SAGE Open

Bali, Ahmed Omar

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018811185

This study investigates the most important technological tools and techniques that have been introduced in some organizations in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and compares those tools and techniques with that of the departments that still rely on a manual system. The research claims that technology, aside from its role in facilitating communication between employees and clients, is a potent force for fighting bureaucratic inefficiency and corruption and contributes to reassuring employees and clients. Theoretically, this research relies on an interdisciplinary approach which represents the connection between technology and human behavior, convenience, facilitation, and productivity within the administration communication systems. This research has adopted mixed-method approaches such as semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and surveys (n = 422) as data collection tools, and it also analyzes data collected by thematic analysis as the main method of ethnographic study. The research finds that the communication tools can significantly contribute to administrative services and fight corruption, although such techniques have not been applied in Iraqi Kurdistan. The majority of the respondents recommended expanding technology tools in all organizations as there are no significant obstacles to introducing them even among the organizations that do not have requisite technology skills.

Tanjeela, Mumita; Rutherford, Shannon

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018812620

The nexus between poverty and climate change is a major concern, especially in a country like Bangladesh where lack of resources is a significant problem in both rural and urban areas. Climate change affects a wide demographic of the population in Bangladesh, and among those affected, women are more vulnerable to climate change impacts, as is evident from the history of climate-induced disasters in the country. Climate change increases women’s socio-economic vulnerabilities by directly impacting their family’s food security, water consumption, and livelihood. Hence, their roles and contributions are critical in responding through adaptation. Nonetheless, in Bangladesh, challenges remain to incorporate women as distinct actors and active agents in climate adaptation programs considering the gender power dynamics that exist. In this context, this study focuses on women’s contributions as individuals or as a group and reveals their significant influence in climate change adaptation practices.

Zhang, Xiaodong

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018820386

This study reports on how the supplementation of online resources, informed by systemic functional linguistics (SFL), impacted English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) student writers’ development of critical thinking skills. Through qualitative analyses of student-teacher interactions, interviews with students, and students’ written documents, the case study shows that through 1 semester of intensive exposure to SFL-based online resources in a college Chinese EFL writing classroom, EFL writers were able to develop critical thinking skills in regard to the construction of effective academic writing, although it was a process of encountering and overcoming challenges. Through teacher mediation and their own efforts, they could adjust to the online resources-based classroom, exemplified by their utilization of SFL-related categories offered through online resources to analyze and evaluate the interrelationship between language features and the content manifested in valued texts, and regulate the content of their own academic writing.

Yaumi, Muhammad; Sirate, Sitti Fatimah Sangkala; Patak, Andi Anto

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018809216

This study was designed to promote teachers’ understanding of the learner-centered approach through training the multiple intelligences-based instructions, improve teachers’ performance in designing learner-oriented instruction, and improve teachers’ performance in implementing instruction. This study used proactive action research involving 126 teachers (informants) as trainees and instructional design members, came from 10 elementary Madrasah in Indonesia, 36 of them were mentored, and 192 students participated in a focus group discussion. There were 10 principals and two supervisors to be research collaborators. Teachers’ understanding and performance improvement through training multiple intelligence-based instructions, designing student-centered approach, and mentoring the implementation of student-centered learning indicated significant contribution. The teachers’ understanding of multiple intelligence-based instruction was the majority in the good category. The activity of designing the student-centered approach gave a good contribution to the capability of designing every single one of the multiple intelligences-based strategies. The mentoring system improved teachers’ performance greater than those of training and instructional design. Implementation of training, instructional design, and the mentoring system implies improving learning processes and outcomes. Strengthening the recruitment system of teachers and performance improvement, capacity building of educators to design models, approaches, strategies, methods, and learning activities, as well as establishing togetherness on all lines; government, principals, supervisors, community, and teachers as the primary element.

Mampane, Johannes N.

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018806343

The “blesser and blessee” phenomenon has been prominent in South African media since the year 2016. This is a form of transactional sex in which older rich men (“blessers”) tend to entice young women (“blessees”) with money and expensive gifts in exchange for sexual favors. In most cases, these older men are married men who secretly engage in extramarital affairs with these young women. In this light, there have been many debates on whether transactional sex should be equated to prostitution or sex work. However, many researchers argue that both practices at the end of the day are proven to be equally high-risk sexual behaviors for HIV infection in sub-Saharan Africa. In this regard, the purpose of this study was to explore and describe perceptions and experiences of young women regarding factors that influence their susceptibility to transactional sex and the risk of HIV infection in rural South Africa. Twelve young women aged 18 to 30 years participated in two focus group discussions and 12 individual in-depth interviews. The findings of the study revealed that there are sociobehavioral, sociocultural, and socioeconomic factors that influence the susceptibility of young women to transactional sex and HIV risk. The study concluded that it was imperative for researchers to explore the context and motivation for transactional sex among young women in sub-Saharan Africa to be able to develop and implement appropriate and relevant HIV prevention interventions for this vulnerable population.

LeBeau, Brandon; Song, Yoon Ah; Liu, Wei Cheng

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018820380

This meta-analysis attempts to synthesize the Monte Carlo (MC) literature for the linear mixed model under a longitudinal framework. The meta-analysis aims to inform researchers about conditions that are important to consider when evaluating model assumptions and adequacy. In addition, the meta-analysis may be helpful to those wishing to design future MC simulations in identifying simulation conditions. The current meta-analysis will use the empirical type I error rate as the effect size and MC simulation conditions will be coded to serve as moderator variables. The type I error rate for the fixed and random effects will be explored as the primary dependent variable. Effect sizes were coded from 13 studies, resulting in a total of 4,002 and 621 effect sizes for fixed and random effects respectively. Meta-regression and proportional odds models were used to explore variation in the empirical type I error rate effect sizes. Implications for applied researchers and researchers planning new MC studies will be explored.

Asamoah, Edward; Ofori-Dua, Kwadwo; Cudjoe, Ebenezer; Abdullah, Alhassan; Nyarko, Joy Ato

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018807791

The purpose of this study is to investigate the perception of visually impaired students, their peers without disabilities, and teachers about inclusive education, focusing on a second cycle educational institution in the Eastern region of Ghana implementing inclusive education for the visually impaired. In this study, we collected data from 23 visually impaired students, 27 students without disabilities, and 19 teachers in the inclusive school. Data were collected through semistructured in-depth interviews. This study followed a phenomenological approach, reporting findings from participants’ own words. The study findings revealed that visually impaired students and some teachers supported inclusion while a number of students without disabilities disliked the practice. Some teachers indicated that the idea of inclusive education is a good way to ensure equal educational opportunities. The study concludes that Ghanaian teachers in inclusive schools should be equipped with training to teach students with disabilities.

