The purpose of this study is to see to what extent the factors of intelligence, socio-economic status, personality, condition of mental health, and manual work load have influence the grades received by forty-five freshmen at Southwestern Junior College.

The problem set forth in this study is to determine the relationship of certain factors to the popularity of students in the eighth grade of the Junior High School at Ozona, Texas. The factors to be considered in this study are as follows: 1. The socio-economic status of the parents; 2. Each of the factors measured by the California Test of Personality; 3. The intelligence quotient; 4. Scholastic achievement; 5. The length of family residence in the community; 6. Physical attractiveness of the students as evaluated by three teachers; 7. Athletic ability as evaluated by the physical education teachers; 8. Conduct in the classroom as evaluated by the home room teacher.

The purpose of this study is to compare sociometric data obtained from Negro and white pupils in fourth, fifth, and sixth grade public school classrooms in Fort Worth, Texas. An attempt will be made to determine, as nearly as possible with the methods available and other limitations of this study, to what degree socialization is affected by racial factors in groups which are comparable in terms of socio-economic status.

The purpose of this study is a comparison of the socio-economic status with the school status of the seventh, eighth, and ninth-grade pupils of the Montague, Texas, public schools. In this study the socio-economic status is interpreted as meaning the position that the individual, or family, occupies with reference to average standards based on the home status indexes.

The present study is concerned with the relation of the existent socio-economic family status to the school status of twenty-four third and fourth grade pupils in the Jermyn, Texas public school.

The purpose of the present study is to study the problems of Anglo-American and Latin-American girls in relation to their socio-economic status.

Motivation Alcohol consumption is one of the major risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Excessive alcohol drinking is the fifth leading cause of death worldwide and the prevalence of alcohol abuse continues to increase especially in low-income areas of sub-Saharan Africa. The alarming rate of urbanisation seems to be the driving force for excessive alcohol intake in the developing world. In addition to its influence on CVD, heavy drinking also results in a number of non-cardiovascular consequences that include injury, risky sexual behaviour, violent crime and family dysfunction among black South Africans, contributing to high mortality. Moreover, the highest number of individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in South Africa is partly attributable to high intake of alcohol. HIV remains a major concern in South Africa with significant funding diverted to address the pandemic. The continued increases in mortality from preventable outcomes such as stroke, myocardial infarction and renal failure are largely due to urbanisation, poverty and dysfunctional health systems working with limited budgets. These are some of the factors requiring in-depth study of the scientific aspects of alcohol intake in South Africa. Although there is enough evidence that links excessive drinking with hypertension and CVD, the markers of alcohol intake – self reporting of alcohol, gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and carbohydrate deficient transferrin – are still not specific enough to isolate other confounding factors in the association of alcohol intake with CVD. The markers of alcohol that independently predict CVD and mortality need to be explored. Finally, the severe lack of longitudinal investigations on alcohol-related hypertension development and total mortality in black South Africans has compromised the early identification of risk factors associated with these outcomes. This study will therefore attempt to address the limited availability of longitudinal studies and stimulate interest for continued investigation. Aim The aim of this study was to investigate whether alcohol intake of black South Africans is related to specific measures of cardiovascular function (change in blood pressure (BP), hypertension development) and mortality over a period of 5 years. Methodology This study was based on the international Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study which includes 26 countries, investigating the cause and development of cardiovascular risk factors in low, middle and high income countries. This South African leg of the PURE study started in 2005 in which the baseline data was collected from 2021 black South Africans from rural and urban areas in Ikageng, Ganyesa and Tlakgameng in the North West Province. Eleven participants presented with missing data, leaving 2010 participants with complete datasets at baseline. However, data from these 11 participants was useful, especially for Chapter 4. All participants gave informed consent and the Ethics committee of the North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus) approved the study. The follow-up data collection was done in 2010. General health questionnaires, anthropometric measurements, lipid profiles and cardiovascular measurements were taken both at baseline and follow-up using appropriate methods. We also collected blood samples and performed biochemical analyses for lipid markers, liver enzymes, inflammatory markers and percentage carbohydrate deficient transferrin (%CDT). Finally, we obtained data on cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular mortality through verbal autopsy and death certificates. We made use of analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Chi-square tests to compare means and proportions, respectively. We used dependent t-tests and the McNemar test to compare baseline and follow-up variables. Furthermore, we employed single and partial linear regression analyses to correlate alcohol markers with each other and with the cardiovascular measures. Multiple regression analyses were used to correlate dependent variables in the study with various independent variables as required. Finally, we employed multivariable-adjusted Cox regression analyses to assess the association of the selected alcohol markers with mortality while adjusting for several independent variables. Results and Conclusions of each manuscript - With the first research article (Chapter 4), we aimed to compare self-reported alcohol intake estimates with GGT and %CDT, considering their relationship with percentage change in brachial blood pressure (BP) and central systolic blood pressure (cSBP) over 5 years. The results indicated that only self-reported alcohol intake independently predicted % change in brachial BP and cSBP. This was not found for the biochemical markers GGT and %CDT. Self-reported alcohol intake seems to be an important measure to implement by health systems in low income areas of sub-Saharan Africa, where honest reporting is expected. - Given the likely presence of high GGT levels in both alcohol consumption and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the second manuscript (Chapter 5) aimed to compare the cardiovascular and metabolic characteristics of excessive alcohol users and individuals with suspected NAFLD (confirmed with self-report, GGT and %CDT). We found that different sex and cardiometabolic profiles characterised excessive alcohol users and individuals suspected with NAFLD. Lean body mass and male sex were the dominant characteristics in excessive alcohol use while the NAFLD group had a dysmetabolic profile with obese women making up the higher proportion of this group. In excessive alcohol users systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure were independently associated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Diastolic blood pressure showed a significant correlation with waist circumference. These disparate profiles may guide healthcare practitioners in primary healthcare clinics to identify individuals with elevated GGT levels who may suffer from NAFLD or alcohol overuse. These results emphasise the importance of modifiable risk factors as the main contributors to CVD and that lifestyle change should be the main focus in developing countries such as South Africa. - The third manuscript (Chapter 6) aimed to determine the measure of alcohol intake (selfreported alcohol intake, GGT and %CDT) that related best with hypertension development, cardiovascular and all-cause mortality over 5 years in the same population of black South Africans. We found that GGT was the only independent predictor of hypertension development, cardiovascular as well as all-cause mortality. Moreover, self-reporting of alcohol intake predicted incident hypertension, confirming our findings from Chapter 4. The third marker, %CDT, a highly specific marker of alcohol intake, was not related with any outcome variable, perhaps due to its low sensitivity. Although self-reported alcohol intake is useful in low-resource primary healthcare settings, measurement of GGT is encouraged due to its predictive value for hypertension and mortality. GGT represents alcohol intake, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and obesity - all known to have severe cardiovascular consequences. Discussion and Conclusions Excessive alcohol intake remains a major concern in the development of hypertension, CVD and premature death in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite their weaknesses such as bias and nonspecificity, self-reporting of alcohol consumption and GGT emerged as reliable alcohol markers that independently predicted 5-year change in BP, hypertension development and total mortality in this population. Serum %CDT did not show any association with the mentioned cardiovascular markers. Finally, we were also able to show that black South Africans with suspected NAFLD (i.e. with high GGT levels who do not consume alcohol) are typically obese women, whereas lean men were more likely to have high alcohol consumption. Further prospective investigations are encouraged regarding (a) these mentioned associations, as well as (b) other self-reporting estimates such as quantity and frequency of drinking and (c) the use of %CDT as a highly specific marker of alcohol intake. The simultaneous presence of HIV infection in alcohol abuse in this population also warrants further investigation. / PhD (Physiology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Motivation Alcohol consumption is one of the major risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Excessive alcohol drinking is the fifth leading cause of death worldwide and the prevalence of alcohol abuse continues to increase especially in low-income areas of sub-Saharan Africa. The alarming rate of urbanisation seems to be the driving force for excessive alcohol intake in the developing world. In addition to its influence on CVD, heavy drinking also results in a number of non-cardiovascular consequences that include injury, risky sexual behaviour, violent crime and family dysfunction among black South Africans, contributing to high mortality. Moreover, the highest number of individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in South Africa is partly attributable to high intake of alcohol. HIV remains a major concern in South Africa with significant funding diverted to address the pandemic. The continued increases in mortality from preventable outcomes such as stroke, myocardial infarction and renal failure are largely due to urbanisation, poverty and dysfunctional health systems working with limited budgets. These are some of the factors requiring in-depth study of the scientific aspects of alcohol intake in South Africa. Although there is enough evidence that links excessive drinking with hypertension and CVD, the markers of alcohol intake – self reporting of alcohol, gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and carbohydrate deficient transferrin – are still not specific enough to isolate other confounding factors in the association of alcohol intake with CVD. The markers of alcohol that independently predict CVD and mortality need to be explored. Finally, the severe lack of longitudinal investigations on alcohol-related hypertension development and total mortality in black South Africans has compromised the early identification of risk factors associated with these outcomes. This study will therefore attempt to address the limited availability of longitudinal studies and stimulate interest for continued investigation. Aim The aim of this study was to investigate whether alcohol intake of black South Africans is related to specific measures of cardiovascular function (change in blood pressure (BP), hypertension development) and mortality over a period of 5 years. Methodology This study was based on the international Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study which includes 26 countries, investigating the cause and development of cardiovascular risk factors in low, middle and high income countries. This South African leg of the PURE study started in 2005 in which the baseline data was collected from 2021 black South Africans from rural and urban areas in Ikageng, Ganyesa and Tlakgameng in the North West Province. Eleven participants presented with missing data, leaving 2010 participants with complete datasets at baseline. However, data from these 11 participants was useful, especially for Chapter 4. All participants gave informed consent and the Ethics committee of the North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus) approved the study. The follow-up data collection was done in 2010. General health questionnaires, anthropometric measurements, lipid profiles and cardiovascular measurements were taken both at baseline and follow-up using appropriate methods. We also collected blood samples and performed biochemical analyses for lipid markers, liver enzymes, inflammatory markers and percentage carbohydrate deficient transferrin (%CDT). Finally, we obtained data on cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular mortality through verbal autopsy and death certificates. We made use of analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Chi-square tests to compare means and proportions, respectively. We used dependent t-tests and the McNemar test to compare baseline and follow-up variables. Furthermore, we employed single and partial linear regression analyses to correlate alcohol markers with each other and with the cardiovascular measures. Multiple regression analyses were used to correlate dependent variables in the study with various independent variables as required. Finally, we employed multivariable-adjusted Cox regression analyses to assess the association of the selected alcohol markers with mortality while adjusting for several independent variables. Results and Conclusions of each manuscript - With the first research article (Chapter 4), we aimed to compare self-reported alcohol intake estimates with GGT and %CDT, considering their relationship with percentage change in brachial blood pressure (BP) and central systolic blood pressure (cSBP) over 5 years. The results indicated that only self-reported alcohol intake independently predicted % change in brachial BP and cSBP. This was not found for the biochemical markers GGT and %CDT. Self-reported alcohol intake seems to be an important measure to implement by health systems in low income areas of sub-Saharan Africa, where honest reporting is expected. - Given the likely presence of high GGT levels in both alcohol consumption and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the second manuscript (Chapter 5) aimed to compare the cardiovascular and metabolic characteristics of excessive alcohol users and individuals with suspected NAFLD (confirmed with self-report, GGT and %CDT). We found that different sex and cardiometabolic profiles characterised excessive alcohol users and individuals suspected with NAFLD. Lean body mass and male sex were the dominant characteristics in excessive alcohol use while the NAFLD group had a dysmetabolic profile with obese women making up the higher proportion of this group. In excessive alcohol users systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure were independently associated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Diastolic blood pressure showed a significant correlation with waist circumference. These disparate profiles may guide healthcare practitioners in primary healthcare clinics to identify individuals with elevated GGT levels who may suffer from NAFLD or alcohol overuse. These results emphasise the importance of modifiable risk factors as the main contributors to CVD and that lifestyle change should be the main focus in developing countries such as South Africa. - The third manuscript (Chapter 6) aimed to determine the measure of alcohol intake (selfreported alcohol intake, GGT and %CDT) that related best with hypertension development, cardiovascular and all-cause mortality over 5 years in the same population of black South Africans. We found that GGT was the only independent predictor of hypertension development, cardiovascular as well as all-cause mortality. Moreover, self-reporting of alcohol intake predicted incident hypertension, confirming our findings from Chapter 4. The third marker, %CDT, a highly specific marker of alcohol intake, was not related with any outcome variable, perhaps due to its low sensitivity. Although self-reported alcohol intake is useful in low-resource primary healthcare settings, measurement of GGT is encouraged due to its predictive value for hypertension and mortality. GGT represents alcohol intake, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and obesity - all known to have severe cardiovascular consequences. Discussion and Conclusions Excessive alcohol intake remains a major concern in the development of hypertension, CVD and premature death in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite their weaknesses such as bias and nonspecificity, self-reporting of alcohol consumption and GGT emerged as reliable alcohol markers that independently predicted 5-year change in BP, hypertension development and total mortality in this population. Serum %CDT did not show any association with the mentioned cardiovascular markers. Finally, we were also able to show that black South Africans with suspected NAFLD (i.e. with high GGT levels who do not consume alcohol) are typically obese women, whereas lean men were more likely to have high alcohol consumption. Further prospective investigations are encouraged regarding (a) these mentioned associations, as well as (b) other self-reporting estimates such as quantity and frequency of drinking and (c) the use of %CDT as a highly specific marker of alcohol intake. The simultaneous presence of HIV infection in alcohol abuse in this population also warrants further investigation. / PhD (Physiology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

