Widowed Young: The Role of Stressors and Protective Factors for Resilience in Coping with Spousal Loss.

While distressing, late life spousal loss is considered a normative life event and most demonstrate resilient recovery from grief. However, for 5-7% of the population spousal loss comes early, before the age of 50, and little is known about the factors that influence adjustment in this population. We used the DPM integrative framework to examine correlates and predictors of mental wellbeing and grief intensity in an international sample of 603 young widows and widowers. Contrary to existing bereavement research, loss-orientated stressors (e.g., expectedness and cause of death) did not predict bereavement outcomes. Employment and financial wellbeing were the only statistically significant restoration-orientated stressors associated with coping, mental wellbeing and grief intensity. We found no significant associations between parental status and coping or bereavement outcomes. Loss-orientated coping, followed by inter and intrapersonal protective factors for resilience and financial wellbeing were the greatest predictors of grief intensity. Loss-orientated coping was highest in early bereavement, the greatest predictor of grief intensity and associated with being unemployed, financial insecurity and decreased protective factors for resilience. Restoration-orientated coping was highest in later bereavement, was a weak predictor of grief intensity and associated with being employed, increased financial wellbeing and protective factors for resilience. Overall, we found the young-widowed population is at heightened risk of poor adjustment. Almost two-thirds reported decreased functioning, probable depression with high rates of psychological distress. Nearly half met diagnostic criteria for prolonged grief disorder. We discuss implications for research and clinical practice.

Vicarious Trauma: Exploring the Experiences of Qualitative Researchers Who Study Traumatized Populations.

OBJECTIVE: A substantial body of research exists regarding vicarious trauma (VT) exposure among helping professionals across disciplines and settings. There is limited research, however, on exposure to VT in qualitative researchers studying traumatized populations. The objective of this study was to explore the experiences of qualitative researchers who study traumatized populations and to identify potential protective strategies for reducing the risk of VT. METHODS: The study utilized a qualitative methodological design. Focus groups and in-depth interviews were conducted using a semi-structured script. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify both risk factors and protective factors associated with VT. A sample of 58 research participants were recruited using a multimodal recruitment strategy. RESULTS: Using thematic analysis, the following key themes emerged: exposure to primary trauma, the impact of stigma, organizational context, individual context, and research context. The opportunity for posttraumatic growth was also identified. CONCLUSION: Qualitative researchers of traumatized populations need to recognize the potential for VT and implement appropriate protection strategies from the risk of VT. The development of policies and guidelines that recognize the importance of both self-care and plan for researcher safety and well-being is a potential strategy for building researcher resilience and preventing VT.

Contact, moral foundations or knowledge? What predicts attitudes towards women who undergo IVF.

BACKGROUND: The willingness to try in vitro fertilization (IVF) as an infertility treatment, as well as its psychosocial consequences for couples, may be influenced by how they perceive the attitudes of general public towards this procedure. The focus of the current study was to identify predictors of attitudes towards mothers who underwent IVF to conceive a child. Three predictors were derived from attitude components: contact with someone who had undergone IVF (behavior), moral foundations (emotions), and the level of knowledge (cognition) about IVF. METHOD: In total, 817 participants (118 male and 692 female, 7 unreported) from Poland took part in the study. Participants were asked whether they knew a person who underwent IVF, completed a Moral Foundation Questionnaire, and answered a pre-piloted IVF knowledge test. Attitudes towards women who utilised IVF were measured with a modified Bogardus Social Distance Scale. Data were analysed using hierarchical and logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: The results showed that there was a weak link between previous contact with a person who underwent IVF and a positive attitude toward a woman who underwent IVF. The attitudes was also predicted by moral foundations: positively by care/harm and fairness/cheating foundations, and negatively by sanctity/degradation. Importantly, more knowledge about IVF was linked with a more positive attitude towards IVF, and this effect explained additional variance over and above moral foundations. CONCLUSIONS: Our study implies the need of psychoeducation to prevent stigmatization of individuals who try IVF due to infertility.

Early disease surveillance in young children with cystic fibrosis: A qualitative analysis of parent experiences.

BACKGROUND: Sensitive measures of early lung disease are being integrated into therapeutic trials and clinical practice in cystic fibrosis (CF). The impact of early disease surveillance (EDS) using these novel and often intensive techniques on young children and their families is not well researched. METHODS: The Australian Respiratory Early Surveillance Team for Cystic Fibrosis (AREST CF) has operated a combined clinical and research early disease surveillance program, based around annual chest CT scan, bronchoscopy and lung function from newborn screening diagnosis until age 6 years, for over two-decades. To explore parental experiences of EDS in their child, a qualitative study was conducted using audio-recorded, semi-structured interviews in n=46 mothers and n=21 fathers of children (aged 3-months to six years) attending CF centres in Perth and Melbourne, Australia. Themes were developed iteratively using thematic analysis and assessed for validity and confirmability. RESULTS: Parents' experiences were positive overall; affording a sense of control over CF, disease knowledge, and belief that EDS was in the best interests of their child. Challenges included poor understanding about EDS measures leading to anxiety and distress, self-blame surrounding adverse findings, and emotional burden of surveillance visits. Tailored information regarding the practical and psychosocial aspects of EDS were endorsed. CONCLUSION: While experiences were generally positive there is need for information and psychosocial support for parents to mitigate anxiety and develop positive coping strategies surrounding surveillance procedures and results. Managing expectations regarding risks and benefits of disease surveillance in clinical and research settings are important aspects of care.

