The high incidence of cancer and the accompanying medical and psychological effects thereof make exploring cancer patients' experiences regarding their illness potentially valuable. The aim of this study was to qualitatively explore cancer patients' illness experiences during a listening group intervention. Secondary analysis was done on data previously collected by Strydom (2006), for his study on "Cancer patients' and non-cancer patients' experiences of the listening group technique." The use of this post-modernist approach, in which the individual is seen as the expert in his/her own life, makes the data gathered by Strydom (2006) eminently suitable for gaining a true understanding of cancer patients' illness experiences. Analysis of the data yielded twelve prevalent themes namely, support, perspectives and experiences in medical context, perspectives on life and death, emotional experiences, religion, role of knowledge and information pertaining to cancer, finances, concern for others, loss, desire for survival, humour, and physical symptoms. In an attempt to make sense of these themes a framework suggesting moderating factors that would influence cancer patients' illness experiences and outcomes, is proposed. Due to the rising number of cancer survivors and the fact that finishing the treatment seldom indicates the end of the cancer experience, it is suggested that further research regarding the development of a survivorship care programme within the South African context be undertaken. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Submitted by Oliveira Santos Dilzaná (dilznana@yahoo.com.br) on 2014-01-21T18:54:09Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação de João Marcos de Oliveira.pdf: 1378288 bytes, checksum: 12e88a6c38a32ea10e7a6fa33b03d2df (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ana Portela (anapoli@ufba.br) on 2014-02-03T15:14:48Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação de João Marcos de Oliveira.pdf: 1378288 bytes, checksum: 12e88a6c38a32ea10e7a6fa33b03d2df (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-02-03T15:14:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação de João Marcos de Oliveira.pdf: 1378288 bytes, checksum: 12e88a6c38a32ea10e7a6fa33b03d2df (MD5) / CNPq / Crianças com problemas internalizantes tendem a apresentar maior dificuldade de solucionar ou solicitar auxílio para situações de difícil resolução, além de possuírem um repertório restrito para as interações sociais e sofrerem com sintomas emocionais, como a ansiedade e a depressão. As práticas parentais intrusivas estão relacionadas ao desenvolvimento de problemas internalizantes e se caracterizam por restringir, invalidar ou manipular a experiência e as expressões emocionais e comportamentais da criança, ou criticá-la e humilhá-la. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito de uma intervenção grupal, direcionada às práticas educativas parentais, sobre os problemas internalizantes na infância por meio de um delineamento quase-experimental com grupos não-equivalentes, com pré e pós-teste. A hipótese principal foi a de que, no grupo intervenção, os escores de problemas internalizantes e de suas respectivas síndromes no pós-teste seriam inferiores quando comparados aos escores de problemas internalizantes no pré-teste. Esperava-se também que os escores de problemas internalizantes e das síndromes internalizantes fossem mais altos no grupo comparação do que no grupo intervenção no pós-teste. Participaram 13 mães e um pai de crianças entre três e seis anos divididos em dois grupos: intervenção e comparação. A intervenção teve oito sessões grupais com frequência semanal. Os instrumentos utilizados foram uma ficha de dados sociodemográficos, e os Inventários dos Comportamentos de Crianças nas versões para 1½ a 5 anos (CBCL/1½-5 anos) e de Crianças e Adolescentes de 6 a 18 anos (CBCL/6-18 anos). A análise de dados foi conduzida por meio de procedimentos de estatística descritiva e dos Testes Wilcoxon e Mann-Whitney. Os resultados revelaram redução nos escores do grupo intervenção, do pré para o pós-teste, na síndrome queixas somáticas. O impacto da intervenção sobre as queixas somáticas pode ter sido consequência dos seguintes processos induzidos ou iniciados pelo programa de intervenção: a) substituição de práticas superprotetoras e coercitivas por práticas facilitadoras do desenvolvimento social, levando à extinção respondente de componentes relacionados às dimensões fisiológicas de emoções eliciadas por práticas intrusivas e, especialmente, por aquelas de caráter coercitivo, como por exemplo, dores de barriga ou enjoos; b) aumento do controle da criança sobre o contexto das relações pais-filhos, diminuindo seu caráter aversivo e imprevisível e levando à extinção respondente dos sintomas somáticos. Não houve diferenças significativas entre os grupos para problemas internalizantes, nem para as síndromes. Discutem-se as implicações da duração e da amplitude da intervenção, da não equivalência dos grupos, da idade e da escolaridade dos participantes. Children with internalizing problems tend to have greater difficulty in solving or request assistance for resolution of difficult situations, besides having a restricted repertoire to social interactions and suffer with emotional symptoms such as anxiety and depression. Intrusive parenting practices are related to the development of internalizing problems and are characterized by actions that restrict, manipulate or invalidate the experience and the behavioral and emotional expressions of the child. This study evaluated the effect of a group intervention, targeted to parenting practices, on internalizing problems in childhood through a quasi-experimental design with nonequivalent groups with pre-and post-test. The initial hypothesis was that, in the intervention group, scores for internalizing problems and their respective syndromes at posttest were lower when compared