School of Applied Social Sciences

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A bibliometric review of positive psychology and well-being research in Africa
(Frontiers, 2024-06-21) Wilson Fadiji, Angelina; Khumalo, Itumeleng P.; Wissing, Marié Philipina; Appiah, Richard
Positive Psychology rapidly developed into an influential field of study and intervention, initially situated in Psychology, and later becoming multidisciplinary. Research interest in the study of (psychological) well-being has gained global popularity, with increasing salience in Africa. Although the global trends of these developments are relatively well-known, a bibliometric analysis of positive psychology research in Africa was necessary to shed light on the present hotspots and trends and future trajectories in this region of the world. The data source of the present bibliometric analysis study was Scopus, from which Positive Psychology and well-being research literature from Africa between 1983 and 2023 were searched. Using biblioshiny and VOSviewer, the 622 extracted articles were analysed, from which findings about the current condition, research hotspots, and thematic developmental patterns could be made. Africa experienced an initial slow growth period from 1983 until 2005, after which a rapid growth in research productivity, relevance and impact was experienced. In this regard, the results show that the focal point of scientific productivity is South Africa, with the dominance of South African institutions, particularly the North-West University, from where most positive psychology research is produced and cited. Even with potential access to international journal, African researchers seem to prefer to place their publications in the regional journals such as Journal of Psychology in Africa and South African Journal of Psychology. The research reviewed tends to be characterised by more dominant thematic clusters of positive psychology, psychological well-being, and subjective well-being, with a focus on human individuals. An increasing concern for contextual factors and potential antecedents and dynamics of well-being is also observed. The findings provide a good map from which identification of future research priorities can be deduced. As such, we speculate that future positive psychology research in Africa ought to be concerned with the following: greater distribution and intercountry collaborations across the continent, questions of conceptual clarity of terms, better understanding of contextual factors which influence well-being, and well-being research embracing the complexity of bio-psycho-social-ecological well-being, and science concerned with health-promotion interventions.
Embargo
A Matter of Facts: Officers’ Belief Systems About Corruption in Ghana’s Police and Criminal Justice System
(Springer, 2025-03-01) Amagnya, Moses Agaawena; Karstedt, Susanne
Police forces represent the outer face of criminal justice systems and the first point of contact for citizens. Corruption is often a major issue in police-citizen encounters, creating distrust and impeding the fair delivery of justice. Police leaders hardly admit to the presence and scope of corruption in their forces. However, lower ranks in the force might be keenly aware of corrupt exchanges and proceedings. This study explores Ghanaian police officers’ experiences, perceptions, and attitudes toward corruption in their organization based on the conceptual framework of ‘belief systems’ (Converse 1964/2006). We examine officers’ perceptions of the frequency and seriousness of corrupt behaviors and expected reactions, how they perceive their peers’ assessments of misconduct, and what they see as causes of corruption. We surveyed police officers in three regions of Ghana, urban as well as rural. The questionnaire included a scenario study, which presented respondents with two common incidents of corruption in the police force differing in terms of seriousness and involvement of lower and higher ranks. Results of the study show a pattern that we describe as a ‘realistic perspective’ on corruption within a police force where corruption is widespread, particularly regarding control of and reactions to corruption. While police officers’ belief systems were mostly consistent across the two incidents, important differences were found for expected sanctions. Police officers expected more severe reactions for the less serious lower-level incident and related impunity for high-ranking officers to a general culture of corruption within the police. These patterns, as well as differences between higher and lower ranks in perceptions of corruption, signal a level of distrust in leadership and its guardianship. We conclude that control and prevention of corruption need to harvest the experiences and knowledge of rank-and-file officers.
