Thesis--University of Oregon. / On spine: Older women in a diploma school of nursing. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 121-127).

M.A. / The mid-life transition is the focus of this research. It is an in-depth qualitative study based on a small sample of women between forty to sixty years of age. The research also examines the significance of the story medium as a means of generating psychological data concerning the experience of the mid-life transition. This data was analysed using grounded theory methodology. The results suggest that there is a merging of the cognitive and affective functions during the mid-life transition causing disequilibrium and the shifting of elements within the psychic structure. The data further suggest that mid-life is a meaning generating process at two levels. There is a clarification of goals, values and life direction. At a deeper level there is a search for an inner purposiveness or soul centredness. Themes centred around questions of identity and relationship. Identity issues surfaced with regard to appearance, roles, future and the death/rebirth motif Relationship issues concerned relationship to marriage, motherhood, work and money. Ultimately, at mid-life, there is an inner search for soul purposiveness.

The effects of weight training on the strength, power and size of arm flexor muscles in older women and the relationship between physical self-efficacy and changes in strength and power were investigated. Being reasonably strong is clearly desirable for older women to be able to live independently and safely; both strength and power are important. Although most older people living alone are women, very little research has been concerned with strength or power, or with training for strength, in older women. A 2 (experimental and control groups) x 2 (before and after training) experimental design was used. Subjects (N = 68) were randomly assigned to the 2 groups. Right arm strength (6RM), peak power, fat-free cross-sectional area (FCA), and Physical Self-efficacy (PSE) were measured before and after 12 weeks training, which was carried out at home. The experimental group trained elbow flexors 3 times a week, using dumbells; the control group trained for increased flexibility, for a similar amount of time weekly. For various reasons (no-shows, drop-outs, medical, incomplete cases) only 50 cases were available for analysis, 30 in the experimental group and 20 in the control group. Eighteen of these 50 subjects had initially reported minor disorders such as controlled hypertension or joint problems. Adherence was approximately 92%. In the experimental group, 6RM increased 20% more than in the control group, but peak power was slightly lower in both groups. There was no change in FCA. PSE was not correlated with the increase in 6RM, but was significantly linearly correlated with peak power. These results, and particularly the different response to training for strength and power in this group, are discussed. The mean reduction in peak power over the training period was not expected; possible reasons are discussed. The expectation of a relationship between PSE and changes in physical performance was not realized, although there was a statistically significant correlation between PSE and peak power. Possible reasons for this are discussed. In general, it was concluded that, after twelve weeks of training, the increase in weight-lifting performance using arm flexors: -shows that older women can, through a simple programme of progressive weight training done at home, improve the amount of weight they can lift -was not accompanied by hypertrophy of arm flexors -was not accompanied by an increase in peak power of the arm flexors -was not related to physical self-efficacy as measured In this study. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Tulsa, 1993. / Bibliography: leaves 87-96.

Thesis (M.S.), Kinesiology and Health Studies--University of Central Oklahoma, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 44-48).

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Oregon State University, 2003. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 183-192). Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (D. Min.)--Westminster Theological Seminary, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 257-261).

Thesis PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (doctoral)--Lund Universitet, 1988. / Extra t.p. with thesis statement inserted. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2005. / Supervisor: Shirley Laffrey. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.