Yes / The development of students’ mathematics skills in higher education is often the topic of professional debate in learning development circles. Less prevalent are discussions taking place around the interpersonal dynamics that occur during one-to-one (tutorial) sessions. This case study explores these dynamics. It arose from the continuing professional development activities of an adviser (learning developer) at a UK university. As a result of recording one-to-one mathematics sessions it was found that the adviser was unconsciously competent and that, although she was adept at identifying her areas for development, she struggled to articulate the considerable strengths of her practice. We wanted to find a way of describing, analysing and evaluating her competence, and alighted upon the person-centred approach. The aim of this paper, therefore, is to present the synthesis of maths skills practice with this approach in the hope of stimulating further research and professional conversation in the learning development community. The report offers novel idiographic findings through the application of person-centred theory to one practitioner’s experience of delivering maths skills development. We conclude by suggesting that focusing on the relationship between adviser and student can help to create conditions conducive to successful one-to-one education.

[pt] A saúde mental é atualmente uma preocupação pertinente em escala global e, para uma parte significativa da população mundial, está intrinsecamente ligada ao seu trabalho. Este fato representa um desafio notável para as organizações, resultando em custos consideráveis para os empregadores e para a sociedade em geral. Este estudo de viabilidade teve como objetivo desenvolver um protocolo para investigar os efeitos de uma intervenção de gratidão na saúde mental de líderes no mercado de trabalho brasileiro. Um programa experimental on-line de quatro semanas com um desenho empírico quantitativo para induzir a gratidão e observar a variação nos níveis de depressão, ansiedade e stress, bem como a autocompaixão, respostas ruminativas e crenças perfeccionistas. Adicionalmente, pretendeu-se identificar possíveis obstáculos à promoção da gratidão num ambiente empresarial. O programa consiste de diferentes tarefas, adotando escalas de autorrelato com estatísticas descritivas para ilustrar as características da amostra e as diferenças entre os grupos nas variáveis dependentes. Para testar a viabilidade, uma amostra de 134 líderes foi dividida em dois grupos equilibrados: experimental (intervenção) e de controle (em lista de espera). Foi possível observar resultados significativos na redução de sintomas de problemas de saúde mental, com redução dos escores de ansiedade, estresse e depressão, quando comparados ao grupo controle. O programa pode contribuir para o campo de pesquisa da saúde mental corporativa e para o desenvolvimento de futuras intervenções de gratidão no Brasil e no mundo. / [en] Mental health is major concern on a global scale, and for a significant portion of the worldwide population, it is intricately linked with their work. This presents a notable challenge within the workplace, resulting in considerable costs for employers and society at large. This feasibility study aimed to develop a protocol to investigate the effects of a gratitude intervention on the mental health among leaders within the Brazilian labor market. A four weeks online experimental program with a quantitative empirical design to induce gratitude and observe variation in levels of depression, anxiety and stress, as well as self-compassion, ruminative responses and perfectionist beliefs. In addiction it aspired to identify possible obstacles to fostering gratitude within a corporate environment. The program consists of different tasks, adopting self-report scales with descriptive statistics to illustrate the characteristics of the sample and the differences between the groups in the dependent variables. To test the feasibility, a sample of 134 leaders were divided in two balanced groups: experimental (intervention) and control group (on the waiting list). It was possible to observe significant results in reducing scores for mental health problems, with reduction in anxiety, stress, and depression scores, when compared to controls. Thus, the program could contribute to the field of corporate mental health research and the development of future gratitude interventions in Brazil and worldwide.

Empathy within law enforcement has not been examined in the art therapy literature. This qualitative study provides insight into how empathy is perceived and experienced by retired law enforcement officers in San Diego, CA. Fourteen participants responded to a brief questionnaire, created an art piece and a written response about how empathy is experienced within law enforcement. The results illuminated common themes within the art and written responses including interactions, witnessing of a traumatic situation, intersection of roles within law enforcement, understanding of feelings, and communication. Future research in this area is recommended to also include current officers as well as retired law enforcement officers in order to attain a broader scope of data.

