Study One of this research aimed to assess interpersonal problem-solving ability in individuals who evidenced suicidal behaviour. Suicide attempters were compared with mixed psychiatric outpatients and normal controls on a measure of means-ends problem-solving. The results of Study One suggested that suicidal individuals produced significantly fewer relevant means, story directed responses and sufficient narratives compared to both normal and psychiatric subjects. On qualitative indices of introspection, emotional relevant means and on time and obstacle recognition suicidals were significantly more deficient than control groups. Amongst suicidal subjects greater social dysfunction, stress and affective disturbance was associated with poorer interpersonal problem-solving. A model for the development of suicidal behaviour which suggested possible points of entry for intervention was proposed. In Study Two three treatment strategies for suicidal behaviour - Cognitive Therapy, Problem-solving Training and Psychiatric After Care were compared. In general the results suggested that all treatments were having some positive effects. The most significant changes in problem-solving skills occurred in the group receiving such training but improvement in this area was also noted in the Cognitive Therapy Group. It was proposed that aspects of Cognitive Therapy may have direct influence on problem-solving behaviour. Affective change seen at the end of eight weeks of treatment followed a different time course compared to cognitive change and the maintenance of such change to follow-up was shown to be dependent upon skills learnt during Cognitive Therapy and Problem-solving Training. Problem-solving Training had the most significant impact in improving social dysfunction and all treatments were shown to reduce suicidal ideation but at differing rates. One episode of suicide attempt occurred in the Psychiatric After Care Group representing a 6.25 percent rate of reoccurrence. It was concluded that the acquisition of interpersonal and cognitive skills held implications for the prophylaxis of suicidal behaviour. Suggestions for early primary intervention within the family and education systems were proposed.

I joined Martin Herbert at the School of Social Work, University of Leicester in October 1974, as he required assistance in his work with children presenting serious behaviour problems. A few months previously he had become involved with the Paediatric Assessment Centre (PAC) at the Leicester Royal Informary, acting as a consultant clinical psychologist for children assessed there as being "hyperactive" or in some other way problematic. These children were referred to him for a behavioural assessment and treatment, and as their numbers increased help from another psychologist became imperative. What was evident was the increased vulnerability of physically disabled children to behaviour disorders. My role in elaborating, evaluating and standardizing the evolving assessment and treatment procedures soon emerged. These developments occurred within the context of a community-based service, with the primary aim of providing an effective and efficient therapy, - one which would produce favourable changes in behaviour capable of being maintained after the withdrawal of the therapists. The focus of the procedures involved was not usually on any particular aspect of activity (despite the fact that the majority of the children was being referred for hyperactivity); rather it was on the more anti-social, so called "acting-out" behaviour problems found in all the children assessed. Behaviours such as temper tantrums, non-compliance and aggression were reported by almost all the children's mothers and were usually perceived by them as more problematic than any overactive behaviour. It appeared that children with the basic problems of high or disorganised activity patterns (often associated with a short concentration span) were especially prone to the development of so-called conduct disorders. Indeed diagnosis of hyperactivity is often taken to include many problem areas other than motor activity, and discussion of this issue is taken up in chapter 2. The decision to concentrate on the behavioural problems such as non-compliance and aggression was due to a personal interest which emerged with regard to why these problems developed and were maintained in these particular children. In October 1975, Theresa Smith joined us and the team founded an agency called the Child Treatment Research Unit (C.T.R.U.) aided further by social workers on a nine-month training placement with us during their second year of a social work Diploma course. Theresa Smith's interest developed and focused on the meaning, the reliability and validity of the diagnostic label "hyperactivity" and the measurement and control of motor activity itself. Her work therefore complemented my own (advising parents on management techniques for anti-social behaviours), with her concentration on specific motor targets and use of inhibitory motor training with the children directly. Not all the children seen in the pilot and research projects were referred for hyperactivity. The criteria for referral to the C.T.R.U. (and more specifically myself), became broader and more and more concerned with the presence of conduct disorder problems such as serious temper tantrums, and out-of-control behaviours such as persistent non-compliance. Some of the children were therefore presenting these types of behaviours without any evidence of problems to do with activity levels or concentration. They were often simply described as a management problem. All the children retained in the pilot and research projects can therefore be said (after assessment had rejected inappropriate referrals) to have been manifesting problems of a conduct disorder type, (see chapter 1), with many of them additionally showing problems associated with hyperactivity. This means that any evidence that accrues for the effectiveness of the procedures detailed in this thesis is applicable for use with a fairly broad band of children identified as displaying conduct disorders whether or not associated with hyperactivity.

