The expectations humans have of a pleasurable sensation asymmetrically shape neuronal responses and subjective experiences to hot sauce.

Expectations shape our perception, profoundly influencing how we interpret the world. Positive expectations about sensory stimuli can alleviate distress and reduce pain (e.g., placebo effect), while negative expectations may heighten anxiety and exacerbate pain (e.g., nocebo effect). To investigate the impact of the (an)hedonic aspect of expectations on subjective experiences, we measured neurobehavioral responses to the taste of hot sauce among participants with heterogeneous taste preferences. By identifying participants who "liked" versus those who strongly "disliked" spicy flavors and by providing contextual cues about the spiciness of the sauce to be tasted, we dissociated the effects of positive and negative expectations from sensory stimuli (i.e., visual and gustatory stimuli), which were the same across all participants. Our results indicate that positive expectations lead to modulations in the intensity of subjective experience. These modulations were accompanied by increased activity in brain regions previously linked to information integration and the placebo effect, including the anterior insula, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, as well as a predefined "pleasure signature." In contrast, negative expectations decreased hedonic experience and increased neural activity in the previously validated "Neurological Pain Signature" network. These findings demonstrate that hedonic aspects of one's expectations asymmetrically shape how the brain processes sensory input and associated behavioral reports of one's subjective experiences of intensity, pleasure, and pain. Our results suggest a dissociable impact of hedonic information: positive expectations facilitate higher-level information integration and reward processing, while negative expectations prime lower-level nociceptive and affective processes. This study demonstrates the powerful role of hedonic expectations in shaping subjective reality and suggests potential avenues for consumer and therapeutic interventions targeting expectation-driven neural processes.

How does the kitchen feel in an empty nest? Mapping emotions in Polish kitchens

This paper addresses the spatial dimension of the empty nest experience. The assumption that the departure of adult children from home leaves the nest empty is challenged in this study. We delve into the lived experiences of parents left behind to reconstruct their encounters with kitchen space in a post-parental home. Drawing upon evidence from participant-generated data (138 emotion maps) and 69 map-elicited interviews conducted in the administrative provinces of Pomorze and Wielkopolska in Poland, we identify the kitchen as a key place where family relations are practised. The analysis of the material allowed us to reconstruct the relationship between ‘empty nest’ kitchen and emotions, as seen by the participants. Four themes that have emerged: bonds, memory, social roles and territorial claims account for the relationship between individuals and the spatial dynamics they navigate during this significant life transition. Through an exploration of parents’ subjective experiences, we seek to provide a deeper understanding of how kitchen space is perceived and engaged with within the context of the empty nest.

Participation in health promoting occupations among mothers of children aged 3-8years with and without difficulties in sensory processing.

Participation in personally significant occupations often contributes to quality of life. Parenting a child with difficulties in sensory processing may present challenges that can affect subjective and objective components of parental participation, thus possibly decreasing their quality of life. This study aimed to compare these components between mothers of children with and without difficulties in sensory processing and explore their relationship with maternal quality of life. Seventy mothers of children aged 3-8years with (50%) and without difficulties in sensory processing completed questionnaires measuring subjective occupational experience, objective frequency of participation in health promoting activities, and quality of life. No consumer or community involvement occurred. Satisfaction with participation competence as well as objective frequency of participation in health promoting activities among mothers from the study group was found to be significantly lower than the control group. Additionally, a significant moderately strong correlation was found between these variables and the quality of life of all mothers. Subjective and objective participation in health promoting activities is lower in mothers of children with difficulties in sensory processing. Additionally, the quality of life in all mothers was linked to their perceived capability and frequency of engagement in health-promoting activities. Raising awareness to the experience of mothers of children with challenges in sensory processing may help bring to attention the importance of enhancing mothers' engagement in health-promoting activities. Mothering a child with difficulties in sensory processing can influence parents' emotional states and sense of competence, affecting how mothers take part in activities that support their health and quality of life. In this study, 70 mothers of children aged 3-8, with and without difficulties in sensory processing, were asked about how often they participate in activities that promote their health, their experiences, and about their quality of life. The mothers of children with difficulties in sensory processing felt less confident in their abilities and did fewer activities that support their health. Also, in all the mothers, their quality of life was related to how competent they feel and how often they performed these types of activities. This shows how important it is to support mothers of children with sensory processing difficulties helping them feel confident and join in activities that support their health. It is a reminder that family-focussed intervention is key to making sure mothers are doing well too.