to the scores of internalizing problems at pretest. It was also expected that the scores for internalizing problems and internalizing syndromes were higher in the comparison group than in the intervention group at posttest. Participants in the study were 13 mothers and one father of children between three and six years old divided into two groups: intervention and comparison. The intervention had eight weekly group sessions. The instruments used were a sociodemographic data form, and the Child Behavior Checklist in versions for 1 ½ - 5 years (CBCL / 1 ½ -5 years) and 6-18 years (CBCL/6-18 years). Data analysis was conducted using procedures of descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney tests. The results indicated a decline in scores in the intervention group, from pre to post-test in somatic complaints. The impact of the intervention on somatic complaints could have been the result of the following processes inducted or initiated by the intervention program: a) replacement of overprotective and coercive practices by parenting practices that facilitate social development, leading to the extinction of respondent components related to physiological dimensions of emotions elicited by intrusive practices and especially for those coercive character, such as stomach aches or nausea; b) increase of the child's control over the context of parent-child relationships, diminishing his aversive and unpredictable character and leading to the respondent extinction of somatic symptoms. There were no significant differences between groups for internalizing problems, or for syndromes. The implications of the length and period of the intervention, the non-equivalence of groups, age and educational level of the participants are discussed.

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology in the Department of Psychology at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2012. / The study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a group intervention program among learners of Ongoye High School in dealing with school violence. Ultimately, the study wanted to assist and encourage emotional well-being by improving the current intervention program aimed at helping leaners deal with psychological effects of violence in Ongoye High School. The sample consisted of ten (10) participants which included learners from grade eleven to twelve. The study was conducted for a period of two weeks. The results of the study were drawn from focus group discussion including the distribution of pre and post questionnaires. The results brought on additional knowledge that could be incorporated into the program and be administered at other High Schools in dealing with the issues of school violence.

No description available.

HaKoll!, en arbetsterapeutisk gruppintervention för att hantera tid och organisera aktiviteter, har fått goda resultat i flera studier. Behovet att utveckla nya digitala lösningar är stort inom hälso- och sjukvård, samtidigt som initiativen till detta är begränsade inom arbetsterapi. Mot denna bakgrund blev syftet med studien att utforska och beskriva arbetsterapeuters resonemang om ett digitalt genomförande av HaKoll!. Fokusgrupp valdes som metod för datainsamling. Sex fokusgrupper genomfördes med arbetsterapeuter, tillika gruppledare för HaKoll! Data analyserades enligt analys för fokusgrupper och resulterade i ett övergripande tema, ’En digital lösning har potential om hinder kan överbryggas’ och fyra kategorier: ’Möjliggör ökad effektivitet och tillgänglighet’, ’Interaktionen i gruppen utmanas av ett digitalt format, ’Digitala möten ställer andra krav’ samt ’Behov att utveckla innehåll och upplägg’. Resultatet visade att innehållet i, formatet på och leveransen av HaKoll! behöver anpassas och utvecklas för ett digitalt genomförande, då det inte går att använda i sin nuvarande form. Idéer var bland annat att skapa ett digitalt format i form av en applikation eller att genomföra HaKoll! som videokonferens. Arbetsmiljö och organisation behöver också utvecklas för att stödja digitala lösningar. Resultaten av studien kan bidra med viktig kunskap i utvecklingen av en digital interventionsdesign för HaKoll!, men även kunskap som kan vara till nytta för utvecklandet av andra digitala interventioner inom hälso- och sjukvård. / The Let’s Get Organized (LGO) an occupational therapy group intervention to enhance time management and organize activities, has received good results in several studies. The need to develop new digital interventions in health care is great, but the initiatives for this are limited in occupational therapy. From this background, the objective of the study was to explore and describe occupational therapists' reasoning about a digital implementation of the LGO. Focus group was chosen for data collection. Six focus groups were conducted with occupational therapists, also group leaders for the LGO. Data was analyzed according to analysis for focus groups, and resulted in an overarching theme, ‘A digital implementation has potential if obstacles can be bridged’, and four categories: 'Enables increased efficiency and accessibility', 'The interaction in the group is challenged by a digital format', 'Digital meetings has other requirements', and 'A need to develop the content and arrangement'. The results showed that the content, the format and the delivery of the LGO needs to be adapted and developed for a digital implementation, as it cannot be used in its current form. Ideas included creating a digital format as an application, or implementing LGO as a video conference. The working environment and organization also need to be developed to support telerehabilitation and digital interventions. The results of the study may contribute with important knowledge in the development of a digital intervention design for the LGO, but also knowledge that might be useful for the development of other digital intervention programs in health care.

