Många av de skador som inträffar inom ridsport är ofta orsakat av ett trauma (Havlik, 2010) vilket för det mesta resulterar i allvarliga skador. De psykologiska reaktionerna som uppkommer hos skadade ryttare är mångfacetterade och rehabiliteringsprocessen och resultatet är ofta en följd av ryttarens kognitiva värdering av sin skada (Wiese-Bjornstal, Smith, Shaffer & Morrey, 1998). Syftet med studien var att ur ett holistiskt perspektiv (1) skapa en förståelse över vilka psykologiska reaktioner ryttare upplever efter att ha råkat ut för en allvarlig idrottsskada, (2) förstå hur deras upplevelse av rehabiliteringsprocessen påverkade deras kognitiva värdering samt (3) förstå vilka faktorer som underlättade eller försvårade vägen tillbaka till aktiv ridsport igen. En kvalitativ metod i form av narrativa intervjuer användes och analysmetoden var holistiskt-innehåll (II), holistiskt-form (III) och kritisk narrativ analys (VI). Antalet deltagare var två ryttare som har tagit sig tillbaka till ridsporten efter en allvarlig skada. Resultatet av holistiskt-innehålls analysen redovisas enligt studiens frågeställning. Resultatet av holistiskt-form analysen visade 4 vändpunkter i ryttare A´s berättelse och 5 vändpunkter i ryttare B´s berättelse. Den kritisk narrativa analysen visade att ryttare A och B berättade om sig själva i relation till 3 olika teman. Resultaten diskuteras i relation till teoretiska referensramen samt tidigare forskning. / Many of the injuries occurring in equestrian sports are often caused by some form of trauma (Havlik, 2010) and they often results in a serious injury. The psychological reactions that equestrian riders may experience are multifaceted and the rehabilitation process and the result is often a result of the rider's cognitive appraisal of the injury (Wiese-Bjorn Stal, Smith, Shaffer & Morrey, 1998). The purpose of this study was from a holistic perspective (1) create an understanding of the psychological reaction a equestrian rider may feel after having suffered a serious sport-related injury, (2) understand how their experience of the rehabilitation process affected their cognitive appraisal, and (3) understand the factors that helped/did not help them get back to equestrian-sport. A qualitative approach through narrative interviews were used and the analysis was holistic-content (II), holistic-form (III) and critical narrative analysis (VI). Two equestrian riders who made a comeback to equestrian-sport after a serious injury participated. The result of the holistic-content analysis was reported according to the study questions. The result of the holistic-form analysis indicate 4 turning points in the rider A's story and the 5 turning points in the rider B's story. The critical narrative analysis illustrates that rider A and B described themselves in relation to 3 different themes. The results are discussed in relation to the theoretical framework and previous research.

The purpose of the study was to examine the role of test anxiety, academic self-efficacy, and cognitive appraisal processes in predicting eighth grade students&rsquo / emotion regulation strategies during test taking. In addition, gender was included as a predictor in the study. The sample of the study consisted of 778 eighth grade students (398 females and 380 males) in 17 schools of &Ccedil / ankaya and Yenimahalle districts in Ankara. Emotion Regulation during Test Taking Scale (ERT) (Schutz, Distefano, Benson, &amp / Davis, 2004), Anxiety subscale of Academic Emotions Questionnaire (AEQ) (Pekrun, Goetz, Titz, &amp / Perry, 2002), and Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (ASE) (Jerusalem &amp / Schwarzer, 1981) were used to collect the data. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were performed for the ERT, anxiety subscale of AEQ, and ASE scale. All of the scales were working as intended. Cronbach alpha coefficients were .85 for test anxiety, .76 for ASE, and ranged from .58 to .75 for ERT scale. Four separate hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to examine the role of gender, cognitive appraisal processes (goal congruence, agency, and testing problem efficacy), academic self-efficacy, and test anxiety in predicting four emotion regulation strategies: task focusing, tension reduction, wishful thinking, and self blame strategies. For all strategies, almost all of the predictors were found statistically significant. Test anxiety was found to be the most powerful predictor for all the dependent variables. Girls tend to use more emotional regulation strategies than boys.

