Dance as a tool for emotional well-being

vital:20779Dance has numerous benefits for emotional well-being. For young people specifically it can serve as a prosocial activity where they can engage in a purposeful activity, in a safe space with consistent boundaries and discipline, while surrounded by peers, teachers and positive role models. Recreational spaces that allow young people to feel safe and express themselves is especially important in low socioeconomic areas where there are limited resources and exposure to heightened levels of crime as young people may be less likely to engage in negative behaviours when they have access to alternative, positive activities. This research aimed to explore the lived experiences of a group of young people who participate in dance classes at a community dance project in the Western Cape. The sample group consisted of four young people between the ages of 16 and 20. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the participants and the interviews were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Three major themes emerged from the data, namely 1) My exposure to dance - The impact of context, 2) What motivates me to continue attending classes - The fulfilment of the three basic psychological needs, and 3) How does dance make me feel - The experience of emotional well-being through dance. The discussion of the findings yielded many similarities between the experiences of the participants and the relevant literature. Further, it appears that all four participants experience the satisfaction of the three basic psychological needs (competence, autonomy and relatedness) at the centre. This may serve as a motivator to continue attending classes as well as contribute to sustained eudaimonic wellbeing. Recommendations include further studies being conducted with groups of young people engaging in dance projects in different socioeconomic contexts and in different parts of South Africa. This could give us a more rounded understanding of how people young people experience dance class and how it contributes to emotional well-being. Further research could also be conducted with recreational projects that offer other activities in under-resourced areas in order to better inform the development of such recreational activities

Dance as a tool for emotional well-being

Dance has numerous benefits for emotional well-being. For young people specifically it can serve as a prosocial activity where they can engage in a purposeful activity, in a safe space with consistent boundaries and discipline, while surrounded by peers, teachers and positive role models. Recreational spaces that allow young people to feel safe and express themselves is especially important in low socioeconomic areas where there are limited resources and exposure to heightened levels of crime as young people may be less likely to engage in negative behaviours when they have access to alternative, positive activities. This research aimed to explore the lived experiences of a group of young people who participate in dance classes at a community dance project in the Western Cape. The sample group consisted of four young people between the ages of 16 and 20. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the participants and the interviews were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Three major themes emerged from the data, namely 1) My exposure to dance - The impact of context, 2) What motivates me to continue attending classes - The fulfilment of the three basic psychological needs, and 3) How does dance make me feel - The experience of emotional well-being through dance. The discussion of the findings yielded many similarities between the experiences of the participants and the relevant literature. Further, it appears that all four participants experience the satisfaction of the three basic psychological needs (competence, autonomy and relatedness) at the centre. This may serve as a motivator to continue attending classes as well as contribute to sustained eudaimonic wellbeing. Recommendations include further studies being conducted with groups of young people engaging in dance projects in different socioeconomic contexts and in different parts of South Africa. This could give us a more rounded understanding of how people young people experience dance class and how it contributes to emotional well-being. Further research could also be conducted with recreational projects that offer other activities in under-resourced areas in order to better inform the development of such recreational activities

Everyone has the right to participate : exploring the lived experiences of adolescents with cerebral palsy and their involvement in physical activity

