Mindfulness, som ett akademiskt begrepp, har ökat i popularitet och betydelse på senaretid, och av intresse är, mer specifikt, det ökade stödet för dess samband med anknytningsteorisom har observerats. Detta motiverar djupare inblick i vad som beskriver och förklarar dettasamband ytterligare. Studien syftade till att undersöka förklaringar av sambandet mellananknytning och mindfulness. Medierande analyser inom området är få till antalet, dock hartidigare studier påvisat att emotionsreglering utverkar en medierande effekt mellananknytning och mindfulness. Litteraturen ger även anledning att undersöka ifall sambandetmellan anknytning och mindfulness är dubbelriktat. Således undersökte studien ävenmindfulness meta-mekanismen decentrering som medierande förklaring mellan mindfulnessoch anknytning. Totalt deltagarantal utgjordes av 53 kvinnor och 59 män som samtligabesvarade en standardiserad enkät, designad att mäta anknytning, mindfulness, emotionellreglering och decentrering. Resultatet bekräftar den medierande effekten av emotionsregleringmellan anknytning och mindfulness. Resultatet bekräftade även decentrerings medierande rolli sambandet mellan mindfulness och anknytning. Sammanfattningsvis understryksteoribildningens dubbelriktade förhållande samt diskussion av dess eventuella betydelse följerdärpå. / Mindfulness, seen as an academic term, have steadily been gaining more popularity latelyand, more specifically, an interest towards the increasing support for the correlation withattachment theory have been observed. This motivates a deeper understanding into thedescribing and explaining factors involved. The study set out to investigate the mediatingeffects of emotion regulation between attachment and mindfulness. Previous mediatinganalysis within this research area have, so far, been few, but earlier research has foundsupport for emotion regulation to mediate the effect between attachment and mindfulness. Theresearch literature also provide reason to further investigate if the correlation could be bidirectional,for this reason the study also investigate the mindfulness meta-mechanismdecentering as an proposed mediator between mindfulness and attachment. The total numberof participants comprised of 53 women and 59 men, which were asked to answer questionsdesigned to assess attachment anxiety and avoidance, mindfulness, emotion regulation anddecentering, using a standardized questionnaire. The results of the study confirm themediating effects of emotion regulation between attachment and mindfulness. The results alsofound support for the mediating effects of decentering between mindfulness and attachment.In conclusion, the suggested bi-directional nature of the relationship seems to be correct and adiscussion and implications of these findings follow.

This essay discusses different opinions about experimental archaeology. To start with literature was examined and a questionnaire was sent out to students and working archaeologists. The possibility for experiments to mediate archaeology to people without an education in archaeology is lifted and is also mentioned in the questionnaire. In the discussion part of the essay the results from the questionnaire and the literature are used to see what opinions are the strongest. The mediating is also discussed and the result is compiled in the conclusion. There are different opinions about experimental archaeology, but no prominent difference between what students and archaeologists answered. It is possible to see different opinions in the literature, but concerning the mediating most of the writers agree that the experimental archaeology is a good method to communicate with the laymen.

