College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences - Doctoral Theses
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Item Childhood trauma and trauma-informed care in early intervention in psychosis(University College Cork, 2024) Hunt, Evan; Lambert, Sharon; Murphy, Mike; Lonergan, Edgar; O'Connor, Karen; Health Service ExecutiveThis doctoral thesis explores the integration of Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) within Mental Health Services (MHS) and examines the prevalence and impact of childhood trauma in individuals experiencing First-Episode Psychosis (FEP). Through a systematic review, the research identifies core principles and practices of TIC in MHS, leading to the development of a framework that encompasses therapeutic environment, sociocultural responsiveness, and workforce development, providing a blueprint for operationalising TIC within mental healthcare. Building on this foundation, an empirical study establishes the demographic and clinical profile of service users accessing an Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) service in Ireland. Findings reveal the complex and diverse needs of the population, including significant gender differences in age of onset, substance use, and functional impairments, emphasising the necessity for tailored interventions in EIP services. Further research investigates the prevalence of childhood trauma among FEP service users, revealing a high rate of trauma exposure (78%), with emotional abuse and neglect being most common. Gender differences were also found, with females reporting higher severity and cumulative trauma. These findings highlight the importance of integrating trauma-informed approaches into EIP services to address the multifaceted needs of individuals with psychosis. Finally, the thesis examines the longitudinal impact of childhood trauma on clinical outcomes in FEP. While trauma severity was linked to self-harm, it did not significantly affect other baseline clinical characteristics. Over the course of 12 months of treatment, significant improvements in symptomatology and functioning were observed, regardless of trauma history, highlighting the effectiveness of EIP services in supporting individuals with FEP. This research collectively emphasises the need for trauma-informed, individualised care to optimise outcomes for individuals with early psychosis.Item Digital Humanities: a bridge between computer vision and study of art(University College Cork, 2024) Xiao, Shuang; Murphy, Orla; Allen, Graham; China Scholarship CouncilFrom Humanities Computing to Digital Humanities, the development of digital technologies has brought many possibilities to the Humanities disciplines, including the exploration of painting research through deep learning. Such research currently focuses primarily on improving algorithmic performance, mainly derived from the field of computer vision, while technical barriers and disciplinary jargon make it difficult for Humanities scholars to engage in this type of research. However, effective interdisciplinary research requires communication and dialogue across multiple fields. On the one hand, the participation of Humanities scholars can make deep learning technologies more targeted in exploring painting research, thereby providing valuable research insights. On the other hand, Humanities scholars can critically examine deep learning, offering feasible suggestions for technological improvement, and identifying and avoiding potential ethical issues. Based on this research objective, this thesis conducts the following studies. The thesis first introduces the context of this research: “Digital Humanities,” “Artificial Intelligence,” “Computer Vision,” “Digital Art History,” and “Cultural Analytics.” and reviews existing research on deep learning in painting studies, critical research in Digital Humanities, and ethical issues in AI. Then, the thesis details the application process of deep learning in painting research in four parts: “Data Preparation,” “Model Training,” “Evaluation and Optimization,” and “Analysis and Interpretation,” each part including an introduction to basic knowledge, the application of technology (experiments), and reflections on deep learning. Chapter One, Data Preparation, introduces the basics of art image datasets, discussing how to assess, select, and clean image datasets. The experiment demonstrates how to organize datasets with code according to one’s research objectives, preparing for model training. The reflective section discusses the subjectivity and biases of datasets, the characteristics of art data itself, and the ethical, copyright, and technical limitations of datasets, proposing some targeted and feasible suggestions. Chapter Two, Model Training, uses CNNs as examples to introduce the internal structure of neural networks and various types of CNNs. The experiment demonstrates how to train a simple neural network model to predict the authors of paintings. Lastly, it reflects from a Humanities perspective on the potential issues that may arise during the model training process, including programming challenges, ethical issues and transparency