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The purpose of this study was to examine a sample of students who participated in a student assistance program in Southwest Virginia. Using existing data from a school system in Southwest Virginia, this sample was observed to measure changes in student academic performance. The sample was also examined to determine the extent to which they instituted positive behaviors such as school attendance and reduction of disciplinary actions taken. In addition, this study assessed differences in demographic characteristics among student participants. Also studied was the extent to which gender differences related to academic performance and behavior. Significant changes in students’ academic performance, attendance and disciplinary measures were established in the present study. Negative associations were established for those participating in the student assistance program and grade point average. Positive associations were found for those participating in SAP and attendance and disciplinary measures. No significant differences were yielded in the comparison of gender to academic performance and behavior. SAP coordinators recorded that the majority of participants did improve since referral to program and most completed or currently remained in the student assistance program. However, a small percentage of students actually entered treatment programs following recommendations made to parents from the student assistance program committee. This research assessed only the demographic and individual characteristics: gender, gifted or special education status, ethnicity and age. Therefore, other demographics such as socio economic status may offer additional explanation into academic and behavior outcomes of students involved in student assistance programs. / Ph. D.

Between June and August, 1983, a postal survey was conducted to gather information on industrial mental health programs in mid-sized corporations in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The sample included all companies listed in Standard and Poor's Register of Corporations, Directors, and Executives (1982) with an employee population of 500 to 2,000. Approximately 27% of the responding corporations indicated that they had formal existing industrial mental health programs. The responses indicated that the majority of formal industrial mental health programs were located in banking, insurance, high technology, media, and professional enterprises. The relationship between the size of companies and the provision of services was curvilinear.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: There has been a dramatic increase in the use of the drug methamphetamine, also known locally as tik, in the Western Cape, specifically in Cape Town. This trend impacts the availability and the quality of labour as well as the productivity of current employees. The presence of tik abuse in the workplace represents both legal and ethical challenges to employers. The Labour Relations Act of 1995 states that employers must ensure a safe working environment for their employees. The actions of tik users tend to increase the risk of injuries at work and the occurrences of workrelated accidents that may harm others. Social responsibility requires employers to operate their business in an honourable manner, to provide good working conditions and to work actively to better the quality of life of the local communities where it operates. This responsibility translates into helping the tik users that they employ. The current relationship between employer and employee regarding tik is marred by conflict and misunderstanding. Employers seem unsure what to do and are unaware of how far-reaching tik abuse is. Tik abuse causes many problems for employees and also for their family and friends. By gathering information in a structured way the study aims to improve the understanding of employers so that they can help and prevent tik-related problems in the future. The study utilized descriptive qualitative research in the form of a questionnaire given to recovering tik users at two treatment centres in Cape Town, SANCA and De Novo. The research ran for about a month and gathered 82 usable questionnaires. Results, along with a literature study, were used to create a framework to guide employers on identifying tik users and on how to deal with them. The framework, the Tik Identification and Intervention Protocol (TIIP), contains criteria to help identify employees that may be using tik. The study showed that many international trends are evident in Cape Town. Approximately 40% of participants indicated that they were absent from work more often than prescribed by labour legislation; 70% of participants experienced that tik affected their ability to perform their duties; 32% of participants admitted that they stole to obtain funding for their drug habit. Some new findings became evident, such as the impact of the family on the participant's decision to go for treatment. The Western Cape's treatment centres are severely hampered by a lack of resources and are incapable at present of dealing with the current flood of patients. While plans are in place to rectify this, it is clear that in the short term at least, employers will have to take up more of the slack. The recovery process for a drug addict takes a long time; experts suggest it may take up to two years. Therefore employers need to be involved and create support programs at work to assist employees in their recovery. Employees can be cured from their dependency on tik, so that they can become healthy and contribute to the community and to their employer. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Daar is 'n dramatiese toename in die voorkoms en gebruik van metaphetamien (plaaslik bekend as tik) in die Wes-Kaap, spesifiek in Kaapstad. Die tendens het 'n impak op die verskaffing en die kwaliteit van beskikbare arbeid, sowel as die produktiwiteit van huidige werknemers. Die voorkoms en gebruik van tik in die werksplek het beide wetlike en etiese uitdagings vir werkgewers. Die Arbeidswet van 1995 verklaar dat die werkgewer daarvoor verantwoordelik is om te verseker dat hul werksplek veilig is vir hul werknemers. Tik gebruikers verhoog die risiko en die voorkoms van werksbeserings en werksongelukke wat ander werknemers ook mag beinvloed. Sosiale verantwoordelikheid vereis van werkgewers om hul besighede op 'n eerbare wyse te bestuur, om goeie werksomstandighede te verseker en 'n aktiewe bedrae te lewer in die plaaslike gemeenskap waar hulle hul ook mag bevind. Die verantwoordelikheid sluit tik gebruikers in. Die huidige verhouding tussen werkgewers en werknemers in verband met die misbruik van tik word gekenmerk deur konflik. Werkgewers blyk onseker te wees ten opsigte van wat hul te doen staan en hoe verreikend die impak van die misbruik van tik mag wees. Die misbruik van tik veroorsaak 'n menigte probleme vir werknemers, sowel as vir hul vriende en families. Hierdie studie poog am deur 'n gestruktureerde wyse informasie te versamel met die doel om die begrip van werkgewers te verbeter, sodat hul tik gebruikers kan help en tik-verwante probleme in die toekoms kan voorkom. Die studie is beskrywend kwalitatief van aard en gebruik 'n vraelys om informasie te versamel by twee behandelingsentrums in Kaapstad, SANCA en De Novo. Die navorsing het vir omtrent 'n maand geduur waarna 82 bruikbare vraelyste ingewin is. Die resultate, sowel as die literatuurstudie wat gedoen is, is gebruik om 'n raamwerk op te stel wat werkgewers kan help om tik gebruikers te identifiseer, sowel as hoe om hulle te ondersteun. Die eerste gedeelte van die raamwerk, die Tik Identifikasie en Ingrypings Protokol (TIIP), bestaan uit kriteria wat gebruik kan word om werknemers te identifiseer wat tik gebruik. Hierdie studie het gewys dat verskeie internasionale tendense sigbaar is in Kaapstad. Ongeveer 40% van die deelnemers het aangewys dat hulle meer as die wetlike hoeveelheid dae afwesig was van die werk, 70% van die deelnemers het erken dat tik hulle vermoe am hul werk behoorlik te kan doen beinvloed het en 32% van die deelnemers het erken dat hulle gesteel het om geld te verkry am tik te koop. Die studie het daarop gedui dat die familie 'n integrale rol gespeel het in die deelnemers se besluit om vir behandeling te gaan. Dit blyk dat die Wes-Kaapse behandelings-hulpbronne ver te kort skiet om die saak te hanteer. Daar is tans planne in plek am die probleem die hoof te bied, maar dit is duidelik dat in die korttermyn, werkgewers 'n groter rol sal moet speel. Die herstelproses is van lange duur, en kenners meen dat dit tot twee jaar mag neem voor tik gebruikers volkome herstel het. Die werkemers het ondersteuning nodig gedurende hierdie moeilike proses. Die studie het bevind dat werknemers herstel en gesond kan word om weer 'n bydrae te kan lewer vir beide die werkgewer en die bree samelewing.

