The aim of this study was to examine the effects of coping behaviour on the stress and psychological well-being as experienced by South African teachers. A review of relevant literature revealed that the teaching profession is an extremely stressful occupation globally. Factors contributing to the stress that teachers experience include the downsizing of the number of teachers in schools and insufficient training being provided for teachers. Exposure to these chronically stressful conditions has psychological and physical consequences for some teachers. Numerous studies, however, have also pointed out that some teachers, in the same teaching environment, experienced less stress and had better physical health than others. In an effort to gain clarity on these contradictory findings, many studies regarding the effect of various coping behaviours have been undertaken. No literature could, however, be found regarding the different coping behaviours used by African teachers and which strategies proved a success. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect that coping behaviour had on the level of stress, as well as psychosocial well-being, experienced by black South African teachers. The current study was conducted as part of the SABP A (Sympathetic Activity and Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Africans) project conducted at the North-West University. Data for this sub study was collected through a cross-sectional design and the statistical consulting services of the university were involved in the analysis of the raw data. The Teacher Stress Inventory (TSI) (Boyle, Borg, Falzon, & Baglioni, 1995), the Coping Strategy Indicator (CSI) (Amirkhan, 1990), and the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF) (Keyes, 2006) were administered to 200 urban African teachers residing in the Kenneth Kahunda district in the North West Province. The TSI was administered as a self report measure of occupational stress in teachers. The CSI was administered to all the participants in an attempt to establish what coping strategies were employed by them. It consists of three subscales (problem solving, avoidance, and seeking social support) which are independent of one another and, according to the authors, free from demographic influences. The MHC-SF was administered to all the participants as a measure of well-being. The MHC-SF places individuals on a continuum which ranges between complete mental health (flourishing) to incomplete mental health (languishing). Those who are neither flourishing nor languishing are said to be moderately mentally healthy. All the measures that were administered proved to be reliable and thus interpretable, except for the subscales of the TSI. Therefore, only the TSI total scale score was used for interpretation. Results indicated that this group of teachers were experiencing high levels of stress and were making above average use of all three coping behaviours to deal with their stressors. 70% of the teachers were reportedly moderately mentally healthy, while 2% of them were languishing, and only 28% of them were flourishing. Of these teachers, those who reported smoking and alcohol use as a coping behaviour were experiencing less stress than those who abstained. These results were, however, only of small to medium practical significance. Intercorrelational results indicated that, although stress levels were high, stress had no direct and significant relation to either coping or well-being. The use of certain coping strategies, however, correlated positively with some aspects of mental health. In order to elucidate the nature of the relationships that seemed to exist between these constructs, path analysis was conducted. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) results revealed a strong negative path between the use of avoidance as a coping strategy and the emotional well-being of participants. A direct significant path was reported between seeking social support and the social well-being of this group of teachers. Another significant finding was the existence of a direct path between problem solving and the social and psychological well-being reported by participants. The implications of these results, as well as the possible shortcomings of the current study and its limitations, were discussed. In conclusion, the results indicated that coping behaviour had little effect on the amount of stress that the teachers experienced, although it seems that coping behaviour does have a significant effect on some aspects of mental health. / Thesis (M.A. (Clinical Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:46:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 5092.pdf: 775208 bytes, checksum: 1175bc9d523235d4cc1af06dd795a69d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-02-28 / The aim of this work is domestic violence and coping strategies used by women victims of this violence. Violence against women can be characterized by the interaction of husband / partner to intimidate, threaten, make use of physical force as well as doing something against the property of the woman. The main forms of violence against women are: physical violence, sexual