Understanding the use of digital finance among older internet users in urban China: Evidence from an online convenience sample

Inclusive digital financial services should welcome older populations and make them beneficiaries of the digital and financial revolution. To understand older adults' experience of using digital financial tools, we conducted an online survey of 268 older internet users aged 60 or above from urban areas of 14 Chinese provinces after China's nationwide COVID-19 lockdown in 2021. Our results revealed that older internet surfers were active in digital financial activities and engaged most with activities that were highly compatible with their lifestyles. Active users significantly differed from inactive users in sociodemographics, confirming that a digital divide related to social stratification exists among older internet users. Digital finance active users were also distinguished from inactive users' attitudes and perceptions toward digital finance. Logistic regression results indicated that perceived usefulness, access to proper devices for digital finance, risk perceptions, and perceived exclusion if not using technology were associated with their adoption of these advanced tools. Older adults reported the perceived inconvenience of in-person financial services during the lockdown. They also expressed a willingness to participate in relevant training if provided. The findings of this study could help aging-related practitioners to understand older adults' engagement in digital finance and guide policy and project design in the area of financial inclusion of the aging population.

Understanding individual experiences of COVID-19 to inform policy and practice in higher education: Helping students, staff, and faculty to thrive in times of crisis

Utilizing findings from more than 200 interviews with students, staff, and faculty at a US university, this volume explores the immediate and real-life impacts of COVID-19 on individuals to inform higher education policy and practice in times of crisis. Documenting the profound impacts that COVID-19 had on university operations and teaching, this book foregrounds a range of participant perspectives on key topics such as institutional leadership and loss of community, managing motivation and the move to online teaching and learning, and coping with the adverse mental health effects caused by the pandemic. Far from dwelling on the negative, the volume frames the lived experiences and implications of COVID-19 for higher education through a positive, progressive lens, and considers how institutions can best support individual and collective thriving during times of crisis. This book will benefit researchers, academics, and educators in higher education with an interest in the sociology of education, higher education management, and eLearning more broadly. Those specifically interested in student affairs practice, as well as the administration of higher education, will also benefit from this book. The chapters describe the experiences of students, staff, and faculty at the University of Utah as they adapted to the new COVID-19 reality in spring and summer 2020. The logistics of adjusting to online learning and working, the juggling act of managing their online learning and teaching while taking on responsibility for the learning of children in their homes, the reality of a struggling economy, and the social-political environment of a presidential election year and a burgeoning racial justice movement provide the backdrop for the experiences described in this monograph. This study has important implications for higher education leaders. It offers an in-depth and institutionally broad view of how different higher education stakeholders experienced the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

College Graduates' Negative Life Experiences, Coping Strategies and Enlightenment During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study in China.

Objective: The current study aimed to explore comprehensively college graduates' negative life experiences, coping strategies, and enlightenment in a qualitative way. Methods: This was a qualitative study. Purposeful sampling was used to select 31 college graduates majoring in various subjects from a Chinese University. The one-on-one semi-structured interviews were conducted online through Tencent QQ/WeChat and were recorded and transcribed verbatim. A phenomenological approach was used to guide this research in the data collection and analysis. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes across interviews around their negative life experiences, coping strategies, and enlightenment. Results: College graduates' negative life experiences were mainly focused on three aspects: negative work experience (eg, lack of adaptation, busy schedule, low salary), negative personal life experience (eg, multiple pressure, psychological problems, the hardship of life), and negative social life experience (eg, the incomprehension of those around you, complex interpersonal relationship, social complexity). The coping strategies they used can be classified into two categories: emotion-focused strategies (eg, accepting reality, self-persuasion, keeping a positive attitude), and problem-focused strategies (eg, goal-setting, asking for help to solve the problem, persistence). As for life enlightenment, six themes emerged: accept life, strive to life, love life, cherish life, recognize life, and learn to live. Conclusion: College graduates' negative experiences came from multiple levels, and they use multiple coping strategies to deal with the challenges. Our results provide important guidance for researchers and policymakers to design effective and targeted intervention programs to improve college graduates' coping abilities in response to negative life experiences and help them better transition from school to work. Specifically, future research and intervention to promote college graduates' mental health should target various social-ecological levels, focus on promoting coping from an ecological perspective, as well as facilitate post-traumatic growth to help them grow from negative life experiences and cope positively.

