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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Exploring Women’S Education And Employment Opportunities In India, Syria, And The Philippines, Emma R. Sarcol, Ines Coutinho, Elle Maguire, Helen C. Collins, Patricia A. Jolliffe Dr
Exploring Women’S Education And Employment Opportunities In India, Syria, And The Philippines, Emma R. Sarcol, Ines Coutinho, Elle Maguire, Helen C. Collins, Patricia A. Jolliffe Dr
The Qualitative Report
The implementation of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals in 2015 marked a new chapter in global development and laid the foundations for addressing inequalities that hinder holistic progress. However, gender gaps pose a significant threat to achieving these goals. Project DREAM (Developing Resilience, Education, Aspiration, and Motivation) sought to explore women’s sense of aspiration, achievement, and lived experience in India, Syria, and the Philippines, as well as develop pilot interventions to address gender disparities. Semi-structured interviews with 69 young women from India, Syria, and the Philippines informed the development of three interventions, namely an aspiration and job skills workshop …
African-Centered Psychological Perspective On Happiness, Kopano Ratele, Carmine Rustin
African-Centered Psychological Perspective On Happiness, Kopano Ratele, Carmine Rustin
The Qualitative Report
Happiness scholarship has gained prominence in a number of disciplines over the last few decades, including economics and psychology. In South Africa, we have observed an uptick in happiness studies, but also that these studies are mostly using quantitative methodologies. What is missing in nearly all these studies are conceptualizations of happiness from African-centered decolonial psychological perspectives. The main objective in this article is to approach happiness from an African-centered decolonial psychological perspective. The article draws on data from a qualitative study which investigated happiness and gender equality amongst South African women. Convenience sampling was employed to recruit participants. Eleven …
Empowered Women In A Rural Community: A Case Study In Sarapiquí, Costa Rica, Patricia López-Estrada, Lady Fernández-Mora, Estefanía Pérez-Hidalgo
Empowered Women In A Rural Community: A Case Study In Sarapiquí, Costa Rica, Patricia López-Estrada, Lady Fernández-Mora, Estefanía Pérez-Hidalgo
The Qualitative Report
Community empowerment plays a key role in the working of society. Providing support and training opportunities to communities and promoting socioeconomic growth can be of fundamental importance to the progress of any region but is particularly important in rural areas. Women in rural communities frequently have been confined to playing roles in the home, despite recent literature suggesting that empowering them can boost the development of their communities. Drawing on inductive qualitative research, this case study describes the perceptions of five rural women from Sarapiquí in the Northern Region of Costa Rica after undergoing training in tourism entrepreneurship in the …
The Lived Experiences Of Middle Eastern Immigrant Women During Their Cancer Survivorship Journey: A Phenomenological Study, Enam Alsrayheen, Khaldoun Aldiabat, Catherine Aquino-Russell
The Lived Experiences Of Middle Eastern Immigrant Women During Their Cancer Survivorship Journey: A Phenomenological Study, Enam Alsrayheen, Khaldoun Aldiabat, Catherine Aquino-Russell
The Qualitative Report
The number of Middle Eastern immigrant women (MEIW) living in Canada has significantly increased. However, this group of women is underrepresented in health research and there is a gap in knowledge of their cancer survivorship experiences in Canada. This phenomenological qualitative approach was employed to uncover the meaning of the lived experiences of MEIW during their cancer survivorship journey (CSJ). Data were collected through unstructured interviews and one written description from three MEIW. The participants' perspectives of cancer risk factors were believed to be the cause of their cancer, and their CSJ was fear-inducing and anxiety-provoking. There appears to be …
Calling Out Street Harassment Of Women And Lgbtq People: A Review Of Kolysh’S Everyday Violence, Alexandra Nowakowski
Calling Out Street Harassment Of Women And Lgbtq People: A Review Of Kolysh’S Everyday Violence, Alexandra Nowakowski
The Qualitative Report
Street harassment often impacts people whose identities and presentations of self-intersect with femininity in any way. Yet, despite this frequent unwelcome scrutiny of our bodies and selves, few scholars have turned their own appraising gazes on street harassment in kind. Fewer still have centered queer and trans people in their inquiry. In Everyday Violence: The Public Harassment of Women & LGBTQ People, Dr. Simone Kolysh (2021) critically investigates street harassment from intersectional queer and nonbinary feminist perspectives. Their research both amplifies voices from survivors of harassment and directly explores perspectives from perpetrators of harassment. Per Kolysh’s own reflections, this …
Fastest On The Playground: Four Generations Of Female Sport Experience, Jessica B. Kirby
Fastest On The Playground: Four Generations Of Female Sport Experience, Jessica B. Kirby
The Qualitative Report
The life sport experiences of four generations of females were explored through narrative family research and presented through research poetry. Their stories powerfully represent the transformation of sport and exercise culture across seven decades of overlapping life experiences and demonstrate the generational transmission of value for, expectation of, and experiences with sport. A poem representing each girl/woman’s story was crafted by the author, through the process of poetic transcription, and is presented alongside a photo illustrating each individual’s experiences. The generational experiences and implications of the findings are discussed within the broader sport psychology and sport sociology literature.
