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Components of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) include emotion and cognitive dysregulation. The Emotional Cascade Model (Selby & Joiner, 2009; Selby et al., 2009) suggests negative affect and the cognitive process of rumination could be interchangeably increasing over time, leading to maladaptive behaviors. The current study evaluated negative thinking styles (i.e., anger rumination, sadness rumination, worry, catastrophizing) and thought control strategies (i.e., brooding, reflection, thought suppression) in relation to BPD traits using path analyses in a college student sample (N = 204). Results indicated anger rumination, sadness rumination, and worry indirectly predicted BPD traits through thought suppression, brooding, and reflection. However, catastrophizing did not directly predict any variable. Furthermore, reflection negatively and indirectly predicted BPD traits, while thought suppression and brooding had a positive and indirect effect on BPD traits. Understanding cognitions more in-depth could be influential in the assessment and treatment of BPD. Strengths, limitations, and future directions are discussed.

This study explored the multiple contexts of violence in the lives of female adolescents exposed to domestic violence. The research was guided by ecological, critical and postmodern feminist perspectives. Ecological theory embeds individual and familial experiences within the broader social and historical contexts. Critical theory questions often held assumptions and issues of power. Postmodern feminism extended this theoretical lens into a socio-political context that used gender, race, class, and marginalization as central lenses. This perspective emphasized the importance of context, processes, and the subjective experiences of girls. Qualitative methods and a constructivist epistemology were used to understand the experiences of six female adolescents, between 14 and 19 whose mothers had experienced domestic violence. I explored how participants reflected on and made sense of their exposure to violence in their families, the multiple contexts of violence to which they were exposed, and the protective factors they had or employed. Four interviews were conducted with each participant, totaling 24 interviews. Poetry was used to gain trust and begin the process of sharing intrapersonal feelings, to externalize thoughts and expressions, and share lived experiences. Two mothers completed lengthy questionnaires. Participants were recruited through an insider's knowledge of multiple agencies, and using snowballing. No participants ever resided in a domestic violence shelter. This study contributed to our understanding of the lives of adolescent females exposed to domestic violence by elucidating the complexity of the experiences of participants and their families. It reminded us of the contextual importance of describing violence and the ever-changing experience of children exposed to domestic violence. Children learned to cope in multiple ways, but felt alone and powerless. Systems developed to assist youth and families were unable to intervene in a meaningful way, thus extending the feelings of abandonment and powerlessness. Children learned to hide from their feelings and put on a mask to the world. This mask hid the child safely beneath, and ultimately served to distance her from the realities in her midst. But, at what expense? I discuss findings in terms of current resilience theory and provide suggestions for future research and intervention based on these findings. / Ph. D.

This essay explores endometriosis from a sociological perspective, with a focus on its impact on women in their everyday lives, work, and social contexts. Endometriosis, a condition affecting approximately 10 percent of women during their reproductive years, is a prevalent but incurable disease, with treatments only alleviating symptoms. Despite its prevalence, it remains relatively unknown to the general public, leading to lengthy diagnostic processes and a lack of understanding of the experiences of those affected. With this essay we want to shed light on how endometriosis affects women’s opportunities in the job market and private life, as well as its interaction with gender aspects within medical research and treatment. Through interviews and digital ethnography, we investigate how individuals with endometriosis experience interactions with healthcare providers, employers, and social relationships, as well as how the disease contributes to stigma and shame. The authors conclude that endometriosis significantly impacts women’s lives, both personally and professionally. The disease often leads to physical and emotional challenges that can limit their participation in the workforce and social activities. They emphasize the need for increased awareness and understanding of endometriosis, as well as improved healthcare strategies to support affected women. Further research is necessary to explore and address the unique challenges faced by women with endometriosis. Regarding future research, the thesis highlights the importance of continued investigation in this field to develop better treatment methods and support structures. This includes exploring the effects of endometriosis on women’s mental health, their ability to maintain employment, and how the disease affects their social relationships and overall quality of life.