Towards digitally mediated social work – the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on encountering clients in social work

In the spring of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic spread around the globe. The viral outbreak was followed by rapid changes in people's everyday and working lives. Because of the wide-scale societal restrictions that took place to prevent the pandemic, social work was forced to take a digital leap. In this article, we examine Finnish social workers' experiences of extending the use of digitally mediated social work (DMSW) in working with clients during the first wave of the pandemic, the spring of 2020. The data consist of 33 social workers' personal diaries, which are analysed using a qualitative theory-based content analysis. Henri Lefebvre's theory of spatial triad will be utilised in theorising how social workers represent DMSW through three dimensions of space, that is, how they perceive, conceive and live digital spaces when encountering their clients and how physical, mental and social spaces are embodied in the representations. The results suggest that the three dimensions of space 1) basis of, 2) conceived and 3) lived DMSW intertwine closely together. The results reveal how the physical space, including IT infrastructure, its functionality and applicability, along with the organisational contexts, form a bedrock for the social workers' DMSW practice and had a decisive impact on their experiences. Second, the conceived space consists of workers' cognitive and emotional elements, such as competencies, preconceptions and attitudes towards ICT. Finally, the third dimension of spatiality concludes with the social and relational aspects of the user experiences and encounters between clients and social workers.

Intimate partner violence during COVID-19: Demographic and economic correlates of survivor experiences

Objective: To extend our understanding of intimate partner violence (IPV) during the COVID-19 pandemic, we examined socioecological correlates of IPV, as well as rates of victimization. We assessed physical IPV, sexual IPV, psychological IPV, reproductive coercion, coercive labor, and coercive control. Method: A total of 374 recent survivors of IPV were recruited in partnership with IPV and social service agencies in Southeast Texas. Participants were asked about their experiences with IPV, COVID-19, and economic situation during the first year of the pandemic (March 2020-December 2020). Data were collected in December 2020. The sample was racially and ethnically diverse and primarily female-identified (77%). Statistical analyses included descriptive, analysis of variance, t tests, and chi-square test. Results: Among participants, rates of past-year IPV were high, with 77.3% reporting physical victimization and 94.7% reporting psychological abuse victimization. A majority (55.5%) of participants, self-reported violence increases since the pandemic began. Older (46 +) and Black participants reported higher rates of IPV, including coercive control. Reported IPV increases since COVID was significantly associated with homelessness during COVID-19, lower income, and physical IPV, psychological IPV, economic IPV, along with coercive control and coerced labor by a partner. Conclusions: We found that COVID-19-related IPV increases were associated with IPV victimization types and economic factors, including low income and homelessness. Results also confirm a "dual pandemic" perspective, underscoring the heightened risk for IPV for Black, middle age, and older survivors. These findings highlight the need for a strong and sustained community response to address potential outcomes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Asian Americans' Lived Experiences with and Perceptions of Social Stigma during COVID-19

It has been well documented that Asian Americans have experienced increased social stigmatization related to COVID-19 since Donald Trump began referring to the virus as the "Chinese virus" and "kung flu" in March 2020. Stigma has negative social and health impacts on minority communities, such as labeling, avoiding, shame, disgust, and social exclusion. The health impacts include both physical and mental illness, and the acceleration of health disparities. This study seeks to understand these lived experiences and subsequent coping strategies. Using focus groups, 17 Asian American participants were interviewed to understand their experiences with stigmatization during the pandemic. The findings reveal that stigmatized behavior and attitudes of others did not deter Asian Americans from following the COVID-19 related health guidelines, likely because perceived health threats were high. Consumer behaviors of Asian Americans also changed dramatically toward buying almost everything online (due to both the pandemic and personal safety). This behavioral decisioning provides insights into the complex motivations for adopting health behaviors, and, in this case, social distancing can double as a means by which to avoid people, for fear of becoming victims of stigmatization in public areas.

