published_or_final_version / Dentistry / Master / Master of Dental Surgery

Alcohol use in young adults requires continued attention due to the significant number of problems related to alcohol consumption. The alcohol use literature has explored a variety of constructs related to alcohol use in young adults including religiousness. The aims of the current study were to demonstrate the relationships between religiousness and alcohol use, explore the associations between religiousness and descriptive drinking norms, replicate the relationships between drinking norms and alcohol outcomes, and explore the mediating role of descriptive drinking norms on the relationships between religiousness and alcohol outcomes. Three hundred and thirtythree undergraduate students (M=19.72 years old; SD=1.1) completed questionnaires assessing religiousness, descriptive drinking norms, alcohol consumption, and alcoholrelated consequences. Religious commitment and comfort were inversely associated with alcohol consumption and alcohol-related consequences; religious strain was positively associated with alcohol-related consequences but not significantly related to alcohol consumption. Religious commitment and comfort were inversely associated with drinking norms for ones close friends; religious commitment was also inversely related to drinking norms for the average person his/her age. The significance of the relationships between drinking norms and alcohol outcomes depended on the specific drinking norm target; however the majority of drinking norms were positively associated with personal drinking behavior. Finally, perceptions of close friends drinking behavior at least partially mediated the relationships between religious commitment and comfort and alcohol outcomes. This study contributed to the current literature by examining multiple aspects of religiousness and alcohol use, exploring the role of descriptive drinking norms, and empirically testing a theoretical model explaining the role of religiousness in alcohol use.

The aim of this research is (1) to test the hypothesis that participating in collective action varies by social class position, (2) to examine the mechanisms behind class effects in collective action in a general model of individual participation in collective action, and (3) to discuss the societal implications of these effects. Class position modifies the social process which determines who will participate in protest demonstrations or community problem solving. Class influences political socialization, an individual's network of interpersonal ties to others, and opportunity constraints which guide individual choices to participate in collective action. A model of these relations is tested empirically using secondary analysis of a nationwide, longitudinal survey of young adults and their parents (Jennings and Niemi's Youth-Parent Socialization Panel Study, 1965-1973). The findings show that working class young adults participate in collective action at a lower rate than the young adults in other class positions. The direct relationship between class and collective action participation is virtually nonexistant. It is the indirect effect of class through the development of a sense of efficacy (socialization) and membership in organizations (networks) that is significant in the prediction of who participates. The primary contribution of this work involves the formulation of a general model explaining individual participation in collective action. Further, by linking socialization and networks, this research attempts to bridge the micro-macro distinctions found in other explanations of collective action. Other contributions of this research lie in its implementation of a neo-Marxist definition of class and the utilization of alternative measures of collective action (protest participation and activity in community problem solving). In conclusion, finding that some individuals are hindered in their ability to participate in collective action has implications for the direction of social change efforts. It appears that inequality exists in the promotion of social issues even in the area of non-institutionalized politics. The findings suggest that the relationship between stratification and collective action should be explored further in future research.

Title: Within-Day Energy Balance and Protein Intake Affect Body Composition in Physically Active Young Adult Females Background: Past studies suggest that individuals who eat smaller, more frequent meals are at a metabolic advantage when compared to those who eat larger, less frequent isocaloric meals. Studies also suggest that consumption of small amounts (~ 20 to 30 g) of protein evenly distributed during the day, may be a superior strategy for satisfying the protein requirement and improving muscle protein synthesis. It was, therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between body composition and the distributed consumption of energy and protein in physically active young adult females. Methods: Using an IRB approved protocol, physically active female volunteers were measured for height using a standard wall mount stadiometer; body composition and weight were measured using a multi-current 8-mode segmental bioelectrical impedance device (Tanita, Arlington Heights, Illinois USA, Model BC-418). The volunteers kept a food and activity journal for one day, which was assessed to determine hourly energy balance and hourly protein intake. Exertion was assessed using a relative intensity activity MET value scale that produces multiples of resting energy expenditure, which was predicted using the Harris-Benedict equation. Results: The 28 females who volunteered for this study ranged in age from 19-24 years. Significant inverse associations were found between protein (grams/kg) consumption and fat mass (r=-0.42; p=0.026); and FFM and the ratio of protein to energy balance at 4pm (r=-0.376; p=0.049). There was a significant positive association between FFM and the ratio of protein to energy balance at 12pm (r=0.390; p=0.040) and 9pm (r= 0.379; p=0.047). There was also a significant positive association between the ratio of FFM to height and the ratio of protein to energy balance at 12 pm (r=0.423; p=0.025). There was a significant association between highest daily peak energy balance and FFM to height ratio (r=0.402; p=0.034). Regression analysis determined that independent EB and protein variables could be used to predict the dependent variable FFM to Height ratio (r=.727; p=0.019). Conclusions: These findings demonstrate a significant positive association between highest daily EB and FFM to height ratio. The results also suggest that higher protein consumption per kg is inversely associated with fat mass. Similarly, when protein is consumed when in ±400 kcal energy balance, is associated with higher FFM. Additionally, energy balance and protein variables can be used to predict FFM to height ratio using a regression equation that accounts for 52.9% of variance. These data indicate that subjects spent far more hours in an energy balance deficit than surplus, making it difficult to assess the impact of protein intake distribution on body composition. It does appear that, from a relatively small subsample (n=28) who did achieve a positive within-day energy balance and adequate protein intake, consumption of protein while in good energy balance may help physically active adult females achieve a body composition that is low in fat mass and high in lean muscle mass.

