Published Article / Research in the West has identified a number of adjustment problems for international students. This has helped student administrators in these countries and their international students to take informed measures that help make international student sojourn much bearable. Unfortunately, very little is known regarding international student adjustment issues in developing countries. This study examined data from 120 international students of a South African university in order to determine their adjustment challenges. Results suggest that respondents experienced numerous adjustment problems similar to those encountered internationally, thus global measures may be borrowed to mitigate problems common to South African universities.

Young people is at the center of many of the rapid changes taking place in contemporary society and has to deal with the uncertainties that follows. One uncertainty is linked to the transition between leaving full time studies and entering employment were unemployment has become a natural step in becoming an adult. Hence the "becoming" has become a longer period of time in young people’s lives. The economic crisis in many European countries in recent years are the cause of many problems young people experience today. In relation to this brief background the thesis examines how social problems i.e. unemployment, deprivation, dependent on social welfare, low education and disability (affecting a person’s ability to work) is accumulated over time. The thesis point of departure is what Merton (1968) described in terms of The Matthew effect according to the Gospel of St. Matthew: For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. It is the last part of this “effect” that is the center of attention. The research questions are: is there such a thing as the Matthew effect and if so how this process can be understood. Theoretically the study at hand elaborates the accumulation process by drawing on the concept of marginalization and social exclusion. By analyzing changes over time (3 years) in the five social problems described above (unemployment, deprivation etc.) for 64236 young people in the age of 19 to 25 years living in Sweden it is possible to describe patterns of social problem and how and why one specific problem or social problems in combination may lead to the accumulation of problem over time. These results are also combined with data from in-depth interviews whit young people that have accumulated social problem over time. It is argued that the combination of research methods gives a better understanding to the phenomenon at hand. The theoretical contribution relates to a better understanding of the process of accumulation of social problems for young people and to a better understanding of different steps in the accumulation process as well as central fault lines in this process. These findings can be used in practice for pinpointing groups of young adults in need of more as well as less support in handling and overcoming social problem and the transition from school to work.

This study attempts to explore the perceptions of victims of terrorism, and staff of NGOs with relevant experience of terrorism, based on the premise that social problems have contributed to the growth of terrorism in Nigeria; which in turn has created more social problems. This study posits that International social work can be used to manage and proffer solutions to these social problems in Nigeria.  International social work refers to social work practice that applies international knowledge and practice and is not limited to one country. This study used qualitative methods - seven semi-structured interviews to collect data. The General systems theory served as the theoretical base for the analysis of the data. The findings indicated that social problems could be attributed to the rise in terrorism, and that there was an urgent need for International social workers and their competencies in combating the causes of terrorism and its disastrous effects.

published_or_final_version / Mathematics / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Children with reading difficulties (RD) are also likely to experience psychosocial problems. However, a significant proportion (30-50%) are indistinguishable, in psychosocial terms, from their typically-achieving (TA) peers. The aim of the current study was to identify aspects of social information processing which serve a protective function for children with RD, in terms of their at-risk status for concomitant psychosocial problems. Method: The sample comprised 42 children (21 with RD, and 21 TA), aged 9-11 years, with 11 boys and 10 girls in each group. A multifactor procedure was used to classify children as RD, based on the inclusionary criteria of teacher selection, and reading achievement below the 25th percentile, as well as several exclusionary criteria. The reading subtests of the WIAT-II, and the KBIT-2 (non-verbal IQ) measures were used to identify the presence of RD according to these criteria. The dependent variable, behavioural symptoms, was assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, which was rated by both parents and teachers. Children (RD and TA) completed measures of theory of mind, understanding emotions in facial expression and tone of voice, attachment style, and affective experience. Results: As expected, RD were correlated with increased levels of psychosocial problems, and poorer theory of mind skills predicted increased psychosocial problems. Consistent with hypotheses, emotion understanding, positive affect, and secure attachment, moderated the link between RD and psychosocial problems. That is, better emotion understanding, more positive affect, and secure attachment status, functioned as protective factors for children in the RD group, but not those in the TA group. Conclusion: The findings are discussed in relation to extant findings, as well as within a risk and protective framework. Finally, strengths and limitations of the current study are described, and implications for psychosocial interventions suggested.

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Very accurate methods, based on boundary integral techniques, are developed for the study of multiple, interacting fluid interfaces in an Eulerian fluid. These methods are applied to the evolution of a thin, periodic layer of constant vorticity embedded in irrotational fluid. Numerical regularity experiments are conducted and suggest that the interfaces of the layer develop a curvature singularity in infinite time. This is to be contrasted with the more singular vorticity distribution of a vortex sheet developing such a singularity in a finite time.

No description available.

No description available.