"All I was Thinking About was Shattered": Women's Experiences Transitioning Out of Anti-Trafficking Shelters During the COVID-19 Lockdown in Uganda

Human trafficking is an egregious violation of fundamental human rights and a global challenge. The long-term harms to survivors' physical, psychological and social wellbeing are profound and well documented, and yet there are few studies exploring how to best promote resilience and holistic healing. This is especially true within shelter programs (where the majority of anti-trafficking services are provided) and during the transition out of residential shelter care, which is often a sensitive and challenging process. The current study begins to address this gap by centering the lived experiences of six women residing in a trafficking-specific shelter in Uganda as they unexpectedly transitioned back to their home communities due to the COVID-19 lockdown. We explore this pivotal moment in participants' post-trafficking journey, focusing on how these women described and interpreted their rapidly changing life circumstances—including leaving the shelter, adjusting back to the community setting, and simultaneously navigating the uncertainties of a global pandemic. Four core themes emerged from the analysis: economic insecurities as a cross-cutting hardship;intensification of emotional and physical symptoms;social disruptions;and sources of hope and resilience. By centering their personal stories of struggle and strength, we hope to elevate survivors' own accounts and draw on their insights to identify actionable considerations for future programming.

Finding a way through the fog: School staff experiences of the Covid-19 pandemic

This exploratory study reports on interviews carried out with 19 staff in UK schools during the early phase of the global Covid-19 pandemic. The focus of this qualitative study was to consider the impact of the pandemic on participants' mental health and wellbeing, and to identify buffering mechanisms which may have mitigated against adverse effects. Participants were employed in a range of role types (including leaders, teachers and teaching assistants) in different educational settings (primary, secondary and alternative provision), and in different regions of the United Kingdom. A process of thematic analysis identified five key themes from the data set: change and adaptation;loss;impact on wellbeing;risk and protective factors;and opportunities to reflect. Data indicate that staff resilience during this time can be understood as emerging from a nuanced and complex interaction of internal and external factors, and thus conceptualised within a socio-ecological framework. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

When "Time Is Not Your Own": Experiences of Mothering Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

As COVID-19 reached pandemic levels in March 2020, schools shifted to remote learning. Student parents in higher education had to adapt to their own remote learning and assume responsibility for childcare and their children's education. Few studies have explored the impact of COVID-19 on mothers who are also full-time students. This study utilized a phenomenological approach to understand the lived experiences of mothering students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Student mothers were recruited from a large, public, Hispanic-serving university in a Southern state. We conducted interviews with 15 student mothers who had at least one child under the age of 18 during the first six months of the pandemic. Three main themes emerged from the analyses: (1) successfully meeting educational requirements;(2) dealing with the mental health impact of the pandemic;and (3) changing the institutional structure. The first theme captured strategies mothering students implemented to ensure their own or their children's educational goals were met. The second theme encompassed how mothers handled the stress caused by the pandemic. The third theme explored ways that mothers resisted gendered expectations and norms around care. Implications for policy and social work practice include changing institutional structures to enhance support for mothering students.

The impact of covid-19 lockdown on parents and young people with autism spectrum disorder (asd)

The spread of COVID-19 resulted in restrictive lockdowns. For families supporting young people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the service system was stripped away. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of this challenging situation on a group of Australian carers and parents of children and young people with ASD, with an intention to inform policy and practice based on the lived experiences of these families. A survey of parents of children and young people with ASD in Australia returned 117 responses, of which 86 responded to open-ended questions about COVID-19 lockdowns. Twelve parents responded to the invitation to be interviewed. Interview and survey data were analysed thematically. Five themes emerged: accessing support services, receiving support services online, changes in behaviour, higher levels of conflict, and impact on health and relationships. The experience of lockdowns under COVID-19 undermined informal and formal support systems, and had a particularly strong negative impact on the experiences of children with ASD and their families. These findings also provide support for understanding the social model of disability as a mainstay in the lives of children with disabilities and their carers. IMPLICATIONS The social model of disability was dismantled for children and young people and their carers during the COVID crisis. This unacceptable attack on the human rights of disabled people (people with a disability) needs future planning to ensure that it does not occur again. Future crises require more nuanced policy and practice responses that do not close off all child and family supports to children with ASD and their carers. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The impact of life experiences on the school disciplinary practices of suburban high school administrators

