Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1993. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 75-83).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1977.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1993. / Typescript. Appendix B in Chinese. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 70-78).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1993. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 68-74).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1993. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 82-89).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1982. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 105-114).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Virginia, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available online through Digital Dissertations.

The purpose of this study was to determine how angina pectoris patients experience and cope with their chronic illness following diagnosis. Qualitative methodology, using phenomenological theory, was used to guide the study. The study was conducted with a convenience sample of six male angina patients, ranging in age from 42 to 72 years, with recency of diagnosis from two to thirty-four months. None of these subjects were known to have had a myocardial infarction (MI). Using a semi-structured interview guide with open-ended questions, the investigator interviewed each subject at home, on two occasions. Data coding and analysis were approached using the constant comparative method developed by Glaser and Strauss (1967). The findings of the study revealed angina patients progressing through four phases of coping experience as they adjusted to their illness and its concomitant need for risk modification. These phases were identified as: (1) Initial Coping Response; (2) Managing Specific Adjustment Areas; (3) Secondary Coping Response; and (4) Awareness of Resulting Changes. The findings supported the use of a chronic illness framework adapted from Strauss et al. (1984) for identifying some of the adjustment areas encountered and coping strategies utilized by the angina patients investigated. Nurses and other health professionals are angina patients investigated. Nurses and other health professionals are in a critical position to assist angina patients in coping with their illness. The phases of coping experience identified in this study may serve as a useful guide to help these health professionals assess the nature of problems and concerns related to coping with angina so that better adjustment in daily life will ensue. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Nursing, School of / Graduate

The purpose of this study was to identify variables that facilitate lay caregivers in maintaining dependent elders in the home setting. Specifically, this study: (1) tested a deduced theory designed to explain home maintenance of a dependent elder; (2) examined the relationship between the following variables: Seriousness of an Elder's Illness, Caregiver Overload, Quality of Care, Learning State, Caregivers Maintenance Ability, Acceptance of the Maintenance Role and the Caregiver's Perception of Power; and (3) evaluated the reliability and validity of the instruments that measured the proposed variables. A descriptive correlational design with causal modeling methodology was used to assess a five stage theory. The convenience sample was comprised of 70 English speaking caregivers providing a minimum of five hours of direct care to a dependent elder in the home setting. Reliability and validity of the instruments used to evaluate the theoretical concepts were assessed by Cronbach's alpha, factor analysis and predictive model testing. Multiple regression statistics were used to evaluate the theory and residual analysis was used to assess violations of statistical and causal modeling assumptions. The findings supported two of the predicted relationships: Seriousness of Illness had a direct and positive relationship with Caregiver Overload (B =.60, R² =.35) and Learning State had a direct and positive influence on Acceptance of the Maintenance Role (B =.36, R² =.18). As the disabilities of the dependent elder became more acute, the caregivers' feelings of being overloaded with the burden of the caregiving responsibilities increased. However, when the caregivers had a positive perception of their abilities to implement prescribed health care instruction as well as felt positively about their caregiving role (Learning State), they spent a greater amount of time giving direct care to the dependent elder (Acceptance of Maintenance Role). Identification of learning needs as they relate to the caregivers' ability to understand and implement health care instruction as well as feel positively about their role, can assist nurses in developing appropriate teaching interventions. The expected outcome of these interventions is direct care provided by the caregiver to the dependent elder.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of three factors, the expectation of events, situational control and situational anxiety, on the coping effort of parents of acutely ill hospitalized children. A secondary purpose was to determine the influence of the parents' locus of control orientation on the parents' coping effort. Coping effort was defined as the amount of behavior, both action oriented and intrapsychic, employed by parents to master, tolerate, reduce or minimize stressful events encountered during their child's hospitalization. The study utilized a mathematical correlational design with a causal modeling approach to assess a four-stage theory. The convenience sample selected for the study was 45 Anglo mothers of acutely ill hospitalized children between the ages of one and 24 months. A four-scale instrument based on magnitude estimation measurement strategy was constructed to index the theoretical concepts. Reliability, validity and cross modality matching were conducted to estimate the psychometric properties of the instrument. The theory was estimated using correlational and multiple regression statistical techniques. Residual analysis was conducted to estimate violations of the causal model and statistical assumptions. Expectation of events showed a direct effect on situational anxiety (R² = .35) and thus, an indirect impact on parental coping effort. Situational anxiety had a strong, direct, positive influence on coping effort (R² = .97). Situational control did not significantly influence the parents' coping effort directly nor indirectly and was not influenced by the expectation of events. The impact of the parents' locus of control orientation on their coping effort could not be determined since the locus of control index was found to be psychometrically inadequate for this sample. Parents who knew what events to expect experienced less anxiety and, as a result, expended less effort to cope with the stresses of their child's hospital experience. By knowing what factors influence the parents' coping effort, the pediatric nurse is able to manipulate the parents' hospital experience to provide as therapeutic an environment for the child and the parents as possible.