Night shift or non-standard work continues to grow throughout the economy (Beers, 2000). Women's roles in society are changing as they find themselves having to join the work force due to economic need. South African women most of whom are mothers are no exception in this regard. Many of these mothers are obliged to do night shift work. Sectors like manufacturing and public-oriented industries often use shift work to ensure efficient continuous operation and uninterrupted response to the needs of society. This article aims to explore the role that night shift work plays in the relationships between mothers and their adolescent children; whether the mutual perceptions of night shift working mothers and their adolescent children regarding their relationships differ from those of non-shift working mothers and their adolescent children; and whether there is a difference between the night shift working group and the non-shift working group with regard to the perceptions of their relationships. Lastly, the article aims to determine the reliability of the measuring instrument that was used in this study, namely the Parent-Adolescent-Relationship-Questionnaire (PARQ). Available literature shows that shift work has a negative impact on health, for example stress-related illnesses due to lack of sleep (Akerstedt, 1998, 2003; Fletcher & Dawson, 1997, 2001; Presser, 2005). Family life is also affected and relationship difficulties have been reported (Chang, Wang, & Liu, 1993; Holland, 2004; Grosswald, 2003, 2004; Presser, 1995, 2000, 2003, 2005), while shift work is seen as a threat to family cohesion. Adolescence is a critical developmental stage and mothers have an important role to enhance healthy adolescent development in terms of issues like self-identity and autonomy. The mother's unusual working hours can have a negative impact on the mother-adolescent relationship. A cross-sectional design was used in this study. There were two groups: 35 night shift working mothers and their adolescent children, and 35 non-shift working mothers and their adolescent children. Participants were requested to complete a PARQ questionnaire. Data was analysed by means of SAS and SPSS programmes. Descriptive statistic methods such as central tendency, mean and median, variability, range and standard deviation, skewness and kurtosis were used to explore data. Independent and dependent t-tests were used to determine differences between the mean scores of the night shift working and non-shift working mothers and their adolescent children. The effect size was used to provide an objective measure of a practical effect. The findings indicate that PARQ is a reliable measure for this study as it showed good internal consistency. The skewness and kurtosis indicate acceptable normality. Adolescent children of non-shift working mothers perceive communication with their mothers as more efficient than adolescent children of night shift working mothers, and there is an indication of a significant practical effect. Adolescent children of non-shift working mothers have a more positive perception of the Mothers' Problem Solving than adolescent children of night shift working mothers, with indications of a significant practical effect between the two groups. There is no statistically significant difference between and no significant practical effect in any of the variables concerning the two groups of mothers, as reflected in Table 4. However, Table 5 shows a difference between the perceptions of the two groups of adolescents. There is a statistically significant difference between Cohesion for non-shift working mothers and for their adolescent children, with an indication of a significant practical effect. Tables 5 and 6 show a statistically significant difference between Conventionalisation of the two groups, with an indication of a significant practical effect. Both night shift working and non-shift working mothers have a more positive perception of Conventionalisation than their adolescent children. Findings also indicate a statistically significant difference in Global Distress between night shift working mothers and their adolescent children, with an indication of a significant practical effect. Night shift working mothers experience higher levels of Global Distress than their adolescent children. For both groups -night shift working mothers and their adolescent children; and non-shift working mothers and their adolescent children there is a statistically significant difference between the mothers' and the adolescents' perception of Ruination. This study has several limitations and it is recommended that future studies use a larger sample size and include longitudinal studies. Future research should also explore the construct of the night shift working mother's parenting style and their coping strategies. Father-adolescent relationships should also be a research focus. In some families in both groups, the study created a platform for dialogue between adolescents and their mothers. / Thesis (M.A. (Clinical Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

