Thesis (MPH)--University of Limpopo, 2011. / Background: Support groups are an informal resource that attempts to provide healing components to a variety of problems and challenges. An informal support outside of family, friends, or professionals often provides greater understanding, more similarity (from individuals experiencing similar life events), an opportunity for empathy and altruism, and a sense of identity for participants. Learning new ways to handle challenges, cope with changes, and maintain new behaviors are all important aspects of the support group experience. Purpose: The aim of the study was to determine what HIV positive people perceive as barriers to participate in HIV support groups. Methods: This was a quantitative study design using structured questionnaires on 248 participants who gave written consents to participate in the study. Results: Majority were female 63% participants, single (52.63%), unemployed (60%), between ages 31-40 and 52.02% attained secondary education. Participants who were currently on HIV treatment (prophylaxis and ARV) has attended HIV support groups before while participants who were not on any treatment have never attended HIV support groups. Participants who never attended HIV support group also never attended other support groups. The main reasons that participants gave for not attending in HIV support groups was that they are concerned about their privacy and HIV status being known by others. Barriers preventing attendance of HIV support group were support groups are hard to find, work schedules and lack of transport money.

This study was conducted to determine whether learning specific writing techniques and discussing them in a small group is more beneficial to women than writ ing a journal using self-taught techniques, or not writing at all. Instruments used included the Beck Depression Inventory and the California Personality Inventory (Self-Acceptance and Well-Being scales). The literature review covers four general areas: a brief discussion of the impact of contemporary feminism on traditional therapy; an examination of feminist therapy, specifically its advocacy of consciousness-raising groups as a therapy alternative; women's self-reports on diary or journal writing; and information on modern non-literary journal uses including an investigation into the status of therapeutic uses of journal writing. A group model was developed and examined for this study using a modified consciousness-raising format to teach journal writing techniques and provide for group discussion of the writing practices. Pre- and posttest scores were compared among three groups of women (N = 52). An additional follow-up sub-sample was contacted (n = 25) to test statistical differences in writing frequency, number of writing techniques used and level of subjective satisfaction with personal writing. No empirical evidence was found to justify the supposition that structured journal writing groups are more beneficial than either self-taught, solitary diary writing or not writing at all. Includes bibliography for journal writers, outline for 8-week structured writing group, references, and recommendations for possible further investigation.

Advances in diagnostic tools and disease slowing treatments have led to an increased focus on diagnosing Alzheimer's disease (AD) during the early stages of the disease. Early diagnosis of AD improves quality of life for patients and caregivers by allowing for participation in disease slowing interventions. However, early diagnosis of AD may have unintentional psychological and social consequences for patients and caregivers. To combat these potential consequences, it is important that psychosocial interventions, such as support groups, are available at the time of diagnosis. A review of literature demonstrated that early stage AD patients and their informal caregivers benefited from support groups attended by both patients and caregivers, referred to as early stage AD patient-caregiver dyad (PCD) support groups. However, there is a gap in knowledge regarding the need for early stage AD PCD support groups in rural areas. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the need for early stage AD PCD support groups in rural WA.A needs assessment survey was developed and distributed for a period of one month to four clinics and one senior center in five rural WA towns. Twelve informal caregivers and five community members who did not have AD or care for someone with early stage AD were included in data analysis. Results demonstrated that participants lacked information about early stage AD PCD support groups and barriers to accessing these groups. Even with a lack of information about early stage AD PCD support groups, a majority of participants indicated that these groups would address their many unmet needs, and 52.9% of participants were likely to participate in early stage AD PCD support groups. Further studies should be performed to capture the need for early stage AD PCD support groups in rural WA.

