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This thesis project investigates the procrastination problem in university students and the effects of this issue in individual work such as essays and learning activities related to academic context. As part of students’ routines, the use of digital devices is crucial for easy access to online resources, but, at the same time, this technological development has become a high distraction source while trying to accomplish academic goals. Adding to this, the study environment greatly impacts student's performance and concentration, which turned out to be an important element in this project’s development.   Here, the problem of procrastination affects society physically and psychologically, with side effects that unpack researchers’ curiosity for a deeper understanding of this issue in the user-centered context and the Interaction Design field (IxD). Additionally, Tangible Interactions, Research Through Design and a brief study of Auto-ethnography complemented the process by introducing the impact that social problems and humans’ personal experiences have on design concept production.   Taking into consideration space and digital distractions surrounding students as one of the reasons for the lack of academic concentration, this thesis aspires to show the benefits of studying environments such as university libraries and focus on the social aspect of studying in a group. As such, Structure-Us is the final design concept that runs through Arduino Nano as an accountability box for students. As so, the outcome is a method academic students individual work maintaining social connections as a motivational method bringing reflection on their behavior as a step to achieve personal goals.

Bakgrund: Äldre är en växande befolkningsgrupp globalt och sjuksköterskors möte med äldre sker mer eller mindre överallt inom hälso- och sjukvården. Denna patientgrupp lider i många fall av multisjuklighet med fokus på fysiska symtom, därav kan det vara svårt för vårdpersonal att tolka symtom på depressivitet. Syfte: Att beskriva sjuksköterskors uppfattningar och erfarenheter av att identifiera depressiva symptom hos äldre personer. Metod: Allmän litteraturstudie med kvalitativ ansats baserat på åtta vetenskapliga artiklar vilka har analyserats med tematisk analys. Resultat: Två teman utvecklades med fyra underteman. ”En känsla av att vilja men inte kunna” – med underteman ”att sakna rätt förutsättningar” och ”att ha svårigheter att upptäcka symtom”; samt ”en vilja att förstå personen bakom patienten” – med underteman ”att skapa en trygg vårdrelation” och ”att skapa sig en helhetsbild”. Slutsats: Komplexiteten det innebär i vårdmötet för att identifiera depressiva symtom ställer krav på ett öppet förhållningssätt hos både den äldre och sjuksköterskan. Med kontinuitet, tid och lyhört lyssnande kan en trygg vårdrelation byggas, vilket är en förutsättning för att identifiera depressiva symtom. Att ta vara på tiden i alla omvårdnadssammanhang är en väg framåt. / Background: Older people are a growing population globally, which nurses encounter in almost all parts of the healthcare system. This patient group often suffers from multimorbidity with predominantly physical symptoms, which can make it more difficult for healthcare professionals to interpret symptoms of depression. Aim: To describe nurses’ perceptions and experiences of identifying depressive symptoms in older people. Method: A literature review with a qualitative approach based on eight scientific articles, which have been analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Two themes were developed with four subthemes. “A feeling of wanting to help but not being able to” – with subthemes “to lack the right conditions” and “to have difficulty detecting symptoms”; and “a desire to understand the person behind the patient” – with subthemes “to create a safe caring relationship” and “to create an overall picture”. Conclusion: The complexity involved in identifying depressive symptoms requires an open approach from both patient and nurse. With continuity, time and attentive listening, a safe caring relationship can be established, which is a prerequisite for identifying depressive symptoms. Making use of the time at hand in all nursing contexts is a way forward.

