‘Work ability’ is a multidimensional concept with importance for both society and the individual. The overall aim of this thesis was to illuminate work ability from the perspective of individuals (Studies I, III), rehabilitation (Study II) and employers (Study IV). In Study I five focus-group interviews were conducted with a total of 16 former unemployed sickness absentee participants. The interviews focused on their experiences of the environmental impact on return to work. The participants expressed a changed self-image and life rhythm. A need for reorientation and support from professionals was stressed. Experiences of being stuck in a ‘time quarantine’, i.e. a long and destructive wait for support, were also revealed. Study II was a randomised controlled study evaluating the interventional capacity of problem-based method (PBM) groups regarding anxiety, depression and stress and work ability compared to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as a method within the Rehabilitation Guarantee. Effects were measured with psychometric instruments. The participants, 22 in the PBM group and 28 in the CBT group, were persons on sick leave because of common mental disorders. Within-group analysis showed significant lower degree of symptoms regarding anxiety and depression for both interventions. Between-group analysis showed significant lower degree of symptoms for CBT regarding anxiety, depression and stress. Within-group analysis of work ability showed significant improvement in one (out of five) subscales for the PBM group and in four for the CBT group. No significant between-group differences were found regarding work ability. In Study III, 16 participants were interviewed after completed interventions in Study II, eight from each intervention group. The interviews focused on their experiences from the interventions and the impact on their ability to work and perform other everyday activities. The interventions were experienced as having a positive impact on their ability to work and perform other everyday activities in a more sustainable way. Reflecting on behaviour and achieving limiting strategies were perceived as helpful in both interventions, although varying abilities to incorporate strategies were described. The findings support the use of active coping-developing interventions rather than passive treatments. Study IV included interviews with 12 employers and investigated their conceptions of ‘work ability’. In the results three domains were identified: ‘employees’ contributions to work ability’, ‘employers’ contributions to work ability’ and ‘circumstances with limited work ability’. Work ability was regarded as a tool in production and its output, production, was the main issue. The employees’ commitment could bridge other shortcomings. In summary, in the work rehabilitation process, different perspectives on work ability need to be considered in order to improve not only individual performance but also rehabilitation interventions, work-places and everyday circumstances. Clearly pronounced perspectives can contribute to better illustrating the dynamic within the relational and multifaceted concept of ‘work ability’. The ability to work can thus be enhanced through improving individual abilities, discovered through reorientation and created through support and adaptation.

This dissertation examines factors affecting the service outcomes of immigrant women with disabilities who received vocational rehabilitation services, from the perspectives of their rehabilitation counselors. The participants were eight rehabilitation counselors who had received their Master's degrees from programs accredited by the Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE). Three counselors had Worker's Compensation caseloads, while the other five provided return to work rehabilitation services. Counselor perspectives on client experiences were obtained through the narrative inquiry method. Eight prevailing themes arose across the stories, regarding contributing factors,: immigrant status, amount of time spent providing services, level of client self-confidence, motivation, collaborative team member relationships and a strong client/counselor working alliance, counselor cultural sensitivity, the establishment of rapport, and counselor altruism. The theme of client immigrant status contained a number of related subthemes, including issues regarding acculturation, education level, legal status, refugee status, migrant femaleness, and English proficiency. Counselor disability policy knowledge was also explored as a basis for resources and services potentially valuable to this particular client group. The counselors' responses helped to identify a need for post-Master's continuing education on the topic of disability legislation. The narrative process also introduced reflection on practice to the field of rehabilitation counseling, as an effective research, education, and practice method.