Orientador: Solange L'Abbate / Tese ( doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciencias Medicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-13T08:14:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Contro_LuizCarlos_D.pdf: 1873550 bytes, checksum: cec5be06f10940b886c25fddf8097d16 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / Resumo: Esta tese apresenta, como objeto central de investigação, uma proposta de apoio junto a equipes de saúde, abordando a micropolítica das relações que as permeiam e os processos de trabalho que constroem, almejando ampliar seu coeficiente de autonomia e a consciência crítica de suas funções. Articulando conceitos da Análise Institucional ao arcabouço do Psicodrama, o autor utiliza-se da metodologia qualitativa sociopsicodramática para essas intervenções, como também para colocar em xeque esta proposição ao efetivar um processo de pesquisa durante 04 meses junto à uma equipe do Hospital Municipal Dr. Mário Gatti - Campinas, SP. / Abstract: This thesis presents, as central object of research, a proposal for support from the teams of health, addressing the micropolitics of relations that permeate and working rocesses that build, expand its targeting coefficient of autonomy and critical awareness of their duties. Articulating concepts of the Institutional Analysis and Psychodrama, the author uses is the qualitative methodology sociopsychodrama for such intervention, but also to put in check this proposition to carry out a research process for 04 months with a team of the Hospital Municipal Dr. Mário Gatti - Campinas, Brazil. / Doutorado / Saude Coletiva / Doutor em Saude Coletiva

O emprego da psicoterapia de grupo no atendimento em saúde mental, sobretudo em contextos institucionais, tem se expandido em ritmo acelerado em nossa realidade, não havendo uma expansão correlata de pesquisas na área, conforme aponta a literatura especializada. Esse estudo visa contribuir com o conhecimento sobre essa prática, estudando um grupo de apoio com pacientes psiquiátricos ambulatoriais (16 sessões), em condições naturais, em um serviço de saúde mental de Ribeirão Preto. Objetivou-se compreender as possibilidades e limites dessa intervenção descrevendo o desenvolvimento do grupo através das formas de manejo do coordenador e investigando os fatores terapêuticos presentes no grupo segundo a perspectiva de seus participantes. O grupo foi composto por dez pacientes de ambos os sexos, de 29 a 65 anos, predominantemente casados e com escolaridade de 1o grau incompleto. Com diagnósticos psiquiátricos diversos, tinham indicação prevalente de uso de medicação ansiolítica e/ou antidepressiva. Observação e registro audio-gravado do grupo e Questionário do Incidente Crítico (QIC) constituíram as principais fontes de dados. Consultas aos prontuários dos pacientes e notas de campo também foram realizadas durante o período de coleta de dados. Os dados foram analisados por procedimentos qualitativos e quantitativos. Efetuou-se, com base na transcrição e nos registros de observação das sessões, a descrição da temática e da dinâmica das mesmas. A análise do manejo do grupo foi realizada por procedimentos de análise categorial de conteúdo das intervenções do coordenador (N=1904). A análise das respostas dos pacientes ao QIC (N=112), foi realizada por procedimentos de análise categorial de conteúdo, tendo como base um sistema descritivo dos fatores terapêuticos proposto na literatura. Os dados dos prontuários e as anotações de diário de campo foram utilizados na contextualização dos dados derivados da análise das outras fontes. Os resultados da análise do manejo do grupo nos remetem a oito categorias de intervenção: reiteração (48%); investigação (16%); elucidação (13%); confrontação (11%); enquadre (7%); avaliação (2%); orientação (1%) e fala interrompida (2%). O sistema a priori de categorias de análise do QIC não se mostrou suficiente para a classificação de todas as respostas, levando à criação de novas categorias. Nossos resultados apontam para a presença de dez categorias derivadas da percepção dos pacientes sobre o grupo: universalidade (23%); aprendizagem vicária (22%); distanciamento (13%); desesperança (9%); instilação de esperança (7%); altruísmo (6%); aceitação (5%); auto revelação (4%); orientação (4%) e catarse (3%). Apenas 5% das respostas ao QIC foram não classificáveis. Estes resultados remetem à presença de fatores terapêuticos e não terapêuticos no grupo, tal como vivenciado pelos pacientes. Assim, este estudo possibilita uma compreensão sobre o modo como os pacientes vivenciaram o processo deste grupo – tendo em vista os sentidos que produziram a partir de sua participação neste – e, em conjunção com seus quadros clínicos e com o entendimento sobre o funcionamento do grupo através da descrição de seu manejo, situa algumas possibilidades e limites deste tipo de tratamento, considerando o contexto em que ocorre e a clientela que usualmente o integra. (FAPESP) / The use of group psychotherapy in mental health attendance, specially in institutional contexts, it has been expanding in a accelerated rhythm in our reality, with no correlate expansion of researches in this area, according to the specialized literature. This study aims to contribute with the knowledge about this practice, by studying in natural conditions, a support group with psychiatric outpatients (16 sessions) in a mental health center of Ribeirão Preto. It was objectified to understand the limits and the possibilites of this type of treatment, by describing group’s development through the cordinator’s handling and investigating the therapeutic factors existing on this group according to the participants’perspective. The group was composed by ten patients of both sexes, aging 29 to 65 years old, mainly married and having not complete junior hight school. With several psychiatric diagnoses, they pointed out the principal use of anxiolytics and antidepressant medication. Observation and audio-recorded tapes of the group, and the Critical Incident Questionaire (CIQ) constituted the main sources of data. Consultations to the patients'' files and field notes were also accomplished during the period of data collection. The data were analyzed by qualitative and quantitative procedures. Based on sessions’ transcription it was made the thematic and dynamic description of all the group’meetings. The analysis of the group’s handling was accomplished by procedures of categorial content analysis of the coordinator''s interventions (N=1904). The analysis of the patients’answers to the CIQ (N=112) was also accomplished by procedures of categorial content analysis, based on a descriptive system of the therapeutic factors proposed in the literature. The data origineted from the files and the fields notes were used on the comprehension of the data derived from the analysis of the other sources. The analysis of the cordinator’s handling of the group resulted in eight categories of intervention: reiteration (48%); investigation (16%); elucidation (13%); confrontation (11%); setting rules (7%); evaluation (2%); guideness (1%) and interrupted speach (2%). The descriptive system of the therapeutic factores used on the initial analysis of QIC was not sufficient for classification all the answers, driving us to new categories. Our results point for the presence of ten categories derived from the patients'' perception of the group: universality (23%); vicarious learning (22%); distant (13%); hopeless (9%); instilation of hope (7%); altruism (6%); acceptance (5%); self disclosure (4%); guideness (4%) and catharsis (3%). Just 5% of CIQ‘s answers were not classify. These results show us the presence of therapeutic and non therapeutic factors in the group, according to the patients’perspective. Thus, this study contribute to an understanding about the way patients lived the process of this group according to the meanings produced by them after the group’sessions and, in conjunction with their clinical condition and with the understanding of the group development through the description of the cordinator’handling, it shows some possibilities and some limits of this type of treatment, considering the context where it happens and the patients that usually compose those types of groups. (FAPESP)

