Social work students frequently endure elevated levels of prolonged stress and psychological affliction that might result in serious consequences, such as development of burnout. Some experts suggest that burnout originates in the exposure to chronic interpersonal stressors in the work environment. Yet, there is emerging evidence suggesting that mindfulness practice might be beneficial in alleviating stress. Thus, the purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the relationship between mindfulness and burnout among Master of Social Work students. Burnout, mindfulness, religiosity, spirituality and their potential relationship were discussed and related to previous scholarly literature. Specifically, this study focused on testing the hypothesis that current MSW students who demonstrate higher levels of mindfulness will report less burnout, regardless of the year in the MSW program and regardless of the years of practice in human services. In addition, the hypothesis that students currently involved in direct social work practice (either outside of the MSW program, in the MSW field placement, or both) experience higher levels of burnout than students not yet practicing was scrutinized. Moreover, the hypothesis that as students progress in their studies they will exhibit progressively more burnout was explored. Finally, one of this study's goals was to explore whether patterns/relationships between the religious and spiritual beliefs and practices predict burnout levels among Master of Social Work students. Participants were mostly non-Hispanic White females, with a mean age of 35, married (or in legally recognized unions), and first year students enrolled full-time in the Direct Human Services track. Two years was the most common length of their experience in human services. They came from the metropolitan Portland area (on-campus students) and other regions of Oregon (off-site students). The mindfulness of the participants was measured with the Five Facets Mindfulness Scale and the levels of their burnout with the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Study results indicated that the more mindful the MSW students were, the less burnout they reported experiencing. A large correlation of mindfulness to reduced burnout (p < .001) was found, a relationship that persisted when controlling for other significant variables through sequential regression analysis. However, neither year in the MSW program, length of practicing in human services, nor religious/spiritual affiliation and practices had any significant influence on burnout among participants. Given the results of this study demonstrated statistically significant relationships between mindfulness and burnout among social work students, it is recommended that appropriate training in mindfulness for the students (and social workers) affected by secondary trauma and burnout should be incorporated in social work education, either as a part of curricula, or in an extra-curricular training program.

This work characterized burn-off emissions from automobiles. After an exhaustive literature review, engine temperatures were determined to reach a maximum temperature of approximately 110oC, while exhaust system components reached a maximum temperature around 600oC. Metal-drawing fluids were used to bend the exhaust system components during manufacturing. Because these components were not rinsed prior to incorporation into a vehicle, residues could be left on the surfaces. An experimental test chamber was constructed to conduct controlled testing of three metalworking fluids of various types to mimic real-world conditions. Real-time particle number measurements were made using a condensation particle counter and an optical particle counter. The temperature at which burn-off begins to occur was found to be around 120 to 150oC. This burn-off was found to be an evaporation-condensation phenomenon when metalworking fluid residues vaporize and condense forming fine (0.1µm to 2.5µm) and ultrafine (<0.1µm) aerosols. The temperature dependency of this phenomenon was observed to follow the Clausius-Clapeyron equation that states as temperature increases, vapor pressure increases. Most aerosol particles were observed to be in the range of less than 0.01µm to approximately 2.0µm.

