Sylvia Söderström | Sør-Trøndelag University College (original) (raw)

Papers by Sylvia Söderström

The nursing home (NH) population becomes increasingly frail, suffering several chronic ill-nesses... more The nursing home (NH) population becomes increasingly frail, suffering several chronic ill-nesses, high symptom severity, and short remaining lifespan after admission; all this requires skilled, well-organized professional care. Little is known about how NH managers influence the caring and learning environment (CLE) to ensure competencies in meeting NH patients’ needs. The aim of this study is to explore how NH managers influence the CLE to provide basic nursing education for students and apprentices, in order to improve it. This study applies a qualitative design, using multiple methods and focusing on NHs as a context involving complex adaptive systems and on basic nursing as a complex issue. NH managers express a constant struggle to keep workloads manageable, and NHs come across as exhausted organizations with little surplus. Both managers and staff look for ways to execute the work with as little effort as pos-sible and mainly stick to well-established routines. Not participat...

Disability & Society, Feb 6, 2023

BMC Public Health, May 15, 2018

Background: Active ageing reflects the message from World Health Organisation about addressing th... more Background: Active ageing reflects the message from World Health Organisation about addressing the challenge faced by the rapidly ageing population. Knowledge about barriers and facilitators to an active lifestyle must be given more attention. In addition, men seem to participate less in cultural activities and less in fall-prevention groups than women do. When mostly women work with the elderly in primary care, one might question whether the activities offered to older men meet their activity preferences. The aim of this study is to provide new knowledge about challenges and motivators encountered by retired men in maintaining physical activity when ageing. Methods: Nine retired men, aged between 66 and 83, wrote a Time Geographic Diary for 7 days each. Two focus group discussions with the men were held. A Systemic Text Condensation was used to analyse the data. Results: The analyses identified three categories to describe challenges in being physical active: differences between men and women; meaningful physical activity; and environmental-especially socio-cultural-constraints. Motivating conditions were seen as: new activities to get younger friends, and more information about how to cope. Conclusions: To achieve the aim of active ageing, service providers as well as local authorities need to have a better understanding of the challenges retired men encounter when ageing. This study highlights vital aspects of the challenges faced by retired men in maintaining their physical activity level.

Work-a Journal of Prevention Assessment & Rehabilitation, 2015

Although there is a broad political consensus in Norway that the government should uphold the pri... more Although there is a broad political consensus in Norway that the government should uphold the principles of "full employment" and "work for all", the majority of people with intellectual disabilities in Norway spend their days in segregated work arrangements or at day activity centres. The aim of the current study was to explore what constitutes work and work roles for people with intellectual disabilities and severely limited verbal communication abilities who attend a day activity centre. A qualitative ethnographic research design was adopted, and the data were gathered through observing the participants and through conducting conversational interviews with the staff members and the participants with intellectual disabilities. Data were analysed with a hermeneutic approach. The findings showed that even though participants with intellectual disabilities engaged in specific work roles at the day activity centre, these work roles did not constitute work as it is ordinarily conceptualised and valued in society. Despite the very real enjoyment that the participants derive from participating in organised occupation, the work that they do has little status or value, and the activity centre itself is not a satisfactory workplace for people with intellectual disabilities.

Disability & Society, Apr 28, 2010

... Sauder, M. 2005. ... [Taylor & Francis Online] View all references) claimed that invi... more ... Sauder, M. 2005. ... [Taylor & Francis Online] View all references) claimed that invisible impairments in particular (and though it may seem paradoxical many visual impairments are, in fact, not immediately apparent) can constitute an 'identity crisis' as they combine able‐bodied ...

