This psychobiography is focused on the life of Glenda Watson-Kahlenberg, whose life history epitomises the redemptive theme of triumph over tragedy. A phenomenological approach to the study allowed the researcher to observe the participant‟s lived experience through the theoretical lens of Frankl‟s conceptualization of a meaningful and full existence. A holistic perspective of factors contributing to redemption was accommodated by the Biopsychosocial-spiritual Model. The aim of this longitudinal revelatory study was to illuminate the process of redemption in a life, which leads to restoration and wholeness. This study breaks with traditional psychobiography – in that a life in progress has been selected; and personality development is not the key focus. This psychobiographical undertaking was anchored in qualitative research in the form of a single case study. Four types of triangulation were utilized, namely: data, investigators, theory and methodological triangulation. In addition, Alexander‟s identifiers of saliency, Miles and Huberman‟s data-management guidelines, Schultz‟s prototypical scenes, and Guba‟s criteria for trustworthiness, guided the methodology to ensure reliable data extraction and interpretation. The present researcher was in search of a deeper understanding of the enabling factors facilitating a restorative process in a life that was challenged by setbacks. Given the increasing pressures facing individuals in this modern era, the redemptive theme holds particular relevance, and was graphically demonstrated in the life of the participant who experienced trauma, widowhood, divorce, single parenthood, and a spate of medical and psychological setbacks. The findings suggest that the mental health clinician‟s utilisation of Frankl‟s conceptualisation of meaning in the most challenging circumstances, proffers itself as an all-purpose life-tool which enables individuals to overcome their challenges. The study demonstrated that gaining meaning in life is inextricably tied to an implicit legacy-oriented worldview. Of significance, is the role of forgiveness which emerged as the central redemptive catalyst. In this study, the resolution of past hurts through forgiveness, and the search for meaning, merge, forming an arterial theme in the life story of the participant. The dual impact of these factors not only reversed contaminated life-scripts, it also birthed a new calling in life which set the participant on a generative life course. The findings related to a redemptive life not only confirms existing theory, but also adds perspectives not previously considered. In addition, the findings related to the role of forgiveness has positive implications for the individual‟s physical and psychological wellbeing. Greater intentionality on the part of therapists to thread forgiveness into their practice, remains invitational in the light of the eugraphic impact demonstrated in this study.

This thesis considers pupils attitudes, teachers (and pupils ) creativity and teacher well-being. These three terms represent factors that are closely linked and have a synergistic relationship in determining learning outcomes. Research concerning these factors, and in particular the findings of action research concerning teachers well-being, are presented through eleven publications. This thesis, when viewed as a single piece of work, provides an insight into teachers everyday experiences, professional lives and their responsibilities. It utilises several research methods including questionnaires (approx. 200 teachers; 150 pupils), interviews (approx. 50 trainee teachers), and diaries (N = 2). The key findings suggest that more clarity is required concerning the meaning of creativity for all primary and secondary teachers and how it should be embedded in teachers practice. A safe classroom, one where a child can make mistakes, take risks and share their thoughts and feelings, is necessary for this to occur; teachers understanding of this concept is considerable and broadly based; however, results suggest that teachers approach this in different ways. Trainee teachers well-being is affected by their school placements and therefore time for them to learn and share with their peers was found to be both necessary and important. It was also found that the trainee teachers benefited from being taught about time-management as this skill was beneficial for their role. An intervention of a 90 minute lecture addressing stress, time-management, psychology models such as Maslow s hierarchy of needs and Rogers core conditions, was researched and proven helpful for trainee teachers (primary and secondary science). However, more discussion of the topics and models was required and therefore three workshops per academic year were trialled with the aim of creating a community of practice to normalise experiences. Questionnaire and interview data were highly positive about this intervention and evaluation of the content showed it was beneficial during school placements. The conclusion of this work is that creative pedagogy and a teacher s well-being are related: if we want our teachers to be creative practitioners in the classroom, we need to ensure that they are well in themselves. Although this conclusion is from a small case study, it could be generalizable to other teacher training courses and a crucial area for those working in teacher education to consider. Supporting and training trainee teachers in how to manage their professional lives so they are equipped personally and emotionally is reported in the findings as necessary for the profession.