Research has demonstrated the crucial role fresh fruit and vegetable consumption plays in maintaining good health. However, most Americans do not consume adequate amounts, and low-income Americans consume the lowest quantities of fresh fruits and vegetables. The Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) and Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) attempts to rectify this situation by providing vouchers to low-income women, children, and elders that can be used only at farmers’ markets for the purchase of locally grown, fresh fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately, FMNP and SFMNP exhibit variable and often low benefit utilization. This variable and often low benefit utilization is unique among all other federal food assistance programs. Given the importance of fresh fruit and vegetable consumption to health and the incomplete understanding of low-income food-related behaviors, this research endeavored to understand the unique benefit utilization patterns exhibited by FMNP. Utilizing the theoretical framework of Pierre Bourdieu, benefit utilization was conceptualized as an inherently social activity occurring within the field of food acquisition. Through the use of extensive interviews with FMNP and SFMNP officials, field observations, and secondary data analysis, data was collected to determine the relevant capitals and features of the field contributing to benefit utilization. Cultural capital was deemed to be particularly important to benefit utilization vis-à-vis the requirement to enter the subfield of the farmers’ market to redeem their vouchers. Compared to SFMNP participants, FMNP participants exhibited lower and often multiple deficits of the types of cultural capital needed to successfully use the vouchers at farmers’ markets. However, the local fields in which the farmers’ markets operated also had a significant impact on benefit utilization. For example, Appalachian counties exhibited higher rates of benefit utilization that were statistically significant compared to non-Appalachian counties. This resulted in several policy recommendations including the distribution of recipes, interagency collaboration, and repeated opportunities to enter the subfield of the farmers’ market to encourage higher benefit utilization in FMNP and SFMNP.

