A healthy academic community is essential for the creation of an environment favourable to the development of managerial competence in education. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between burnout and coping strategies of academic managerial personnel at a tertiary education institution. A cross-sectional survey design was used. The study population consisted of 70 academic managers at a tertiary education institution from the job levels of departmental heads, directors of schools and deans of faculties. The COPE questionnaire and Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey were administered. Statistical analysis was carried out with the SAS-program. Cronbach alpha coefficients, inter-item correlations and confirmatory factor analysis were used to assess the reliability and validity of the measuring instruments. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients were used to specify the relationships between the variables. Canonical correlation was used to determine the relationships between the dimensions of burnout and coping strategies. The results indicate that in general, academic managerial personnel at a tertiary education institution in South Africa experience low levels of burnout. A positive correlation between active coping and both exhaustion and professional efficacy were found. A positive correlation was also found between focus on and venting of emotions and exhaustion. More specifically, the results show that active coping, planning and positive reinterpretation was associated with exhaustion and professional efficacy. It appears that academic managerial personnel utilise both problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies, and the coping strategies of planning, active coping and positive reinterpretation and growth were used most often to deal with potential stress factors. Recommendations for the organisation and future research were made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2003

A healthy academic community is essential for the creation of an environment favourable to the development of managerial competence in education. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between burnout and coping strategies of academic managerial personnel at a tertiary education institution. A cross-sectional survey design was used. The study population consisted of 70 academic managers at a tertiary education institution from the job levels of departmental heads, directors of schools and deans of faculties. The COPE questionnaire and Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey were administered. Statistical analysis was carried out with the SAS-program. Cronbach alpha coefficients, inter-item correlations and confirmatory factor analysis were used to assess the reliability and validity of the measuring instruments. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients were used to specify the relationships between the variables. Canonical correlation was used to determine the relationships between the dimensions of burnout and coping strategies. The results indicate that in general, academic managerial personnel at a tertiary education institution in South Africa experience low levels of burnout. A positive correlation between active coping and both exhaustion and professional efficacy were found. A positive correlation was also found between focus on and venting of emotions and exhaustion. More specifically, the results show that active coping, planning and positive reinterpretation was associated with exhaustion and professional efficacy. It appears that academic managerial personnel utilise both problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies, and the coping strategies of planning, active coping and positive reinterpretation and growth were used most often to deal with potential stress factors. Recommendations for the organisation and future research were made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2003

Bakgrund: Arbetsrelaterad stress hos sjuksköterskor bidrar till hög andel sjukskrivningar. Inom akutsjukvården så är arbetstempot ofta högre än inom andra delar av sjukvården och omsättningen av patienter är stor. Sjuksköterskor som arbetar inom akutsjukvården är mer utsatta för stress. För att hantera stress så kan copingstrategier användas. Syfte: Syftet är att ta reda på vilka stressfaktorer som påverkar sjuksköterskans hälsa inom akutsjukvården, samt vilka copingstrategier som kan användas för att hantera dessa. Metod: Litteraturöversikt med tolv kvalitativa samt kvantitativa vetenskapliga artiklar som berör sjuksköterskan inom akutsjukvården, arbetsrelaterade stressfaktorer samt copingstrategier. Resultat: Det finns ett antal arbetsrelaterade stressfaktorer som bidrar till ohälsa och lidande för sjuksköterskan inom akutsjukvården. Copingstrategier som stöttning av kollegor, avlastande samtal, genomgång av verksamheten och mindfulness, bidrar till att den arbetsrelaterade stressen blir hanterbar och att hälsa uppnås Slutsats: Stressfaktorer som brist på sjuksköterskor, dödsfall eller sexuella övergrepp på barn, våld och hot från patienter och anhöriga, samt brister i arbetsmiljön bidrar till arbetsrelaterad stress. Copingstrategier kan hjälpa att motverka den stress som uppstår. Men för att copingstrategier ska fungera så är det viktigt att använda sig av de strategier som finns och att tid samt möjlighet finns på arbetsplatsen att utföra dessa. / ABSTRACT: Background: Work related stress among nurses contributes to a high percentage of sick leave. The work pace is often higher in the emergency care than in other work areas and the amount of people passing thru is high. Nurses working in emergency care are more exposed to stress. Coping strategies can be used to handle stress. Purpose: The purpose is to find out which stressors that has an impact on nurses health in the emergency care and which coping strategies that can be helpful to handle the stress. Method: Literature review of twelve qualitative and quantitative scientific articles regarding the nurse in emergency care, workrelated stressors and coping strategies. Results: Work-related stressors contributes to illness and suffering for the nurse in emergency care. Coping strategies like support from colleagues, debriefing, review of the workplace, and mindfulness contributes to that work-related stress is manageable and that health is achieved. Conclusion: Stressors such as lack of nurses, death or sexual abuse of children, violence and threats from patients and families, as well as deficiencies in the work environment contributes to work-related stress. Coping strategies may help to prevent work-related stress. But for coping strategies to work it is important to use the existing strategies and that time and opportunity are available at work to perform these.