This thesis examined the utility of Self-Determination Theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 1985; Ryan & Deci, 2002) as a framework for understanding athlete burnout and its hypothesized opposite - athlete engagement. Athlete burnout was defined as "a psychological syndrome of emotional/physical exhaustion, reduced sense of accomplishment, and sport devaluation" (Raedeke, 1997, p.398). Athlete engagement was defined as a persistent, positive, cognitive-affective experience in sport that is characterized by vigour, dedication, and confidence. Based on the predictions of Vallerand�s (1997; Vallerand & Losier, 1999) motivational model, it was hypothesized that elite New Zealand athletes with higher perceptions of competence, autonomy, and relatedness (i.e., basic psychological needs) would also report more self-determined motives to participate in sport and that individuals with higher self-determined motivation would experience lower athlete burnout and higher athlete engagement. Before testing these hypotheses four preliminary studies were necessary. First, because of the nomadic lifestyles of many elite athletes, it was decided that an online survey delivered via the Internet would be the most appropriate and effective method for collecting data to test the central hypotheses. However, a literature search revealed that no studies in sport psychology had compared online and traditional paper and pencil survey methods and therefore a preliminary study was needed to investigate potential survey format effects. Results of measurement invariance and latent mean structures analyses indicated that there were no differences on the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire for randomly assigned online (n=117) and paper and pencil (n=97) groups. Second, recent research (e.g., Martens & Webber, 2002; Riemer, Fink, & Fitzgerald, 2002) has indicated that the only published measure of behavioural regulations (i.e., motives) in sport (Pelletier, Fortier, Vallerand, Tuson, & Blais, 1995) has psychometric problems. Therefore, it was necessary to develop a reliable and valid measure of behavioural regulations in sport. Following rigorous scale development procedures that included expert review and pilot testing, results from two studies (n=382 and n=343) supported the reliability and validity of this new measure - the Behavioural Regulations in Sport Questionnaire. Third, while researchers in organizational and educational psychology have examined engagement experiences, no research has investigated athlete engagement. Results of a qualitative inquiry with elite New Zealand athletes (n=15) indicated that vigour, dedication, and confidence were core athlete engagement dimensions. Fourth, items for a quantitative athlete engagement questionnaire were created using operational definitions from the qualitative study and then reviewed by athlete burnout and positive psychology experts. Analysis of data from two samples (n=382 and n=343) supported the reliability and validity of the Athlete Engagement Questionnaire. Results from the final study (n=343) investigating the relationships amongst basic needs, behavioural regulations, burnout, and engagement generally supported the main hypotheses of the thesis. Indeed, athletes with higher perceptions of autonomy and competence reported more self-determined regulations; however, relatedness was not a significant predictor. Athletes� levels of self-determined motivation accounted for substantial portions of variance in athlete burnout symptoms: emotional/physical exhaustion (R�=.13), sport devaluation (R�=.43) and reduced accomplishment (R�=.42). Behavioural regulations were also strong predictors of athlete engagement, accounting for 49% of the variance in vigour, 42% of the variance in dedication, and 30% of the variance in confidence. Implications of these results for researchers and practitioners are discussed. Directions for research concerning SDT, athlete burnout, and athlete engagement are also highlighted.

This research shows that sense of community reduces the effect of job stress on burnout among a sample of 672 New Zealand nurses. Sense of community - a feeling that members matter to one another (and to the group) and a shared faith that members� needs will be met through their commitment to be together - consists of four elements: membership, integration and fulfilment of needs, influence and shared emotional connection. Results indicate that nurses have a moderate to high level of sense of community. Apart from the influence element, subscale reliabilities for the other three elements were acceptably high on the Nurse Sense of Community Index, an instrument that was developed for use in this study. In relation to occupational stress, the study results indicate that high workload, rather than any difference in the practice requirements of various types of nursing work is the most important factor contributing to nurses� job stress. Public hospital nurses experience significantly higher levels of perceived job stress than their private sector counterparts because high workloads and problems of recruiting and retaining nurses are more typical of the public sector. Nurses who work full-time experience more job stress than those who work part-time, and those in the 20 to 30 age group experience the highest frequency of perceived job stress. Burnout is a syndrome of high emotional exhaustion and high depersonalisation in the presence of a lack of personal accomplishment. Nurses who work full-time experience significantly higher levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation than those who work part-time. Accident and emergency nurses have the highest level of burnout and intensive care unit nurses the lowest level of burnout among public hospital nurses. Overall, the majority of nurses experience a low to moderate degree of burnout. Yet, a substantial proposition of the sample population acknowledge experiencing some aspect of burnout, and as has been found by other nursing studies, a nurse�s age influences burnout levels, with younger nurses experiencing more burnout than older nurses. A clear relationship between an increased frequency of perceived job stress and burnout was identified. Results suggest that nurses with a high level of sense of community have lower frequencies of perceived job stress, experience lower burnout than those with low and moderate levels of sense of community. Findings demonstrate that burnout remains a serious issue for nurses the nursing profession and, as the demands on professional workers increase, the health care sector. The theoretical and practical implications of the study�s findings for management practice are postulated in the conclusion of this thesis.