Arshad, Kamaruddin; Lean, Qi Ying; Ming, Long Chiau; Mahalingam, Sundara Rajan; Tiong, Chua Say; Abdullah, Amir Heberd; Shafie, Farah Ayuni

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018811049

Environmental health (EH) is the study of environment and environmental factors affecting the health of human. Identifying the most relevant and up-to-date and updated teaching topics of EH programs is vital to ensure competent practitioners are nurtured. Thus, this study aimed to attain the view of current content of EH programs for EH professionals and intended to recommend topics necessary for education and practice. The level of importance of current and newly proposed topics for EH courses at diploma and bachelor’s level was assessed using a cross-sectional survey design. Practicing EH programs graduates were invited via social media and e-mails to participate in the survey. The respondents were asked to rank the importance of different EH topics based on 5-point Likert-type scale. Descriptive statistics were employed to report the importance of EH curricula at Malaysian tertiary institutions. It was found that between diploma’s and bachelor’s level, the bachelor’s graduates were expected to have high exposure in existing topics such as vector control management, legislation for EH and safety, health and safety risk assessment, as well as newly proposed topics including critical literature evaluation and innovation in creating awareness activities. The findings from this survey could serve as a guide to improvise EH curricula to ensure the EH programs continue to produce students with the necessary skills, knowledge, and competencies.

Schwember, Felipe; Urabayen, Julia

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018803135

Contemporary political philosophy has critically reflected on—if not denounced—the theoretical constructions and political enterprises that have been encouraged by modern Utopian tradition. This process of critical reflection has constantly signaled the tension between the emancipatory aspirations of that thought and its dystopian drift. Many authors have highlighted the problems that affect the constitution of those ideal cities. However, this article will be focused on the exclusive and excluding character of those ideal narratives, of those unblemished ideal spaces, of those happy spaces that are, in the end, nonspaces. This article will explain the meanings of the modern utopias taking into account the postmodern point of view that shows the exclusion the modern utopias provoke. At the margins of the ideal cities live all those beings that the utopias have vomited out and expelled from their perfect world: monsters, abnormals, infamous, pariahs, and countryless refugees. Those beings—so well described by Arendt and Foucault, among others—are those who are not part of any ideal city; they are the stones that the builders of the perfect cities have used to build them or have discarded them.

Abukari, Ziblim

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018820378

Resilience research began in North America and Western Europe but there is a growing call for exploration of what resilience might mean in specific cultural contexts. Placed within the context of Africentrism and resilience perspectives, this study explores academic experiences of Ghanaian youth in three universities. Semistructured and focus group interviews were used to explore the academic resilience of 30 college freshmen in Ghana. Using narrative inquiry, the study examined the schooling experiences of young people in Ghana who have made it to college despite a myriad of adversities. Academic and socioeconomic adversity stemming from spatial inequality and negative cultural practices emerged as risk factors that negatively influence academic outcomes. Similarly, social support systems in the form of collective family/kinship values, future orientation, and individual characteristic of “not giving up” emerged as protective factors that tend to support academic resilience. Implications of the findings for social work education, practice, and policy are discussed.

Grimsdottir, Elsa; Edvardsson, Ingi Runar

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018807320

The aim of this article is to present findings on knowledge management (KM) and knowledge creation, as well as open innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Iceland. Two SME company case studies are presented in the form of a case study involving semistructured interviews with managers and selected employees and in-field observation. Company Alpha is a software company, whereas Company Beta is a family company which produces drinks and snacks. Knowledge creation and innovation is a learning process in both companies. The two companies show very different open-innovation models in practice. The findings regarding the two companies are in accordance with the arguments of Chiaroni et al., where they state that high-tech companies tend to prefer inside-out strategies of open innovation, whereas low-tech companies prefer outside-in strategies. Company Alpha relates to customers late in the process, whereas Company Beta relies on knowledge from customers and suppliers and for new knowledge early on in the process.

Chan, Lee-Kwun; Lau, Phooi-Yee

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018805527

Despite the recognized value that Business Intelligence (BI) systems bring to organizations, our understanding of the system quality and its impact on service-oriented architecture is limited. This study seeks to examine the impact of system quality on service-oriented BI architecture. Following the theory in the Information System success model, this study assesses the factors that can create impact to the individual and the organization. A total of 60 sample data were collected and analyzed using the partial least squares method. Majority of the respondents are the IT practitioners who hold managerial positions in their respective companies. The results suggest there are two sets of system quality factors. This study contributes to the literature of BI architecture. The managerial findings will be useful for BI stakeholders in the planning, reviewing, and implementing of SOA-based BI architecture.

Khalid, Komal; Nawab, Samina

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018810067

This study determines the relationship between types of employee participation (delegative, consultative, worker director, and worker union) on employee retention and the moderation of employee compensation in this relationship. The authors analyzed four types of employee participation, employee retention, and compensation in two major sectors of Pakistan (n = 1,054): service (n = 535) and manufacturing (n = 519). Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to first-line and middle-level employees. After establishing the reliability and validity of the scale, descriptive statistics, correlation, univariate analysis, multiple regression analysis, and independent-sample t test were conducted. All types of employee participation influence employee retention positively in both sectors. Employee compensation moderated the relationship between types of employee participation and employee retention. Delegative participation had a stronger influence on retention as compared with other types in both sectors. This is the first quantitative study to examine the influence of compensation on the relationship between direct and indirect types of employee participation on employee retention in six industries (Cement, Pharmaceutical, Food and Beverages, Health Care, Banking, and Higher Education) of Pakistan. The authors extend previous research studies by using comparative analysis tools to generalize the results in South Asian organizations.

Mažgon, Jasna; Jeznik, Katja; Ermenc, Klara Skubic

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018811406

The article discusses results of a study that evaluated university students’ competencies related to inclusive education. The study aimed to find out how prospective school counselors, who were familiar with theories on inclusion as an educational concept and had some relevant field experience, analyzed and reflected upon inclusion-related, real-life situations. The authors also aimed to establish any differences in views and explanations depending on students’ average grades and whether students have experience working in inclusive settings. A questionnaire was developed that consisted of seven questions related to independent variables (e.g., average grade, experience with working in inclusive settings) and six open-ended questions related to a real-life situation. The results indicate that most students understand at least the basic elements of the broader definition of inclusion and can provide some ideas for improvement of practice. Interestingly, students’ grades do not seem to be a decisive factor, but field experience does play a role in students’ competencies related to inclusive education.

Jr., Gilbert Cabilangan Magulod,

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018820382

Literature is life. It is the gateway of looking the world outside. We can learn, understand and appreciate the world. Reading literature is the best way to know who we are, what we are, and what we used to be. Using descriptive correlational research design, the study ventured on assessing the literary appreciation skills and reading performance of university students in literature, which may provide input to propose innovative learning tasks in enhancing their literary competence. Ninety students enrolled in the literature subject of the three college departments of one campus of a public higher education institution in the Philippines, were the participants of the study. Findings revealed that the students have a moderate level of skill in literary appreciation areas but a relatively low skill level in recognizing author’s point of view, ability to judge the text, recognizing personal philosophy based on literary text read, and relating the stories to their personal lives. Meanwhile, students showed fair performance in literature learning, while literary appreciation skills and reading performance differed when students are grouped according to their college affiliations. Furthermore, a positive relationship exits between literary appreciation skills and reading performance of the students. This study proposes the implementation of twenty-nine innovative learning tasks for literature classes. The different learning tasks were presented in this paper for classroom use.