Fysisk aktivitet är en determinant för en god folkhälsa. Till följd av detta vill idrottsrörelsen bidra till en utvecklig inom idrotten för att öka deltagarantalet och motivera människor att vara fysiskt aktiva livet ut. Ett dilemma som dock är förekommande inom elitidrotten är att många slutar idrottsutövandet innan de nått sin topp nivå. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka föräldrars uppfattningar om deras barns tillvaro efter avslutad elitsatsning. En kvalitativ metod tillämpades och vid datainsamlingen genomfördes fem semistrukturerade intervjuer. Det insamlade materialet analyserades med hjälp av en manifest innehållsanalys. I resultatet framkommer det att flera av barnen som tidigare varit en del av en elitsatsning gått från en fysiskt aktiv livsstil till en friare livsstil där det upplevs finnas utrymme för spontanitet och lekfullhet. Vardagen inkluderas numer av nyfunna vänner och ett större fokus förkommer på studier alternativt jobb. Den tidigare sociala miljön som bestod av idrottsarenan har i stort bytts ut till andra miljöer. Den identitet de tidigare haft med idrotten har förlorats och i samband med elitsatsningens upphörande drabbades barnen av psykisk ohälsa, med de upplevs idag må bättre. Slutsatsen för denna studie är att tillvaron har förändrats hos samtliga barn efter avslutad elitsatsning. / Physical activity is a determinant of public health. Hence the Swedish sports movement wish to contribute to the development of sporting activities as a way to increase the number of participants and motivate people to stay physically active throughout life. A common issue in elite level sports is that many end their career before reaching their final potential. The purpose of this study was to investigate the parent’s perspective regarding their children’s being after ending their elite effort. A qualitative method was applied and data was collected in five semi-structured interviews. The collected material was analyzed with a manifest content analysis. The result indicated that several of the children, who previously had been a part of an elite investment, had changed their lifestyle from a physically active lifestyle to a freer way of life where it is perceived to be room for spontaneity and playfulness. Everyday life nowadays includes new friends and greater focus on studies or job. Former social context focused around the sports arena are now taking place in other environments. Their previous identification with their sport has been lost and by ending their elite efforts the children's mental health declaimed, however they have later recovered to some extent. The conclusion of this study is that life has changed for the children after ending their elite effort.

Aesthetic expressions have been seen as the manifest of human culture. The psychology of aesthetics have proposed various models, describing the various phenomena related to aesthetic experience, such as sensory pleasure derived from aesthetic stimuli, emotional response toward aesthetic depiction, cognitive mastering over aesthetic emotion, etc. However, further examination reveals current models have theoretical limits for the explanation of society-wide aesthetic preference due to limited scope of focus. Thus, the current project proposes a new theoretical framework to describe the process through which the society comes to converge on aesthetic preference. Examination of related theories and experimental evidence shows that the convergence process of our aesthetic preference is a function of several inter-related yet independent psychological mechanisms at the perceptual, affective, and cognitive stages of aesthetic processing. The proposed framework can inform future research in general psychology as well as other applications, such as the making of creative machines.Aesthetic expressions have been seen as the manifest of human culture. The psychology of aesthetics have proposed various models, describing the various phenomena related to aesthetic experience, such as sensory pleasure derived from aesthetic stimuli, emotional response toward aesthetic depiction, cognitive mastering over aesthetic emotion, etc. However, further examination reveals current models have theoretical limits for the explanation of society-wide aesthetic preference due to limited scope of focus. Thus, the current project proposes a new theoretical framework to describe the process through which the society comes to converge on aesthetic preference. Examination of related theories and experimental evidence shows that the convergence process of our aesthetic preference is a function of several inter-related yet independent psychological mechanisms at the perceptual, affective, and cognitive stages of aesthetic processing. The proposed framework can inform future research in general psychology as well as other applications, such as the making of creative machines.