Night shift or non-standard work continues to grow throughout the economy (Beers, 2000). Women's roles in society are changing as they find themselves having to join the work force due to economic need. South African women most of whom are mothers are no exception in this regard. Many of these mothers are obliged to do night shift work. Sectors like manufacturing and public-oriented industries often use shift work to ensure efficient continuous operation and uninterrupted response to the needs of society. This article aims to explore the role that night shift work plays in the relationships between mothers and their adolescent children; whether the mutual perceptions of night shift working mothers and their adolescent children regarding their relationships differ from those of non-shift working mothers and their adolescent children; and whether there is a difference between the night shift working group and the non-shift working group with regard to the perceptions of their relationships. Lastly, the article aims to determine the reliability of the measuring instrument that was used in this study, namely the Parent-Adolescent-Relationship-Questionnaire (PARQ). Available literature shows that shift work has a negative impact on health, for example stress-related illnesses due to lack of sleep (Akerstedt, 1998, 2003; Fletcher & Dawson, 1997, 2001; Presser, 2005). Family life is also affected and relationship difficulties have been reported (Chang, Wang, & Liu, 1993; Holland, 2004; Grosswald, 2003, 2004; Presser, 1995, 2000, 2003, 2005), while shift work is seen as a threat to family cohesion. Adolescence is a critical developmental stage and mothers have an important role to enhance healthy adolescent development in terms of issues like self-identity and autonomy. The mother's unusual working hours can have a negative impact on the mother-adolescent relationship. A cross-sectional design was used in this study. There were two groups: 35 night shift working mothers and their adolescent children, and 35 non-shift working mothers and their adolescent children. Participants were requested to complete a PARQ questionnaire. Data was analysed by means of SAS and SPSS programmes. Descriptive statistic methods such as central tendency, mean and median, variability, range and standard deviation, skewness and kurtosis were used to explore data. Independent and dependent t-tests were used to determine differences between the mean scores of the night shift working and non-shift working mothers and their adolescent children. The effect size was used to provide an objective measure of a practical effect. The findings indicate that PARQ is a reliable measure for this study as it showed good internal consistency. The skewness and kurtosis indicate acceptable normality. Adolescent children of non-shift working mothers perceive communication with their mothers as more efficient than adolescent children of night shift working mothers, and there is an indication of a significant practical effect. Adolescent children of non-shift working mothers have a more positive perception of the Mothers' Problem Solving than adolescent children of night shift working mothers, with indications of a significant practical effect between the two groups. There is no statistically significant difference between and no significant practical effect in any of the variables concerning the two groups of mothers, as reflected in Table 4. However, Table 5 shows a difference between the perceptions of the two groups of adolescents. There is a statistically significant difference between Cohesion for non-shift working mothers and for their adolescent children, with an indication of a significant practical effect. Tables 5 and 6 show a statistically significant difference between Conventionalisation of the two groups, with an indication of a significant practical effect. Both night shift working and non-shift working mothers have a more positive perception of Conventionalisation than their adolescent children. Findings also indicate a statistically significant difference in Global Distress between night shift working mothers and their adolescent children, with an indication of a significant practical effect. Night shift working mothers experience higher levels of Global Distress than their adolescent children. For both groups -night shift working mothers and their adolescent children; and non-shift working mothers and their adolescent children there is a statistically significant difference between the mothers' and the adolescents' perception of Ruination. This study has several limitations and it is recommended that future studies use a larger sample size and include longitudinal studies. Future research should also explore the construct of the night shift working mother's parenting style and their coping strategies. Father-adolescent relationships should also be a research focus. In some families in both groups, the study created a platform for dialogue between adolescents and their mothers. / Thesis (M.A. (Clinical Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

Background: High blood pressure is the leading risk factor for disease burden worldwide, contributing to more than 9 million deaths each year. Some research suggests that the prevalence of hypertension increases as individual/household socioeconomic position (SEP) decreases. The results of multilevel studies also suggest an association between poorer neighborhood socioeconomic circumstances and hypertension. Further, at both the individual/household- and area-level, high blood pressure may be more strongly related to SEP among women than men. Most research, however, has been restricted to urban populations. There has not been much research which examines risk factors for hypertension in rural Canada and, in particular, socioeconomic risk factors. Objectives: To examine the relationship between individual/household- and area- level socioeconomic circumstances, gender, and high blood pressure in a rural Saskatchewan population. Methods: There were two data sources for this study. Individual/household-level data were from the Saskatchewan Rural Health Study (SRHS). Analyses focused on adults (n=8,261) who completed the cross-sectional baseline questionnaire. Census subdivisions were used to link SRHS data with area-level data from the 2006 Canadian census. The dependent variable was self-reported diagnosed high blood pressure. The primary independent variables were gender and four measures of socioeconomic circumstances: household income, educational attainment, arealevel material deprivation, and area-level social deprivation. Principal components analysis was used to derive the area-level measures of deprivation. Multilevel logistic regression was the primary method of analysis. Results: Four main findings emerged: 1) low educational attainment was associated with a greater odds of high blood pressure; 2) the relationship between low household income and high blood pressure was more pronounced among women than men; 3) the relationship between higher area-level social deprivation and high blood pressure was more pronounced among men than women; and 4) area-level material deprivation was not associated with high blood pressure. iii Conclusion: Study results revealed complex relationships between SEP, gender, and high blood pressure in this rural Saskatchewan population. Future research applying a longitudinal design is needed to advance understanding of the relationship between SEP and incident hypertension in rural Canada, including the identification of vulnerable subgroups. Also needed is research examining the factors which explain (i.e. mediate) associations between SEP and hypertension in rural settings, particularly at the area-level.