Castiglioni, Cinzia; Lozza, Edoardo; Bosio, Albino Claudio

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018807247

The financial contribution to the common good is a relevant issue to contemporary societies, especially in the wake of the Global Financial Crisis. In the economic literature, taxes and monetary donations have been regarded as two complementary ways of financially providing for the common good. In the psychological literature, instead, they have not been studied in conjunction. In-depth interviews have been conducted using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) approach and a photo-elicitation technique to investigate the representations people share on the financial provision for the common good. Results suggest that both taxes and donations are seen as indirect, rather than direct, ways of providing for the common good. From a formal and cognitive level, paying taxes and making donations can be seen as two sides of the same coin, but they present differences at the affective level. When paying taxes, people are concerned mostly about the effects and expect a material exchange in return; when making a monetary donation, people are concerned mostly about the motivations and expect an emotional exchange in return.

Ross-Hellauer, Tony; Schmidt, Birgit; Kramer, Bianca

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018816717

As open access (OA) to publications continues to gather momentum, we should continuously question whether it is moving in the right direction. A novel intervention in this space is the creation of OA publishing platforms commissioned by funding organizations. Examples include those of the Wellcome Trust and the Gates Foundation, as well as recently announced initiatives from public funders like the European Commission and the Irish Health Research Board. As the number of such platforms increases, it becomes urgently necessary to assess in which ways, for better or worse, this emergent phenomenon complements or disrupts the scholarly communications landscape. This article examines ethical, organizational, and economic strengths and weaknesses of such platforms, as well as usage and uptake to date, to scope the opportunities and threats presented by funder OA platforms in the ongoing transition to OA. The article is broadly supportive of the aims and current implementations of such platforms, finding them a novel intervention which stands to help increase OA uptake, control costs of OA, lower administrative burden on researchers, and demonstrate funders’ commitment to fostering open practices. However, the article identifies key areas of concern about the potential for unintended consequences, including the appearance of conflicts of interest, difficulties of scale, potential lock-in, and issues of the branding of research. The article ends with key recommendations for future consideration which include a focus on open scholarly infrastructure.

Frydrych, Denis; Bock, Adam J.

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018805808

This study reports the first multi-year, longitudinal crowdfunding case study. We use multiple data sources to explore micro-processes before, during, and after a crowdfunding campaign. We focus on the entrepreneur’s experience to generate micro- and meso-level theories about a crowdfunding process. A crowdfunding campaign is more than the sum of platform and site characteristics. Entrepreneurial behavior, informed by role-identity development, drives campaign outcomes. Role-identity may be fluid as the entrepreneur strives to generate a campaign syndicate. We propose three strategies for syndicate-based identity formation. The results significantly extend knowledge on the crowdfunding process by revealing the unique activities and choices during role-identity adaptation. Entrepreneurs planning crowdfunding campaigns should recognize the importance of role-identity in the formation of a syndicate that will support the campaign. An external website accompanies this article to make the extensive case data transparent and accessible.

Bogolyubova, Olga; Upravitelev, Philipp; Churilova, Anastasia; Ledovaya, Yanina

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018811409

People have been using images to express ideas, share stories, and communicate since early history. The advent of social media has made sharing images an important part of everyday life. Among other things, social networks can be used to express psychological distress; however, research on this topic is limited. The goal of this study was to explore representations of psychological distress in the Russian-speaking segment of Instagram. The study involved contrasting images labeled with hashtags in Russian with images marked by analogous Anglophone hashtags in a data set of 1,512 images. Quantitative content analysis revealed significant differences between images labeled with Russian and Anglophone hashtags. Images containing depictions of texts were significantly less frequent among images with Russian hashtags, while inanimate object depictions were more prevalent. Hashtags for fear in both languages were related not to psychological distress but to the “scary” in popular culture. Images of alcohol were associated with stress hashtags in both languages and with hashtag for depression in Russian only. Images of food were significantly more prevalent among images with Russian hashtag for stress. Current study highlights the need for culturally and linguistically appropriate online mental health interventions.

Fakunmoju, Sunday B.; Rasool, Shahana

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018817591

Although adolescents’ exposure to violence and oppressive gender attitudes is prevalent, comparative knowledge across countries is sparse. This study examined exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV), family violence, and beliefs about violence against women (VAW) in a convenience sample of 2,462 adolescents from 44 schools in Nigeria and South Africa. Findings suggested that exposure to IPV, family violence, and beliefs about VAW differed by gender and country. Specifically, adolescents from Nigeria were more likely to be exposed to IPV and family violence and were more likely to endorse VAW than adolescents from South Africa. Male adolescents were more likely to endorse VAW than were female adolescents. Similarly, higher age, being male, being from Nigeria, being in a relationship, and greater exposure to family violence were associated with higher endorsement of VAW. Findings suggest that effective prevention programs are needed in both countries to mitigate exposure to IPV and family violence. Concerted efforts are also required to work with exposed adolescents to inhibit pro-VAW beliefs and stop the intergenerational transmission of violence. Additional implications of findings for policy, practice, and research are discussed.

Ghasemy, Majid; Hussin, Sufean Bin; Razak, Ahmad Zabidi Bin Abdul; Maah, Mohd Jamil Bin; Ghavifekr, Simin

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018807620

The study was undertaken to identify the essential leadership capabilities and managerial competencies as the key leadership performance drivers in Malaysian focused universities. To collect data, the previously developed scales of capabilities, competencies, and leadership performance in the context of Malaysian Higher Education (HE) were distributed among the leaders in seven public focused and 12 private focused universities. In total, 172 completed surveys were collected among which 94 had been filled out by the leaders in Malaysian public focused and 78 had been completed by leaders in private focused universities. The data were screened and SmartPLS 3 was employed to analyze the data. Also, Finite Mixture Partial Least Squares (FIMIX-PLS) segmentation and Importance–Performance Map Analysis (IPMA) were run to extend the results. The outcome of FIMIX-PLS didn’t reveal unobserved heterogeneity within the data and, through IPMA, change-oriented capability was identified as the main improvement area to be addressed by management activities. Moreover, the implications of the findings were discussed and future directions were recommended.

Reyes-Ruiz, Gerardo; Barragán-Ocaña, Alejandro; Olmos-Peña, Samuel; González-Ávila, María Eugenia

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018808837

Mexican high school students have a strong inclination to deem scientific and technological college-level education as overly challenging. The purpose of this study was to present firsthand information to learn the following: (a) current problems associated with scientific and technological human capital training in the Mexico City metropolitan area and (b) perceptions of high school students from this geographical area with regard to the challenges of pursuing a degree in science or technology. The study is relevant because it shows the low impact of scientific and technological human capital training in the geographical area, which has both the largest number of public institutions and the largest allocation of economic resources in Mexico. Among the most important results of the study were the predominant low interest in scientific or technological careers and the fact that such indifference is primarily due to the scientific and technological environment in Mexico, which lacks prestige; therefore, students do not foresee an attractive future after achieving a bachelor’s degree related to science or technology.