Do Paramedics Have a Professional Obligation to Work During a Pandemic? A Qualitative Exploration of Community Member Expectations.

OBJECTIVES: Previous research has identified a lack of clarification regarding paramedic professional obligation to work. Understanding community expectations of paramedics will provide some clarity around this issue. The objective of this research was to explore the expectations of a sample of Australian community members regarding the professional obligation of paramedics to respond during pandemics. METHODS: The authors used qualitative methods to gather Australian community member perspectives immediately before the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Focus groups were used for data collection, and a thematic analysis was conducted. RESULTS: The findings revealed 9 key themes: context of obligation (normal operations versus crisis situation), hierarchy of obligation (individual versus organizational obligation), risk acceptability, acceptable occupational risk (it's part of the job), access to personal protective equipment, legal and ethical guidelines, education and training, safety, and acceptable limitations to obligation. The factors identified as being acceptable limitations to professional obligation are presented as further sub-themes: physical health, mental health, and competing personal obligations. CONCLUSIONS: The issue of professional obligation must be addressed by ambulance services as a matter of urgency, especially in light of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. Further research is recommended to understand how community member expectations evolve during and after the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

Quality of life and psychological distress in cancer survivors: The role of psycho-social resources for resilience.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between scores on the Protective Factors for Resilience Scale (PFRS) (as a measure of a person's psycho-social resources for resilience) and quality of life as well as symptoms of psychological distress for adult cancer survivors. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 295 cancer survivors (59% female) provided background demographic information and completed the PFRS as well as measures of quality of life and psychological distress previously validated with cancer survivors. Most of the survivors were diagnosed with breast or prostate cancer. RESULTS: Analysis of the data confirmed the factor structure for the PFRS for cancer survivors. While controlling for Body Mass Index and age, psycho-social resources were a unique and positive predictor for all quality of life measures as well as being a unique and negative predictor for the measures of psychological distress (depression, anxiety, and somatization). There was a high degree of consistency regarding these findings for male and female survivors. CONCLUSIONS: The PFRS is a brief and valid measure of psycho-social resources for resilience in adult cancer survivors, and scores on the PFRS proved to be a good predictor of quality of life and psychological distress of these cancer survivors. Using the PFRS to assess the psycho-social resources for resilience would be helpful when developing interventions to enhance the psychological health of adults as they adapt to a diagnosis of cancer.

Life is precious: Sarcoma/giant-cell tumors survivors' perspectives on their psychological journey.

OBJECTIVES: Although surviving bone resection/limb salvage surgery treatment is the beginning of the journey towards recovery, the importance of providing patients with post-operative psychological support is often overlooked by health professionals. Hence, patients typically are left to their own devices in terms of ensuring their mental health and well-being. Methodological Approach and Participants: This qualitative analysis of seven long-term sarcoma survivors' reflective journal entries provides insights into the different phases of distress, resilience building, resilient growth and advice-giving that they moved through during their survivorship journey. INTERPRETATION: Our findings identify the fragility of patient resilience and highlight areas for future research.

Psychological consequences of IVF fertilization - Review of research.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Due to the reported efficacy of in vitro fertilization (IVF) this method of dealing with infertility is increasing being used. Experiencing IVF can be a source of psychological and emotional difficulties for couples trying to have a child. A systematic review was performed to discuss IVF as a psychological issue that impacts on the functioning of individuals, couples and families. Ebsco, Science Direct and PsycARTICLES databases were searched using the keywords: IVF fertilization, IVF psychology, infertility, and IVF consequences, using published peer reviewed articles from 2006 onwards. Studies in the English and Polish languages, peer reviewed and investigating general IVF and infertility psychological issues were included. Data was collected by the authors between June 2015-January 2016. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF KNOWLEDGE: Studies indicate that partners going through IVF may not have enough support from their closest social environments. It is argued that these unsupportive social interactions affect the well-being of couples, can hinder conception, and therefore are one of the reasons for attrition from IVF, the most effective assisted reproduction method. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need to conduct studies on the effect of supportive social interactions for the functioning of couples undergoing IVF.

A phenomenological exploration of the childfree choice in a sample of Australian women.

Choosing not to have children is considered a deviation from cultural norms, particularly the dominant pronatalist discourse; this is especially so for women. However, little research has documented the experience of Australian women who have consciously chosen to remain childless. Ten voluntarily childfree women participated in unstructured interviews about their choice and its ramifications. The data analysis revealed three broad themes - the experiences and processes of making the choice; the ongoing effects of their choice, ranging from support and acceptance to pressure and discrimination; and no regret as the women described engaging in meaningful, generative activities that contributed to society.