Background: Self-harm is used to describe a group of diseases where the persons intention is to hurt thereself. This collective name includes conditions such as anorexia, burning, poisoning and self-cutting. The act of self-harm is almost never related to the patients' wish of death, it's more of a tool for the person to calm herself. Previous research shows that nurses often see these patients as troublesome often because of a lack of knowledge. There's just a few studies that examine the patients' views. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe how patients with self-harm was experiencing the meeting with the nurse. Method: The study was designed as a literature based study based on 12 qualitative articles. All articles are read and analyzed by Friberg (2012) model with the analysis of qualitative research. Results: The result of this study showed that the nurse plays a big part in how the patients experienced their treatment. If the patient feels that the nurse doesn't see, hear or respect her, the patient starts to feel that she is not worth health care. For the patient to feel and get better it's essential that there is a functional relationship between the patient and the nurse. Conclusion: Patients who self-harm is a difficult patientgroup to treat if there is a lack of knowledge. But these patients are dependent on the care that the nurse is providing them. Therefore a caring and trusting relationship is a must to provide high quality care.

The Libyan media has dramatically changed in recent years. This has been most prominently manifest in the introduction of new satellite television news services. This thesis was designed to investigate two elements – patterns of news media consumption and news credibility in Libya. It examined the patterns of major local and international TV news services operating across different media, broadcast and print, and associations between Libyan students’ consumption of different news media platforms. In this context, it investigated the news consumption habits of young people, with special attention paid to their consumption of pan-Arab news services broadcast via satellite television. It looked at the perception of gratifications students obtained from these news services. It also reported findings on students’ perceptions of the credibility of two local, Al Jamahiriya and Al Libiya TV, and two pan-Arab TV news services, Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya. In order to address the thesis research questions, a survey was administered to a sample of 400 undergraduate students at Al-Fateh University using a stratified random sampling approach, with the sampling strata set by demographic variables. The study found that the new TV news services played an important role in attracting young Libyans with information they desire. The spread of new news media sources (television, radio and print) in Libya has created a new type of customer that transcends national boundaries. Statistical analyses indicated that there are distinct news consumption demographic differences defined in part by news platform (TV versus radio versus print) and in part by the type of news provider (local versus non-local TV news services). The findings were discussed in relation to the growing impact of international satellite broadcast news services and the need for local TV news services to find methods of making themselves distinctive in a way that provides an alternative but still relevant and valued news sources. With regard to news credibility, in general Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya were given higher credibility scores than Al Jamahiriya and Al Libiya news services. Higher credibility ratings, however, were significantly correlated with an increased likelihood of reported watching of both local TV news services, but only one of the pan-Arab TV news services (Al Jazeera).

Abstract The aim of this study has been to present the percieved influence of Facebook usage among young adults. Five subjects, two men and three women aged 20-25, was the respondents of qualitative, semistructured, interviews with an emphesis on social phenomenons that might affect psychosocial health. After applying coding and thematc analasis to the collected data, the findings were analyzed using socialpsychological theory and theory of identity and earlier findings on the subject. The results show that the interviewed young adults tend to express that Facebook usage is affecting their health in different ways, that Facebook as such has both positive and negative sides and lastly that the individuals’ usage and represenatation on Facebook can be linked to different roles and that the process of representation on Facebook can affect the identification process.

Magister Scientiae (Occupational Therapy) - MSc(OT) / Tuberculosis (TB) and multi-drug resistant (MDR) TB have been identified as one of the largest health problems in the world, and notably recognized as a big issue in democratic South Africa. Socio-demographic factors such as poverty and unemployment were identified to be major contributing factors to the epidemic. Individuals with TB reportedly have poor levels of occupational self-efficacy and found it challenging to return to work after prolonged hospitalization. The Model of Occupational Self-Efficacy (MOOSE) has been used effectively to assist individuals with traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) to return to work. Adaptation of the MOOSE was recommended for application with other syndromes associated with long hospitalization and absence from work. The aim of the study was to adapt the MOOSE for clients living with tuberculosis and to aid them in returning to work. The study was conducted through exploratory research. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten purposively selected key informants from private and public health facilities in the Western Cape. The data was analysed through thematic analysis from which six themes emerged. Themes One, Two and Six describe the barriers experienced by the participants when returning to work following their diagnosis of PTB or MDR-TB. Theme Three, Four and Five discussed the factors that facilitate the resumption of the worker role for the PTB and MDR-TB survivors. The findings of this study were used to inform the adaptation of the MOOSE for use with patients living with TB. Ethics clearance was obtained from the Biomedical Research Ethics Committee (BMREC) of UWC. Permission was given by the Department of Health to conduct the study on the clinical platform. All ethics principles were upheld.