Puhi In The Tree And Other Stories: Unlocking The Metaphor In Native And Indigenous Hawaiian Storytelling, Renuka M. De Silva, Joshua E. Hunter
Puhi In The Tree And Other Stories: Unlocking The Metaphor In Native And Indigenous Hawaiian Storytelling, Renuka M. De Silva, Joshua E. Hunter
The Qualitative Report
Human beings live and tell stories for many reasons, and it is a way to not only understand one another but to give a time and place to events and experiences. Therefore, a narrational approach within the context of this research offers a frame of reference and a way to reflect during the entire process of gathering data and writing. This study examines the importance of storytelling among Native (Kānaka ‘Ōiwi) and Indigenous (Kānaka Maoli) women of Hawai ̒ i and their interconnectedness to land and spirituality through accessing [k]new knowledge. The main focus of this article is to illustrate …
Research Recruitment: A Case Study On Women With Substance Use Disorder, Kristy J. Cook Phd, Rn, Ibclc, Kim L. Larson Phd, Mph, Rn, Fnap
Research Recruitment: A Case Study On Women With Substance Use Disorder, Kristy J. Cook Phd, Rn, Ibclc, Kim L. Larson Phd, Mph, Rn, Fnap
The Qualitative Report
Women with substance use disorder may evade research participation because of individual and societal factors. Limited information exists on recruitment of women with substance use disorder. The purpose of this study was to delineate recruitment challenges among women with substance use disorder and identify successful recruitment strategies. An exploratory case study was used to examine recruitment of women with substance use disorder. This case study was informed by a pilot study in 2017-2018, where data were generated from 25 direct observations and three key informants from a drug rehabilitation treatment agency. Analysis took an explanation-building approach, which incorporated chronological field …
Strategies Used By Military Spouse Small Businesses During A Military Relocation, Sandra D. Heredia, Patricia Fusch
Strategies Used By Military Spouse Small Businesses During A Military Relocation, Sandra D. Heredia, Patricia Fusch
The Qualitative Report
There are over 615,000 women military spouses and 1,786 known military spouse business owners who relocate every 2 to 3 years to follow their active duty spouse. The research problem addressed was the lack of strategies military spouse small business owners used to sustain their business during a mandatory military relocation. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies 5 women military spouse small business owners, located at military installations in the Midlands and Pee Dee regions of South Carolina, used to sustain their businesses during a relocation. The sampling method used was census sampling. The …
“Save My Baby”: The Lived Experience Of Hospitalized Pregnant Women With A Threat Of Preterm Birth, Dua' Yousef Al-Maharma, Inaam A. Khalaf, Fathieh Abu-Moghli, Sajeda Alhamory
“Save My Baby”: The Lived Experience Of Hospitalized Pregnant Women With A Threat Of Preterm Birth, Dua' Yousef Al-Maharma, Inaam A. Khalaf, Fathieh Abu-Moghli, Sajeda Alhamory
The Qualitative Report
Activity restriction in hospital to prevent preterm birth (PTB) is widely used as the first step of treatment. It is associated with adverse physiological and psychological effects on maternal and fetal health that might persist years after birth. A sample of 10 pregnant women who were hospitalized for being at risk for PTB were purposively recruited to describe their lived experience via semi-structured in-depth interview. Five themes were identified, the maternal role establishment and suspending responsibilities, the women's perception of fear of uncertainty and finding support, dissatisfaction of care, the change of routine life and family relationships, and the cultural …
Using Interviewing In Public Health Research: Experiences Of Novice Researchers, Caroline I. Wood, Nancy Daley-Moore, Rachel Powell
Using Interviewing In Public Health Research: Experiences Of Novice Researchers, Caroline I. Wood, Nancy Daley-Moore, Rachel Powell
The Qualitative Report
In this article, we provide the experiences of three novice public health researchers conducting studies with several vulnerable populations: women, people with disabilities, and children. We describe all phases of our interview studies including developing data collection guides, planning the interview in an appropriate setting, conducting the interviews, and bringing the interview to a close. Specific components of the interviews that are discussed include establishing rapport and minimizing the power imbalance inherent between interviewer and interviewee, including the added power imbalance that vulnerable populations experience. Issues of maintaining quality and rigor, as well as ethical considerations for working with our …