This study was to determine if the importance assigned by health educators (judges) to components of corporate health promotion programs is the same as or different from program components most frequently offered by corporations for employees. This involved establishing a list of program components that judges felt were important for wellness programs and comparing this list with programs actually existing in polled corporations. A literature review was used to establish an initial list of program components. Thirty-eight judges returned questionnaires incorporating the list. A Spearman's rho and scattergram were used to test for correlations between judges' opinions and corporate practices. The report concludes that no correlation exists but that there is agreement among the judges polled that corporations should promote employee wellness programs.

M.A. / Employee assistance program (EAP) is one service model that are designed to assist troubled employees in the workplace. Its feasibility has been experienced in many different contexts. However, the school is somewhat neglected in this respect, and few EAP’s are known to exist in the school system. This study will contribute to the introduction of EAP’s within the school environment because EAP is perceived as only applicable on the companies and organisations. The goal of the study is to conduct a need assessment of teachers regarding the feasibility of an EAP in the school environment. The objectives of the study is to conduct literature study of EAP models, to develop a questionnaire for data collection, conduct survey on the teachers of the target schools, analyse data and test hypothesis and make recommendations regarding the feasibility of an EAP. The study was conducted with teachers from the low veld region in northern province. 50 teachers have completed a questionnaire. In the results the researcher found that the teacher like any other employee has problems, which can affect their well-being and the school productivity. Most of the secondary teachers have a need for employee assistance programs. / Dr. W. Roestenburg

M.A. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Thesis (M.A. (Organisational Psychology))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Humanities, School of Human and Community Development, 2016. / The purpose of this study was to explore cashiers’ and management’s perceptions of the usefulness of a company-provided employee assistance programme (EAP) with particular reference to wellness counselling. This study focused specifically on the four principles governing EAPs, namely; confidentiality, referral system, helping process and handling of outcome. Fifteen participants were recruited for this study from a cash centre of a financial institution in Johannesburg. There were ten males and five females. A qualitative methodology was used to collect and analyse data. The instruments used to collect data were two participant-generated text schedules, one for cashiers and the other for managers. Data were analysed using thematic content analysis. The results of the study showed that both employees and management found the EAP useful in the workplace. The direction for future research in South Africa could focus on conducting a longitudinal study to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of wellness counselling / MT2017

This study evaluated the impact of the SANCA Lifestyle Programme on Grade 6 and 7 black learners in two Soweto schools. This was done with a view to investigate the appropriateness of the present SANCA Lifestyle Programme for black learners. A total of 260 learners participated in this study. The main thrust of the study was to investigate the impact of SANCA’s Lifestyle Programme on learners’ psychosocial functioning and understanding of alcohol and drugs before and after the implementation of the SANC A Lifestyle Programme. Information was collated from the following instruments: biographical questionnaire. Psychosocial Functioning Inventory for Primaiy School Children (PFI-PRIM-C), alcohol and drug assessment questionnaire and programme evaluation questionnaire. The Pre-test results revealed low self-image for the total sample on the PFI-PRIM-C which measures psychosocial functioning. The Post-test results revealed significant improvement in this area. The results showed significant differences between gender and age groups in the areas of psychosocial functioning status. In particular, there was also a significant difference between males and females with regard to states of anxiety (p<0.001). There was also a significant difference between the 10-13 year olds and 14-18 year old groups in levels of frustration (pO.OOl) on the PFI-PRIM-C. After the Lifestyle Programme significant improvements were achieved. A significant improvement was also found on the learners’ knowledge of alcohol and drugs in the post-test period. There was no significant age or sex differences on alcohol and dn;g assessment questionnaire both in the pre-test or post-test periods. The implications of the findings are that Lifestyle Programmes have the potential to be effective for black learners.