Magister Commercii (Information Management) - MCom(IM) / South Africa has one of the largest HIV and AIDS burdens in the world, with an estimated7.52 million people living with HIV in 2018. The antiretroviral therapy (ART) programme is the biggest and most costly programme in the country, with 3.7 million people enrolled as of 2017. The success of antiretroviral therapy is dependent on adherence to medication and long-term retention in care. It has been reported that support groups can improve the treatment adherence of patients and their retention in care. However, enrolment in adherence support groups is voluntary, and the abovementioned success thereof is dependent on the commitment of the patient to active participation in the group. It is estimated that about 80% of adults and young people own at least one mobile phone, which makes this technology suitable to improve communication and enhance interaction amongst support group members.

Childhood trauma and stress can lead to widespread changes in brain function that can lead to lifelong learning and living difficulties and disability that impact parental stress levels. Increasingly, parents are turning to social media to find systems of support. This Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis explores the online talk of 17 participants to better understand how they make meaning out of their participation in an online, faith-based parenting community designed for parents raising children with complex trauma exposure. Findings based on the data analysis included five overarching main themes: a) A community of experts; b) The community dethrones the experts; c) The community empowers women to navigate status from victim to warrior; d) The community provides support for members to grieve what seems "irreparably broken;" and e) Participants express faith that God will "mend what is broken." The findings were overlayed on Bronfenbrenner's bioecological theory (Bronfenbrenner & Evans, 2000) to provide a construct for the professionals interacting with parents of children with trauma. Professionals, therapists and religious leaders interacting with parents of children with trauma may want to incorporate a pluralistic, multileveled perspective, recognizing parents' interpersonal conflicts or personal experiences exist in a broader more nuanced system, thus fostering a nuanced and individualized approach to providing support for parents of children with trauma.