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Engagement in physical activity is a basic human right and has numerous benefits for mental well-being. Persons with disabilities are often denied this right due to a number of barriers existing on physiological, psychological and structural levels. Adolescents with motor impairments may be even further marginalised due to the physical nature of their impairment as well as being at a developmental stage where their opinions may not be taken into account based on their age. Research that has been conducted in this area has mostly focused on the accounts of parents and teachers with little voice being given to adolescents. This research aimed to explore the lived experiences of a group of adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) and their involvement in physical activity. The sample group consisted of 15 adolescents with CP between the ages of 12 and 18 in the Western Cape. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the participants. In addition, three staff members were interviewed in order to add a secondary layer of data to the study. The interviews were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis which aims to give voice to participants and to make meaning of these accounts through interpretation by the researcher. Five major themes emerged from the data, namely: (1) “When they call me cripple” – what it means to have a motor impairment, (2) My experience of physical activity – perceived benefits, facilitators and barriers to participation, (3) Protective factors and coping strategies employed by participants to overcome barriers to participation, (4) What I would like and what I recommend, and (5) Perceptions of staff members at the school. These themes were discussed through a theoretical framework focused on the psychological and social factors which influence an individual’s participation in (or avoidance of) physical activity. While this theoretical framework is based on able-bodied persons, it was interesting to compare the experiences of adolescents with CP. The findings were further discussed in comparison to the relevant literature, although the purpose of qualitative research is not to necessarily generalise findings. This discussion yielded similarities and differences in terms of experiences relating to barriers and facilitators to participation. In addition, the findings supported the notion that adolescents with disabilities know what they want and have valuable input to offer in terms of their own experiences. Recommendations include further studies being conducted with groups of adolescents with disabilities other than CP as well as in other areas of South Africa. This could give a more rounded understanding of the experiences of adolescents with disabilities and could better inform projects that could be developed.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Betrokkenheid in fisiese aktiwiteit is ‘n basiese mensereg en het verskeie voordele vir verstandelike gesondheid. Mense wat gestremdhede het word dikwels ontken van hierdie reg, as gevolg van getalle struikelblokke wat bestaan op fisiologiese, sielkundige en strukturele vlakke. Adolessente met motoriese gestremdhede mag dalk nog meer gemarginaliseerde word as gevolg van die fisiese aard van hul gestremdheid, asook die feit dat hulle in ‘n ontwikkelings stadium is waar hulle opinie dalk nie in ag geneem word nie weens hulle ouderdom. Navorsing wat uitgevoer is in hierdie gebied het meestal gefokus op die mededeling van die ouers en onderwysers en het min stem gegee aan die adolessente self. Hierdie navorsing het daarop gemik om die beleefde ervaringe van ‘n groep adolessente met serebrale verlamming en hulle betrokkenheid in fisiese aktiwiteit te ondersoek. Die monster groep het bestaan uit 15 adolessente met serebrale verlamming tussen die ouderdomme van 12 en 18 in die Wes-Kaap. Semi- gestruktureerde onderhoude was gedoen met die deelnemers. Bykomend is daar ook onderhoude gedoen met drie personeellede om ‘n sekondêre vlak van data aan die studie te verleen. Die onderhoude was geanaliseer deur gebruik te maak van interpreterende fenomenologiese analise, wat daarop gemik is om ‘n stem te gee aan die deelnemers en om sin te maak van hulle beskrywinge deur interpretasie van die navorser. Vyf groot temas het na vore gekom uit die data, naamliks: (1) Wanneer hulle my verlam noem – wat dit beteken om ‘n motorise gestremdheid te hê, (2) My ondervinding van fisiese aktiwiteit – waargenome voordele, fasiliteerders en struikelblokke tot deelname, (3) Beskermende faktore en hanteringsvaardighede wat gebruik word deur die deelnemers om struikelblokke tot deelname te oorkom, (4) Waarvan ek sal hou en wat ek voorstel, en (5) Persepsies van personeellede by die skool. Hierdie temas was bespreek deur ‘n teoreties raamwerk wat gefokus is op die sielkundige en sosiale faktore wat ‘n individu se deelname aan (of vermyding van) fisiese aktiwiteit beïnvloed. Alhoewel hierdie teoretiese raamwerk gebaseer is op ongestremde persone, was dit interessant om die ondervindinge te vergelyk met adolessente met serebrale verlamming. Die bevindinge is verder bespreek in vergelyking met relevante literatuur, al is die doel van kwalitatiewe navorsing nie noodwendig om bevindinge te veralgemeen nie. Die bespreking het ooreenkomste, so wel as verskille ten opsigte van ondervindinge met betrekking tot hindernisse en fasiliteerders tot deelname opgelewer. Daarbenewens verleen die bevindinge ook ondersteuning aan die idee dat adolessente met gestremdhede weet wat hulle wil hê en dat hulle waardevolle insette het om te lewer in terme van hulle eie ervarings. Aanbevelings sluit in dat daar verdere studies gedoen moet word met ‘n groep adolessente wat ‘n gestremdheid anders as serebrale verlamming het, asook om verdere studies te doen in ander areas van Suid-Afrika. Dit sal ‘n meer afgeronde begrip van die ondervindinge van adolessente met gestremdhede lewer en sal ook beter instaat wees om projekte in te lig wat dalk ontwikkel mag word

The Influence Of Atmospherics In Consumer Research Data Collection

This study investigates the effects of ambient atmosphere on market research survey response quality, following approaches in the retail atmospherics literature.  Participants completed a survey task and reported their affect states in a between subjects factorial experiment which manipulated ambient music, lighting and aroma conditions. Structural equation methods were used to test for effects of atmospheric factors on response quality and respondent affect. Findings suggest that ambient atmosphere may contribute to cognitive enrichment up to a point where it becomes distracting. At that point, ambient cues appear to interfere with cognitive processing. Survey response quality may be compromised through reduced positive affect, increased fatigue, or boredom, but the influence mechanism is different between males and females. The importance of stimulus manipulations is stressed and the effects of specific stimulus are provided to help researchers understand the impact toward response quality. Marketing researchers from both the academic and managerial community may be able to improve survey response quality by managing environmental conditions to enhance survey experience

Turning hierarchy on its head: Are parallel learning partnerships the solution to creating inclusive cultures in healthcare?

