This is a candidate’s thesis for the programme for Social Workers at the Linneaus University in Växjö. This study has the purpose to understand what protective-factors that may be important for children who grow up in a risk environment. This has been done through reading autobiographies written by adults who have been born and raised in destructive environments. The data has been collected with the use of a narrative analysis. The result has then been viewed and analyzed with the help of attachment-theory, a salutogene perspective and with ecological systems theory. The results from this candidate’s thesis shows that we have been able to identify protective factors in three major categories; Individual attributes, relationships and factors that exists outside of the family environment. These factors have been analyzed and explained through the perspective of attachment-theory, a salutogene perspective and with ecological systems theory. Our findings suggest that there exists several important relationships between our result, the previous research and what the theories suggest is important for children as protective factors. They are: basic need of security, need of development and understanding and finally an importance in the needs for children to have a sense of coherence.

This study focuses on the concept of resilience, and seeks to determine the nature, and role, of personal attributes in adolescents' ability to bounce back from life's blows, and continue determinedly along the path of self-actualisation. The personal attributes impacting on the ability to surmount life's challenges are delineated by an empirical study focussing on twenty learning-disabled adolescents, half of whom demonstrate resilience, and half of whom appear to have turned their backs on self-actualisation. The study aims to provide educational psychologists with an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon of resilience, so that vulnerable youngsters might ultimately be therapeutically assisted to choose a more resilient attitude and behaviour. The results of the study delineate nine definite personal attributes which anchor resilience and promote self-actualisation, despite obstacle-ridden circumstances. Furthermore, results suggest that personal choice underlies resilience, implying that intervention targeted at inculcating resilience may well be a worthwhile exercise. / Psychology of Education / M.Ed.(Guidance and Counselling)

Syftet med denna studie är att nå en djupare förståelse om hur samhället ska kunna stödja barn som växer upp under ogynnsamma förhållanden på ett bättre sätt. Studien baseras på en litteraturstudie på sex stycken självbiografier som valts ut efter vissa kriterier. Dessa självbiografier har sammanställts utifrån en kvalitativ innehållsanalys och ett antal teman som svarar på våra forskningsfrågor identifierades. Utifrån studiens syfte och frågeställningar har teorier om risk- och skyddsfaktorer, KASAM, skam, resiliens samt anknytning valts ut. Tidigare forskning visar på att utsatta barn och social barnavård är ett eftersatt forskningsområde. Vårt resultat av denna studie visar på brister inom såväl socialtjänsten som samhället i övrigt. Det finns ett omfattande behov av att ständigt uppmärksamma och tydliggöra vilket stöd dessa barn kan få. / The purpose of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of how society better can support and protect children who grow up under challenging and unfavorable circumstances. This study is based on six autobiographies which have been selected based on certain criteria. These autobiographies have been compiled based on a qualitative content analysis and a number of topics have been identified. Based on the purpose of the study and its framing of questions theories of risk and protective factors, Sense Of Coherense, shame, resilience and attachment theory has been chosen. Existing research indicates that children at risk and social child care are a somewhat neglected research area. The result of this study highlights a number of deficiencies both within the social welfare system and the society as a whole. There is a large need for continuous appreciation and clarification of the support that these children can expect.

Thesis (MEd (Educational Psychology)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / Many adults living in previously disadvantaged communities were confronted with daily racism, oppression and the abuse of human rights during the apartheid government's ruling of South Africa. Since the demise of apartheid, however, many of these same adults have continued to be challenged by adversities, such as crime, violence, unemployment, poverty, gangsterism and drug and alcohol abuse on a daily basis. Despite these adversities many adults nevertheless manage to cope and thrive. Yet, little research regarding the nature of adult resilience within high-risk communities, especially within the South African context, exists. The aim of this study was to gain insight into, and understanding of, adults' experiences of resilience within a high-risk South African community. In order to address the aims of the study, a basic interpretive qualitative study was undertaken. A high-risk community on the Cape Flats, Western Cape, was selected as the site for data collection, as it was known that adults in the community were exposed to high incidences of crime, violence, poverty, unemployment and gangsterism. The selected participants were viewed, both by themselves and by other community members, as resilient as they had managed to overcome years of racism, oppression and the abuse of human rights at the hands of the apartheid South African government. Additionally, participants had had to fight the harrowing effects of negative influences on a daily basis. The findings of this study indicated that, despite being confronted with ongoing extreme situations of adversity, the participants managed to cope and remain optimistic. Resilient attributes, such as intrapersonal, interpersonal and community resources, were found to contribute to adults' experiences of resilience. Intrapersonal resources, such as the maintenance of a positive attitude, the ability to set goals and the willingness to make sacrifices in order to achieve personally set goals, emerged. Other intrapersonal factors which were attributed to the adults' experiences of resilience related to the awareness of, and dedication to, future planning and the importance of maintaining a healthy body and mind. Interpersonal factors which came to the fore related to recognition of the importance of family relationships, involvement in activities which served to uplift and empower others, and acknowledgement of the need to mix with a diverse group of people in order to gain exposure to new ideas and experiences. Community resources were recognised as playing an additional role in supporting adults in their quest for success, with resources, such as religious organisations, schools and clinics, being identified by the participants concerned. Despite exposure to adversity, resilient adults in high-risk communities were found to make use of three sources of resources and to continue to remain hopeful and positive about their future. This study demonstrates, then, that resilience in a high-risk community is related to the use of intrapersonal, interpersonal and community resources.

