Search Results (76)

High unemployment rates, inaccessible housing markets, and funding challenges create barriers to finding suitable housing for adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who have less obvious support needs, also known as autistic adults. While public and community housing services in Aotearoa New Zealand (AoNZ) may be an option, a lack of accessible designs leaves families uncertain about future care options. This paper, part of the MBIE-funded Public Housing and Urban Regeneration: Maximising Wellbeing research programme in partnership with registered Community Housing Provider, Te Toi Mahana (TTM), takes an exploratory approach to ask how public and community housing can support and help enable semi-independent living for autistic adults. It investigates how design elements—such as dwelling layouts, material choices, colour schemes, lighting, acoustics, shared and community spaces, and external environments—impact the wellbeing of autistic adults. By extension, insights may also inform private housing design. The study focuses on autistic adults who may be considered ‘mid-to-high’ functioning or those who have been previously diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, whose housing needs are often overlooked. It develops guiding principles and detailed guidance points for public and community housing, informed by the literature, case studies, and data from a photo elicitation study and interviews undertaken with autistic adults in AoNZ. These guiding principles are tested through the speculative redesign of a large TTM site in Newtown, Wellington, AoNZ. Findings should be of interest to government agencies, housing providers, architects, stakeholders, and others involved in shaping the built environment, as well as autistic adults and their supporters, both in AoNZ and internationally. Full article

Product type plays a critical role in shaping how consumers generate, perceive, and utilize online reviews in decision-making. While previous studies have examined various review features, this study highlights the distinct effects of product classification—search goods, experience goods, and credence goods—on both review generation and perceived helpfulness. Drawing on Product Classification Theory, as well as Self-Determination Theory and the Theory of Planned Behavior, we analyze how review characteristics such as text length and photo inclusion vary across product types and influence consumer perceptions. Using a large-scale dataset of verified Amazon reviews, we find that consumers are more likely to produce longer and more visually rich reviews for search and experience goods than for credence goods, which are harder to evaluate and, thus, elicit less elaborate content. In terms of review helpfulness, reviews for experience goods are rated as more helpful than those for credence goods, while those for search goods are seen as less helpful. Furthermore, review length significantly boosts helpfulness for search goods, while photo inclusion enhances it for experience goods. These findings contribute to review effectiveness research by emphasizing the moderating role of product type and offering actionable insights for e-commerce platforms to improve review design and consumer decision-making. Full article

Computational thinking skills among high school students have become a global concern, especially in the context of the ever-evolving digital education era. However, the attention given by teachers to this skill during mathematics instruction has not been a priority. This study aims to evaluate and explore the impact of project-based learning (PBL) integrated with flipped classroom on high school students’ computational thinking skills in mathematics. The research design employed a mixed-method approach with a quasi-experimental, nonequivalent pre-test post-test control group design. The experimental group (46 students) and control group (45 students) were selected through simple random sampling from 12th-grade science students. Data were collected through tests, questionnaires, and in-depth interviews, using instruments such as computational thinking skills assessment questions, questionnaires, and interview protocols. Quantitative data analysis was performed using SPSS Version 26 for t-tests and ANOVA, while qualitative analysis was conducted using ATLAS.ti with an abductive-inductive and thematic approach. The findings indicate that PBL integrated with flipped classrooms significantly improved students’ decomposition, pattern recognition, and abstraction skills. The implementation of PBL, integrated with a flipped classroom, created an interactive learning environment, fostering active engagement and enhancing students’ understanding and skills in solving mathematical concepts. Although there was an improvement in algorithmic thinking skills, some students still faced difficulties in developing systematic solutions. The results of this study suggest that further research could explore other methodologies, such as grounded theory and case studies integrated with e-learning, and emphasize visual analysis methods, such as using photo elicitation to explore thinking skills. Full article