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A Service Evaluation of More Than 27 000 Adults Referred to a Community Weight Management Program: 24-Month Outcomes
(Sage, 2024-10-21) Toon, Josef; Bennett, Sarah-Elizabeth; Lavin, Jacquie; Pallister, Carolyn; Avery, Amanda
Background: Obesity has a significant impact on healthcare resources with limited accessible support available through the NHS. This service evaluation determines 24-month efficacy of referral to an open-group behavioral program by BMI category and socioeconomic status. Methods: This retrospective, longitudinal study examined weight outcomes of adults living in England referred by healthcare professionals to Slimming World during 2016 who recorded at least 1 weight change. Primary outcome was % weight change at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months. Socioeconomic status was measured using the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD). Data from a post-referral questionnaire investigated self-reported changes in dietary and activity behaviors. Results: Twenty-seven thousand five hundred sixty (15.6% male) records were analyzed. Mean (SD) age and BMI on joining were 48.6 (14.80) years and 37.1 (6.31) kg/m2; 91.7% had a BMI > 30 kg/m2. Mean (SD) % weight change was −5.6 (3.79), −7.1 (5.71), −7.5 (6.88), and −7.3 (6.88) at 3, 6, 12, and 24-months, respectively. At 24- months, differences in weight loss between BMI category were significant, ranging from 0.29% (35-<40 vs 40+) to 1.33% (25-<30 vs 40+). For IMD quintile only comparisons against Q1 and Q2 were significant, ranging between 0.36% (Q2 vs Q3) to 0.94% (Q1 vs Q5). Five thousand eight hundred sixty-two (21.2%) completed the post-referral questionnaire. There were no BMI category effects on dietary behaviors but changes in physical activity behaviors were lower within the higher categories albeit effect sizes were small (all ges < 0.001). IMD quintile influenced changes for sugary drinks, watching TV and avoiding moderate activity although effect sizes were small (all ges < 0.01). Conclusion: Following 12-week referral to a commercial weight management organization, a mean weight loss of over 7% was reported at 24-months. Adults with higher BMIs and a greater level of deprivation can benefit from the practical support offered as part of the referral, supporting weight loss and weight loss maintenance albeit with some inequality.
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A thematic analysis of the perceptions of reversible inhibition of sperm under guidance as a potential family planning method in the United Kingdom
(Sage, 2024-07-26) Wilson, Amanda D.; Gheorghe, Cristina M.; Slack, Olivia
Background: This exploratory study aimed to look into public perceptions of Reversible Inhibition of Sperm Under Guidance (RISUG) as a family planning method in the United Kingdom (UK). It also aimed to discover if there were any sex differences in perceptions between males and females. Design: Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted, six with males and six with females, all residents of the UK. Methods: The audio data from the interviews then was transcribed for analysis. An inductive and a semantic thematic analysis was conducted on the data set. Results: Three main themes were constructed, including: (i) RISUG Hesitancy, (ii) Females perceived benefits of RISUG and (iii) Males perceived concerns regarding RISUG. Hesitancy was related to vaccination hesitancy, females wanted males to have more reproductive autonomy and males placed their concerns through the lens of ‘other’ males that their may be unintended side effects. Together these three themes represent both perceived risk and overall benefits of the method. However, while randomized control trails have been completed to standard for RISUG, males perceived concerns, suggesting a disconnect between the public’s perceptions and professionals understanding of trails. Conclusion: RISUG was perceived as a viable option for family planning in the future, however trust of the new contraceptive method will need to be fostered among the public in order to effectively transfer knowledge on the potential side effects and the standard of pre-market testing for these. Effective public health messages can result in better education of people concerning the new contraceptive method, including the risks and benefits. By using perceptions to inform health messages around RISUG, researchers and practitioners can learn from potential users how to best address misinformation or concerns, while at the same time building an evidence base for when new male methods reach the contraceptive market.