The thesis is based on a multi disciplinary study involving both particulars regarding military history and certain psychological theories. In order to be able to discuss the psychological experiences of Boers during the guerrilla phase of the Anglo-Boer War, the first chapters of the thesis strive to provide the required background. Firstly an overview of the initial conventional phase of the war is furnished, followed by a discussion of certain psychological issues relevant to stress and methods of coping with stress. Subsequently, guerrilla warfare as a global concern is examined. A number of important events during the transitional stage, in other words, the period between conventional warfare and total guerrilla warfare, are considered followed by the regional details concerning the Boers’ plans for guerrilla warfare. These details include the ecological features, the socio-economic issues of that time and military information about the regions illustrating the dissimilarity and variety involved. In the chapters that follow the focus is concentrated on the psychological impact of the guerrilla war on the Boers. The wide range of stressors (factors inducing stress) are arranged according to certain topics: stress caused by military situations; stress caused by the loss of infrastructure in the republics; stress caused by environmental factors; stress arising from daily hardships; stress caused by anguish and finally stressors prompted by an individuals disposition. Then the psychological theories regarding an individual’s resistance resources (or general resistance resources ─ GRRs) and the means of using these resources to cope with stress are applied to the actual circumstances that the Boers were faced with. This discourse is arranged according to material resources, motivational issues and intrapersonal resources. Subsequently the complete guerrilla warfare phase is considered, the accent being placed on the psychological effect that the Boers’ strategies, as well as the British counter strategies, had on the republican forces. The phase is subdivided into four stages according to the course of the war, while still furnishing an overall account of the guerrilla phase ─ ranging from the initial successes on Boer side, the gradual decline in Boer initiatives to the final months, when the few successful encounters that the Boers launched, came too late to change matters. In the final chapter the impact of the guerrilla warfare on a selected group of Boers is examined in the form of case studies. The group includes President M.T. Steyn, whose health failed him in the end and Generals C.R. de Wet and J.C. Smuts, where their positive conduct is considered from a psychological perspective. The result of the continuous pressure on the young Commandant G.J. Scheepers is examined and the stress related experiences of Chief Field Cornet H.S. van der Walt, Burghers P.J. du Toit and R.W. Schikkerling are analysed. / Thesis (DPhil(History))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Jurisprudence / unrestricted

The restaurant industry is a highly customer-driven field. Therefore, it is imperative that restaurateurs consider customer expectations with regard to restaurant menus. The purpose of this experimental study is to examine the effects of menu format (i.e., paper or digital) and amount of nutritional information (i.e., extensive, brief, or none) on customer perceptions of the effectiveness, perceived ease of use, and information quality of the menu. Furthermore, this research intends to test the effect of these three menu attributes on the outcomes of value and satisfaction in order to assess the competitive advantage of one format over the other. The Cognitive Appraisal and Information Processing Theories provide structure to the proposed conceptual framework and give credence to the findings. This study also fills gaps in the present research by not only ameliorating weaknesses of extant studies, but also by examining several different aspects of restaurant menus simultaneously within a single study.