Work (Reading, Mass.), 2015

Disability and Rehabilitation

Disability, Society and Assistive Technology, 2017

En pilotstudie av bruk av informasjons- og kommunikasjonsteknologi (IKT) i skolehverdagen for gru... more En pilotstudie av bruk av informasjons- og kommunikasjonsteknologi (IKT) i skolehverdagen for grunnskoleelever med nedsatt funksjonsevne

Nurse Education Today, 2021

This study aimed to explore the influences of an interprofessional preceptor-team intervention (I... more This study aimed to explore the influences of an interprofessional preceptor-team intervention (IPPT) on interprofessional collaboration, preceptors' role, confidence, and motivation to precept health care students (nursing, physiotherapy) and apprentices in a Norwegian nursing home. METHODS Qualitative data were collected by two focus group discussions: possible gains and pitfalls of the IPPT-intervention were focused. The group-discussions were tape-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed by means of qualitative content analysis. FINDINGS The IPPT-intervention influenced positively on preceptors' confidence and motivation to work as a preceptor and facilitated interprofessional collaboration between the health professionals. The preceptors' role in the ward became clearer and more visible to the peers. Perceived lack of time, a heavy workload, the ward hierarchy, and lack of managerial support were key barriers for preceptorship. CONCLUSIONS To enhance preceptors' work and thus student's learning, the ward hierarchy should be limited and interprofessional collaboration further developed. Enhanced visibility and acknowledgement of the preceptors' role and increased managerial support can reduce barriers for preceptorship.

Technology and Disability, 2019

BACKGROUND: Different types of assistive technologies can support participation for people with d... more BACKGROUND: Different types of assistive technologies can support participation for people with disability; nonetheless, technology can break with people's self-image, sometimes resulting in technology abandonment. OBJECTIVE: This article focuses on how assistive activity technology can be used as symbolic expressions of identity among people with physical disability. METHODS: Qualitative, semistructured, in-depth interviews with people with physical disability using assistive activity technology. 2 RESULTS: The use of assistive activity technology is most often voluntary and based on personal interest. The use of assistive activity technology affects how the informants experience themselves and their social surroundings, and how they act in social activities. Assistive activity technology provides people with disability the opportunity to show themselves from a positive perspective in recognisable and commonly valued activities in society. This phenomenon is changing how other people see and understand people with disability. CONCLUSIONS: Assistive activity technology has the potential to contribute as symbolic expressions of identity for people with physical disability. The technology contributes through positively changing how individuals experience themselves and how other people perceive them. A new finding is that assistive activity technology differs from other assistive technology because the choice of using assistive activity technology is normally based on individual preferences and interests.

Bakgrunn: Årlig utsettes mange barn og under for traumatiske hendelser. Slike hendelser kan ha st... more Bakgrunn: Årlig utsettes mange barn og under for traumatiske hendelser. Slike hendelser kan ha store innvirkninger på deres liv og kan føre til at de utvikler somatisk sykdom og emosjonelle, kognitive og atferdsmessige vansker. Hensikt: Studiens hensikt er å bidra med kunnskap om hvilke kroppslige uttrykk fysioterapeuter bør være ekstra oppmerksomme på i møte med barn og unge. Design: Studien er en pilotstudie med en kvalitativ tilnærming. Materiale: Datamaterialet består av transkribert intervjutekst fra intervjuer med tre fagpersoner med lang erfaring fra arbeid med barn og unge som har opplevd traumatiske hendelser. Metode: Datainnsamlingsmetoden er individuelle semistrukturerte kvalitative intervjuer, analysert etter Malteruds systematiserte tekstkondensering. Funn: Hovedfunnene belyser hvordan barn som har opplevd traumatiske hendelser , kan viser et vidt spekter av kroppslige uttrykk, gjennom spenningsmønstre, respirasjon, smerter og redusert kontakt med egen kropp. Konklusjon: Barn som har opplevd traumatiske hendelser, viser et vidt spekter av kroppslige uttrykk. Fysioterapeuters utfordring er å se det enkelte barns kroppslige uttrykk som et uttrykk for den sammenheng barnet lever i, og dermed bidra med kunnskap som kan avdekke om et barn lever under forhold som oppleves som overveldende og kan sette varige spor

Physiotherapy Research International, 2021

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Low back pain is a multidimensional disorder and a biopsychosocial managem... more BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Low back pain is a multidimensional disorder and a biopsychosocial management approach is recommended. However, recent data indicates that physiotherapists mainly focus on biomechanical aspects in treatment and struggle with addressing psychosocial barriers for recovery. We wanted to explore how physiotherapists express their experiences of building therapeutic alliances within a biopsychosocial perspective of low back pain. METHODS Qualitative focus-group interviews were performed with five physiotherapists on two occasions with 6 months in between. Data were analyzed within a hermeneutical perspective with decontextualization and recontextualization, and identification of themes. RESULTS Four main themes were identified from the analyses: (1) An ideal standard: Presence, empathy and applying the biopsychosocial perspective is central for building therapeutic alliance. (2) Time-consuming: Active listening and personally adapted treatment is important and time-consuming. (3) Challenging area: Advanced clinical reasoning is needed to understand and modify complex barriers for recovery. Clinical experience is sometimes necessary to integrate the psychological and social domains into physiotherapy management. (4) The art of balancing: Important to apply sensitive communication to help patients gain new insight. Some heavy psychosocial demands on patients may be outside physiotherapists' professional competence. DISCUSSION The physiotherapists in this focus group study expressed a shared view that therapeutic alliance should build upon person-centering, motivational communication, and facilitation of lifestyle adjustments within a biopsychosocial perspective of low back pain. Complex clinical reasoning necessary as the optimal cause-corrective treatment strategies were often not obvious. Time and tools to uncover and modify relevant psychological obstacles for recovery were perceived challenging and partly dependent on clinical experience. Addressment of psychosocial obstacles for recovery should be included in basic as well as postgraduate curriculums for physiotherapists. Collaborative practice support strategies like peer guidance and better platforms for interprofessional collaboration and decision support could contribute to improve practice in the psychosocial domain.

Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 2019

and Technology (NTNU). Her doctoral thesis involves user involvement in the allocation of assisti... more and Technology (NTNU). Her doctoral thesis involves user involvement in the allocation of assistive activity technology. Moreover, it addresses how this kind of adaptive technology can contribute to activity and participation in everyday life on the users' own terms. An important field of interest is how different forms of social service organisations are significant for social work practice and service delivery. Professional understanding and user involvement have been key topics for exploration. Sylvia Söderström is a professor in Health Science at NTNU. Her research field is in disability studies with a special focus on children and young people`s everyday lives and on the significance of technology, participation and social inclusion. The methodological approach is mainly qualitative and some central perspectives are interactionism, STS (science, technology and society) and intersectionality.

Physical Therapy, 2021

Objective The aim of this study was to explore patients’ expectations before and experiences afte... more Objective The aim of this study was to explore patients’ expectations before and experiences after physical therapy for low back pain. Methods Qualitative in-depth, semi-structured interviews with patients attending physical therapy were performed before, after, and six months after treatment. Data were analyzed from a hermeneutical perspective with decontextualization, recontextualization, and identification of themes. Results Patients’ pre-treatment expectations to physical therapy were focusing around exercises and a body-oriented diagnosis. After treatment, reassurance, active listening with explanations and personally adapted strategies for self-managing pain and regaining control over everyday activity were expressed as decisive for a meaningful therapeutic alliance. Conclusion Expectations before treatment focused on exercises and diagnosis. Empathetic and personally adapted education aimed at empowerment were experienced as meaningful aspects of the therapeutic alliance afte...

Fysioterapeuten, 2017

Background: Many children and adolescents are exposed to traumatic events. Such events can have a... more Background: Many children and adolescents are exposed to traumatic events. Such events can have a major impact on their lives and can cause them to develop somatic disease, emotional, cognitive and behavioral difficulties. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to provide enhanced knowledge of what bodily expressions physiotherapists should be extra aware of when meeting children and adolescents. Design: The study is a pilot study with a qualitative approach. Material: The data material consists of written transcripts from interviews with three professionals with extensive experience from work with children and adolescents who have experienced traumatic events. Method: The data collection method was individual semi-structured qualitative interviews, analyzed by Malterud's systematic text condensation. Findings: The main findings highlight how children who have experienced traumatic events show a wide range of bodily expressions, through tension patterns, respiration, pain and re...