Family and Adolescent Balanced Education and Leisure Occupations (FABELO) is a training program designed for occupational therapy practitioners (OTP) who work with learning-disabled adolescents in school and community settings. BACKGROUND: Adolescents with a learning disability are often missing opportunities to engage in play and leisure as essential occupations. The results can be detrimental to sense of freedom, independence, autonomy, self-confidence, meaning, ability to socialize, response to stress, and perceived quality of life. Parents and caregivers may lack awareness of how to address this occupational deficiency. The author’s aim in this project is to pilot-test a prototype program designed to train OTPs to incorporate therapeutic group intervention (TGI) into service provision with clients. OBJECTIVES: By participating in the author’s project, OTPs will learn to incorporate TGI inter-family transactional techniques into their practice that will empower adolescent clients and their parents or caregivers to embrace expanded leisure and recreational possibilities, thus leading to achievement of goals in areas of mental health, well-being, and life satisfaction. METHOD: Evaluation of this single group pilot program with 6–8 carefully selected OTPs is non-experimental. Program delivery will take place through a secured online platform with teleconferencing capabilities. Instruction over 6 weeks will incorporate a training manual, demonstration videos, prompted role-playing exercises, and discussions. Quantitative data will be collected via Likert-style survey questions and performance rating. Short answer survey questions and focus group discussion will yield qualitative information. ANTICIPATED FINDINGS: Findings based on quantitative data will yield a preliminary indication that desired changes have occurred in OTPs knowledge, performance of TGI skills, and in self-perceived rating of competence, confidence, preparedness, and enjoyment. Qualitative analysis will provide information on likes, dislikes, satisfaction, and recommendations. Implications: In the long-term, the author would like to see progress toward filling gaps in OTP service provision for adolescents with LD who have insufficient experiences with play and leisure occupations. Limitations. Program development and program evaluation research are in the initial stages and have not yet been implemented in any practice setting.

The aim of this thesis was to investigate in a (RCT) the effect of support group intervention in women with primary breast cancer in the short term, and with a long-term follow-up. Women with primary breast cancer were randomized between April 2002 and November 2007 and stratified according to adjuvant treatment with chemotherapy. Of 382 eligible patients, 191+191 patients were randomized to intervention and control groups respectively. Control patients were subjected to standard follow-up procedures. Patients in the intervention group received support intervention at the Foundation of Lustgården Mälardalen during one week followed by four days of follow-up two months later. Patients in intervention and control groups filled in questionnaires at baseline, after 2, 6 and 12 months and in the long-term follow-up after a mean of 6.5 years. In paper I, we studied the effect of the intervention on anxiety and depression measured by the HAD scale and we could show that a significantly lower proportion of women in the intervention group had high anxiety scores compared with women in the control group after 12 months; however, the proportion of women with high depression scores were unaffected. In paper II, we studied the effect of the intervention on fatigue and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measured by the Norwegian version of the fatigue questionnaire (FQ) and EORTC-QLQ 30 and BR 23.We could not demonstrate any significant effect of the intervention. In paper III, we studied the effect of the intervention on sick-leave, healthcare utilization and the effect of the intervention in economic terms. We used a specially formulated questionnaire. There was a trend towards longer sick leave and more health-care utilization in the intervention group. The difference in total costs was statistically significantly higher in the intervention group after 12 months (p= 0.0036). In paper IV, we studied the long-term effects of the support intervention on anxiety, depression, fatigue and HRQoL. We could show a significant effect of the intervention on cognitive function, body image, future perspective and fatigue, the largest effect was seen among women who received chemotherapy; however, no effects on anxiety and depression were demonstrated.