De flesta individer påverkas dagligen av belöningar, motivation och rättvisa i såväl privatlivet som arbetslivet. Uppsatsens syfte har varit att undersöka hur belöningar påverkar medarbetares, mellanchefers och högre chefers arbetsmotivation inom en specifik organisation. Syftet har även varit att undersöka eventuella skillnader mellan olika organisatoriska nivåer och om upplevd rättvisa är viktigt för motivationen. Inom området finns en mycket omfattande och variationsrik kunskapsbas. Den tidigare forskningen är dock i hög utsträckning mycket tvetydig och pekar på att olika belöningstyper kan ha skilda effekter på olika typer av motivation. I uppsatsen har teorier från olika vetenskapliga discipliner använts eftersom vår utgångspunkt är att de tillsammans kan skapa ett helhetsperspektiv. För att besvara syfte och frågeställning har en kvalitativ fallstudie av en internationell organisation med verksamhet i Sverige utförts. Genomförandet baseras på semistrukturerade intervjuer med medarbetare, mellanchefer och högre chefer av olika kön och i spridda åldrar. Resultatet och de generella slutsatserna är att både monetära och icke-monetära belöningar påverkar arbetsmotivationen men tycks vara olika viktiga för olika typer av motivation. Medarbetares, mellanchefers och högre chefers arbetsmotivation tycks påverkas på liknande sätt av belöningarna. När de anställda känner sig rättvist behandlade tycks inte deras arbetsmotivation öka eller minska men när de upplever orättvisa kan det påverka motivationen negativt. Uppsatsen kompletterar den omfattande kvantitativa forskningen på området med nya kvalitativa infallsvinklar. Det kan inte ges ett enkelt och allmängiltigt svar på vad som påverkar en anställds arbetsmotivation. Dock är vår förhoppning att uppsatsen bidrar med en fördjupad insikt i det komplexa förhållandet mellan belöningar, motivation och rättvisa.

Researchers have failed to specify when crime and counter-normative actions, as opposed to other responses may occur as a consequence of relative deprivation. To clarify this issue, a mediational model was developed that specified the causal processes leading from the recognition of deprivation to crime and counter-normative actions. This model hypothesizes that the recognition of deprivation (cognitive relative deprivation) leads to feelings associated with this recognition (affective relative deprivation) which in turn leads to crime and counter-normative actions. This model applies to both personal and group deprivation. In both cases, the feelings associated with deprivation include anger, resentment, dissatisfaction, and discontent. Data from a sample of 950 males between the ages of 16 to 30 supported the mediational model. Moderator variables were hypothesized to influence the causal processes in the mediational model, and were thus employed to specify the conditions under which the recognition of deprivation became more likely to lead to intense emotional reactions, and the conditions under which these emotional reactions became more likely to lead to crime and counter-normative actions. Personal deprivation was found to lead to stronger emotional responses if persons were pessimistic about their deprivation being relieved in the future, while at the group level, higher levels of optimism were related to stronger emotional responses. Both types of deprivation also lead to stronger emotional responses when persons believe that financial success and wealth are important. The emotive responses for both personal and group deprivation, in turn, were more likely to lead to crime and counter-normative actions if deprived persons had criminal peers. It was also found that the recognition of personal deprivation was more likely to lead to depression and lower self-esteem if people blamed themselves for their deprivation than if they did not. Persons who were not optimistic that their deprivation would be relieved in the future were more depressed than persons who were optimistic. Persons whose in-group was deprived were more likely to have lower self-esteem if they blamed the in-group for its deprivation than if they did not.

The ability to navigate with limited vision is a skill that is often employed in our daily lives. Navigating without vision to a remembered target has previously been studied. However, not much is known about the attention required to perform blind navigation. We examined the effect of aging and presence of obstacles on the attentional demands of blind navigation. We evaluated reaction time, navigation errors and average walking speed in an 8 meter walking path, with or without obstacles, in the absence of vision. Results showed that older participants had increased reaction time and increased linear distance travelled as opposed to young participants, that obstacles increased reaction time and decreased average walking speed in all participants, and that emitting the reaction time stimulus early in the trial increased the linear distance travelled. Interpretation of the results suggests that aging and presence of obstacles augments the attentional demands of blind navigation.

