[Abstract]: This dissertation addresses several highly-critical issues in affective computing and agent architecture design including knowledge representation, motivation, emotion appraisal and affective decision making. The approach presented integrates motivational drives, goals and associated behaviours via a multi-dimensional Affective Space. The research focuses on an emotionally motivated artificial intelligence (EMAI) architecture. This architecture dispenses with the ideas implemented in contemporary affective agent architectures where individual emotional states are modelled as individual variables, integrated and processed using complex algorithms. Contemporary approaches required significant programming effort to modify them for domains outside their realm, integration of new emotional states and high-level complex affective decision making. Unlike contemporary affective agent architectures, the EMAI architecture reasons using a multi-dimensional decision making process where emotional states are modelled as coexisting locations in a six-dimensional affective continuum called the Affective Space. Through use of the Affective Space, an EMAI agent can predict the effect that certain behaviours will have on its emotional state and in turn decide how to behave. Furthermore, the agent can use the emotions produced from its behaviour to update its beliefs about particular events and entities. The nature of the Affective Space also allows an EMAI agent to deal with processes related to emotion synthesis in a more effective manner than contemporary architectures. These processes include the natural diminishing of an emotional state's strength over time, the way in which emotions can influence an agent's perspective of a situation and the way in which an agent can migrate from one emotional state to another. This dissertation contributes crucial and unique concepts and formalisations of emotion based intelligence for agent construction to the domain of Artificial Intelligence (in particular Affective Computing). It introduces a unique process for emotionally motivated decision making based on holistic and atomic appraisals made with respect to events. The thesis contained within has been supported through experimentation that has confirmed the effectiveness of the emotion synthesis technique in the EMAI architecture and how this is used to produce intelligent agents capable of emotional reasoning and decision making.

The aim of this study was to understand, clarify, and explain emotional intelligence, as well as possible sub concepts that are correlated to, and might also influence and shape, the leadership style that comes from emotional intelligence. Through Daniel Goleman’s (1995) bestseller: Emotional Intelligence, the topic has emerged rapidly during the last two decades and has been implemented in various settings, and among them as a leadership style. Now, even though emotionally intelligent leadership (EIL) has been touched upon in research to a certain level, there is no established map that explains the leadership style or its context. That is the gap this thesis is trying to close. By analyzing five books (from representatives of both the ability model and the mixed model) concerning strictly emotionally intelligent leadership, I wanted to discover what contextual perception these authors had of the leadership style and its context. The empirical study showed that the authors discussed a total of nine sub concepts which could be placed in the surrounding of EIL. After the analysis, the nine concepts were narrowed down to seven, which shape and influence this leadership style. Those seven concepts are acting, communication, gender, humor, mood, symbolic management and training and development. The development of emotional intelligence, emotionally intelligent leadership and its contextual concepts have also been presented through a model called: Linnaeus Model of Emotionally Intelligent Leadership and its Contextual Sub Concepts. This paper is a first effort at mapping the terrain of this emotional way of leading, and I hope that scholars and researchers within the study area, as well as practitioners and consultants (especially within leadership, management and HR) will find this paper useful.

Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFT; Johnson, 2004) addresses relationship distress by facilitating the development of new patterns of interaction between partners. These new patterns of interaction are based on partners' vulnerable acknowledgement and expression of attachment needs. Partners' engagement in these new patterns of interaction is thought to improve their relationship-specific attachment bond. Although previous studies have shown EFT to result in excellent relationship satisfaction outcomes (Johnson, Hunsley, Greenberg & Schindler, 1999), research had yet clearly to demonstrate if and how EFT facilitates increases in partners' relationship-specific models attachment security over the course of therapy. To address this research gap, the current study employed Hierarchical Linear Modelling (HLM; Singer & Willet, 2003) to investigate the pattern of change in couples' (n=32) self-reported relationship satisfaction and relationship-specific attachment over the course of EFT. Couples reported significant linear increases in their relationship satisfaction and significant linear decreases in their relationship-specific attachment avoidance over the course of therapy. Couples who completed the blamer-softening therapeutic change event (n=16) demonstrated significant linear decreases in their relationship-specific attachment anxiety after completing this event. Decreases in relationship-specific attachment anxiety predicted increases in couples' relationship satisfaction over the course of therapy. Couples also demonstrated significant increases in the security of their pre-post-therapy relationship-specific attachment behaviour, as coded Secure Base Scoring System (Crowell, Treboux, Gao, Fyffe, Pan & Waters, 2002). The current study also used HLM (Singer & Willet, 2003) to examine how the completion of blamer-softening impacted softened couples' relationship-specific attachment anxiety, and whether the completion of blamer-softening had a similar impact on softened couples' relationship-specific attachment avoidance and relationship satisfaction. Softened couples reported an immediate increase in relationship satisfaction and immediate decrease relationship-specific attachment avoidance at the softening session. Further, softened couples' post-softening decreases in relationship-specific attachment anxiety were initially preceded by an increase at the softening session. These results provided an understanding of how EFT leads to increases in couples' relationship-specific attachment security. These results provide support for the use of attachment theory in the treatment of relationship distress, and also provide an illustration of how attachment can shift over the course of a therapeutic intervention.

Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFT; Johnson, 2004) is an empirically validated approach to couple therapy that uses attachment theory to understand the needs and emotions of romantic partners. In EFT, relationship distress is conceptualized as resulting from negative affect, emotional disconnection, and unmet attachment needs. Although EFT is recognized as one of the most researched and effective approaches to couple therapy, little research has examined theoretically related characteristics of couples to changes in marital satisfaction throughout EFT. The present doctoral thesis examined this area of literature. Thirty-two couples were provided approximately 21 sessions of EFT. The goal of the first study was to identify intake characteristics related to change in marital satisfaction over the course of EFT. Couples completed self-report measures of marital satisfaction, attachment security, relationship trust, and emotional control at pre- and post-therapy and after each therapy session. Individuals higher on self-report attachment anxiety and higher levels of emotional control had greater change in marital satisfaction over the course of EFT. The goal of the second study was to examine intake levels of attachment security and its relationship to the occurrence of the blamer-softening event, a key change event in EFT, and changes in marital satisfaction. Results indicated that the occurrence of a blamer-softening event significantly predicted positive changes in marital satisfaction. Results also suggested that the occurrence of a softening event significantly moderated the relationship between attachment avoidance at intake and change in marital satisfaction from pre- to post-therapy. For couples who completed a blamer-softening event, partners with lower levels of attachment avoidance were more likely to have positive changes in marital satisfaction. However, this relationship was not evident for attachment anxiety. Overall, results from this thesis suggest that attachment security is a key characteristic of couple partners for therapists to consider when implementing EFT. Therapists may benefit from assessing attachment security at the start of therapy to help inform them of the emotion regulating strategies used by couple partners. This information may help therapists to tailor specific interventions such that couples may begin to develop more secure attachment bonds.

Expressive Writing (EW) involves asking participants to write emotionally about stressful life events and has been associated with improvements in psychological and physical health. The purpose of the current study was to extend previous work by examining the moderating and mediating role of emotion regulation within the EW intervention. Sixty participants who had experienced a traumatic event were recruited from the community and were assigned to an EW or control writing condition. Measures assessing emotion regulation and indices of psychological and physical health were administered at baseline and one month follow-up to determine changes in symptomatology. In comparison to control writing, EW led to significant improvements in depression, emotional clarity, and to a lesser degree emotional awareness. Although no other group differences were found, all participants demonstrated significant improvements in their symptoms of posttraumatic stress, reported physical health, overall emotion regulation abilities, their ability to accept their emotions, engage in goal directed behaviour when distressed, and access emotion regulation strategies they perceive as effective. No support was found for our moderation hypothesis. However, a significant moderation was discovered revealing that difficulties engaging in goal directed behaviour when distressed moderated improvements in posttraumatic stress symptoms. Specifically, control participants with this emotion regulation deficit demonstrated significantly poorer outcomes than control participants without this deficit; in comparison to the EW group participants who improved similarly on posttraumatic stress symptoms regardless of their level of difficulties at baseline engaging in goal directed behavour when distressed. Additionally, baseline emotion regulation abilities predicted improvements on psychological health (but not physical health) outcome measures for both groups. No support was found for our mediation hypothesis. Exploratory analyses revealed that the EW group demonstrated greater emotional arousal in response to their writing in sessions 1 and 2, but that by session 3 their arousal had significantly decreased and was equivalent to that of the control group, which showed no changes in arousal across sessions. No support was found for the moderating or mediating influence of arousal on outcome. Results will be discussed within a model of emotional expression and emotion regulation and compared to the existing EW literature.

