ORCID Profile
0000-0002-0472-5338
Current Organisations
Charles Sturt University
,
Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro
,
Charles Sturt University - Wagga Wagga Campus
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Publications
In sickness and in health
Publisher: Routledge
Date: 23-05-2023
Instagram Photo-Sharing and Its Relationships with Social Rewards and Social Connectedness
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Date: 2021
“Fake it ‘till you make it”
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 26-05-2023
DOI: 10.1177/09593535221101455
Abstract: The diagnosis of autism spectrum condition (ASC) in women is increasing, prompting research into the gendered experience and presentation of female ASC. To complement this growing body of research, the current study utilised a qualitative approach informed by a feminist disability framework to explore how the intersecting dimensions of difference, gender, and ASC influence autistic women’s subjectivity and wellbeing. Drawing on the experiences of eight late-diagnosed autistic women, thematic analysis highlighted experiences of early marginalisation, challenges of living outside gendered social norms, the psychological and emotional consequences of masking, and the impact of diagnosis on subjectivity, identity, and wellbeing. Participants developed their authenticity and personhood within a performative social context that required masking of the self, a complex process with wide-ranging consequences. Findings also highlight the importance of acceptance, representation, and community for the wellbeing of autistic women. This research challenges the dominant, masculinised construction of ASC. It highlights the need for the ontological status of ASC to be reconceptualised to incorporate erse experiences of the condition across the gender spectrum. Future research should explore how psychology can facilitate this reconceptualisation.
‘You don’t look autistic’
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 15-03-2021
Abstract: There is currently a paucity of literature exploring the experiences of women on the autism spectrum. It is imperative research is conducted to capture the experiences of women on the autism spectrum and ensure appropriate support is provided to this cohort. Drawing upon a social constructionist framework, this qualitative research study sought to understand how psychological and socio-cultural constructions of autism spectrum condition and gender influence the well-being of women on the autism spectrum. Eight participants engaged in a semi-structured interview, with thematic analysis conducted to demonstrate the impact of gender roles and social expectations on the women’s identity and autism spectrum condition expression. The research highlighted the changing understandings of autism spectrum condition across a woman’s lifespan and the process and impact of resisting hegemonic autism spectrum condition categorisation. The findings demonstrate that social constructions of gender and stereotypical understandings of autism spectrum condition, which prioritise a deficit, medical model, have significant consequences for women’s well-being and subjectivity. The women experienced challenging formative years, but with diagnosis and the evolution and acceptance of their identities, they were able to resist negative narratives of autism spectrum condition, embrace their strengths and develop adaptive coping strategies. It is hoped this article generates insights for societal and clinical recognition to better support women on the autism spectrum. Most autism spectrum condition research addresses the neurological and biological causes of autism spectrum condition, focusing upon deficits associated with autism spectrum condition and behavioural interventions designed to minimise these deficits. Little is known about the lived experiences of adult women on the autism spectrum and how they navigate social expectations around gender, autism spectrum condition and gendered understandings of autism spectrum condition. The lived experiences of eight women on the AS will be shared here, with attention to how gendered expectations influence women’s experiences of autism spectrum condition, their sense of self and well-being. Findings showed these women struggled to reconcile the expectations of others, particularly early in life. The women had difficultly conforming to stereotypical ideals of femininity, yet as they aged, they felt less need to conform, valuing their unique style and behaviours. The women also rejected deficit-oriented descriptions of autism spectrum condition generated by the medical community, preferring to focus on their strengths and unique characteristics. It is hoped this article helps psychologists and the wider community to understand and meet the needs of women on the AS.
Invisible boundaries
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 26-05-2020
Instagram photo sharing and its relationships with social rewards and well‐being
Publisher: Hindawi Limited
Date: 07-2020
DOI: 10.1002/HBE2.207
Symbiosis or Sporting Tool? Competition and the Horse-Rider Relationship in Elite Equestrian Sports
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 10-05-2021
DOI: 10.3390/ANI11051352
Abstract: The horse-rider relationship is fundamental to ethical equestrianism wherein equine health and welfare are prioritized as core dimensions of sporting success. Equestrianism represents a unique and important form of interspecies activity in which relationships are commonly idealized as central to sporting performance but have been largely unexplored in the sport psychology literature. Horse-rider relationships warrant particular consideration in the elite sporting context, given the tension between constructions of “partnership” between horse and rider, and the pragmatic pressures of elite sport on horse and rider and their relationship. The current study examined the link between sporting performance and the horse-rider relationship in an elite equestrian sporting context. Thirty-six international elite riders from eight countries and six equestrian disciplines participated in a single in-depth interview. A social constructionist, grounded theory methodology was used to analyze this data. The horse-rider relationship was positioned in three different ways in relation to elite sporting outcomes: as pivotal to success non-essential to success or as antithetical to success. Participants shifted between these positions, expressing nuanced, ambivalent attitudes that reflected their sporting discipline and their personal orientation to equestrianism. Competitive success was also defined in fluid terms, with participants differentiating between intrinsic and extrinsic markers of success. These findings suggest a complex and multifaceted connection between interspecies performance and relationships in elite sport. Where strong horse-rider relationships are antithetical to performance, a threat to the welfare and ethics of equestrian sport exists. Relevant sporting governing bodies must attend to this problem to ensure the centrality of animal welfare, wellbeing, and performance longevity to equestrian sports.