violence, psychological violence and destruction of property. Coping can be understood as a set of cognitive and behavioral efforts with regard to dealing with internal or external demands that arise in stress situations. The research aimed to identify and describe the coping strategies of women who have suffered or are suffering domestic violence and as specific objectives to categorize coping strategies of women victims of domestic violence, characterize the history of violence suffered by women and finally characterize the severity of violence against the women. This was a qualitative research, exploratory kind. The choice, assembly and appropriateness of the instrument was made, being: semi-structured interview, applied individually to women victims of domestic violence. Before the data collection, there was a testing tool to estimate the time of application and suitability. After approval of the ethics committee, and the proper clarifications of the research, attended to the interview 4 women victims of domestic violence. As a result, it may be highlight that all women participants suffered psychological and physical violence, whereas two women also reported having suffered sexual violence. Regarding the severity of the violence suffered, women present level 5, 4, 3 and 2 respectively. Women had the following categories of coping strategies: removal, self-control, social support, escape-avoidance, problem solving, positive reappraisal, leisure and finally, plans for the future. Domestic violence, like any other type of violence, characterized as a violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms, which limits women the recognition, enjoyment or exercise of any right as well as the exercise of freedom. It is considered necessary the creation of public policies that will help minimize the victimization of women who suffer domestic violence, and to develop coping strategies. That this work will contribute to the construction of preventive practices that provide coping strategies such as confrontation, distancing, self-control, social support, escape-avoidance, problem solving, positive reappraisal, leisure and plans for the future. After all, it was verified that these strategies could break with some cases of severe violence. / O foco do presente trabalho é a violência doméstica e as estratégias de enfrentamento utilizadas por mulheres vítimas desta violência. A violência contra a mulher pode ser caracterizada pela interação do marido/companheiro de intimidar, ameaçar, fazer uso da forma física, bem como fazer algo contra a propriedade da mulher. As principais formas de violência contra a mulher são: violência física, violência sexual, violência psicológica e destruição de propriedade. Enfrentamento pode ser entendido como um conjunto de esforços cognitivos e comportamentais com propósito de lidar com demandas internas ou externas, que surgem em situações de estresse. A pesquisa teve como objetivo geral identificar e descrever as estratégias de enfrentamento de mulheres que sofreram ou sofrem violência doméstica e como objetivos específicos categorizar as estratégias de enfrentamento das mulheres vítimas de violência doméstica, caracterizar o histórico de violência sofrida pelas mulheres e por fim, caracterizar o grau de severidade da violência sofrida pelas mulheres. Tratou-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa, de caráter exploratório. Foi feita a escolha, construção e adequação do instrumento, sendo ele: entrevista semi-estruturada, aplicada de forma individual, as mulheres vítimas de violência doméstica. Antes da realização da coleta de dados, foi feita uma testagem do instrumento para estimativa do tempo de aplicação e adequação do mesmo. Após aprovação do comitê de ética, e os devidos esclarecimentos da pesquisa, participaram da mesma 4 mulheres vítimas de violência doméstica. Como resultados, pode-se destacar que todas as mulheres participantes sofreram violência física e psicológica, sendo que duas delas relataram sofrer violência sexual. Quanto à severidade da violência sofrida, as mulheres apresentam grau 5, 4, 3 e 2 respectivamente. As mulheres apresentaram as seguintes categorias das estratégias de enfrentamento: afastamento, autocontrole, suporte social, fugaesquiva, resolução de problemas, reavaliação positiva, lazer e por fim, planos para o futuro. A violência doméstica, como qualquer outro tipo de violência, caracteriza como uma violação dos direitos humanos e liberdades fundamentais, que limita à mulher o reconhecimento, gozo e exercício de qualquer direito, bem como o exercício da liberdade. Considera-se necessário a criação de políticas públicas que contribuam para minimizar a vitimização das mulheres que sofrem violência doméstica, bem como para desenvolver estratégias de enfrentamento. Que este trabalho contribua para a construção de práticas preventivas, que propiciem estratégias de enfrentamentos como: confronto, afastamento, autocontrole, suporte social, fuga-esquiva, resolução de problemas, reavaliação positiva, lazer e planos para o futuro. Afinal, foi verificado que com estas estratégias foi possível romper com alguns casos de violência severa.