Full scale field trials, carried out during the construction of the Penmaenbach Tunnel in North Wales, have shown that two-speed resin bonded rock bolts are resilient to close proximity blasting. Fully grouted 6m long rock bolts, installed within 0.7m of the tunnel face, have shown no significant signs of distress or failure. Instantaneous loads of up to 40% of the characteristic strength of the bolt were observed together with average residual load losses of 5% of the working load, which compares favourably with the acceptable tolerance of 10% working load stipulated by current practice. Analysis has also shown that rock bolts with low prestress sustain greater vibrations and proportionately higher dynamic load changes during blasting. However, bolts with relatively high prestress loads sustain greater induced loads. Empirical relations have been established to describe rock bolt behaviour in terms of induced vibration and scaled distance. In particular, a predictive equation relating dynamic load changes in the experimental rock bolts to scaled distance, is presented. Calculations based on approximate bolting costs have indicated that cost savings of up to 38% of the total bolting cost could have been effected if the results of this work had been implemented at the design stage. Physical modelling work has confirmed that the distribution of loads in the fixed anchor of a resin bonded bolt are non-linear when both static and impulsive loads are applied to the bolt head. Corroboration of the field results has also been established with respect to the significant influence of initial prestress load on dynamic load change. Complementary finite element modelling work has successfully predicted fixed anchor load distributions under static and dynamic loading conditions. Attempts to establish a detailed relation between distance from blast, magnitude of charge and change in residual load, for low to medium capacity rock anchorages on the West Portal of the tunnel, were thwarted by the poor performance of instrumentation with respect to temperature sensitivity. However, a simplistic approach to analysis has enabled the establishment of a tentative predictive relationship.

The use of domestic appliances and lighting accounts for approximately three-quarters of all electricity used in the home, making this an important area for energy efficiency. This research investigates factors contributing to domestic energy-use behaviour by examining environmental concerns and actions, energy related knowledge, ownership levels and the use of wet and cold domestic appliances. The technical and social influences in the UK are reviewed and issues affecting usage and energy consumption are considered. A comprehensive questionnaire was used to gain background information on the underlying attitudes and beliefs that underpin energy usage in the home. This was followed by a detailed field study of 40 households, which focussed on the use of wet and cold appliances. Monitoring techniques included energy diaries, data logging and energy metering. Short interviews were conducted with respondents in order to clarify practices, whilst laboratory work was undertaken to help quantify the energy use of selected appliances in relation to specific variables. The research shows there is considerable scope for improved energy efficiency by more discerning usage. Whilst a high level of low temperature washing is already being used, the number of cycles in washing machines could be reduced considerably by increasing load sizes. In contrast, the potential to increase the load size in dishwashers is marginal, but a further switch to low temperature wash programmes would result in some savings. The majority of cold appliances surveyed were operating outside the recommended temperature range for much of the monitoring period. In general, households were unaware of this, lacking both the necessary understanding of recommended temperatures and any means of accurately assessing operating temperature. In addition to issues of food safety, the resultant energy demand is lower than might be expected were these appliances giving better temperature performance. Although limited, the adoption of certain practices can marginally improve the performance and energy efficiency. Whilst financial incentive is a highly motivating factor in the desire to save energy, the low level of understanding of energy issues in general is likely to act as a barrier to behavioural change. Although technological improvements can remove some of the potential inefficiencies from the user decision-making, more optimal energy use cannot be fully realised until the legacy of stock appliances has been replaced. It remains, therefore, essential that the many agencies associated with the supply and utilization of domestic appliances should exploit all opportunities to promote greater awareness of energy demand.

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The purpose of this study is to define what data could be used to describe consumers’ actual behaviour when it comes to consumption of sustainable fashion. The perspective is both in terms of finding variables that describe the actual behaviour of sustainable consumption, and to create an appropriate measuring tool that can be used to measure those behaviours. This study has a qualitative research strategy with an inductive approach. The topic was examined by an extensive literature review in the fields connected to the topic. From the literature and the problem raised by the Swedish Consumer Agency, a questionnaire emerged. The questionnaire was also revised into a second version based on the feedback gathered during the focus group session. A questionnaire is suitable to get the consumer perspective, as well as cover all three stages of the consumption cycle and measuring over time. Additionally, this paper focuses on the environmental aspect of sustainability, but the importance of the social and economical aspects are acknowledged. The conclusions drawn in this paper were that it is important to measure the sustainable consumption behaviours of fashion consumers throughout the whole consumption span. When talking about consumption it is a common misconception to focus only on the purchase stage, when it really refers to the purchase, usages and end of use stage as a whole. The variables that were detected were presented in form of a questionnaire. The value of this paper is grounded in the developed questionnaire, which aims are to measure sustainable fashion consumption from a consumer perspective. This is interesting for the Swedish Consumer Agency, who requested a measuring tool, but it may also be of interest for other fashion companies to measure their consumer’s behaviour to detect a demand for sustainable products.

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No description available.