Open Access
Co-producing learning space in a prison-university partnership
(Virginia Commonwealth University, 2024-10-28) Little, Ross
This article explores a classroom co-produced by learners serving prison sentences, undergraduate criminology students and a pair of lecturer-facilitators. This space, in a high security prison for men serving life sentences (‘HMP Lifer’), provides a good example of ethical praxis and moral sight working in combination to mitigate against moral and ethical blindness. It is a mechanism by which pedagogical concerns, and some human-centred ones, can be realised in an unconventional context. There are two areas to the discussion. Firstly, the effects of incorporating students from outside the prison into the classroom space, such as enhanced proximity, the reduction of prison learners’ diffidence, motivation to appreciate the perspectives of others, and closing the pedagogical gap between participants. Secondly, enabling interaction that transforms the nature of the space, freeing it from institutional constraints. In doing this, the relational distance between participating individuals contracted, whilst simultaneously expanding the distance between them and their ‘host’ institutions. The approach allowed people to co-produce pedagogical capital, further enabling staff and students to ‘see’ each other and feel seen. This, together with the use of abstract questions and discussion, facilitated an understanding that knowledge is dispersed within the classroom, and may be disseminated beyond it. There is also evidence of effects beyond the classroom. Co-producing an educational space, inside an institution they were studying academically, became an opportunity for university students to experience learning differently to classes on campus. The approach rendered the space trustworthy and safe, in turn allowing the group to participate in potentially uncomfortable conversations, further enhancing their learning.
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Codebooks are not just for teams
(SAGE Research Methods Community, 2024-08) Oliveira, Gisela; Sibley-White, Angela
This is a blog post on the use of codebook by researchers individually.
Open Access
Collaboration in Higher Education
(Collaboration in Higher Education: TLN Take5 Symposium, 2022-04-07) Wright, Emma; Smith, Rosi; Wall, Robyn; Vernon, Melissa; White, Lucinda
Our presentation reflects on our co-creation project to re-design the Special Educational Needs and Disability module on a BA Education Studies programme at De Montfort University, Leicester. The project, led by a co-creation group of disabled and neurodivergent teachers and students, consisted of two strands: research and module design. Research strand: What disabled and neurodivergent people, their families, practitioners and academics think new educators should know and understand, and how they think we should teach it. Module design strand: Learning outcomes, course content and assessment.
Open Access
Community resilience to flooding in the UK : A study of Matlock, Derbyshire
(Elsevier, 2025-02-15) McKie, Ruth E.; Aitken, Adam
The United Kingdom has faced recurring floods since 2019, with 5.2 million homes at risk. This has prompted the UK government to prioritise resilience planning in flood prone areas. This study focuses on community resilience in Matlock, Derbyshire, which has experienced intensified flooding since 2018. Using qualitative interviews and a focus group, the research examines evidence of community resilience and the barriers to its development by focusing on community activities during flooding incidents, if and how these were collective efforts and relationships, and what are the perceived challenges to community resilience building. Our findings revealed that residents of Matlock used local action groups and social media, community led warning systems and promotion and engagement in civic participation to foster and enhance community resilience. While bonding and bridging capital were critical to support community resilience building, there were significant barriers to linking social capital, such as the disconnect between community members and formal institutions (i.e. government organisations) that left participants disheartened and frustrated. In conclusion, the study argues that further fostering of linking social capital through policy recommendations and developments such as regular community, small grants for community initiatives and integrating local knowledge into policy frameworks will bridge the gap between communities and these external stakeholders. In doing so, activities that aim to enhance Matlock's flood resilience may inform broader strategies for place-based and devolved policies addressing environmental challenges in a wider context.
Open Access
Companions, Captives, Kin: Domination and Affection in the Conceptualising of ‘Pets’
(MDPI, 2024-09-05) Cudworth, E.
This review article reflects on the idea of the pet, or animal companion. It is a response to the tension between the important role animal companions play in the lives of many people and the ways they are ill-treated and discarded. In examining this apparent anomaly, the paper revisits Yi-Fu Tuan’s conception of pets as produced through the nexus of domination and affection. For Tuan, there is no anomaly in demonstrating both kindness and cruelty towards pets because, while pets may be objects of affection, they are created through practices of manipulation and control. The paper endorses Tuan’s conception of pets as an exercise in domination but argues for a more nuanced conception which allows for the possibility of different kinds of relations. In so doing, it provides an alternative model of human domination which can be seen in the ‘making’ of pets, drawing on a study of people’s relationships and lives with dog companions in the UK. The paper argues for an inclusive concept of pets, involving various species, and which recognises that pet–human relations differ according to the species which are kept. Ultimately, the paper suggests that the terms, concepts and theories we use to understand pets and human relations with them needs to be open to the diversity of species of animal kept and the ways in which this impacts human relations with them. Attention also needs to be paid to the varied kinds of relationship people have with pets based on different kinds of regard for animals. The paper also considers future directions for research, making the case for a critical approach to pet studies.
