Several quantitative measures of spiritual well-being were developed with primary and secondary school students and teachers, and university education students, namely the Spiritual Health And Life-Orientation Measure, Feeling Good, Living Life, and the Quality Of Life Influences Survey. Spiritual dissonance was revealed by comparing respondents’ ‘ideals’ with ‘lived experiences’ in four domains of spiritual well-being. Teachers and university education students reported a decline in help being provided in schools to develop the relationships which foster school students’ spiritual well-being. / Doctor of Education EdD

Over the last decade out-of-home care in Australia has experienced a period of considerable turmoil as royal commissions, parliamentary inquiries, departmental audits, empirical research and industry reports have highlighted the dire straits of the care system. A constant theme throughout has been the failure of the sector to adequately meet the needs of children and young people in care. Within this context the purpose of this study was to examine the needs of children and young people in care in Australia, giving voice to the full range of stakeholders, whose views were expressed in multiple documentary types. Specifically, the aim was to develop an in-depth understanding of their needs and formulate this into a formal taxonomy of needs. Using document analysis and the constant comparative method within the constructivist paradigm of social inquiry, the study involved analysis of 580 non-traditional, naturalistic and secondary documents relating to out-of-home care in Australia. The document sample consisted of five data types: primary data (letters, submissions to inquiries, transcripts of interviews and public hearings, and personal accounts); secondary data (reports resulting from commissions of inquiries and departmental reviews, audits and investigations); empirical data (the published findings from empirical research); legislative and policy data (legislation, regulation and quality frameworks); and industry and practitioner data (reports by academics, peak bodies and advocacy groups, and writings by out-of-home care practitioners). Further, the document sample included stakeholders from five major groups: children and young people in care (and former wards ); their parents and extended family; carers, agency staff and practitioners; statutory workers; and academics, advocates, and representatives of state and national peak bodies. The findings include a series of prominent themes of care; salient findings that highlight the experiences and needs of children and young people in care; and the taxonomy of needs. The prominent themes include the importance of natural family connectedness, cultural identity and connectedness, and counselling and therapeutic support. Issues relating to placement stability and disruption, safety and protection and, transition from care also featured prominently. The salient findings include an exploration of the overwhelming emotions of care, emotional putdowns, vicarious trauma and the witnessing of violence and abuse in out-of-home care, characteristics of children and young people who survive and thrive in care and beyond, characteristics of quality carers, symptom intolerance, disenfranchised grief – the never-ending story, and the defensive behaviours of children and young people in care. The taxonomy of needs provides a comprehensive overview of the needs of children and young people in care across 89 attributes and 21 attribute sub-categories, within 21 dimensions, and across three domains (the personal, placement, and community-of-care domains). The dimensions in the personal domain include attachment, physical development and health, personal growth, education and vocational attainment, development of the inner-self, and hope in life and for the future. The placement domain includes basic needs, basic entitlements, caring relationships, positive-parenting-practices, activity programming, focused-support, peer-relations and positive group management, and preparation for and transition from care. The community-of-care domain includes clinical intervention, family connectedness and involvement in placement, friends and social outlets, significant others, cultural-religious-spiritual connectedness, departmental worker capacity and support, and after care support. The principal theoretical, practice, and methodological conclusions derived from this study are that children and young people in care in Australia have considerable needs, are largely unable to meet their own needs, and experience harm when their needs are not met. Consequently, the out-of-home care sector has an inescapable obligation to provide for these needs if children and young people in care are to avoid harm and experience personal wellbeing. Further, children and young people in care have experienced considerable need deprivation, and if their needs are not to be forgotten, then a shift to a ‘needs-based’, ‘needs-focused’ paradigm of care is needed to inform out-of-home care policy, service design, and day-to-day practice. And finally, document analysis using non-traditional, naturalistic, and secondary data (representing the full range of stakeholder perspectives) within a constructivist paradigm of inquiry, provides an effective, indeed powerful methodology for exploring the needs of children and young people in care, and for giving voice to the many stakeholders who voices may never have been heard again.

