The purposes of this study are to investigate how mathematics achievement can be explained in terms of motivational beliefs (intrinsic goal orientation, extrinsic goal orientation, task value, control and learning beliefs, self efficacy for learning and performance and test anxiety), self-regulated learning components (cognitive strategy use and self-regulation), gender and school types and to determine the differences between two gender (girls and boys) and two school types (public schools and private schools) with respect to the variables above in the subject domain of mathematics. The study was conducted in Istanbul and Ankara, two largest cities of Turkey, with 577 seventh-grade students (274 boys, 303 girls) from nine private and public schools. Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) and Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT) were used. By using Linear Stepwise Regression and MANOVA, respectively, the results indicated that (1) The combined effect of three predictor variables (school type, self-efficacy and intrinsic goal orientation) on students&rsquo / mathematics achievement was significant. Boys&rsquo / mathematics achievement at public schools was significantly affected by extrinsic goal orientation and cognitive strategy use whereas self-efficacy and intrinsic goal orientation were two predictors for boys at private schools. Girls&rsquo / mathematics achievement both at public and private schools was significantly affected by self-efficacy. (2) There was no statistically significant mean difference between girls and boys with respect to task value, self-efficacy and test anxiety. Also, there was no statistically significant mean difference between public schools and private schools with respect to extrinsic goal orientation, task value, self efficacy and self-regulation.

Abstract The traditional industry of Taiwan boiler manufacturers¡¦ compensation system design is now facing the challenge of gradually improving working conditions and decreasing employees work hours to 84 hours (two week); in accordance with government regulations. These changes deeply affect organizations¡¦ development and cause a sense of uncertainty among employees. In addition, enterprises are becoming more concerned with improving employees¡¦ performance in order to enhance the performance of the organization as a whole. That is the reason to choose compensation system and performance as researching objective for this study. How does the compensation system affect performance? Which variables of compensation system may affect performance? This research refers to a cause and effect model of the organizational commitment to show the relationship between the compensation system, organizational commitment, performance, and how they influence each other. This study assumes that the compensation system affects performance via organizational commitment, which acts as the medium actor. Boiler manufacture industry employees are the object of this study; and there are 232 effective questionnaires in this survey. After statistic analysis, the study finds that: 1. The higher organizational commitment employees undertake, the higher performance they show; these two variables show positive correlation and influence. 2. The higher perceptions employees have toward the compensation system, the higher they expect to perform; these two variables show positive correlation and influence. 3. The higher perceptions employees have toward the compensation system, the higher commitment they undertake; these two variables show positive correlation and influence. 4. The compensation system either directly or indirectly affects performance via organizational commitment. 5. Using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to set up the integral pattern , and run on LISREL 8.2 to analyze data. The variable structure¡¦s appropriateness of this study is appropriate, and also able to prove that, organizational commitment is the medium factor between the compensation system and employee performance.