Thesis (D. Min.)--Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, 1993. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 343-350).

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1992. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 71-80). Also available in print.

Ce travail traite de la détermination expérimentale des grandeurs électriques et physiques lors du mécanisme de coupure dans les fusibles en moyenne tension.<br />Les résultats sont présentés dans deux parties : la première traite de l'influence de la pression sur les grandeurs électriques et physiques caractérisant un arc dans une atmosphère sous pression, la seconde présente l'étude des mécanismes de création et d'extinction de l'arc.<br />L'étude relative à l'influence de la pression repose sur trois dispositifs de mesure des grandeurs électriques et spectroscopiques. Une méthode de détermination de la pression à partir des paramètres des profils des transitions Si II (2) est présentée, et appliquée à l'évaluation de la pression au sein du fusible en moyenne tension.<br />L'étude du fonctionnement du fusible en moyenne tension concerne trois points : la vitesse de "burn-back", l'influence des propriétés du sable de silice sur le mécanisme de coupure, et l'évolution de la température et de la densité électronique au sein du plasma d'arc pendant la coupure.<br />La vitesse de "burn-back" est déterminée par imagerie ultra-rapide. Une dissymétrie sensible entre les vitesses à la cathode et à l'anode apparaît dès le début du régime d'arc ; la masse volumique de compactage et la granulométrie du sable conditionnent l'efficacité des mécanismes de transfert de l'énergie depuis la colonne d'arc vers la périphérie. La diffusion du fluide dans les interstices joue un rôle prépondérant dans le mécanisme de coupure, et explique pourquoi les plus grandes granulométries étudiées impliquent les coupures les plus brèves ; les évolutions de la température et de la densité électronique montrent une dynamique de variation importante sur l'ensemble du phénomène. Les coefficients d'établissement et d'extinction des deux grandeurs sont dépendants des propriétés du sable.

<p>Vi har valt att göra en kvalitativ studie om utbrändhet bland unga människor i åldrarna 19-25 år i Sverige. Syfte med denna studie är att få en inblick i och ökad förståelse över hur utbrändhet påverkar unga i Sverige. Vi ville belysa orsakerna till varför allt fler unga människor i Sverige drabbas av utmattningssyndrom. Vi utgick från ett hermeneutiskt synsätt och en narrativ metod. Under de senaste tio åren har den psykiska ohälsan och sjukskrivningsantalet i Sverige ökat och då framförallt bland ungdomar. Forskningen talar om ett nytt sjukdomsfenomen, utbrändhet. Det är en stressrelaterad sjukdom som framförallt handlar om en känslomässig utmattning. Varje människa kan uppleva stress men det är endast de som går in i arbetet med höga förväntningar och som arbetar hårt för att uppnå dessa förväntningar som kan bli utbrända. Intervjupersonenerna grundade sin självkänsla och identitet i sina arbetsprestationer. Vi tror att alla intervjupersonerna saknade en grundläggande självkänsla vilket gjorde att de hela tiden sökte bekräftelse utifrån sina prestationer. Om en person blir utbränd eller inte beror såväl på fysiologiska, biologiska som psykologiska faktorer. Risken är större för personer som redan har drabbats av utbrändhet att drabbas igen. Kraven och pressen som unga människor känner idag kan härstamma från både familjen och samhället. Dagens samhälle är uppbyggt på så sätt att vi hela tiden måste göra en massa val. Ingenting är längre som det var förr då allt och alla hade sin plats i samhället. Den ökade individualiseringen kanske inte alltid är positiv. I socialt arbete kan vi hjälpa till med att förebygga utbrändhet bland ungdomar genom att finnas ute i skola och andra miljöer där ungdomar vistas för att hjälpa dem in i vuxenlivet.</p>

