Previous research has shown that accountants may be inadequate moral reasoners. Concern over this trend caused the Treadway Commission (1987) and the Accounting Education Change Commission (1990) to call for greater integration of ethics into the student's training. Ponemon and Glazer (1990) found a difference in cognitive moral development (CMD) between accounting students at a public university and a private university with a liberal arts emphasis. This study expands Ponemon and Glazer's research by examining two liberal arts universities, one a private, secular institution and one a Catholic institution. The primary research question asks if Catholic university accounting students manifest greater CMD growth than secular university accounting students. Additionally, this study examines and compares the priority that accounting students from the different institutions place on ethical values versus economic values. It was expected that Catholic university accounting students would manifest both greater CMD growth and a greater concern for ethical values over economic values when compared with non-Catholic university accounting students. The study utilized a two-phase approach. In the first phase, an organizational study of two institutions was made to determine how each strives to integrate moral development into their accounting students' education. In the second phase, lower-division and senior accounting students were given three ethical and values related tasks to complete which propose to measure differences in ethical and economic values.

This study examined organizational member and housing staff perceptions of organizational culture and effectiveness of residence hall associations. Two instruments, the Residence Hall Government (RHA) Effectiveness Instrument designed by Tucker (2001) and the Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI) designed by Cameron and Quinn (1999, 2006) were utilized to gather quantitative data, while individual interviews and focus groups were conducted utilizing selected questions from the Interview Questions for Doing a Competing Values Organizational Analysis (Quinn 1988) to collect qualitative data. A mixed methodology was utilized to collect and analyze data from three sites yielding 217 assessments, 27 interviews, and 6 student focus groups with members of residence hall associations during the spring 2008 semester. The study indicated that there is a positive relationship between all ideal culture type scores identified by the OCAI and effectiveness constructs identified by the RHA Effectiveness Instrument. Additionally, there is a difference in the perceptions of Clan and Hierarchy ideal culture type scores and Housing Relationship and RHA Effects effectiveness construct scores based upon housing staff membership or RHA Legislative Body membership. Furthermore, the research indicated that level of student involvement, emphasis on leadership development and training, patterns of communication and teamwork, financial resources, implementation of rules and procedures, roles in program planning, student voice, member evaluation, collaborative partnerships with host housing departments, and relationships with university Student Government were constructs for the development of organizational culture and influenced the organizational effectiveness of RHAs. Recommendations are provided for the organizational development and evaluation of residence hall associations. / by Lawrence B. Faerman. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2009. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2009. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

The study was designed to explore and describe the relationship between young adults' sense of meaning and purpose in life and the experience of depression. The relationship between the existential constructs of meaning and purpose in life, assessed using Reker's (1992) Life Attitude Profile - Revised (LAP-R) instrument, and depression, assessed using Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI), was explored in young adults.

published_or_final_version / Sociology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Sciences

The conduct of young adults has long been a concern in societies. The primary objective of this study was to gain greater understanding of what influences the deviant behavior of young adults in Turkey. Factors assessed in their background included family rituals, self-esteem, religiosity and deviant behavior. It was expected that levels of family rituals, religiosity, self-esteem and other risk factors would be significantly different between incarcerated youth and youth not incarcerated. Overall, these higher levels of family rituals, religiosity, and self-esteem plus lower levels of other risk factors were expected to negatively affect young people's engagement in deviant behavior in Turkey. Walter Reckless' containment theory provided a framework for this study. The non-probability sample of Turkish youths consisted of 205 incarcerated respondents and 200 college students. Each responded to four survey instruments, the Family Rituals Questionnaire, the Culture Free Self-Esteem Inventory, the Religious Background and Behavior Questionnaire, and a Family Information Inventory. Data were gathered cross-sectionally from January through March of 2007. The incarcerated respondents significantly practices less family rituals and had lower levels of religiosity than the college students but they did not differ significantly on self-esteem. Furthermore, overall participation in family rituals was associated with decreased likelihood of committing deviant behavior. Religiosity, which was measured by expression of a God consciousness and performance of formal religious practices, had mixed results. While having a God consciousness decreased the likelihood of committing deviant behavior, performing formal religious practices increased the likelihood of committing deviant behavior. Moreover, higher levels of self-esteem played no significant role in reducing deviant behavior. No significant support was found for Reckless' emphasis on the role of inner containment as an element of social control. However, support was found for the outer containment variable of family rituals playing a significant role in reducing deviant behavior for the respondents. Future research should further explore the role of family rituals, self-esteem and religiosity as well as other relevant risk factors in explaining deviant behavior through longitudinal research designs.