Heart failure (HF) is a major public health problem throughout the world. It accounts for one death certificate among nine in the United States. Heart failure and sudden death combined are responsible for the largest number of deaths in America. The total costs of HF in the United States are estimated to be $37 billion each year. Despite substantial medical and surgical advances related to treatment of HF, it remains a very costly condition with high mortality and morbidity rates. Although biological factors contribute to high morbidity and mortality in HF, there are many unexplored psychosocial factors that also likely contribute to these rates. Thus, the purpose of this dissertation was to examine the association between some of the psychosocial factors (i.e. depression, anxiety, comorbid depression and anxiety, stress, cognitive appraisal, and coping) and health outcomes as defined by rehospitalisation and mortality among HF patients. The first paper is a report of longitudinal study of 1,260 patients with HF. The purpose of the study was to determine whether co-morbid symptoms of depression and anxiety are associated with all-cause mortality or rehospitalization for cardiac causes in patients with HF. Anxiety and depression were treated first as continuous level variables, then as categorical variables using standard published cut points. Patients were then divided into four groups based on the presence of symptoms of anxiety and depression. When depression and anxiety were treated as continuous level variables, both comorbid depression and anxiety, and depression alone were significant predictors of all-cause mortality. However, when depression and anxiety were treated as categorical variables, comorbid depression and anxiety was a predictor of all-cause mortality, while anxiety and depressive symptoms considered alone were not independent predictors of the same outcome. None of those variables were significant predictors of cardiac rehospitalization outcome, regardless of whether entered as continuous or categorical level variables. The second paper is a report of a study that was conducted to (1) examine the association of stress with 6-month cardiac event-free survival; (2) examine the relationship of stress with salivary cortisol; and (3) examine the association of salivary cortisol level with 6-month cardiac event-free survival. The study sample was 81 HF patients. A prospective design was used in which patients were followed for 6 months to determine occurrence of 6-month cardiac event-free survival, defined as time to the combined endpoint of cardiac rehospitalization or all-cause death. Stress was not a significant predictor of event-free survival in HF, salivary cortisol was a significant predictor of event-free survival in the unadjusted model, but not in the adjusted model, and stress was not a significant predictor of salivary cortisol level. The final paper is a report of prospective design study that aimed to describe self-reported stress level, cognitive appraisal and coping among patients with HF, and to examine the association of cognitive appraisal and coping strategies with event-free survival based on a proposed model of HF patients’ response to stressors that been suggested according to literature to date. The study sample consisted of 88 HF patients who been followed for 6 months to determine occurrence of the combined endpoint of rehospitalization for cardiac causes or all-cause death. The study showed that stress level was associated with harm and loss cognitive appraisal. Harm/loss and threat cognitive appraisals were associated with avoidant emotional coping. Furthermore, harm/loss cognitive appraisal was a significant predictor of avoidant emotional coping and event free survival. Finally avoidant emotional coping was a significant predictor of event free survival among HF patients in the unadjusted model, but not in the adjusted model. The findings from this dissertation provided further evidence of the importance of psychosocial factors to health outcomes in HF patients. It also filled important gaps in the body of knowledge related to health outcomes among those with HF by demonstrating the need for cognitive and behavioral therapy among HF patients who negatively appraise their health condition.

In the light of present problems with stress related illness in organizations, often affecting women working in health care, the purpose of the current study was to examine proactive and malleable factors that could influence nurse’s perception of work stressors. Based on a model, self-efficacy and grouped organizational factors were examined as antecedents to the outcome of anxiety and stress via cognitive appraisals. The mediating role of the cognitive appraisals was further examined. The sample consists of 117 nurses and assistant nurses of which 112 were females working at a hospital in southern Sweden. The analyses were conducted with simple and multiple regressions. The result revealed that self-efficacy and the organizational factor together serve as antecedents to cognitive appraisals of stress, however, contrary to previous research, not to all appraisals. The mediating role of the cognitive appraisals showed that the harm appraisal mediate the relation between the organizational factor and the outcome of both anxiety and stress. The threat appraisal is found to partly mediate the relation between the organizational factor and the anxiety outcome as well as the stress outcome. The result further showed a none mediation role for the challenge appraisal between any of the antecedents and the outcomes, which suggest that the challenge appraisal do not serve as an underlying mechanism in either relationship. Other relations in the model are further shown and discussed in the study together with limitations, implications and suggestions of future research.