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / Includes bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis focuses on the critical role of the new principal as agent of change. “New principal” in this context is a principal who has been at a specific school for between one and five years. He or she may have been promoted from a post at the same school or have been a principal at another school beforehand. The thesis highlights the tangible changes these principals made during their time at these schools, from raising the morale of educators, to improving academic results of learners, to increasing the level of involvement of parents as well as community members. The literature survey focuses on change in school contexts where urgent and far reaching change is necessary. It shows how complex the process is and the various stages that are involved. The literature underlines that change and resistance are sides of the same coin. It seems that successful change requires that the principal as an agent and initiator of change has a clear set of strategies to handle the inevitable resistance to the process. The literature review also explores the different stages of resistance and the considerations necessary to ensure that the change process leads to a peaceful conclusion that benefits the school as a whole. The main collection instrument used in this qualitative research is a semi-structured interview on the theme of change. The study uses the narratives of four principals, two from secondary schools and two from primary schools from dysfunctional and low-performing schools that emerged, to explore the reasons for their success. Findings show all these ‘new’ principals were at schools affected by socio-economic factors that had a negative effect on the academic results of learners. The attempts these principals made were initially met with resistance, particularly from educators who had been at the school for some time, who did not see any need to make changes at the school. It seems the findings show that the principals in this study always had an appropriate strategy to deal with the situations that arose. This makes them truly transformational leaders, i.e. leaders with the necessary expertise who can enable their followers to perform better than they thought they could and work for the good of the institution rather than their own self-interest. These are the type of leaders that schools need to make our education system as effective as it needs to be. In the interests of making dysfunctional or poorly performing schools a better place of teaching and learning for all learners and educators, further research should build on the work done here. Particular attention should be given to the management style of effective school such as the new principals at these particular schools. This will provide us with better academic “lenses” to observe the necessary passion and commitment with which these changes are made, and the ways in which principals are able to endure and overcome any resistance to change. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis fokus op die kritieke rol van die “nuwe prinsipaal (skoolhoof) as agent van verandering”. “Nuwe prinsipaal” in hierdie konteks bedoel prinsipaal is ''n persoon wat tussen een en vyf jaar by n spesifieke skool was. Hierdie persoon kan in hierdie pos as prinsipaal by hul hiudige skool bevorder geword het, of as prinsipaal by n ander skool in die pos as prinsipaal gewerk het. Hierdie tesis bring na vore die sigbare veranderings wat hierdie prinsipale aangebring het gedurende hul termyn by hierdie skole, van die opheffing van die moreel van onderwysers tot die verbetering van die akademiese uitslae van leerders, tot beter betrokkenheid van ouers en gemeenskaplede by die skool. Die literere navorsing fokus op verandering binne die skool konteks waar dringend en vergaande verandering 'n noodsaaklihheid geword het. Dit bewys die komplekse aard en die verskillende stadiums verbind daarmee. Die literatuur beklemtoon die feit dat verandering en weerstand twee kante van dieselfde muntstuk is (gaan saam). Dit blyk suksevolle veranderings verg van die prinsipaal as agent en inisieerder van verandering, duidelike strategiee om die onafwendbare of onvoorspelbare weerstand te bestuur in die proses. Die literere oorsig ondersoek die verskillende stadiums van weerstand endie nodige vermoens om die proses van verandering te ondersteun, en tot voordeel van die skool as geheul te bevoordeel. Die vernaamste instrument wat in die kwalititiewe navorsing gebruik is, was n semi-struktuere onderhoud gebaseer op die tema van verandering. Hierdie studie gebruik die verhalende aard van die vier prinsipale, twee van sekondere skole, en twee van primere skole, almal van disfunktionele en lae-voerende skole, wat die rede vir hul sukses bepaal het. Bevindings wys dat al die “nuwe prinsipale” by skole was wat beinvloed was deur sosio-ekonomiese faktore wat 'n negatiewe uitwerking gehad het op die akademiese uitslae van leerders. Die pogings van die prinsipale was aanvanglik met weerstand gepaard gegaan, veral van opvoeders wat vir 'n aantal jare by die skool was, en nie die nodigheid vir veranderings gesien het nie. Bevindings in die studie toon dat die prinsipale altyd gereed was met die gepaste strategie om die situasie te hanteer. Die het van hulle ware transformele leiers gemaak, m.a.w. leiers met die nodige vaardighede, wat hulle in staat gestel het om hulle volgelinge bemagtig het om beter te doen as wat hulle gedink het hulle in staat was, en gewerk het tot die voordeel van die skool as instansie en nie tot hulle eie belange as prinsipale nie. In die belange en voordeel om van disfunksionele of swak akademiese skole 'n beter plek van onderrig en opvoeding vir alle leerders en opvoeders te maak, word voorgestel dat verdere navorsing onderneem word. Daar moet veral gefokus word op, die bestuursstyl van geaffekteerde skole soos die nuwe prinsipale van hierdie spesifieke skole. Dit sal ons met beter akademiese lense toerus om die nodige passie en toegewydheid te observeer waarmee hierdie veranderings gemaak was, en die maniere waarmee die prinsipale gevolhard het teen die stryd om weerstand teen te staan in die proses tot verandering.

集團企業是多個子公司的組合，在追求集團整體利益極大化的過程中，可能爲了追求內部資源市場配置，因而犧牲某些子公司的個別利益，或是彼此子公司之間出現交叉補貼的現象。在交叉補貼的動機下，雙方子公司進行交易時，將可能有一方犧牲，而另一方受惠；或是一方受惠較多，一方受惠較少的情形。在此情形下，集團企業爲追求長期利益，應採取何種管理作為以促使子公司間進行交易，是本研究的核心問題。 本研究以集團企業之子公司間交易為主題，嘗試探索影響子公司間交易發生的因素(本研究將影響子公司間交易發生的因素命名為「交易情境」)，且以「交易情境」的觀點，進一步探討集團企業中子公司間交易之管理方式。為此，本研究以台灣集團企業作為研究對象，結合集團企業之綜效管理相關理論及文獻，針對實務現象進行分析。 本研究採質性研究方法，以集團企業中子公司間的「交易」為分析單位，進行資料蒐集與個案分析。本研究分二階段進行。第一階段為前導個案研究，依個案分析歸納發現，子公司間交易發生的情境因素包括：「投入可衡量程度」、「投入成本程度」、「市場失靈程度」以及「產出互惠程度」。子公司間交易的管理作為包括：「目標一體化」、「轉撥計價」和「市場機制(市價)」。並且建構子公司間「交易情境」與「管理作為」之配適模式，發展出初步的研究架構、研究發現與研究命題，作為後續個案研究之原樣複現基礎。第二階段為後續個案研究，目的在修正並驗證前一階段建立的研究架構與研究命題，使其內容更為豐富。 本研究整合前導個案與後續個案，歸納出下列研究發現： 一、 公司間交易情境與管理作為之配適模式 集團企業進行子公司間交易管理時，應考量「交易」的本質，也就是交易情境，針對「市場失靈程度」、「投入可衡量程度」、「投入成本程度」以及「產出互惠程度」之不同，選擇較能發揮綜效之管理作為。子公司間交易的管理作為包括「目標一體化」、「轉撥計價」和「市場機制(市價)」，因應不同的交易情境組合，管理作為的搭配組合也有所不同，藉由此配適模式，以追求集團企業之綜效。 二、 「目標一體化」程度之提升，有助於「轉撥計價」、「市場機制(市價)」方式的發揮 集團企業在追求綜效過程中，若需要犧牲某一家子公司，成全另一家子公司利益時，「目標一體化」將扮演重要的角色。透過提升「目標一體化」程度，使「轉撥計價」、「市場機制(市價)」方式更能發揮。換言之，集團企業的綜效是源自於「目標一體化」，「目標一體化」有助於子公司之間交易成本的降低。 三、 「目標一體化」、「轉撥計價」和「市場機制(市價)」的使用有其搭配的強弱程度 「目標一體化」對於「轉撥計價」和「市場機制(市價)」具有調節作用，當子公司間交易依賴「高轉撥計價」時，則使用「目標一體化」的程度較低。當子公司間交易依賴「低轉撥計價」時，則使用「目標一體化」的程度較高。當子公司間交易依賴「市場機制(市價)」時，則使用「目標一體化」的程度較低。 / A business group is composed of several subsidiary companies. To increase group-level profits, the profits of subsidiaries may be scarified and one subsidiary may cross-subsidize others. In cross-subsidization between two subsidiaries, one may benefit more than the other or one may benefit and the other may suffer. Giving this understanding, two-stage study is conducted to observe the phenomena by studying business groups in Taiwan. In the first stage, ten pilot cases are conducted and eight more cases are examined in the second stage. Taking the view of “the contexts of transactions”, this study aims to examine how headquarters manages inter-subsidiaries transactions to create group synergy. As part of the methodology, a qualitative research method is adopted and the unit of analysis is inter-subsidiaries transaction. The research process includes two stages. In the first stage, it is found that the contexts affecting inter-subsidiaries transactions consist of “level of input measurability”, “level of input cost”, “level of market failure” and “level of outcome reciprocity”. The mechanisms for managing inter-subsidiaries transactions include “goal alignment”, “transfer-pricing” and “market mechanism (market price)”. Further, a fitting model between “the context of transactions” and “mechanisms” is proposed as a prior research framework for the second stage. In terms of integrating two-stage case analysis, three main research findings include: 1. A fitting model between “the contexts of transactions” and “mechanisms” Headquarters should take into account the essence of transaction when managing inter-subsidiaries transactions. The essence of transaction means “level of input measurability”, “level of input cost”, “level of market failure” and “level of outcome reciprocity”. In other words, different mechanisms should be adopted in different contexts of transactions to achieve group synergy. 2. The increase of the level of “goal alignment” is conducive to “transfer-pricing” and “market mechanism (market price)” “Goal alignment” plays an important role in a business group, especially when the profits of subsidiaries may be scarified and one subsidiary may cross-subsidize others. The increase of the level of “goal alignment” is conducive to “transfer-pricing” and “market mechanism (market price)”. In other words, synergy in a business group results from “goal alignment”, and “goal alignment” decreases the transaction cost between subsidiaries. 