This article has been published in Clifford, N., Clarke, M. & Conchar, C. (2023). Turning hierarchy on its head: Are parallel learning partnerships the solution to creating inclusive cultures in healthcare? BMJ Leader, 7 (suppl 2), pp.1-7 following peer review and can be viewed on the journal's website at https://bmjleader.bmj.com/content/7/Suppl_2/1.8.Background It is important that NHS Trusts create inclusive and compassionate organisational cultures in which black and minority ethnic (BME) staff can progress equitably. Race equality and development initiatives can be implemented to address this. The introduction of reverse and reciprocal mentoring programmes in numerous organisations has had varying levels of success. These programmes can emphasise and perpetuate hierarchical differences in pairs, causing barriers to creating mutually beneficial partnerships.Objectives This paper reports the evaluation findings of a race equality and professional development initiative: the Parallel Learning Partnerships (PLP) Programme. Launched in April 2021, 27 of the Trust’s Executive and senior leadership team members were paired with 27 BME colleagues for 1 year. The authors aimed to determine the efficacy of the initiative’s design and implementation, and partner experiences and outcomes, particularly in relation to learning and any evidence of genuinely equal partnerships.Participants Twenty-six programme participants responded to an online survey. One-to-one semistructured interviews were conducted with 12 programme participants.Results Findings revealed that the majority of participants developed effective and highly valued non-hierarchical learning partnerships. This was despite impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic creating additional pressures and affecting partnership meetings and activities. Partner outcomes included greater understanding and awareness around race equity matters, improved confidence and motivation, and enhanced leadership skills in relation to inclusivity and compassion.Conclusion The pilot programme has been largely successful in providing an effective mechanism for BME staff to engage and connect with the Trust’s executive and senior leaders on a reciprocal, equal and mutually beneficial basis. PLP resulted in a variety of beneficial outcomes for both groups of partners which may not have been possible within comparable mentoring models. Additional positive impacts to the wider organisation are anticipated to be evident in time with the programme’s continuation.No data are available. This is due to participants not having provided consent for this.https://bmjleader.bmj.com/content/leader/7/Suppl_2/1.8.full.pd

An Integrated Framework for the Conceptualization of Consumers' Perceived-Risk Processing

Este Documento es producto del trabajo de Académicos del Departamento de AdministraciónResearch on risk is built on a complex array of diverse and sometimes inconsistent definitions, constructs, models, and outcomes. This study examines various literatures to formulate an integrated framework for the conceptualization of perceived-risk processing. The framework specifies three phases (framing, assessment, and evaluation) and their accompanying outcomes of risk attention, perceived risk, and risk-taking propensity. Explicit linkages are specified between situational and individual characteristics. Perceived-risk evaluation is identified as conceptually distinct from assessment of perceived risk, and the construct of risk-taking propensity is separated from those of risk affinity and perceived risk. The framework further presents points of intersection between the literatures on perceived risk and the literatures on consumer decision-making, information search, and satisfaction. Finally, it serves as an anchor for framing future research to promote conceptual and methodological consistency, and to guide progress in directions that are consistent with some leading edge paradigms outside of marketing

Consumer Evaluations of Competing Brands: Perceptual versus Predictive Validity

This study applies the concepts of consumer predictive and confidence values of information to consumer evaluations of food quality. Examining hypothetical findings from a thought experiment, the study offers advances in cue utilization, predictive validity, and achievement of consumer's perceived quality and actual quality. Separately, metrics for these concepts were applied in a consumer product-quality evaluation study of three brands of peanut butter. Actual quality was operationally defined in terms of Consumers Union ratings of the peanut butter. Using a between-groups, posttest only experimental design, female graduate students (n = 98) tasted and rated one of three peanut butters on the basis of quality and nine product attributes. These informants received no knowledge of brand names or comparative qualities prior to the test. The analysis indicates a nonsignificant correlation between actual quality of the brands and quality as perceived by the informants. The major cues used by informants in making their qualitative judgments (cue utilization) differed from the significant dimensions associated with actual quality (predictive validity). The findings inform the suggestion for consumer training in the process of making accurate quality evaluations