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Thesis (M.Sc.)(Clinical Psychology) --University of Limpopo, 2005. / This study aims at finding out whether Black Northern Sotho speaking mothers of children diagnosed with behavioural problems cope differently from their English speaking counterparts, and whether the Black mothers have more support than their control group. Forty-eight Northern Sotho speaking Black African mothers with children diagnosed with behavioural problems were drawn using a convenience sample method. Thirty-two English speaking White mothers who have the same type of children were used as the control group. Participants were drawn from clinical populations in public hospitals in the Limpopo Province (Mankweng, Polokwane, Groothoek, and Lebowakgomo hospitals). All participants were given a questionnaire. The questionnaire had the following sections: bibliographical data of the mother and family; Social Support Scale (Sarason, Levine, Basham, & Sarason, 1983); Ways of Coping Scale (Billings & Moos, 1981) and an in-depth interviewing schedule. Ten subjects from the forty-eight were interviewed using the in-depth-interviewing schedule. The ten were selected by choosing every fifth numbered participant from the experimental group until the tenth participant. Results show that White mothers (control group) of children with behavioural problems coped better than the Black mothers (experimental group). Age of the mothers and the mothers’ perception of the level of health significantly influenced scores on the Coping Scale. As the mothers’ ages decreased, their scores on the Coping increased (they coped better) and as the perceived level of health increased (more positive), the Coping score increased. However, Black mothers have more support than their control group. The perceived level of health was the only factor that significantly influenced the scores on the Social Support scale. As the perceived level of health decreased, the Social Support received increased. It is also found that the Black mothers’ use of external locus of control in their explanations of the causes of their children’s problems led to a number of feelings in the mothers. Feelings for example, of not being in control of the situation, feelings of dissatisfaction with family life, decreased motivation together with feelings of guilt and self-blame. It appears a process of acculturation could be involved in the difficulties the Black mothers experience. This acculturation process and the effect of the problematic child on their system (school, family, and parents) need to be addressed further so they could be incorporated into future intervention programmes. Due to the limitations of the study, the findings should be used with caution. Further research should be done to shed more light on the coping strategies of mothers of children with behavioural problems. / National Research Foundation (NRF)

Supportive relationships with parents and peers are thought to be important in helping gay, lesbian, bisexual, or questioning youth cope with stressors related to their sexual identity. However, studies of same-sex attracted youth have yielded only minimal evidence for the link between social support and mental health. The lack of empirical findings may relate to inadequate measurement of the types of social support most relevant for same-sex attracted youth. Using matching theory as a theoretical framework, the present study examined same-sex attracted youth's perceptions of support for coping with problems specifically related to their sexuality. Ninety-eight same-sex attracted young people ages 18-21 were asked about support from family members, heterosexual friends, and sexual minority friends for dealing with problems related to, and not related to, their sexuality. Sexuality related life stressors, substance use severity, and symptoms of emotional distress were also assessed. A within-subject factorial ANOVA revealed differences between sexuality related support and non-sexuality related support across the three relationship types. From family members and heterosexual peers, participants perceived sexuality related support as less available than support for problems not related to sexuality. Non-heterosexual peers provided the highest levels of sexuality related support, and were seen as equally supportive across sexuality related and non-sexuality related domains. Linear regression analyses examined the roles of sexuality related and non-sexuality related support in predicting two mental health outcomes: emotional distress and substance use severity. Contrary to expectations, main effects for sexuality related support and non-sexuality related support did not predict emotional distress. Tests of "buffering" models revealed participants' overall perceptions of sexuality related support moderated the relationship between sexuality stress and psychological distress, such that higher levels of sexuality related support may have been protective. Perceptions of non-sexuality related support, on the other hand, did not moderate links between sexuality stress and emotional distress. Neither main effect nor buffering models were significant in predicting substance use severity. Results of this study provide important information about the types of social support most relevant to same-sex attracted youth.