Gaps. University student-athletes face several unique demands that can contribute to greater levels of stress (Gould & Whitley, 2009; Kimball & Freysinger, 2003). If unresolved, stress can compromise well-being and lead to burnout (DeFreese & Smith, 2014). Many studies have shed light on the burnout process of athletes (Goodger, Gorely, Lavallee, & Harwood, 2007; Gustafsson, Kenttä, & Hassmén, 2011). Yet, despite the negative outcomes reported, little has been done to remediate the incidence of burnout in sport. As such, researchers have called for intervention studies to find ways to alleviate and prevent burnout as this type of research is practically non-existent (Eklund & DeFreese, 2015; Goodger, Gorely et al., 2007; Gustafsson et al., 2011; Lonsdale, Hodge, & Rose, 2009) Aim. The overall aim of this research was to investigate the implementation and impact of an individual, feel-based, person-centered self-regulation intervention on the levels and experiences of stress, burnout, well-being, and self-regulation capacity of university student-athletes with moderate to high levels of burnout. Four studies guided by specific objectives were carried out over two phases, that is, the screening phase and the intervention phase. Screening phase. The objective of the study conducted in the screening phase was to examine the levels of burnout among student-athletes at two Canadian universities and investigate whether there were significant differences related to gender, sport, year of university sport participation, academic year, and academic program (Article 1). Results of this study served to identify student-athletes for the intervention phase. Intervention phase. Three studies were conducted in the intervention phase. The objective of the first study was to implement and assess the impact of a self-regulation intervention on the stress, burnout, well-being and self-regulation capacity of university student-athletes experiencing moderate to high levels of burnout (Article 2). The objective of the second study was to investigate the intervention process and experiences of four student-athletes by chronologically presenting their story in order to address how they developed their self-regulation capacity over the course of the season, and the strategies they used to influence their experiences of stress, burnout, and well-being (Article 3). Finally, the objective of the third study in this phase was to investigate the integration and adaptation of the Cognitive-Affective Stress-Based Burnout Model (CASBBM) to facilitate positive changes in student-athletes participating in an individual self-regulation intervention to alleviate burnout symptoms (Article 4). Methods. Screening phase. To address the objective of the study conducted in the screening phase, 147 student-athletes from different sports at two Canadian universities completed the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire (ABQ, Raedeke & Smith, 2001) and a demographic questionnaire one month prior to the start of their athletic season. Statistical tests were computed based on the complete score set of 145 participants to assess their burnout levels and correlations between the three burnout subscales (i.e., physical and emotional exhaustion, reduced accomplishment, sport devaluation). In addition, a series of one-way between subject ANOVAS, independent t-tests and post-hoc analyses were performed to determine if there were any significant differences in burnout levels across different demographic variables (i.e., gender, sport, year of university sport participation, academic year, and academic program; Article 1). Intervention phase. Next, to address the objectives of the three studies carried out in the intervention phase, eight university student-athletes from the screening phase having scored 3.0 or higher on the physical and emotional exhaustion and reduced accomplishment subscales of the ABQ (Cresswell & Eklund, 2006) took part in an individual, person-centered, feel-based self-regulation intervention guided by the CASBBM (Smith, 1986) and the Resonance Performance Model (Callary & Durand-Bush, 2008). The student-athletes met with the trained researcher every two weeks throughout their athletic season to develop their capacity to manage their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours on a daily basis and to cope with adversity, including stressful situations that contributed to their stress and burnout symptoms. In addition to participating in these multiple intervention sessions, they partook in a pre- and post-intervention interview. All sessions and interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and subjected to a deductive and inductive analysis (Hsieh & Shannon, 2005), following steps to strengthen trustworthiness. Self-report measures of stress, burnout, well-being, and self-regulation capacity were also completed by the eight student-athletes at four time points to fulfill the objective of the first study in this phase. Descriptive statistics and repeated measures ANOVAs were performed to assess levels and identify any significant changes across the four time points. Results were triangulated with that from the qualitative data analysis (Article 2). With regards to the