Background. A visual prosthesis is a conceptual device designed to activate residual functional neurons in the visual pathway of blind individuals to produce artificial vision. Such device, when applied to stimulate the vitreous surface of the retina, has proven feasible in producing patterned light perception in blind individuals suffering from dystrophic diseases of the retina, such as aged-related macular degeneration (AMD). However the practicality of such approach has been challenged by the difficulty of surgical access and the risks of damaging the neuroretina. Positioning a visual implant over the scleral surface of the eye could present a safer alternative but this stimulation modality has not been tested in diseased retinas. Additionally, recent research has shown that the adult neocortex retains substantial plasticity following a disruption to its visual input and the potential deterioration in visual capabilities as a result of such experience modification may undermine the overall bionic rescue strategy. Methods. Two animal models mimicking the principal pathologies found in AMD, namely photoreceptor degeneration and reduced retinal ganglion cell mass, were used to evaluate the efficacy of trans-scleral stimulation of the retina by recording electrical evoked potentials in the visual cortex. The visual performance following the loss of pattern vision induced by bilateral eyelid suturing in adult mice was examined by analysing visual evoked potentials. Findings. Spatially differentiated cortical activations were obtained notwithstanding the underlying retinopathy in the experiment animals. The charge density thresholds were found to be similar to controls and below the bioelectric safety limit. After prolonged visual deprivation (weeks) in the mouse, the visual cortical responses evoked by either electrical or photic stimuli were both significantly reduced. An assessment of different visual capabilities using patterned stimuli demonstrated that whilst visual acuity and motion sensitivity were preserved, significant depression in luminance and contrast sensitivities was detected. Conclusion. Trans-scleral stimulation of the retina is a feasible approach for the development of a visual prosthesis. Following visual loss the adult brain exhibits significant experience-dependent modifications. These new insights may force a revision on the current bionic rescue strategy.

Background. A visual prosthesis is a conceptual device designed to activate residual functional neurons in the visual pathway of blind individuals to produce artificial vision. Such device, when applied to stimulate the vitreous surface of the retina, has proven feasible in producing patterned light perception in blind individuals suffering from dystrophic diseases of the retina, such as aged-related macular degeneration (AMD). However the practicality of such approach has been challenged by the difficulty of surgical access and the risks of damaging the neuroretina. Positioning a visual implant over the scleral surface of the eye could present a safer alternative but this stimulation modality has not been tested in diseased retinas. Additionally, recent research has shown that the adult neocortex retains substantial plasticity following a disruption to its visual input and the potential deterioration in visual capabilities as a result of such experience modification may undermine the overall bionic rescue strategy. Methods. Two animal models mimicking the principal pathologies found in AMD, namely photoreceptor degeneration and reduced retinal ganglion cell mass, were used to evaluate the efficacy of trans-scleral stimulation of the retina by recording electrical evoked potentials in the visual cortex. The visual performance following the loss of pattern vision induced by bilateral eyelid suturing in adult mice was examined by analysing visual evoked potentials. Findings. Spatially differentiated cortical activations were obtained notwithstanding the underlying retinopathy in the experiment animals. The charge density thresholds were found to be similar to controls and below the bioelectric safety limit. After prolonged visual deprivation (weeks) in the mouse, the visual cortical responses evoked by either electrical or photic stimuli were both significantly reduced. An assessment of different visual capabilities using patterned stimuli demonstrated that whilst visual acuity and motion sensitivity were preserved, significant depression in luminance and contrast sensitivities was detected. Conclusion. Trans-scleral stimulation of the retina is a feasible approach for the development of a visual prosthesis. Following visual loss the adult brain exhibits significant experience-dependent modifications. These new insights may force a revision on the current bionic rescue strategy.

Thesis (M.Phil.)--Murdoch University, 2003. / Thesis submitted to the Division of Social Sciences, Humanities and Education. Bibliography: leaves 309-378.

Thesis (M.A.)--Northern Kentucky University, 2008. / Made available through ProQuest. Publication number: AAT 1457014. ProQuest document ID: 1594487381. Includes bibliographical references (p. 49-50)