Policing is widely recognized as a stressful occupation due to the long and unpredictable hours, potential for violence and danger involved in regular patrol duties, as well as the demanding nature of the organization. All of these factors can place extreme levels of stress on officers and test their ability to cope. The main goal of the present study was to explore the experiences of Canadian officers and their spouses concerning policing stress and how they manage that stress, both individually and as a couple through the lens of their relationship. Using a qualitative narrative approach, couples were interviewed together to share their perspectives on the most stressful aspects of policing, as well as the positive (healthy) and negative (unhealthy) coping strategies used individually and jointly by officers and their intimate partners to manage work-related stress. A wide variety of sources of policing stress were discussed by the couples. Both individual and family-oriented stress management strategies were identified. Recommendations for future research and for policy and practice based on the findings from the present study were also discussed.

Proefschrift Universiteit Maastricht. / Met bibliogr., lit. opg. - Met samenvatting in het Nederlands.

This large scale research project examined caregiving and bereavement adjustment among spousal dementia caregivers. The thesis begins by outlining a range of theoretical models of stress and coping, depression, and anticipatory grief that have been proposed to explain dementia caregiving and bereavement adjustment. This is followed by a critical evaluation of the existing research literature on bereavement outcomes and predictors of caregiving and bereavement adjustment among spousal dementia caregivers. To date, few theoretical models have conceptualised caregiving and bereavement as a single, chronic process. The available evidence suggests that whilst spousal dementia caregivers typically experience a long and exhausting caregiving career, they experience relatively few bereavement adjustment difficulties. This has been attributed to mediating factors such as the end of caregiving strain, anticipatory grief, and social support. However, our knowledge about the process of caregiving and bereavementa djustment among spousal dementia caregivers;a nd the transitional experiences that underpin such adjustment are poorly described in the literature. The grounded theory approach (Glaser & Strauss, 1967; Strauss & Corbin, 1990) was employed to investigate the caregiving and bereavement experiences of five participant spousal dementia caregivers. The aim of the study was to develop a theoretical understanding of the process of caregiving and bereavement adjustment. A model incorporating five transitions of participants' caregiving and bereavement experiences is proposed. In each transition a number of key attributes are described. This large scale research project examined caregiving and bereavement adjustment among spousal dementia caregivers. The thesis begins by outlining a range of theoretical models of stress and coping, depression, and anticipatory grief that have been proposed to explain dementia caregiving and bereavement adjustment. This is followed by a critical evaluation of the existing research literature on bereavement outcomes and predictors of caregiving and bereavement adjustment among spousal dementia caregivers. To date, few theoretical models have conceptualised caregiving and bereavement as a single, chronic process. The available evidence suggests that whilst spousal dementia caregivers typically experience a long and exhausting caregiving career, they experience relatively few bereavement adjustment difficulties. This has been attributed to mediating factors such as the end of caregiving strain, anticipatory grief, and social support. However, our knowledge about the process of caregiving and bereavementa djustment among spousal dementia caregivers;a nd the transitional experiences that underpin such adjustment are poorly described in the literature. The grounded theory approach (Glaser & Strauss, 1967; Strauss & Corbin, 1990) was employed to investigate the caregiving and bereavement experiences of five participant spousal dementia caregivers. The aim of the study was to develop a theoretical understanding of the process of caregiving and bereavement adjustment. A model incorporating five transitions of participants' caregiving and bereavement experiences is proposed. In each transition a number of key attributes are described. This large scale research project examined caregiving and bereavement adjustment among spousal dementia caregivers. The thesis begins by outlining a range of theoretical models of stress and coping, depression, and anticipatory grief that have been proposed to explain dementia caregiving and bereavement adjustment. This is followed by a critical evaluation of the existing research literature on bereavement outcomes and predictors of caregiving and bereavement adjustment among spousal dementia caregivers. To date, few theoretical models have conceptualised caregiving and bereavement as a single, chronic process. The available evidence suggests that whilst spousal dementia caregivers typically experience a long and exhausting caregiving career, they experience relatively few bereavement adjustment difficulties. This has been attributed to mediating factors such as the end of caregiving strain, anticipatory grief, and social support. However, our knowledge about the process of caregiving and bereavement adjustment among spousal dementia caregivers, and the transitional experiences that underpin such adjustment, are poorly described in the literature. The grounded theory approach (Glaser & Strauss, 1967; Strauss & Corbin, 1990) was employed to investigate the caregiving and bereavement experiences of five participant spousal dementia caregivers. The aim of the study was to develop a theoretical understanding of the process of caregiving and bereavement adjustment. A model incorporating five transitions of participants' caregiving and bereavement experiences is proposed. In each transition a number of key attributes are described. These attributes emerged from analysis of participants' interview data about caregiving and bereavement experiences. A key finding from this study is that two participants reported they were still having difficulty in coming to terms with negative experiences of professional support during caregiving. The overall study findings are discussed in relation to previous research findings regarding dementia caregiving and bereavement adjustment. Finally, the clinical healthcare implications and potential for future research are outlined.