<p>Inom Kriminalvårdens tre ben häkte, anstalt och frivård, förs samtal med klienter för att försöka åstadkomma förändring. Denna uppsats fokuserar på samtalen med de klienter som inte bara är kriminella, utan även har ett missbruk av narkotika. Detta faktum gör att samtalen försvåras då det finns många underliggande faktorer som påverkar, både utifrån klientperspektiv som myndighetsperspektiv. För att ändå kunna skapa ett gott samtalsklimat som kan leda till förändring, ses detta arbete utifrån samtalsmetoden Motivational Interviewing, MI, vilken förespråkas av Kriminalvården. Den svenska översättningen av MI är Motiverande Samtal. En före detta klient och missbrukare har intervjuats liksom nio professionella med samtal som grundläggande arbetsmetod. Uppsatsen har ett fenomenologiskt perspektiv. Vad som framkommit under intervjuerna och vad som finns att hämta från litteraturen, har sedan analyserats utifrån ett humanistiskt och existentialistiskt samt ur ett kommunikativt perspektiv.</p><p>                      Det studien tydligast visar på, är att samtal är en förutsättning för att bedriva ett bra arbete med de klienter som är bland de svåraste inom Kriminalvården. Dock visar studien på att det finns faktorer som försvårar samtalen för förändring. En slutsats dras att dessa behöver tas i beaktande för att de professionella inom Kriminalvården ska kunna utföra sitt arbete. Därför kan MI enligt resultatet utgöra en mycket bra grund i samtalen, men att det finns en del kvar som kan förbättras, inte minst utifrån aspekten att samtalen påverkas av flera inre och yttre faktorer, vilka specificeras i studien. Det är flera av de intervjuade som ej använder sig av MI, men det kan tolkas som att metoden i sig är lätt att ta till sig i då den utgår ifrån grundläggande mänskliga värderingar. Detta gör att metoddelarna i MI ändå kan skönjas även bland de intervjuade som inte säger sig ha användning av metoden. Kriminalvårdens personal har, trots många svårigheter att övervinna i arbetet, ett unikt tillfälle att samtala om förändring, oavsett om MI används som metod eller ej.</p> / <p><strong>Title: Conversations and change in situations of force – a study of how professionals experience conversations held with clients with a drug abuse in the Swedish prison and probation system.</strong></p><p>Within the three ”legs” of the Swedish Prison and Probation system; detention centre, prison and probation office, there are conversations held with the clients, with the purpose of bringing about a change. This essay is focused on the conversations with the clients who are not only criminals, but also have a drug abuse. This fact makes the conversations more difficult because of many underlying factors, both from the perspective of the client and of the authority. To be able to create a good climate for discussion which could lead to change, the method of Motivational Interviewing (MI) is used. MI is the foundation of the prison and probation authority´s everyday work with clients. A former client and drug addict, has been interviewed as well as nine professionals. The essay has a phenomenological perspective. The results of the interviews and what is found in the literature has been analyzed from a humanistic and existentialistic perspective as well as a communicative perspective.</p><p>                      The most important findings in the study are that use of conversations is a very important and basic method to be able to carry on a good work with the most difficult clients within the Swedish Prison and Probation system. Yet, this essay also shows factors which makes the conversations towards change more difficult. The conclusion is drawn that the professionals within the Prison and Probation system, have to take these factors into consideration, to be able to do their work. Motivational Interviewing as an approach can therefore be, according to the result, a very good foundation in these conversations. The study also shows that there are still things that could be better, especially that the conversations can be influenced by several of inner and outer factors, which are specified in the study. There are many of the interviewed, that are not using the MI technique, though that could mean that the method in it self, is easy to embrace because of its base on fundamental human values. Therefore some of the MI techniques can be seen among the interviewed that stated that they didn´t have any use of the method. The staff of the Prison and Probation system have, despite the many difficulties in the work, a unique opportunity to discuss change, no matter if MI is used as a method or not.</p>

Includes vita. / Title from PDF of title page. / Document formatted into pages; contains 114 pages. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of South Florida, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references. / Text (Electronic thesis) in PDF format. / ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to determine how to best motivate smokers with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder to seek treatment for tobacco dependence. Smokers with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (N=78) were randomly assigned to receive a Motivational Interviewing, Psychoeducational, or Minimal Control intervention. A greater proportion of participants receiving the Motivational Interviewing intervention followed through on a referral for tobacco dependence treatment within one-week and one-month post-intervention. Mixed model Analyses of Variance found no differences between groups at one-week or at one-month with respect to tobacco use or motivation to quit. Within group analyses indicated that participants in the Motivational Interviewing and Psychoeducational groups reported significant decreases in cigarettes smoked per day. / ABSTRACT: Only participants in the Motivational Interviewing group showed significant increases in confidence in their ability to quit smoking. / System requirements: World Wide Web browser and PDF reader. / Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Background: To understand the consumers’ motivation to write online reviews is of importance, especially for companies since a large number of reviews have a positive influence on sales. Previous research has been done regarding what motivate consumers to provide user generated content, online word of mouth and also, to some extent, online reviews. However, these studies have primarily been adopted in a quantitative manner. To explore, from customers’ own perspective, the motivation to write online reviews is therefore valuable to add depth to the existing literature. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore customers’ motivation to write online reviews. Research question: What factors motivate customers to write online reviews? Methodology: The design of the research is a case study where the data collection method was conducted by semi-structured interviews. Conclusion: The result of this study shows that customers’ motivation to write online reviews is due to a variety of situations. The customers are motivated to write to enhance their selfimage, helping both customers and companies, and in some situations to even harm companies. Also, customers were motivated to write to obtain economical incentives. The features of the platform are important, where easiness and the opportunity to be anonymous were preferred.

Motiverande samtal är en pedagogisk metod som frekvent förekommer på Sveriges HVB. Det finns tidigare forskning som pekar på att metoden fungerar bra vid de flesta beteendeförändringar. Utövare har erfarenheter av att metoden fungerar bra i många sammanhang men också att metoden ibland kan ha brister. Denna studie syftar till att undersöka utövares upplevelser och erfarenheter av motiverande samtal (MI). Studien undersöker på vilket sätt MI kan vara ett stöd för patienten och vilka svårigheter det finns med metoden. Studien är avgränsad till att undersöka fyra utövare av motiverande samtal, som arbetar på hem för vård eller boende (HVB). Resultatet visade att MI kan vara ett stöd för patienter i många fall. MI har varit ett stöd för patienter till att ta steg mot ett bestämt mål, ta kontroll över sina tankar och stöd till att se positivt på framtiden. Det finns även brister och svårigheter med metoden. Denna undersökning har visat att MI inte är tillämpbart på alla patienter. MI kan vara en svår metod att lära sig och det finns en del brister i utbildningen.

A young adult is defined to be in the ages 16–25 and it is during these years that they step in to the job market. Many young adults feel pressured by society to have a job and to keep it. There are motivational factors such as money, activity level, variation, social contacts and personal development that drives the young adult to want a job. The purpose of the study was to examine which motivational factors are significant and the difference between the genders. The study was based on a questionnaire with 48 participants categorized in the ages between 16–20 and 21–25. The result of the study showed that money and social contacts are the most significant factors for young adults. There were no significant differences between genders when it comes to the factors money and social contacts. Further, the study showed that women are more affected by the unemployment than men, and that a new factor, fear, showed up in the questionnaires’ open answers.

Abstract Despite documented health benefits, most breast cancer survivors (BCS) do not meet physical activity (PA) guidelines. Hence, evaluating diverse intervention approaches to promote PA in BCS is imperative. Motivational Interviewing (MI) offers a non-prescriptive, client-centered approach to PA promotion that has not been adequately evaluated in BCS. In this randomized-controlled trial, 66 Stage 0-IIIa BCS within three years post-treatment, insufficiently active and contemplating increasing PA were randomly assigned to a MI intervention or an active control condition. The MI intervention implemented motivational and behavior change strategies consistent with MI principles. The active control condition provided education and prescriptive recommendations on diet, PA, and stress management. Participants completed two in-person and one phone-based sessions over 4 weeks. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, 6-week, and 12-week follow-up. The primary outcome was efficacy of the MI intervention to promote PA. Contrary to the hypothesis that the MI intervention would be superior, PA improvements were evident for both groups, with 60% of all participants meeting PA guidelines at 12-week follow-up. Secondary outcomes involved intervention effects on depressive symptoms, fatigue, vigor, and aerobic fitness. Contrary to hypotheses, improvements in secondary outcomes were evident for both groups. Exploratory moderation analyses yielded no group differences in PA outcomes based on baseline activity level, perceived stress, age, or body mass index. Exploratory mediation analyses indicated that the relationships between group assignment and change in secondary outcomes were not mediated by change in PA. In analyses of the combined sample, higher baseline aerobic fitness predicted greater improvement in PA over time. Overall, results suggest that diverse intervention approaches can help promote PA in BCS. Future research should evaluate long-term maintenance of gains and theoretical mechanisms of the intervention effect.

published_or_final_version / Clinical Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

published_or_final_version / Nursing Studies / Master / Master of Nursing