Although working with cancer patients is considered stressful, palliative care staff experience similar levels of psychological distress and lower levels of burnout than staff working in other specialties. There are few empirical studies in palliative care to explain this. Since working in a stressful job does not inevitably lead to psychological distress, the antecedent factors that promote resilience and maintain a sense of well-being are worthy of study. This qualitative study used interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to describe hospice nurses' experiences of work. During the analysis, themes emerged relating to the underlying interpersonal factors that influenced the nurses' decisions to begin and continue working in palliative care, and their attitudes towards life and work. The emergent themes were compared with the theoretical personality constructs of hardiness and sense of coherence, and this comparison highlighted many similarities. The nurses showed high levels of commitment, and imputed a sense of meaning and purpose to their work. An area of divergence was their response to change, and this is discussed in relation to hardiness and sense of coherence. The implications for staff well-being, and for staff training and support, which, in turn, may impact on the quality of patient care, are discussed.

This review considers the origins of the errorless learning (EL) concept, its application in memory rehabilitation, the evidence for its effectiveness, and the theoretical basis for the observed findings. The evidence suggests that EL offers valuable benefits for at least some people with memory impairments when teaching certain types of tasks. However, the benefits are not evident for all groups, some findings are equivocal, and there are some limitations associated with this approach. We discuss methodological issues impacting on these mixed findings, consider which theoretical explanations might account for the findings regarding benefits and limitations of EL, and comment on the implications for rehabilitation practitioners of the current state of evidence in this area.

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This study utilized a mixed methods approach to examine the feasibility and acceptability of group compassion focused therapy for adults with intellectual disabilities (CFT-ID). Six participants with mild ID participated in six sessions of group CFT, specifically adapted for adults with ID. Session-by-session feasibility and acceptability measures suggested that participants understood the group content and process and experienced group sessions and experiential practices as helpful and enjoyable. Thematic analysis of focus groups identified three themes relating to (1) direct experiences of the group, (2) initial difficulties in being self-compassionate and (3) positive emotional changes. Pre- and post-group outcome measures indicated significant reductions in both self-criticism and unfavourable social comparisons. Results suggest that CFT can be adapted for individuals with ID and provide preliminary evidence that people with ID and psychological difficulties may experience a number of benefits from this group intervention.

In relation to the existing literature, it is suggested that the effects of diagnosis, or disclosure of diagnosis, from the perspective of the person with autism be given greater consideration.

Patients with BPD have difficulties in recalling specific autobiographical memories. These difficulties are related to their tendency to dissociate and may help them to avoid episodic information that would evoke acutely negative affect.

Parents of children with autism have difficulties obtaining adequate information and support to guide them in the care of their children. However, the growth of communication technologies such as email has created greater opportunities for accessing such resources. This article presents a grounded theory analysis of the messages sent to an email group by parents of children with autism. The core category emerging from the analysis indicates that the group functioned in making sense of autism. The core category comprises four categories: searching for meaning; adjusting to changes; providing support and encouragement; and narrative sharing of experiences. Although email groups function as a social support mechanism, we suggest that this is not the only legitimate function: such groups may contribute towards the development of parental representations of autism.

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