The introduction of the Domestic Abuse and Civil Proceedings (DACP) Act (2021) criminalized coercive control and other forms of abuse, aligning Northern Ireland’s legal framework with the rest of the United Kingdom. This legislative shift prompted calls for enhanced training of frontline statutory professionals and improved protection for victims. However, limited research has explored how survivors experience and navigate institutional systems in the wake of the Act. This study addresses this gap by examining domestic abuse survivors’ interactions with statutory professionals most likely to receive disclosures and who had received, or were recommended to receive, DACP-related training. Thirteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with Women's Aid service users, all of whom had experienced coercive control and engaged with police, legal professionals, healthcare, or social services after the implementation of the Act. Following reflexive thematic analysis, three key themes emerged: (1) Systemic Barriers to Effective Practice; (2) The Impact of Professional Response; and (3) Survivor-Informed Pathways to Reform. Despite recent legal reforms and increased awareness of coercive control, significant gaps remain in how statutory professionals understand and respond to this form of abuse. Survivors frequently reported victim-blaming, disbelief, or the minimization of their experiences when seeking support. While the DACP Act represents progress, it has largely not yet translated into consistent, supportive practice. This lack of professional understanding continues to retraumatize victims and undermines trust in statutory services, highlighting the need for further systemic change informed by survivors’ experiences.

The aim of this study was to examine the impact of mother’s and father’s joint parenting on young adult mental health outcomes, and to explore the impact of sex, personality and family structure in observed relationships. Two hundred and forty-five Northern Irish university students (mean age 21.11 years, SD 2.70, 66% female, 94% white) completed the Measure of Parental Style (MOPS) to measure perception of maternal and paternal indifference, overcontrol and abuse. Mental health was assessed using measures of alcohol misuse, depression and anxiety. Moderators included personality, sex and family structure. Cluster analysis revealed three parenting clusters indicative of positive parenting, negative fathering, and negative mothering. Negative parenting by either parent was associated with higher depression, regardless of sex or family structure. We found some evidence of a buffering effect of negative fathering in the context of good enough parenting from the mother, in that negative parenting from the mother, and not the father, was associated with anxiety symptoms and with earlier drinking in females. The impact of negative parenting by either parent was particularly pronounced in young people who displayed high levels of punishment sensitivity. These results highlight the importance of both parents in the preservation of mental health through to adulthood, regardless of whether they remain together. They also argue for family-focused care in the management of youth mental health.

This study aimed to explore mothers’ perceptions of the impact post-separation abuse has on their children. Despite ample research exploring the impacts of domestic abuse on an international scale, literature concerning post-separation abuse is lacking. Internationally, there has been a historical permissiveness towards experiences of coercive control, whereby non-physical acts have only recently become criminalizable. This has led to judicial proceedings minimizing women’s experiences during child contact/residence proceedings. Minimization can lead to post-separation abuse, facilitated by continued contact between a perpetrator, their victim and child. The effects of which were rarely acknowledged. 17 in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with service users of the domestic abuse support organization, Women's Aid. All participants had experienced instances of coercive control in their previous intimate partner relationship prior to seeking support from Women's Aid. All participants had also undergone child contact litigative proceedings. Five themes emerged: (1) Loss, (2) Diminished control, (3) Psychoemotional impacts (4) And so, it continues… and (5) Experiencing parent to child abuse. Perpetrators often use children as vessels against their mothers to exert power and control, furthering emotional turmoil, regardless of the impact upon the child. Children experienced “an awful lot of loss” attributed to continued contact with their abusive father. This research indicates that the prioritization of a pro-contact approach and minimization of experiences of coercive control illicit ill-effects which permeate many aspects of children’s lives. This can lead to short and long term behavioral, emotional, and mental problems, and exposure to further abuse.

Trauma-informed care (TIC) benefits to service users and providers are increasingly acknowledged across various health and social care settings. TIC can potentially increase service user engagement, prolong shelter placements, and lessen staff vicarious trauma and burnout. However, studies documenting staff experiences and/or the implementation of TIC are scarce. This limitation has prompted calls for more grounded and applied research into trauma-informed practice, tracking implementation in practice, staff perceptions, barriers, and organisational change. This study aims to address this gap and is an ecological, mixed-methods evaluation of the efficacy of TIC training in a female-only homeless shelter. Quantitative data included 132 incident reports during the first yearly quarters pre- and post-training, hypothesising post-training reductions in incident numbers and severity. Using expansive thematic analysis, semi-structured interviews with six shelter staff (n = 6) explored employee views of TIC relative to trauma understanding, incident management, and integration in practice. Findings revealed a marginal increase in incident numbers and a statistically significant reduction in incident severity post-TIC with a 50% reduction in calls to emergency medical services (EMS). Participant accounts of working practice pre- and post-TIC uncovered increased trauma understanding, increased confidence and competence, healing relationships, and enhanced self-care. Findings are discussed with reference to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)’s (2014) trauma-informed framework and Yatchmenoff et al’s. (2017) core questions in evaluating TIC. While these results are significant as one of the first evaluations of TIC training in Ireland, limitations and implications for future research and practice are considered.