Doctor of Philosophy / Grossarth-Maticek and Eysenck (1988) demonstrated that personality type as measured by the 70-item Grossarth-Maticek Personality Stress Inventory (GMPSI), predicts mortality and its cause with remarkable accuracy. Further, various forms of autonomy training, such as bibliotherapy and short individual treatment that were designed to reduce the toxic personality features (such as emotional dependence) effectively improved long-term health outcomes. However, several aspects of their theory and research were either insufficiently explicated or require further investigation. For example, the researchers did not thoroughly investigate the psychometric properties of the inventory, and they did not sufficiently examine the mechanisms that may mediate the personality-health relationship. Further, the autonomy training was inadequately described, and perhaps could have been briefer and had the same impact. Three studies were run to investigate these issues further. Study 1 (Chapter 2) investigated the internal consistency, test-retest reliability and convergent, discriminant and concurrent validity of the GMPSI in 312 first-year students, using a variety of statistical techniques (e.g., structural equation modeling, confirmatory factor analysis, and simple correlations). In addition, the psychometric properties of this scale were compared to those of three revised versions of the scale, which were theorised to be psychometric improvements of the original version from basic principles. The revised versions contained reverse-worded items (of different types) to monitor and disrupt acquiescence response sets, and/or an extended response scale to improve internal consistency and stability. Psychometric effects of reverse-wording and the extended response scale on scale reliability were examined via the analysis of construct reliability estimates, personality subscale model fit of congeneric measurement models (a form of structural equation modeling), and test-retest reliability estimates. The original version of the scale appeared to be the most reliable and valid scale of the four versions. This improved reliability of the original version was not an artifact of an acquiescence response set, because this form of responding was not prevalent in the reverse-worded versions. In contrast, it appeared that the incorporation of reverse-wording degraded the internal consistency of the scale as participants appeared to respond to the positive and negative-worded items as if they were measurements of independent constructs, rather than measurements of constructs on opposite ends of a particular dimension. Predicted correlations between the GMPSI and concurrent validity measures offered support for Grossarth-Maticek's theory, and suggest that the GMPSI is an effective and reliable tool for the measurement of these personality types. However, experimental evidence supporting the link between personality, mediating mechanisms and disease is required to further substantiate these findings. The second and third studies (Chapters 3 and 4, respectively) were investigations of the utility of an information pamphlet discussing stress, assertiveness and relaxation, in improving GMPSI personality type stress responses in a student and a community sample (Studies 2 and 3 respectively), and provided an opportunity to investigate the mechanisms mediating the personality-health relationship via experimental manipulation. Specifically, Study 2 investigated the effectiveness of the pamphlet in improving personality scores, mood, coping strategies, health behaviours, and salivary cortisol levels (measured at pre-treatment, 1-month post-treatment and 5-months post-treatment) in 200 first-year university students. Further, two modes of administration of the pamphlet were compared: pure selfadministration versus instruction accompanied by self-administration. Group differences in mood and cortisol reactivity to a visualisation stress task were also assessed. Very few significant differences were found between the two pamphlet administration forms. Both pamphlet forms were effective in improving mood states, some lifestyle habits (e.g., exercise), and salivary cortisol responses to the acute stress task compared to the control group. The strength of these effects ranged from small to medium, and all significant differences were between pre-treatment and the 1-month post-treatment session. The failure to observe differences at the 5-months post-treatment session may have been due to inadequacies of the treatment, or low statistical power for detecting effects from the final session due to the large attrition rate that had occurred by this session. Overall, while large treatment effect sizes were not found, the results could be construed as "clinically" significant when taking into account the low costs of implementing an information pamphlet in the larger community, and the potential benefits on individuals' stress responses and health behaviours. Study 3 aimed to investigate the treatment effects of the same self-administered pamphlet in 77 participants from the general community, who varied largely in age (19 - 77 years). Treatment and control groups were compared in terms of treatment compliance, cortisol levels, health behaviours, personality scores, perceived stress, mood, and coping styles (measured at pre-treatment, 2 weeks posttreatment, 3 months post-treatment, and 6 months post-treatment). In addition, group differences in cortisol reactivity to an acute cognitive stress task were examined. Home visits were arranged for each session to reduce sample attrition. Further, an intervention evaluation form was administered at each post-treatment session to verify and maintain treatment involvement. Several significant treatment effects were observed, including changes in personality scores and non-productive coping strategies, and the strength of these effects ranged from medium to very large. Most participants reported that they found the information pamphlet very appealing and helpful. In addition to the examination of intervention effects in the second and third studies, a path model that aimed to identify direct and mediating relationships between personality and concurrently measured disease was examined for the two samples (Chapter 5). This path model was based on a new integrative theory of