second study, the researcher used the results of the deductive and inductive qualitative data analysis to select four cases based on their distinct profiles and conveyed their intervention experiences by constructing chronological, first-person narratives (Article 3). For the third study, a broader level of qualitative data analysis was performed to compare and contrast the data with the components of the CASBBM to examine its applicability as an intervention tool (Article 4). Results. As shown in Article 1, few student-athletes (1.4%) had elevated burnout scores on all three burnout subscales. However, several of them (17%) scored high on two of the three subscales of the ABQ, revealing signs of burnout. No significant differences emerged with regards to student-athletes’ year of university sport participation, academic year, and academic program. However, women had higher levels of emotional and physical exhaustion than men. Furthermore, exhaustion scores were significantly higher for swimmers and basketball players than for hockey players and fencers. Finally, fencers had significantly higher levels of sport devaluation than hockey and volleyball players. Article 2 indicates that the intervention had a positive impact on the student-athletes’ stress, burnout, well-being, and self-regulation capacity. At the onset of the intervention, the participants had moderate to high levels of stress and burnout as well as low levels of well-being and self-regulation capacity. As the intervention progressed, the student-athletes reported increased self-regulation capacity and well-being, and reduced stress and burnout. The qualitative data corroborated these changes. Through detailed narratives, Article 3 demonstrates how the student-athletes learned to develop their self-regulation capacity by implementing various processes such as goal-setting, planning, time management, cognitive restructuring, self-control, visualization, and self-reflection. The participants shared concrete examples illustrating how they learned to become more aware and autonomous, and proactively mobilize resources in order to manage the many academic and sport demands they faced throughout the season. Concurrent with their increased capacity to self-regulate, the athletes experienced positive outcomes such as lower perceived stress and burnout, higher well-being, and improved performance. Lastly, Article 4 shows that the extensive data emerging from the multiple intervention sessions and pre- and post-intervention interviews supported, for the most part, the components of the CASBBM (Smith, 1986). However, the model was not sufficient or comprehensive enough to account for the student-athletes’ changes in their burnout process as a result of the intervention. As such, the DCASBBM, an adapted and dynamic version of the CASBBM, was created, reflecting both positive and negative aspects of personal characteristics, situations, cognitive appraisals, multidimensional responses, coping, self-regulation, and outcomes that evolved as a result of participating in a self-regulation intervention. The DCASBBM can serve as an intervention tool to help prevent and remediate symptoms of stress and burnout.

The claim that economic crisis matters for well-being seems intuitive; supporting evidence, however, remains elusive. The present study aims to examine the individual and contextual determinants of well-being across regions in Europe during the 2007-2008 economic crisis. This study contributes to the existing research on the determinants of well-being in three ways. First, while most studies explain the determinants of well-being in the context of non-crisis, this study examines the determinants during a period of crisis. Second, while most research on well-being focuses on cross-national comparisons of well-being, this study investigates variations at both the regional and national levels. Third, while most studies use either individual or aggregate analyses to examine the determinants of well-being, this study uses multilevel models. This study uses datasets that combine individual, regional and country level data. Individual data is taken from the 2008 European Values Study (EVS) and the 2004-2010 European Social Survey (ESS). Regional level data comes from Eurostat and Euroboundarymaps, while country level data comes from the Inglehart Index, UNU-WIDER and Esping-Andersen categorisation on welfare states. To analyse the data, this study uses various multilevel models including multivariate multilevel model, multilevel simultaneous equations model and spatial dependence multilevel model. The main findings show that during the crisis under consideration, well-being is associated not only with individual determinants, but also with regional and national determinants. Results suggest that happiness and health are positively correlated at individual, regional and national levels. In terms of social capital, this study shows the reciprocal relationship between association membership and trust. Frequent Internet use at the time of crisis is positively associated with well-being. Finally, the findings suggest that, by means of unobserved factors, well-being is spatially correlated with the well-being of those neighbouring regions.

