Search Results (20)

The importance of dialogical space and its various forms, useful in philosophical counseling, has been emphasized in recent discourse. The discourse primarily focuses on various aspects of the exchange between the counselee and the counselor in the form of external dialogue. This paper, drawing insights from Hubert Hermans, broadens the discourse into the domain of Agentive Reason, which includes the internal dialogue of the counselee, comprising various I-positions. By engaging with the associated network of the counselee’s “I-positions,” the counselor expands the counselee’s internal domain, thereby facilitating the counseling process. This paper aims to show that this process is best served when the counselor is able to cultivate his/her dialogical relationship with the counselee towards forming a metaposition from where the organization of existing and new I-positions can be seen, questioned, restructured, and most importantly, acted upon. This paper seeks to demonstrate this prospect through a symbolic exploration of Bhagavad Gītā in the form of a dialogical space. It examines how Arjuna’s agentive crisis, echoed in his internal dialogical tension of many maladaptive I-positions, is addressed by extending his dialogical self to Kṛṣṇa’s positions and counter-positions, leading the interaction to a dialogical metaposition in Arjuna’s external domain. The goal is not to establish Kṛṣṇa as a philosophical counselor or to present his discourse with Arjuna as a treatise on philosophical counseling. Rather, the intent is to encourage exploration of the symbolic representation underlying the Gītā, which helps us decipher various dialogical metapositions in the external domain that may correspond with the positions, needs, and emotions in the counselee’s internal domain. This has a threefold purpose: first, to recognize the open boundaries of the dialogical self; second, to examine the instrumental role of the counselor in negotiating these boundaries when they are closed in self-defense; and third, to introduce the concepts of Informed Ignorance and Agentive Reason. Full article

Background/Objectives: Academic libraries offer a range of activities and initiatives for their students and community users. However, wellbeing, as a concept in academic libraries, is not very well defined and is poorly understood. The objective of this scoping review was to examine the role of academic libraries in student and community wellbeing, identify the various kinds of activities and initiatives that they carry out to address their wellbeing, and uncover gaps that might require further research. Methods: An extensive search was conducted in the Library Information Sciences Association (LISA), Education Resources Information Centre (ERIC), Medline (OVID), Scopus, and Web of Science (WOS) databases. Grey literature was searched on a selection of library websites and digital repositories. Data were extracted from studies that met the inclusion criteria for the scoping review. Themes were identified by the authors and reported as a narrative summary. Results: Of the 5437 records identified, a total of 40 documents were included in this scoping review. The authors identified 11 different kinds of activities and initiatives carried out in academic libraries that promote student and community wellbeing, i.e., (1) animal-assisted activities; (2) facilitating dialogues about belonging and identity; (3) fun recreational activities; (4) study support; (5) physical activity promotion; (6) meditation, yoga, and mindfulness; (7) book clubs; (8) art exhibitions; (9) technology and digital support; (10) free food and tea; and (11) health awareness. These activities were found to promote the physical, emotional, and social wellbeing of student and community users. Conclusions: This review highlights the need for further systematic research on the long-term effects of wellbeing initiatives and activities on both student and community users, and how they might impact aspects of wellbeing for specific population groups such as senior citizens and LGBTQIA members. This scoping review demonstrates the potential of academic libraries in promoting health and wellbeing for their users. Full article

Background: The advent of virtual reality in psychiatry presents a wealth of opportunities for a variety of psychopathologies. Avatar Interventions are dialogic and experiential treatments integrating personalized medicine with virtual reality (VR), which have shown promising results by enhancing the emotional regulation of their participants. Notably, Avatar Therapy for the treatment of auditory hallucinations (i.e., voices) allows patients to engage in dialogue with an avatar representing their most persecutory voice. In addition, Avatar Intervention for cannabis use disorder involves an avatar representing a significant person in the patient’s consumption. In both cases, the main goal is to modify the problematic relationship and allow patients to regain control over their symptoms. While results are promising, its potential to be applied to other psychopathologies, such as major depression, is an exciting area for further exploration. In an era where VR interventions are gaining popularity, the present study aims to investigate whether technological advancements could overcome current limitations, such as avatar realism, and foster a deeper immersion into virtual environments, thereby enhancing participants’ sense of presence within the virtual world. A newly developed virtual reality platform was compared to the current platform used by our research team in past and ongoing studies. Methods: This study involved 43 subjects: 20 healthy subjects and 23 subjects diagnosed with severe mental disorders. Each participant interacted with an avatar using both platforms. After each immersive session, questionnaires were administered by a graduate student in a double-blind manner to evaluate technological advancements and user experiences. Results: The findings indicate that the new technological improvements allow the new platform to significantly surpass the current platform as per multiple subjective parameters. Notably, the new platform was associated with superior realism of the avatar (d = 0.574; p < 0.001) and the voice (d = 1.035; p < 0.001), as well as enhanced lip synchronization (d = 0.693; p < 0.001). Participants reported a significantly heightened sense of presence (d = 0.520; p = 0.002) and an overall better immersive experience (d = 0.756; p < 0.001) with the new VR platform. These observations were true in both healthy subjects and participants with severe mental disorders. Conclusions: The technological improvements generated a heightened sense of presence among participants, thus improving their immersive experience. These two parameters could be associated with the effectiveness of VR interventions and future studies should be undertaken to evaluate their impact on outcomes. Full article

Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent mental health conditions globally, causing significant personal and societal burdens. Traditional therapies, while effective, often face barriers such as limited accessibility, high costs, and the stigma associated with seeking mental health care. The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots offers a novel solution by providing accessible, cost-effective, and immediate support for individuals experiencing anxiety. This comprehensive review examines the evolution, efficacy, advantages, limitations, challenges, and future perspectives of AI chatbots in the treatment of anxiety disorders. A methodologically rigorous literature search was conducted across multiple databases, focusing on publications from 2010 to 2024 that evaluated AI chatbot interventions targeting anxiety symptoms. Empirical studies demonstrate that AI chatbots can effectively reduce anxiety symptoms by delivering therapeutic interventions like cognitive-behavioral therapy through interactive and personalized dialogues. The advantages include increased accessibility without geographical or temporal limitations, reduced costs, and an anonymity that encourages openness and reduces stigma. However, limitations persist, such as the lack of human empathy, ethical and privacy concerns related to data security, and technical challenges in understanding complex human emotions. The key challenges identified involve enhancing the emotional intelligence of chatbots, integrating them with traditional therapy, and establishing robust ethical frameworks to ensure user safety and data protection. Future research should focus on improving AI capabilities, personalization, cultural adaptation, and user engagement. In conclusion, AI chatbots represent a promising adjunct in treating anxiety disorders, offering scalable interventions that can complement traditional mental health services. Balancing technological innovation with ethical responsibility is crucial to maximize their potential benefits. Full article

(1) Context: Cancer triggers significant changes in family dynamics. It is noteworthy that coping and problem-solving skills, particularly in situations involving cancer in children and adolescents, have not been adequately explored in the context of family adaptation. This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of family interventions in coping to improve problem-solving skills in parents and/or caregivers of children and adolescents during and after oncological treatment. (2) Methods: This is a scoping review following the recommendations of the Joanna Briggs Institute and the Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Review (PRISMA-ScR), from 2014 to 2024, in the databases LILACS, CINAHL, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and PUBMED. (3) Results: Forty-five studies were eligible. Coping strategies were categorized as follows: (1) positive attitudes (including a sense of courage and hope, family support to enhance resilience, and future planning), (2) caregiver empowerment (involving acceptance of diagnosis, emotional distancing, and coping through religiosity), and (3) communication skills (encompassing professional communication, horizontal dialogue with healthcare teams, and sincere communication with friends and family). (4) Conclusions: Over time, families develop coping and problem-solving strategies that influence changes in family functioning patterns, aiding them in accepting, reinterpreting, and reframing ideas and feelings associated with neoplasia. Full article

Muslims living in non-Muslim countries may experience marginality, which has associations with exclusion, poor socio-emotional health, higher rates of family violence, and poor quality of life. Faith-based strategies have the potential to bridge the gaps and improve the outcomes for these communities. We undertook a reflective evaluation of the individual and group interventions of a Muslim start-up NGO, Community Development, Education and Social Support Inc. (CDESSA) (Adelaide, SA, Australia). Qualitative data were generated via dialogue, storytelling, and making connections with meaning based on observations of the lived experiences of the narrators. The analysis involved revisiting, reordering, refining, and redefining the dialogue, and conscious framing around a theoretical model of community cultural wealth. The results showed the growth of family and community engagement in CDESSA’s support and intervention activities, commencing with a small religious following in 2021 and growing to more than 300 Muslims regularly joining together for faith, health, welfare, and social wellbeing activities. Reflections on the dimensions of aspirational, navigational, social, familial, ethnoreligious, and resilient forms of community cultural wealth showed that the range of individual and group interventions, involving religious leaders, contributed to improving health and wellbeing, thereby growing community capital as a mechanism for strengthening families in this community. Full article