Clinton, Michael; Ezzeddine, Sawsan; Doumit, Myrna; Rizk, Ursula; Madi, Murielle

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018820376

Transitioning to practice is challenging for baccalaureate nursing students. In baccalaureate nursing programs, the process typically begins in the junior year. A Successful transition depends on how well students apply their developing knowledge during clinical placements. A cross-sectional, multisite, qualitative study was conducted at four universities in Greater Beirut, Lebanon. In total, 35 junior baccalaureate students participated in audio-recorded focus group discussions. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Three themes were sufficient to summarize the students experiences: “being unprepared,” “learning unexpected lessons,” and “taking responsibility.” Three subthemes, revising expectations, discovering divergence, and self-monitoring, were used to clarify the unexpected lessons students learned during clinical placements and how students responded. “Loving nursing and protecting yourself,” making the most of every day, and doubting future readiness were subthemes within the “taking responsibility” theme. Students troubled by nursing practices that diverged from their expectations monitored themselves to avoid falling into poor practices and kept track of the nursing procedures they performed. Only by taking responsibility for their learning, could students develop the competencies they will need as registered nurses. Faculty, clinical instructors, hospital administrators, nurse managers, and registered nurses need to do more to support students to take control of their learning.

Kutywayo, A.; Yah, C. S.; Naidoo, N. P.; Malotana, M.; Dyani, S.; Mullick, S.

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018809149pmid: 32983597

The Good Participatory Practice (GPP) guidelines provide a framework for stakeholder engagement within clinical trials, to ensure a study’s acceptability, feasibility, and improving the overall research quality; however, they have rarely been applied beyond this setting, and no literature exists on its application in adolescent research. A review of the 2011 GPP guidelines was undertaken to identify which 16 GPP topic areas could be applied and adapted for implementing an ecological asset building intervention, that is, the Girls Achieve Power (GAP Year) cluster randomized controlled trial for reducing school dropout and increasing reporting of gender-based violence in Gauteng and Western Cape province in South Africa. The 16 GPP topic areas were adapted and implemented to guide stakeholder engagement for GAP Year. We show the usability and adaptability of the GPP framework for guiding stakeholder engagement in non-clinical trials like GAP Year; however it requires adapting to respond to the unique needs of the beneficiaries.

Di Dio, Cinzia; Isernia, Sara; Ceolaro, Chiara; Marchetti, Antonella; Massaro, Davide

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018809874

The study of social cognition involves the attribution of states of mind to humans, as well as, quite recently, to nonhuman creatures, like God. Some studies support the role of social cognition in religious beliefs, whereas others ascribe religious beliefs to an ontological knowledge bias. The present study compares these distinct approaches in 37 catholic children aged 4 to 10 years, who were administered an adapted version of the unexpected content task assessing false beliefs of different agents: a human, a dog, a robot, and God. The children were also administered an intentionality understanding task, a component of mentalization abilities, and an interview on ontological knowledge assessing emotions, intentions, imagination, and epistemic knowledge. In line with previous research, the results showed that children did not attribute false beliefs to God as they did to the human and to other nonhuman agents. Importantly, while false-belief attribution to the human was associated with the children’s ability to attribute mental states (intentionality understanding), false-belief attribution to God was related to children’s ontological knowledge. We conclude that, contrary to false-belief attribution to the human and to other nonhuman agents, children’s understanding of God’s mind is largely a function of ontological knowledge about God, rather than of children’s social cognitive functions.

Shankar, Janki; Nicholas, David; Mrazik, Martin; Waugh, Earle; Tan, Shawn; Zulla, Rossalyn; Urichuk, Liana; Paranica, Sue

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018807954

Family caregivers are the main source of support for survivors of traumatic brain injury (TBI) while they transition from pediatric to adult care service and support systems. Yet there is little research that examines the needs of these caregivers during the transition phase. The aim of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine the lived experiences of family caregivers of young adults with TBI who had recently transitioned from services for children and adolescents to adult care service and supports. The study sample comprised 15 family caregivers of young adult TBI survivors who had transitioned to adult services in the last 5 years. They were recruited from two large hospitals and a caregiver support center in a city in Western Canada. Semistructured interviews were conducted with the caregivers and the data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s approach in developing an essential structure of the phenomenon of caregiving. Fifteen themes emerged from the analysis and these are discussed under two broad domains: (a) caregivers’ experiences and challenges with their relative at the time of transition; (b) caregivers’ challenges with services and supports systems during transition. Findings suggest that there is a wide gap between what caregivers need and what is available to them to support their young adult relative through the transition process and beyond. Most caregivers reported that the transition phase is overwhelming and has a profound and pervasive impact on their lives. Implications of the findings and recommendations for policy and practice are discussed.

Hussin, Hanafi

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018809211

This review article examines the link between tourism and soft power in view of five (four proposed by Ooi) interlinked ways (approaches). It also looks whether Malaysia (as a case study) by using the soft power approaches has achieved the desired outcomes or not. The article found that Ooi’s approach is adequate to analyze a country’s tourism policy, strategies, tourists’ perceptions, and the outcomes of tourism. However, it has ignored the independent role of gastronomy, the business-enabling environment, recognition of the cultural and natural sites as world heritage, and methodological approach to address negative stereotypes against other nationalities. The article also maintains that Malaysia has efficiently used the soft power approach and maximally received benefits from it without the use of coercive powers. This research offers insight into different power tools applied in a variety of contexts which shape the image of the country.

Ngubane, Nokuthula; Maharaj, Pranitha

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018817596

Although teenage pregnancy appears to be on the decline in South Africa, it is still high and a matter of heated debate. Some commentators argue that the child support grant is fuelling the high levels of childbearing among young women in South Africa. To investigate this relationship, qualitative data using in-depth interviews was conducted with women aged 18 to 24 years who were recipients of the child support grant. The study was conducted in Mtubatuba, which is located in northern KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. The women in the study denied that they had children to access the grant. They pointed out that the grant is minimal and did not cover the cost of raising a child. The women identified a range of factors that contribute to childbearing including inadequate knowledge about sex, gender relations, lack of access to contraceptive services, and risky behaviors. Age appropriate and youth friendly health services should thus be a priority for government in tackling this problem.

Sullivan, Kevin; McConney, Andrew; Perry, Laura B.

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018805791

This study compares rural educational disadvantage across Australia, Canada, and New Zealand using data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). Across the three countries, student reading literacy and school learning environments are less positive in rural communities than in urban. Furthermore, rural disadvantage in educational outcomes (reading) and opportunities is greater in Australia than Canada or New Zealand. This could be seen as surprising as student socioeconomic status (SES), typically a strong predictor of educational outcomes, is similar for rural communities in Australia and Canada, but lower in New Zealand. Rural school principals in Australia are most likely among the three countries to report that shortages of teaching personnel hinder learning. This could suggest that policies and structures can play a role in ameliorating or exacerbating rural educational disadvantage. We conclude with questions and recommendations for future research.

Liao, Ching-Chih

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018810065

This article investigates the influence of the position of occlusion, structural composition, and design educational status on Chinese character recognition accuracy and response time. Tsao and Liao conducted an experiment using 18 of the 4,000 most commonly used Chinese characters and suggested that the primary and secondary recognition features of a “single-sided” occluded Chinese character are the key radical (or initial strokes) and the key component (i.e., combination of strokes), respectively. The study concluded that right-side occluded characters require a shorter response time and yield more accurate recognition and that educational background does not significantly affect recognition accuracy and response time. The present study considered the same 18 Chinese characters and extended the work of Tsao and Liao by exploring accuracy rate and response time in design and nondesign educational groups for the recognition of “double-sided” occluded Chinese characters. The experimental results indicated that right-side occlusion (including both bottom-right and top-right occlusion) requires a shorter response time and yields more accurate recognition than left-side occlusion. These results agree with those of Tsao and Liao, who found that the key radical of a Chinese character is its key visual recognition feature. Even double-sided occlusion of Chinese characters does not affect the recognition outcome if the position of occlusion does not blur the key radical. Moreover, the participants majoring in design recognized the occluded Chinese characters more slowly than those with no educational background in design.

