Serious Leisure in the Home: Professional Quilters Negotiate Family Space

Although quilting has become more popular in the USA since its re‐emergence in 1976, with 15 per cent of households participating at the time of writing, quilting is still thought by many to be a frivolous, quaint or silly feminized activity. Those who quilt professionally, or for profit have difficulty legitimating their efforts as ‘real work’. Our focus is on one aspect of the quilting industry — professional quilters — and their negotiation of legitimacy for quilting work that is done in the home. We conduct secondary qualitative data analysis of 147 interviews of mostly women professional quilters from the Quilters' Save Our Stories Oral History Project. Professional quilters have more legitimacy and more claim to home‐based resources such as time and space than do amateur quilters but their work is still devalued as a gendered activity in the home. Despite achieving objective indicators of professional success (e.g., money, prizes and international recognition), professional quilters still have difficulty defending their home‐based employment activities and acquiring resources to carry it out.     

STRADDLING THE SACRED AND SECULAR: CREATING A SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE THROUGH BELLY DANCE

Few studies examine spiritual experiences through seemingly secular activities. Who has spiritual experiences while belly dancing? How does belly dance become spiritual? Using surveys and interviews with 77 belly dancers in the United States, this study shows that belly dance is spiritual for people who consider spirituality important in their lives, have belly danced for many years, rarely attend worship services, and are not affiliated with Judeo-Christian religions. Belly dance becomes spiritual when dancers “let go” and experience various connections. The dance itself and the environment in which one dances facilitate spiritual experiences. Implications for spirituality are discussed.     

Race,Socioeconomic Status,and Self-Esteem: The Impact of Religiosity

This research examines two factors that have an impact on the self-esteem of African Americans and whites: religion and socioeconomic status (SES). Using data from the National Survey of Families and Households, we find that for whites, belief in the Bible (i.e., that it is the literal word of God) and self-identifying as fundamentalist were significant predictors of self-esteem. For African Americans, belief in the Bible and being Catholic were significant predictors of self-esteem. However, the association between belief in the Bible and self-esteem was stronger for African Americans than whites. SES was positively associated with self-esteem for both groups. The interactions between SES and the measures of religiosity reveal a greater impact on self-esteem for lower SES respondents. This was especially true for African Americans. These findings are discussed in light of the resource compensation hypothesis.     

Making Critical Minds: Nurturing ‘Not‐Knowing’ in Students of Health and Social Care

The two authors have been involved in developing teaching and learning resources that can be used with students undertaking a whole range of health and social care courses. The aims of this development work included the fostering of critical thinking skills and of inter professional learning. In this Ideas in Action paper we share both some of the thinking behind our work and several of the learning activities that we have utilized with our students.     

After the ‘Great White Walls’ Came Down. Debating the Ethnicity of Immigrants in Australia and the USA, 1980–1990

In 1965 and 1973, the governments of the USA and Australia, respectively, abolished their racially discriminatory immigration policies. A line had seemingly been drawn in the sand in which one's race, nationality or ethnicity would no longer be grounds for exclusion. As a consequence of these reforms, the source countries of immigrants to Australia and the USA diversified. How did politicians react to this change? This article finds that although overtly racist immigration policies had become a relic of the past, a number of mainstream politicians in both countries did not welcome the outcomes of race-blind immigration policies.     

Influenza-Like Illness Among University Students: Symptom Severity and Duration Due to Influenza Virus Infection Compared to Other Etiologies

Abstract

Objective: University students with influenza-like illness (ILI) were assessed to determine whether symptom severity, duration, or missed days of school or work varied according to etiology. Participants: Sixty persons presenting to a university health clinic with ILI symptoms during 3 consecutive influenza seasons completed baseline survey and viral testing; 51 (85%) completed follow-up. Methods: Influenza viral culture and polymerase chain reaction and respiratory virus immunofluorescence assay testing were performed. Information collected at baseline and follow-up included symptom occurrence, severity, duration, and numbers of days of work and school missed. Results: Influenza virus was confirmed in 63% of participants. Influenza-positive individuals were no more likely to report any symptom or miss more days of school or work. Self-reported severity and durations of symptoms were similar between groups. Conclusions: Students with influenza-associated ILI were similar to those with noninfluenza ILI with respect to severity, duration, and numbers of days of school and work missed.     

Provision of Auricular Acupuncture and Acupressure in a University Setting

Abstract

Auricular acupuncture using the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) protocol ¹ National Acupuncture Detoxification Association. “About NADA”. Available at: http://acudetox.net/about-nada/12-faqs. Accessed May 2, 2013 [Google Scholar] stimulates 5 points in each ear—the Shen Men, sympathetic nervous system, liver, kidney, and lung. This protocol is also known as Acu Detox, and has been used for recovery in community-based settings and drug use treatment programs. It has also been proven to be effective in alleviating stress and enhancing a general sense of well-being. This article describes the auricular acupuncture and acupressure program developed for a university setting and its use as a tool to enhance harm reduction and mental health services.     

Communication During Conflict: Differences Between Individuals in First and Second Marriages

This study used self-report measures to (a) evaluate differences between first-married and remarried individuals' patterns of conflictual communication, and (b) compare remarried individuals' perceptions of how they communicated around similar conflictual issues relative to their former marriage. Few communication differences were reported between the 64 first-married and 64 remarried participants; however, significantly higher mutual avoidance and withholding scores were reported by the remarried sample. The remarried sample also provided retrospective reports that indicated (a) increased constructive communication, (b) decreased demand-withdraw, and (c) decreased avoidance and withholding in their current remarriage relative to their former marriage. Implications for research and clinical practice are discussed.     

Sexual Abuse Prevention: A Training Program for Developmental Disabilities Service Providers

Persons with developmental disabilities are at an increased risk for becoming victims of sexual abuse. Research has revealed that the largest group of identified perpetrators of sexual abuse is developmental disability service providers. The purpose of the present study was to develop, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of a sexual abuse prevention training program. Participants were administered a survey assessing knowledge and attitudes before and after the training workshop. Small improvements in knowledge and attitudes about sexual abuse and the sexuality of persons with developmental disabilities were found; however, ge-neral attitudes about individuals with developmental disabilities did not change. Suggestions for future directions in this area are provided.     

Laughing Through This Pain: Medical Clowning During Examination of Sexually Abused Children: An Innovative Approach

This study examined the role of medical clowns during medical examinations of children who were sexually abused. Three case studies are described, illustrating diverse interactions among the victimized child, the medical clown, and the medical forensical examiner during medical forensic examinations held at the Tene Center for Sexually Abused Children, Poria-Pade Medical Center, Israel. The results indicated that medical clowns play a unique role both in lowering anxiety and fear among children before and during the unpleasant forensic examination as well as in mitigating potential retraumatization of the sexual abuse event resulting from the medical examination. The medical clown was found to assist in creating a pleasant and calm atmosphere, thus improving the child's cooperation during the examination.