Expressive Writing (EW) involves asking participants to write emotionally about stressful life events and has been associated with improvements in psychological and physical health. The purpose of the current study was to extend previous work by examining the moderating and mediating role of emotion regulation within the EW intervention. Sixty participants who had experienced a traumatic event were recruited from the community and were assigned to an EW or control writing condition. Measures assessing emotion regulation and indices of psychological and physical health were administered at baseline and one month follow-up to determine changes in symptomatology. In comparison to control writing, EW led to significant improvements in depression, emotional clarity, and to a lesser degree emotional awareness. Although no other group differences were found, all participants demonstrated significant improvements in their symptoms of posttraumatic stress, reported physical health, overall emotion regulation abilities, their ability to accept their emotions, engage in goal directed behaviour when distressed, and access emotion regulation strategies they perceive as effective. No support was found for our moderation hypothesis. However, a significant moderation was discovered revealing that difficulties engaging in goal directed behaviour when distressed moderated improvements in posttraumatic stress symptoms. Specifically, control participants with this emotion regulation deficit demonstrated significantly poorer outcomes than control participants without this deficit; in comparison to the EW group participants who improved similarly on posttraumatic stress symptoms regardless of their level of difficulties at baseline engaging in goal directed behavour when distressed. Additionally, baseline emotion regulation abilities predicted improvements on psychological health (but not physical health) outcome measures for both groups. No support was found for our mediation hypothesis. Exploratory analyses revealed that the EW group demonstrated greater emotional arousal in response to their writing in sessions 1 and 2, but that by session 3 their arousal had significantly decreased and was equivalent to that of the control group, which showed no changes in arousal across sessions. No support was found for the moderating or mediating influence of arousal on outcome. Results will be discussed within a model of emotional expression and emotion regulation and compared to the existing EW literature.

This study explores the moods and behavior of an emotionally impaired child before and after therapeutically oriented painting activities and assesses the effectiveness of this assistance method. The study employs qualitative research methods. The subject of this study is a fourth-grade emotionally impaired student who participated in painting activities twice each week, for a total of 16 sessions. Data was collected throughout the sessions via photography, audio and video recordings and analyzed for verbal descriptions, non-verbal expression, and interaction with the researchers. In addition, assessment, observation, and interviews of the student's mother and school personnel (administrators, guidance personnel, resource class teachers, guidance teachers, and class mothers) were used to gain an understanding of how effective therapeutically oriented painting activities are as a means of helping emotionally impaired children. This study reached the following conclusions from the research findings: (1) There was a significant improvement in the child¡¦s interpersonal relationships following the painting activities. (2) The child participated actively in family activities, and displayed positive interaction with his mother and older brother. (3) The child displayed significant positive changes in terms of innate abilities, learning motivation, self-affirmation, and personal growth. (4) The child's in-school performance displayed significant progress. (5) The child's communication abilities increased dramatically.

Research has consistently shown a greater likelihood of negative outcomes later in life for children with early-onset behavior problems. Understanding the educational outcomes for these children is essential information that can help educators and families to provide targeted interventions in an effort to positively impact these at-risk childrens school experiences. The current study used archival data and a causal comparative research design to examine the educational outcomes (academic achievement, suspension rates, retention rates, and dropout rates/failure to complete high school) for children identified as at-risk for early-onset behavior problems in grades 1 through 3 for a cohort of children in a large suburban Florida school district. Educational outcomes for students with early-onset behavior problems were compared to those of a comparison group of students not identified as having behavior problems in early elementary school. Additionally, the outcomes for students with early-onset behavior problems who received special education services and those who did not receive ESE services were compared. Results indicated that children with early-onset behavior problems were more likely to have been retained, suspended, and fail to complete high school when compared to their peers without early-onset behavior problems. They also had a lower high school grade point average. Among these students with early-onset behavior problems, those who received special education and those who did not were equally at risk for these negative educational outcomes.

