Papers by Prof. Ofra Walter
American Journal of Health Behavior
Objectives: Personal well-being is a major part of recovery for the many people who experience me... more Objectives: Personal well-being is a major part of recovery for the many people who experience mental illness. Peer support specialists are mental health professionals who have themselves experienced mental illness and use their recovery experiences to facilitate the healing of others. In this study, we explored how peer specialists view their subjective well-being in their work with others and how they perceive their profession. Methods: Seven peer specialists working in a psychiatric hospital participated in individual interviews. We asked them about their personal experiences, their subjective well-being, and their perceptions of the peer specialist profession. We analyzed the interviews thematically. Results: The peer specialists' responses emphasized the link between mental health recovery and subjective well-being. Our findings also indicated the importance of positive relationships and community belonging as fundamental to subjective well-being, and consequently, to recov...
Much research has focused on how emotional and spiritual intelligences promote well-being and hel... more Much research has focused on how emotional and spiritual intelligences promote well-being and help combat mental health issues. This comparative study, which was conducted in Israel and India with emerging adults enrolled in higher education, explored the relationship of emotional intelligence, spiritual intelligence, anxiety and depression, and satisfaction with life. The results in Israel showed a positive correlation of emotional intelligence with satisfaction with life, but in India, only spiritual intelligence correlated positively with satisfaction with life. In both groups, female participants scored higher on all variables than male participants. We offer initial explanations for these results.
American Journal of Health Behavior
Objectives: In this research, we examined the academic and psychological coping of post-secondary... more Objectives: In this research, we examined the academic and psychological coping of post-secondary students during the early stages of COVID-19. The main goal was to investigate correlations involving self- compassion, spirituality, psychological capital, and subjective well-being, and evaluate the mediating role of self-compassion and spirituality in the relationship between psychological capital and subjective well-being.Methods: We had 257 participants (ages 19-59) complete 5 questionnaires: demographic and academic information, Psychological Capital Questionnaire, Subjective Well-Being Index, Spiritual Intelligence Self- Assessment Inventory, and Self-Compassion Index. Results: We found a strong positive correlation between psychological capital, self-compassion, and subjective well-being. However, spirituality failed to show statistically significant correlations with self-compassion and subjective well-being, with only weak correlations with psychological capital. Self-compassi...
The International Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Society
Journal of American College Health
The Camino de Santiago is an ancient network of pilgrimage routes that lead to Santiago de Compos... more The Camino de Santiago is an ancient network of pilgrimage routes that lead to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. This qualitative study was conducted to explore contemporary pilgrims' experiences on the route. I walked the route for 14 days, interviewing other pilgrims about their reasons for taking the journey and their experiences while on it. The methodology thus involved gaining wisdom on two levels: the researcher's level and the participants' level. Nineteen people from various counties and of different ages consented to an interview. The participants expressed an interesting mix of biopsychosocial experiences. They mentioned self contemplation and spiritual experiences. The physicality and historical significance of their journey seemed to affect their decision making and their ability to cope. The analysis revealed three interrelated themes: social wellbeing, contemplation through the body, and spiritual wellbeing. Most were walking a historically religious path for secular reasons, but all sensed a connection between body and soul, spirituality and nature, fostered by the rhythms of the physical journey.
Many studies point to the significant role played by teachers' emotional abilities in promoti... more Many studies point to the significant role played by teachers' emotional abilities in promoting learning processes among pupils in schools. In addition, there is increasing awareness that these emotional abilities contribute to a pupil's personal and social development. Teachers contribute decisively to the development of these abilities within the educational framework. In addition to placing emphasis on developing academic abilities and imparting knowledge, they are required to create a supportive educational environment that enables inter-and intrapersonal emotional processes to take place. In order to maintain educational environments such as these and contribute to pupils' development of these abilities, the teacher will need to have a high level of self-efficacy and capacity for empathy. In the present study teachers from three school levels (early childhood, elementary and secondary school teachers) responded to both teacher self-efficacy and empathy questionnaire...