Open Access
COVID‑19 experience and student wellbeing amongst publicly funded higher education students in South Africa after the frst, and second waves
(Springer, 2024-08-21) Wildschut, Angelique; Wilson Fadiji, Angelina
Although higher education students have been identified as one of the social groups most affected by the impact of COVID-19, higher education literature appears to focus more on documenting implications for teaching and learning, curriculum and institutions, than student wellbeing. This has resulted in gaps to our understanding and approaches to intervene positively in, student wellbeing within the higher education space ‘post-COVID-19’. Drawing on a novel survey data set administered in November 2021, of the 6877 higher educa tion (University and TVET College) students in South Africa, this paper aims to contribute through cross-sectional data that allows analysis of student experience of COVID-19 and its relationship to student wellbeing. As expected, our fndings confirm COVID-19 experience as a significant predictor of student wellbeing. We also identify satisfaction with interventions from higher education stakeholders in response to COVID-19 as the strongest, and the extent to which students felt impacted by changes to their routine behaviours as the weakest, predictors of wellbeing. The paper adds to existing international literature, the South African context with a large sample. Secondly, the analysis provides a more comprehensive view of the link between COVID-19 and higher education student wellbe ing, as TVET College students are included. The composite measurement of COVID-19 experience is a further contribution. Finally, the findings add to the literature on COVID 19 and higher education student wellbeing, the experience of disadvantaged students. The findings underscore the emotional health of students as a critical area for higher education policy and intervention during times of uncertainty or disruption
Metadata only
Creating a Codebook - where to start?
(SAGE Research Methods Community, 2024-09-02) Oliveira, Gisela; Sibley-White, Angela
This is a blog post on the process of creating a codebook.
Metadata only
Delegitimation, stigma and multiple selves: How (perceived) limited understanding of endometriosis amongst significant others shapes women’s lived experiences
(2024-09-11) Law, Caroline; Hudson, Nichola Anne; Culley, Lorraine; Denny, E.
Open Access
Digitalising corrections
(Sage, 2024-10-18) Knight, Victoria; Ross, Stuart; Wood, Mark
This special issue of the Journal of Criminology examines how this digital transformation is shaping prison and probation services, and what needs to be done to ensure that these developments yield beneficial outcomes for all those involved. We are particularly concerned with examining the values, theories, policies, and design principles that shape how services are translated into digital forms, and how, in turn, these services generate benefits and harms experienced by users. We are also interested in how technologies adopted as specific solutions to immediate problems can rapidly bring about more fundamental changes in operating systems and practices. Our goal is to speak to both academics and practitioners by presenting articles that are grounded in theory and evidence, but where the implications of the research are readily accessible to non-academic readers.
Open Access
Discharging Care Orders in England and Wales: A New Typology of Applications and Outcomes
(Oxford University Press (OUP), 2024-05-28) Roy, Jessica; Staines, Jo; Stone, Beth; Macdonald, Gillian
A care order represents one of the most significant state interventions in England and Wales. The end of a care order is equally important, often meaning a withdrawal of statutory support and monitoring, and children returning home to birth parent(s), living with kinship carers or living independently. Despite its importance, little is known about the discharge of care orders. This article reports on the findings of the first study of the discharge of care orders in England and Wales. Casefile data from 323 children’s records were analysed using descriptive and bivariate statistical analysis. Qualitative data from the same records were collected and analysed thematically. Interviews and focus groups were also held with forty-one professionals involved in discharge. Based on the findings, this article reports on a new typology of discharge applications. The typology represents six distinctly different types of application varying on: process and application outcome; length of proceedings; applicant motivation and age and views of the child. The typology developed indicates that differentiated legal and social work processes may be needed to better meet the needs of children and families. This article concludes by presenting recommendations for policy, practice and research in this field.