Previous research provided preliminary support of a potential reinforcing effect of suicidal ideation demonstrating reduced negative affect and increased positive affect after thinking about suicide. The present study therefore sought to investigate the role of mood and affect as a proximal risk factor of suicidal ideation in a high-risk sample. Seventy-four psychiatric inpatients (72% female) with unipolar depression and current and/or lifetime suicidal ideation aged 18 to 85 years (M = 37.6, SD = 14.3) took part in an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) over 6 days. Multilevel analyses were calculated. Analyses revealed negative valence of mood and low positive affect to be predictors of subsequent intensity of suicidal ideation (active, passive) as well as predictors of change in suicidal ideation (active, passive) since the last measurement. High negative affect only predicted intensity of passive suicidal ideation. Suicidal ideation (active, passive) was prospectively associated with subsequent negative valence of mood and lower positive affect as well as with higher intensity of negative affect. Suicidal ideation (active, passive) also predicted the change in valence of mood, positive affect and negative affect since the last measurement. Mood and affect should be taken into account as important proximal risk factors of active and passive suicidal ideation. The results do not support the idea of a reinforcing effect of suicidal ideation. In fact, they show a pattern of reduced subsequent positive affect, negative valence of mood and increased negative affect. Replication studies with larger samples and longer EMA follow-ups are needed

Over the past 13 years, I and the other co-leader of the Unforgettables Chorus have observed how direct participation in a chorus designed for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a type of dementia, and their caregivers has shown improvement in mood and wellbeing for these participants. The conductors have witnessed remarkable changes in choir participants, but thus far, evidence for the effects of this program has been mostly anecdotal. Previous literature suggests that improved mood is associated with better health outcomes and that music can positively impact quality of life and wellbeing among individuals, including people with dementia. In this mixed-methods study, the primary researcher has conducted qualitative interviews with 10 caregivers of individuals with AD and utilized a validated psychometric tool, the Visual Analog Mood Scale (VAMS), within a study choir of 28 individuals with AD and their caregivers to investigate changes in the context of six choir rehearsals. Qualitative interviews identified several themes, including restoring personal identity, connecting with others in the choir and in the community, “musical carryovers” outside the choir program, benefits conferred by warm-ups and vocal exercises, and positive mood-related and emotional experiences. In a statistical comparison of VAMS scores before and after choir rehearsals, there was a statistically significant change in mood over the course of a choir session (p < 0.001), and the mood scores of all 28 individuals increased at every session. Based on the results of the qualitative interviews and quantitative test results, there is evidence to suggest that this type of choir program is beneficial for the mood and overall wellbeing of individuals with mild to moderate AD and their caregivers. This study demonstrates the clear value of this choral ensemble for people with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers. These findings can be used to guide the establishment of similar groups across the world. Future studies in this area could focus on incorporating larger sample sizes and biometric data to complement the results of qualitative analyses.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate whether abnormal return patterns can occur on different share indices, as a result of the outcome in national team matches. The subordinary aim is to investigate whether there are differences between the three share indices, (small-, mid- and large cap) depending on the match category and how it relates regarding the five countries in the study. Method This study has a positivistic and deductive approach, using a modified event study methodology. The event period is one day after the event. For each nation, year and share index, different estimation periods have been created. The study comprises 760 national team football matches and is investigating how each different share index is affected by match outcomes in championship matches, qualifying matches and friendlies. Results Upon compilation of all 760 matches, the result of this study shows a statistically significant impact on two of the three possible match outcomes, regarding small cap index. Furthermore the result also shows a connection between friendly matches and small cap index. The match categories championship matches and qualifying matches demonstrates no connection to the three diffrent kind of share indices. Regarding the different nations, Spain and their small- and large cap index shows the most significant connection between the match outcome and abnormal return. Conclusions The small cap share index is basically the only index that is affected by the all the matches that is involved in this study (after a victory or a loss). The magnitude of a match does not seem to have a greater influence on investor rationality. Over all, the match outcome draw does not lead to negative abnormal return. Of this studys five surveyed countries (England, France, Spain, Sweden and Germany), the english and german share indicies seems to be least likley to be affected by the outcome in national team football matches.