Frenemies In The Academy: Relational Aggression Among African American Women Academicians, Wendi S. Williams, Catherine Lynne Packer-Williams
Frenemies In The Academy: Relational Aggression Among African American Women Academicians, Wendi S. Williams, Catherine Lynne Packer-Williams
The Qualitative Report
Black women academicians represent a highly educated group that at times hold positional power within institutions of higher education. In this paper, the authors utilize a critical race feminist frame to explore their experiences with relational aggressive dynamics within higher education work settings. Using auto-narrative qualitative methodology, they collected data through scholarly personal narratives in the form of journals. The entries were analyzed by utilizing an intersectional lens with a focus on coping. Data analysis yielded four themes framed as coping with frenemy dynamics between individuals and contexts. The authors consider the contribution of individual, institutional and structural elements.
Creating New Metaphors For Women Engineering Students Through Qualitative Methods, Cliff Haynes
Creating New Metaphors For Women Engineering Students Through Qualitative Methods, Cliff Haynes
The Qualitative Report
The purpose of this study is to describe female students’ experiences in an engineering living-learning program using metaphorical analysis through a constructivist theoretical perspective. Extant literature uses metaphors from a negative viewpoint or a deficit model to describe the experiences of female undergraduates in engineering; however, new metaphors have not been used to describe the experience. This study aims to fill existing gaps in LLP literature using qualitative methods. Data from 13 semi-structured individual interviews (7 initial interviews and 6 follow-up interviews) serve as the primary data source. After conducting metaphorical analysis, I found five interpretive metaphors emerging: LLP as …
The Coach’S Journal: Experiences Of Black Female Assistant Coaches In Ncaa Division I Women’S Basketball, Leslie K. Larsen, Leslee Fisher, Lauren Moret
The Coach’S Journal: Experiences Of Black Female Assistant Coaches In Ncaa Division I Women’S Basketball, Leslie K. Larsen, Leslee Fisher, Lauren Moret
The Qualitative Report
In NCAA Division I women’s basketball, Black female coaches make up only a small percentage of the total number of coaches (i.e., 26%; NCAA, 2016) even though the majority of student-athletes are Black (i.e., 51%). Although these discrepancies have recently been recognized in sport studies literature (Borland & Bruening, 2010; LaVoi & Dutove, 2012), sport psychology researchers have yet to explore the underlying structural and psychological issues that lead to the underrepresentation of Black female coaches in NCAA Division I women’s basketball. To this end, we utilized narrative inquiry (Smith & Sparkes, 2009a) in the current study to explore the …
Women’S Lived Experience Of Pregnancy And Child Birth: Narratives From Pakistan, Rabia Ali, Ume Habiba, Hazir Ullah
Women’S Lived Experience Of Pregnancy And Child Birth: Narratives From Pakistan, Rabia Ali, Ume Habiba, Hazir Ullah
The Qualitative Report
In Pakistan there are unique socio-cultural factors that contribute to women’s experiences of pregnancy and childbirth. This study explores Pakistani women’s experiences of pregnancy and childbirth an area that remains under researched in the country. Qualitative research was employed for data collection by using an un-structured interview guide. The informants included twelve women who had recently been through the childbirth process for the first and second time. The collected data reveals that women were unaware of the use of multi vitamins during pregnancy. They delayed physical check-ups with a gynaecologist. Women encountered challenges at work during pregnancy and encountered work …
A Woman As A Decision-Maker: Exploring The "Lived Experience" At Home And Outside, Ray Titus, Debashish Sengupta, Sahana Madan
A Woman As A Decision-Maker: Exploring The "Lived Experience" At Home And Outside, Ray Titus, Debashish Sengupta, Sahana Madan
The Qualitative Report
In this research paper, we look at decision-making by women in India from a contextual perspective. This study looks at decision making by women as based on four possible contexts that may arise, and where decisions are called for. These contexts are qualified based on two broad parameters, namely the level of involvement (dictated by the stakes at play) and the predisposition displayed. Involvement is qualified as high or low (on a continuum), whilst predisposition is stated as either cognitive or affective. The results of the research study reveal a difficult act of balancing that women have to do in …