Caring when young can have long-term negative consequences. Recently, more nuanced accounts have revealed potential positive impacts. The aim of this study was to give voice to participants from NI to gain a better understanding of the lived experience of childhood caring. Individual interviews were conducted with six females aged between 19 and 24. Unstructured interviews were transcribed verbatim, analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), and had a participatory element. Presented are findings showing four superordinate themes: Making sense of childhood experiences through adult eyes; An unpredictable and stressful childhood; Key people and their understanding; Onwards and upwards in transitioning forward. Participants reported difficulty understanding their caring experiences as children and how with age and comparison to others their knowledge increased. They detailed unpredictable, stressful childhoods involving juggling responsibilities in an attempt to cope. The quality of relationships with others appeared to influence resilience levels and their ability to manage stress. Participants were not hidden from view but often felt ignored especially at school. Participants though had a remarkable ability to spontaneously find benefit from their caring childhoods which seemed vital when deriving meaning from the experience and moving forward. Findings are discussed and future implications are recommended.

Emerging evidence suggests that social identities are an important determinant of adaptation following traumatic life experiences. In this paper, we analyse accounts of people who experienced child sexual abuse. Using publicly available talk of people who waived their right to anonymity following successful conviction of perpetrators, we conducted a thematic analysis focusing on trauma-related changes in their social identities. Analysis of these accounts highlighted two themes. The first highlights the acquisition in these accounts of unwanted and damaging identity labels. The second presents child sexual abuse as a key destructive force in terms of important identity work during childhood. Discussion of this analysis centres on the pathological consequences of social identity change. Both the loss of valued identities and the acquisition of aberrant and isolating identities are experienced and constructed as devastating by those affected by child sexual abuse. This has important implications, not only for those impacted by child sexual abuse but for how abuse is discussed in society, and how it is approached by policy makers, educators and individuals working with survivors and their families.

Background: Overcrowding in Emergency Departments (EDs) is a significant global concern with negative consequences for patients, healthcare staff, and healthcare systems. The use of EDs by parents of children with non-urgent conditions is associated with overcrowding, higher healthcare costs, lower quality of care, and longer waiting times. Research in this area has largely been conducted in high-income countries, with a dearth of work originating in middle and low-income regions. The aim of this study was to explore the reasons for parents attending EDs with their child for non-urgent conditions in Turkey. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 parents, 15 ED staff, and 10 General Practitioners (GPs) in 2 regions of Turkey between March and May 2017. Data were analyzed using the principles of grounded theory. Results: The findings were classified into 5 core categories: (1) parents’ feelings, knowledge, and perceived inability to provide self-care; (2) perceived limitations of healthcare services, system, and staff; (3) parents’ preferences for hospital and ED services; (4) adverse impact on ED services; and (5) perceived needs for care. Conclusion: This is the first study conducted in a middle-income country regarding parental reasons for using the ED for nonurgent conditions. Greater efforts must be made to reduce unnecessary visits to the ED to better meet service user needs and to increase the satisfaction of both parents and healthcare staff. The findings of this study may inform healthcare providers, policymakers, healthcare staff, and researchers to design interventions in order to mitigate overcrowding in the ED.

This article explores the constructions of communicative openness following adoption. Data from three waves of interviews with six adoptive mothers and four foster carers were collected, transcribed verbatim and analysed in keeping with a social constructivist grounded theory methodology. The results show that the way `family' is constructed can both facilitate and impede communicative openness. Those who hold a fluid, child-centred concept of family, are willing to construct it as different and can accept the ebb and flow of family membership intuitively and view such openness as a natural part of caring for children. Those with a more traditional, nuclear construction of family may associate adoption with fear, a sense of biological related competition and the need to control the controllable, all of which act as barriers to communicative openness. The study demonstrates that communicative openness is person and context sensitive and emphasises the need to think creatively and flexibly about the very nature of family.