of algorithms, the comparison between machine learning and human learning, and the effectiveness of transfer learning in art images. Chapter Three, Evaluation and Optimization, introduces methods for evaluating and optimizing models, and through experiments, evaluates and optimizes the model trained in Chapter Two. The reflection section discusses minimal computation, model accuracy, as well as issues with weights and biases. Chapter Four, Analysis and Interpretation, differentiates between model explanations from a computational perspective and model interpretations from a Humanities perspective. Based on the objectives and themes of painting research, it proposes five potential ways in which deep learning can assist painting research, including recognition of features and patterns, comparative studies, object detection, unsupervised clustering, and image generation, with detailed case explanations for each path. After completing the introduction and exploration of deep learning, this chapter ultimately suggests a research approach that combines Humanities and computing and discusses the value of AI-generated art based on current research trends. The biggest contribution of this thesis is in linking the fields of painting research and deep learning, which have vastly different research goals and methods, to form a research approach that allows for mutual communication and contribution. This approach represents a Digital Humanities research approach, promotes equal and dialogical exploration between Humanities research and Computer Science, where technology offers new insights and possibilities for Humanities research, and Humanities research provides critical suggestions for technological development.Item Being a parent with a physical disability: an exploration of lived experiences(University College Cork, 2024) Dunne, Amanda; Ryan, Christian; Lennon, Aisling; Brennan, EmmaObjective: This thesis portfolio aims to (1) synthesise the qualitative literature exploring the parenting experiences of adults with both acquired and congenital physical disabilities, and (2) explore the parenting experiences of fathers with acquired physical disabilities. Methods: A systematic review and thematic synthesis were conducted to synthesise the qualitative literature exploring the parenting experiences of adults with physical disabilities. 11 studies were identified following searching of CINAHL, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases, in addition to backward snowballing. All studies were also subjected to quality appraisal. Seven fathers with acquired physical disabilities were also interviewed about their parenting experiences, with an interpretative phenomenological analysis being undertaken to analyse the data collected. Results: Each of the studies within the systematic review were deemed to be of high quality, with seven themes identified from the thematic synthesis: stigmatisation and the need to prove competence as a parent; feeling underrepresented as a parent with a physical disability; environmental limitations; experiences of accessing support; using skills and strategies to fulfil parenting role; children’s roles and reactions, and changes as they grow, and safety, wellness and health when parenting with a physical disability. Three group experiential themes were identified from the interpretative phenomenological analysis of seven fathers’ interviews: (1) the meaning of fatherhood, (2) navigating a complex emotional landscape, and (3) the dynamic nature of relationships. Conclusions: A number of clinical implications stemming from the findings of both studies are discussed, in addition to important areas for future research.Item Relations between sensory-related factors and stress in autistic and non-autistic adults(University College Cork, 2024) Harrold, Aine; Setti, Annalisa; Keating, Kim; Larkin, Fionnuala; Health Service ExecutiveBackground: There is emerging empirical evidence indicating that differences in self-reported sensory processing may be associated with differences in levels of stress in adult populations. Parenting often comes with increased sensory stimulation, such as noise or tactile stimulation. Therefore, responsivity to sensory stimuli could be a risk factor for parenting stress. Autistic parents and Highly Sensitive Persons (HSP) may be particularly at risk of elevated parenting stress, given their pronounced sensory sensitivity. Aims: The overarching aim of this thesis portfolio is to explore the relations between sensory-related factors and stress in autistic and non-autistic adults. A secondary aim was to explore relations between the constructs of HSP and autism. Systematic Review: The systematic review aimed to synthesise and summarise the available evidence examining the association between self-reported sensory processing and self-reported stress in adult populations. Twenty studies, both qualitative and quantitative, were assessed for quality and the results analysed using narrative synthesis. Overall, the evidence is strong for an association between differences in sensory processing and self-reported stress in adults, across a range of populations and measures