Open Access
Exploring past research to move forward: a scoping review of aims, outcomes, and recommendations in parental mental illness qualitative research
(Frontiers, 2024-10-16) Yates, Scott; Piché, G.; Davidson, G.; Dunkley-Smith, A.; Grant, A.; Maybery, D,
Introduction: As parental mental illness is a global public health concern, rigorous qualitative research is central to understanding families' experiences, needs and outcomes to inform optimal service provision in adult mental health and children's social services. Methods: The current review identified, appraised and synthesized international qualitative research exploring Families and Parent Mental Illness (FaPMI) research to determine the focus, findings and outcomes and to summarize the recommendations made about the direction of future research. Findings are classified according to outcomes for children, parents, and families. Results: While some children experienced positive outcomes from a parent's illness, most faced impacts on their social-emotional wellbeing, school performance, increased caregiving responsibilities, strained parent relationships, and lack of understanding about parental mental illness. Some family members endured abuse and struggled to adapt to an ill parent's unpredictable needs, with reluctance to discuss the situation. Parents found parenting challenging yet viewed having children as a protective factor. Future research should gather diverse perspectives, explore within-family factors and social environments, develop and test interventions, and address methodological issues like sampling. Discussion: This review highlights the centrality of qualitative data in comprehensively understanding and evaluating outcomes of parental mental illness on families and provides clear recommendations regarding future research.
Open Access
Exploring the generational ordering of kinship through decisions about DNA testing and gamete donor conception: What’s the right age to know your donor relatives?
(The Sociological Review, 2025-01-17) Gilman, Leah; Nordqvist, Peta; Hudson, Nicky; Frith, Lucy
The development of direct-to-consumer genetic testing (DTCGT), in conjunction with social media, has had profound consequences for the management of information about donor conception. One outcome is that it is now possible to circumvent formal age-restrictions on accessing information about people related through donor conception. Consequently, many donor conceived people and their parents face questions regarding what is the ‘right age’ to seek out such connections with ‘donor relatives’. In this article, we share findings from 20 interviews with UK-based parents through donor conception, exploring how they grapple with such questions and possibilities. This involves parents reflecting on the meaning of childhood and its significance in processes of kinship. We identify three ontologies of childhood in participants’ reasoning: children as kinship catalysts, children as vulnerable to kinship risk and children as emerging kinship agents. We discuss what our findings tell us about the generational ordering of kinship. We show that processes through which genetic relatedness is made to matter (or not) are understood to operate differently according to the generational position of those involved due to culturally-specific understandings of childhood. These ontologies of childhood, and their relationship to kinship, are (re)produced in and through parent–child relationships.
Open Access
Factors Influencing the Outcomes of Discharge of Care Order Proceedings: An Examination of National Data, Children's E‐Records and Professional Interviews
(Wiley, 2024-03-03) Staines, Jo; Stone, Beth; Roy, Jessica; Macdonald, Gillian
Understanding more about the discharge of care orders is vital—whether a care order remains in place has significant implications for children and their families and for local authorities. While there has been comprehensive research about the process and outcomes of care proceedings, much less is known about the discharge of care orders—particularly how, why and when care orders are ended and the differences between applications that are granted and those that are not. The present study combined data from an anonymized administrative data on discharge applications, a detailed analysis of children's e-records and qualitative interviews with family justice professionals to create the first detailed profile of discharge applications across England and Wales. This paper reports, for the first time, the number of discharge applications and outcomes across England and Wales, highlighting regional as well as between-country variation. Drawing on data from children's e-records and interviews with professionals, highlighting how and why local authorities are more likely to submit discharge applications, and to have applications granted, than parents. Recommendations are made for how to adapt professional practice and policy around discharge applications to better meet the needs of children and families.
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Foreword: Unfolding creative co-operation beyond corporate higher education
(Routledge, 2024-08-19) Hall, Richard
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'I don’t think you would ever be ready financially’: Men contemplating fatherhood in a time of economic precarity
(2021-04-14) Law, Caroline
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It always comes back to this: my panic to have a child’: Negotiating uncertainty and the anticipation of infertility amongst women with endometriosis
(2022-10-27) Law, Caroline; Hudson, Nichola Anne

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