Dr. Mah Hussain-Gambles: The Transitional Moments in Her Life

Abstract

Having a strong sense of self-identity is critical to coping and adapting through transitional periods in a person’s life. Any life change, such as relocating to a new house, starting a new school, and even coping with the loss of a relative, may influence how a person copes with the changes. This research examines transitional moments in Dr. Mah Hussain-Gambles’ life using an excerpt from an interview. The interview was performed at the British Library’s Oral History of British Science archive and then analyzed qualitatively using thematic analysis. Analytical themes were extensively investigated utilizing readings on ruptures, transitions, and developmental psychologists’ views on how and why identity evolves through time, including Erikson’s (1950) stage concept. This investigation discovered several transitions during Dr. Mah Hussain-Gamble’s life. The literary resource was coded, and the core themes of academic attributes, cultural background, and family relationships were highlighted among the individuals’ critical life transitional times.

Background

Several theories throughout developmental psychology address how identity evolves throughout a person’s lifetime. One notion is that early childhood experiences shape the road to adulthood, with data indicating that institutionally disadvantaged kids may have cognitive, physical, and social issues later in life (Arnold, 2017). Another hypothesis is that of psychologist Erikson (1950), who emphasizes the need for stability and consistency between the self as well as its social context (Arnold, 2017). His ‘eight stages of man’ idea is divided into phases that cover the duration of a person’s existence, with the belief that breakdowns during any of these phases would have ramifications on mental well-being.

However, not everybody fits neatly into one of these beliefs. This is shown in prior research, which concentrated on former foster kids (Powers et al., 2018). They discovered that although challenges were formed throughout life, particularly in childhood, they changed and built themselves in response to constantly changing situations. Later in life, as they developed, it was then upon other people to steer them towards a brighter future, whether via social services or foster cares.

Additionally, connection with others via culture, language, and family history influences and shapes identity, such as a person entering the army because previous predecessors did. However, this concept indicates that identity is pre-determined rather than acquired via social interactions (Arnold, 2017). On the other hand, Bronfenbrenner (2015) believes that identity transformation occurs in conjunction with a developing external environment (Sokol et al., 2017). His theory examines four structures: microsystems, mesosystems, exosystems, and macrosystems (beliefs, ideas, rules, and customs). This puts external effects into a broader framework.

While every theory has its own set of ideas, they all emphasize how a variety of variables may modify how a person connects with society, hence influencing a person’s behavior. As a result, their perceptions of themselves and their environment are altered (Sokol et al., 2017). As a result, Zittoun (2006) shifted the emphasis away from phases or systems and toward transitional periods, suggesting that development becomes more flexible and persistent (Sokol et al., 2017). Zittoun refers to major transitional occurrences as ‘ruptures’ and classifies them into four distinct types (Sokol et al., 2017). These include changes in the cultural setting, the change in a person’s range of experience (move to a new country), change in a person’s connections with items and people, as well as internal change.

Transitional periods may occur as a result of a decision or as a result of an enforced event. In any case, each change has a starting point, a turning point, and an endpoint, and the response of people is determined by their acquired coping abilities through time (Sokol et al., 2017). Thus, focusing on these transitions instead of the distinct phases proposed by Erikson (1950) provides a full view of how one changes through time. However, one consequence of this study is the infeasibility of tracking a person’s whole life. Thus, by conducting interviews with people to ascertain their recollections of life experiences, researchers may better understand how individuals evolve and how their identities are molded through time.

Methodology

Design

Semi-structured interviews on life transitions were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. The results of this study were summarized in a report. A recorded interview from the Oral British Library’s Voices of Science was utilized as the source of data. Several themes emerged from the coding technique, but only three major themes were extracted from this body of literature. These are academic attributes, cultural background, and family relationships.

Participants

A single interview was selected from the British Library’s Voices of Science collection, which resulted in this analytic research focusing exclusively on one participant. The interview information was pre-existing and was gathered for a variety of purposes by another scholar. The participant must have given her informed consent for the actual interview tape to have been utilized, preserved, and supported by the United Kingdom Research Council.

Materials

Analyses were conducted using an edition of The Oral British Library’s Voice of Science audio recordings and transcript. Thematic interpretation of the semi-structured interview, which was supplied as part of pre-existing data collection, was carried out as part of the recording in order to further investigate the situation. With the exception of the already recorded interview from pre-existing data sets, no further materials were necessary.