Aim Reminiscence therapy is a popular therapeutic intervention for people with dementia. This review set out to provide a better understanding of reminiscence therapy through a deeper analysis of its contents and delivery. Method This review examined 22 studies from the most recent Cochrane review (Woods, B., O'Philbin, L., Farrell, E. M., Spector, A. E., & Orrell, M. (2018). Reminiscence therapy for dementia.Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews,3, Article 001120) and addressed the following research questions: (1) What are the components of reminiscence therapy? (2) Who delivers reminiscence therapy? (3) How is reminiscence therapy delivered? (4) Is reminiscence therapy underpinned by a theoretical framework? (5) Is reminiscence therapy delivered according to a programme/model? (6) Are there commonalities in the reminiscence therapy components utilised? Multiple and layered narrative analyses were completed. Findings Thirteen reminiscence therapy components were identified. 'Memory triggers' and 'themes' were identified as the most common but were found not to be consistently beneficial. Reminiscence therapy was typically delivered in a care setting using a group approach; however, there was no consistency in session composition, intervention duration, as well as the training and supervision provided to facilitators. Operationalisation of theory within reminiscence therapy was not identified. Reminiscence therapy was not consistently delivered according to a programme/model. Lastly, as a result of a small number of studies, the components 'life stages', 'activities' and 'family-only sessions', showed beneficial promise. In summary, this review highlights that reminiscence therapy needs more consistency in content and delivery, in addition to a clear theoretical framework.

Abstract The aim of this paper is to explore the impact that the initial stages of the COVID-19 crisis had on entrepreneurs. We present the experiences of fifteen entrepreneurs. The data was collected, using interviews. We focus on the impact that the temporary business closures which were introduced had on the entrepreneurs’ ability and propensity to continue. The interviews took place during a period of great uncertainty for the entrepreneurs and at times when their availability was extremely limited. We present data characterising the entrepreneurs; their experience during a time of crisis; and the enablers and disablers to the continuation of their entrepreneurial journey. Our analysis is based on four themes from the literature: the psychological wellbeing of the entrepreneurs; their changing attitudes to entrepreneurship; the changes they made to their business; and the supports that they needed. The outcome is novel insights into the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis.

In this paper we examine the implications that a crisis such as that created by COVID-19 has for the psychological well-being of small business owners. We use the psychological literature on grief, specifically, the Kübler-Ross (1969) Five Stage Model of Grief to examine the impacts. Our review of the literature indicates that although there are critics of a stage based approach there are also advocates for the use of stages to help us frame and understand the manifestations of grief. Data was collected from forty small business owners based in Ireland. Data was collected five times over a period of six months (March–September 2020). The outcome is a five-stage model of business grief. The findings provide insights into the emotional relationship between an owner and their small business. We propose that a business closure can cause small business owners to grieve in a manner that aligns with a series of stages and that these stages can be modelled and illustrated.

The current study investigates the psychosocial benefits of a cross-community, intercultural dance programme for youth in Northern Ireland. Psychological theories, including contact theory and the ecology of childhood development, underpin the study, and results are discussed in relation to the programme's aims. The present study used qualitative, inductive methods; data consisted of interviews before and after the programme with facilitators (n = 2) and 10 (n = 10) programme participants (11-15 years old) of diverse races and nationalities. Latent themes were identified using thematic analysis. Findings reveal that participants have complex senses of identity. Worryingly, they also reported many instances of bullying, relating both to themselves and others. Results reveal three main psychosocial benefits of the programme, all of which promote positive mental health in adolescents. The benefits are increased self-confidence, the formation of new cross-community friendships, and improved intercultural awareness and pride. It is argued that the programme is an exemplar of how the arts can promote peace as well as resilience in the face of adversity. Recommendations for future research are included.

BACKGROUND:Although music therapy (MT) is considered an effective intervention for young people with mental health needs, its efficacy in clinical settings is unclear. We therefore examined the efficacy of MT in clinical practice.METHODS:Two hundred and fifty-one child (8-16 years, with social, emotional, behavioural and developmental difficulties) and parent dyads from six Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service community care facilities in Northern Ireland were randomised to 12 weekly sessions of MT plus usual care [n = 123; 76 in final analyses] or usual care alone [n = 128; 105 in final analyses]. Follow-up occurred at 13 weeks and 26 weeks postrandomisation. Primary outcome was improvement in communication (Social Skills Improvement System Rating Scales) (SSIS) at 13 weeks. Secondary outcomes included social functioning, self-esteem, depression and family functioning.RESULTS:There was no significant difference for the child SSIS at week 13 (adjusted difference in mean 2.4; 95% CI -1.2 to 6.1; p = .19) or for the guardian SSIS (0.5; 95% CI -2.9 to 3.8; p = .78). However, for participants aged 13 and over in the intervention group, the child SSIS communication was significantly improved (6.1, 95% CI 1.6 to 10.5; p = .007) but not the guardian SSIS (1.1; 95% CI -2.9 to 5.2; p = .59). Overall, self-esteem was significantly improved and depression scores were significantly lower at week 13. There was no significant difference in family or social functioning at week 13.CONCLUSIONS:While the findings provide some evidence for the integration of music therapy into clinical practice, differences relating to subgroups and secondary outcomes indicate the need for further study. ISRCTN Register; ISRCTN96352204.

