PLAYGROUPS ARE COMMUNITY-BASED programs that enable the creation of social capital resources by providing opportunities for young families to network and access peer support. However, there are insufficient Australian studies on community playgroups and the extent to which new parents feel supported through their playgroup involvement. This research sought to study the ways early parental interactions in community playgroups reflect parents' social capital. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with fifteen playgroup parents in Perth, Western Australia (WA). Data gave rise to three main themes: getting together, generating stocks of social capital and missing out. The study concludes that although community playgroups have the capacity to support young families, vulnerable and socially disadvantaged individuals may continue to feel isolated, excluded or left out. A number of policy implications can be drawn from this study, including consideration for employing support workers and enhancing the community playgroup model.
WHILE IT IS GENERALLY RECOGNISED that early childhood programs play an important role in increasing positive outcomes for children, families and society, there is very little research on the Australian playgroup experience and its role in providing support for mothers and addressing identity issues. The research aimed to fill this gap by asking why mothers attend playgroups and in particular what for them is the role of playgroup in supporting or challenging expectations of motherhood. Methods included one-onone interviews with 11 mothers, aged 26 to 45 years, within the Perth metropolitan area with varied experiences with playgroups and follow-up focus groups with mothers who shared characteristic contexts or situations. The data showed there are three reasons that influence whether mothers will attend playgroup: to develop a sense of belonging; to seek validation as a mother; and, negative experiences of playgroup. This data is discussed in reference to positive and negative experiences, limitations of the study and future research.
This study sheds light on the nature and unique effect of parental stress, optimism, and HPBs on the QoL of mothers.
Aims: This article examines the reasons for partial and complete refusal of childhood vaccination as reported by parents in Finland. It analyzes perceptions and experiences central in vaccination decisions. Methods: The analysis is based on 38 in-depth interviews with Finnish parents who have refused all or several vaccines for their children. The interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Three categories of reasons were identified in the analysis: 1) risks and effects of vaccination – concern about and/or experiences of possible side-effects was the most important reason for avoiding vaccines; 2) distrust – participants did not trust vaccination recommendations made by health officials and medical professionals due to perceived bias in medical research, ties between health officials and the pharmaceutical industry, and personal experiences of (suspected) adverse effects and the way these concerns were received in healthcare institutions; 3) health perceptions and practices – parents supported their vaccination choices with complementary and alternative medicine treatments and alternative health understandings. Many stated that contracting vaccine-preventable illnesses would provide longer lasting and more ‘natural’ immunity than vaccination, and possibly other health benefits. Conclusions: A loss of trust in medical and public health actors was central to the process in which parents came to question, contest, and eventually refuse childhood vaccination. The adverse effects of the Pandemrix vaccine in 2009–2010 have been important in leading to distrust and contestation. Distrust may relate to personal experiences of (suspected) adverse effects or to broader concerns over the neutrality of health authorities and the trustworthiness of medical research.
Leadership is a practical skill that should be incorporated into psychology training. Graduates who show leadership in the workplace are highly valued for this attribute. In Australia, however, the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) which oversees the accreditation of all psychology degrees specifically does not permit practical, workplacerelated experiences to be part of the undergraduate psychology curriculum. Instead, a psychology degree from an Australian university is based on the scientist-practitioner model and involves much theoretical knowledge being taught throughout the three years of the degree. Hence, a consequence of this approach is that when our students enter the workforce, they may not immediately demonstrate their leadership potential. It is against this background that the Edith Cowan University (ECU) School of Psychology and Social Science developed a programme aimed at addressing the lack of leadership training. The programme was designed to provide 12 months of theoretical and practical experience in leadership that was over and above students' normal course requirements. We designed the programme which included a series of workshops and seminars to consist of three curricular components:Leadership Knowledge, Leadership Skills, and Leadership in Action. The curriculum included understanding the theoretical components underpinning leadership such as management theories, participative theories, and relationship theories. Students were then provided with the opportunity to develop and practice their leadership skills by participating in a series of expert-driven seminars, through role-playing, perspective taking, and management of groups. Finally, students worked with local industry-leaders to provide strategic leadership in developing and implementing a community project. This paper outlines the components of the programme and a qualitative evaluation of the students' experiences, the development of their leadership capacity, and their participation in respective community projects. Enhancing psychology students' experiences: The development of an undergraduate leadership programme Psychology, as a science and profession, is typically located within a dominant Western paradigm, emphasising a 'scientist-practitioner' model of training, the goal of which is to apply psychology knowledge in the workplace and society. The development of an undergraduate leadership programme described in this paper was motivated directly by gaps in the teaching of psychology where students gain little experience in the practical application of psychological principles during their undergraduate studies. The main focus of the undergraduate programmes, therefore, is to understand the theories and gain professional knowledge of psychology, but with little 'hands on' or practical experience. In Australia, the teaching of psychological science and the training of psychologists are controlled under a strict accreditation system by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC). All stude...
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