As transformações advindas com a modernidade e com a pós-modernidade alteraram de forma significativa a relação entre as gerações mais novas e as mais velhas. Nas sociedades tradicionais, havia uma hierarquia entre o saber adulto, pautado no passado e na tradição, e a aceitação deste saber por parte dos mais novos. A contemporaneidade e seus discursos fornecem um cenário bastante diferente, no qual a adolescência é tida como ideal, a velocidade das transformações são espantosas e o novo, o moderno, têm seu lugar de destaque nos valores do homem contemporâneo. Neste sentido, imagens solidificadas pelo tempo e pela tradição se alteram, trazendo reflexos nas relações entre jovens e adultos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi investigar a imagem de adulto que os adolescentes de hoje carregam, a partir da avaliação que os últimos fazem dos adultos de hoje, do sentido que os jovens atribuem a este lugar e do que valorizam em um adulto. Participaram da pesquisa um total de 520 alunos do Ensino Médio de escolas públicas e particulares e o instrumento utilizado consistiu em um questionário com 24 questões, cada qual contendo quatro opções de respostas, e duas questões abertas. Os resultados demonstraram uma tendência dos jovens a avaliarem negativamente os adultos em relação a suas atuações na esfera pública (política, meio ambiente, educação e mídia) e a desconfiarem da capacidade dos adultos quanto àqueles atributos tradicionalmente referidos a este lugar (confiança, sabedoria, modelo a ser seguido, ética) e, no entanto, 63% dos sujeitos acreditaram dever obediência aos adultos de hoje. O dinheiro, o desemprego e a competição no mundo do trabalho mostraram-se como uma das preocupações mais importantes dos adultos de hoje e dos jovens em relação ao futuro. Aparentemente, a imagem do adulto, lugar de saber e de guia dos mais novos não apresenta a consistência que tinha no passado e poucos parecem ser os modelos passíveis de admiração disponíveis aos jovens hoje. O significado de ser adulto e de ocupar este lugar parece tender a um trabalho e a uma construção exclusivamente pessoal e individual. / The transformations took place during modernity and post-modernity changed in a significant way the relationship between the younger and older generations. In traditional societies, there was a hierarchy between the adult knowledge, based on past and tradition, and the acceptance of this knowledge by the younger people. The contemporary and its discourses provide a different scenario indeed, in which the adolescence is taken as an ideal, the speed of transformations is astonishing and the new, the modern has a predominant place in the values of the contemporary man. In that sense, images solidified by time and tradition change, altering relationships between young people and adults. The aim of this work was to investigate the image of adulthood that todays adolescents have, from the evaluation that they make of todays adults, from the sense that young people have of this place and from what they value in an adult. Participated in the research a total of 520 students from public and private high schools and the tool consisted of a questionnaire with 24 questions, each containing four options, and two open questions. The results reveal a tendency from young people to evaluate negatively the adults concerning their performances in the public sphere (political, environment, education and media) and question the adults capacity on those attributes traditionally attributed to that place (confidence, wisdom, model to be followed, ethical) and, nevertheless, 63% of individuals believed to owe obedience to todays adults. Money, unemployment and competition for jobs in the world were revealed as some of the greatest concerns of todays adults and of young people about their future. Apparently, the image of an adult, place of knowledge and guide for the younger ones doesnt show the consistency that it had in the past and few seem to be the possible models of admiration available for today\'s young people. The meaning of being an adult and occupying that place seems to lean toward a work and a construction exclusively personal and individual.