3. The combination of three mechanisms with different level “Goal alignment” has mediating effect for “transfer-pricing” and “market mechanism (market price)”. If headquarters depends on high level of “transfer-pricing”, then the level of “goal alignment” is low. If headquarters depends on low level of “transfer-pricing”, then the level of “goal alignment” is high. If headquarters depends on “market mechanism (market price)”, then the level of “goal alignment” is low.

The main aim of this study is to analyze how secular organizations deal with religion in international development work, both officially and practically, and how they describe the meeting between the secular ideology and the religious context. To answer these questions we have interviewed seven employees of different secular organizations who are well familiar with the organization’s operational as well as strategic work. The study also examines the official documents of each organization. The result show that none of the organizations has any policies about religion and that there is no active dialogue about how to deal with religion within the organizations. The results also show that religion is described as a tool and a resource for change rather than is implemented in the development work. Further, the dialogue around religion is often translated into secular terms. In order to problematize and to analyze the results, the study has mainly been inspired by theories of postcolonialism, secularism, path dependency and historical institutionalism which all together highlight the issue of secularism, religion and development. / Syftet med studien har varit att kritiskt analysera hur sekulära organisationer förhåller sig till religionsfrågor i utvecklingssamarbete i religiösa kontexter. Våra frågeställningar berör hur organisationerna förhåller sig officiellt till religionsfrågor i utvecklingssamarbetet, hur de förhåller sig till dessa frågor i praktiken samt hur organisationerna beskriver mötet mellan den sekulära ideologin och den religiösa kontexten. För att ta reda på detta har vi utfört sju kvalitativa intervjuer med anställda inom sekulära organisationer som är väl insatta i organisationernas strategiska och operationella arbete samt i deras ideologiska grunder. Vi har även studerat organisationernas officiella dokument. Studiens resultat visar att samtliga organisationer saknar riktlinjer kring religion, att det inte förs någon aktiv dialog kring religionsfrågor inom organisationerna samt att organisationerna till stor del förhåller sig till religionsfrågor genom att bekräfta och respektera dess förekomst i arbetet. Det framkommer även att religiösa ledare ses som en tillgång och att religion ses som ett verktyg när det kommer till att förankra arbetet. Resultatet visar vidare på att organisationerna delvis förhåller sig till frågorna genom att beskriva dem i mer sekulära termer och pratar snarare om exempelvis mänskliga rättigheter och demokrati än om religion i arbetet i de religiösa kontexterna. I analysen av det insamlade materialet har vi utgått från teorier om sekularisering, postsekularisering, stigberoende, historisk institutionalism samt postkolonialism och även tidigare forskning inom det aktuella området, vilka på olika sätt belyser området kring sekularitet, religion och utveckling.