Jorgensen, Cody

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018805357

For unknown reasons, the research investigating police officers’ attitudes toward drug use is underdeveloped. One study, by Wilson, Cullen, Latessa, and Wills, has directly investigated police officers’ perceptions toward general vice crimes (including drug use) and perceived appropriate sanctions for committing these offenses. This article built upon that study. A survey measuring officers’ attitudes toward drugs was developed and used to gather data from a large metropolitan police department in the South. Responding officers displayed fairly serious and punitive attitudes toward drug offenses. In addition, they reported an interventionist attitude, believing that more can and should be done to control drug activity. Individual officer characteristics, such as education attainment and political ideology, were more strongly associated with drug attitudes than law enforcement indicators, such as rank and experience with the vice/narcotics unit.

Kaartemo, Valtteri; Känsäkoski, Helena

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018820482

The purpose of this article is to explore how information and knowledge processes (IKPs) influence co-creation and co-destruction of value in a health service system. A qualitative, single embedded case-approach is taken to develop theory through a systematic combining of theoretical framework, empirical fieldwork, and case analysis. Six theoretical propositions are set to describe the linkage between IKPs and value co-creation (and co-destruction). The article contributes to health marketing and transformative service research by linking organizational activities to the motivation and empowerment of patients and their families, by highlighting the importance of the role of knowledge integration in value co-creation, by introducing a shift toward systems thinking, by conceptualizing value as manifested as health behavior change, and by underlining that health care processes may have a negative (value co-destructing) influence on the well-being of actors.

Derakhshan, Ali; Shakki, Farzaneh

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018809408

It is also hypothesized that proficiency level may have a voice with respect to learning styles. Therefore, to throw light on this issue, the present investigation targeted the relationship between Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ learning styles and their levels of proficiency at Golestan University, Gorgan, Iran. To this end, 120 EFL learners majoring in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) and English Literature were randomly selected based on the Rubrics of Common European Framework of Reference (A1-C2) to participate in this study. They were then divided into low-proficient (A2-B1) and high-proficient (B2-C1) learners. The instruments used in this study were an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Mock exam through which the participants’ levels of proficiency were determined and Reid’s Perceptual Learning Style Questionnaire to identify learners’ perceptual learning style preferences. The questionnaire enclosed 30 statements allocated to each modality based on a five point Likert scale, ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree. The results of independent samples t-test and Spearman correlation coefficient revealed that there existed some significant relationships between students’ learning style preferences and levels of proficiency. It was found that learners with high levels of proficiency favored Kinesthetic and Tactile learning styles more than other preferences, namely, Auditory, Visual, Group, and Individual learning style preferences. In addition, the low-level students were much inclined toward Visual and Group styles. Regarding the necessity of understanding learners’ different styles, the implications of the study are discussed to consider the importance of individual differences.

Menadue, Christopher Benjamin

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018807572

Dianetics was unveiled to the public in the May 1950 edition of Astounding Science Fiction. Dianetics was the brainchild of science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard, and became the foundation for scientology toward the end of the decade. Dianetics was marketed as a “scientific” method for mental improvement—a robust alternative to conventional psychiatry—and was strongly debated in science fiction (sf) magazines. This article follows the trajectory of this cultural phenomenon from 1949 to 1999 as it appeared in this form of popular culture. A proximal reading method was applied to analyze 4,431 magazines, and identified 389 references to dianetics and scientology. References were found in advertising, reader letters, stories, feature articles, and editorials. Significant fluctuations in the prominence and perception of dianetics became clearly visible in the source material across a broad spectrum of content. Negative criticism was present from the outset, and based on logical and scientific arguments. This was countered by obfuscation, or attacks on the authors of these critiques. The followers and promoters of dianetics did not provide scientifically rigorous proof of their claims, and by the mid-1980s, dianetics and scientology were no longer serious topics in the magazines but had been added to other fads and fallacies of sf history. This article demonstrates the effectiveness of a digital humanities proximal reading method to underpin objective classification and analysis of this culturally significant phenomenon.

Tsey, Komla; Lui, Siu Man (Carrie); Heyeres, Marion; Pryce, Josephine; Yan, Li; Bauld, Sharee

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018811404

The article aims to describe the Family Wellbeing Program (FWB), a program that sets out to facilitate the enhancement of soft skills and to explore the relevance and acceptability of the FWB in the context of health managers and leaders in Timor-Leste. This article presents the fundamental principles of the FWB approach to facilitating soft skills in the context of trauma-informed training for managers and leaders. It describes how a participatory social learning approach advances deep, transformative, and long-lasting impacts. An exploratory mixed-methods design was adopted. Qualitative data were gathered from workshop participants through an evaluation form with open-ended questions allowing participants to provide comments on the program and how it could be enhanced. In addition, attendees participated in an online survey, which sought to capture data relating to demographics, soft skills for managers/leaders, personal well-being, and program satisfaction. Overall, the results show that the FWB program is both relevant and acceptable. The findings indicate that participants’ understanding of concepts of management and well-being, particularly as it is applied to the workplace, was improved. This outcome is important because it highlights how the FWB program can contribute to the development of more accomplished managers and leaders in the future. The results of this exploratory study will be useful in informing future management and leadership training for the Timorese health workforce.

Namaziandost, Ehsan; Esfahani, Fariba Rahimi; Hashemifardnia, Arash

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018811024

This study compared the effects of spacing and massed instructions on Iranian English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ reading comprehension. To fulfill this objective, 50 Iranian participants were selected among 80 students based on the results of Oxford Quick Placement Test (OQPT). The intermediate selected participants were then randomly divided into two equal experimental groups; spacing group and massed group. Afterward, the researcher measured the participants’ English reading comprehension by administering a reading comprehension pretest. Then, five English texts from Active One Book were instructed to both experimental groups. In the massed class, each text was taught in an intensive 60-min session, whereas each text was taught to the spaced group in three short sessions (about 60 min in total). The first session lasted for 20 min; the second occurring 2 days after the initial session lasted 20 min; and the third session took 20 min and was held 2 days after the second session. After the instruction, a reading posttest was administered to the both groups and finally the data were analyzed by using paired and independent samples t tests. The obtained results indicated that there was a significant difference between the posttests of spacing and massed groups. The findings indicated that the spacing group significantly outperformed the massed group (p < .05) on the posttest. The implications of this study can make the teachers aware that teaching through spaced intervals can provide better results than teaching through one massed session.

Pérez, Miguel Ángel Vite

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018802884

Social symbolic action is interpreted through binary narrative as a discourse constructed by motives, relationships, and institutions. This discourse is based on a distinction between the pure and the impure, the good and the bad, and the sacred and the profane, and it is linked with the cultural imaginary that lends a particular meaning to social acts. In this case, the analysis of the binary narrative of self-defense groups in Tierra Caliente (Michoacán) allowed interpretations to be made regarding regional armed social action in a national setting, shaped by the government discourse that blames organized crime for national public insecurity.