Perceptions Of Being A Woman And Strategies For Women’S Body Image Resilience, Lauren L. Mclean, Amanda C. Laguardia
Perceptions Of Being A Woman And Strategies For Women’S Body Image Resilience, Lauren L. Mclean, Amanda C. Laguardia
The Qualitative Report
Although the negative effects of female body objectification are well established, there is a lack of qualitative research examining how women can develop resiliency against body image issues and low self-esteem. Through the current phenomenological qualitative study, we sought to explore how participants defined being a woman, particularly a woman with healthy self-esteem. In addition, we explored several resiliency strategies, based on Choate’s (2005) theoretical model of body image resilience, that women could potentially use to combat some of the effects of objectification. Results indicated that female participants experience normative beliefs and gender expectations that a woman with a healthy …
Seeking A Research Method To Study Women Who Have Recovered From Trauma And Addiction That Combines Feminist Theory, Somatic Theory, Alternative Forms Of Representation, And Social Justice, Sharon N. Stopforth
Seeking A Research Method To Study Women Who Have Recovered From Trauma And Addiction That Combines Feminist Theory, Somatic Theory, Alternative Forms Of Representation, And Social Justice, Sharon N. Stopforth
The Qualitative Report
The following paper attempts to find an approach to research that will best suit women who have recovered from addictions and trauma and consider themselves resilient. This approach will need to combine contemporary feminist theory, somatic theory, and alternative forms of representation/interpretation. The paper will begin by exploring the connection between postmodern feminist theory and somatic theory and what they both have to say about how we embody social conditions of gender through non-verbal interactions. Research will then be examined that captures the non-verbal aspects of being in the world and how this intersects with the postmodern turn. Finally, in …
Inconvenient Women, Audra Skukauskaite
Inconvenient Women, Audra Skukauskaite
The Qualitative Report
The poem developed from collective stories of women who have shared their experiences, challenges, and actions of being scholars, professors, graduate students, business owners, and/or parents, among a multitude of other roles that often inconvenienced those who had particular views of what women are supposed to be and do.
Reflexivity: Interviewing Women And Men Formerly Addicted To Drugs And/Or Alcohol, Judith Grant
Reflexivity: Interviewing Women And Men Formerly Addicted To Drugs And/Or Alcohol, Judith Grant
The Qualitative Report
This article considers how one researcher used reflexivity in two research projects. Qualitative research often involves a consideration of sensitive topics, one which may include research with individuals formerly addicted to drugs and/or alcohol. However, there is little in the literature that focuses directly on such experiences for researchers in this field; that is, a consideration of how a researcher might use reflectivity while interviewing those formerly addicted to substances. Exploring the following themes, I highlight how I reflected on the experiences that my participants (25 women and 25 men) revealed about their stories of their addiction and recovery processes: …
Letters To Grandma: A Comparison Of Generational Perspectives Of Women's Growth As Higher Education Faculty, Elyn Mcreynolds Palmer
Letters To Grandma: A Comparison Of Generational Perspectives Of Women's Growth As Higher Education Faculty, Elyn Mcreynolds Palmer
The Qualitative Report
This ethnographic compilation is the result of a course exercise in qualitative research. A current student of Texas Tech University interviewed an 87-yearold faculty member from the 1950s, comparing her experiences to those of the author in similar, present-day academic environments. The author developed the format of the paper as letters between a young faculty member and her experienced grandmother. Results of the study reflect many similarities between the experiences of past female faculty members and female faculty of today; the exercise does convey, however, many advances for women in the academic culture as well. Finally, the recorded experiences of …
Women In Transition: A Qualitative Analysis Of Definitions Of Poverty And Success, Crystale M. Marsh-Mcdonald, Sybil Schroeder
Women In Transition: A Qualitative Analysis Of Definitions Of Poverty And Success, Crystale M. Marsh-Mcdonald, Sybil Schroeder