Procedures

The audiotape was played multiple times from beginning to end over many days after getting the interview excerpt to become acquainted with the data supplied. Following that, the interview copy was printed and reviewed together with the audio to emphasize any themes that might be detected within the text. After the original codes were generated, they were evaluated and re-reviewed for trends that could be enhanced into more comprehensive codes. Themes throughout the text begin to emerge from this point. Ultimately, each step was repeated to make sure that everything related to the study question was displayed.

Ethical Considerations

The data used in this study originated from existing databases, and informed consent was acquired at the time of data collection. Additionally, the consent allowed for the data to be used in further research projects in the future if necessary. However, since the participants in this research are well-known, it is vital that the information collected be handled with a lot of care and precision.

Reflexivity

In terms of the theme of reflexivity, the posed study question influenced the coding process, similar to the cases in the previous study. The question provided a focal point on the issue of transitional events in one’s life, which was at the center of the researcher’s considerations throughout the process. The theme of transitional phases in life was brought up in the inquiry. My scholarly search’s idea of ruptures influenced my quotes selection. As a result, there is more evidence that negative encounters were picked over good ones throughout the coding exercise.

Results

Academic attributes, cultural effects, and family relationships were highlighted as three themes in the interview extract that pertain to the life transitional phases of Dr. Mah Hussain-Gambles. Cultural Identity is the first subject that emerged from the developed codes. There is a lot of talk in the text on her cultural history and how it influenced the changes in her life, both favorably and adversely. ‘Cultural Identity is the first topic identified in the derived codes. The transcript contains an extensive analysis of her cultural history and its effect on the transformations that occurred throughout her lifetime, both favorably and negatively. The remark ‘I was born in Pakistan, in Islamabad, and was raised by my maternal grandparents’ provides context for her origin and starts to demonstrate how these variables influenced her cultural context shift (lines 6–7) (Appendix 1). She said that despite being born in Afghanistan, she attended elementary school in Pakistan and was laughed at since she had a different accent.

The second component of the ‘Cultural Identity’ concept, of a negative perspective, is shown by the remark ‘I went to England, similar scenario; used to be ridiculed sometimes for having a strange accent, not able to speak English with a Yorkshire accent. Thus, it’s been a fascinating experience, in the sense of racism from both parts of – the globe. As a result, I have always felt as if I do not belong…’ (lines 18-21) (Appendix 1). This means that her interactions and connections with others changed as a result of her relocation.

Academic Attribute is the next theme that emerged from the created codes. This may seem to be an uncommon element. Still, the transcript demonstrates that her views and talents in academics had a significant role in domains of transactional changes in her life. For instance, as a result of her passion for science, she was able to start a skincare enterprise focused on science and subsequently enroll in extra courses and acquire a degree in pharmacology. ‘I studied pharmacology at Sunderland University, where we had about equal numbers of females and boys, although it was quite a surprise when I entered the sector and my first position was as a polyurethane scientist, where I was the only female’ (lines 27-29) (Appendix 1). This shift in her field of experience represents a rupture that has benefited her life.

Family Relationship is the ultimate theme derived from the produced codes. This was determined at a pivotal period in her life. Dr. Mah Hussein was raised by her maternal grandparents and an officer who was strict towards her and her brother. However, this may not be entirely attributed to her life’s transitional times but rather to the measures she made to care for her preterm twin babies. Following the high demand for care from the two premature infants, she had to start her own business and work from home.

From her statement,

‘Thus, I decided to create a business at home in order to spend more time with kids, and I chose to use my talents from my pharmaceutical research days by starting a cream manufacturing venture in my kitchen. And it was just a question of combining my scientific background and analytical thinking to create something that was enjoyable but also came to be something that could earn me a livelihood (lines 42-46). At that point, I consulted an accountant and opted to incorporate as a limited firm to charge for services and – purchase, borrow capital from the bank. By the time I leased the firm, it had expanded its exports to fourteen countries (lines 50-53). Saaf Skincare was the name of the brand,’ (Appendix 1).

This bond between her and her children enabled her to advance in life despite being told differently.

Discussions

The present research discovered three major themes that Dr. Mah Hussein used to discuss her life’s transitional stages. These were developed by logical coding and were labeled cultural affiliation, academic attributes, and familial relationships (Appendix 3). She discussed her cultural background and the several nations in which she resided throughout her conversation. These were some of the most significant transitional events. She discusses her experiences while in primary school in Pakistan.