Disability rights issues are an emerging area of discourse in Kenya. Persons with disabilities in Kenya face many barriers to integration into the larger Kenyan society possibly due to barriers such as societal negative attitudes. Research has indicated that the greatest barrier to rehabilitation of persons with disabilities is negative attitudes prevalent in society. Owing to their composition and enrolment, current University of Nairobi students are or will be engaged in daily decision making as leaders in the Kenyan society, some of which may directly affect the lives of persons with disabilities. It is therefore imperative to study their attitudes toward disability, especially at a time when the Kenya Persons with Disabilities Act of 2003 is being implemented. The main purpose of this study was to examine the general attitudes toward disability and attitudes toward organizational policies among University of Nairobi undergraduate students. Participants were a convenience sample of students enrolled in Sociology, Social Work, Psychology, Political Science, and Public Administration majors. Quantitative data analyses were used to study attitudes. The Attitudes Towards persons with Disability (ATPD) Form<&ndash>O (Yuker, Block <&amp>Campbell, 1960) was used to study general attitudes. The Attitudes Towards Employing Persons with Disabilities (ATEPD) measure (Loo, 2002) was used to study attitudes toward organizational policies and procedures for employees with disabilities. Results suggest that Kenyan students possess less positive attitudes toward disability than the normed populations. Seven independent variables (i.e., age, marital status, educational focus, type of enrollment, socio-economic status, place where one grew up, and area of current residence) were positively related to the dependent variables (i.e., general attitudes toward disability as well as several items regarding attitudes toward organizational policies and procedures for employees with disabilities). Other six independent variables (i.e., gender, level of enrollment, employment affiliation, perceived knowledge of disability, previous contact with disability, and self-knowledge of disability law) were not related to the dependent variables. Multiple regression analysis results indicated that only age was a predictor of attitudes toward disability among the Kenyan students. Implications for education, policy and future research are provided. The study contributes to mixed findings regarding attitudes toward disability.

I have chosen an action research approach for this essay. I want to incorporate a method of conflict management in the work of the personnel at a school and also discuss their thoughts and experience in conflict management. I wanted to incorporate modern knowledge about constructive conflict management for everyday use and I stress that if we can evolve these skills among the personnel in schools then we have a better chance of helping children with deviant behavior which often end up in conflict because of it. This will also help all the other children and personnel to manage conflict situations in a better way. I want to introduce a new way of thinking about conflict management which in many ways is different from how it is today. Briefly the method which I advocate revolves around paying attention to every ones basic needs and says that everyone can win and no one has to loose. he main purpose of this essay has been to find out if focus group conversations is a viable method for improving conflict management in the school system. Several of the participants has in their evaluations written that it was a rewarding and interesting way to work. Some participants also had a reservation that this work took time from our scheduled conferences so we might miss some important information.

First-year college students have many new responsibilities and challenges. They are faced with increasing autonomy and must find resources and people to help guide them. Students with disabilities face an even greater need to be independent and juggle more responsibilities, as they must disclose their disabilities to campus personnel if they need accommodations and become a self-advocate. In order to self-advocate, students must feel comfortable with being assertive. This study examined the differences in comfort with assertive behaviors between students with and without disabilities at three different types of postsecondary institutions (junior college, 4-year regional university, and 4-year Research 1 university). Two hundred seventy-eight freshman and sophomore students completed a questionnaire concerning their comfort with many different assertive behaviors. The following three variables were examined: a) college students' comfort with overall assertiveness; b) college students' comfort with verbal assertiveness; and c) college students' comfort with prosocial verbal skills. iv There were no significant differences between students with disabilities and students without disabilities in terms of their discomfort with assertive behaviors on any of the three variables. Males were more comfortable with assertive behaviors than females in terms of their overall assertiveness and their verbal assertiveness. Students from the 2-year junior college were more comfortable with overall assertiveness and verbal assertiveness than students at either the 4-year regional university or the 4-year Research 1 university. There were no differences between groups in terms of their prosocial verbal skills. Conclusions about the differences found in the study are reported. Recommendations for disability service providers are provided, as well as suggestions for future research.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of people living with the human immunodeficiency virus who underwent a physiotherapy rehabilitation programme, with the aim of informing and improving future physiotherapy rehabilitation interventions. Methodology: Design: A qualitative research design was adopted, using the International Classification of Function, Disability and Health as a guiding framework. Population: All adult HIV positive patients who were referred for physiotherapy rehabilitation at a public-funded South African hospital during the course of a five week clinical block. Sample: Fourteen participants were eligible for the study. Eight of these participants, who were able to attend the post-rehabilitation interview, were considered for final analysis in the study. Study setting: A public-funded hospital within the eThekwini district of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Research procedure: All eligible participants were requested to complete a questionnaire, the World Health Organisation Disability Assessment Schedule, prior to commencing a physiotherapy rehabilitation programme. After the period of rehabilitation, participants were interviewed using 14 open-ended questions designed to explore their experiences of this programme. Results: The questionnaire data described the participants’ demographics and illustrated the varying cognitive and physical challenges faced by these eight individuals. Content analysis of the eight interviews revealed the following themes: the participants’ knowledge of their health conditions and their prescribed medication, the impact of their illness on their impairments, activities and participation in their daily lives, the context in which these factors exist, the participants’ experience of physiotherapy rehabilitation and the barriers they faced in accessing continued rehabilitation. Conclusion: While participants reported mostly positive experiences related to physiotherapy rehabilitation, they face a number of barriers that limit their access to continued rehabilitation. It is hoped that the results of this study will assist in informing the development of future physiotherapy interventions, which are better designed to suit the needs of PLHIV in a South African public health context. / Thesis (M.Physio.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2012.

Tiriamasis darbas, skirtas regos negalią turinčių asmenų situacijai dabartinėje visuomenėje ištirti. Nagrinėjami jau atlikti šioje srityje tyrimai, ir bendros darbines gyventojų nuostatas tiriančios apybraižos. Gilinamasi į regos negalės specifiką, įstayminės bazės teikaimas galimybes, jos pritaikymą, istorinę regos negalią turinčių asmenų įdarbinimo raidą, jų ugdymo paradigmas, teorines neregių ugdymo nuostatas, neregių ir silpnaregių mokinių rengimą gyvenimui, profesinį orientavimą. Kadangi šiuolaikiniame darbe labai svarbus yra kūrybinis darbuotojų potencialas - nagrinėjamos regos tiriamųjų meno suvokimo ir jų kūrybiniai sugebėjimai. Teorinį šio darbo pagrindą sudaro prof. R. Grigo įtampos laukų teorija. Apžvelgiamos ir kitos sociologinės bei ugdymo teorijų paradigmos, jų pritaikomumas tirti problemą. Tyrime naudota kiekybinė anketinė Lietuvos Respublikos RNT (regos negalią turinčių) asmenų apklausa ir kokybinio metodo giluminis interviu su sėkmingiausiai įvairiose veiklos srityse dirbančiais RNT žmonėmis. Nagrinėjamos pagrindinės problemos: RNT asmenų ugdymo ir rengimo darbo rinkai potencialios galimybės, visuomenės pasiruošimas priimti RNT darbuotojus, aplinkos pritaikymas, pačių neįgaliųjų nuostatos ir pasirengimas darbui atviroje darbo rinkoje, problemos, iškylančios darbiniuose kolektyvuose. Tyrimo duomenys leidžia daryti išvadas, kad visuomenė turi per mažai žinių apie RNT asmenų darbines kompetencijas. Specializuotos šalies ugdymo įstaigos nepakankamai parengia... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / This study examines the situation of people having sight disability in modern society. It analyses the data of various researches in this area and general outlines in residents’ attitudes towards employment. Theoretical background of this paper is a theory of tension fields by professor R.Grigas. In this study societal paradigms and their applicability to analysis of issues are reviewed. Disability is a physical or mental condition that makes it difficult for someone to use a part of their body properly, or to learn normally. It can be caused by physical, mental or sensory disorders, or by inappropriate therapy. These disorders, states or illnesses can be chronic or transient. Integration is systematic meeting of people who have different abilities for purposeful activity. Social integration is characteristics of the unity of different social groups’ and individual aims. Rehabilitation is coordinated and complex use of medical, social, pedagogical and professional means to achieve one’s maximal functional activity. Attitude is a way of thinking or acting. Attitude can be formed immediately or during a longer period of time acquiring special experience. In the study is used quantitative interviewing of people who live in Lithuania and have sight disability and deep interviewing of those who are successful in their activities. The main issues that are analyzed: how our society is prepared to accept workers having sight disability, how surrounding is adapted for them, how... [to full text]