Over the last decade out-of-home care in Australia has experienced a period of considerable turmoil as royal commissions, parliamentary inquiries, departmental audits, empirical research and industry reports have highlighted the dire straits of the care system. A constant theme throughout has been the failure of the sector to adequately meet the needs of children and young people in care. Within this context the purpose of this study was to examine the needs of children and young people in care in Australia, giving voice to the full range of stakeholders, whose views were expressed in multiple documentary types. Specifically, the aim was to develop an in-depth understanding of their needs and formulate this into a formal taxonomy of needs. Using document analysis and the constant comparative method within the constructivist paradigm of social inquiry, the study involved analysis of 580 non-traditional, naturalistic and secondary documents relating to out-of-home care in Australia. The document sample consisted of five data types: primary data (letters, submissions to inquiries, transcripts of interviews and public hearings, and personal accounts); secondary data (reports resulting from commissions of inquiries and departmental reviews, audits and investigations); empirical data (the published findings from empirical research); legislative and policy data (legislation, regulation and quality frameworks); and industry and practitioner data (reports by academics, peak bodies and advocacy groups, and writings by out-of-home care practitioners). Further, the document sample included stakeholders from five major groups: children and young people in care (and former wards ); their parents and extended family; carers, agency staff and practitioners; statutory workers; and academics, advocates, and representatives of state and national peak bodies. The findings include a series of prominent themes of care; salient findings that highlight the experiences and needs of children and young people in care; and the taxonomy of needs. The prominent themes include the importance of natural family connectedness, cultural identity and connectedness, and counselling and therapeutic support. Issues relating to placement stability and disruption, safety and protection and, transition from care also featured prominently. The salient findings include an exploration of the overwhelming emotions of care, emotional putdowns, vicarious trauma and the witnessing of violence and abuse in out-of-home care, characteristics of children and young people who survive and thrive in care and beyond, characteristics of quality carers, symptom intolerance, disenfranchised grief – the never-ending story, and the defensive behaviours of children and young people in care. The taxonomy of needs provides a comprehensive overview of the needs of children and young people in care across 89 attributes and 21 attribute sub-categories, within 21 dimensions, and across three domains (the personal, placement, and community-of-care domains). The dimensions in the personal domain include attachment, physical development and health, personal growth, education and vocational attainment, development of the inner-self, and hope in life and for the future. The placement domain includes basic needs, basic entitlements, caring relationships, positive-parenting-practices, activity programming, focused-support, peer-relations and positive group management, and preparation for and transition from care. The community-of-care domain includes clinical intervention, family connectedness and involvement in placement, friends and social outlets, significant others, cultural-religious-spiritual connectedness, departmental worker capacity and support, and after care support. The principal theoretical, practice, and methodological conclusions derived from this study are that children and young people in care in Australia have considerable needs, are largely unable to meet their own needs, and experience harm when their needs are not met. Consequently, the out-of-home care sector has an inescapable obligation to provide for these needs if children and young people in care are to avoid harm and experience personal wellbeing. Further, children and young people in care have experienced considerable need deprivation, and if their needs are not to be forgotten, then a shift to a ‘needs-based’, ‘needs-focused’ paradigm of care is needed to inform out-of-home care policy, service design, and day-to-day practice. And finally, document analysis using non-traditional, naturalistic, and secondary data (representing the full range of stakeholder perspectives) within a constructivist paradigm of inquiry, provides an effective, indeed powerful methodology for exploring the needs of children and young people in care, and for giving voice to the many stakeholders who voices may never have been heard again.

