Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2006. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on April 29, 2009) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1993. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [91]-97).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2009. / Title from title screen (site viewed October 13, 2009). PDF text: vi, 137 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 1 Mb. UMI publication number: AAT 3355622. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in microfilm and microfiche formats.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität, Witten/Herdecke, 2005.

The purpose of this study was to explore the experience of postpartum depression and to generate a substantive theory that would describe and explain this experience. Although the area of postpartum depression has been extensively researched in the past three decades the overwhelming majority of studies have employed quantitative research methods. These methods do not illuminate the experience from the women's point of view and they disregard the context within which the experience occurs. This study employed the Grounded Theory Method, a naturalistic-inductive method o f inquiry, that allowed for the participants' experience to be described and for a substantive theory to emerge, which is grounded in the data. Sixteen women (age range 27 to 42 years) were interviewed twice about their experience of depression following childbirth. The first interview focused on the women's experience of depression, while the second interview centred on the women's comments and suggestions regarding the researcher's thematic summaries of their interviews. A semi-structured interview guide was used during both interviews, which allowed for variations to emerge while a unified framework was maintained. The grounded theory analysis of the data led to the development of a substantive theory describing and explaining the social-psychological process of the experience of postpartum depression. The theoretical model that describes and explains the experience has six phases: (1) Becoming Lost, (2) Getting Trapped, (3) Deep in Depression, (4) Struggling to Break Out, (5) Breaking out, and (6) Staying Well. In addition, two recurrent themes were identified: (a) The Relationship with the Partner, and (b) A Redefined Self. The theoretical model illustrates the relationship among the different phases, as well as the properties that make the phases up. It also describes the types, circumstances and conditions under which the experience occurs. Most of the components of the theoretical model are supported by the literature on postpartum depression. However, the model adds to the literature in identifying specific parts of the process of postpartum depression such as the period leading to the onset of depression, the struggle to come out of the depression and women's agency in coming out of the depression and maintaining their wellness following recovery. As well, the study illuminated the changes in the relationship with the partner, and the process of redefining self through the experience of PPD. Finally, the implications for further research and practice that stem from the theoretical model that was developed are discussed. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

This thesis investigates the phenomena that underlie corporate governance practices in the Nigerian banking sector (NBS); the purpose is to understand the nature of corporate governance and the factors influencing it. It offers a response to a number of concerns raised about the effectiveness of banks’ corporate governance practices, especially before the consolidation reform and during the 2007-2009 global financial crisis. Culture and leadership are identified as providing the most suitable theoretical framework for this study, and through grounded theory (GT), an empirical study is undertaken to identify the nature of corporate governance practices in banks, the factors that influence such practices and the outcomes of this influence. The GT methodology is used in the following ways: First, a comparative analysis is performed in the open coding stage, based on first and second series of semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions conducted with the executive managers of the 24 quoted banks in Nigeria, officials from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), representatives of the Nigerian Deposit and Insurance Corporation (NDIC), and other stakeholders. The open coding leads to the development of eight open categories, their properties and dimensions based on the responses garnered from the interviews and focus groups. Second, through axial coding, the identified open categories are subsumed into higher categories, and the relationships among these categories are established by means of the paradigm model. The paradigm model provides the basis for the development of a substantive GT. Third, through the selective coding process, based on a third series of semi-structured interviews that identify human action and a lack of leadership as core categories, relationships with other sub-categories are verified, which eventually leads to the presentation of the substantive theory of corporate governance for banks. This theory perceives corporate governance practice in banks to be affected by human actions and a lack of leadership. This substantive theory is then explored in relation to the formal theories of culture and leadership; this offers an understanding of the corporate governance of banks in Nigeria and explains the relevance of the formal theories more clearly. Furthermore, the idea of the social contract in relation to cooperation and trust is presented as a tool with which to address free-rider issues. The use of GT is extended to explore the phenomena underlying corporate governance in the given context, providing a better understanding of the influence of culture and leadership in corporate governance theorising. Finally, this thesis is the first attempt to combine the GT methodology, corporate governance and the theories of culture and leadership, and to offer insight into how to address the identified issues using the social contract strategy through trust and cooperation, making it a useful guide on corporate governance for banks.

Beginning in the mid 1980s the practices of Soviet youth became a scene of heightened academic interest as western scholars eagerly turned their attention to the changing ???subcultural??? realities of youth in the wake of the relaxations introduced under Perestroika and Glasnost. Unfortunately, despite this growing interest, the Russian punk community has remained, predominantly on the periphery of scholarly inquiry. One can surmise, however, that a dominant reason for this has been the over-reliance on New Subcultural Theory, which marks many of these studies and which seeks to understand ???subcultures??? in terms of their homogeneous values and symbolic resistance to a socio-structural Other within a rigid and vertical cultural model. This paradigm, when coupled with prominent western themes exhibited in the behaviour of Russian punks, has led to a somewhat anomalous understanding of this group???s existence and has championed the apparent drive within the academy to discredit both the punk community and its membership as little more than cultural mimics. By drawing on data collected from a Russian punk internet forum located at http://offtop.ru/punkforum, this exploratory grounded theory study investigates (1) how the community exists as a discursive space (2) how individual participants construct and put forward their self-presentation and, (3) to what extent may we consider that these presentations of self both construct, and are constructed by the community? The overall concern of the study is to consider whether a conceptual break from the notion of ???subculture??? permits a fuller understanding of how individual members??? identities are both constructed by, and construct this particular punk community. The findings suggest that while members exhibit some general commonalities, there is significant diversity among them as well. A key finding is how members become ???authentic??? in relation to the punk idea, while taking part in the construction of that idea and the group as a whole. This presents a significant departure from the notion of ???subculture??? and from common-place ideas about punk, namely that being punk involves little more than a style of dress and behaviours. Thus, this exploratory study implies that this Russian punk community is a dynamic discursive space within which identity must continuously be negotiated and renegotiated through language.

Abridged Thesis (doctoral)--Universität, Hannover, 2000.

Anxiety is one of the most common psychological disorders in school-age children, which has detrimental impact on behavioral, social, and emotional functioning. Cognitive-behavioral therapy has demonstrated effectiveness in treating youth with anxiety disorders; however, little is known about how or why this intervention is beneficial. This study explores the mechanisms of therapeutic change in anxious children and adolescents by evaluating clients’ perspectives through semi-structured interviews. A qualitative research method will be used to assess the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of youth and parents who participate in a cognitive-behavioral intervention program with a parent-training component. Specifically, grounded theory will be used to collect and analyze data and generate a theory, which explains the mechanisms of positive therapeutic change. / text

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