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo investigar os projetos, sonhos e aspirações de jovens das camadas populares da cidade de Belo Horizonte/MG. Trata-se de um estudo longitudinal, iniciado em 2007, quando foram realizadas entrevistas acerca do tema com vinte e seis jovens estudantes. No ano de 2013, novas entrevistas foram feitas com quatro desses sujeitos, para analisar mais profundamente a história de constituição de seus projetos, sonhos e aspirações: como surgiram, as transformações pelas quais passaram ao longo dos anos e os destinos que lhes foram dados. O método de pesquisa empregado foram as narrativas autobiográficas colhidas em situação de entrevista. Os dados obtidos foram submetidos a uma análise de conteúdo, sendo o referencial teórico-metodológico utilizado a psicologia cultural, através dos trabalhos de Jerome Bruner, e a psicossociologia, com contribuições de Jean-Pierre Boutinet e outros autores. Quando convidados a narrarem suas histórias de vida e como os projetos, aspirações e sonhos nelas se inserem, os jovens destacaram processos vividos junto a seus familiares, amigos, colegas de trabalho e dos tempos de escola, parceiros amorosos e educadores. As significações conferidas a tais processos foram diversas, assumindo conotações tanto positivas quanto negativas. A família foi, de modo geral, descrita como aquela que fornece aos jovens alguns dos valores que estes têm como mais preciosos, sendo o grupo de pertencimento do qual eles mais esperam apoio para a construção e realização de seus projetos de vida. Expectativa esta nem sempre correspondida. As experiências vividas na escola e/ou a partir dela foram reconhecidas por todos como necessárias à conquista de seus sonhos. Ao mesmo tempo, as instituições públicas em que estudaram alguns entrevistados foram criticadas pela má qualidade do ensino oferecido e por serem palco de situações de desrespeito e humilhação sofridas pelos alunos. Os jovens também fizeram referência a determinadas pessoas (amigos, namorados e parentes, principalmente) com os quais se identificam em alguma medida e que lhes fornecem parâmetros norteadores para a construção de seus projetos. Em alguns casos, mesmo que a convivência com tais pessoas seja rarefeita, elas acabam influenciando de forma decisiva a vida dos jovens, através de conselhos, da disponibilização de informações ou simplesmente porque colocam os jovens em contato com modos de ser e de viver muito distintos daqueles com os quais estão habituados. As possibilidades descortinadas pelo acesso a estes outros mundos instiga alguns dos jovens a querer percorrer certos caminhos (formativos e profissionais) que antes julgavam inacessíveis. A relação que todos os jovens estabelecem com o universo do trabalho, iniciada na infância ou adolescência, é tida por eles como um elemento organizador de suas vidas presentes e futuras. As experiências laborais são valorizadas na medida em que lhes garantem independência financeira no presente, aprendizados necessários à obtenção de uma melhor colocação no mercado de trabalho no futuro e a possibilidade de serem reconhecidos como trabalhadores e honestos, algo transmitido por suas famílias como valor essencial desde a mais tenra idade. Os jovens deixam claro que contam com poucas fontes de apoio para planejar suas vidas, sendo alguns de seus relacionamentos mais importantes (com a mãe e o pai, por exemplo) marcados pela falta de diálogo e proximidade afetiva. Outros desafios destacados foram a escassez de recursos financeiros e as situações nas quais se sentem explorados ou discriminados / This study aimed to investigate the projects, dreams and aspirations of young people from lower classes of the city of Belo Horizonte/MG. This is a longitudinal study, begun in 2007, when twenty-six adolescents were interviewed on the subject. In 2013, new interviews were conducted with four of them, to deeper examine the history of the constitution of their projects, dreams and aspirations: how they were created, the transformations undergone and the destinations they were given. Autobiographical narratives collected through semi structured interviews was the research method used throughout the process. The data were subjected to content analysis, and the theoretical and methodological framework used was cultural psychology, such as the work of Jerome Bruner, social psychology, with contributions from Jean-Pierre Boutinet and other authors. When asked to narrate their life stories and how the projects, aspirations and dreams take part, the participants pointed processes lived with their families, friends, coworkers and romantic partners and educators. The meanings assigned to such processes were different, assuming both positive and negative connotations. The family was generally described as the one that provides young people with some of the values that they consider the most precious, and the group of belonging from which they expect support for the construction and attainment of their life projects, an expectation not always fulfilled. The experiences lived during school and / or after it were recognized by all as necessary to conquer their dreams. At the same time, the public institutions in which studied some respondents were criticized for the poor quality of education offered and for the occurrence of situations of disrespect and humiliation suffered by students. The participants also made reference to people (mostly friends, romantic partners and relatives) with whom they identify in some extent that provide guiding parameters for building projects. Even in some cases, when living with such people was rare, they decisively influenced their lives through counseling, providing information or simply because they put them in touch with ways of being and living very different from those with which they are used. The opening to these \"other worlds\" instigated some of the participants to follow some paths (formative and professional) conceived before as inaccessible. The relationship that all participants maintain with the work sphere, begun in childhood or adolescence, is regarded by them as an organizing element of their present and future lives. The work experiences are valued as give them financial independence at the present, knowledge necessary to obtain a better work position in the future and the possibility of being considered laborious and honest, something transmitted by their families as a fundamental value since their childhood. The participants revealed that they have few sources of support to plan their lives, and some of their most important relationships (with their parents, for example) are marked by a lack of dialogue and affective proximity. Other challenges highlighted were the lack of financial resources and some situations in which they feel exploited or discriminated