Although music therapy (MT) is considered an effective intervention for young people with mental health needs, its efficacy in clinical settings is unclear. We therefore examined the efficacy of MT in clinical practice. Two hundred and fifty-one child (8–16 years, with social, emotional, behavioural and developmental difficulties) and parent dyads from six Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service community care facilities in Northern Ireland were randomised to 12 weekly sessions of MT plus usual care [ n  = 123; 76 in final analyses] or usual care alone [ n  = 128; 105 in final analyses]. Follow-up occurred at 13 weeks and 26 weeks postrandomisation. Primary outcome was improvement in communication (Social Skills Improvement System Rating Scales) (SSIS) at 13 weeks. Secondary outcomes included social functioning, self-esteem, depression and family functioning. There was no significant difference for the child SSIS at week 13 (adjusted difference in mean 2.4; 95% CI −1.2 to 6.1; p  = .19) or for the guardian SSIS (0.5; 95% CI −2.9 to 3.8; p  = .78). However, for participants aged 13 and over in the intervention group, the child SSIS communication was significantly improved (6.1, 95% CI 1.6 to 10.5; p  = .007) but not the guardian SSIS (1.1; 95% CI −2.9 to 5.2; p  = .59). Overall, self-esteem was significantly improved and depression scores were significantly lower at week 13. There was no significant difference in family or social functioning at week 13. While the findings provide some evidence for the integration of music therapy into clinical practice, differences relating to subgroups and secondary outcomes indicate the need for further study. ISRCTN Register; ISRCTN96352204.

This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (Intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effectiveness of parenting programmes for improving parenting skills and outcomes for incarcerated parents and their children.

US policy to limit greenhouse gas emissions is currently driven, in part, by the US Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Clean Power Plan, which seeks a drop in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil-fueled power plants — a “downstream” approach to regulation. Here, we consider an alternative, or possibly complementary, regulatory perspective: What is the legal and economic feasibility of imposing an “upstream” CO2 charge on coal production at its extraction site? Specifically, our focus is on leased coal from federal lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Such a carbon charge is designed, in principle, to embody the cumulative “lifecycle” externalities from coal mining to combustion (or other “downstream” utilization). Our legal analysis concludes that BLM has the statutory and regulatory authority to impose such a charge and that it would be best to add it to the royalty rate. But a large fee that would dramatically reduce revenues could invite judicial concern. The economic case is weaker than the legal case because production on state, private, and tribal lands (60 percent of total production) would not be subject to the charge and so could ramp up in response to the economic disadvantage the charge would cause for coal on federal lands, among other reasons. Best would be a comprehensive set of charges on royalties for all fossil fuels, irrespective of ownership.

ABSTRACTWork and family roles have changed considerably in the past number of decades. Fathers are now expected to fulfil the role of ‘new father’ that involves actively caring and sharing in child rearing and, at the same time, maintain commitment to their occupational role. As a consequence, men are subject to the same pressure that women were when they initially entered the workplace decades ago and indeed still are today. This study aims to explore the meanings fathers attach to their life roles, how these meanings influence behaviour within these roles and how they negotiate the demands of these roles. In‐depth interviews were carried out with 15 fathers, and the results were analysed adhering to the principles of grounded theory. The findings show the variability among fathers in both their commitment to fathering and the meanings they attach to that role. A significant tension between new fatherhood ideals and actual fathering practices is also apparent. These findings are discussed drawing upon traditional definitions of masculinity and wider occupational and cultural influences. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

BACKGROUND Failure to recruit sufficient numbers of participants to randomized controlled trials is a common and serious problem. This problem may be additionally acute in music therapy research. OBJECTIVE To use the experience of conducting a large randomized controlled trial of music therapy for young people with emotional and behavioral difficulties to illustrate the strategies that can be used to optimize recruitment; to report on the success or otherwise of those strategies; and to draw general conclusions about the most effective approaches. METHODS Review of the methodological literature, and a narrative account and realist analysis of the recruitment process. RESULTS The strategies adopted led to the achievement of the recruitment target of 250 subjects, but only with an extension to the recruitment period. In the pre-protocol stage of the research, these strategies included the engagement of non-music therapy clinical investigators, and extensive consultation with clinical stakeholders. In the protocol development and initial recruitment stages, they involved a search of systematic reviews of factors leading to under-recruitment and of interventions to promote recruitment, and the incorporation of their insights into the research protocol and practices. In the latter stages of recruitment, various stakeholders including clinicians, senior managers and participant representatives were consulted in an attempt to uncover the reasons for the low recruitment levels that the research was experiencing. CONCLUSIONS The primary mechanisms to promote recruitment are education, facilitation, audit and feedback, and time allowed. The primary contextual factors affecting the effectiveness of these mechanisms are professional culture and organizational support.