Over the last decade out-of-home care in Australia has experienced a period of considerable turmoil as royal commissions, parliamentary inquiries, departmental audits, empirical research and industry reports have highlighted the dire straits of the care system. A constant theme throughout has been the failure of the sector to adequately meet the needs of children and young people in care. Within this context the purpose of this study was to examine the needs of children and young people in care in Australia, giving voice to the full range of stakeholders, whose views were expressed in multiple documentary types. Specifically, the aim was to develop an in-depth understanding of their needs and formulate this into a formal taxonomy of needs. Using document analysis and the constant comparative method within the constructivist paradigm of social inquiry, the study involved analysis of 580 non-traditional, naturalistic and secondary documents relating to out-of-home care in Australia. The document sample consisted of five data types: primary data (letters, submissions to inquiries, transcripts of interviews and public hearings, and personal accounts); secondary data (reports resulting from commissions of inquiries and departmental reviews, audits and investigations); empirical data (the published findings from empirical research); legislative and policy data (legislation, regulation and quality frameworks); and industry and practitioner data (reports by academics, peak bodies and advocacy groups, and writings by out-of-home care practitioners). Further, the document sample included stakeholders from five major groups: children and young people in care (and former wards ); their parents and extended family; carers, agency staff and practitioners; statutory workers; and academics, advocates, and representatives of state and national peak bodies. The findings include a series of prominent themes of care; salient findings that highlight the experiences and needs of children and young people in care; and the taxonomy of needs. The prominent themes include the importance of natural family connectedness, cultural identity and connectedness, and counselling and therapeutic support. Issues relating to placement stability and disruption, safety and protection and, transition from care also featured prominently. The salient findings include an exploration of the overwhelming emotions of care, emotional putdowns, vicarious trauma and the witnessing of violence and abuse in out-of-home care, characteristics of children and young people who survive and thrive in care and beyond, characteristics of quality carers, symptom intolerance, disenfranchised grief – the never-ending story, and the defensive behaviours of children and young people in care. The taxonomy of needs provides a comprehensive overview of the needs of children and young people in care across 89 attributes and 21 attribute sub-categories, within 21 dimensions, and across three domains (the personal, placement, and community-of-care domains). The dimensions in the personal domain include attachment, physical development and health, personal growth, education and vocational attainment, development of the inner-self, and hope in life and for the future. The placement domain includes basic needs, basic entitlements, caring relationships, positive-parenting-practices, activity programming, focused-support, peer-relations and positive group management, and preparation for and transition from care. The community-of-care domain includes clinical intervention, family connectedness and involvement in placement, friends and social outlets, significant others, cultural-religious-spiritual connectedness, departmental worker capacity and support, and after care support. The principal theoretical, practice, and methodological conclusions derived from this study are that children and young people in care in Australia have considerable needs, are largely unable to meet their own needs, and experience harm when their needs are not met. Consequently, the out-of-home care sector has an inescapable obligation to provide for these needs if children and young people in care are to avoid harm and experience personal wellbeing. Further, children and young people in care have experienced considerable need deprivation, and if their needs are not to be forgotten, then a shift to a ‘needs-based’, ‘needs-focused’ paradigm of care is needed to inform out-of-home care policy, service design, and day-to-day practice. And finally, document analysis using non-traditional, naturalistic, and secondary data (representing the full range of stakeholder perspectives) within a constructivist paradigm of inquiry, provides an effective, indeed powerful methodology for exploring the needs of children and young people in care, and for giving voice to the many stakeholders who voices may never have been heard again.