Purpose- The World Health Organization describes ‘activities’ as what one does, and ‘participation’ as life situations or roles. This thesis explores and describes important influencers of activities and participation from the perspective of persons with disabilities. It also suggests how to include such information when reporting results of tools measuring activities and participation, so that health professionals working with persons with disabilities might collaborate and communicate more effectively with each other and the people they serve. Method- The World Health Organization framework of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) was used. Participants with mobility problems living in the community with their disability for a least 1 year were involved in this mixed methods study to gain a broad understanding of how persons with disabilities perceive and experience factors that affect their general and specific activities and participation. Semi-structured interviews guided by categories contained in two standard measures, the Barthel Index (BI), and the Participation Scale (P-scale) were employed, and grounded theory methods were used. From their responses, relationships between important concepts were used to inform a theoretical model. Upon this framework, relevant important shared factors, derived through combining several methods, were incorporated into reporting tools. Results- 24 participants identified 258 individual factors. Grounded theory analysis resulted in The Successful Adaptation Model, describing relationships amongst factors and activities and participation. For the BI, devices, home modifications, and treatments were most contributory. For the P-scale, personality, community and home accessibility, level of impairment, mobility aids, and transportation were among the most influential factors. Conclusion- This study incorporates perspectives of persons with disability into the Successful Adaptation Model, describing factors affecting activities and participation and their interactions. It also suggests a method of reporting important factors in conjunction with standardized measures of activities and participation. / Thesis (Master, Rehabilitation Science) -- Queen's University, 2007-10-23 15:54:17.836 / Clinical Teachers Association at Queen's University/Southeastern Ontario Academic Medical Association Queen's University Inter-professional Patient-Centred Education Direction

In 2005, MTV Movies and ThinkFilm released Murderball, a groundbreaking documentary about wheelchair rugby. Due to its popularity and its subject matter, the film presents a unique opportunity to reflect on representations of disability in the contemporary North American context. The narrative of the film constructs a rivalry between Team U.S.A., captained by Mark Zupan, and Team Canada, coached by Joe Soars. Murderball works exceptionally well to disrupt notions of people with disabilities as fragile and helpless, countering ableist assumptions about what persons with quadriplegia can accomplish. However, based on a close reading of the film, I suggest that Murderball accomplishes this disruption by also celebrating ableist, sexist and heterosexist representations. I critique the film’s construction of the relationship between competitive international sport settings, disability, and masculinity by drawing on the tools of feminism and anti-normative politics. I also examine representations of hegemonic masculinity that are discursively linked to sport competition and violence in ways that work to support a U.S. nationalist and imperialist impulse. Overall, I suggest that recuperations of normative identity in Murderball rely on a jingoistic and violent air of moral authority where American men work to preserve the winning reputation of the U.S.A., while subjecting themselves to the constraints of normalcy. / Thesis (Master, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2009-09-14 16:16:58.087

Research in the field of intellectual disability (ID) has long recognized that social skills and, in turn, social acceptance, are key areas of difficulty for children with ID. However, little work has been done to examine the factors that may contribute to the development of these difficulties. This study examined early childhood parent-child interactions, as well as early characteristics of both the parent and the child, in order to identify the factors that may be relevant to the later development of social competence and social integration. The study found that the social competence of school-aged children with ID affects the extent to which they are integrated within the social and academic domains. Furthermore, school-age social competence was affected by child and parent functioning in toddlerhood. The findings have important implications for intervention, as mentally healthy, well-supported parents may pose a protective factor for at-risk children. Future studies will need to further examine the role of parent-child interactions in child development. / Thesis (Ph.D, Psychology) -- Queen's University, 2009-09-24 13:50:22.687