Introduction : Une faible situation sociale est associée à un risque accru de mortalité et morbidité. Plusieurs facteurs ont été étudiés en lien avec cette association, mais un mécanisme proposé par Tarlov (1996), soit la dissonance entre les attentes et la réalité, n’a pas été investigué. De plus, peu d’études ont examiné en profondeur les facteurs sociaux et psychosociaux influençant la santé avec la participation des personnes vivant la pauvreté et l’exclusion sociale. Objectifs et méthodologie : Cette étude vise à identifier et à décrire les facteurs nuisant à la santé d’adultes ayant un faible revenu, les stratégies et actions de ces personnes en lien avec ces facteurs et les effets de la participation pour ces personnes. Cette étude a utilisé une approche de recherche participative et une méthode de présentation de problèmes selon la pédagogie de Freire. Les participants et participantes étaient huit adultes ayant un faible revenu, fréquentant un organisme communautaire en milieu urbain. Ces personnes ont participé à huit rencontres de groupe, comprenant des activités comme la présentation d’images ou d’histoires représentatives et le jeu de rôle. Ces personnes ont aussi participé à l’analyse thématique des données, incluant cinq rencontres de groupe. Résultats et conclusions : Cette étude identifie un nouveau facteur psychosocial, soit la dissonance entre la situation actuelle perçue et l’idéal de situation conçu tôt dans la vie. Cette dissonance génère un profond mal-être et suit la perte ou la non atteinte de l’idéal de situation. Les autres facteurs identifiés soutiennent ceux d’études précédentes et sont groupés sous les thèmes du manque d’amour et de soutien tôt dans la vie et de la situation actuelle comme prison sociale. Cette étude identifie aussi un effet important de la participation, peu rapporté dans les études participatives, soit les découvertes personnelles ou une meilleure compréhension de soi dans le monde. L’approche de recherche participative combinée à la méthode de présentation de problèmes selon la pédagogie de Freire permet les découvertes personnelles et peut être un moyen d’accompagner les personnes vivant un profond mal-être. Les actions, interventions et politiques devraient permettre aux personnes de réaliser leur idéal de situation et de répondre aux besoins d’amour et de soutien des enfants. / Abstract: Introduction: Poor social circumstances, including low social status, are associated with a higher risk of mortality and morbidity. Many factors have been studied in relation to this association, but a mechanism advanced by Tarlov (1996) concerning dissonance between expectations and reality has not been investigated. Moreover, few studies have examined in depth social and psychosocial factors influencing health, with the participation of people living in poverty and social exclusion. objectives and methodology: This study aims to identify and describe the factors harming the health of low-income adults; the strategies and actions used by low-income adults, which are linked to these factors; and the effects on the participants of participation in the study. This study used a participatory research approach and a problem-posing method based on Freire’s pedagogy. The participants were eight low-income adults using food bank services provided by a community organization in an urban setting. They participated in eight group meetings, which included activities such as presentation of representative stories or images and role-playing. They also participated in the data analysis, during five additional meetings. Results and conclusions: This study identifies a new psychosocial factor, namely, the dissonance between current perceived circumstances and one’s ideal of circumstances conceived early in life. This dissonance generates profound malaise and follows a loss or a failure to achieve the ideal of circumstances. Other factors identified support those from previous studies and are grouped into two themes: lack of love and support from an early age, and current circumstances as a trap. This study also identifies an important and under-reported outcome of participation, which is the experience of personal discoveries or a better understanding of the self in the world. A participatory research approach combined with a problem-posing method based on Freire’s pedagogy enables personal discoveries and might be a means for accompanying people with profound malaise. Actions, interventions, and policies should enable people to achieve their ideal of circumstances and to respond to children’s needs for love and support.

The developemnt of fisheries in Lake Victoria is faced with a myriad challenges including overfishing, environmental destruction, disappearance of certain indigenous species and pollution. All these problems can be located within the social, economic and political systems that exists today and in the past. This thesis, ‘Fishers and Fish Traders of Lake Victoria : Colonial Policy and the Development of Fish Production in Kenya, 1880-1978’, argues that the Luo fishers had their own indigenous techniques of fishing, modes of preservation and systems of management that ensured sustainable utilisation of fisheries. The thesis examines the role of the Luo fishers in the sustainable usage of the Lake Victoria fisheries. The British colonial settlers came up with new policies of plantation and commercial farming, taxation and forced labour, all of which encouraged the Luo fishers to partially break with their pre-colonial systems and create new ways of responding to the demands of the colonial state. The study argues that the coming of colonialism and its attendant capitalism introduced new fishing gear as well as new species, such as mbuta, that were inimical to the sustainable utilisation of the Lake Victoria fisheries. The colonial regime also introduced new practices of fisheries management such as scouts, licensing, closed seasons and the numbering of boats, practices geared towards ensuring the commercial production and development of the fisheries. This commercialisation led to cut-throat competition between Asian, European and African fish traders. The coming of independence in 1963 brought some changes, such as the provision of credit facilities, new technology, and attempts by the new African government to more effectively control and manage the fisheries. However, not much changed in terms of policy objectives, and most of the colonial policies remained unchanged. New industries were established around the fisheries, but most remained in the hands of Asians and a few African middlemen. The small-scale fishers continued to struggle against the commercialisation of fishery production, remaining voiceless and marginalised. The study recommends an all inclusive participatory approach to solve the problems currently affecting the Lake Victoria fisheries. / History / DLITT (History)

Cette thèse porte sur la régulation émotionnelle d’enfants et d’adolescents placés à l’Aide Sociale à l’Enfance. Sa thématique s’inscrit dans l’approche de la psychopathologie développementale et s’appuie de manière connexe sur la théorie de l’attachement. Analysant les stratégies de coping et le tempérament comme des régulateurs émotionnels, l’enjeu est d’étudier les effets de la maltraitance et du parcours de placement afin de mettre en relief les ressources et les vulnérabilités de ces jeunes. Cette thèse développe une approche quantitative basée sur deux séries de questionnaires auprès de jeunes maltraités et d’un échantillon témoin. Les résultats apportent des éclairages sur les facteurs de risque et de protection générés par de tels contextes de vie et mettent en évidence les besoins spécifiques de ces jeunes. Les préconisations formulées invitent les institutions de protection de l’enfance à proposer d’autres modes d’accompagnement dans le but de favoriser des prises en charge taillées sur mesure et adaptées aux caractéristiques des jeunes confiés. / This thesis deals with the emotional regulation of foster children and adolescents placed to the “Aide Sociale à l’Enfance”. We approach the subject through the prism of developmental psychopathology, related to the theory of attachment. The coping strategies and temperament are studied as emotional regulators. The issue is to study the effects of maltreatment and of the placement trajectory in order to highlight the resources and vulnerabilities of these young people. This thesis develops a quantitative approach based on two series of questionnaires carried out on maltreated youth and from a control sample. The results shed light on the risk and protective factors generated by such life and highlight the specific needs of these young people. A number of recommendations are made to invite child protection institutions to propose other means of support, with the goal of promoting tailor-made care, adapted to the characteristics of the foster children and adolescents.

Toxic leaders affect nearly half of the U.S. employee base and create environments in which followers, peers, and staff might be less effective due to stress, devaluation, and potential job loss. A multiple case study approach was used to understand what coping strategies employees use to reduce the negative effects of toxic leadership on themselves, other employees, and the overall workplace; and to understand the behaviors that result from these strategies. The purposeful and snowball sample consisted of 29 participants within the United States, ages 30 to 65, who worked within two or more organizations and who either directly experienced a toxic leader or observed someone who did. The theoretical framework was based on betrayal trauma theory, conservation of resources theory, and the cognitive theory of trauma. Research questions focused on how affected employees coped during and after the toxic event and any coping differences between sample groups. Data were collected via one-on-one telephone interviews. Data were analyzed via data organization, acquaintance, classification, coding, and interpretation. The major themes that emerged were emotional reaction, coping strategies used, effects at work and home, and resulting health issues for both person and family. Seeking resource help was identified as the most effective coping strategy when dealing with a toxic leader. Toxic leadership can have lasting negative effects on both organizations and employees that can extend beyond the workplace. Organizations have an organizational and social responsibility to address toxic leader behaviors and provide resources to employees to counteract toxic leadership to create a more positive work environment where employees can find work rewarding and fulfilling.

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The Covid-19 pandemic has put Sweden in a new and challenging situation. Several of thewomen's shelters in Sweden have reported an alarming pressure as a result of increased casesof women and children in vulnerable situations. Based on a qualitative research strategy, thisstudy examines how women's shelter workers experience and handles the practical andemotional work due to the Covid-19 pandemic. To examine this study's purpose and researchquestions, five semi-structured interviews were conducted with women’s shelter workers fromvarious women's shelters in Sweden. During each interview, the study subjects were given theopportunity to share their own experiences regarding the work situation due to the Covid-19pandemic. The gathered empirical material was analyzed using Arlie Hochschild's theoryregarding emotional work. The results of the study show that the majority of the study subjectsexperience changes in the number of abused women in need of help and support and that thepractical work has been limited and challenged. Furthermore, the study subjects experiencetheir jobs as even more emotionally demanding during the Covid-19 pandemic, but this had noeffect on the way of dealing with the emotional work. Several different coping strategies couldbe identified in the way of handling the emotional work, including recovery, previousprofessional experience, surface or deep emotional acting and the support from colleagues.With the help of different approaches, the study subjects distinguish themselves from theirprofessional role in order to not identify themselves too strongly with the emotional work. Theresults of the study proved that different coping strategies are of importance to be able to handleand complete emotional work. / Coronapandemin har resulterat i en ny och utmanande situation för Sverige. Många av landetskvinnojourer har rapporterat om ett alarmerande tryck på sina verksamheter till följd av ökadefall av kvinnor och barn i utsatta situationer. Utifrån en kvalitativ forskningsstrategi undersökerdenna studie hur jourkvinnors praktiska respektive emotionella arbete upplevs och hanteras tillföljd av coronapandemin. För att besvara studiens syfte och frågeställningar genomfördes femsemistrukturerade intervjuer med jourkvinnor från olika kvinnojourer i Sverige. Underrespektive intervjutillfälle fick jourkvinnorna möjlighet att dela med sig av sina egnaupplevelser gällande arbetssituationen under coronapandemin. Det empiriska materialetanalyserades med hjälp av emotionssociologiska begrepp från Arlie Hochschilds teori somberör emotionellt arbete. Resultaten visar att majoriteten av jourkvinnorna uppleverförändringar i antalet stödsökande och att det praktiska arbetet kommit att resultera ibegränsningar och utmaningar. Vidare visade det sig att jourkvinnorna utför ett än meremotionellt krävande arbete under coronapandemin, detta hade däremot ingen påverkan påjourkvinnornas sätt att hantera de emotionella påfrestningar som uppstår i arbetet medvåldsutsatta kvinnor. Arbetet som jourkvinnorna utför kunde även liknas med etthärbergeringsarbete i takt med att de bär på både sina egna och andras känslor. Flera olikahanteringsstrategier kunde identifieras i jourkvinnornas sätt att hantera det emotionella arbetet,däribland återhämtning, tidigare yrkeserfarenhet, ytligt respektive djup emotionellt agerandesamt stödet som återfinns hos jourkvinnornas kollegor. Det framgick att jourkvinnorna medhjälp av olika förhållningssätt kan skilja på sig själva och sin yrkesroll för att inte identifierasig för starkt med det emotionella arbetet. Olika hanteringsstrategier visade sig således vara avstor vikt för att jourkvinnorna ska kunna hantera och fullfölja det emotionella arbetet.

The aim of the study was to determine the extent of the psychological influence that human cadaver dissection has on Homoeopathy and Chiropractic students. Changes in axiety levels, appraisals (of the self, the situation and the environment), coping strategies and behavioural changes were investigated during the following four dissection phases: (i) before the dissection started (preparation); (ii) the first dissection period (exposure); (iii) two weeks after dissection started (development of resources) and (iv) three months after dissection started (stabilisation). Anxiety levels were measured using the Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale and the Templer Death Anxiety Scale. The remaining sections of the self-administered questionnaire included open and closed ended sections. Anxiety levels were found to be low, possibly due to students being previously exposure to the dissection hall, during peer tutoring sessions. Although active coping strategies were used most often, no clear pattern emerged with regard to which coping strategy was more effective in dealing with dissection anxiety. / Psychology / M. Sc. (Psychology)