personality-disease, which was developed. Eysenck's (1991) proposed personality-disease model formed the foundation of this new theory, and elements of several other generic personality-disease models were also incorporated. This theory was empirically tested using path analysis on the student and community data separately. Common pathways in the two models were then tested for invariance. Overall, most paths proposed by the integrative model were identified in one or both samples; thus, the model was generally supported. All common direct paths were statistically invariant (i.e., equivalent) in the two samples. While personality did not appear to directly predict illness, several significant indirect pathways were identified by which personality appears to affect disease incidence, such as via perceived stress, mood, coping styles, and physical risk factors. These findings appear to support Grossarth-Maticek's theory that personality affects disease incidence via stress responses, as well as other generic approaches (i.e., the personality-induced hyperreactivity model and the stress moderator model) that emphasise the stress-moderating effects of personality on health. However, support for the dangerous behaviours model was not found, which posits that certain personality dispositions seek risky behaviours (e.g., poor health behaviours such as smoking and alcohol consumption) that fit their personality. The final Chapter 6 directly compares the results of these three studies, and discusses their practical and theoretical significance in terms of Grossarth-Maticek's theory and research, views of critics, and other personality-health perspectives and research. In summary, the current studies appear to suggest that the GMPSI is a reliable and valid scale for the measurement of particular personality traits. Further, there appears to be evidence to suggest that personality traits can be changed by an intervention pamphlet. This information pamphlet also appears to be effective in significantly improving responses to stress, and these effects are more prominent in high-risk groups (i.e., subjects with extreme personality trait scores). Moreover, there is some evidence to suggest that personality may have direct effects on several mechanisms involved in the development of disease. Overall, this thesis demonstrates the importance of recognising the role of personality and stress in disease prevention and prediction by providing independent evidence for the benefits of treatment and mechanisms by which benefits may occur.

I dagens skola har många elever en oroskänsla inför matematik, vilket påverkar prestationerna negativt. Genom att öka motivationen förväntas prestationerna göra detsamma. Om elever får arbeta genom lektionsformer de känner att de lär sig av ökar motivationen. Syftet med denna enkätstudien var att ur ett elevperspektiv undersöka vilka lektionsformer som elever i mellanstadiet upplever att de lär sig bra av och därmed blir motiverade av. 189 elever deltog i studien. För att analysera resultatet valdes det sociokulturella perspektivets medierande redskap för att skapa ett analysverktyg. Resultatet visade att matteboken, matematiska spel samt lärarledd genomgång uppskattades något mer av eleverna än de resterande lektionsformerna. Det fanns inga samband mellan dessa vad gällde vilka medierande redskap som används. Enda sambandet som hittades var att många elever från urvalsgruppen använt dessa lektionsformer till skillnad från vissa andra. Slutsatsen antyder att en varierad undervisning bestående av olika lektionsformer samt olika medierande redskap gynnar elevernas lärande och motivation samt hur ofta en lektionsform praktiseras i klassrummet. / In today's school, many pupils have anxiety towards mathematics, which negatively affects their performance. By increasing the pupils’ motivation, their performance is expected to do the same. If the pupils work with methods they feel that they can learn from, their motivation will increase. The purpose of the survey was to investigate, from a pupil perspective, what methods middle school pupils experience have a positive effect on their learning and motivation in math. To analyze the result the mediating tools of the sociocultural perspective was chosen to support the analysis of the result. The result showed that the math book, mathematical games and teacher-led instructions were estimated slightly better than the remaining methods by the pupils. There was no correlation between the methods according to which mediation tools that was used. The only relationship found was that most pupils of the sample group have used these methods, unlike some of the others. The conclusion suggests that a varied teaching consisting of diverse types of methods and various mediating tools favors the pupils’ learning and motivation but also how often a method is used.

The role of the choir leader is a complex one. When working with a choir, choir leaders often use several aspects of their professional role. The aim of this qualitative study is to describe, verbalise and make visible the mediating tools that choir directors working with children and youth choirs use. In a longitude study, four choir leaders were observed closely while working with their choirs. They also took part in semi-structured interviews. The empirical data material consists of observation notes, reflective writing, individualinterviews, focus conversations and videotapes. Analysed from a sociocultural perspective, the result points to eight groups of mediating tools: a) a listening attitude towards the choir, with the music in focus; b) a variation in ways of working with the choir, where a variety of physical tools are used; c) the use of musical routines; d) the choir director acting as a role model in shaping musicalexpression with the group; e) a concentrated cooperation with the choir through short and expressive instructions; f) reflection in practice by planning and self-evaluation; g) storytelling, which results in memory training, stimulation of the imagination and the sharing of common experience, and h) the use of target images expressed as visions, small/big goals or jointly stated, communicated targets. The choir directors who participated in the study use a variety of approaches and ways of working as a strategy for communicating and working with child and youth choirs.

The aim of this thesis is to investigate how new knowledge can be developed in computer-supported social practice. Participants were selected from newly qualified secondary school teachers and student teachers at a higher education institution in Rwanda. The thesis consists of four empirical case studies, the findings of which were analysed from a sociocultural perspective. In the first study, it has been shown that novice teachers are motivated to acquire information and communication technology (ICT) and to use it in their teaching and learning. The study also reveals that they succeed in situations where school administrators grant them easy access to computers. This implies a need to develop school-based curricula and appropriate pedagogy in the area of ICT literacy, which can allow teachers to develop critical reflection vis-à-vis the new technology and enable them to cope with change in social practice. In the second study, it has been shown that, while acquiring hands-on computer skills in small task-based groups, student teachers can adopt one of the three major learning patterns: individual-led, group-led, or individual-group hybrid-led. Moreover, the study shows that the group-led framework seems to create a supportive environment for knowledge building. This may require that students receive the right kind of teacher assistance and focus on criterion-referenced reflection to regulate their learning. The findings of the third article reveal that students coping with web-based literature face a twofold reality of learning discourse rooted in their sociocultural and educational contexts: the one conveyed through the foreign languages in which they are instructed, the other whose vehicle is their native language. The study suggests an alternative way of constructing a substantial learning discourse based on dissolution of language boundaries. The fourth article shows that appropriation of ICT use can stem from learning conditions including users’ motivation and their participation in social practice. Additionally, it can stem from collaboration between active users and other students. Given this, the study suggests that active ICT users can play a role as agents of change in the implementation of the new technology. Together, the four studies show that thinking and learning with ICT can develop through the interplay of mediation, learning conditions, collaboration and critical reflection.

Control theories have substantively contributed both theoretically and empirically to criminological research. Recently, Hirschi moved away from the personality constructs associated with self-control and created a new conceptualization that favors social bonds. Specifically, Hirschi suggests that counting the number of inhibitors (derived from social bonds) is the best way to predict delinquency. Using middle school and high school students from Largo Florida, this study examines Hirschi's new conceptualization of inhibitors by comparing it with self-control and a traditional social bonding scale. In addition, this study also explores whether Hirschi's new conceptualization and self-control operate through a cognitive scale. Results suggest that some components of Hirschi's new conceptualization of inhibitors are supported, while others are not. Finally, limitations are discussed and directions for future research are outlined.

Community violence (CV) is a social phenomenon that touches societies around the globe and exhibits alarming prevalence, especially among South African youth. Considering that CV exposure often causes severe internalising and externalising effects, it is not surprising that it can be one of the most destructive experiences for children. Since childhood informs further development, it is significant that factors influencing the general well-being of children be understood and discussed. This includes the exploration and study of a child’s perception, as perceptions have substantial influence over behaviour and well-being. However, few studies have been employed to understand how the youth perceive CV, despite the extensive literature available on this phenomenon. The current study was thus imperative in understanding how adolescents make sense of and perceive CV, which may contribute invaluable knowledge to the intervention efforts and strategies of social workers working with communities. The goal of this study was to explore and describe young adults’ perceptions of CV experienced in a South African context during adolescence. The major objectives of this study were to explore and describe how the participants were exposed to and perceived CV during adolescence, as well as how they believe they were affected by this exposure. The study followed a qualitative research approach and the participants, who comprise of the study population of young adults between the ages of 20 and 25 residing in the City of Tshwane, were attained through means of non-probability sampling, specifically the purposive and snowball sampling methods. An instrumental case study design was applied to the cases of ten (10) participants, who voluntarily participated in semi-structured qualitative interviews that were analysed according to the process phases of Thematic Analysis and were interpreted from the theoretical underpinning of Gestalt theory. The results show that adolescents’ exposure to CV took many different forms and infiltrated their everyday lives. In addition, adolescents’ perceptions of CV were greatly informed and influenced by various factors, both within themselves and within their environments. Furthermore, perceptions of CV were found to largely determine and affect their appraisal thereof, their relative interest therein, as well as their behavioural responses thereto. It can thus be concluded that the study on perceptions of CV is significant towards understanding adolescents’ internal and external functioning and for determining some of the threats encapsulated in CV exposure on adolescent development. Another conclusion drawn was that adolescents’ perceptions of CV may have certain limitations, which could negatively influence reasoning and decision-making and may place various restrictions on their lives. Through socialisation, beliefs and behaviour regarding CV can become normalised, which may lead to the desensitisation thereof. Moreover, perceptions of CV are highly complex and can shape adolescents’ worldviews and self-perception, which might go on to threaten their moral ground and cause disempowerment. The results provide some support for social workers working in violent communities by highlighting various protective factors that may curb the normalisation of CV, as well as its negative effects. Further research should be conducted to determine the degree to which CV has been normalised in South African communities, and the researcher recommends the use of a longitudinal and mixed-method research approach. / Mini Dissertation (MSW (Play-based Intervention))--University of Pretoria, 2020. / 2022/12/31 / Social Work and Criminology / MSW (Play-based Intervention) / Unrestricted

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Färdigheten att avkoda ord är en grundläggande förutsättning för förmågan att läsa och har därmed en avgörande roll i elevers läsutveckling. Framgångsrik undervisning krävs för att eleverna ska ges möjlighet och förutsättningar att utveckla färdigheten att avkoda, det vill säga förståelse för sambandet mellan fonem och grafem. Med detta som utgångspunkt är syftet med studien att undersöka hur sju lärare i årskurs 1 beskriver att de utformar undervisningen i avkodning för att skapa förutsättningar för att eleverna ska utveckla färdigheten att avkoda ord. Studien utgår från en kvalitativ forskningsansats samt ett sociokulturellt perspektiv på lärande och utveckling. Empiriskt material har samlats in genom semi-strukturerade intervjuer där totalt sju lärare i årskurs 1 medverkade. Lärarna var slumpvis utvalda från olika skolor i två medelstora städer i Sverige. Resultatet visar att lärare använder olika medierande verktyg i form av digitala redskap, läromedel och aktiviteter i undervisningen, där samtalet och det sociala samspelet får stort utrymme. Det framkommer även att lärare använder sig själv som verktyg i avkodningsundervisningen där läraren stöttar, utmanar och fungerar som förebild för eleverna.  Vid utformandet av undervisningen framgår dessutom att forskning och beprövad erfarenhet samt elevers olika förutsättningar är någonting lärare förhåller sig till. Resultatet synliggör att undervisning kring avkodning varierar mellan olika lärare eftersom elevers individuella behov ligger till grund vid val av verktyg och vid utformningen av undervisningen. / Decoding skills are a crucial part of students reading development, since the ability to decode words is a fundamental qualification for reading. To give the pupils the opportunity to develop knowledge of phoneme-grapheme correspondences, an effective instruction is required. In light of this, the purpose of this paper is to examine how first grade teachers describe how they design instruction to create conditions for the students to develop decoding skills. The paper is based on a qualitative research approach and a socio-cultural perspective on learning and development. Through semi-structured interviews, empirical material has been collected from a total of seven participating first grade teachers. The teachers were randomly selected from different schools in two medium-sized cities in Sweden. The results show that teachers use mediating tools in form of digital gears, teaching materials and activities, where social interaction is emphasized. Teachers also function as tools, because they support, challenge and serve as role models for the pupils. Furthermore, the results reveal that research and proven experience as well as pupils’ different pre-conditions and needs affect teachers when they create decoding instruction. The results show that pupils’ individual needs are the starting point when teachers choose tools and create decoding instruction, which is why decoding instruction varies between different teachers.