During the pandemic, many institutions shifted to online teaching, and in some cases, this included existing peer learning programs. As the pandemic receded, some of these peer learning programs returned to face-to-face operation and others adopted a blended format, while others remained online. Interestingly, the literature suggests that online peer learning is somewhat more effective than face-to-face peer learning. This might be because online peer learning enables responses at any time (which might be more thoughtful), anonymity, and a wider nexus of relationships, although it can create issues regarding the initial development of trust. There are a great many studies of both face-to-face and online peer learning, but relatively few that directly compare both. By way of addressing this gap, this paper aims to systematically review 17 papers that directly compare both, informed by and updating the only previous review in this area. Online performs better than offline learning in terms of cognitive outcomes, with a small to moderate effect size. However, the associated socio-emotional issues are more complex. Online learning offers flexibility regarding response time, but sacrifices the immediate dialogue of offline learning. Some cultures found accepting peer learning more difficult. Few studies undertook longer-term follow-up, although with more practice motivation, this might well improve. The results have implications for the type of peer learning chosen by pedagogical designers as appropriate to their own learning context. Full article

Hesitancy toward the COVID-19 vaccine has hindered its rapid uptake among the Hispanic and Latinx populations. The study aimed to use the Multi-Theory Model (MTM) for health behavior change to explain the intention of initiating and sustaining the behavior of COVID-19 vaccination among the Hispanic and Latinx populations that expressed and did not express hesitancy towards the vaccine in Nevada. Using a quantitative cross-sectional and survey-based research study design, data were collected using a 50-item questionnaire and analyzed using multiple linear regression modeling. Of 231 respondents, participatory dialogue (b = 0.113, p < 0.001; b = 0.072, p < 0.001) and behavioral confidence (b = 0.358, p < 0.001; b = 0.206, p < 0.001) displayed significant associations with the initiation of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among vaccine-hesitant and non-vaccine-hesitant individuals. Emotional transformation (b = 0.087, p < 0.001; b = 0.177, p < 0.001) displayed a significant association with the sustenance of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among vaccine-hesitant and non-vaccine-hesitant individuals. Results from this study provide evidence that the MTM is a useful tool in predicting COVID-19 vaccine acceptance behavior among Hispanics and Latinxs in Nevada, and it should be used in intervention designs and messaging to promote vaccine uptake. Full article

Computer communication via text messaging or Social Networking Services (SNS) has become increasingly popular. At this time, many studies are being conducted to analyze user information or opinions and recognize emotions by using a large amount of data. Currently, the methods for the emotion recognition of dialogues requires an analysis of emotion keywords or vocabulary, and dialogue data are mostly classified as a single emotion. Recently, datasets classified as multiple emotions have emerged, but most of them are composed of English datasets. For accurate emotion recognition, a method for recognizing various emotions in one sentence is required. In addition, multi-emotion recognition research in Korean dialogue datasets is also needed. Since dialogues are exchanges between speakers. One’s feelings may be changed by the words of others, and feelings, once generated, may last for a long period of time. Emotions are expressed not only through vocabulary, but also indirectly through dialogues. In order to improve the performance of emotion recognition, it is necessary to analyze Emotional Association in Dialogues (EAD) to effectively reflect various factors that induce emotions. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a more accurate emotion recognition method to overcome the limitations of single emotion recognition. We implement Intrinsic Emotion Recognition (IER) to understand the meaning of dialogue and recognize complex emotions. In addition, conversations are classified according to their characteristics, and the correlation between IER is analyzed to derive Emotional Association in Dialogues (EAD) and apply them. To verify the usefulness of the proposed technique, IER applied with EAD is tested and evaluated. This evaluation determined that Micro-F1 of the proposed method exhibited the best performance, with 74.8% accuracy. Using IER to assess the EAD proposed in this paper can improve the accuracy and performance of emotion recognition in dialogues. Full article

The development of computational artifacts to study cross-modal associations has been a growing research topic, as they allow new degrees of abstraction. In this context, we propose a novel approach to the computational exploration of relationships between music and abstract images, grounded by findings from cognitive sciences (emotion and perception). Due to the problem’s high-level nature, we rely on evolutionary programming techniques to evolve this audio–visual dialogue. To articulate the complexity of the problem, we develop a framework with four modules: (i) vocabulary set, (ii) music generator, (iii) image generator, and (iv) evolutionary engine. We test our approach by evolving a given music set to a corresponding set of images, steered by the expression of four emotions (angry, calm, happy, sad). Then, we perform preliminary user tests to evaluate if the user’s perception is consistent with the system’s expression. Results suggest an agreement between the user’s emotional perception of the music–image pairs and the system outcomes, favoring the integration of cognitive science knowledge. We also discuss the benefit of employing evolutionary strategies, such as genetic programming on multi-modal problems of a creative nature. Overall, this research contributes to a better understanding of the foundations of auditory–visual associations mediated by emotions and perception. Full article

The setting: 83 reports of healing related to prayer (HP) were evaluated between 2015 and 2020 in the Netherlands. Research questions: What are the medical and experiential findings? Do we find medically remarkable and/or medically unexplained healings? Which explanatory frameworks can help us to understand the findings? Methods: 83 reported healings were investigated using medical files and patient narratives. An independent medical assessment team consisting of five medical consultants, representing different fields of medicine, evaluated the associated files of 27 selected cases. Fourteen of them received in-depth interviews. Instances of healing could be classified as ‘medically remarkable’ or ‘medically unexplained’. Subsequent analysis was transdisciplinary, involving medical, experiential, theological and conceptual perspectives. Results: the diseases reported covered the entire medical spectrum. Eleven healings were evaluated as ‘medically remarkable’, while none were labelled as ‘medically unexplained’. A pattern with recurrent characteristics emerged, whether the healings were deemed medically remarkable or not: instantaneity and unexpectedness of healing, often with emotional and physical manifestations and a sense of ‘being overwhelmed’. The HP experiences were interpreted as acts of God, with a transformative impact. Positive effects on health and socio-religious quality of life persisted in most cases after a two and four year follow-up. Conclusions: the research team found it difficult to frame data in medical terms, especially the instantaneity and associated experiences in many healings. We need a broader, multi-perspective model to understand the findings. Horizontal epistemology, valuing both ‘subjective’ (experiential) and ‘objective’ data, may be helpful. An open dialogue between science and religion may help too. There is an analogy with healing narratives in the Bible and throughout church history. Future studies and documentation are needed to verify and clarify the pattern we found. Full article

Background: Physical activity (PA) brings many benefits to pregnant women and fetuses; however, the majority of pregnant women do not participate actively in PA during pregnancy. Objectives: This study aimed to: (1) assess the utility of Multi-Theory Model (MTM) to explain the intentions of PA behavior in Chinese pregnant women; (2) analyze the predictors in initiating and maintaining PA behavior based on MTM. Methods: A cross-sectional study including pregnant women was conducted from March to June 2022 at a university hospital in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China. Participants completed measures that included a self-developed demographic questionnaire and a 29-item MTM questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and stepwise multiple regression were used to analyze the data. The reliability was assessed by Cronbach’s alpha and test-retest stability. The construct validity was evaluated by using exploratory factor (EFA) analysis and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results: A total of 450 pregnant women participated in this study. The score of the magnitude of intention to initiate and maintain PA behavior during pregnancy was 2.30 (1.08) and 2.24 (1.09). The overall Cronbach’s alpha value was 0.857. A four-factor structure for initiation model and a three-factor structure for maintenance model were determined. Results of the CFA confirmed construct validity of subscales (initiation model: χ² = 206.123, df = 140, p < 0.001, χ²/df = 1.472, RMSEA = 0.046, SRMR = 0.0432, GFI = 0.913, CFI = 0.982; maintenance model: χ² = 49.742, df = 29, p < 0.001, χ²/df = 1.715, RMSEA = 0.057, SRMR = 0.0432, GFI = 0.958, CFI 0.985). The result of regression indicated that participatory dialogue (β = 0.030; p = 0.002), behavioral confidence (β = 0.128; p < 0.001), changes in physical environment (β = 0.041; p = 0.005), trimester (β = −0.192; p = 0.001), and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) (β = 0.408; p < 0.001) explained 52.1% variance in initiating PA behavior. Emotional transformation (β = 0.197; p < 0.001), practice for change (β = 0.083; p = 0.001), changes in social environment (β = 0.063; p < 0.001), pre-pregnancy exercise habit (β = −0.251; p = 0.001), and GDM (β = 0.298; p = 0.003) were significantly associated with pregnant women’s intentions to maintain PA behavior and explained 49.1% variance. Conclusions: The constructs of MTM were effective in explaining the intention to initiate and maintain PA behavior among Chinese pregnant women. Full article