The global economic crisis that began in 2007 affected the lives of many people in the UK. Most existing research into the effects of ‘the Great Recession’ on well-being takes an economic or subjective approach to assessing the impacts of hard times. This thesis takes an alternative perspective: the Capabilities Approach (CA) is used to assess the effects of economic crisis on people’s freedom to lead flourishing lives. The study develops a theoretical framework that combines the CA with concepts from Philosophy and Social Psychology - the theories of practical reason and personal values. These concepts are then operationalised using data from the European Social Survey and quantitative methods, including latent variable techniques and structural equation models. The study reveals that economic crisis had a two-fold effect on well-being, resulting in (1) reduced opportunities to achieve valuable outcomes and (2) diminished expectations, aspirations and goals. These effects were concentrated among socio-economically vulnerable groups, including those on low incomes and the long-term sick and disabled: the findings show that economic crisis compounded existing socio-economic inequalities. The research makes three main contributions. First, it demonstrates theoretically and empirically that subjective well-being is not a reliable indicator for evaluating the effects of hard times on well-being; nor is it, more generally, a suitable guide for public policy. Second, it demonstrates a new methodological approach to identifying latent ‘value orientations’ within Schwartz’s framework of personal values. Third, in combining the CA with theories of practical reason and personal values, this research offers a new approach to conceptualising and measuring the agency aspect of capability.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Schools, world-wide, have been regarded as important settings for health promotion and health education. Research indicate that schools constitute a crucial setting for programmes that aim at promoting the health of children, young adults, their families and their community, and could make a positive contribution to the overall health of the society. The psychosocial theory of human development proposes to understand and describe the importance of psychosocial health and well-being of children, in their different stages of development, across the life span, as well as how the different environments of the child's rearing could either add, or hinder, optimal development. Healthy Early Childhood Development, which includes physical, social-emotional, as well as linguistic/cognitive development, is fundamental to success and happiness, not only during childhood, but throughout the course of life. This study, therefore, aimed to design a School Health Index Score Card that assesses psychosocial health and well-being in Early Childhood Development at primary schools in the rural Western Cape. The School Well-Being Model serves as a conceptual framework for this study and is based on Allardt's Sociological Welfare Theory,which assesses well-being as an entity in a school setting. This model takes into account the impact of family, social relationships, personal self-fulfilment and health aspects of children. This study used a mixed methodological sequential explanatory design that consisted of two distinct phases (with 2 stages in each phase) within a participatory action research framework. A needs assessment and a systematic review was conducted in phase 1 followed by phase 2, action planning-design of a school health index score card and a Delphi technique study. Quantitative, numeric, data were collected and analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences V23 (SPSS) for descriptive and inferential statistics first, while the qualitative data were collected and analysed secondly in sequence for this design. The qualitative process helped to explain, or elaborate, on the quantitative results obtained from the respondents by means of a self-administered questionnaire that consisted of three sections; demographical information and the adaptation of the (i) Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) and (ii) Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. The data were collected from teachers, principals, community leaders, parents/primary caregivers, members of school governing bodies, school nurses, social workers, health promotion officers, experts in early childhood development and school psychologists of learners in Grade R to Grade 3 at three primary schools in the rural Western Cape, South Africa. The systematic review of previous studies revealed that, (i) instruments are often designed to identify physical ailments, the individual’s ability to adjust to particular situations, psychiatric diagnosis, educational and intellectual abilities, as well as the personal characteristics of children over their entire lifespan, (ii) that promotion of psychosocial health and well-being challenges in early development does promote positive child development outcomes in later life, and (iii) the use of a valid and reliable instrument to assess psychosocial health and well-being in schools could have a number of advantages for children, their families, teachers and the community. The findings of the current study also indicated that, (i) parents/primary perceived their children to be experiencing challenges in school functioning, social functioning and physical functioning continually and, (ii) teachers perceived the learners to be experiencing social behavioural, hyperactive and behavioural challenges continually at school. Schools play an integral part in the lives of children and their families, by supporting children to form social and emotional relationships at school. Overall, this current study suggested that the School Health Index Score Card was considered to be user friendly, as well as a useful tool to assess the psychosocial health and well-being challenges of learners at primary schools in a South African context. / National Research Foundation (NRF) / 2020-04-30

Visual art is important for humans. Most people have an interest in visiting art museums, and they spend both time and money on artworks. Appreciating visual art can have an effect on several psychological states, such as pleasure, emotions of wonder, awe, and the sublime. However, the question of what constitutes an aesthetic experience and what mechanisms that are involved in experiencing visual art, are still not fully understood. The discipline neuroaesthetics, which is a subfield of cognitive neuroscience, investigates the biology behind aesthetic experience and aesthetic appreciation. The aim of this thesis is to give an overview of the neural processes involved in experiencing visual art, and to explore how it could be related to components of emotional well-being. As such, neuroimaging studies addressing aesthetic experience and emotional processing are reviewed and discussed. This thesis found a relationship between the neural processes that operate behind a broad range of positive valanced emotions and aesthetic experience. The findings show that experiencing visual art that are aesthetically appreciated by the viewer, induces feelings of hedonic niceness or pleasant well-being and is associated with increased activity in the reward circuit. How aesthetic appreciation affects our emotional and cognitive states respectively and enhances our physiological and psychological well-being remains to be investigated. Understanding the underlying neurobiological processes involved when experiencing visual art is important due to its implications on positive health and well-being.