Introduktion: Idag klassificeras akuta skador generellt som allvarligare än överbelastningsskador då akuta skador ofta leder till längre tid borta från idrotten. Denna form av kategorisering av allvarlighetsgrad inom forskning har dock påvisats vara problematisk då det ofta exkluderar överbelastningsskador. Detta trots att dem med överbelastningsskador ofta lider av långa perioder med smärta, nedsatt funktion och försämrad prestation. Viktigt oavsett vilken skada en person har drabbats av är följsamhet till rehabilitering. Följsamhet till rehabilitering har visats vara beroende av ett flertal olika faktorer bland annat upplevelsen av skadan och smärta. Syfte: Undersöka ifall det finns signifikanta skillnader mellan följsamhet till rehabiliteringsträning, upplevelse av skadan och högst upplevd nivå av smärta beroende på om en idrottsskada uppstått akut eller av överbelastning. Deltagare: 51 personer besvarade enkäten varav 39 stycken (14 kvinnor och 25 män) inkluderades i studien. De inkluderade var mellan 16 och 35 år gamla, led av en idrottsskada samt hade ett rehabiliteringsprogram för att behandla skadan. Baserat på deltagarnas diagnos samt beskrivning av skadan grupperades dem antingen in i kategorin akuta skador eller överbelastningsskador. Metod: Ett frågeformulär baserat på två validerade enkäter, Rehabilitation Adherence Questionnaire och Cognitive Appraisal Health Scale samt skattning av högst upplevd smärta distribuerades till föreningar och på sociala medier. För att undersöka ifall det fanns signifikanta gruppskillnader mellan dem med akuta skador och överbelastningsskador genomfördes t-test och MANOVA. Resultat: Det fanns inga signifikanta skillnader mellan grupperna på någon av de undersökta variablerna. Kategorin hot närmade sig signifikansnivå (p=0,071) där dem med akuta skador värderade sin skada som mer hotfull än dem med överbelastningsskador. Konklusion: Endast beroende på om en skada uppstått akut eller på grund av överbelastning verkar inte vara avgörande för en persons följsamhet till rehabilitering, upplevelse av skada eller högst skattad nivå av smärta. / Introduction: Acute injuries are generally classified as more severe than overuse injuries due to the fact that they often lead to longer time away from sport. This type of classification of severity in research is not deemed appropriate since it often excludes people suffering from overuse injuries. People with overuse injuries usually stay in their sport but participates with pain, reduced function and performance. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine significant differences between adherence to rehabilitation, cognitive appraisal and perceived pain depending on if a sport injury has occurred acute or due to overuse.   Participants: 51 participants answered the questionnaire and 39 (14 women and 25 men) of these were included in the study. The participants were between 16 and 35 years old, suffered from a sport injury and had a rehabilitation program to treat their injury. Based on the diagnosis and description of the injury the participants were separated into two groups, either acute injury or overuse injury. Method: A questionnaire including two validated questionnaires, the Rehabilitation Adherence Questionnaire and Cognitive Appraisal Health Scale and an estimation of highest experienced pain were distributed among different sport teams and social media. To investigate if there were any significant differences between the two groups on the examined variables several t-tests and one ANOVA was completed. Results: No significant differences were found between the two groups on any of the examined variables. The category threat on the Cognitive Appraisal Health Scale were close to significance (p=0,071) and suggests that people who suffer from an acute injury found their injury to be more threatful. Conclusion: If a sport injury has occurred acute or because of overuse doesn't seem to be a singular determinant factor that affects adherence to rehabilitation, cognitive appraisal or perceived pain

The purpose of this study was to examine Dienstbier's (1989) hypothesis that SAM elicitation is prompted by subject's cognitive expectations of an acute stressor ('challenge' or 'threat' appraisal). Reported anxiety was also measured.

No description available.