Aquatic ecosystems are especially vulnerable to human impacts associated with agricultural land-use, which provide multiple stressors altering community composition, important ecosystem functions and human valued properties of freshwaters. However, the increased occurrence of excessive levels of nitrate-nitrogen has raised major concerns about toxicity and stress on aquatic life, especially in regions such as the Canterbury Plains, New Zealand. The aims of this thesis were to identify nitrate-nitrogen effects on stream communities, and additionally provide field data to inform proposed national bottom lines for nutrients in New Zealand streams. A field survey was conducted on 41 small streams on the Canterbury Plains spanning a nitrate-nitrogen gradient (mean 0.4 – 11.3 mg/L). Spot nitrate-nitrogen was collected during and after the field survey to measure temporal variation in stream nitrate-nitrogen concentration for six months. This showed nitrate-nitrogen concentration varied between season and sub-region, where concentrations increased in winter and Ashburton had higher nitrate-nitrogen than Rangiora and Lincoln, respectively. These regimes of nitrate-nitrogen showed similar patterns in mean, median and maximum concentrations. To be confident my spot nitrate-nitrogen provided a true representation of long-term water chemistry, I compared Environment Canterbury 12 monthly data with my six monthly data in a sub-set of 15 sites. This comparison showed similar nitrate-nitrogen patterns and range of values between the two datasets. I then compared 12 common benthic invertebrate biotic metrics with my nitrate-nitrogen data and found none were correlated with this contaminant. For example, the Macroinvertebrate Community Index and quantitative variant (QMCI) derived to measure the response to organic pollution provided inconsistent results when applied to my streams. Nevertheless, gut content stoichiometry of the common mayfly grazer Deleatidium spp. indicated improvement in food quality (lower C:N ratio) with higher nitrate-nitrogen concentrations. These results indicated either nitrate-nitrogen does not alter invertebrate structural metrics across this nitrate-nitrogen gradient, or that these biotic metrics measure community structure aspects not affected by nitrate-nitrogen. I then investigated possible community composition patterns across the nitrate-nitrogen gradient. Unconstrained ordination (on presence/absence data) showed invertebrate communities at my sites were influenced primarily by discharge and shade, with the next most important driver being nitrate-nitrogen. A constrained ordination (on the same data) testing the singular effect of nitrate-nitrogen showed a marginally non-significant change in composition, with higher variability in community composition at higher nitrate-nitrogen concentrations. A further aim of my study was to test the draft nitrate-nitrogen bands proposed by Hickey (2013). These nitrate-nitrogen bands may advise guidelines to protect aquatic organisms as required by the National Policy Statement on Freshwater. Analysis of my invertebrate communities showed differences in composition, particularly at < 1 and > 6.9 mg/L bands. Several predatory caddisfly taxa: Triplectides, Neurochorema and Oeconesus were identified as potential indicator species of communities associated with low nitrate-nitrogen. These findings show that nitrate-nitrogen effects are difficult to detect, and that it is not the main driver of community composition in Canterbury streams. However, nitrate-nitrogen may be an important stressor for sensitive benthic invertebrate communities, as effects were observed on pollution tolerant organisms in this study. Therefore, this research has implications for freshwater ecologists and environmental managers striving to improve the health of streams on the Canterbury Plains.

By developing strong, self-sustaining individuals in organisations, employees will need to withstand the forces of stressors and be able to cope with continuous changes within their working environment. To move the equilibrium level from the current to the desired condition, the field of forces must be altered - by adding driving forces and by removing restraining forces. An individual's sense of coherence may either alleviate or aggravate reactions to a stressor and moderate the impact of occupational stressors on the individual's affective outcomes. The objectives of this study were to validate the 13-item version of the Orientation to Life Questionnaire (OLQ) (Antonovsky, 1987) and to determine the experience of employees with high levels of sense of coherence regarding helping and restraining factors within the workplace (compared to that of those with a low sense of coherence). A cross-sectional s w e y design was used. The total population (N = 2 678) of employees in a financial institution in Gauteng was used in this study. Random samples of groups with a strong (n = 300) and low (n = 300) sense of coherence were taken for purposes of the qualitative study. The OLQ (Antonovsky, 1987) and a biographical questionnaire were administered. The scale showed acceptable reliability and construct validity. The study set out to determine the applicability of the theoretical model of sense of coherence to employees in a financial institution. Reliability analysis revealed that the three subscales of sense of coherence were sufficiently internally consistent. The reliability of the measuring instrument were assessed with the use of Cronbach alpha coefficients. Descriptive statistics (e.g. mean and standard deviations) were used to analyse the data. By using the structural equation modelling approach, a one-dimensional factor structure for sense of coherence amongst employees in a financial institution emerged. The reliability analysis revealed that the alpha scores were acceptable. It can therefore be concluded that the 13-item version of the OLQ is a reliable and valid measuring instrument. The results showed that although employee groups with high and low levels of sense of coherence are experiencing similar helping and restraining factors within their working environment, helping factors are being experienced with a higher frequency by groups with high levels of sense of coherence and restraining factors with a higher frequency by groups with low levels of sense of coherence. Recommendations were made for future research. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007

In this thesis the effects of individual and multiple environmental stressors (physical and chemical) are examined in inbred and outbred zebrafish (Danio rerio, Hamilton), a model species used in ecotoxicology and environmental risk assessment (ERA). The central question addressed is, are inbred laboratory animals representative and protective of wild populations? That is, are inbred fish equally or more sensitive to chemicals and other stressors compared with more outbred (wild) fish? A combination of tools and approaches incorporating traditional (eco)toxicology and population genetics have been employed, together with more contemporary molecular genetics and population modelling, to compare and contrast a range of responses in inbred and outbred zebrafish exposed to the endocrine disrupting chemical clotrimazole and/or temperature elevation in the laboratory. The choice of test species was based on our broad understanding of its basic biology, extending from the molecular level to the population level, and its wide use as a model organism in (eco)toxicology. Selection of the test chemical clotrimazole and temperature was based on a shared mode of action, aromatase inhibition, and therefore their ability to block oestrogen production, impair reproduction, promote male development and skew population sex ratios in zebrafish. A cascade of responses were compared in inbred and outbred zebrafish, including changes in the levels of expression of genes for gonadal aromatase and other steroidogenic enzymes, circulating sex steroid hormones, gonadal sex differentiation and development (via gonadal histopathology) and reproductive fitness (female fecundity, paternity and viability of embryos). Amongst the most striking results were directional skews in sex ratio towards males in response to clotrimazole (Chapter 5) and elevated temperature exposure (Chapter 7). Inbred fish were generally more responsive compared to outbreds, which showed evidence of physiological and developmental compensation, resulting in lower male-sex skews and superior fitness in terms of male reproductive success (paternity and viability of embryos). The greater effects observed in inbred fish were attributed to inbreeding×environment interactions and the amplification of inbreeding depression. Although no empirical genetic evidence of this mechanism is presented (loss of heterozygosity at quantitative trait loci and concomitant loss of heterosis and/or the expression of recessive, deleterious alleles in homozygotes), supporting evidence was provided by increased phenotypic variance in some apical endpoints in inbred fish, including specific growth rate and fecundity. This increased variance also has the potential to counteract the higher levels of response observed in inbreds, because the power to detect statistically significant changes in responses is reduced. This trade-off was demonstrated for specific growth rate. Crucially, significant male-sex ratio skews (>80%) were induced at substantially lower clotrimazole exposure concentrations (1.7 µg l-1) in combination with elevated temperature (33°C), compared with exposure concentrations (43.7 µg l-1) generating similar sex ratio skews at the standard test temperature of 28°C. These temperatures represent current and predicted 2100 (elevated) mean temperatures in the zebrafish’s native India and Bangladesh. Although the lowest observed effect concentration was an order of magnitude above the predicted environmental concentration for clotrimazole, it is conceivable that combined environmental exposures to similarly acting chemicals (e.g. other azole compounds used in crop protection, veterinary and human medicine) could produce similar effects to those we observed. The consequent effects of sex ratios skews and reduced fitness (fecundity and embryo viability) on per capita population growth rate (r) and extinction probability were predicted in inbred versus outbred zebrafish populations using stochastic population viability analysis. The results showed that the observed male-skews >80% threaten small zebrafish populations with fewer than 100 breeding adults (<20 adult females). However, small reductions of 2-3% in embryo-juvenile (age 0+) survivorship (including simulated inbreeding depression) were more influential on r and extinction probability than large sex ratio skews and/or reduced female fecundity. The results presented in this thesis support the contention that chemical effects may be exacerbated by other environmental stressors, but also illustrate the importance of considering biological (genetic), as well as physical and chemical interactions in cumulative ERA. Greater sensitivity of inbred versus outbred organisms to the effects of environmental stressors on sexual differentiation and reproductive fitness offers a margin of safety to ERA and the protection of wildlife populations (excluding those that are severely inbred and critically endangered). This is because, as originally stated, laboratory organisms used in ERA are generally more inbred than their wild counterparts. Nevertheless, more attention should be paid to the origin, breeding history and genetics of laboratory strains. This will help to ensure consistency between studies and testing laboratories and provide more confidence in extrapolating the results to wild populations.

Repeatedly, parenting quality has been shown to affect children’s level of behavior problems during early childhood (e.g., Bayer, Sanson, & Hemphill, 2006; Shaw, Gilliom, Ingoldsby, & Nagin, 2003). However, the parent-child relationship exists within a broader social context (Bronfenbrenner, 1986). Therefore, social contextual stressors such as financial strain, neighborhood danger, and residential overcrowding may affect children’s adjustment through parenting. Based on The Family Stress model (Conger & Elder, 1994), the current study tests the theory that sensitive parenting mediates the relationship between these three environmental stressors (i.e., financial strain, neighborhood danger, and residential overcrowding) and children’s behavior problems from ages 2 to 4 years. Results did not support this hypothesis. Though, alternative analyses provided some support for interactive effects of sensitive parenting and neighborhood danger on children’s externalizing problems. When families experienced less neighborhood danger, sensitive parenting was associated with less externalizing problems.

Stressiga arbetsförhållanden är vardag för sjuksköterskan och samtidigt som kraven blir allt fler förväntas hen ge en god, trygg och säker vård. Syftet med studien är att undersöka vilka faktorer som bidrar till arbetsrelaterad stress hos sjuksköterskan inom hospital vård. Studien är utformad som en litteraturstudie och med hjälp av Fribergs analysmodell har artiklar sökts fram i olika elektroniska databaser. De artiklarna med relevant innehåll har kvalitétsgranskats och sedan analyserats enligt Fribergs analysprocess. Totalt användes nio artiklar där nyckelord identifierats och teman sedan utformats, den information om stressframkallande faktorer som tagits fram strukturerades slutligen upp i fyra teman, rädsla att göra fel, ensamhet, uteblivet stöd, och otillräcklighet. Resultatet visar att en hög andel sjuksköterskor upplever arbetsrelaterad stress på sin arbetsplats, men också att de största orsakerna till detta är rädsla att göra fel, ensamhet, uteblivet stöd och en känsla av att otillräcklighet. Denna stress kan i sin tur leda till brister i patientsäkerheten och möjligheten att bedriva den goda vård som är önskvärd, är ej möjlig. Relaterat till tidsbrist för sjuksköterskan finns risk för moralisk stress, där den vård som ser till patientens bästa ej hinns med. Med denna studie finns därför en förhoppning att informera allmänsjuksköterskor inom hospital vård och organisationen runt omkring om faktorer för arbetsrelaterad stress, för att bidra till ökad förståelse och därmed en hållbar utveckling.

Student Number : 9604621R - MEd (Ed Psyc) research report - School of Education - Faculty of Humanities / The Adolescent Stress Identification Inventory (ASII) was developed specifically to identify stress in South African adolescents. It consists of structured questions in response to which the subject is required to rate a statement according to a given scale. The purpose of this research was to assess the usefulness of the ASII as a structured inventory for identifying stress in adolescent girls who attend a private high school in Johannesburg. The sample of adolescents used in this research comprised only of English speaking girls but with the added dimension of the different race groupings namely White, Black, Chinese, Indian and Coloured. This allowed the researcher to compare the stressors identified by Kruger (1992) with the comparative female age cohort selected in this sample and identify and compare the stressors amongst the different racial groups. Understanding what types of things adolescents find stressful in relation to their stage of development is important in helping the adolescent cope with their “daily hassles” and assists teachers, parents and psychologists in treating and preventing the symptoms of stress. Erikson’s psychosocial theory of development is used as a basis for understanding the complex interaction and integration of physical, psychological and social factors that characterize adolescence as a period of development. The findings from this research suggest that the stressors identified by grade 10 and grade 11 girls, can be viewed in terms of the factors associated with the ASII, namely societal demands, self-concept, future expectations, relations and positive experience. The ASII was able to identify stressors and detect the similarities and differences of the types of concerns that the adolescents from the different race groups perceived as stressful. It is recommended that the ASII is used in conjunction with a qualitative means of acquiring more information about the respondents stress experience.

Estressores múltiplos, decorrentes de atividades antropogênicas, podem gerar efeitos combinados em organismos marinhos. Efeitos da acidificação oceânica associados a outros impactos antrópicos são pouco compreendidos, especialmente em zonas costeiras. Nestas regiões, o sombreamento causado por infraestruturas, como portos, pode potencialmente interagir com a redução do pH da água do mar e afetar populações de crustáceos. O objetivo foi avaliar os efeitos de pH reduzido e sombreamento na mortalidade, crescimento, calcificação e respostas comportamentais de deslocamento a odores de predadores vivos (sinal de perigo) e gastrópodes mortos (sinal de recurso disponível) usando juvenis do ermitão Pagurus criniticornis, coletados na Baía do Araçá (São Paulo, SE Brasil). Após 98 dias de experimento, os estressores apresentaram interação significativa sobre a mortalidade dos organismos, além de efeito aditivo sobre o crescimento. A calcificação não diferiu entre tratamentos, indicando que indivíduos foram capazes de manter a calcificação em condições de pH reduzido. Quando expostos a odor de predadores, o deslocamento dos ermitões foi afetado somente pelo sombreamento. Entretanto, uma interação entre ambos os estressores foi observada para o odor de gastrópodes, causando a redução do deslocamento. Este estudo mostra como impactos locais podem amplificar efeitos de mudanças ambientais globais em populações de crustáceos do entremarés. / Multiple stressors due to anthropogenic activities may cause combined impacts in marine organisms. Effects of ocean acidification associated with other anthropogenic impacts are poorly understood, especially in coastal regions. In these areas, shading caused by infrastructure development, such as harbor construction, may potentially interact with CO2-induced pH reduction and affect invertebrate populations. Here we evaluated reduced pH and shading effects on mortality, growth, calcification and displacement behavior to live predator (danger signal) and dead gastropod (resource availability signal) odors using juveniles of the hermit crab Pagurus criniticornis collected in Araçá Bay (São Paulo state, SE Brazil). After a 98 days experiment period, both stressors had a significant interaction on mortality and an additive effect on total growth. No difference in calcification was recorded among treatments, indicating that individuals were able to maintain calcification under reduced pH. When exposed to odor of live predators, crabs\' responses were affected only by shading. However, an interactive effect between both stressors was observed in response to gastropod odor, leading to reduced displacement behavior. This study shows how local disturbance impacts may enhance effects of global environmental changes on intertidal crustacean populations.