Evidence for Bone Marrow Adult Stem Cell Plasticity: Properties, Molecular Mechanisms, Negative Aspects, and Clinical Applications of Hematopoietic and Mesenchymal Stem Cells Transdifferentiation
Publisher: Hindawi Limited
Date: 2013
DOI: 10.1155/2013/589139
Abstract: In contrast to the pluripotent embryonic stem cells (ESCs) which are able to give rise to all cell types of the body, mammalian adult stem cells (ASCs) appeared to be more limited in their differentiation potential and to be committed to their tissue of origin. Recently, surprising new findings have contradicted central dogmas of commitment of ASCs by showing their plasticity to differentiate across tissue lineage boundaries, irrespective of classical germ layer designations. The present paper supports the plasticity of the bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs), bringing the most striking and the latest evidences of the transdifferentiation properties of the bone marrow hematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells (BMHSCs, and BMMSCs), the two BM populations of ASCs better characterized. In addition, we report the possible mechanisms that may explain these events, outlining the clinical importance of these phenomena and the relative problems.
Instagram photo sharing and its relationships with social connectedness, loneliness, and well-being
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 04-2022
DOI: 10.1177/20563051221107650
Abstract: Photo sharing is one of the most popular online social media activities and has been associated with changes in mental health. Research investigating the effect of sharing photos on a social media user’s social connectedness, loneliness, and well-being has generated conflicting results. This study analyzed the effect of Instagram photo sharing on the relationships among social connectedness, loneliness, and well-being. The study focused on photos sharing separate to viewing photos to understand the specific effect of photo sharing. The research measured how those with transient and chronic levels of loneliness respond differently to photo sharing, which has not been previously considered. Well-being and loneliness are conceptualized as dependent variables that have a relationship with social connectedness as an independent variable, which is moderated by the number of photos shared. Results from an online survey of 373 participants found Instagram photo sharing does significantly moderate relationships among social connectedness, loneliness, and well-being. Highest levels of photo sharing were found to have the largest moderating effect. Levels of well-being decreased as social connectedness and photo sharing increased. Differences were found for types of loneliness where photo sharing was most beneficial at low levels of social connectedness for transient loneliness. In contrast, for those experiencing chronic trait loneliness, high levels of photo sharing were associated with highest levels of loneliness when social connectedness was high. One obvious implication for social media and policy may lie in education for users and technology enhancement for optimal photo sharing levels that minimize loneliness and maximize well-being.
Depression, stress, and self-stigma towards seeking psychological help in veterinary students
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 20-04-2021
DOI: 10.1111/AVJ.13070
Abstract: Previous research indicates that the prevalence of depression among veterinarians and veterinary students is high. Although self‐stigma in seeking psychological help is reportedly elevated in veterinary students, its impact on mental health has been largely unexplored. The aim of this study was to compare the levels of study‐related stress, depression symptoms and self‐stigma in veterinary students with those of non‐veterinary students, and examine whether stress and self‐stigma positively predicted depression symptoms in veterinary students. A total of 287 veterinary students and 317 non‐veterinary students from Australian universities completed an online questionnaire measuring study‐related stress, self‐stigma and depression symptoms. Results showed that veterinary students reported significantly higher levels of stress and self‐stigma than non‐veterinary students, but there was no significant difference between veterinary and non‐veterinary students in depression symptoms. Multiple regression analysis indicated that stress and self‐stigma both predicted depression symptoms in veterinary students. These findings suggest that reducing stress and help‐seeking self‐stigma in veterinary students may be important in improving their wellbeing levels. These findings are important in developing a whole‐of‐career life course approach to understanding the professional and psychological experiences of veterinarians.
Instagram photo-sharing and its relationships with social rewards and social connectedness
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Date: 06-08-2020
Related Organisations
Related Funding Activities
No related grants have been discovered for Eugenio Maiorano.