The aim of this research were to investigate by means of both the literature review and empirical research, the nature of externalising and internalising of AIDS orphan learners, to investigate the ideas of Ubuntu, Bathe, Vumunhu communitarianism in the context of AIDS orphans suffering as a result of the death of their parents, to investigate the nature what kind of the death of their parents, physical and social problems, to determine which social systems are available in communities to render psychological, physical and social support to AIDS orphan learners, to determine the nature and extent of the educator's knowledge about psychological, physical and social difficulties that AIDS orphan learners experience; and to develop a program with Ubuntu, Bathe and Vumunhu communitarian ideas for supporting AIDS orphan learners in various communities. Findings from the empirical research revealed among others, that orphans in most cases are not aware of the parents' status before they pass away, orphans after they had heard their parents' status, tend to get affected psychologically, socially and emotionally. Orphans are usually not coping with the circumstances they find themselves in, orphans tend to have fear of disclosing causes of death of their relatives, orphans of HIV/AIDS are normally stigmatised and discriminated against by their relatives and members of the community. Orphans usually blame themselves or are blamed by their relatives and community members for being affected and infected with HIV/AIDS. Orphans normally do not have support from their communities, orphans in most cases do not cope financially and materially and they need financial and materialistic support. Most of the orphans do not receive grants from Social Development because they do not have the necessary documentation. Most of the orphans, teachers are usually aware of their situations at homes as well as their parents. Caregivers in most cases are aware of what causes the death of their relatives, caregivers usually know the status of their relatives before they pass away. Caregivers usually do not tell their family members that they are staying with HIV/AIDS orphans, caregivers are normally devoid of family support as well as community and caregivers tend to struggle to survive with financial support. Educators in most cases know the orphans in their classes. Educators usually are aware of the orphan's social problems and orphans usually have a lot of problems that educators do not get help for, because educators have a lot of work to do. Social workers usually have challenges when working with HIV/AIDS orphaned learners. The recommend future research is that it should consist of a larger sample, including participants form different provinces in South Africa. This will help to provide more exact information about the nature and extent of lived experiences of HIV/AIDS orphan learners. There is a need to investigate ways in which educators can be trained by the Department of Education to support learners in the inclusive classroom setting. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Education Management))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2010.

The aim of this research were to investigate by means of both the literature review and empirical research, the nature of externalising and internalising of AIDS orphan learners, to investigate the ideas of Ubuntu, Bathe, Vumunhu communitarianism in the context of AIDS orphans suffering as a result of the death of their parents, to investigate the nature what kind of the death of their parents, physical and social problems, to determine which social systems are available in communities to render psychological, physical and social support to AIDS orphan learners, to determine the nature and extent of the educator's knowledge about psychological, physical and social difficulties that AIDS orphan learners experience; and to develop a program with Ubuntu, Bathe and Vumunhu communitarian ideas for supporting AIDS orphan learners in various communities. Findings from the empirical research revealed among others, that orphans in most cases are not aware of the parents' status before they pass away, orphans after they had heard their parents' status, tend to get affected psychologically, socially and emotionally. Orphans are usually not coping with the circumstances they find themselves in, orphans tend to have fear of disclosing causes of death of their relatives, orphans of HIV/AIDS are normally stigmatised and discriminated against by their relatives and members of the community. Orphans usually blame themselves or are blamed by their relatives and community members for being affected and infected with HIV/AIDS. Orphans normally do not have support from their communities, orphans in most cases do not cope financially and materially and they need financial and materialistic support. Most of the orphans do not receive grants from Social Development because they do not have the necessary documentation. Most of the orphans, teachers are usually aware of their situations at homes as well as their parents. Caregivers in most cases are aware of what causes the death of their relatives, caregivers usually know the status of their relatives before they pass away. Caregivers usually do not tell their family members that they are staying with HIV/AIDS orphans, caregivers are normally devoid of family support as well as community and caregivers tend to struggle to survive with financial support. Educators in most cases know the orphans in their classes. Educators usually are aware of the orphan's social problems and orphans usually have a lot of problems that educators do not get help for, because educators have a lot of work to do. Social workers usually have challenges when working with HIV/AIDS orphaned learners. The recommend future research is that it should consist of a larger sample, including participants form different provinces in South Africa. This will help to provide more exact information about the nature and extent of lived experiences of HIV/AIDS orphan learners. There is a need to investigate ways in which educators can be trained by the Department of Education to support learners in the inclusive classroom setting. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Education Management))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2010.