Egozentrizität stellt ein weitverbreitetes Phänomen unter Menschen dar, besonders unter Kindern und Menschen mit psychischen Störungen. Bisher wurde Egozentrizität in der kognitiven Domäne untersucht, wie zum Beispiel während Theory of Mind (ToM) Fragestellungen und nur wenige Untersuchungen haben sich bisher mit emotionaler Egozentrizität während der Empathie befasst. Um emotionalen Mechanismen der Egozentrizität besser zu verstehen präsentiert die vorliegende Dissertation drei Studien zur Untersuchung von emotionaler Egozentrizität bei Kindern und in der Psychopathologie des Autismus und der Depression. Studie 1 zielte darauf ab die grundlegenden Mechanismen der erhöhten emotionalen Egozentrizität bei Kindern zu untersuchen und zeigte, dass diese durch die schlechte Konfliktverarbeitung von Kindern vermittelt wurde. In Studie 2 zeigten autistische Patienten eine normale emotionale Egozentrizität, aber bekannte Defizite in ToM. Diese Verhaltensdaten wurden durch eine funktionale resting-state Konnektivitätsanalyse in einer separaten Stichprobe ergänzt. Autistische Patienten zeigten eine intakte Konnektivität vom rechten supramarginalen Gyrus aus, einer Gehirnregion, welche in Verbindung gebracht wurde mit der Überwindung von emotionaler Egozentrizität. Studie 3 schließlich untersuchte emotionale Egozentrizität in der Depression und deren Zusammenhang mit Alexithymie und zeigte eine vergrößerte emotionale Egozentrizität in Patienten, unabhängig von Alexithymie. Allerdings verringerte Alexithymie die emotionale Egozentrizität bei Patienten und Kontrollen. Zusammenfassend erweitern die in der Dissertation präsentierten Studien den Erkenntnistand zu den Ursachen von emotionaler Egozentrizität in der Kindheit und liefern weitere Befunde für eine genauere Charakterisierung der sozio-kognitiven Defizite im Autismus und in der Depression. / Egocentricity has been described as a pervasive phenomenon among humans, with a particularly strong manifestation among children and individuals with psychopathologies. Traditionally egocentricity has been investigated nearly exclusively in the cognitive domain, such as for example during Theory of Mind (ToM) reasoning, but little work has so far focused on egocentricity in the affective domain during empathy. This dissertation presents three studies that investigated emotional egocentricity in child development and adult psychopathology, as in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Explicitly, study 1 aimed at elucidating the underlying mechanisms of increased emotional egocentricity in children, showing that increased emotional egocentricity in children was mediated by children’s poorer ability in conflict processing. Findings of study 2 showed that ASD patients exhibited normal emotional egocentricity, while showing known impairments in ToM. These behavioral findings were buttressed by an additional resting-state functional connectivity analysis in a separate sample of ASD patients and healthy controls. Results showed intact functional connectivity in ASD patients from right supramarginal gyrus, a brain region linked to overcoming emotional egocentricity. Findings of study 3 showed that MDD patients were prone to increased emotional egocentricity, independently of alexithymia. Alexithymia however decreased emotional egocentricity. In sum the studies in this dissertation represent a further step in advancing the knowledge about the underlying mechanisms of increased emotional egocentricity in child development and further help specifying the nature of socio-cognitive deficits portrayed in ASD and MDD.