In order to research the limited English proficiency of First Year National Intermediate Certificate students at the Further Education and Training College of Ekurhuleni West, the researcher investigated various motivation variables, namely: * socio-psychological factors * learner factors * parental involvement and * contextual factors related to the influence of the school and classroom A review of literature and empirical research methods were used to this effect. The literature review revealed that instrumental and integrative motivation, self-determination and goal orientedness, parental support and school and classroom context factors contributed to the development of ESL proficiency. A motivation questionnaire and an English proficiency test were administered to the participants. The results indicated no significant relationship between the learner's level of ESL proficiency and motivation variables. These findings form the basis for recommending specific guidelines for possible directions for future research. / Linguistics / M.A. (Specialisation in Applied Linguistics)

Text in Afrikaans / According to Kerkspieel III (s.a. :20) a tendency has been observed in the Dutch Reformed Church during the last decade, to aim its ministry mainly at members of ·the higher professional careers, consequently failing to reach people from the lower blue collar occupations. This tendency has caused a rise in membership of the higher professional career group, from 27.43% to 36.90%; and a consequent drop in that of the lower blue collar occupations, from 28.74% to·20.21% during this time. Is it possible for members of the Dutch Reformed Church, belonging to a -lower socio-economic status (S.E.S.), to have certain needs which ~he church cannot satisfy? The purpose of· this study is to investigate the issue of church members with a lower S.E.S., having peculiar needs which are not satisfied by the ministry of the Dutch Reformed Church. Ellisras-Wes, are atively young industrial congregation. _ It was revealed from the literature· study that churches or denominations in general are inclined to feel an affinity with a limited section of society. Protestant Churches in particular are inclined to pay special attention to ·certain S.E.S. groups. Although certain differences regarding patterns of conduct and attitude have been. identified among various S.E.S. groups,. there was no considerable indications that a correlation exists between members' S.E.S. and needs. The perception that.people with a lower S.E.S. would be irreligious, uninvolved and disinterested, can therefore be rejected. Evidence to the contrary is that the religious experience of lower S.E.S. members is more genuine and traditional, while members with a higher S.E.S. tend to have a critical attitude against the Bible and church-doctrine. Even atheism occurs to a greater extent within this group. This tendency will continue until such time as the Dutch Reformed Church acknowledges its deficiency in this respect and reach to lower S.E.S groups. The church may consequently show a considerable growth. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / D.Th. (Practical Theology)