Introduction
It is impossible to imagine the modern world without phones and messaging. The new technology penetrated even in Youthline help rooms. In her article, Haxell (2014) uncovers the way New Zealand young people seek help and receive emotional support. The author clearly explains the background of SMS messaging related to crisis hotlines and states that this type of communication confidently prevails over calls and e-mail inquiries. Such vital indicators of communication between support and youths in crisis, such as accessibility, friendliness, and relevance, are evaluated. The excerpts of real conversations are analysed properly, thus leading to the conclusion that a text medium can serve as an effective means of emotional support only in case all of the mentioned indicators present in a conversation.
Considering the importance of the raised theme, it is necessary to identify the target audiences for which it would be of interest. In this regard, the dissemination strategy would be developed, including such audiences as practitioners, young people along with their parents, and academic researchers. A range of potential barriers to sharing the results of the article would be considered as well. It also seems essential to provide a critical evaluation of the suggested dissemination strategy to reveal its applicability to modern practice.
Target Audiences of the Dissemination Strategy
The research by Haxell (2014) can be, first of all, important and interesting to practitioners. Taking into account that they are primary support providers, they may be interested in how to enhance their performance and offer the most relevant support possible. The exploration and utilisation of new knowledge related to modern technology can make their support closer to youths, in particular, to their concerns and problems. Pascal and Bertram (2013) argue that the dissemination strategy is something more than just seminars, video presentations, and other similar activities. It is rather a way to engage practitioners in the study findings, thus transforming practice. Indeed, consultation and training along with workshops appear to compose more comprehensive tools to share the findings (Mcdavitt et al. 2016). It is significant to ensure access to the study through peer-reviewed journal articles and web-based materials.
The study discovers the application of new technology, the use of which becomes an integral part of the nowadays environment. Both young people and adults one way or another are involved in technology use. Therefore, the identified study can be employed to come up with corresponding solutions in the field of counselling and psychology (Silverman & Patterson 2014). In the wider context, the practitioners of different communities and countries may implement technology into their practice, thus adjusting emotional support to the modern realities and agendas encountered by youths. In this connection, a series of technology-driven conferences appear to be the most relevant way to disseminate the findings to practitioners.
Speaking of the researchers’ interest in the results of the article under discussion, it is possible to note that they may elaborate on the ideas developed by the author as well as challenge them and ponder over the further research questions. To share the findings of the mentioned article, the dissemination method associated with journal articles can be used. For example, various youth counselling and psychology journals may be contacted, including Journal of Youth and Adolescence, Journal of Counseling & Development (JCD), Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, and so on. At this point, it is beneficial to embrace the global scientific society because the results may be of interest and relevant to scholars from all over the world. The above strategy can be achieved through publication in both print and online journals (Delgado & Humm-Delgado 2013). Besides, plenty of credible print journals tend to initiate their online versions, thus realising both options for readers.
Another potential dissemination method focusing on researchers may involve book chapters. According to Robb (2014), books collect useful information, covering a range of studies in one source. Such a format allows scholars to access different information on the same theme that contributes to the multi-faceted perception of the situation. Furthermore, books present the veridical information the importance and reliability of which are to be authenticated before publication (Silverman & Patterson 2014). The fact that the majority of books can be accessed through the Internet, be it online purchase or e-book, and also promote comfort and appropriateness of dissemination.
Young people and their parents constitute one more group that can be interested in the research results. This audience is impacted by technology more than other groups that were described above. Therefore, it is appropriate to disseminate the results through blogs, social media, and mass media. For many young people, it is quite difficult to speak about their problems with their parents or peers that only deteriorate their crisis. Nowadays, youths tend to socialise more in web space with people they have never seen. In a sense, it is much easier to share problems with strangers who are less likely to criticise a person (Curry et al. 2014). Thus, youngsters try to resolve their problems by seeking necessary information online, and the results of the study published online can turn their attention to SMS messaging with an emotional support team. They can find it more comfortable to share concerns, typing in their habitual slang and acquiring an understanding supporter able to speak the same language.
Parents are also engaged in the online environment as they read news and find the required information there on a daily basis. The findings reported by mass media and social networks would undoubtedly be of interest for parents and may serve as an enlightener of the theme, making them more attentive to their children. The information presented in the form of blogs is typically short, focused, and practical, which makes readers subscribe and read all the updates to be in the know.