Isihlonipho among amaXhosa is a study based on the indigenous culture of amaXhosa, a vibrant nation forming a black section of the South African population. In order to capture those interesting aspects embraced within the theme of this study, the researcher has deemed it proper and appropriate to focus his attention largely on the cultural practices of these people citing various stages of their cultural development. Although some of the most important cultural activities such as religion, ancestor worship, totems and others have been highlighted together with the statuses of certain personalities, places and family units, nevertheless, the emphasis is on hlonipha language associated with cultural practices such as, inter alia, ulwaiuko (circumcision) and traditional marriage. It is also placed on the language of respect associated with the veneration of aspects such as the weather, animals, rivers, graves, inkundla and many others. Of grave concern to the researcher is the fact that arrival of western civilisation, the spread of Christianity and the miscegenation of Black and White races have been instrumental in eroding hlonipha practices and hlonipha language which has remained the pillar of the amaXhosa culture for centuries. In view of the historical and political changes which have significantly affected the validity of these cultural practices, this thesis is inclined to support the spirit of renaissance which seeks to recoup those aspects ofthe past which our posterity needs for its cultural existence / African Languages / D. Litt. et Phil. (African Languages)

Morals are an important aspect in any society's functioning, and can be seen as a complex concept which consists of many facets. Morals can also be seen to be influenced by variety of different factors. The present study used case studies and successive approximation content analysis to explore the influence of Christian Belief on moral behaviour in fifteen adolescents. The research found that adolescents' moral behaviour could be influenced by Christian Belief as well as authority and peers. Certain adolescents had different views and understandings of morals. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Play Therapy)

This qualitative study aimed to explore the male adolescent’s sense of belonging in his family, in order to arrive at a Gestalt understanding of this concept. In order to achieve the aim, a conceptual framework was outlined focusing on concepts central to this topic, including belonging, adolescence and Gestalt theory. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven adolescents in order to obtain rich data. The data collected during these interviews was subsequently analysed and several themes and categories were identified and explored by the use of a literature control. Conclusions, recommendations and a Gestalt understanding of belonging were then presented. / Play Therapy / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to explore the dynamics between spiritual fitness and women in recovery from substance-problems. The phenomenological method of enquiry, and within this context, the qualitative approach, was followed. Interviews with five women, four of whom received treatment at Stepping Stones Addiction Centre, constituted the empirical data on which this research was based. These interviews revealed remarkable experiences in the lives of these women. The findings of the research indicate that women in recovery with substanceproblems benefit tremendously from interaction with the dimension of spirituality. Spirituality was understood in terms of the experience of intervention or support by a power greater than themselves – an experience which gave meaning to the lives of these women, which is manifested in their way of being and way of acting. This includes a new sense of responsibility and self-respect which empower them to become co-creators of their lives, and to contribute compassionately to the well-being of others. The continuous and disciplined application of “spiritual tools”, practices and guidelines constitute a growing dynamics of spiritual fitness which forms part of a holistic approach to treatment and recovery. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie was om die dinamiek tussen spirituele fiksheid en vroue met substansie-probleme in die herstelproses, te verken. Die fenomenologiese metode van ondersoek, en binne hierdie konteks die kwalitatiewe benadering, is gebruik. Onderhoude met vyf vroue, van wie vier behandeling ontvang het by Stepping Stones Addiction Centre, het die empiriese data waarop hierdie navorsing gebaseer is, gekonstitueer. Hierdie onderhoude het merkwaardige ondervindings in die lewens van die vroue blootgelê. Die bevindings van die navorsing toon dat vroue met substansie- probleme in die herstelproses geweldig by die interaksie met die spirituele dimensie gebaat het. Spiritualiteit is verstaan in terme van die belewenis van intervensie of ondersteuning deur ‘n mag groter as hulself – ‘n ervaring wat betekenis gegee het aan die lewens van hierdie vroue, wat gemanifesteer het in hul wyse van bestaan en wyse van handel. Dit sluit ‘n nuwe begrip van verantwoordelikheid en selfrespek in, wat hul bemagtig om mede-skeppers van hul lewens te word, en op ‘n deernisvolle en empatiese wyse tot die welsyn van ander by te dra. Die voortgaande en gedissiplineerde toepassing van spirituele toerusting, gebruike en riglyne lei tot ‘n toenemende dinamiek van spirituele fiksheid wat deel vorm van ‘n holistiese benadering tot behandeling en die herstelproses.