Parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) took part in an online survey that explored their experiences of home-schooling during the coronavirus pandemic. Two hundred and thirty-eight parents from the UK responded to 49 questions about the resources and support they had received, their management and feelings surrounding home-schooling. Chi-square analyses were used to establish whether parents' experiences differed as a result of socioeconomic status (SES) or the nature of their child's SEND. Results indicated that parents were dissatisfied with the resources and support they had received for their child's educational and psychological needs. Parents felt inadequate and unprepared and believed that non-attendance at school had and would have a detrimental effect on their child's education and mental health. Parents also described the negative impact of homeschooling on their and their family's well-being. Finally, SES and SENDtype were not associated with parents' experiences of home-schooling.
Background: The use of Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) among the non-competitive weightlifting community has increased considerably in the UK in recent years, presenting a public health issue. The motives behind use have received considerable attention, with motivations linked to body dissatisfaction, low self-esteem, and more recently, muscle dysmorphia (MD). However, the causal roles of MD and self-esteem in AAS use remain unclear. Therefore, this paper examines the origins and changes to motivations in long-term users.Methods: A qualitative study recruited eight male weightlifters from a needle exchange programme in South Wales, UK. Participants were interviewed about their initial introduction to AAS and their motivations for initial and continued use. Results: The interview data confirmed the importance of the training community in providing advice and guidance on AAS. Those interviewed cited some motivations for use which included self-esteem, body dissatisfaction, MD, social acceptance, and age-related concerns. Implicit in these motivations was a psychological addiction to the positive effects following AAS use, which for some men, had led to psychological dependency and body image pathology. Conclusions: The changes in motivations described by the AAS users provide key insights into the complex nature of AAS use. For some men, low self-esteem, body dissatisfaction and MD precede AAS use, and for others, they are consequences of use. These findings have significant implications for future research and public health initiatives.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) rates have increased in recent years, resulting in the need for more classroom support. In Wales, support for many pupils with ADHD is provided by the 16,157 teaching assistants (TAs) employed by local authorities. This qualitative study interviewed 15 primary school TAs to answer three questions concerning their feelings about their job, and the facilitators and barriers to their work with children with ADHD. Using thematic analysis, the researchers identified 10 themes: positive feelings, negative effects, a need for change, support, improvement over time, one-to-one relationship, lack of support, negativity towards ADHD, classroom environment, and poor knowledge and experience with ADHD. This study illustrates the TAs' love for their job and the importance of positive relationships. It also highlights a lack of support for TAs and negativity towards ADHD. Implications of the study and recommendations for the future are discussed.
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