Bećirović, Senad; Brdarević-Čeljo, Amna; Dubravac, Vildana

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018809286

Despite its importance being acknowledged in a plethora of studies, developing reading strategies appears absent from many classrooms, which justifies a considerable research interest in this topic. The present study aims to investigate how gender, nationality, and grade point average affect the frequency of the usage of different types of reading strategies among Bosnian university students. The research sample comprised 228 students studying at three universities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The analysis revealed moderate to high awareness of reading strategies, the problem-solving strategies being most frequently used. A three-way ANOVA showed a significant main effect of gender as well as a significant interaction effect of Nationality × Grade Point Average on The Survey of Reading Strategies questionnaire. Moreover, a three-way MANOVA revealed that gender had a significant main effect on the combined variables, namely global, support, and problem-solving reading strategies. Similarly, the interaction effect of Nationality × Grade Point Average was significant on the three combined variables, while the interaction effects of Grade Point Average × Gender and Grade Point Average × Nationality proved significant only on the Problem-Solving subscale. The current study is expected to contribute to understanding the reading strategy use in a foreign language context, and to inspire educators to recognize the importance of their use in the classroom.

Abdullahi, Ali Arazeem; Abdulquadri, Nafiu T.

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018804606

Like the rest of the world, the new media are aiding and promoting speedy and easy access to information among adolescents in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), especially those in the urban centers who are of middle and upper class categorization. However, the new media are equally avenues for African adolescents to learn and develop antisocial behaviors. This article tries to interrogate the interconnectedness between the new media and adolescents’ sexual behavior in SSA, especially those in the middle and upper class background, by linking theories to realities. The theoretical assumptions of generational cohort theory (GCT), social learning theory (SLT), and uses and gratification theory (U&G) provide a good understanding of this connection. For instance, GCT would posit that the new generation of adolescents are born into a technological-driven society where the new media trend. SLT explains the connection from social psychological perspective and posits that learning, including sexual behavior, whether online or in the real world, is not purely behavioral, rather a cognitive process that takes place in a social context. U&G submits that new media are widely used by young people to achieve certain desires which may include cognitive, affective, personal integrated, social integrity, and tension-related needs. The article concludes that a single model analysis is not enough to understand the interconnectedness between the new media and adolescents’ sexual behavior in SSA. It rather suggests a theoretical pluralism. Effective parent–child communication regarding reproductive health matters, including sex and relationship education (SRE), in the school curriculum and homes are recommended.

Alhassan, Robert Kaba; Adu-Gyamfi, Bismark Appiah; Oliver, Agbolosu; Ayensu, Bright; Awoenam, Gbekor; Angela, Owusu; Nketiah-Amponsah, Edward; Mwini-Nyaledzigbor, Prudence P.

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018804583

Abuse of injections, particularly in resource poor countries, remains a challenge evident in the increasing preference for therapeutic injections over oral medication. Objective of this study is to explore factors associated with patients’ preference for therapeutic injection over oral medication in the Volta Regional Hospital, Ho in Ghana. The study is a cross-sectional survey conducted among 200 patients accessing care in Volta Regional Hospital. Data were analyzed using STATA statistical software for data analysis. Univariate probit regression was used to ascertain factors associated with patients’ preference for therapeutic injections over oral medication (main outcome variable of interest). It was found that 74% of the 200 respondents preferred injection to oral medication. More outpatients preferred injectable medication over oral (p = .041); 86% of the respondents said they never experienced complication related to injectable medication. Patients who perceived injection as more efficacious were more likely to opt for it over oral medication (coefficient = 2.22; SE = 0.33; p < .05). It is concluded that patients’ preference for injectable medication over oral remains high in Ghana, and this preference is significantly associated with patients’ perceptions on superiority of injections over oral medication. There is the need to intensify health education for clients and in-service trainings for health providers to control abuse of therapeutic injections and promote patient safety.

Alhabash, Saleem; VanDam, Courtland; Tan, Pang-Ning; Smith, Sandi W.; Viken, Gregory; Kanver, Duygu; Tian, Liang; Figueira, Luiz

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018803137

Past research has suggested an associative relationship between social media use and alcohol consumption, especially among the younger generations. The current study takes a generalizable approach to examining the prevalence of posting about alcohol on a popular social media platform, Twitter, as well as examining the predictors of a tweet’s virality. We content-analyzed more than 47.5 million tweets that were posted in March 2015 to explore the prevalence of alcohol-related references, and how alcohol-related references, tweet features (e.g., inclusion of hashtags, pictures, etc.), and user characteristics (e.g., number of followers) contribute to the tweet’s virality. Our findings showed that during March 2015, about two of every 100 tweets in the United States were alcohol-related; whereas the majority of those referenced intoxication. In addition to tweet features and user characteristics, the prevalence of alcohol-related references in a tweet positively predicted the number of likes it received, yet negatively predicted the number of retweets. Given prior evidence supporting the association between social media use and alcohol consumption, the prevalence of alcohol references in tweets and how that contributes to their virality offers insights into the widespread phenomenon of glorifying alcohol use and excessive drinking via social media, pointing to potential negative health consequences.

Gunu, Ibrahim Mohammed

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018805361

In this article, school disciplinary exclusions in high schools in Ghana are highlighted to explore alternatives to school exclusions. The 2017 budget and the preceding budgets of the Republic of Ghana clearly indicate that the bulk of the nation’s expenditure is spent on education. Part of the 2017 budget is especially targeted at making the senior high school (SHS) education free in Ghana beginning 2017-2018 academic year. Needy students have been the thrust of this investment to widen the broader spectrum of academic opportunities in Ghana. This government initiative has the potential to enhance access to secondary education in Ghana. In the education policy context, this kind of investment is expected to yield enhanced academic outputs beyond the exam results. In the estimation of this article, these outputs include creating an enlightened society, equipping Ghanaian students with appropriate value judgment, providing equitable access to education, and developing a sense of creativity through educational activities. However, the rampant student exclusions in Ghanaian high schools put the academic career of these students into jeopardy. It is in the light of this that this article provides a focused discussion on the contextual understanding and alternatives to school disciplinary exclusion in Ghana.

Upreti, Bishnu Raj; Ghale, Yamuna; Shivakoti, Sharmila; Acharya, Sushant

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018817124

There have been very few studies in the process of feminization of agriculture in Nepal. The overall purpose of this study was to analyze the changing role of women in high-value agriculture in the postconflict context of Nepal. In this study, we applied qualitative research tools: focus group discussion, key informant interview, on-site observation, and descriptive and interpretative analysis. The study found that after the peace agreement of 2006, the engagement of women in high-value agriculture such as large cardamom and ginger increased rapidly and contributed to the empowerment of women. The study reveals that rural women’s engagement in “women cooperatives” provided them social, economic, and political recognition and decision-making space. However, they are facing additional challenges and risks related to marketing, crop protection, and export to international markets. Though recent policy changes are favorable to address risks and challenges, their effective implementation is yet to be fully realized. This article concludes that the changing political context in Nepal has provided space for women to engage in high-value agriculture. However, women’s engagement is limited to production and primary processing, while further along the value chain, where more profits are made with less risk, women tend to acquire less benefits. The government needs special policy and regulatory provisions and institutional arrangements to address (a) the problem of international export market and (b) the problem of crop protection measures.