Thesis (DLitt)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: One of the questions that have challenged scholars of BH for many years is whether the language should be regarded as a tense, aspectual or modal language. In this thesis, I argue that the lack and application of a metacategory for describing any language in general, and BH in particular, has been the main problem of the debate. A sound methodology is needed in order to be able to make an argument that can be tested empirically. The present study presents such a viable methodological approach. Using Bhatian parameters for tense, aspect and modal prominent languages, crosslinguistic metacategories of tense, aspect and mood were developed. These were applied to BH and the outcome was the hypothesis that BH is an aspect-prominent language. After formulating the above-mentioned hypothesis for BH, a corpus had been selected in the light of which the hypothesis was tested. The result demonstrates that BH consistently maintains perfective and imperfective aspectual distinctions. It was found that even where aspectual distinctions are extended to modal categories, the distinction in meanings between the perfective and the imperfective forms of the BH verb are not neutralised. From these observations, it has been concluded that there is the need to revisit the semantics of Proto Semitic. A model like the one used in this study could be replicated in the study of Proto Semitic. Such a revisit, it is hypothesised, may give fresh insights into the verbal system of Proto Semitic in general and BH in particular / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Een van die vrae wat reeds vir baie jare vir kenners van Byblese Hebreeus (=BH) In uitdaging is, is of die taal 'n tempustaal, 'n aspektuele taal of 'n modale taal is. In hierdie tesis voer ek aan dat die gebrek aan die toepassing van 'n metakategorie vir die beskrywing van tale in die algemeen, en BH in die besonder, die hoof probleem in die debat is. 'n Deeglike begronde metodologie is nodig om 'n hipotese daar te stel wat empiries getoets kan word. Hierdie studie wil so 'n metodologie formuleer. Deur gebruik te maak van Bhat se parameters vir tale waarvan die tempus, aspek en modaliteit prominent is, is kruislinguistiese metakategorieë vir tempus, aspek en modaliteit ontwikkel. Hierdie metakategorieë is op BH toegepas en die resultaat daarvan was die hipotese dat BH 'n aspek-prominente taal is. Nadat die bogenoemde hipotese vir BH geformuleer is, is 'n korpus geselekteer in die lig waarvan hierdie hipotese getoets kon word. Die resultaat demonstreer dat BH konsekwent die perfektiewe en imperfektiewe aspektuele onderskeid handhaaf. Daar is gevind dat selfs wanneer aspektuele onderskeidings uitgebrei is na modale kategorieë, die onderskeid tussen die perfektiewe en die imperfektiewe vorme van die BH werkwoord nie geneutraliseer word me. Vanuit hierdie waarnemings is tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat dit nodig is om weer te gaan kyk na die semantiek van Proto-Semities. 'n Model soos die een wat in hierdie studie gebruik is, kan ook in die studie van Proto-Semities bebruik word. Die hipotese is dat so 'n hernude ondersoek nuwe insigte kan gee in die werkwoordsisteem van Proto-Semities in die algemeen en BH in die besonder.

本論文主要從情緒解釋框架效應，由情緒管理理論（Mood management theory）、情緒壓抑效果(Dampening effect)解釋框架效應，並利用問卷驗證兩理論之正確性。情緒管理理論認為:在正向框架下，受試為了保持好心情，選擇能保持好心情的確定選項；在負向框架下，受試為了逃離負向情緒，選擇有機會沒有人損失的風險選項。而情緒壓抑效果則認為:受試會對不確定選項會有一個情緒的壓抑效果，因此在正向框架下，受試對風險選項的正向情緒較低，因此選擇確定選項；負向框架下，受試對風險選項的負向情緒較低，因此選擇風險選項。另外，對於過去文獻中顯現人們對亞洲疾病問題比賭局問題要來的風險追逐的現象，情緒管理理論比情緒壓抑效果更能由情緒的角度提供解釋。情緒管理理論預期受試面對賭局問題比亞洲疾病問題，在正向框架下的正向情緒較高，在負向框架下的負向情緒較低。情緒壓抑效果預期受試在正向框架下，對於確定選項有較高的正向情緒，因此選擇確定選項；面對負向框架，對於不確定選項有較低的負向情緒，因此選擇不確定選項。本文採用問卷的方式，在實驗一與實驗二中，對於上述的理論作檢驗，結果支持情緒管理理論的預測，情緒壓抑效果僅獲得部分支持。本文除了對於過去框架效應的相關文章作一統整外，對於框架效應的發生提供一個情緒解釋基礎，並使用情緒管理理論驗證並支持之。