When a child is placed in out-of-home care, parents must adapt their parenting to a unique situation governed by Child Welfare Services (CWS). Contact arrangements between parents and children are particularly important, as they provide the primary opportunity for parents to maintain a meaningful connection and participate in their children’s lives. This article explores how mothers with migration experiences navigate their motherhood when it is regulated by the CWS in Norway. Drawing on semi-structured interviews and a photo-elicitation task with eight birth mothers, the study sheds light on how they perceive and talk about staying connected with their children living in out-of-home care during contact visits. Three themes were identified through a narrative-inspired thematic analysis: (1) mothers’ active efforts to organise meaningful contact visits for their children; (2) their struggles to maintain family cohesion and belonging; and (3) the constraints they face in their emotional care work due to regulated and limited contact. These findings illustrate how contact visits function as an essential but also challenging space for motherhood. We argue that by recognising mothers’ perspectives, resources, and challenges during the limited and regulated contact visits, CWS can offer more culturally sensitive and supportive parental follow-up. Full article

Clothing is a social product that represents both individual and collective manifestations of identity, functioning as a system of signs. This study examines the relationship between fashion and resilience as factors driving changes in the traditional folk costume of Romanian women from Rupea, Brașov County, from the late 19th century to the present. The research is based on semi-structured interviews with locals and enhanced by photo elicitation and participant observation, where the authors served as community insiders. The study first describes the local folk costume’s main distinguishing features, which locals use as indicators of community status. Next, it analyzes the transformations of the folk costume and their sources, including fashion, which facilitated the adoption of external influences based on their association with prestige, and resilient responses to challenges during the period under investigation. The research also demonstrates how Rupea’s Romanian residents managed to preserve and capitalize on the folk costume and community traditions after the Communist Party’s rise to power in Romania. These transformations in folk costume did not diminish its function as a system of signs. The preservation of its significance and traditions demonstrates cultural resilience in an urban environment and supports the role of local communities in sustainably managing intangible cultural heritage resources. Full article

The purpose of this study was to gather patient and caregiver perspectives of adult neuro-oncology patients participating in a 12-week exercise program (i.e., the Alberta Cancer Exercise-Neuro-Oncology; ACE-Neuro study). Patients and their caregivers were invited to participate in semi-structured interviews across study delivery. A qualitative photo elicitation methodology within a patient-oriented research approach was used. Interpretive description and a constructivist philosophy guided the investigation, analysis, and dissemination of findings. A patient partner was included as a member of the research team. N = 51 patients completed the ACE-Neuro study, of which 28 patients and nine caregivers participated in interviews (n = 37). Working with the patient partner, five themes were created and are presented as a story of neuro-oncology patients on their journey to accessing and participating in ACE-Neuro: (1) The Exposition: I Have Cancer…Now What?; (2) The Rising Action: Trials and Triumphs of Participation; (3) The Pivotal Moment: It’s More Than Exercise; (4) The Resolution: Tailored Not Templated…The Ideal Program for Me; and (5) The Epilogue: Key Factors for Sustained Delivery. The findings from this work address the lack of qualitative exploration for understanding the neuro-oncology exercise experience and will inform the sustainable implementation of programming to meet patients’ needs. Full article

This study explores what unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs) emphasise as important to (re)create a sense of home in foster care over time. Through a longitudinal design consisting of semi-structured, photo-elicitation interviews and by drawing on the concept of homing, we clustered young people’s experiences into three intertwined aspects that contribute to (re)creating a sense of home in foster care: security, familiarity, and autonomy. The study highlights the importance of the emotional, relational, and material resources that young people may access through familial relationships (in foster care), which seem to be an essential part of (re)creating a sense of home. Our findings unpack how URMs in foster care are active agents in doing and becoming home—not just being at home—highlighting their participation and continuous navigation of belonging in daily life. Moreover, our analysis indicates that URMs (re)creating a sense of home in foster care is a dynamic and temporal process between their past experiences, present circumstances, and future aspirations. It is essential for child welfare workers and foster parents to be aware of and support URMs’ connections to their heritage background, birth families, and foster parents during transitions, as well as their individual needs. Findings from this study nuance existing research on what contributes to a supportive foster care environment for URMs, specifically how foster parents can facilitate URMs’ sense of home over time. Yet, our findings also highlight the need for further research on how to better support continuity in foster care for URMs, particularly regarding the role and meaning of cultural, religious, and linguistic belonging. Full article