Holmes, Colin; Lindsay, David

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018809214

The burgeoning methodological literature available for the guidance of researchers caters for a wide range of standpoints, but it ignores perhaps the commonest personal philosophies encountered in the nursing profession, those based on Christianity. Nursing’s historical and continuing relationship to Christian faith has been well-documented, and although this is reflected in literature stressing the importance of spiritual care, it has had no discernible impact on nurses’ formulations of research methodology. This article outlines the core features of Christian belief and draws out some of their methodological implications for nurse researchers, with a view to initiating a constructive debate from which Christian theological methodologies might be developed.

Elmedni, Bakry

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018809218

In the opening of the 21st century, housing affordability was described by the U.S. Congress as the most urgent issue facing America. This article provides an analysis of how feasible Mayor de Blasio’s Five Borough Ten-Year Plan will be in providing adequate affordable housing to low-income residents in New York City (NYC). It examines three main topics: (a) the Plan’s focus on using the private sector to achieve public goals and whether this is likely to come with unintended consequences such as less focus on the needy and gentrification of struggling neighborhoods, (b) the role of the nonprofit sector, which has historically been a major player in housing policies in the NYC, and (c) how much influence or control a municipal government has on economic forces to avoid negative outcomes. The analysis reveals that while providing any number of affordable units is a positive thing, it is unreasonable to assume that this intervention alone can adequately address the housing affordability crisis in NYC. This article also exposes other emerging problems as the plan is being implemented. One major concern is that through tax credits and rezoning efforts to encourage private-sector development, the Plan may wind up benefiting housing developers and gentrifiers more than actually ameliorating the housing crisis in NYC. Housing affordability is a multifaceted issue which requires a multifaceted approach from federal and state governments working in tandem with local governments.

Holden, John M.; Hemmelman, Ethan; McGlasson, Rowan; Smith, Zaria; Ruhland, Ashley; Hoover, Erin

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018805798

Triadimefon (TDF) is a fungicide which has psychostimulant properties similar to cocaine and amphetamine. Past studies with psychostimulants suggests that acute exposure leads to disruptions in working memory. In this study, we examined the effects of TDF exposure (relative to corn oil control) on performance in the delayed matching-to-position task in two separate studies using Sprague-Dawley male rats. In both studies, TDF exposure led to significantly poorer performance across delays. TDF shows similar properties to cocaine and amphetamine in terms of disrupting working memory.

Kangaude, Godfrey Dalitso; Skelton, Ann

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018806036

Age of consent criminal laws imposed on African states during colonialism were inherently patriarchal and gender-stereotypic, and continue to influence country approaches toward adolescent consensual sexual conduct. There are two major policy positions: a punitive and a nonpunitive approach. Most countries adopt the punitive approach. Mostly, legislation does not explicitly criminalize consensual sexual conduct between adolescents, and this leaves a gray area to be filled in by social and cultural norms that perceive adolescent sexual conduct negatively. Punitive approaches have been justified as necessary to curb harms to adolescents resulting from sexual conduct, including teenage pregnancies and sexual abuse. Age of consent laws, especially in their original colonial formulation deny adolescents, especially girls, sexual autonomy and agency. States focus more on punishment than on taking measures to address the structural antecedents of harms associated with sexual intercourse. States should reform age of consent laws to decriminalize consensual sex between adolescents in accordance with recognized rights of the child.

Hassett, Alexander; Green, Charis; Zundel, Toby

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018807786

There is a high prevalence of mental health problems within adolescent populations, but they are unlikely to seek help. Adults, including parents, are important within this help-seeking process. The study, therefore, is aimed to develop a theory of the influence of parents upon adolescent help seeking. Eighteen semistructured interviews were conducted with adolescents, their parents, and clinicians working within child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). A grounded theory analysis allowed for the in-depth exploration of participants’ experiences. A model was developed identifying help seeking as a family journey. Parents were highly influential, and parents who were able to be more available to their adolescents tended to be more involved in the help-seeking process. Other adults were utilized within the help-seeking process. Once adolescents were engaged with the help-seeking process, they were often able to then seek further help independently. The findings suggest that consideration should be given to making services accessible to adolescents. CAMH services should explore ways with adolescents to give control over parental involvement, and ways with parents to develop availability. Future research should consider the experiences of older and younger adolescents separately, and the transition into adult services.

Fagley, N. S.

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018818621

This study investigated the relation between appreciation and positive and negative affect, controlling for gender, age, ethnicity, and Big Five personality factors. Appreciation consists of several aspects, including a focus on what one has (“have” focus), awe, gratitude, and interpersonal appreciation. Undergraduates (N = 236) completed an online survey containing the Appreciation Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), and Big Five Inventory (BFI). The Big Five traits accounted for 38% and 43% of the variance in positive and negative affect, respectively, beyond demographics. Appreciation accounted for 9% (p < .001) and 4.6% (p < .05) of the variance in positive and negative affect, respectively, beyond demographics and the Big Five. The “have” focus aspect of appreciation, which represents noticing, focusing on, and valuing what one has, accounted for significant unique variance in both positive and negative affect. Gratitude did not. Future research is needed to determine how broadly these results generalize.

Broda, Michael; Ekholm, Eric; Schneider, Barbara; Hutton, Amy C.

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018817397

This study examines the association between high school teachers’ collegial networks and their own familiarity with, and practices related to, supporting students’ admission to college. Using survey data collected at two time points from 163 teachers in four mid-Michigan high schools in 2011-2012, this study (a) employs cluster analysis to map collegial networks by school, and (b) uses social network influence modeling to examine how teachers may be influenced by their closest colleagues. Results of the cluster analysis find that all four high schools surveyed show evidence of distinct clustering by subgroups. Results from influence modeling show that while positive in almost all cases, the impact of teachers’ exposure to colleagues is not significantly associated with a change in familiarity or practices related to college-going. However, interaction with program staff from a college-advising program is found to be related to a small positive change in some teacher practices.

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018823310

Graham, Lauren; Mphaphuli, Memory

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018819041

The intensive research focus on young people’s sexuality in relation to risk means that young people’s sexuality is often pathologized. We thus miss out on the day-to-day lived realities of how young people negotiate gender identity as well as sexuality in complex, nuanced, but normal ways. This article contributes to an emerging body of research that highlights how young people negotiate gender identity and sexuality in their day-to-day lives, by focusing on the narratives of young persons engaged in heteronormative relationships in a resource constrained setting in South Africa. We offer insights into dominant, but also alternative discourses of gender and sexuality that are not highlighted in the literature in this field. Furthermore, we offer new empirical insights into how socioeconomic status shapes their gender identity, beliefs about sex and their sexual practices, contributing to a small but emerging field of research engaging with the intersection of gender, sex, and socioeconomic status.