of stress. Greater sensory sensitivity was consistently associated with higher levels of stress in cross-sectional studies. Longitudinal studies are lacking. Empirical study: This quantitative, cross-sectional study aimed to examine the role sensory-related factors play in predicting parenting stress in autistic and non-autistic parents. A total of 104 parents completed measures of autistic traits, sensory processing sensitivity, sensory processing difficulties and parenting stress. Data were analysed statistically using t-tests, correlational, and regression analysis. Autistic parents and HSP parents had higher levels of levels of parenting stress than non-autistic and non-HSP parents. Sensory-related factors predicted parenting stress in autistic and non-autistic parents. Conclusions: Findings from this research support the significance of sensory processing in contributing to stress in adults. Hypersensitivity to sensory stimuli was also found to contribute to stress in the parenting role. Individuals who have heightened sensitivity to sensory stimuli, such as autistic individuals and HPSs, were found to experience elevated parenting stress.Item Pivotal moments in the formation of the medieval Irish hero: conception/birth and death, and the case of Conall Cernach(University College Cork, 2023) Notaridis, Iordanis; Murray, KevinThe present study deals with the two most important moments that define human life: conception/birth and death. It focuses in particular on the births and deaths of heroes. The heroes under investigation here are martial heroes whose lives are placed in the Irish pre-Christian era. A hero is often a semi-divine figure in human form, living a mortal life and destined to experience an uncommon and often painful death. In other words, a hero is commonly what regular human beings would like to be, occupying a role they cannot attain. In heroic literature, conception- and birth-related narratives are part of the prefiguring of the hero; Otherworldly elements and/or a god/goddess are frequently involved in the begetting of the hero, who may sometimes be interpreted as a mortal version of this god/goddess. Similar importance attaches to the hero’s death. These two events central to the formation of the hero as conception and birth narratives read the heroic life cycle forwards and death narratives read it backwards with reference to the main events that comprise a heroic biography. By examining the beginnings and aftermaths of medieval Irish heroic biographies, this study also examines the heroic ethos and how it is outlined. As we shall see, in conception and birth narratives we may find elements of heroic ethos in relevant taboos and in advice bestowed upon the unborn or newly born hero. Additionally, one may find mentioned the general traits and attributes of the hero that adhere to him during his life. In death narratives, one may also find elements of heroic ethos in the events which lead to the demise of the hero. Moreover, death narratives often include references to previous significant life events of the hero. One question which arises from the examination of these birth and death tales is: are the patterns the same for all medieval Irish heroes? Or do they differ depending on the presentation and general characteristics of the hero? Is there a difference in the presentation of king-heroes and warrior-heroes? If so, why and on what grounds? Upon examining these issues and some possible patterns that emerge from this investigation, the present research will focus on a specific case study: that of Conall Cernach. The reason for choosing this particular hero as the object of the case study is that Conall Cernach has not been the subject of extensive analysis by modern scholarship when compared (for example) with Cú Chulainn, Finn mac Cumaill, Conchobar mac Nessa and Cormac mac Airt. Moreover, Conall Cernach’s peculiar death tale includes many unheroic elements and seems to break the norms present in other Irish heroic biographies of prominent warrior heroes. A comparative analysis of Conall Cernach’s birth and death narratives will attempt to place these within the broader context of the formation and demise of heroes from medieval Irish literature and beyond. The overall intention is that this study will provide an inter-disciplinary methodological approach to our understanding of the presentation and ethos of the hero in both conception/birth and death in medieval Irish literature. Moreover, any conclusions that emerge from establishing common heroic patterns will be put to the test in the case of Conall Cernach. What literary motifs lie behind the presentation of this hero? Is he a specific type of hero present in other medieval literatures? Does his presentation align with common Celtic, Classical, Indo-European or universal heroic ideologies? May we realise his death narrative as a didactic one? Or is it possible to relate his heroic ethos to specific types of historical warfare and martial arts? I hope that this study will provide answers to some of these questions and contribute to the debate on the origins and influence of heroic presentation in medieval Irish literature.