Over the last decade out-of-home care in Australia has experienced a period of considerable turmoil as royal commissions, parliamentary inquiries, departmental audits, empirical research and industry reports have highlighted the dire straits of the care system. A constant theme throughout has been the failure of the sector to adequately meet the needs of children and young people in care. Within this context the purpose of this study was to examine the needs of children and young people in care in Australia, giving voice to the full range of stakeholders, whose views were expressed in multiple documentary types. Specifically, the aim was to develop an in-depth understanding of their needs and formulate this into a formal taxonomy of needs. Using document analysis and the constant comparative method within the constructivist paradigm of social inquiry, the study involved analysis of 580 non-traditional, naturalistic and secondary documents relating to out-of-home care in Australia. The document sample consisted of five data types: primary data (letters, submissions to inquiries, transcripts of interviews and public hearings, and personal accounts); secondary data (reports resulting from commissions of inquiries and departmental reviews, audits and investigations); empirical data (the published findings from empirical research); legislative and policy data (legislation, regulation and quality frameworks); and industry and practitioner data (reports by academics, peak bodies and advocacy groups, and writings by out-of-home care practitioners). Further, the document sample included stakeholders from five major groups: children and young people in care (and former wards ); their parents and extended family; carers, agency staff and practitioners; statutory workers; and academics, advocates, and representatives of state and national peak bodies. The findings include a series of prominent themes of care; salient findings that highlight the experiences and needs of children and young people in care; and the taxonomy of needs. The prominent themes include the importance of natural family connectedness, cultural identity and connectedness, and counselling and therapeutic support. Issues relating to placement stability and disruption, safety and protection and, transition from care also featured prominently. The salient findings include an exploration of the overwhelming emotions of care, emotional putdowns, vicarious trauma and the witnessing of violence and abuse in out-of-home care, characteristics of children and young people who survive and thrive in care and beyond, characteristics of quality carers, symptom intolerance, disenfranchised grief – the never-ending story, and the defensive behaviours of children and young people in care. The taxonomy of needs provides a comprehensive overview of the needs of children and young people in care across 89 attributes and 21 attribute sub-categories, within 21 dimensions, and across three domains (the personal, placement, and community-of-care domains). The dimensions in the personal domain include attachment, physical development and health, personal growth, education and vocational attainment, development of the inner-self, and hope in life and for the future. The placement domain includes basic needs, basic entitlements, caring relationships, positive-parenting-practices, activity programming, focused-support, peer-relations and positive group management, and preparation for and transition from care. The community-of-care domain includes clinical intervention, family connectedness and involvement in placement, friends and social outlets, significant others, cultural-religious-spiritual connectedness, departmental worker capacity and support, and after care support. The principal theoretical, practice, and methodological conclusions derived from this study are that children and young people in care in Australia have considerable needs, are largely unable to meet their own needs, and experience harm when their needs are not met. Consequently, the out-of-home care sector has an inescapable obligation to provide for these needs if children and young people in care are to avoid harm and experience personal wellbeing. Further, children and young people in care have experienced considerable need deprivation, and if their needs are not to be forgotten, then a shift to a ‘needs-based’, ‘needs-focused’ paradigm of care is needed to inform out-of-home care policy, service design, and day-to-day practice. And finally, document analysis using non-traditional, naturalistic, and secondary data (representing the full range of stakeholder perspectives) within a constructivist paradigm of inquiry, provides an effective, indeed powerful methodology for exploring the needs of children and young people in care, and for giving voice to the many stakeholders who voices may never have been heard again.

Little is known about how employees in New Zealand companies view their organisation’s involvement in community-based initiatives that attempt to address areas of social needs. Understanding what people and organisations think from their frame of reference (Taylor & Bodgan, 1998) on ways of contributing to enhance community wellbeing is of high importance within a nation growing in diversity, and where everyone needs to fully participate in building a harmonious society (Ministry of Social Development, 2005; Swanson, 2002). Despite abundant extant research and many models already developed, frameworks in this area are fragmented. A case study approach has been adopted using one New Zealand Company to test a preliminary framework, Stakeholders and Organisational Enablers Relationship (SOER) Model, that analyses “the nature of relationships in terms of processes and outcomes for the business and its stakeholders” (Jones & Wicks, 1999, p. 207). From investigating the company’s community involvement from the employees’ perspective, results indicate that this particular company is engaging with the community, supporting and empowering employees to participate in the company’s community programme and thereby making a difference in the community by giving to the community. However, in general terms, solving recurring social, economic, political and psychological issues that influence social wellbeing requires cooperation between public, private, and voluntary sectors of the community (New Zealand Ministry of Economic Development, New Zealand Ministry of Social Development, New Zealand Dept of Labour, & New Zealand Dept of Statistics, 2003; Roberts & King, 1989; Steane, 1999). While the results from the case company reported in this study demonstrate that community engagement is being taken seriously by exemplary private sector companies, generalisation of these findings would require further cross-sectional research across industries and organisations from all sectors: private, public and voluntary.