Positive Interaktionen zwischen jüngeren und älteren Erwachsenen scheinen gefährdet, da Untersuchungen einen Mangel an Einfühlungsvermögen gegenüber älteren Menschen nahelegen. Eine Reihe von Faktoren könnte für die Verringerung oder Abwesenheit von Empathie von jüngere Erwachsenen verantwortlich sein: Studie 1 betrachtete die Wirkung von Gesichtsfalten und Stereotypen auf die Dekodierung und Imitation von emotionalen Gesichtsausdrücken und fand heraus, dass Imitationsreaktionen für ältere Erwachsene auftraten, trotz des Einflusses von Falten und Stereotypen auf die Dekodierung. Studie 2 untersuchte den Einfluss des affiliativen Kontextes in Interaktionen zwischen jungen und alten Erwachsenen und nahm an, dass der Emotionsausdruck per se (freudig vs. ärgerlich) sowie die Beziehung zwischen Beobachter und Darsteller (Eigengruppe vs. Fremdgruppe) sich auf Gesichtsmimikry in lebensechten Interaktionen auswirken. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass Mimikry für freudige Ausdrücke älterer Erwachsener während der beiden emotionalen Ereignisse (freudig vs. ärgerlich) stattfand. Allerdings war Mimikry im freudigen Ereignis stärker gegenüber jungen Erwachsenen im Vergleich zu älteren Erwachsenen ausgeprägt, wohingegen keine Unterschiede in Mimikry im ärgerlichen Ereignis auftraten. Studie 3 untersuchte empathischen Fähigkeiten von älteren im Vergleich zu jüngeren Erwachsenen und fand keine Unterschiede in der affektiven Empathie, obwohl die Dekodierung einiger Emotionen bei den älteren Teilnehmern reduziert war. Insgesamt zeigen die Ergebnisse, dass affektive empathische Reaktionen gegenüber älteren Menschen unabhängig von der reduzierten Akkuratheit der Emotionseinschätzung sowie vom affiliativen Kontext im Wesentlichen intakt sind und dass ältere Erwachsene die über gleichen affektiven Fähigkeiten verfügen. Somit liefert diese Arbeit einen positiveren Ausblick für intergenerationale Interaktionen als bisher gedacht. / Positive interactions between younger and older adults seem to be at risk as previous research suggests a lack of empathy to the elderly. A number of elements might be accountable for the reduction or absence of empathy by younger adults: Study 1 focused on the effect of wrinkles and stereotypes on decoding accuracy and facial mimicry of emotional facial expressions. It revealed that wrinkles and stereotypes have an impact on decoding accuracy, however facial mimicry reactions to the emotion expressions of older adults were present regardless of those decoding biases. Study 2 focused on the affiliative context of interactions between younger and older adults, and suggested that the type of emotion display (happy vs. angry) as well as the observer’s relationship to the expresser (in-group vs. out-group member) impacted on facial mimicry in real-life interactions. It revealed that mimicry of happy expressions of older adults was present during the two emotional events (happy and angry). However, mimicry of younger compared to older adults was stronger in the happy event, whereas no difference occurred in mimicry in the angry event. Study 3 investigated empathic capabilities of older compared to younger adults and found no differences in affective empathy, although decoding accuracy was reduced for some emotions in the older participant sample. Collectively, these results indicate that affective empathic responding via facial mimicry toward the elderly is essentially intact regardless of reduced decoding accuracy for older faces and affiliative context. They further indicate that older adults possess the same affective capabilities as younger adults. In sum, this work provides a more positive outlook for intergenerational interactions than previously suggested.

This social constructionist study originated from the researcher’s exposure to the counselling volunteers environment. The study aimed to document the voices of three people, constructed as counselling volunteers. The three semi-structured interviews are with individuals who constructed themselves, or accepted the constructions of their role, as volunteers. The “case study approach” was chosen as the most suitable method to gather the information. “Thematic content analysis” was the method of analysis. The case studies of participants were reconstructed in terms of themes. Recurring themes in these case studies were expounded and linked within the literature. This study allowed valuable and rich information about the volunteerism to emerge. Amongst the themes that emerged, the need to help, being a good counsellor and resilience were identified as particularly important areas for future research. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT : Intergroup contact has proven to be one of the most effective ways to reduce prejudice and improve attitudes towards an outgroup (e.g., Allport, 1954; Pettigrew & Tropp, 2006). The present study investigated the extent to which positive intergroup contact (namely cross-group friendships) with coloured South African students are associated with positive attitudes towards not only coloured South Africans in general (the primary outgroup), but also towards black (African) South Africans in general (a secondary outgroup). As such, the present study focused on testing the secondary transfer effect of intergroup contact (Lolliot et al., 2013; Pettigrew, 2009). A quantitative, cross-sectional design was used to explore the secondary transfer effect of intergroup contact via the processes of empathy and attitude generalisation. Data were collected amongst white South African students at Stellenbosch University (N = 551), via an electronic survey. The findings from the present study show that cross-group friendships with coloured South African students (primary outgroup) positively and significantly predicted more positive attitudes towards coloured South Africans in general, and that these effects generalised towards black (African) South Africans in general (secondary outgroup), after controlling for general contact with this secondary outgroup. These findings support the secondary transfer effect of contact. Moreover, the results show that the secondary transfer effect occurs via the processes of empathy and attitude generalisation. This research contributes to the relatively sparse body of literature exploring the secondary transfer effect and the underlying processes mediating this effect. Knowing how positive attitudes generalise from one outgroup to other outgroups could offer practical means for shaping intergroup contact interventions that aim to reduce prejudice and improve intergroup relations, especially in the post-conflict South African context. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Daar is bewys dat intergroep kontak een van die doeltreffendste maniere is om vooroordeel te verminder en houdings teenoor 'n uitgroep te verbeter (b.v., Allport, 1954; Pettigrew & Tropp, 2006). Die huidige studie ondersoek tot watter mate positiewe intergroep kontak (naamlik kruis-groep vriendskappe) met bruin/kleurling Suid-Afrikaanse studente verband hou met positiewe houdings nie net teenoor bruin/kleurling Suid-Afrikaners oor die algemeen nie (die primêre uitgroep), maar ook teenoor swart Suid-Afrikaners in die algemeen (‘n sekondêre uitgroep). Na aanleiding hiervan fokus die huidige studie om die sekondêre oordrag effek van intergroep kontak te toets (Lolliot et al., 2013; Pettigrew, 2009). 'n Kwantitatiewe, deursnee-ontwerp was gebruik om die sekondêre oordrag effek van intergroep kontak te verken, via die prosesse van empatie- en houding-veralgemening. Die data was onder wit Suid-Afrikaanse studente by Stellenbosch Universiteit (N = 551) ingesamel deur middel van ‘n elektroniese vraelys. Die bevindinge van die huidige studie toon dat kruis-groep vriendskappe met bruin/kleurling Suid-Afrikaanse studente (primêre uitgroep) positief en beduidend meer positiewe houdings teenoor bruin/kleurling Suid-Afrikaners in die algemeen voorspel en dat hierdie effekte veralgemeen na swart Suid-Afrikaners in die algemeen (sekondêre uitgroep) nadat daar kontrole gehou is oor die algemene kontak met hierdie sekondêre uitgroep. Hierdie bevindinge ondersteun die sekondêre oordrag effek van intergroep kontak. Die bevindinge bewys ook dat die sekondêre oordrag effek plaasvind deur die prosesse van empatie- en houding-veralgemening. Hierdie navorsing dra by tot die relatief yl beskikbare literatuur wat die sekondêre oordrag effek ondersoek, asook die onderliggende prosesse wat hierdie effek bemiddel. Die wete hoe positiewe houdings van een uitgroep na ander uitgroepe veralgemeen, kan prakties aangewend word tot intergroep kontak intervensies wat poog om vooroordeel te verminder en tussengroep-verhoudings te verbeter, veral in die post-konflik Suid-Afrikaanse konteks.

Using action research within a critical paradigm framework the author investigated young people’s ability to develop a programme of work that raises awareness of bullying in schools. The research group was made up of six young people, to whom the author and other specialists offered anti-bullying and participatory training techniques. The group eventually designed their own anti-bullying activity programme, which they delivered in creative workshop style sessions to other young people in schools. The author located this research in critical enquiry, engaging the group in a self-reflective process that aimed to be democratic, equitable, liberating and life enhancing. This report is written in the form of a narrative and evaluates the author’s practice as an educative theatre practitioner. Central themes to this research are bullying, power, creative activity and youth participation. Schools, teachers and adults are often described as sucking out the creativity of young people and thus not allowing many of them achieve their full potential. In this context young people are often powerless to deal with some of the difficult issues in their lives such as bullying. The author suggests that peer support is a key strategy to deal with bullying in schools. The author introduces a new concept of peer support called external peer support, which he has evaluated against the current literature. The definition of bullying is explored in depth, as is its relationship to power. The author suggests peer support to be a key strategy in youth participation and ultimately helping youth empowerment.