The purpose of this study was to gain insights into the perspectives of child welfare alumni related to the educational experiences that facilitated or presented obstacles to academic and social-emotional resilience and well-being and to what extent. Through qualitative methodology, I sought to understand the life and experiences of these participants who experienced foster care and “came out” on the other side of the experience with the ability to live successful lives. Furthermore, I sought to discover how the school setting contributed to building well-being for this population. Data was collected from individual and focus group interviews. My sample consisted of four women who met the criteria for my study as they were taken into custodial care due to maltreatment issues and were with child welfare for at least two years following the placement decision. Results of the study indicated that alumni of child-welfare identified the school environment as contributing to feelings of safety, and as a venue in which they were provided encouragement and support from educators (i.e., teachers, guidance counselors). The findings of this study reinforce the need for school to play an active role in supporting youth in care by providing a safe, supportive environment in which students can learn the skills they need later in life, including the development of basic skills, the ability to inquire, and the ability to express themselves. While school systems are not responsible for meeting every need of their students, schools must meet the challenge when the need directly affects learning.

For a mother raising a child with special health care needs (CSHCN), maintaining positive feelings of gratitude can become challenging because of the stress associated with caregiving, as well as the consequences of unmanaged stress, which include decreases in both physical and psychological health and well-being. Chronic, unmanaged stress has been associated with various health issues that can be severe and potentially life-threatening. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine how mothers raising a CSHCN experience gratitude. A secondary purpose was to identify possible barriers to experiencing gratitude, which, when implemented as a coping style, may decrease the negative effects of daily stress and improve mental health. The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions along with the transactional model of stress and coping provided an optimal conceptual framework for this study. The research questions were centered around the challenges and stressors unique to each mother, coping strategies, and gratitude. The ways in which the combination of factors contributed to quality of life among the mothers were examined specifically. Data from face-to-face interviews with 15 mothers were transcribed, coded, and thoroughly analyzed for themes. The primary themes that emerged were support from family and friends, feelings of gratitude, coping mechanisms, life satisfaction, gratitude for a flexible job, stress related to full dependency, high stress levels over the past 30 days, increased stress when describing the child, and a need to work on eating habits. Findings and recommendations from this study may contribute to positive social change and support the benefits of gratitude, especially in highly stressful situations.

Research has suggested positive effects of nature immersion––a state of being or an act of doing in natural space––for urban children who were otherwise at risk of emotional or behavioral problems. However, few studies have systematically investigated natural space qualities that predict child well-being at the clinical level. The purpose of this study was to increase understanding of natural space qualities as factors of urban child well-being. Explanatory mixed-methods were used. Quantitative data (N = 174) included a survey and two parental-reports of child wellbeing. Interviews provided qualitative data (N = 15). Data were analyzed using: Generalized Linear Model and Content Analysis. Both data streams were merged into a point of meta-inference that contributed to parental assessment of enhanced child well-being: 1) Parental valuing of nature connection (p < 0.001) as a soothing and safe resource and 2) Shorter and more frequent nature-child space-time immersion (p < 0.001). Integration of natural spaces into urban environments may be a costeffective and meaningful way to address urban child well-being. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2020. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection