Search Results (5)

Produced at a point of significant change in literary representations of what was called “the black experience,” the comic book series Panther’s Rage and The Black Panther Takes on the Klan each represent an ambitious collaboration between Don McGregor, the white writer of the series, and Billy Graham, the black series artist. As a revision of “black experience” novels published by Holloway House during the early 1970s, this comic book series significantly alters the ways in which mourning, memory, and mental fortitude are represented in a world of almost entirely black characters. Fighting villains who create phantasmic illusions that evoke self-doubt, The Black Panther, one of three black superheroes introduced by Marvel comics during the 1960s and 1970s, brings to light and then revises traumatic historical memories. The hero’s journey around the provinces of Wakanda, a black kingdom in Western Africa, requires the Panther to defeat a variety of villains and their proxies and to posit an alternative to revolutionary self-hatred. We learn from this journey that tradition and modernity can coexist and that traumatic memories need not repeat themselves endlessly. Instead, they can be revised and incorporated into narratives that celebrate the power of the disciplined imagination to imagine a better future. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed significant challenges to mental health worldwide, raising the need to identify stable psychological resources that promote sustainable well-being. This longitudinal study examined whether character strengths predict well-being, post-traumatic growth, and mental health over a 13-month period. Participants (N = 146) completed online measures of character strengths, mental health, life satisfaction, affect, and post-traumatic growth at two time points. First, we tested whether a single general factor of character predicted later mental health and whether life satisfaction, affect, and post-traumatic growth mediated this relationship. Then, we repeated this model but with five different character strengths factors as predictors. Results showed that character predicted all mediators and mental health over time, but only the affective components of well-being mediated the relationship between character and mental health, especially positive affect. When looking at the five character strengths factors, although the majority predicted higher well-being and better mental health over time, goodness and interpersonal and fortitude strengths yielded the strongest effects. These findings suggest that character strengths contribute to sustainable well-being by fostering affective resilience in the face of adversity, aligning with the goals of Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being). Full article

This article showcases Syrian refugees’ narratives of trauma and survival, through a phenomenological approach to in-depth research, with refugees who have resettled in Australia. It explores their journey towards resettlement, highlighting the nexus between displacement in the home–transit–host countries and the biopsychosocial determinants of mental health. Since the 2011 uprising, over 12 million Syrians have been displaced, both internally and worldwide. A refugee’s journey to safety often involves multiple displacements and exposure to dangerous, life-threatening, and dehumanising experiences. We have therefore adopted a qualitative approach that counters this dehumanisation by honouring the unique humanity in the voice of each of our research participants. This article aims to portray the nuanced interdependence between the individual, social, and political contexts of seven Syrian refugees’ lived experiences through an in-depth consideration of what they have told us, how they narrate their stories, and the meanings they ascribe to what they have experienced. The findings of this small yet eloquent study reinforce the insight that the journey to resettlement is far from linear and that resettlement itself is a process marked by recurrent and persistent complexities. The article suggests that the resilience of these refugees is best understood as an ethical and altruistic commitment to collective well-being, transcending notions of individual fortitude. Full article

While pandemics have long been a topic of discussion in public health, COVID-19 placed healthcare leaders in a completely new and challenging situation. This qualitative study sought to understand the personal experiences of healthcare professionals in leadership roles at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sixteen in-depth interviews were conducted and recorded via Zoom. Most participants were men (n = 8, 57.1%) and had a doctorate or master’s degree (n = 8, 57.1%). The themes of mental health, dynamic infrastructure, and transformative experience emerged from our participants’ narratives. Most respondents reported heightened stress during that time and shared the institutional and personal mechanisms they used to deal with the situation. They were proud of their profession and their work. They discussed the “dynamic infrastructure” they experienced at the time that helped them lead. Feeling overworked was a common experience for them. Most considered leading during COVID-19 a “transformative experience” that taught them valuable lessons. They also witnessed acts of heroism as their colleagues continued to work during difficult times, even though some succumbed to COVID-19. Despite all the challenges and uncertainties healthcare professionals in leadership positions faced at the onset of COVID-19, their resilience, dedication, and commitment to their profession prevailed. In conclusion, the firsthand experiences recounted by healthcare leaders in this study shed light on the multifaceted nature of leadership during a global health crisis. Their unwavering resilience, dedication, and commitment stand as a testament to the fortitude required in such demanding circumstances. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, the insights gleaned from this research bear significant implications for informing future strategies and support systems aimed at bolstering healthcare leadership worldwide. Full article

This phenomenological qualitative study explored how forced migrants in South Africa cope with violent, traumatic experiences and precarious resettlement conditions. Data came from a larger empirical project examining migration, psychological distress, and coping. In-depth interviews were conducted with 14 refugees and asylum seekers (M_age = 30.27, SD_age = 9.27; male = 71.43%) who migrated from five African countries to Durban, South Africa. Despite overwhelming stressors, participants described pathways to transcend victimhood and hardship through engaging character strengths in ways that promote post-traumatic growth. Qualitative analysis revealed five overarching domains: spirituality and religiousness, love and kindness, hope and optimism, persistence and fortitude, and gratitude and thankfulness. Findings are framed within positive existential psychology and dual-factor understandings of mental health, which attend to both human suffering and flourishing. Limitations, future research directions, and clinical and community implications are discussed, with attention to the role of character strengths in adaptive coping and psychological well-being. The intergenerational transmission of strengths is explored as one potential means of buffering intergenerational trauma impacts and promoting family post-traumatic growth. Full article