<p><strong>Syfte:</strong> Syftet med litteraturstudien var att beskriva brännskadade personers upplevelser av livet efter en brännskada. <strong>Bakgrund:</strong> En brännskada är ett trauma för både kropp och själ och ett stort lidande för den drabbade. Fysiska förändringar och psykologisk kris gör vägen tillbaka svår. Genom medicinskt kunnande och genom att vara ett medmänskligt stöd har sjuksköterskan en viktig roll under både den fysiska och psykiska läkningsprocessen. <strong>Metod: </strong>Studien är en allmän litteraturstudie baserad på fem kvalitativa vetenskapliga artiklar samt en självbiografi, publicerade mellan år 2003-2008. Analysen innebar att meningsbärande enheter togs ut och sammanfördes till tre huvudkategorier med tillhörande underkategorier. <strong>Resultat:</strong> De brännskadade upplevde att livet efter brännskadan innebar stort lidande och gjorde att de inte längre kunde vara självständiga. De upplevde bristande tillit till sin egen kropp vilket ledde till ett försämrat självförtroende. För att kunna gå vidare i livet var det viktigt att finna vägar för att acceptera och hantera det som hänt. Efter hand kunde livet ses positivt och värderas högre. Flera olika faktorer hade stor betydelse för att de skulle kunna känna trygghet i sitt förändrade liv. <strong>Slutsats: </strong>För att sjuksköterskan ska finnas där som stöd för den brännskadade behövs djupare kunskap inom området, vilket gör att ytterligare forskning är betydelsefull. Kunskapen skulle kunna spridas vidare genom att brännskadade föreläser om sina upplevelser och att de som är insatta i ämnet handleder personal inom hälso- och sjukvård utifrån casemetodik.</p> / <p><strong>Aim:</strong> The purpose was to describe how people with burn injuries experience their life after a burn injury. <strong>Background:</strong> A burn injury is a trauma for both body and soul and a big suffering for the person who is affected. Physical changes and psychological crisis makes it hard to recover. By medical knowledge and through human support nurses have an important role during the physical and psychological healing process. <strong>Method:</strong> This study is a literature overview, based on five qualitative scientific articles and one biography, published between the years 2003-2008. In the analysis meaning units were identified and brought together into main categories and sub categories. <strong>Result:</strong> People with burn injuries experiences that life after the injuries meant a great deal of suffering as well as a loss of independence. They experienced lacking trust in their own body, which lead to impaired self-confidence. To be able to move on in life, they had to find ways to accept and deal with what had happened. Several different factors were of importance to make them feel safety in their changed life. <strong>Conclusions: </strong>For the nurse to be able to be there for people with burn injuries, more knowledge of the subject is needed, which makes further research important. The knowledge could spread by the burn injured holding lectures about his or hers experiences, and by the well-informed tutoring health care staff and students using case methodology.</p>

<p>The aim of this essay is to investigate what is burnout and how women who are affected by it manage their condition. Furthermore, we have investigated stigma and whether or not those affected by burnout are in turn stigmatised.</p><p>A qualitative approach has been used to achieve our aims with this project. To support our analysis we have interviewed ten women who all have been diagnosed with fatigue syndrome along with studying relevant literature. The main theories used in this investigation are the symbolic interaktionism by G.H Mead, the term stigma by Erving Goffman and different theories on coping.</p><p>The results show that the majority of women in the study had suffered from burnout due to work related stress and changes in their working environment. How they coped with and recovered from the condition depended on their own activity and how it related to their own support system. Moreover, we can see how nature plays a significant part for many of the affected women to return to a healthy life. We can observe that both the term stigma and how it manifests itself is complex and difficult to define. The majority of the women in this study could not themselves define the term stigma.</p><p>We have discovered that women suffering from burnout experience major changes in their lives and that there is much to learn from these women about both life in general and a person’s working life. From a social worker’s point of view, it is imperative to acknowledge the risks of always meeting the needs of others and the importance of recovery and reflection.</p>