Journal of Studies in Education, 2013
Journal of Studies in Education, 2013
Emotional Intelligence (EI) has proved to be a promising concept in the fields of psychology and ... more Emotional Intelligence (EI) has proved to be a promising concept in the fields of psychology and education. EI is still being regarded cautiously as a 'gold standard' for measurement and prediction for acceptance for teacher training program. This study examines the potential contribution of four measures-EI, teaching self-efficacy (TSE), psychometric exam grades, and grades of teaching skills during field training. The research population comprised 100 student teachers from college in northern Israel. The findings will help to shed more light on the implications of EI and point to future directions in the evaluation, selection and training of excellent teachers.
Support for Learning, 2012
Previously, the Sherborne Developmental Movement (SDM) has been found to contribute to the develo... more Previously, the Sherborne Developmental Movement (SDM) has been found to contribute to the development of emotional competencies in higher education. This study presents and evaluates a teaching model based on SDM for the development of emotional competencies in teacher education. The study examined the contributions of this model to the increase of emotional competencies in 67 future educators. Measurements included reflective diaries, questionnaires, a final project and emotional intelligence and empathy scales. Findings indicated that SDM activities integrated into a teaching model created social interactions that evoked emotional understanding of self and others, improving emotional competencies.s ufl_1509 11..19
Support for Learning, 2010
This article details the emergence of a training framework to support professional development in... more This article details the emergence of a training framework to support professional development in inclusive Movement teaching. This arose from a collaborative research project in spring 2008 (supported by the Training and Development Agency, UK), between two universities in England and Israel. Movement education is surprisingly underused globally, even in the early years, with some recent revival within special education. This is despite the long-recognised importance of interactive physical activity for underpinning children's development, and particularly for those with special educational needs, supported by findings from neuro-science. The training framework falls within a hermeneutic view of the teacher informed by humanistic psychology and reflective practice, with Movement seen as an empowering, creative and dialogic pedagogy.
Support for Learning, 2010
The purpose of this article is to present early childhood educators, college pedagogical instruct... more The purpose of this article is to present early childhood educators, college pedagogical instructors and kindergarten teachers with the idea of using movement education activities as a means of teaching basic concepts in different disciplines. The programme consists of college courses that included the new approach (RRA-Role Reversal Approach) in movement education. This was integrated into the kindergarten curriculum and into the academic course. This new approach to the educational programme was used during the training process of pre-service kindergarten student teachers. Based on a previous study I assumed that RRA would contribute to the relationships among participants, and through this contribute to learning and teaching processes in early childhood. The results indicated that the integration of the new RRA enhances the use of movement education by student teachers and training teachers in teaching basic concepts in early childhood and special educational needs.s ufl_1450 122..130
American Journal of Men's Health
Adolescent boys must cope with physical changes that hamper their ability to form a positive body... more Adolescent boys must cope with physical changes that hamper their ability to form a positive body image. Sociocultural messages influence the concepts of body image, personal appearance, and weight, encouraging men to develop lean and muscular bodies. The current study examined adolescent boys’ body image and its relationship to their subjective well-being (SWB) and the effect of the parent–adolescent relationship on body image and SWB. Participating in the research were 107 adolescent boys in Israel, aged 13 to 18 years. Four questionnaires were utilized: demographic, body mass index, Body Investment Scale, and Personal Well-Being Index. The findings indicate a significant, medium positive correlation between SWB and body image. After controlling for the variable of parent–adolescent relationship, the correlation weakened, indicating that the parent–adolescent relationship has no effect on adolescent boys’ SWB and body image. Body image was reported to be a predictor of SWB.
Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 2020
Sexual harassment is a type of trauma that causes various physiological and mental phenomena, inc... more Sexual harassment is a type of trauma that causes various physiological and mental phenomena, including a regression in the perception of body image and its preoccupation with it. Studies indicate that there is a link between psychological functioning and physical function, where engagement with the body affects psychological functioning. Research has pointed to the relationship between body image and dance in the therapeutic context. It has been shown that there is a positive and close relationship between dancing and movement and the way women perceive their bodies. The main purpose of this study was to examine how the frequent practice of belly dance, also called Oriental dance, affects perception of body image and self-esteem among women who have experienced sexual harassment in the past. In this study, 152 subjects were examined, 78 women who partake in belly dance and 74 women who do not. Research hypotheses were confirmed, and a significant positive correlation was found betw...
Psychiatric rehabilitation journal, 2021
OBJECTIVE Spirituality is part of recovery for many people with lived experience of mental health... more OBJECTIVE Spirituality is part of recovery for many people with lived experience of mental health issues, including those who become peer specialists and utilize their own recovery experiences to facilitate the recovery of others. This research explores how peer specialists view spirituality in their work with their peers and the factors that impact conversations in this area. METHOD Eleven peer specialists participated in individual qualitative interviews. Inquiries were made about their own experiences of spirituality and how these were used to support others. Additional questions probed factors that facilitated or served as barriers to their ability to engage in such conversations. Data were subjected to thematic analysis. RESULTS Peer specialists experienced well-being, hope, and self-acceptance through spirituality. Use of spirituality in peer support was influenced by their personal spiritual journey, specifically because they understood its value to recovery. Barriers to use ...
This book focused on the effect and significance of a new teaching approach; “Role Reversal"... more This book focused on the effect and significance of a new teaching approach; “Role Reversal" approach-"RRA" - in educating in-service teachers' and student-teachers' in the Art of Movement Education. The approach's uniqueness is in the ability to pass the role of teaching unto the learners, and thus learners become teachers within the learners' group.The book is based on a study that investigates the influence of using “RRA” while developing KI - kinaesthetic intelligence- via Movement Education, in the teaching process of Basic Cognitive Concepts (BCC) to early childhood children. In this research, the "RRA" was used as an approach to teach 16 BCC four concepts from each movement component, which are essential in different disciplines, such as: Math, Language, and Science.The contribution to knowledge made by this research is evidence that RRA while developing early childhood children in learning basic concepts. The approach accelerates the ...
Enhancing students' ability to recall education knowledge and research skills which can be ap... more Enhancing students' ability to recall education knowledge and research skills which can be applied in professional situations is a major educational goal. Bridging the gap between theory and practice has preoccupied teachers' educators for the last 30 years. Teachers involved in research can gain insight into how they are working presently while looking forward to their future practice. The focus of the current research was to develop a research seminar teaching model for student teachers based on the evaluation and assessment of an existing research –based seminar teaching model for BA student. This action research utilized students' pre- and midterm reflective questionnaires and final assignment, as well as instructors' reflective teaching diaries. Findings suggested that a research-oriented teaching model was more suitable for Bed student teachers than the research-based model. Future studies should more systematically explore the teaching designs of research skil...
The International Journal of Learning: Annual Review, 2009
The study tested cross-cultural differences between Israeli and Indian participants in the outcom... more The study tested cross-cultural differences between Israeli and Indian participants in the outcomes of mind-body practice (MBP) on emotional intelligence (EI), cognitive well-being, and mental well-being, as well as the predictive role of gender and MBP on cognitive and mental well-being. It drew on a sample of 699 Indian and Israeli participants (ages 18–65) from urban settings and used questionnaires to measure cognitive well-being, demographics, EI, and mental well-being. EI was assessed using the Self Report Emotional Intelligence (SREIT); cognitive well-being was assessed using the Personal Well-being Index; mental well-being was assessed using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS). The effect of demographic variables was tested using the two-sample T-test or the Chi-square test. The associations between EI, mental, and cognitive subscales were evaluated using the Pearson correlation coefficient and linear regression with stepwise selection. Results indicated M...
Uploads
Papers by Prof. Ofra Walter