This extended essay explores a historical investigation into the connections between women and machines, particularly focusing on the traditionally gendered processes of sewing, weaving and other processes deemed ‘handicrafts’ and how they parallel techniques in the evolution of the technologies we recognise today. Within this relationship, the nature of these acts to provide comfort is investigated and related to the practice of art making. This historical lineage is examined in the present day where digital and electronic technologies impact everyday life and cause new a brand of anxieties that require a fresh approach to healing and soothing. Through the analysis of this research my practical input and output are informed and result in the development of an installation of objects that examine the electronic object and how it can be imbued with or reflect these realities.

Background: A systematic use of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), symptoms of postpartum depression (PPD) can be identified at an early stage, followed by timely required actions. Mental health and well-being can be perceived as sensitive objective. Joyce Travelbee and Johan Cullberg advocate nursing theoretical approaches to promote good communication and crisis management, which is the fundamental base of this master thesis. Purpose: To study risk factors for postpartum depression (PPD). Method: A descriptive literature review based on 16 quantitative studies with different study designs. Results: Risk factors for PPD may be previous or current mental and physical health issues, childbirth experiences, and socioeconomic factors. Conclusion: The results indicates association between PPD and, ill health, delivery and socioeconomics. With increased knowledge about risk factors and the value of early measures and preventive efforts, chances to prevent PPD may increase.

Thesis (MComm)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: From a global perspective, this study aimed to depart from the traditional notion of occupational wellbeing characterised as the absence of strain and stress-related diseases. Positive Organisational Scholarship (POS), the framework for this study, is largely concerned with the investigation of positive outcomes, processes and attributes of organisations and their employees. In essence, this study argued in favour of the cultivation of personal resources, such as optimism and self-efficacy, as well as the establishment of active efforts to instil meaningfulness in, and at work, in order to generate better occupational wellbeing and a sense of enhanced human functioning. A non-experimental research design (i.e. exploratory survey study) was used to explore the relationships between the various constructs. Occupational wellbeing was, for the purpose of empirical validation, firstly measured in terms of the absence of pathology. However, since it was conceptualised from a salutogenic approach in this study, a cognitive-judgemental evaluation of employees‟ satisfaction with their work-life was also included as a measure of occupational wellbeing. It was argued that optimism may impact on occupational wellbeing, as optimists are described in terms of their ability to anticipate positive outcome expectancies, and engage in continued efforts, despite current adverse circumstances to confront difficulties they encounter (Scheier & Carver, 1985). In turn, highly self-efficacious individuals are those exhibiting confidence in their ability to effectively execute personal strategies to ensure a positive outcome (Bandura, 1986). Drawing from POS, a twofold conceptualisation of meaningfulness was warranted: meaningfulness in work (defined as engagement) and meaningfulness at work (defined as organisational commitment). The primary aim of this study was consequently to explicate the possible nomological net underlying the complex phenomenon of occupational wellbeing, in terms of the abovementioned variables. A convenience sample of 202 individuals, employed at three organisations across South Africa, participated in the research. The measurement instruments included a 28-item version of the original General Health Questionnaire by Goldberg (1972), and an adapted version of Diener, Emmons, Larsen and Griffin‟s (1985) Satisfaction with Life Scale (adapted to Satisfaction with Work-life), both utilised to measure occupational wellbeing. The Life Orientation Test-Revised (Scheier, Carver and Bridges, 1994), and the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) of Sherer, Maddux, Mercandante, Prentice-Dunn, Jacobs and Rogers (1982) was utilised to measure optimism and self-efficacy respectively. Finally, the Organisation Commitment Questionnaire (Mowday, Porter & Steers, 1979), and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (Schaufeli & Bakker, 2003) was used in combination to respectively measure meaningfulness in work (engagement) and meaningfulness at work (commitment). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and item analyses were conducted to evaluate the reliability and validity of the measurement instruments. Correlations were computed between the various variables. A structural model was fitted to investigate the extent to which optimism, self-efficacy and meaningfulness are significant predictors of occupational wellbeing. The results of the model suggested that optimism influences psychological health directly. This indicates that optimists may be inclined to experience greater levels of psychological wellbeing at work. The relationship between optimism and occupational wellbeing (i.e. psychological health) was further highlighted through an indirect causal effect, as mediated through a combination of work engagement and organisational commitment (i.e. meaningfulness). Optimism also causally influenced satisfaction with work life (the other aspect of occupational wellbeing). This indirect effect was also mediated by engagement and organisational commitment. The structural model indicated that no significant paths between self-efficacy and any of the other variables were evident. With the unique combination of positive psychological antecedents included in this research, the study aimed to make a significant contribution to the existing POS theory and literature. The results provide a probable explanation of the complex nomological net of variables (optimism, self-efficacy, and meaningfulness) and their interrelationships with each other, which influence occupational wellbeing within the South African context. Recommendations for future research in this domain were highlighted. The necessity of interventions rooted in the strength-based approach, underscoring the development of positive psychological capacities in both employees, and organisations, were also advocated. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Vanuit ʼn globale perspektief het hierdie studie gepoog om afstand te doen van die tradisionele uitgangspunt van die definiëring van beroepswelstand as slegs die ontbreking van spanning- en stres verwante kwale. Positiewe Organisatoriese Leerlingskap (POL), die raamwerk van hierdie studie, hou grotendeels verband met die soeke na positiewe uitkomste, prosesse en karaktertrekke binne organisasies, sowel as hul werknemers. In wese het die studie argumente voorgehou in guns van die ontwikkeling van persoonlike hulpbronne soos optimisme en selfbekwaamheid, asook die totstandbringing van daadwerklike pogings om betekenisvolheid in, en by die werk te genereer, vir beter beroepswelstand en prestasie. „ n Nie-eksperimentele navorsingsontwerp (dit is, ʼn verkennende studie) was gebruik om die verband tussen die verskeie konstrukte te ondersoek. Ten einde empiriese validasie gestand te doen, is beroepswelstand eerstens gemeet as die ontbreking van enige stres-verwante siektes. Nietemin, aangesien die konstruk in hierdie studie gedefinieer was vanuit ʼn salutogeniese perspektief, is ʼn addisionele kognitiewe-beoordelings evaluasie van werknemers se satisfaksie met hul werkslewe, ook gebruik ten einde beroepswelstand te meet. Argumente wat die rol van optimisme in welstand benadruk is voorgehou en uitgedruk in terme van optimiste se vermoë om positiewe uitkomste te verwag, asook hul aanhoudende pogings ten spyte van leiding en swaarkry (Scheier & Carver, 1985). Net so word hoogs selfbekwame individue beskryf in terme van hul vertroue in hul vermoë om persoonlike strategieë suksesvol uit te voer ten einde positiewe uitkomste te verseker (Bandura, 1986). Vanuit die POL vertrekpunt is betekenisvolheid in hierdie studie as twee aparte, maar verwante konstrukte, gekonseptualiseer: betekenisvolheid in werk (gedefinieer as werknemers betrokkenheid), en betekenisvolheid by die werk (gedefinieer as organisatoriese lojaliteit). Die primêre doel van die studie was derhalwe die verduideliking van die moontlike nomologiese net onderliggend aan die komplekse fenomeen van beroepswelstand in terme van die bogenoemde veranderlikes. ʼn Gerieflikheidsteekproef van 202 personeel van drie organisasies regoor Suid Afrika het aan die navorsingsprojek deelgeneem. Die meetinstrumente het bestaan uit die 28-item weergawe van die oorspronklike Algemene Gesondheid Vraelys van Goldberg (1972), en ʼn aangepaste weergawe van Diener, Emmons, Larson en Griffin (1985) se Satisfaksie met die Lewe Skaal (aangepas na Satisfaksie met werkslewe), wat albei gebruik is om beroepswelstand te bepaal. Die hersiene weergawe van die Lewensoriëntasie