Browsing by Author "Gibson C"

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    Exploring the needs and coping strategies of New Zealand parents in the neonatal environment
    (Wiley, 17/02/2022) Dodge A; Gibson C; Williams M; Ross K
    Aim Having an infant admitted to a neonatal care facility can be highly distressing for parents given the fragile state of their child and the often-unfamiliar environment. This study aimed to explore the needs and coping strategies of parents in this setting. Methods An online qualitative survey was used to explore the needs of parents who had a child discharged from a New Zealand neonatal unit in the past 12 months. A total of 394 parents participated in the study (387 mothers, 5 fathers), providing 970 responses across three open-ended questions examining their needs, unmet needs and coping strategies. The study included participants across both neonatal intensive care units and special care baby units, with prematurity (47%) the most common reason for admission. An inductive form of thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Results Four themes were developed that capture the needs and coping strategies expressed by parents in this study: communication and information; physical contact and access to the baby; emotional and non-medical support; and involvement, autonomy and respect. Conclusions The themes developed largely centre around the struggle parents face when confronting the uncertainty of the neonatal environment and the difficulty in establishing their parental role. Parental distress may be reduced through communicating accurate information regularly and providing empathetic understanding, while opportunities for physical contact and involvement may assist in raising parental confidence and scaffolding the journey to independent care of their infant.
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    Making tourism geographies: a tribute to Alan A. Lew’s lifework
    (Taylor and Francis Group, 2025-08-22) Gibson C; Gillen J; Ioannides D; Molz JG; Saarinen J; Scheyvens R; Mostafanezhad M
    This collection of responses to Alan Lew’s Citation2024 American Association of Geographers (AAG) Annual Meeting Special Lecture in Honolulu, Hawai’i, Why Travel? (Lew, Citation2024), reflects his enduring influence on the field of tourism geographies and its growth as a vibrant community of practice. As the founding Editor-in-Chief of Tourism Geographies, Alan pioneered an inclusive, interdisciplinary vision for the field, shaping its trajectory for decades. Tracing his intellectual journey—rooted in a multicultural background and enriched by international experiences—Alan illuminates the deep interconnections between place, identity, and consciousness through the study of tourism. Authored by leading scholars in the field,Footnote1 the contributions in this collection respond to Why Travel? (Lew, Citation2024), celebrating both Alan’s legacy and the evolution of a paradigm—one in which tourism geography is expansive, critically self-reflexive, ethically grounded, and methodologically diverse. Rather than seeking a definitive answer, Alan’s enduring question—Why travel?—invites reflection on mobility, place, and purpose within an increasingly entangled world. This collection of responses stands as a tribute to Alan A. Lew—whose vision, generosity, and intellectual spirit continue to inspire new generations of scholars exploring the geographies of tourism.
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    The Experiences of Mothers in a Neonatal Unit and Their Use of the Babble App
    (1/01/2021) Gibson C; Ross K; Williams M; de Vries N
    To better understand the experiences of mothers with an infant admitted to a neonatal unit and ascertain their perspectives on an available information support app, Babble, eight mothers with an infant admitted to a Level II+ neonatal unit were interviewed. Thematic analysis was utilized and responses indicated that mothers of neonates experienced challenges around adapting to the maternal role and managing their expectations of motherhood. Relationships with staff were seen as pivotal in the development of maternal confidence and essential to the overall experience. Mothers prioritized informational support, but how mothers sought out this information depended on their individual needs. Mothers who reported using the Babble app found it to be a helpful supplementary resource, tailorable to their situation. Results suggest that greater staff awareness of parental perspectives and the development of adaptable and diverse resources, ensuring parents are provided with individualized and appropriate care, is needed.