The transition from primary to secondary school is regarded as one of the most difficult in children’s educational careers and the negative academic, social and emotional effects of an unsuccessful transition have been widely documented, with many practitioners identifying the transition to secondary school as a key intervention point (Galton, Morrison and Pell, 2000, Turnbull, 2006). Shy and socially withdrawn children are particularly vulnerable at this time. Pyramid Clubs, a short-term selective and preventative therapeutic group intervention offer a promising model of support, but a robust evidence-base is currently lacking (Munoz, Mrazek, and Haggerty, 1999; Shepherd and Roker, 2005). This study evaluated the use of a Pyramid Club to provide a ‘bridge’ of support before, during and following nine children’s transition to secondary school. The study was conducted from a critical realist stance and quantitative and qualitative methodology were adopted within an embedded single-case study design. The study had two aims; to evaluate the effectiveness of the club; and to explore the process, in order to understand the club’s mechanism of effect. Pre-and post-intervention teacher report data were collected in conjunction with club leader, club member and parents’ perspectives, obtained though focus groups and individual interviews. The researcher also observed each club meeting. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. The findings indicate the club offers an effective method of support. The children enjoyed the club experience and a range of social-emotional gains were reported. The findings were used to propose a theoretical framework based on the concept of resilience, to explain how Pyramid Clubs can be successfully used to support vulnerable children’s transition to secondary school. Core elements, which were considered to be essential components of the intervention, were identified to aid future implementation and evaluation of Transition Pyramid Clubs.

Demenssjukdom innebär en progressiv nedsättning i kognitiva funktioner som språk, minne och exekutiva funktioner. I takt med det progredierande sjukdomsförloppet ökar kommunikationssvårigheterna hos personer med demens, vilket kan leda till försämrad livskvalitet. Gruppaktiviteter och kognitiv stimulans anses gynna livskvalitén hos personer med demens. Samtalsstöd som är baserade på reminiscensterapi kan underlätta för personer med demens att delta i samtal. Informations- och kommunikationsteknik har visat positiva resultat i relation till kommunikation vid demenssjukdom. Personer med demens har i tidigare studier uppvisat svårigheter avseende initiativtagande i kommunikativa situationer, vilket motiverar föreliggande studie.   Föreliggande studie syftade till att bidra med kunskap gällande om och hur personer med demens under gruppsamtal tar kommunikativa initiativ genom att ställa frågor. Fyra personer med demenssjukdom rekryterades på ett demensboende. Gruppsessionerna utgjordes av åtta samtalstillfällen, fyra med CIRCUS och fyra med icke-teknologiskt samtalsstöd. Materialet omfattade totalt 6 timmar 39 minuter och 50 sekunder. Analysen bestod av en kartläggning av interaktionsfenomenen inkluderande frågor, ämnesinitierande frågor och samtalsutvecklande frågor. Samtalsföreteelserna fintranskriberades och analyserades utifrån samtalsanalytiska principer. Intervjuer genomfördes för att kartlägga deltagarnas upplevelser av samtalssessionerna.   Resultatet visade att personer med demenssjukdom under gruppsamtal med CIRCUS och icketeknologiskt samtalsstöd aktivt tar kommunikativa initiativ i form av frågor i interaktionen med varandra. Det underlättade för personerna med demens att föra samtal med mer personligt innehåll och självständigt delta i samtalen då CIRCUS användes. Deltagarna uppskattade samtalssessionerna och att samtala utifrån de personliga fotografierna, men också den sociala interaktionen som uppstod i samtalen kring fotografierna från det gemensamma boendet. Till skillnad från tidigare studier indikerar föreliggande studie att personer med demens självständigt kan ta kommunikativa initiativ under gruppsamtal. Föreliggande studie indikerar även att både generiskt och personligt reminiscensmaterial kan utgöra ett stöd för personer med demens att självständigt delta i gruppsamtal. Det finns begränsad forskning om hur personer med demens tar kommunikativa initiativ i form av frågor i social interaktion varför ett behov av vidare forskning föreligger. Föreliggande studie indikerar att CIRCUS har god potential att användas som gruppintervention för personer med demens för att stimulera till samtal om deras liv och personliga erfarenheter, vilket skulle kunna främja livskvaliteten hos personer med