This narrative study examined how the life experiences of high school administrators impact how they conceptualize and understand school discipline. These experiences were then positioned within the current context of COVID-19 pandemic related school closures and protests associated with George Floyd's death which brought light to systemic racism prevalent in school codes of conduct to determine how these events changed their disciplinary practices. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight administrators from suburban schools in the New York metropolitan region that also had a minority student population of at least 10%. Transcripts were analyzed using in vivo and process coding to identify themes across the interviews. Three themes were identified: elements that lead to an initial understanding of school discipline, how these initial practices change over time, and the twin impact of COVID-19 and protests highlighting systemic racism causing a drastic change to how administrators respond to student misbehavior. These findings were then analyzed using Critical Race Theory and situated among the current literature. The first finding was centered on the understanding administrators use their personal experiences as both as student and teacher to establish their understanding of school discipline. The second finding uncovered an awareness that in order to address student behaviors, administrators develop stakeholder connections. Lastly, there was an awareness and discovery that codes of conduct in their respective schools contributed to disproportionate discipline. While some administrators had already been working to enact change, others were in the beginning stages of learning about this problem and were unsure of the next steps. Form these findings, recommendations for practice and research were proposed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Editorial: An international showcase

Accessible summary: After the consultation with people with learning disabilities, the topic of health inequalities was chosen for the 2024 special issue.The lives of people with learning disabilities around the world was also of interest to people so we have made this the theme of this issue. There are papers from the Czech Republic, Hong Kong, Belgium, Chile and Iceland.We also have papers about life in the COVID‐19 pandemic.

A survey on the use of remote consultation for people with intellectual disability: The experience of community intellectual disability teams

Since COVID-19, remote consultation (by telephone and video) has become widespread. This study investigated the experience of using remote consultation in Specialist Intellectual Disability Community services. A total of 126 health staff working across eight Specialist Intellectual Disability Community teams in the NHS Health Board of Greater Glasgow and Clyde were asked to complete a short Likert-scale survey about remote consultation. There were 61 (48%) respondents from a range of disciplines. Overall, respondents were positive about remote consultation but found it was often inadequate to complete a full patient assessment. Moving forwards, respondents wanted around 60% of all consultations to remain face-to-face. It was significantly more difficult to engage and communicate with patients with more severe levels of disability. Remote consultation has been successful, but there is still a need for face-to-face assessment in intellectual disability services, particularly when working with people with more severe levels of disability.

How learning from the lived experiences of child protection social workers, can help us understand the factors underpinning workforce instability within the english child protection system

ABSTRACT The English child protection system continues to be the focus of national commentary in light of several high-profile deaths and the recently published reports from the Review of Children's Social Care, and the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel. Whilst narratives of 'failure', 'betrayal', and 'scandalous incompetence' perpetuate, these forgo consideration of the complexity of child protection work, nor do they acknowledge that during the COVID-19 'lockdowns', social workers remained one of the few professional groups visiting vulnerable families at home. Moreover, of the recent accounts of the lived experience of social workers, these have omitted a specific overview of what it means to be a child protection practitioner. Drawing from an original ethnography of a statutory child protection team and supplemented by follow-up interviews, the article seeks to elucidate the long-standing lived experience of a cohort of child protection social workers. It highlights a 'tendency' to be the target of threats and intimidation and identifies other costs in the context of health and personal relationships. The article concludes that these findings could help us better understand child protection workforce instability and the system's reliance on agency staff - both of which continue to be identified as contributory in child death tragedies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Research Roundup

In this regular feature, aesthetic nurse Claudia McGloin presents a brief synopsis of a range of recently published articles on medical aesthetics. Research roundup aims to provide an overview, rather than a detailed summary and critique, of the papers selected. Should you wish to look at any of the papers in more detail, a full reference is provided at the end of each study summary

Examining the life experiences of first-generation students in urban 4-year institutions through a strengths-based lens