Children are the future of society, and their well-being is vital for sustainable urban development. Chengdu, as the birthplace of the “Park City” concept, has actively integrated child-friendly principles into its urban model. In 2022, the “Implementation Plan for Building a Child-Friendly City in Chengdu” was launched, aiming to establish Chengdu as a leading national model. Since 2023, the city has leveraged its ecological strengths to promote “child-friendly happiness spaces”, providing children with ample recreational and developmental opportunities within its “Park City” framework. Analyzing urban park construction in Chengdu from a child-friendly perspective is significant not only for promoting children’s growth and urban development but also for providing valuable references for the development of child-friendly urban parks. Guided by the concept of “Tour–Art–Learning”, which focuses on creating outdoor recreational spaces suitable for children, this study establishes a quality assessment framework for urban parks from a child-friendly perspective. Based on survey data collected from Chengdu’s Shaheyuan Park using the Photo Elicitation Interview (PEI) method and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology, the analytic hierarchy process–fuzzy comprehensive assessment (AHP-FCE) model is applied to evaluate the park’s Tour–Art–Learning quality. The results show that while the park demonstrates high overall quality, there are deficiencies in cultural aesthetics and learning activity carrying capacity and significant room for improvement in site accessibility. This study systematically evaluates the child friendliness of Shaheyuan Park and proposes strategies for improving its Tour–Art–Learning quality, offering new theoretical perspectives and practical pathways for urban park construction and the development of child-friendly cities. Full article

This article draws on doctoral research conducted at the University of Glasgow and examines the role of youth work and participatory research in shaping young people’s wellbeing in post-COVID-19 Scotland. This study focuses on how participatory methods, such as photovoice and photo-elicitation, can foster socio-political awareness and agency among young people, engaging Scottish youth and local stakeholders. Using empowerment theory, critical pedagogy, and feminist theory, this research reveals how youth participation contributes to personal and collective empowerment, offering insights into the complexities of supporting youth wellbeing. The findings indicate that young people gained control and awareness of community needs through youth work and research engagement, reflecting critical consciousness. However, this study highlights challenges in achieving sustainable change, as structural barriers often constrain the transformative potential of these initiatives. Despite the safe spaces for connection and skill-building provided by youth work, some participants experienced disillusionment when their contributions did not lead to tangible outcomes. This study recommends more inclusive and responsive youth work practices, emphasising the importance of genuine youth-led decision-making and aligning stakeholder efforts with youth aspirations. It contributes to discussions on youth agency, community engagement, and the critical role of supportive relationships in fostering resilience post-pandemic. Full article

Little is known about the anti-pigmenting effects of skin-whitening agents on solar lentigos (SLs). To characterize the anti-pigmenting effects of a newly designed derivative ascorbyl glucoside–arginine complex (AGAC) on SLs, lotions with or without 28% AGAC were applied twice daily for 24 weeks in a double-blind half-face study of 27 Japanese females with SLs. The pigmentation scores and skin colors of previously selected SLs on the right and left sides of the faces of the subjects were evaluated using a photo-scale, a color difference meter and a Mexameter. Treatment with the test lotion elicited a significant decrease in pigmentation scores at 24 weeks compared to week 0, with a significant decrease in pigmentation scores at 24 weeks compared to the placebo lotion. In the test lotion-treated SLs, the lightness (L) and melanin index (MI) values that reflect the pigmentation level significantly increased and decreased, respectively, at 12 and 24 weeks of treatment compared to week 0. Comparisons of increased L values or decreased MI values between the test and placebo lotion-treated SLs demonstrated that the test lotion-treated SLs had significantly higher increased L or decreased MI values than the placebo lotion-treated SLs both at 12 and 24 weeks of treatment. The sum of our results strongly indicates that AGAC is distinctly effective in ameliorating the hyperpigmentation levels of SLs at a level visibly recognizable by the subjects, without any hypo-pigmenting effects or skin problems. Full article