The Qualitative Report
A phenomenological approach examined the stories of ten women transitioning from childhood poverty to adult life. Women were chosen from a pool of participants in an Upward Bound program designed to assist low-income and/or first-generation college students in the Midwestern United States. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to retrospectively explore their lived experiences. Recurring themes included facilitators of change, specifically the people, including mental health professionals, family members, romantic partners, and friends who helped make change possible. Another frequent theme found in the research was the impact an education had on the participants. Finally, the participants shared their own insights related …
Applying Grounded Theory To Weight Management Among Women: Making A Commitment To Healthy Eating, Christie Zunker, Nataliya Ivankova
Applying Grounded Theory To Weight Management Among Women: Making A Commitment To Healthy Eating, Christie Zunker, Nataliya Ivankova
The Qualitative Report
In this study we developed a theory grounded in data from women who continued healthy eating behaviors after a weight management program. Participant recruitment was guided by theoretical sampling strategies for focus groups and individual interviews. Inclusion criteria were: African American or Caucasian women aged 30+ who lost > 5% of their body weight in a weight management program > year ago. Participants > 5% below their baseline weight were maintainers (n = 9); those above were non-maintainers (n = 14). We asked open-ended questions regarding healthy eating behaviors. The systematic design is described in detail, including categories from open coding, connection during …
A Qualitative Study Of Providers' Perception Of Adherence Of Women Living With Hiv/Aids In Puerto Rico, Marta Rivero-Méndez, Carol S. Dawson-Rose, Solymar S. Solís-Báez
A Qualitative Study Of Providers' Perception Of Adherence Of Women Living With Hiv/Aids In Puerto Rico, Marta Rivero-Méndez, Carol S. Dawson-Rose, Solymar S. Solís-Báez
The Qualitative Report
This study examines healthcare providers' perceptions regarding experiences and factors that contribute to adherent and non-adherent behaviors to HIV treatment among women living with HIV infection in Puerto Rico and describes strategies implemented to improve adherence. Providers' accounts revealed that women with HIV infection are living "beyond their strengths" attempting to reconcile the burden of the illness and keep adherent. Factors putting women beyond their strengths and influencing non-adherence behavior were: gender-related demands, fear of disclosure, and treatment complexity. Strategies to improve adherence included: ongoing assessment, education, collaborative work, support groups, networking, disguising pills, readiness, and seeking medications outside their …
Characteristics Of Home: Perspectives Of Women Who Are Homeless, Christine A. Walsh, Gayle E. Rutherford, Natasha Kuzmak
Characteristics Of Home: Perspectives Of Women Who Are Homeless, Christine A. Walsh, Gayle E. Rutherford, Natasha Kuzmak
The Qualitative Report
We employed participatory, community-based research methods to explore the perceptions of home among women who are homeless. Twenty women engaged in one or more techniques including qualitative interviews, digital story telling, creative writing, photovoice, and design charrette to characterize their perceptions of home. Analysis of the data revealed themes related to the physical, affective, and external environment. By understanding how participants perceive home and the qualities they deem necessary for home, we can begin to construct home from both a service and design perspective that meets womens needs for stable, safe housing and home, and also gain a better understanding …
“Taking Charge Of One’S Life”: A Model For Weight Management Success, Marlene Adams
“Taking Charge Of One’S Life”: A Model For Weight Management Success, Marlene Adams
The Qualitative Report
Obesity is a serious, prevalent, and refractory disorder that increases with age particularly in women who enroll in formal weight loss treatments. This study examined the processes used by obese postmenopausal women as they participated in a formal weight loss program. Using grounded theory, interviews were conducted with 14 women engaged in a formal weight loss study examining success with specific, targeted weight loss treatments based on one’s weight control self-efficacy typology. “Taking Charge of One’s Life” emerged as a model for weight management success, comprised of three phases: engaging, internalizing, and keeping one’s commitment. This study supports the unique, …