Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2006. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file viewed on (May 1, 2007) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Based on the principles of the salutogenic perspective to health this study explored the relationship between wellness as envisaged in the sense of coherence concept and psychological well-being and adjustment to university among students at a South African university using gender, age and study level as variables. The study was conducted by way of a survey design. A sample of students (N=216, females 130 and males 86) from five levels of study ranging in age from 16 to over 30 was obtained. Data was collected using Antonovsky's 29 item sense of coherences scale (SOC-29), the 54 item Ryff scales of Psychological Well-Being (RSPWB-54) and a biographical questionnaire. SPSS-16 was used to compute means, standard deviations, Pearson correlations and Analysis of variance. The results found no significant relation between SOC and psychological well-being but show variances in the effects of SOC on wellness among students by age and study levels but not by gender. From the findings, the need for deliberate strategies to facilitate SOC development among students seems apparent. Arguments are therefore made with regard to intervention strategies and health promotion among students as a means to facilitate their wellness and adjustment. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.(Clinical Psychology) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2012

published_or_final_version / Psychology / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Gratitude is a ubiquitous emotional experience. A simple “thank you” could just be a casual gesture of politeness; yet, religions, philosophers, and psychologists have long proposed that heart-felt experiences of gratefulness is the key to well-being. This dissertation examined the mediating mechanisms of the effects of gratitude on subjective well-being. I proposed a resources-coping model, which postulates that gratitude fosters subjective well-being through first enhancing perceptions of coping resources, which in turn facilitating the adoption of adaptive coping strategies. I tested this model in three studies. Study 1 found that, compared to the control condition, participants experienced more favorable perceptions of social and personal coping resources, higher efficacy to positive reframe stressful events, and greater subjective well-being upon recalling grateful events. The effect of condition on subjective well-being was mediated by enhanced feelings of coping resources and positive reframing efficacy. Building on this finding, Studies 2 and 3 applied the structural equation modeling approach to examine the inter-relationships among gratitude, social and personal coping resources, adaptive coping strategies, and subjective well-being among individuals facing specific stressors. Study 2 revealed that gratitude was associated with the receipt and satisfaction with social support, as well as adaptive coping strategies, including positive reframing, humor, acceptance, religious coping, and social support seeking, among a group of familial dementia caregivers. Study 3, which was conducted among a group of adults who had recently experienced a work-related stressor, largely replicated the findings of Study 2 and found that gratitude was associated with both favorable perceptions of coping resources as well as enhanced deployment of adaptive coping strategies. The results of the structural equation models demonstrate that coping resources mediated the effect of gratitude on life and work satisfaction, perceived life and work stress, and depressive symptoms. Findings of these three studies generally support the resources-coping model. Implications on future studies on gratitude and the coping process, as well as the application of gratitude-related findings to psychotherapy are discussed. / published_or_final_version / Psychology / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Thesis (M.A.)--Bowling Green State University, 2007. / Document formatted into pages; contains viii, 88 p. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Rhode Island, 2006. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 114-119).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 178-198).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2003. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 174-198). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M.A.)--York University, 1999. Graduate Programme in Psychology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 135-148). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pMQ39211.