One of the greatest challenges facing the clothing industry worldwide, including South Africa is to provide well fitting garments to a broadly defined target population (Ashdown, Loker & Rucker 2007:1; Schofield, Ashdown, Hethorn, LaBat & Salusso 2006:147). Yu (2004:32) further states that from the consumers’ perspective, physical and psychological comfort as well as appearance play an important role in determining a well fitting garment and these are most likely to be shaped by the individual’s personal values. According to Kaiser (1998:290), personal values refer to standards or principles that guide an individual’s actions and thoughts that help to define what is important by guiding one’s choices or preferences of how the garment should fit. Hence garment fit and the subsequent appearance serves as a personal expression, communicating some personal values to others (Kaiser 1998:290) that can be achieved through the fitting of the garment. When female consumers encounter garment fit problems either through body shapes, garment sizing or garment size label communication, an emotional experience may result due to the failure to attain the personal values they are aiming to uphold or achieve. Cognitive appraisal theory of emotions is one of the theories among others that attempts to understand why people experience emotions. Lazarus (2001:55) defines cognitive appraisal theory of emotions as a quick evaluation of a situation with respect to one’s wellbeing. The answers to these evaluations directly cause the emotions experienced by a person. Since clothing can be used to express personal values to others (Kaiser 1998:146), the social standards appraisal dimension which can be one of the evaluative questions in the theory of cognitive appraisal concerning a situation, was the relevant evaluative component which this study focused on. This appraisal dimension evaluates whether the situation, in this case the negative experience of an ill-fitting garment affects what the consumer aspires to achieve socially through garment fit. Numerous studies such as Horwaton and Lee (2010); Pisut and Connell (2007) and Alexander, Connell & Presley (2005) on the garment fit problems from a consumer’s perspective have mostly been conducted in developed countries with limited research focusing on the consumers and their emotional experiences with garment fit. Understanding the factors that contribution to the garment fit problem currently being faced by female consumers in South Africa is an essential step in creating awareness of how this problem affects female consumers emotionally and the influence it has on their purchasing decisions. The purpose of this study is, therefore, to determine the female consumers’ personal values attributed to garment fit and to identify the emotions resulting from the perceptions of garment fit. This study predominantly employed an exploratory qualitative research approach. Data were collected from a purposive and convenient sample of 62 females from the UNISA – Florida Campus and King David High School in Victory Park in Johannesburg, South Africa through a self-administered questionnaire. Data on the demographic profile that included the ethnicity and age of the participants as well as data on the psychographic profile of the participants concerning frequently patronized clothing retailers, garment fit preferences and self-reported body shapes were collected through closed-ended questions. These data were analysed using the quantitative method of descriptive analysis. In addition to the psychographic profile of the most frequently patronized clothing retailer and garment fit preferences, participants were further requested to provide reasons as to why they mostly patronized the clothing retailer they ranked number 1, and to provide a reason for their preferred garment fit option. Content analysis, a qualitative method, was used to analyse the reasons provided by the participants for both these questions. Content analysis was also performed on additional information on body shape and garment sizing as well as data on garment size label communication. Furthermore, the means-end chain approach through the hard laddering exercises was used to explore and determine the female consumers’ personal values and emotions depicted through the perceptions of garment fit. Data from the hard laddering interviews on body shapes and garment sizing were carefully coded and categorized into attributes, consequences and personal values. Data were presented through the hierarchical value maps (HVMs) which were constructed through the software program Mecanalyst V 9.1. The analysis established that attributes such as quality of garments, various garment styles, availability of sizes, and fashionable styles directed female consumers’ most frequented clothing retailers. These attributes seemed to be aligned with their personal values they seek when shopping for garments. The findings also showed that most female consumers in this study preferred semi-fitting pants, a blouse and garments in general, a reasonable number of the participants preferred tight-fitting pants (31%), and some participants preferred loose-fitting pants, a blouse and garments in general. The specific personal values such as the comfortability of the garment, modesty, cover-up perceived body shape “flaws” and slimming effect which female consumers in this study desire to achieved through clothing also influenced their garment fit preference. With regard to the perceived self-reported body shapes of the participants, the study reflected that the majority of the participants were triangular body shaped. The study further found that female consumers in this study have expectations of how a garment ought to fit their body. Their expectations seem to be shaped by certain personal values such as “confidence”, “freedom” or “look good” which they aspire to achieve through clothing and garment fit. However, due to variations in body shapes, problems of garment sizing they encounter when purchasing ready-to wear garments and the incorrect information communicated on the size labels or the lack thereof, the majority of the female consumers failed to achieve their personal values. As a result mainly negative emotions such as “frustrated”, “sad”, “confused” and “depressed” were expressed by the participants. With regards to the effect of the perceived garment fit on the purchasing decision, the study found that fit of the garment is an important determinant of making a purchase. However, where female consumers in this study showed an interest of purchasing, while aware of some fit problems, the study found that exceptional conditions such as the possibility of altering the garments and design features such as colours that would conceal their perceived “figure flaws, made it easier for them to decide to purchase. The study further highlighted that some participants only purchased their ready-to-wear garment at certain shops where their needs were catered for and only when they had enough time to try-on the garment they intend to purchase instead of relying on the garment sizing and garment size label communication. Where participants indicated they would not purchase a garment with fitting problems, the study found that some female consumers in this study copied the designs of the garments in the clothing retailers and had someone reproduce it for them, whilst a few female consumers refused to purchase a garment whose size label was incorrectly communicated. Lastly the study also revealed that most female consumers thought that body shape, garment sizing and garment size label communication contribute to garment fit problems female consumers are currently facing in South Africa. It is, therefore, recommended that clothing manufacturers consider the various body shapes in their garment charts, know the needs of their target market and also use uniform sizing and size labelling systems that are easily understood by consumers that purchase ready-to-wear garments from retailers in South Africa. / Life & Consumer Sciences / M. Sc. (Consumer Science)