Exploring Our Humanness
Asynchronous Session
Do Black Birthing Persons Prefer a Black Health Care Provider during Birth?: Race Concordance View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Joanne Goldbort
For many years in the United States there has been an active discussion about whether race concordance between care providers and patients contributes to better health outcomes. While several beneficial effects have been associated with concordance, there is minimal evidence for health outcomes. A cross-sectional survey was conducted including 200 Black mothers who had given birth within the last two years asking about the perceived racial identity of their birth health provider and whether they preferred to have a Black female provider. In addition to race and gender concordance, several other variables, including respect, trust for the care provider, perceived competence, care provider empathy and inclusive communication, were tested for their impact on birth satisfaction. Black mothers showed a preference for Black female providers during birth. Forty-one percent of the mothers in this study were assisted in birth by a Black female provider. While care provider competence and respect shown to the patient contributed to birth satisfaction, neither race nor gender concordance showed any effect. Twenty-four percent of mothers were dissatisfied with the obstetric care given by their Black and White providers. While about half of the participants showed a preference for race concordance with their birthing provider, Black and White providers were equally associated with respect, competence, trust, and birth satisfaction. Whether in fact race concordance contributes to better health outcomes needs additional investigation.
Featured Behind Death and Construction of the Beyond: Historical and Narrative Analysis of the Mortuary Rituals of Current Religions in Latin America View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Fabio Andrés Medina Ostos
Although not everyone fears it, at least it is something that no one can be indifferent to. Death is the protagonist of this study that begins with an in-depth analysis of ancient civilizations, religious construction, the emergence of the gods and the perception of the Beyond. Later, it continues with a tour, hand in hand with the sacred books, through the paths of paradise, purgatory and hell, which have been created in the Catholic, Muslim and Jewish religions, as a product of the contacts and migrations of the most important civilizations of the world; finally, we explore the symbolic, narrative and social complex of these three religions, which materializes in funeral rituals and how to this day it is still the way of saying goodbye to those who have transcended to another form of existence.
Human Agency in an Inhumane World View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Brett Morgan Breton, Michaela Thackeray, Matthew Draper
This phenomenological paper underscores the idea that human beings are agentic and always already in relationship. Many shared understandings of ourselves and our relations with others are socially constructed. Mainstream patterns posit that life is predictable, thus, possibly facilitating one’s navigation of the world, ostensibly in most contexts. Some shared understandings, however, can prove problematic. Markedly, mainstream psychology favors the philosophies of ‘atomism’ and ‘determinism,’ the former conceptualizing suffering as located inside the individual, which can lead to blame the victim, and the latter relegating agency to a meaningless “back-seat.” Consequently, mainstream psychology may be complicit with socially and morally unjust practices. The social construction of the self, as isolated, acontextual, and separate from anything that could offer meaning to it, ignores the meaningful situatedness of a person, often unique and differentiated from other contexts even when these seem similar. For instance, ignoring systems of oppression, economics, religion, race, gender, etc. at once ignores a person’s holistic lived-experience. Agency cannot be invoked without morality. An intentional effort must awake [agentic] capacities in all parties within the helping relations to effectively and holistically ameliorate suffering, and perhaps prevent some of it. This requires attending to the particular, a person’s situatedness and invoking agentic capacities for decision-making and autonomy. A case-study illustrates these phenomenological principles and invites participants to re-think the dynamics of psychotherapy. A holistic, compassionate psychotherapy entails efforts taking place outside the office, including meaningful, active advocacy and community involvement, in this sense “reimagining the traditionally individual bounds of psychology.”
Career and Life Development Hope Scale: Factor Structure and Scale Validation among Non-engaged Youth in Hong Kong View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Steven Sek-yum Ngai
The current labor market conditions concomitant with the COVID-19 pandemic have created great challenges for non-engaged youth (NEY), who face various disadvantages in the school-to-work transition. It is imperative to promote NEY’s hope for the future so that they can become active agents to address numerous challenges and strive for continuous growth in their career and life journeys. Nevertheless, research is scarce exploring what and how to assess career and life development hope (CLDH) among NEY. To address this gap, this study aims to develop and validate a CLDH measurement instrument. A total of 1,998 NEY aged 13–29 years in Hong Kong participated in our study. Exploratory factor analysis of the 20-item CLDH scale suggested a two-factor structure—career and life development pathways (CLDP) and career and life development agency (CLDA)—which accounted for 63.08% of the total variance. The confirmatory factor analysis results showed a good model fit (CFI = 0.934, TLI = 0.926, RMSEA = 0.060, 90% CI [0.055, 0.065], SRMR = 0.042) and all the items significantly represented the corresponding sub-constructs. The results also demonstrated a satisfactory internal consistency of all subscales and the full scale (0.89–0.95). Sub-group consistency across subsamples categorized by gender, age, and years of residence in Hong Kong was indicated. Correlations between the CLDH scale and subscales with other career-related and social well-being outcomes showed good concurrent validity. Our results supported that the CLDH scale is a valid and reliable tool for measuring NEY’s hope for career and life development.
Making Their 'Voices' Heard: Participatory Arts and the Social Agency of Objects in Supporting People Living with Dementia View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Meghann Catherine Ward
Community-based participatory arts are being increasingly promoted worldwide for the wellbeing of people living with dementia and their caregivers. Yet, there remains variability in the arts-based programmes available and inconsistencies in how they are evaluated. Moreover, the voices of people with dementia are lacking in the research process. This conference paper is based on findings from a doctoral research project in partnership with Lancaster University and Theatre by the Lake, UK, to examine the effectiveness of a participatory multi-arts dementia programme developed by the latter organisation. The project involved a participatory action research (PAR) and sensory ethnography design, with qualitative and visual multi-methods. An ‘in the moment’ theoretical lens was developed by integrating more-than-representational theory, therapeutic landscapes and relational wellbeing concepts. This paper focuses on one aspect of the research findings, which explores the plurality of communication and participation in art-making through more-than-verbal, more-than-human tenets. This is explored through a small number of participant case studies which demonstrate different dimensions of multi-arts activities. This paper ultimately promotes the use of objects in creative settings for people with dementia, to provide agency whilst living with complex symptoms, and to support ways of self-expression, meaning-making, and having their 'voices' heard through unconventional methods of multi-sensory arts engagement.
Performance and Postpartum Mental Health: Enhancing Women's Care through Applied Theatre View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Tianyu Xiao
This research study investigates the application of performance and applied theatre in improving the care and support for women during the planning and postpartum stages of childbirth, with a specific focus on postpartum mental health. By exploring the intersection of performance, social care systems, and women's reproductive health, this research aims to identify opportunities for enhancing support and addressing postpartum mental health challenges. The research methodology employs a comprehensive approach to gathering insights and perspectives. A literature review establishes a foundation of knowledge on the relationship between performance, applied theatre, and women's fertility health. Social media research and analysis were conducted to explore discussions and narratives about postpartum mental health, drawing on online forums and social networking sites. Additionally, an analysis of existing performances, specifically those that address women's health, childbirth, and postnatal issues, are conducted to understand the effectiveness of applied theatre in this domain. This study anticipates several outcomes. The literature review contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the intersection between performance, applied theatre, and women's reproductive health. The social media research and analysis provide insights into the narratives and experiences shared by women regarding postpartum mental health, shedding light on the importance of support systems. Analyzing existing performances offers insights into the effectiveness of applied theatre in addressing postpartum mental health challenges. The findings of this research contributes to developing strategies and approaches that enhance care and support for women during the postpartum period, utilizing the power of performance and applied theatre.