Additionally, she talks about her experiences in England on how she suffered racial discrimination (Appendix 2). Individuals who migrate throughout their childhood and adolescent years tend to have an externally focused self-concept and may be observed copying the behavior of people around them to strengthen their feeling of belongingness (Arnold, 2017). She did not focus on or negatively define as many of the events surrounding these changes as anticipated. This demonstrates that Dr. Mar Hussein has a positive sense of identity and can navigate her path. Future studies could examine the probable connection between persons with similar cultural backgrounds and life events and the themes from these encounters. This would enable a more in-depth examination of the effect that these periods of change have on a person’s sense of self.

Dr. Mah Hussein discusses a variety of social and cultural challenges she encountered throughout the interview, most notably those related to studies and future careers (Appendix 2). As demonstrated in the findings, what appears to many to be a significant impact on her life results in a positive outcome. Brammer (1992) shed some light on this by stating that overcoming the transition phase depends on the coping skills Dr. Mah has developed over time (Sokol et al., 2017). However, it is plausible to have this level of emotional management at such a tender age.

The transmission of cultural and familial history occurs over generations. This is consistent with Vygotsky’s (1978) contention that culture and family history are hereditary (Sokol et al., 2017). Erikson’s assertion that ordinary and steady developmental stages are essential for people to live balanced lives appears problematic in this case. Dr. Mah Hussein’s life experienced several transitions that she felt she successfully navigated, including moving to a new country and overcoming cultural barriers associated with a new language. Vygotsky’s theory enables an understanding and appreciation of the value of language. It asserts that languages are instruments that humans use to interact with one another.

Individuals will have an impact on the identity of other people in this manner but may also criticize based on that identity (Appendix 2). Dr. Mah Hussein was confronted with unfamiliar languages and customs that may have contributed to her feeling of alienation from the community. However, with the assistance of residents who were her companion, Dr. Mah Hussein assimilated more readily, minimizing discrepancies and facilitating her transfer into this new life. Thus, one could argue that this study reinforces Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) concept that identity change occurs due to our interactions with a changing external environment (Sokol et al., 2017). While much study has been conducted on Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) concept of spheres of interaction, the macrosystem and mesosystem influences on identity are less well understood (Sokol et al., 2017). Additionally, contemporary childhood involves the younger generation’s earlier use of smartphones and social media. This report’s focus has been on the impacts of altering identity, and more study into contemporary factors can only contribute to this picture

Reference List

Arnold, M.E. (2017). ‘Supporting adolescent exploration and commitment: identity formation, thriving, and positive youth development.’ Journal of Youth Development, 12(4), pp. 1-15.

Powers, L.E., Fullerton, A., Schmidt, J., Geenen, S., Oberweiser-Kennedy, M., Dohn, J., Nelson, M., Iavanditti, R. and Blakeslee, J. (2018). ‘Perspectives of youth in foster care on essential ingredients for promoting self-determination and successful transition to adult life: my life model.’ Children and Youth Services Review, 86, pp. 277-286.

Sokol, B.W., Chandler, M.J., Hammond, S., McEnerney, K. and Marle, P., (2017). ‘The spaces in-between: applying relational developmental systems to identity and moral character.’ Advancing Developmental Science, pp. 235-247. Routledge.