BARN - Forskning om barn og barndom i Norden, 2021

Ansatte i barnehager er sentrale når det gjelder å oppdage barn med motoriske utfordringer. Flere... more Ansatte i barnehager er sentrale når det gjelder å oppdage barn med motoriske utfordringer. Flere yrkesgrupper innenfor den pedagogiske og helsefaglige retningen kan støtte disse barna. Målet med denne studien var å undersøke hvordan barnehageansatte oppdager og vurderer små barns behov for støtte til motorisk utvikling. Datagrunnlaget er kvalitative intervju med sju ansatte i to barnehager. Funnene analyseres ved bruk av systematisk tekstkondensering. Den første mistanken kommer som summen av flere observasjoner som bryter med normative forventninger om motorisk adferd. Den følges opp med systematisk observasjon i barnehagen. Vurderinger gjøres med bakgrunn i fagkunnskap og erfaring. De ansatte foretrekker observasjon som innpasses i barnehagehverdagen. Funnene diskuteres under overskriftene Erfaring og profesjonskunnskap og Barnehagens mandat. Ulike syn på hva som er normal motorisk utvikling, kan bidra til ulikheter i hva som fanges opp, og følgelig også påvirke mulighetene til v...

Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research, 2021

In this article, we explore dilemmas professionals experience in the planning for the transition ... more In this article, we explore dilemmas professionals experience in the planning for the transition to adulthood for young people with disabilities. Five group interviews with a total of 16 professionals working in the habilitation services were conducted. They experienced structural shortcomings and a lack of resources to support the aspirations of the young people with disabilities. Much effort was directed towards giving young people a 'realistic' understanding of what they can expect from the public services within the limits of their abilities. We argue that this leaves little room for addressing the hopes and aspirations of young people with disabilities for the future. This is crucial for planning for a life as an active citizen. These shortcomings may restrict young people with disabilities opportunities in developing a strong self and question if they really matter as a worthy citizen.

![Research paper thumbnail of How Implementation of Cognitive Assistive Technology in Home-Based Services for Young Adults with Intellectual Disabilities Influences Support Staff`s Professional Practice](https://a.academia-assets.com/images/blank-paper.jpg)

Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 2022

The implementation of technology in home-based services takes place in contextualised socio-mater... more The implementation of technology in home-based services takes place in contextualised socio-material practices negotiated through interactions between a diversity of actors. Prerequisites for succeeding in this process are time and competence, and that use of the technology is experienced as meaningful, for both the support staff and the resident. In this article, we investigate how implementation of cognitive assistive technology (CAT) in home-based services for young adults with intellectual disabilities influences the support staff`s professional practice. The participants are eight support staff members, five women and three men. Data were collected through two group interviews, the second one 8 months after the first one. The data were analysed according to a systematic text condensation (STC) approach. Result: Implementation of CAT is a demanding process, revealing different perspectives on professionalism and changing power relations, and entails a new way of working for the ...

Norwegian authorities' policy aims at securing an information society for all, emphasizing the im... more Norwegian authorities' policy aims at securing an information society for all, emphasizing the importance of accessible and usable Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for everyone. While the body of research on young people's use of ICT is quite comprehensive, research addressing digital differentiation in young people with disabilities' use of ICT is still in its early days. This article investigates how young people with disabilities' use, or non-use, of assistive ICT creates digital differentiations. The investigation elaborates on how the anticipations and stereotypes of disability establish an authoritative definition of assistive ICT, and the consequence this creates for the use of the Web by young people with disabilities. The object of the article is to provide enhanced insight into the field of technology and disability by illuminating how assistive ICT sometimes eliminates and sometimes reproduces stereotypes and digital differentiations. The investigation draws on a qualitative interview study with 23 young Norwegians with disabilities, aged 15-20 years. I draw on a theoretical perspective to analyze the findings of the study, which employs the concept of identity multiplicity. The article's closing discussion expands on technology's significance in young people's negotiations of impairment and of perceptions of disability.