CORA
Cork Open Research Archive (CORA) is UCC’s Open Access institutional repository which enables UCC researchers to make their research outputs freely available and accessible.
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The association between body image and psychological outcomes in multiple sclerosis. A systematic review
(Elsevier B.V., 2024-12-24) McCormack, Derval; O'Keeffe, Fiadhnait; Seery, Christina; Eccles, Fiona
Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating autoimmune condition, in which body image may be altered due to a range of biopsychosocial factors. The aim of this review was to examine whether there is a relationship between body image and psychological outcomes in MS, in order to guide clinical intervention development. Methods: PsycINFO, Medline, CINAHL and Scopus databases were searched systematically in November 2023 for eligible studies, using terms relating to MS and body image. Quantitative studies, published in English, that examined the relationship between body image and psychological outcomes in adults with MS were included. The QualSyst tool was used to assess risk of bias across studies. Screening and quality appraisal was verified by the third author. A narrative synthesis was used to report patterns in findings. Results: Thirteen studies (ten cross-sectional and three intervention studies) met inclusion criteria and were included in the final review. The sample size across all included studies totalled 1533. The results suggested that positive body image was associated with improved mood, lower anxiety, increased self-esteem, and better quality of life. However, the causal nature of these relationships was unclear. Conclusion: The findings offer preliminary evidence to suggest that a more negative body image is associated with higher levels of psychological distress in MS, indicating that body image may be a target for intervention. Further research is necessary to provide a greater understanding of this association, and to inform future clinical practice.
Child and adult perspectives on implementing a quality improvement strategy in ECEC settings
(OMEP Ireland, 2021) Martin, Shirley; Buckley, Lynn; Harford, Katherine
This article presents findings from a mixed methods research project which sought to include the voices of young children in an ongoing evaluation of a government funded community-based prevention and early intervention programme in Ireland. The main objective of the intervention programme is to measurably improve the lives of children (pre-birth to six years) and their families through universal and targeted services in an urban community which experiences high levels of socio-economic deprivation. A key aspect of the programme is an Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) strategy which involves the delivery of a suite of Early Years quality improvement measures to seven ECEC centres (both crèche and preschool rooms) in the catchment area. The core elements of the quality improvement strategy focused on language supports for practitioners (Hanen Learning Language and Loving It™training), curriculum enhancement (HighScope™ curriculum training),
onsite mentoring for practitioners, and an Environment Enhancement Fund for each centre. The project evaluation utilised a mixed methods approach including pre and post programme Environmental Rating Scale (ERS) assessments (ECERS-3) at seven early years centres. Post programme implementation ERS results show significant improvements in many areas, in particular scores related to adult-child interactions. Using participatory research guided by a children’s rights framework and informed by UNCRC Article 12, children’s voices are being included in the project evaluation through participatory research methods including photo-voice and talk and draw methods. The article presents findings from post-intervention ECERS-3
assessments and qualitative interviews with early years’ practitioners which were merged with the findings in the children’s data to improve the overall implementation of the programme.