Appendixes

Appendix 1

Original Transcript of DR. Mah Hussein-Gambles Interview

1. Mah Hussain-Gambles: I’m Mah Hussain-Gambles. I work as a project manager for a large
2. pharmaceutical company at the moment, but before then I had a skincare company and also a
3. certification company that I set up, and prior to that I used to work at the University of Leeds as a social
4. scientist, and that’s where I did my PhD. And prior to that I used to work for a large pharmaceutical
5. company in the north of England, developing lots of different formulations, like tablets, capsules,
6. injectables. I was born in Pakistan, in Islamabad, and I was brought up by my grandparents, maternal
7. grandparents, and an orderly, who used to follow my brother and I around. I had a fairly interesting
8. childhood. I was a bit of a tomboy, wasn’t into dolls but more into climbing trees and playing baseball
9. and cricket and riding bikes, and I was into science fiction. My favourite TV programme was Star Trek
10. and I remember doing lots of role-plays with my little brother and other little neighbourhood boys.
11. 10 had this – this neighbour boy and he was slightly oriental looking so he made the perfect Mr Spock. I
12. just – I got – I remember getting some – my mum’s eyeliner and drawing his eyebrows on. And my
13. brother was Bones and I was Captain Kirk, of course. And we had this remote-controlled car, my
14. favourite remote-controlled car, and we used the receivers – controls for that as receivers for Mr Spock
15. and – and Captain Kirk. I feel a bit like a citizen of the world, having – being of Afghan origin and then
16. going to school in Pakistan, primary school. That was an interesting experience. I – I had a – I spoke
17. Urdu with a very different accent so I used to get laughed at and picked at school and being called a
18. foreigner. And then I moved to England, again, same story; used to get picked on sometimes for having
19. a different accent, not being able to speak English with a Yorkshire accent. So it’s – it’s been an
20. interesting experience, experiencing I suppose you could call it racism in a way but from both sides of
21. the – the world. So I always felt as if I didn’t belong and I suppose my way of making sense of that was
22. to – at school, hanging around with – with bikers and rockers and people with – I had my first motorbike
23. when I was – when I was still at school, about sixteen, and had a – a biker’s jacket and biker boots and
24. used to listen to rock music, and that kind of carried on into university. When I went to university I had
25. this identity of a biker chick and made friends quite easily with – with the local sort of crowd. And I
26. always felt safe – safe with that crowd, maybe ‘cause they were marginalised and I felt I could relate to
27. that group. I did my degree in pharmacology at Sunderland University and we had about roughly fifty
28. percent girls and boys on the course, but it was quite a – a shock when I actually went out to industry
29. and my first job was as a polyurethane chemist and I was the only female there. And then after that the
30. pharmaceutical company, which was like a proper GMP environment, I worked in there making tablets.
31. And again, I was the only female in the whole sort of product development department, and I just
32. remember having a hoot of a time with all my male colleagues. And – and I remember once getting in
33. this machine, a big granulator, to clean it from the inside, ‘cause I was the smallest person there. So
34. then I moved onto academia and that was in Leeds University and it was very different, ‘cause I was
35. used to hardcore science and then I move into a qualitative research sort of softer science, where you
36. interview people. And it allowed me to write papers. I’ve written about ten papers, nine of those as first
37. author and I got them published in really good journals, including the BMJ. And the findings of my PhD,
38. they were changed into a public health policy. So that was great, I felt as though I really made a
39. difference, not just personally but also to – to the society. And then I fell pregnant with twins and the
40. girls were premature. They’re fine now. They were six weeks premature. And it was decision time, you
41. know. I can’t really put them in a crèche because the university salaries aren’t that good, or weren’t that
42. good at the time. So I decided to start a business from home so I could spend time with them and I
43. thought I’d use my skills from my pharmaceutical development days and started to make creams in my
44. kitchen. And it was just a – a matter of using my scientific experience and analytical mind to put those
45. together and make something that was fun, but it turned out – just happened into something that could
46. make me – earn me a living while I looked after my children. Initially the cream making, I was giving
47. these away as – you know, just as Christmas gifts or – or birthday presents, or if somebody needed it
48. just as a free – freebie, but it reached a point where I couldn’t really – you know, they were quite
49. expensive, and I had to start charging money because I was getting emails from around the world
50. asking for these creams. At that point I went to see an accountant and decided to set a business up as
51. a limited company so I could charge money and – and buy, you know, borrow some money from the
52. bank so I can pay and – and basically make the whole thing more professional and – and commercial.
53. By the time I sold the business, it was exporting to 14 countries. The brand was called Saaf Skincare.
54. And the unique selling point was it was totally preservative free, ‘cause it was all oils and I used
55. beeswax as a base. So it was oil – preservative free. It was free from all nasty chemicals and it was
56. organic, certified vegetarian, cruelty free certified and halal certified. I personally found science to be a
57. lot of fun whatever I’ve done, whatever I’ve applied science to in my life. It’s – it’s about exploration. It’s
58. like – about being, like, Captain Kirk, but instead of exploring different planets, there’s so much to
59. explore here on, you know, on earth, and that’s the fascinating thing about science. And you can apply
60. it to cooking, to makeup, to – to everything, you know, to cleaning, jewellery, your house, and the fact
61. that it gives you tools to do so many different things and so many different aspects of science, as
62. reflected by my own sort of personal career. It’s great fun. If I was born again, I’d be a scientist all over
63. again.

Appendix 2

Themes:

1. Importance of family relations and influence.
2. Academic attributes and career progressions through difficult circumstances.
3. Effects of cultural challenges.
4. Prejudices emanating from Dr. Mah’s nationality.

Appendix 3

Initial Codes, Developed Codes, and Themes Identified