Coler, Lucía

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018819911

For care leavers in Argentina, the transition to an autonomous lifestyle is a process that begins at 18 years old when they are no longer protected by Children’s Rights laws. This transition is particularly challenging without any family support, and studies have demonstrated that female care leavers are likely to have children within the first few years after leaving care. The aim of this research is to explore and analyze young women’s identities, experiences, and perceptions about their own motherhood and family relationships after leaving the institutional care system in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Throughout a qualitative, small-scale study using life-history interviews, an insight of how these young women’s life experiences have influenced their identities is obtained. In this respect, the findings suggest that female care leavers offer a different type of childhood to their own children than the childhood they experienced, thus providing security, health, education, and love for their children. Moreover, an ambivalent relationship with their birth families has encouraged these women to develop their autonomy with new, meaningful bonds. Finally, motherhood and community participation have empowered these young women and promoted their agency.

Adu-Yeboah, Christine; Kwaah, Christopher Yaw

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018807619

This study sought to understand the process of providing on-campus practical experience to teacher trainees in preparation for practicum in basic schools, and how the trainees perceive these. It used the mixed method approach to obtain data from three purposively sampled colleges of education in the Central Region of Ghana. Questionnaires were administered to 232 teacher trainees; 12 focus group discussion sessions were held with the trainees while an interview guide was used to elicit data from 24 college tutors. The findings showed that the on-campus experience offered trainees the opportunity to improve on their knowledge and practice of general pedagogical skills such as the writing of lesson plans, statement of appropriate lesson objectives, lesson delivery, timing of activities, and the use of teaching and learning resources. However, there was no evidence of documented standards and guidelines for the conduct of the on-campus practicum. Again, trainees had very limited time to engage with supervisors and critically interrogate and reflect on their own practices. Consequently, it was suggested that teacher training institutions should develop appropriate teaching standards and guidelines for on-campus teaching practice and give trainees more opportunity to engage with and critically interrogate their own practice in the process of learning to teach.

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018803995

Kofod, Jens

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018809219

Contemporary research on prostitution tends to treat it either as a social problem that needs to be solved by criminalizing customers and supportive social programs (exit programs) or as a manifestation of female agency. This article analyzes Danish ethnographic interview and observations with the so-called dominatrices. The theoretical concepts, boundary markers and body schema, are applied to identify dominatrices’ perception of themselves as businesswomen not representing a social problem. The dominatrices are used to discuss tailoring of exit programs, and the article concludes that core elements in these programs need to change if the dominatrices should be provided relevant opportunities to pursue a different profession.

Moen, Kjersti Mordal; Westlie, Knut; Skille, Eivind Åsrum

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018818926

With a survey of physical education (PE) among a national representative sample of fifth to tenth grade students (N = 3,226) in Norway, we investigated how students experience the changing room situation in relation to PE classes. Most students find the changing room situation unproblematic, while some report problems. A majority (59.6%) of the students disagreed with the statement “I experience that an adult is looking after us when we change/shower.” It seems PE teachers, especially the male teachers, consider the lesson finished when students move from the gym into the changing room. We question whether we can learn from earlier formal curricula in Norway on how changing room activity was more adequately implemented in accordance with the sociopolitical aspects relevant at the time. Today, these are about Bildung, mentioned in both the general part of the curriculum and the PE curriculum. However, the lack of clarity makes the changing room a contested field, open for struggles of hegemony within fields.

Chisholm, Laura; Holttum, Sue; Springham, Neil

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018809220

Experience-based co-design (EBCD) is a service design strategy that facilitates collaborative work between professional staff and service users toward common goals. There is a lack of published examples of it in relation to family carer engagement within a mental health context, and little research exploring the mechanisms behind successful implementation. The aim of this study was to explore the processes that facilitated EBCD with carer involvement. The study adopted a grounded theory–informed approach involving interviews with 16 participants of an existing EBCD project in an English National Health Service (NHS) trust, reflecting multiple stakeholders. EBCD can be thrown off track in two ways: conflict and getting “bogged down.” Leadership by project and design-group leaders could return group cohesion and maintain project momentum. The developed model reflects key processes. Future research should examine EBCD projects with similar ranges of stakeholders and in contexts with different levels of organizational change.

Amirpour, Leila; Dadfar, Mahboubeh; Charvadeh, Majid Heydari; Birashk, Behrooz

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018817129

Paranoid thought is one of the most common symptoms in psychiatric disorders. The Paranoia Checklist is a brief screening and diagnostic tool for clinical and subclinical paranoia. It has been used in research, clinical, and non-clinical settings. The Paranoia Checklist has not had its validity examined in university settings in Iran. A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the validation of the Farsi version of Paranoia Checklist in a randomized cluster sample of 365 Iranian volunteer college students selected from the Payame Noor University of Mashhad in Iran. They completed the Paranoia Checklist, the General Paranoia Scale, and the Symptom Checklist 90 Revised (SCL-90-R). The mean score of the Paranoia Checklist was 35.50 (SD = 7.21). The Cronbach’s α for the Paranoia Checklist was .87, indicating high internal consistency. The Paranoia Checklist correlated .42 with the General Paranoia Scale, .38 with the SCL-90-R subscales of Anxiety (ANX), Hostility (HOS), and Paranoia Ideation (PAR), and .37 with the Interpersonal Sensitivity (INTS), denoting moderate construct and criterion-related validity. The results of the factor analysis of the Paranoia Checklist identified three factors associated with the paranoid thoughts. The Paranoia Checklist has a multidimensional structure, and adequate validity and reliability. It can be used in the non-clinical, clinical, and research settings to measure paranoia in Iran.

Gunay, Samet

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018812649

Daily high/low and close/open prices are the key parameters of candlestick approach in technical analysis. Besides, the price spreads are also important as they represent an upward or a downward trend. In this study, we investigate the relationship between daily high/low prices and close/open prices for precious metals: gold, copper, palladium, and silver. Empirical analysis has been performed through fractionally cointegrated vector autoregression (FCVAR) model. To observe the relationships, the trends are tested for their characteristics in both states: positive and negative spreads in close/open prices. Results indicated that for a positive trend, high/low spreads have a negative impact on close/open spreads in long run relationship. However, when closing price is less than the opening prices, it is revealed that expanding range in high/low spreads causes a rise in close/open spreads for copper and silver differently from gold price.

Ayika, David; Dune, Tinashe; Firdaus, Rubab; Mapedzahama, Virginia

2018 SAGE Open

doi: 10.1177/2158244018811752

Migration can be a very stressful event that post migration involves major changes in family dynamics and intergenerational relationships. With plenty of literature discussing the challenges in these areas, this article focuses on the ways migrants perceive, navigate, and manage changes to their family structure, roles, and relationships. This study in Australia employed a participatory action research framework and qualitative focus groups with 164 migrants from seven ethno-cultural groups and a range of visa pathways. The data were analyzed thematically and revealed two major topics: Changes in Family Structure and Reconstructing Intergenerational Relationships and Roles. While acknowledging the challenges, the results demonstrate migrants’ resilience and ability to manage post-migration changes across generations, genders, and cultures. Notably, the migrants’ lives are characterized not only by a desire for multiculturalism and acculturation but also by the challenges that are related to assimilation and marginalization. This research highlights the important role that migrant and resettlement services can play in supporting families and community-oriented approaches to resettlement support. This may include the implementation of cross-cultural and intergenerational strategies drawn on the strengths of migrant families and their capacity to adapt to new and sometimes hostile environments.