Designing and evaluating an accessible smartphone-based app for blind and visually impaired students for learning mathematics
(International Academy of Technology, Education and Development (IATED), 2025) Shoaib, Muhammad; Minghim, Rosane; Pitt, Ian; Science Foundation Ireland
The design and development of educational applications to enhance the learning experiences of blind and visually impaired people have improved considerably in recent years, but research suggests there is a need for further improvement. Despite the increasing prominence of accessibility features in mobile devices, barriers remain in providing efficient learning resources for these students, especially in STEM topics like mathematics. This paper discusses the design and usability evaluation of AccessMath, a mobile application designed to help blind and visually impaired primary school pupils learn mathematics. The application was developed using accessibility design guidelines, offering adjustable intrinsic brightness, multimodal feedback, a comprehensive settings panel, and intuitive swipe control functions. A usability test was carried out with five blind and visually impaired students employing a variety of metrics, such as task completion time, Usability Metric for User Experience (UMUX), NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX), and the System Usability Scale (SUS). The results revealed improved usability, lower cognitive load, and satisfactory user experiences, highlighting the usefulness of the implemented guidelines for designing and developing accessible mobile applications for blind and visually impaired users. Methodology: a) Design and Development of AccessMath (Shoaib, M. et al., 2024) The AccessMath app was designed to focus on four essential accessibility features: changeable intrinsic brightness, multimodal feedback, user settings panel, and swipe controls. These features enable them to better use their visual skills by changing brightness and contrast to minimize dependency on visual information by audio cues. Auditory, vibro, and gestural inputs help them navigate the app easily. With the help of a user-controlled setting panel, users can customize the app extensively to their preferences. b) Usability. Evaluation: A usability test was conducted with five blind and visually impaired users to examine the app's usability, cognitive load, and user experience. The study utilized measurements, i.e., task completion time to measure efficiency, the UMUX for perceived usability, NASA-TLX to evaluate cognitive workload, and the SUS for overall user satisfaction. Participants interacted with the app to perform the task and access the mathematical information. Later, they provided valuable feedback on the effectiveness and accessible features of the application. c) Participant Information: Five blind and visually impaired students were involved in this study, two males and three females. Their ages ranged from 9 to 12 years. All students had experience using mobile applications with assistive features. Ethical considerations were observed carefully, and all students were given informed consent before the study. This study has two phases (named "Design and Development of AccessMath" and "Usability Evaluation"). First, it expands existing accessibility guidelines to better suit the mobile context for blind and visually impaired users. Second, it presents empirical information on the usability and user experience of AccessMath, giving valuable insights for developers and researchers in accessible educational technology.
Youth and adult perspectives on representation in local child and youth councils in Ireland
(National Youth Agency, 2017-05) Martin, Shirley; Forde, Catherine
When we consider young people’s participation in democratic societies, we have to ask to what extent young people are or should be representative of the communities they are active within. This paper is based on findings from a participatory research project which examined young people’s perspectives on taking part in Comhairle na nÓg, the local youth councils in Ireland. The article considers how differing understandings of the concept of representation may impact on the experiences, provision and structures of participatory initiatives for young people. The findings reveal differing attitudes between youth participants and adult support staff towards the meaning of representation. Many of the adult personnel refer to representation in terms of accessing and retaining younger age-groups and “seldom heard” young people, while significant numbers of youth respondents indicated that they understand representation as having a voice, being heard, and making a difference, rather than necessarily about representativeness and they view themselves as being representative of other young people.
The place of the arts in Irish education
(Encountering the Arts Ireland, Poetry Ireland, 2020) Hyland, Áine; Shine Thompson, Mary
The publication of the Benson Report in 1979 followed a decade of change and upheaval in Irish Education. A report on Investment in Education had been commissioned by the Irish government following Ireland’s participation in the Washington Policy Conference on Economic Growth in 1961 and the report was published in January 1966. The Investment in Education report was supported financially by the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), then a relatively new international organisation of which Ireland was a member. The publication of the report triggered a tsunami of change in Irish education – not least of which was the announcement by Minister for Education Donogh O’Malley that free second-level education for all, with free transport where required, would be introduced in September 1967. John Coolahan subsequently described the report as one of the foundation documents of modern Irish education. The first of the comprehensive and community schools were built in the following decade and capital grants were made available for building, extending and improving voluntary secondary schools. Vocational school students were now allowed to sit the Intermediate and Leaving Certificate and the second-level school curriculum was revised. The first of the Regional Technical Colleges had been built and means-tested grants were available for university attendance. A new and exciting curriculum had been introduced for primary schools in 1971 and for the first time since the foundations of the State, the arts were highlighted as central to children’s learning. It was an exciting decade in Irish education and the publication of the Benson Report was timely.