Bakgrund: Icke-verbal kommunikation är ett samlingsnamn för all information där man inte använder ord, till exempel ansiktsuttryck, gester, kroppsspråk, empati, ögonkontakt, beröring, aktivt lyssnande och tonfall. Forskning visar att den icke-verbala kommunikationen är svag i allvarliga vårdsituationer samt att patienten kan behöva mer icke-verbal kommunikation från sjuksköterskan. Det är nödvändigt för sjuksköterskan att kunna se olika patienter som unika individer och förstå att varje människa har sina egna omvårdnadsbehov. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att beskriva sjuksköterskans upplevelse av icke-verbal kommunikation med patienter. Metod: Nuvarande examensarbete är grundat på litteraturstudier med åtta artiklar. Resultaten är uppställda i fem kategorier. Resultat: Resultatet beskrivs i fem kategorier: Sjuksköterskans personlighetsfaktorer, bristfälligt förhållningssätt hos sjuksköterskan, extra svåra kommunikationssituationer, icke-verbala uttryck hos patienten samt icke-verbala sociala aktiviteter. Studien visar att kommunikation med patienter ses som god omvårdnadspraxis och som en viktig del av vården. För att kunna bygga en god vårdrelation bör vårdpersonalen se patienten som en individ och ha kunskap om icke-verbal kommunikation. Sjuksköterskans personlighet och förståelse har stor betydelse när den icke-verbala kommunikationen används i vården. Diskussion: De flesta sjuksköterskorna i studien saknar förmåga att uppfånga ickeverbala kommunikationstecken hos patienterna. Detta är något som behöver tränas mer och värdesättas bättre. / Background: Non-verbal communication is a collection name for all the information through wordless cues, such as facial expressions, gestures, body language, empathy, eye contact, touch, active listening and intonation. Research shows a weakness in non-verbal communication in serious health situations, and that the patient may need more nonverbal communication from the nurse. It is necessary for the nurse to be able to see the patient as a unique individual and understand that each person has their own care needs. Aim: The purpose of the study is to describe nurses’ experiences of non-verbal communication with patients. Method: This thesis is based on literature studies with eight articles. The results are tabulated in five categories. Results: The result is presented in five categories: the nurse's personality factors, inadequate attitude of the nurse, extra difficult communication situations, non-verbal expression of the patient as well as non-verbal social activities. The study shows that communication with patients is seen as good nursing practice and as an important part of the care. In order to build a good care relationship, the staff should see the patient as an individual and have knowledge of non-verbal communication. The nurse's personality and understanding are of great importance when non-verbal communication is used in health care. Discussion: Most nurses lack the ability to capture the non-verbal communication signs of the patient. This needs to be trained, put more value on and appreciated.

I denna studie utreds om utvecklandet av emotionell intelligens behövs i religionskunskapsundervisningen på gymnasiet, samt om en sådan pedagogik kan motarbeta främlingsfientlighet. I studien utreds också hur kunskap värderas i religionskunskapsundervisningen, samt i skolan i övrigt. I undersökningen har vi använt oss av olika forskares studier, samt kvalitativa intervjuer med åtta elever från två olika skolor i landskapet Gästrikland, Sverige. Vi har sedan jämfört och analyserat resultatet av dessa. Resultatet av undersökningen visade att utvecklandet av social intelligens värderades högst i religionskunskapsundervisningen, samt i skolans övriga ämnen och att social och emotionell intelligens främjar olika sorters förmågor. Vidare visade resultatet att utvecklandet av social intelligens inte kan motarbeta främlingsfientlighet, då denna förmåga endast utvecklar empati i syfte att anpassa sig till samhällets sociala normer, vilket kan leda till en falsk empati. Emotionell intelligens kräver, till skillnad från social intelligens, reflektion över egna och andras känslor, vilket kan leda till att en genuin empati utvecklas, samt en förståelse för människors känslor som allmänmänskliga processer. Således kan främlingsfientlighet motarbetas om emotionell intelligens används i pedagogiken, vilken bör genomsyra alla årskurser och ämnen med hjälp av narrativa metoder. / This study investigates if the development of emotional intelligence is needed in religious studies in upper secondary school and if that kind of pedagogy can oppose xenophobia. The study also investigates how knowledge is measured in religious studies and in school in general. We have used different researchers' theories to enrich our own research. We have also utilized quantitative interviews with eight students from two different schools in the county of Gästrikland, Sweden, which we have compared and analyzed. The result of the study showed that the development of social intelligence was the most valued trait in religious studies and also in other subjects in general. We also discovered that social and emotional intelligence encourages different kinds of abilities. Social intelligence can not oppose xenophobia since people who use this kind of intelligence only develops empathy in order to adapt to the social norms of society, which could lead to false empathy. Emotional intelligence, on the other hand, demands that the person in question reflect upon both their own and others' feelings. This can lead to the development of genuine empathy and an understanding of feelings as a general human process. Emotional intelligence can therefore be used to oppose xenophobia, which should permeate all education no matter the grade or subject, with the help of narrative methods.