demens. / Dementia means a progressive deficit in cognitive functions such as language, memory and executive functions. As the disease progresses the communication difficulties for people with dementia increases, which can lead to impaired quality of life. Group activities and cognitive stimulation is beneficial to the quality of life for people with dementia. Conversation support based on reminiscence therapy can help people with dementia to participate in conversations. Information and communication technology have shown positive results in relation to communication in dementia. In previous studies, people with dementia have shown difficulties regarding initiation in communicative situations, which justifies the present study. The present study aimed to contribute with knowledge regarding whether and how people with dementia take communicative initiatives by asking questions during group conversations. Four people with dementia were recruited in a dementia residence. The group sessions consisted of eight conversation sessions, four with CIRCUS and four with non-technological conversation support. The material consisted of a total of 6 hours 39 minutes and 50 seconds. The analysis consisted of a mapping of the interactional phenomena which consisted of including questions, topic-initiating questions and conversation-elaborating questions. The conversation phenomena were transcribed and analysed on the basis of conversation analytic principles. Interviews were conducted to map the participants' experiences of the conversation sessions. The results showed that people with dementia actively take communicative initiatives in the form of questions in the interaction with each other during group conversations with CIRCUS and with non-technological conversation support. The sessions with CIRCUS made it easier for people with dementia to hold conversations with more personal content and to independently participate in the conversations. The participants appreciated the conversation sessions and to talk based on the personal photographs, but also the social interaction that arose in the conversations about the photographs from the common accommodation. Unlike previous studies, the present study indicates that people with dementia independently can take communicative initiatives during group conversations. The present study indicates that both generic and personal reminiscence material can support people with dementia to independently participate in group discussions. There is limited research on how people with dementia take communicative initiatives in the form of questions in social interaction, why a need for further research exists. The present study indicates that CIRCUS has good potential to be used as a group intervention for people with dementia to stimulate conversation about people with dementia's life and personal experiences, which could promote the quality of life for people with dementia.

Bakgrund: År 2021 beräknades en av tio av världens vuxna befolkning leva med diabetes varav ungefär 90% har diabetes typ 2. I Sverige klassas DT2 som en av de stora folksjukdomarna. Prevalensen förväntas öka i takt med äldre befolkning och sämre levnadsvanor. Forskning finns som visar att gruppintervention med fokus på patientutbildning har goda effekter på patienter med DT2. Dessvärre är forskningen sparsam beträffande vilken effekt denna typ av intervention har gällande HbA1c, depression, ångest och motivation på patienter med DT2.  Syfte: Syftet med denna uppsats var att utvärdera effekten av en interdisciplinär gruppintervention, inkluderande patientutbildning, för personer med DT2 gällande HbA1c, depression, ångest och motivation.  Metod: Den analyserade datan är inhämtad från en större studie kallad Tillsammans, som är en interdisciplinär gruppintervention med fokus på patientutbildning. Parade mätningar utfördes före och efter interventionen på totalt 33 deltagare (medelålder 62,4 år, 13 kvinnor, 20 män) beträffande HbA1c, depression och ångest (HAD) samt motivation.  Resultat: En förbättring påvisades beträffande HbA1c (p=0,008). Vid uppföljning befann sig samtliga deltagare under gränsen för ökad komplikationsrisk (70 mmol/mol). Studieresultatet visade en tendens till ökad depressionsgrad och förbättrad ångestgrad. En av de två motivationsfrågorna resulterade i en försämring (p=0,004), den andra visade en tendens till att förbli oförändrad.  Konklusion: Dessa upptäckter tillför till viss mån värdefull kunskap för vår förståelse för vikten av undervisning, ökad fysisk aktivitet och förbättrad kost för att åstadkomma god diabetesvård. Dessvärre är materialet för litet och därför krävs vidare forskning som undersöker en större studiepopulation för att kunna dra några generaliserbara slutsatser.