Humans have long delighted in being entertained by captive wild animals. In zoos and aquariums, animal–visitor interactions allow visitors to experience direct or indirect contact with animals. Well-managed animal–visitor interactions can help zoos and aquariums contribute to their educational objectives by eliciting pro-conservation behaviours from visitors while providing good animal welfare for the animals involved. However, some interactions are dysfunctional because they cause physical and psychological harm to the animal and reinforce negative values and beliefs towards conservation. We aimed to assess how dysfunctional animal–visitor interactions are and whether accreditation by zoological associations reduced the number of such interactions. We visited Thai zoos in person and conducted online monitoring of facilities in Southeast Asia. We report 1165 animal–visitor interactions in nine Southeast Asian countries in 225 zoos and aquariums. Taking photos with animals (“selfies”) and riding on animals were scored as the animal–visitor interactions that were the most dysfunctional. The number of animal–visitor interactions was not less in accredited zoos, and there was little difference among countries. Behaviour change needs to form a strategy for change, in addition to robust legislation and improved efforts by zoological associations to push members to maintain standards and mentor non-accredited facilities. Full article

According to research, there is a disparity in the aesthetic design preferences of the public and architects. This is especially noticeable in urban areas environments, where there is a wide range of demographic variables and a lack of active public involvement in decision-making. The study included a visual preference survey to evaluate the perception and ranking of two dominant color schemes in local development projects in Stockholm across different age, ethnicity, and gender groups from Sweden. Over 400 people participated in the survey, which used photo-elicitation and a literature review. The objective was to determine the extent of divergence and disparities in the ranking of color schemes. The first dominant color schemes are a group of four analogous colors related to the Natural Color System’s (NSC’s) basic colors. The second is a group of four neutral colors that are related to grayscale colors. The study demonstrates that one could also measure building color schemes using visual preference ranking. Moreover, the research introduced a unique method for city planners to understand diverse ethnic, gender, and age group perceptions of color schemes in current projects, promoting active participation in decision-making and providing valuable insights. These insights can enhance people’s sense of belonging, a prerequisite for social sustainability, and improve the quality and profitability of future projects. Full article

This article describes the place relationships adolescents have with natural elements in recently developed ‘vertical schools’ in Australia: a relatively new school typology in the country, generally considered to be over four storeys high. Vertical schools are being built in Australia’s largest cities in response to the need for new schools where land is scarce. Drawing on qualitative research into the place relationships that adolescents have with their learning environments in two Australian vertical schools, this article explores the ways young people seek closer associations with nature in multi-storey educational settings. The research adopted a phenomenological approach to ‘place research’, asking what makes a place a place? Further, it recognised that places have the capacity to shape the ‘becoming’ of a person, that ‘becoming’ happens when there is a certain resonance between a place’s cycles, and that identity is created out of difference. As such, ‘place as complex adaptive assemblage theory’ was employed to study the interplay between location and experience in selected vertical schools, also drawing on the earlier theoretical work of Relph (1976), who suggested that the essence of a place lies in the unselfconscious intentionality that defines places as profound centres of human existence. Photovoice was employed as a method to elicit insights into the relationships adolescents have with their school as place. Students created photo essays to document their place relationships, revealing deeply insightful personal reflections on their school as place and the meanings they associate with it. Specifically, the article reports on what thirteen adolescent students communicated about the biophilic experiences afforded by their vertical school, including how it influenced their ‘becoming’. The findings demonstrated that the participating students not only valued relationships with natural elements, but actively sought biophilic experiences on a regular basis. The desire for more frequent and more significant interactions with natural materials and cycles was common across most students, indicating that the relatively limited biophilic experiences available to students in vertical schools is a challenge that should be addressed in future multi-level educational environments. Full article

People’s reduced connection with nature has led to many health problems. In the NBS framework, urban wildscapes (UWSs) are considered an important solution. They can contribute to improving the health of residents and ecosystems within the city. However, overly wild green spaces may also be offensive to residents. It is necessary to understand the public’s acceptance of UWSs. Current studies on the acceptance of UWSs have used vague terms to generalize the “wildness degree”. In this study, we attempted to quantify the degree of wildness using plant height and plant abundance in Japan and analyzed the results through mediated effect analysis. We discovered the following: 1. Japanese residents have low acceptance of UWSs in vacant lots. 2. The use of “height” and “abundance” may be a more objective way to quantify wildness. 3. The negative effects of abundance can be minimized. The negative effect of height cannot be controlled. This study addresses a gap in the study of Asian cities and proposes a novel approach to quantifying “wildness.” It improves the health benefits of UWSs. Furthermore, it can offer guidance on the management and construction of urban green spaces. Full article