First-generation college students are the first in their families to pursue postsecondary education. As a result, they may lack the information and resources to navigate the college process and its transitions. More research is needed on how focusing on first-generation students' strengths can inform programs and support to assist with the postsecondary transition. This study further explores the assets that first-generation students bring to the college experience and how capitalizing on these strengths through programs and support can ease the transition process and help first-generation college students develop a sense of belonging. This qualitative, phenomenological research study was conducted through ten interviews with undergraduate, first-generation college students. The emerging themes were parents and family, peers, professors and staff, and programs and services, which aligned with the literature. This research study had two significant findings: (a) students with older siblings who completed college, extended-generation students viewed themselves differently from traditional first-generation students, and (b) first-generation students felt a sense of belonging and connectedness throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and its continuing effects. Suggestions for future research and implications for practice are also discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Academic resilience: Personal stories and lessons learnt from the COVID-19 experience

In this work for academics, international contributors in education, communication, new media, digital learning, and organization studies describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on academics in higher education, and their institutions. The book highlights the personal and professional experiences of academics across varying career stages. Four chapters are devoted to personal stories of sustained resilience in the face of the obstacles and uncertainty of the pandemic. Others chapters demonstrate collective resilience and collaboration, with examples from around the world. In addition, the book presents a conceptual framework, the Academic Resilience Model. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Experiences of workers with post-COVID-19 symptoms can signpost suitable workplace accommodations

Purpose: The prevalence and multi-system nature of post-COVID-19 symptoms warrants clearer understanding of their work ability implications within the working age population. An exploratory survey was undertaken to provide empirical evidence of the work-relevant experiences of workers recovering from COVID-19. Design/methodology/approach: A bespoke online survey based on a biopsychosocial framework ran between December 2020 and February 2021. It collected quantitative ratings of work ability and return-to-work status, qualitative responses about return-to-work experiences, obstacles and recommendations, along with views on employer benefits for making accommodations. A sample of 145 UK workers recovering from COVID-19 was recruited via social media, professional networks and industry contacts. Qualitative data was subject to thematic analysis. Participants were mainly from health/social care (50%) and educational settings (14%). Findings: Just over 90% indicated that they had experienced at least some post-COVID-19 symptoms, notably fatigue and cognitive effects. For 55%, symptoms lasted longer than six months. Only 15% had managed a full return-to-work. Of the 88 who provided workability ratings, just 13 and 18% respectively rated their physical and mental workability as good or very good. Difficulties in resuming work were attributed to symptom unpredictability, their interaction with job demands, managing symptoms and demands in parallel, unhelpful attitudes and expectations. Manager and peer support was reported as variable. Originality/value: Workplace health management characterised by flexible long-term collaborative return-to-work planning, supported by more COVID-centric absence policies and organisational cultures, appear pivotal for sustaining the return-to-work of the large segments of the global workforce affected by post-COVID-19 symptoms. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

COVID-19 as a crucible: The transformation of global educators

This article examines how the crisis of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) became a crucible, or a means of transformation, for global educators. How teachers leverage their lived experience of teaching through the implications of COVID-19 to transform identity and practice is a new phenomenon and merits examination. Through a collection of interviews, the ways in which the life experiences of teaching through COVID-19 worked to create new identities in teachers and new practices within the classroom is examined. Data was gathered through informal interviews from eleven educators teaching through the crisis of COVID-19 across the world, including four continents and six countries. Drawing on simple thematic analysis, a narrative approach was utilized to examine the process of transformation in teachers across the globe. The findings and analysis of this research will help those working with teachers better understand how teachers leverage a crisis be it COVID-19, or another disruptive force, as a crucible for transformation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Walking, wilderness, and exposure: Learning from Thoreau's episode on Katahdin

Walking is a simple way to live more sustainably, if for no other reason than it reduces one's carbon footprint and improves physical health. However, research in psychology and public health indicates walking also promotes positive affect in individuals (Ekkekakis et al., 2000) and a deeper sense of community among neighbors (Wood et al., 2010) and even facilitates healthy conflict resolution between disputants (Webb et al., 2017). The famous writer and environmental thinker Henry David Thoreau had life-changing experiences when hiking on Mt. Katahdin, the highest mountain in Maine. This chapter discusses the contemporary significance of Thoreau's experiences. Thoreau encountered elements of nature that were not as tranquil as those he observed around Walden Pond. Thoreau's example shows the importance of both wilderness experiences and philosophical reflection in promoting psychological resilience and adaptability. The chapter also discusses moral errors related to both COVID-19 and climate change made by people who deny collective responsibility to those who are most vulnerable. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)