To cope with difficult stress isn’t always easy and a lot of studies have been made to gain more information about how individuals develop their coping strategies under extreme stress. During the Holocaust, Jewish people found themselves in a number of different situations: extermination camps, labor and concentration camps, physical hiding in the sewers or forests. The aim of this paper is to examine the experiences and coping strategies of two Holocaust survivors. Through their biographies they have shared their experiences during the concentration camps. The research questions in this study are: How do the two individuals develop their coping during their stay in a concentration camp and to what extent can religion be included in the coping process? Three underlying questions are: What was significant for them during their experiences? What can be seen as theirs stressors? and What kind of coping strategies are used? To answer these questions a qualitative research method called template analysis style has been used. The main theory is Pargament’s (1997) coping theory. The conclusion of my study was that both individuals are trying to normalize life in the concentration camps with the help of daily routines because they felt that surviving in concentration camp is a matter of adaptation. Individuals had both mental and physical stressors. The use of daily routines and boundary setting served as coping strategies for both individuals. A strategy that both of the individuals used was to think about the future and prepare for the life after the concentration camp. The results showed that religion wasn’t a part of the coping process for these two individuals and that several different coping strategies were used.

In the past, a large body of research has examined how individuals deal with past stressors. More recently a newer line of research has examined how individuals deal with upcoming stressors. However, to date only a limited number of studies has concerned itself with this question. The present three studies were intended to add to the current literature on future-oriented coping by investigating predictors, mediators, and psychological outcomes related to future-oriented coping styles. Study 1 used an internet-based, cross sectional design to gain insight into the relationship between internal (goal-orientation and maximizing) and external resources (social support) and competencies (proactive competencies and goal adjustment) and three future-oriented coping styles, future-oriented avoidance coping, preventive coping, and proactive coping. We predicted that the three future-oriented coping styles would be related differently to resources and competencies. The results only partially supported our hypotheses, and particularly the inverse relationship between proactive coping and social support was surprising. Furthermore, proactive and preventive coping were related to maximizing. Study 2 and Study 3 extended the findings of Study 1. These studies used a lab-based, prospective design. In Study 2, the relationship of several additional internal resources in addition to maximizing were examined (irrational beliefs, values, optimism, and the Big Five personality traits) to gain further insight into their / text

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Working in the police service can be very demanding on a physical and emotional level. Many police offers often experience stress, trauma and anxiety which even sometimes leads to suicide. In order to deal with the stressors they face, officers have to use various coping methods. This present study aims to analyse the coping strategies used by police officers in the SAPS and whether these coping strategies change over a period of time. The main purpose is to investigate which coping responses are used most by police officers in the SAPS and to determine how the prominence of these coping responses change over a period of time. This study has a longitudinal approach and will add value to the body of research since no longitudinal study has previously been conducted on coping within the SAPS. Three samples, collected at three different points in time, were used in this study. The first sample (n = 1277) was collected while the officers were newly enrolled, the second sample (n = 463) was taken whilst they were undergoing practical training in the college and the last sample (n = 120) was collected when the police officers had spent two years in the field. The Ways of Coping (WoC) questionnaire was used as measuring instrument. The results of this study suggest that police officers predominantly use seeking social support, planful problem solving and positive reappraisal to deal with their daily stress. These responses are mainly seen as adaptive ways of dealing with stress. The coping responses used least includes escape avoidance, accepting responsibility and confrontive coping. There are clear indications that the way in which police officers use coping responses change over time spent in the SAPS. Over time, police officers accepted significantly less responsibility, and made less use of confrontive coping. Police officers also relied more on planful problem solving, positive reappraisal and escape avoidance. On a practical level it is suggested to conduct interventions in all units, divisions and on all levels to reinforce and refresh positive coping strategies in order to enhance the emotional well-being throughout the SAPS. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Human Resource Management / MCom / unrestricted