Potential Barriers
Among the barriers to the above dissemination strategy, there can be different obstacles specific to every dissemination method. For example, journal articles frequently require expensive library subscriptions and take a long time to be published. It can also be difficult for non-scholarly persons to understand the language used by journals (Robb 2014). The mentioned challenges can be addressed by timely funding and an accurate selection of vocabulary. As for conferences, their initiation can be too expensive. At the same time, they are able to cover only a limited number of people due to location and time. The solution is to conduct online video conferences that can be accessed remotely. The online means of dissemination present a risk of simplification of the messages to be conveyed. Furthermore, the online space is usually too critical of scholar studies that may cause some controversy. However, it is possible to overcome these barriers by adjusting the language of the message and addressing criticism. As for ethical considerations, it is necessary to admit that some opposing opinions and attitudes may occur and consider them with respect to ensure the comfort of the target audience.
Critical Evaluation of the Strategy
The ethical considerations are to be followed before, during, the ad also after the research because they serve as a guarantee that none of the respondents was offended or confused by either the research or its results. The mentioned assumptions are to be met accurately by the researchers by pinpointing all the issues regarding ethics. In particular, confidentiality terms are to be clearly explained to respondents to make them aware of voluntary participation and consent. The purpose of dissemination is to describe findings in an open manner, making it clear that data received from interviews was processed and analysed. Continuing these considerations, the dissemination strategy that was outlined earlier in this paper appears to be rather ethical and sensitive to the specified audiences.
The dissemination plans expressed in the previous section appear to be realistic because they focus on the existing options that are proved to be effective in sharing of other topics. The mentioned methods are specific, achievable, and beneficial. For instance, the academic researchers, operating in the corresponding field, would receive evidence-based method to continue investigations, enlarge them, and consider the situation in the context of a certain environment. The journal articles and book chapters are the most credible resources to collect information because they are widely regarded as the so-called gold standard of knowledge (Burch & Heinrich 2015). These methods of dissemination allow comparing different information on the subject of one topic. It goes without saying that every community has its own peculiarities that need to be taken into account while rendering assistance to young people. In other words, academic scholars would be able to develop the theme to identify potential gaps and address them in prospective studies.
The benefits of the assumed dissemination methods related to practitioners are also evident. They lay in the fact that it is a practical value that can be gained from the results and then applied to real setting is of interest for practitioners (Clark, Flewitt, & Hammersley 2014). Besides, conferences can bring different persons serving as a platform for the exchange of ideas and experience together. The collective discussion of findings preceded with their presence may lead to the identification of gaps or, otherwise, strengths of the study. The real-time discussions, on the contrary to print replicas, provide more opportunities to develop the theme and collect ideas for implementation (Ruxton 2014). It is also crucial to point out that online means of information dissemination may also be advantageous for practitioners. For example, social networks may publish brief results of the study, thus attracting the attention of practitioners to read the whole article and consider its implementation.
As it was mentioned earlier, the message revealed by the author of the article can be disseminated to parents and their children through mass media and social networks. Such an approach is likely to bring adults and young people closer to each other so that the first ones would be able to understand the latter in an in-depth manner, penetrating into their vision of a specific problem and its meaning to a particular young person. In effect, the emotional support would become more sensitive, responsive, and pertinent. Furthermore, social networks, blogs, and mass media embrace wide populations and report information faster than, for instance, journals or books. However, it is of great importance to filter information and present it in the language that would be easy to understand and interpret.
As a result of the above online dissemination, young people would be given access to valuable information and understand that they can inquire support in the manner they found comfortable and admissible. Certain problems they cannot communicate to their environment would receive a chance to be resolved with some help of professional practitioners (Taylor & Abramowitzb 2013). The awareness of the fact that they can seek support to address crisis would mean that they are not alone and always may be understood and directed on their life journey.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it should be emphasised that the proposed dissemination strategy implies that each of the considered audiences possesses its own needs and interests. In this regard, it was assumed that each of them should be reached in an individual manner. In particular, researchers can be reached through journal articles and book chapters while practitioners and parents along with their children through conferences and social and mass media, respectively. Each of the mentioned methods is valuable and relevant to a certain audience, corresponding to its needs and agendas. In spite of the fact that some barriers may occur while disseminating the findings, it is possible to address them to some extent. All in all, it is critical to make sure that information would reach the relevant audiences in an appropriate manner.
Reference List
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