Media are considered to be the public's primary source of information regarding mental illness. Evidence suggests that media representations of people with psychiatric disorders are frequently negative and contribute to their stigmatization. On the other hand, media can play an important role in reducing this stigmatisation by providing adequate information about this topic and engaging in antistigma campaigns. Up to now there was no standardised measurement of the stigma of mental illness in print media using clearly operationalized definitions. The objectives of this project were twofold; to develop a standardised and objective instrument to measure stigma of mental illness in print media; and to conduct an analysis of the current coverage on mental health/illness issues in Czech, Croatian, and Slovak print media. The development of the Picture of Mental Illness in Newspapers (PICMIN) instrument was based on the principles of content analysis, a research technique for making replicable and valid inferences from text to the kontext in their use. The instrument consists of eleven descriptive and five analytical categories. The most interesting findings based on the analysis of media representations of mental illness were; a similarly high level of stigmatizing articles across countries, clearly...

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Despite decades of research about educational interventions to correct parents' childhood fever management their knowledge remains poor and practices continue to be based on beliefs about harmful outcomes. The purpose of this thesis was to 1) identify Australian parents' fever management knowledge, attitudes, practices and methods of learning to manage fever and 2) undertake a theoretical exploration of the determinants of parents' intentions to reduce fever using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Two studies were undertaken: a qualitative study with 15 parents; and survey of 401 Queensland parents with a child aged between 6 months and 5 years. Parents determine childhood fever through behavioural changes they have learnt to associate with fever. Few were aware of the immunological beneficial effects associated with fever and most believed fever harmful causing febrile convulsions and brain damage. To prevent harm they monitored temperatures, used antipyretics, dressed children in light clothing and sponged them with tepid, cool or cold water. Despite believing antipyretics harmful most parents reduced temperatures of 38.3 degrees Celsius ± 0.6 degrees Celsius with antipyretics, alternating two antipyretics when fever was not reduced or returned. In addition to temperature reduction antipyretics were used to reduce distress or general unwellness and pain or discomfort. Multiple factors were used to determine antipyretic dosage including temperature, irritability and illness severity. Over one-third of parents had overdosed their child with too frequent antipyretic administration; more frequently with ibuprofen than paracetamol, 12:1. Fever management information was learnt from numerous sources. Doctors were the most frequently reported followed by personal experience. With the variety of information sources nearly half received conflicting information about how to manage fever increasing concerns and creating uncertainty about how to best care for their child. Despite this many believed they knew how to manage fever. Some parents' practices changed over time as a result of either positive or negative experiences with fever indicating more positive or negative attitudes toward fever. Positive experiences reduced antipyretic and medical service use; negative ones had the adverse effect with increase in antipyretic use including alternating antipyretics and double dosing with one antipyretic. Child medication behaviours also influenced attitudes and practice intentions. Parents of children who readily took antipyretics had more negative attitudes and intended to reduce their child's next fever with antipyretics. Negative attitudes were a significant determinant of fever management intentions. Parents' practices were strongly influenced by their perception that doctors and partners expected them to reduce fever. This expectation from partners is understandable; from doctors it is not and indicates doctors' propensity to recommend reducing fever. There is an urgent need to identify doctors' fever management beliefs and rationales for practice recommendations. Parents also learn to manage fever from nurses and pharmacists; their beliefs and management rationales must also be determined and addressed. There is an urgent need to educate parents about evidence-based fever management and reduce their unnecessary antipyretic use. They must be encouraged to delay antipyretic administration using them to reduce pain rather than fever. Findings from this thesis have identified the determinants of parents' intentions to reduce fever; negative attitudes and normative influences and positive child medication behaviours. Future studies should examine the efficiency and cost effectiveness of fever management educational programs for parents using different presentation methods in multiple settings.

We designed a questionnaire that aims to understand what happens to the identity of the teacher as a guiding element of its educative practice in response to the educational reforms –which have generated a constant change in what is expected from their role. The questionnaire was applied to 228 academics from different disciplines in a state public University with an educational model based on competencies. The data were processed by factor analysis and Cronbach’s Alpha. The results were consistent with the hypothesized factor structure, obtaining an acceptable percentage of variance (43%), which explains four factors of identity strategies: resistant-diffuse, attributed, simulated and assumed. The instrumentreported an adequate level of internal consistency (.94). Therefore, the questionnaire has both construct validity and internal consistency. / Se diseñó un cuestionario que tiene la finalidad de comprender qué sucede con la identidad del académico, como elemento rector de su práctica docente, ante las reformas educativas que han generado un cambio constante en lo que se espera de su función. El cuestionario se aplicó a 228 académicos de diferentes disciplinas de una Universidad pública estatal con un modelo educativo centrado en competencias. Los datos fueron procesados considerando el análisis factorial y el alfa de Cronbach. Los hallazgos fueron congruentes con la estructura factorial hipotética, con un porcentaje de varianza aceptable (43%), que explica cuatro factores de estrategias identitarias: resistente-difusa, atribuida, simulada y asumida. El instrumento reportó un adecuado nivel de consistencia interna (.94). El cuestionario cuenta con validez de constructo y consistencia interna. / Desenhou-se um questionário com a finalidade de compreender o que aconteceu com a identidade do acadêmico, como elemento principal da sua prática docente, mediante as reformas educativas as quais têm gerado mudanҫas no que se refere à sua funҫão. O questionário foi aplicado a 228 acadêmicos de diferentes disciplinas numa universidade pública estadual, que possui um modelo educativo orientado às competências. A análises foi fatorial e Alpha de Cronbach. Os descobrimentos foram congruentes com a estrutura fatorial hipotética, com a obtenҫão da porcentagem duma variável aceitável (43%), a qual explica quatro fatores de estratégias identitárias: resistente-difusa; atribuída; simulada e assumida. O instrumento reportou um adequado nível de consistência interna (94). O questionário conta com a validade do construto e da consistência interna.

Abstract The aim of the study was to develop an instrument and to statistically test the main structure of the middle-range nursing theory for the self-care of home-dwelling elderly. Further, connections between the satisfaction with life, self-esteem, functional capacity and self-care behavior styles of older people living at home were studied. According to the theory in question, self-care is a partly conscious, partly subconscious way to function and live, including an emotional aspect. It evolves during a person’s life course. The theory consists of four main types of self-care, which are associated with older person’s past life and future: responsible, formally guided, independent and abandoned self-care. Also, the functional capacity, life satisfaction and self-esteem vary between persons having different self-care behaviour styles. Furthermore, individual factors – turning points of life, habitual ways to react, resources, meanings of the self-care and experiences of getting old – oriented self-care, either into the internal, unambiguous or external, ambiguous direction. The interview data to test the instrument (n = 200) and the theory (n = 179) were collected by structured interviews from home-dwelling older people aged 74 or older around Finland. The interview data of both phases of the study were analysed with descriptive and multivariate statistical methods. Face-validity was used to ensure the content validity of the instrument. The instrument appeared to be reliable and the main structure of the theory was predominantly supported by the data. The main types of self-care and their connections to the self-care orientations were especially confirmed. Also, the connections between self-care behaviour styles, orientations towards the future and experiences of ageing were fairly well confirmed. In addition, connections between different self-care behaviour styles, functional capacity, life satisfaction and self-esteem were found in the study. The study produces new knowledge of the experiences and self-care of older people as well as of the factors connected to it. The results can be used in clinical settings to improve the care of home-dwelling older people. The theory can also be used as a theoretical basis in the education of geriatric care. / Tiivistelmä Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli testata Backmanin (2001) kehittämän kotona asuvien ikääntyvien itsestä huolenpidon teorian ydinrakenne, kehittää mittari teorian testaamiseksi ja tutkia itsestä huolenpitoon yhteydessä olevia tekijöitä. Teorian mukaan ikääntyvien itsestä huolenpito on elämänkulun aikana kehittynyt, osittain tietoinen, osittain tiedostamaton tapa toimia ja elää, joka sisältää myös emotionaalisen ulottuvuuden. Teoria koostuu neljästä itsestä huolenpidon päätyypistä: omavastuinen, ulkoapäin ohjautuva, omapäinen ja luovutettu itsestä huolenpito. Jokaisella tyypillä on sille ominainen itsestä huolenpidon tapa, menneisyys ja tulevaisuuteen suuntautuminen. Myös toimintakyky, elämään tyytyväisyys ja itsearvostus vaihtelevat eri tavoin itsestään huolehtivilla ikääntyvillä. Itsestä huolenpitoa suuntaavat yksilölliset tekijät: elämän taitekohtien luonne, reagointitapa, voimavarat, itsestä huolenpidon merkitys ja vanhenemisen kokeminen. Näiden tekijöiden kautta muodostuu kaksi itsestä huolenpidon pääsuuntaa: sisäistetty, selkeä itsestä huolenpito ja ulkokohtainen, selkiytymätön itsestä huolenpito. Haastatteluaineistot mittarin (n = 200) ja teorian (n = 179) testaamiseksi kerättiin strukturoiduilla haastatteluilla 74 vuotta täyttäneiltä kotihoidon asiakkailta eri puolilta Suomea. Haastatteluaineistot analysoitiin tilastollisesti kuvailevilla ja monimuuttujamenetelmillä. Lisäksi mittarin sisältövaliditeettia arvioitiin face-validiteetilla. Mittari osoittautui luotettavaksi tutkittaessa suomalaisten 75 vuotta täyttäneiden kotihoidon asiakkaiden itsestä huolenpitoa ja siihen yhteydessä olevia tekijöitä. Teorian ydinrakenne sai tukea aineistosta erityisesti omavastuisen ja ulkoapäin ohjautuvan itsestä huolenpidon osalta. Myös itsestä huolenpidon eri tapojen yhteyksiä toimintakykyyn, elämään tyytyväisyyteen ja itsearvostukseen pystyttiin tunnistamaan muiden paitsi luovutetun itsestä huolenpidon tavan osalta. Tutkimus tuottaa uutta tietoa ikääntyvien kokemuksista, itsestä huolenpidosta ja siihen yhteydessä olevista tekijöistä. Tieto ja ymmärrys auttavat ikääntyvien kanssa työskenteleviä toteuttamaan yksilöllisempää, ikääntyvien asiakkaiden voimavaroja huomioivaa ja toimintakykyä tukevaa hoitoa. Testattua teoriaa voidaan käyttää myös teoreettisena lähtökohtana terveydenhuollon ammatillisessa koulutuksessa opetettaessa ikääntyvien hoito- ja huolenpitotyötä.

[pt] Habilidades socioemocionais são compreendidas como habilidades referentes à regulação de pensamentos, emoções e comportamentos, dizendo respeito a como indivíduos gerenciam suas emoções, percebem-se e se relacionam com outros, influenciando assim uma ampla gama de aspectos pessoais e sociais ao longo da vida. O objetivo geral deste trabalho foi construir uma escala de heterorrelato para avaliar habilidades socioemocionais em crianças entre 6 e 12 anos de idade, destinada aos pais, mães ou responsáveis. Como objetivo específico, foram investigadas evidências iniciais de validade baseada no conteúdo. Os itens do questionário foram desenvolvidos com base nas categorias de definições operacionais de sentimentos e comportamentos encontrados na literatura a respeito do construto, organizados a partir da taxonomia do modelo Big five. A escala de respostas é do tipo likert de sete pontos (concordância). Após sua construção, os itens foram avaliados por três pesquisadores com expertise com a estrutura trabalhada. Foram utilizados o Índice de Validade de Conteúdo para avaliar a qualidade e representatividade dos itens e o índice Kappa para avaliar a concordância entre os especialistas sobre os fatores dos itens. Além disso, foi realizada ainda a análise semântica dos itens com o público-alvo (dois pais, uma mãe e uma avó). Os resultados apontam uma adequada compreensão dos itens, indicando evidências de validade de conteúdo. Novos estudos deverão ser conduzidos para avaliar as propriedades psicométricas do instrumento com o objetivo de obter evidências de validade robustas. / [en] Socio-emotional skills are known as skills related to the regulation of thoughts, emotions and behaviors, concerning how individuals manage their emotions, perceive themselves and relate to others, thus influencing a wide range of personal and social aspects throughout a person s life. The objective of this study was to build a hetero-report scale to assess social-emotional skills in children aged from 6 to 12 years, aimed at fathers, mothers or guardians. As a specific objective, initial evidence of content-based validity was investigated. The questionnaire items were developed based on the categories of operational definitions of feelings and behaviors found in the literature regarding the construct, organized from the taxonomy of the Big five model. The response scale is a seven-point Likert scale (agreement). After its construction, the items were evaluated by three researchers who were familiar with the structure being worked on. The Content Validity Index was used to assess the quality and representativeness of the items and the Kappa index to assess the agreement between experts on the items factors. In addition, a semantic analysis of the items with the target audience (2 parents, 1 mother and 1 grandmother) was performed. The results point to an adequate under-standing of the items, indicating evidence of content validity. Further studies should be conducted to assess the instrument s psychometric properties in order to obtain robust validity evidence.

Paternal postnatal depression has begun to receive attention during the last decade. Studies have shown that the consequences of paternal and maternal postnatal depression are equally serious. There are currently no validated instrument for screening of paternal postnatal depression. In this cross-sectional study a self-report questionnaire, the Edinburgh Gotland Depression Scale (EGDS) is validated against the clinical interview SCID-CV as gold standard, and is further developed. A convenience sample of Swedish fathers (N = 95) who had children in the past year, answered an online questionnaire and a subsample (n = 52) of them were later interviewed with the SCID-CV. The revised EGDS showed improved criterion-related validity, sensitivity and specificity. The scale has problems disciminating between mildly and non-depressed fathers. A cut-off score of ≥8 on the revised EGDS results in sensitivity of 91.7 per cent and specificity of 85.0 per cent. This study should be replicated and cross-validated to provide further evidence of validity. / Postnatal depression hos fäder har börjat uppmärksammas under det senaste decenniet. Studier har visat att konsekvenserna av postnatal depression hos fäder och mödrar är lika allvarliga. Det finns för närvarande inga validerade instrument för screening av postnatal depression hos fäder. I denna tvärsnittsstudie har självskattningsformuläret, Edinburgh Gotland Depression Scale (EGDS) valideras mot den kliniska intervjun SCID-CV som gold standard, och vidareutvecklas. Ett bekvämlighetsurval av svenska fäder (N = 95) som fått barn under det senaste året, besvarade en webbenkät och en undergrupp (n = 52) av dem blev senare intervjuade med SCID-CV. Det reviderade EGDS visade förbättrad kriteriumrelaterad validitet, sensitivitet och specificitet. Skalan har problem med att diskriminera mellan milt och icke-deprimerade pappor. En cut-off poäng ≥8 för den reviderade EGDS resulterar i sensitivitet på 91,7 procent och specificitet på 85,0 procent. Denna studie bör replikeras och korsvalideras för att ge ytterligare belägg för validiteten.