Immigrant adolescents make up a substantial proportion of newcomers to Canada. Most newcomer youth from South Asia aged 15 to 24 are from racialized “visible minority” backgrounds. The sexual health needs of female immigrant adolescents in Canada have been largely unmet and have increased in magnitude over the last few years. For immigrant female adolescents, the silence around issues of sexuality needs can affect their physical, emotional, sexual health, and overall well-being as well as their ability to reach their full potential. Evidence suggests that immigrant adolescents lack sexual and reproductive health knowledge and use fewer sexual health-related services and sex education resources than non-immigrant youth. In Pakistani immigrant adolescents, this difference appears to be associated with socio-cultural and religious practices. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively explore the experience of developing sexuality and its relationship to well-being in middle- to late-female adolescents of Pakistani-descent, living in a large urban area in Canada. The study aimed to establish space for dialogue and to bridge the perceived cultural divide on issues of sexuality using the postmodern feminist lens, which often arises between individuals from different cultural backgrounds. Using the interpretive descriptive methodology, a purposive sample of 21 female adolescents who were of first- or second-generation Pakistan-descent was obtained. Participants included female adolescents aged from 14 to 19 years. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview guide and a timeline. A total of 21 first interviews and seven follow up interviews were conducted. The narratives and timelines presented in this study tell the story of female Pakistani adolescents, their narratives, and the timelines reflect the complexities of the sexuality of female adolescents and how they perceive and attribute meanings to their experiences. The study found that living in a bicultural world can cause significant stress and anxiety among female adolescents, especially when making personal life decisions related to sexuality. Moreover, silence around all aspects of female sexuality negatively affects the capacity for desire and pleasure. In addition, the intersection of gender and patriarchy have created layers of power and oppression in adolescent lives that tightly control their sexuality. The participants’ stories reveal the complex interaction of factors that influence the behavior of female adolescents related to sexuality and sexual health. These findings establish the need for cultural awareness while viewing each girl’s experience in relation to the intersectionality of social spheres such as race, ethnicity, culture, and religion. Finally, this study provides implications to policymakers to revise the existing policies and create youth-friendly policies for immigrant youth to draw attention to the hidden voices of female adolescents and increase the awareness of ways to address issues arising in evolving sexuality. Full article

Understanding the roots of a sense of place in farmlands is crucial for stopping rural exodus to urban areas. Farmers’ experiences related to their way of life, peace and quiet, rootedness, pleasure, and inspiration are fundamental components of a sense of place in farmlands. Here, we used the city of Pereira located in the Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia (CCLC) to examine the role of nature’s contributions to people (NCP) in forming meanings and attachments that shape their sense of place to this region. This region has experienced intense agricultural lands abandonment due to rapid urbanization over the last decades. To do so, a mixture of qualitative and quantitative methods was used, including semi-structured interviews, observation, and dialogue, to capture farmers’ perceptions and emotions associated with farmlands, reasons for remaining, and the diversity of NCPs. Results indicated that farmers recognized farmlands as a quiet and safe space that support family cohesion. Results also showed that the characteristics of the farms (e.g., agricultural practices, distance to cities, and gender) play an important role in articulating a farmer’s attachment to farmlands. Finally, farmers identified nonmaterial NCP (e.g., physical and psychological experiences and supportive identities) to be the most important contributions for shaping their sense of place. We call for the need to include robust and transparent deliberative and negotiation mechanisms that are inclusive of all relevant stakeholders, to aim to address unequal power, and to recognize and strengthen communities’ mechanisms of action on the CCLC. Full article

This article outlines spiritual care as the foundation for a child’s religious education. The elements of spiritual care are described by identifying how God concepts form in the young, by naming children’s inherent spiritual needs, by offering perspectives from human spirituality research over the last 60 years, particularly as it applies to children, by analyzing the way meaning forms through experience as it finds its way into worldviews each of us holds by early adolescence, and finally, by depicting four types of literacy (cognitive, emotional, imaginative and social) at the basis of spiritual care and as the groundwork for a child’s future development within various religious traditions. The purpose of spiritual care is to focus on the humanity of children and to situate their education within a framework built on their spiritual needs. This article is deeply embedded in assumptions associated with the Christian tradition. However, a fundamental assumption of spirituality research is that every person is spiritual. As a result, the intention to educate the human spirit as a first step to initiating children into a faith tradition is well founded; it also raises the possibility of spiritual care as undergirding secular education, but that question is beyond this article’s purview. The intention is to spark a conversation among religious traditions as one way to meet the deepest spiritual needs of children, which is an urgent dialogue to engage in at present. If French philosopher Jean Baudrillard was correct, the age we are living in is well described as a revolution of confusion. A response to confusion requires [meeting] the spiritual needs of children and creating a broad theoretical and practical approach to how they think and act, as they move into a tradition that they take on board, along with their developed capacity to reflect on that tradition from personal and socially informed perspectives. Full article