Skaal (Scheier, Carver & Bridges, 1994), asook die Algemene Selfbekwaamheid Skaal (Sherer, Maddux, Mercandante, Prentice-Dunn, Jacobs & Rogers, 1982) is gebruik om onderskeidelik optimisme en selfbekwaamheid te meet. Laastens is die Organisatoriese Lojaliteit Vraelys (Mowday, Porter & Steers, 1979) en die Utrecht Werknemer Betrokkenheid Skaal (Schaufeli & Bakker, 2003) in kombinasie gebruik om die konstrukte van onderskeidelik betekenisvolheid in werk (werknemer betrokkenheid), en betekenisvolheid by die werk (organisatoriese lojaliteit) te ondersoek. Bevestigende faktorontleding en item analises was gebruik om die betroubaarheid en geldigheid van die meetinstrumente te ondersoek. Die korrelasies tussen die verskeie konstrukte was ook bereken. ‟n Strukturele model is gepas om te bepaal of optimisme, selfbekwaamheid en betekenisvolheid ʼn beduidende impak op beroepswelstand het. Die resultate van die model suggereer dat optimisme ʼn direkte invloed het op die ervaring van beroepswelstand. Dit dien as aanduiding dat optimiste geneig is om merendeels hoër vlakke van sielkundige welstand by die werk te ervaar. Hierdie verhouding tussen optimisme en beroepswelstand (dit is, sielkundige welstand) was verder bevestig deur bewyse van ʼn indirekte kousale verband tussen die konstrukte wat gemedieër is deur ʼn kombinasie van werknemer betrokkenheid en organisatoriese lojaliteit (dit is, betekenisvolheid). Optimisme het verder ʼn kousale invloed gehad op die ervaring van satisfaksie met werkslewe (die ander dimensie van organisatoriese welstand). Hierdie direkte impak is ook verder gemedieër deur werknemer betrokkenheid en organisatoriese lojaliteit. Daar was egter geen beduidende verwantskappe tussen selfbekwaamheid en enige van die ander konstrukte gevind nie. Gegewe die unieke kombinasie van positiewe sielkunde konstrukte wat in hierdie studie ingesluit is, kan daar gesê word dat hierdie studie gepoog het om ʼn bydrae te maak ten opsigte van die bestaande POL teorieë en literatuur. Die resultate van die studie verskaf ʼn waarskynlike verduideliking vir die komplekse nomologiese net van konstrukte (optimisme, selfbekwaamheid, en betekenisvolheid), en hul unieke inter-korrelasies wat ʼn beduidende rol speel in die ervaring van beroepswelstand binne die Suid Afrikaanse konteks. Aanbevelings vir verdere navorsing in die area was voorgehou. Die nodigheid van intervensies rakende die ontwikkeling van positiewe sielkundige bevoegdhede binne organisasies en individue, is ook uitgespel.

Aims: The aims of this thesis were twofold. First, to review the literature on parental locus of control and its role in psychological outcomes for parents who have a child with an intellectual disability (ID). Second, a research study aimed to explore levels of parental subjective wellbeing in a specific group of these parents: those who have a child with profound and multiple intellectual disabilities (PMID). More specifically, whether two different types of parental cognition, parental locus of control and recognition of positive gains of having a child with PMID, were predictive of parental subjective wellbeing. Method: A systematic review of the literature was conducted to address the first aim. For the research study, a single sample of parents and family caregivers (n=101) completed three quantitative self-report questionnaires as part of a within-participant, cross-sectional survey design. These included the Positive Gain Scale, a modified version of the Parental Locus of Control Scale, and the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale . Results: The systematic review highlighted the influence of parental locus of control and other parental cognitions on parent and family psychological outcomes. The research study revealed that parental subjective wellbeing in this group of parents (N= 101) was lower than in the general population. Multiple regression analysis revealed that parental locus of control significantly predicted parental subjective wellbeing (β= -.279, t(2,99)= 9.419, p= .005), accounting for around 8% of the variance in WEMWBS scores, R2= .081, F(2,99)= 5.474, p= .006. Conclusions and implications: Although the systematic review and the research study highlighted the importance of parental locus of control for parents of children with ID, the results of the study suggest that other factors are also involved in influencing subjective wellbeing of parents of children with PMID. They also indicate a potential role for psychological intervention for parents and families with a focus on adjusting beliefs and expectations and promoting an internal parental locus of control. However, further research exploring the emotions and experiences of this group of parents is needed.