No description available.

Thesis (MCurr)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) are critical concerns worldwide; this is particularly true of South Africa. The consequences of HIV infection and complications of AIDS are a challenge that extends into the nursing profession and into the community of student nurses. Support groups can form an important part in educating nursing students about HIV and AIDS, as well as in supporting nursing students through the processes of counselling, testing and managing the physical, as well as other impacts of this syndrome. When considering the current situation at an Eastern Cape nursing college and the literature reviewed on this topic, the research question posed for this study was: ‘Why is the support offered by the HIV support group to the nursing students having such a limited effect on the students’ motivation to participate in HIV counselling and testing (HCT) and support activities to de-stigmatise HIV/AIDS?’ The aim of this study was to explore and describe the nursing students’ experiences and perceptions of the support group activities in order to improve the relevance of this initiative for students. The objectives of this study were to - Explore and describe the student’s experiences and perceptions of the support group activities - Identify and describe the student’s expectations of the support group. A qualitative approach with an exploratory and descriptive design was used to elicit data to answer the research question. Ethical approval was obtained from the Health Research Ethics Committee and access to the college campus was obtained through the appropriate authorities. The accessible population for this study were 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year students at one campus of the provincial nursing college in the Eastern Cape. In-depth individual interviews were conducted with eight participants who met the study inclusion criteria of having had experience of the support group and its activities. Interviews were recorded and transcribed by the researcher. Content analysis was used to analyse the interview data through applying Tesch’s eight steps of analysis. Data analysis revealed that participants did not experience the support group as helpful; although they had joined the support group they remained fearful of receiving test results and what their future may hold should they be diagnosed as being HIV positive. The participants experienced rejection and discrimination by the support group committee members; they also identified that the committee displayed hypocritical behaviours and a lack of respect for confidentiality of information which further undermined the functioning and influence of the group. Results revealed that joining the support group means one is automatically stigmatised as being HIV positive. The support group committee members were seen to be inaccessible having only limited communication with participants. Recommendations from the study were to hold personal and group development sessions for the committee and interested students to assist them in learning how to manage ethical issues related to counselling and testing, how to conduct effective campaigns to de-stigmatize HIV/AIDS, and to determine clearly what the purpose of this particular group is that it may better meet the needs of the student group. Limitations of this study were that the qualitative research approach that was applied limited the generalisation of the findings. The study focused only on experiences and perceptions of the undergraduate nursing students on one campus of the nursing college about the support group and its activities. Thus, the study offered an initial insight into the current negative perceptions of students towards the support group and offered a foundation for further investigation. In conclusion, experiences and perceptions of the support group were explored and elaborated on. Currently, the support group does not offer the support the students would like to be available as the fundamental functioning of the group is compromised by a lack of trust between students and the committee members. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die menslike immuungebreksvirus (MIV) en verworwe immuniteitsgebreksindroom (VIGS) is wêreldwyd kommerwekkende aangeleenthede, veral met betrekking tot Suid-Afrika. Die gevolge van MIV-infeksie en komplikasies van VIGS is uitdagings wat die verpleegberoep en die verpleegstudente-gemeenskap met verreikende gevolge raak. Ondersteuningsgroepe kan ’n belangrike rol speel om verpleegstudente in verband met MIV en VIGS op te lei, asook om ondersteuning te bied deur middel van die prosesse van berading, toetsing en die bestuur van die fisiese en ander gevolge van die sindroom. Toe die huidige situasie by ’n Oos-Kaapse verpleegkollege, asook die literatuuroorsig oor die onderwerp in oënskou geneem is, is die navorsingsvraag vir die studie gestel: “Waarom het die ondersteuning wat deur die ondersteuningsgroep aan die studentverpleegsters aangebied word so ’n beperkte effek op die studente se motivering om deel te neem aan MIV-berading en toetsing, asook ondersteuningsaktiwiteite om MIV/VIGS te destigmatiseer?” Die doel van hierdie studie was om die verpleegstudente se ervaringe en persepsies van die ondersteuningsgroep se aktiwiteite te ondersoek en te beskryf, ten einde die relevansie van hierdie inisiatief vir die studente te verbeter. Die doelwitte van hierdie studie was om die student se: - ervaringe en persepsies van die ondersteuningsgroep se aktiwiteite te ondersoek en te beskryf - verwagtinge van die ondersteuningsgroep te identifiseer en te beskryf. ’n Kwalitatiewe benadering met ’n ondersoekende en beskrywende ontwerp is gebruik om die data aan die lig te bring om sodoende die navorsingsvraag te beantwoord. Etiese goedkeuring is van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch se Gesondheidsnavorsingsetiekkomitee verkry en toegang tot die kollege-kampus is deur die betrokke owerhede verleen. Die toeganklike bevolking vir die studie was eerste-, tweede-, derde- en vierdejaarstudente by een kampus van die provinsiale verpleegkollege in die Oos-Kaap. Deurtastende individuele onderhoude is met agt deelnemers gevoer wat aan die studie se inklusiewe kriteria voldoen het en wat ondervinding het van die ondersteuningsgroep en hul aktiwiteite. Data is deur die navorser opgeneem en getranskribeer. Inhoudelike analise is gebruik om die data van die onderhoud te analiseer deur Tesch se ag stappe van analise toe te pas. Analise van die data het aan die lig gebring dat deelnemers nie die ondersteuningsgroep as behulpsaam ervaar nie. Ten spyte van aansluiting by die ondersteuningsgroep bly hulle angstig vir wanneer toetsresultate ontvang moet word en wat dit vir hul toekoms mag inhou indien hulle MIV-positief gediagnoseer word. Die deelnemers het verwerping en diskriminasie deur die ondersteuningsgroep se komitee-lede ervaar; hulle het ook skynheilige optredes en ’n gebrek aan respek vir vertroulikheid van inligting wat die funksionering en invloed van die groep verder ondermyn, geïdentifiseer. Resultate het aan die lig gebring dat aansluiting by die ondersteuningsgroep beteken dat hulle outomaties gestigmatiseer word as MIVpositief. Die komitee van die ondersteuningsgroep word gesien as ontoeganklik met beperkte kommunikasie met die deelnemers. Aanbevelings vanuit die studie sluit in die opvoeding en die ontwikkeling van ’n komitee en belangstellende studente om etiese kwessies te bestuur wat verband hou met berading en toetsing, veldtogte om MIV/VIGS te destigmatiseer en om duidelik te bepaal watter tipe ondersteuningsgroep hierdie betrokke groep moet nastreef om te wees. Beperkinge van hierdie studie is dat ’n kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering toegepas is wat die veralgemening van die bevindings beperk het. Die studie het slegs gefokus op ervaringe en persepsies van die voorgraadse verpleegstudente op een kampus van die verpleegkollege aangaande die ondersteuningsgroep en hul aktiwiteite. Sodoende, gee die studie ’n aanvanklike insig in die huidige negatiewe persepsies van studente oor die ondersteuningsgroep en bied ook ’n grondslag vir verdere ondersoeke. Ten slotte, ervaringe en persepsies van die ondersteuningsgroep is ondersoek en daarop uitgebrei. Tans bied die ondersteuningsgroep nie die ondersteuning wat die studente benodig nie, vanweë die fundamentele funksionering van die groep se gebrek aan vertroue deur studente in die komitee-lede.

This study explored the experiences of members of an OCD support group, utilising a qualitative design, social constructionist approach, and a systemic framework. Participants were obtained through purposive sampling; data was collected via faceto- face semi-structured interviews with four participants. It emerged that these participants attended two OCD support groups (initial support group and sub-support group). The participants’ experiences were analysed using thematic analysis. Major findings: the participants’ motivation to attend both support groups was to reduce their OCD symptoms and improve functioning. The initial support group was a professional-led psychoeducational support group while the sub-support group was a self-help psychotherapeutic group. The groups also complemented each other with information from the initial support group being implemented in the sub-support group. The participants reported to have benefitted from participation in both support groups as their OCD symptoms reduced and their daily functioning improved. Recommendations for future research were discussed. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)