Au niveau mondial, la mort par suicide occupe fréquemment la deuxième ou troisième place des causes de décès chez les adolescents (AIPS, 2009). Afin de prévenir le suicide chez les jeunes, une meilleure compréhension des facteurs associés s’avère donc nécessaire. La présente étude avait pour but d’identifier les facteurs de protection d’adolescents atteints d’un trouble de l’humeur et présentant un risque suicidaire. Pour ce faire, un questionnaire relatant les habitudes de vie et facteurs psychosociaux a été analysé. Le risque suicidaire a été évalué à partir de la version adaptée pour adolescents du SAD PERSONS Scale (Juhnke, 1994). L’échantillon de l’étude comprenait 101 jeunes de 12 à 17 ans atteints d’un trouble de l’humeur et présentant un risque suicidaire. Des analyses descriptives, des tests de t, des analyses de variance, des corrélations et des régressions ont été utilisées afin de vérifier la relation entre le risque suicidaire et les facteurs de protection. Il ressort que, pour les adolescents de l’étude, être satisfait du soutien reçu, avoir un bon soutien affectif parental, avoir plusieurs sources de lecture par semaine, souper plusieurs fois avec sa famille par semaine, ne pas fumer de cigarette, ne pas avoir beaucoup d’amis qui fument la cigarette, ne pas consommer d’alcool, ne pas consommer de drogue ainsi que de ne pas mélanger la consommation d’alcool et de drogue peuvent tous agir, individuellement, comme facteurs de protection du suicide chez des adolescents atteints d’un trouble de l’humeur et présentant un risque suicidaire. Par ailleurs, les analyses effectuées ne révèlent aucune relation significative entre les habitudes scolaires, l’activité physique, les habitudes de sommeil, l’estime de soi et le risque suicidaire des adolescents de l’étude. Enfin, miser sur les facteurs de protection du suicide identifiés par la présente étude constitue une nouvelle piste intéressante pour les infirmières et des recommandations pour la recherche et la pratique infirmière sont suggérées. / Adolescent suicide often represents the second or third leading cause of death for this age group throughout the world (AIPS, 2009). In order to prevent adolescent suicide, a better understanding of the factors associated with suicidal risk is necessary. The aim of this study was to identify the protective factors of adolescents with mood disorders and suicidal risk. Life habits and psychosocial factors were evaluated by an auto-administrated questionnaire. The adapted version of the SAD PERSONS Scale (Patterson, Dohn, Bird & al, 1983) for children and adolescents (Juhnke, 1994) was used to evaluate the suicidal risk. The sample of this study included 101 teenagers, aged between 12 and 17 years old, who had a mood disorder and a suicidal risk. Descriptive analysis, T-tests, variance analysis (ANOVA), correlation analysis and multiple regressions were conducted to examine the relationship between the suicidal risk (dependant variable) and the life habits and psychosocial factors (independent variables). The results indicate that, for 12 to 17 year olds, being satisfied with the support received, having good parental support, having many different sources of reading, eating supper with their family frequently, not smoking cigarettes, not having many friends who smoke cigarettes, not drinking, not doing drugs and not drinking and doing drugs simultaneously can all act as individual protective factors for suicidal risk. On the other hand, the results of this study do not show any statistically significant relations between school habits, physical activity, sleep habits, self-esteem and suicidal risk for teenagers with mood disorders. Finally, examining protective factors seems to be useful in helping teens with mood disorders and suicidal risk. The results of this study encourage nurses to include protective factors in their evaluation of suicidal adolescents and interventions. Research and clinical recommendations are therefore suggested.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

Resilience, as a trait, process or outcome, is the negation of an undesirable outcome or of an expected maladjustment in the context of an adversity. Young people represent a developmental stage in which there is a vulnerability to experience deleterious outcomes during adversity. The literature on risk and promotive factors for resilience in youth is compounded by narrative reviews which have not applied a rigorous search methodology and which have failed to operationalise resilience. To date, the majority of research in resilience for emotional distress has focussed on data collected in high income countries. The first paper presents a systematic review of the literature on risk and promotive factors for trait resilience in youth. The findings indicate that there are differences in the magnitude of association between trait resilience and various risk and promotive factors, which were conceptualised into biological, intrapersonal, interpersonal and environmental factors. The largest body of evidence reviewed pertained to intrapersonal risk and promotive factors for trait resilience. Factors predicting trait resilience were also identified. Implications for future research include addressing the methodological and sampling limitations of the reviewed studies. The second paper presents an empirical study investigating factors within a microsystem which differentiate adolescents with resilience for emotional distress and those vulnerable to emotion distress in India (<i>N</i> = 967) and in Peru (<i>N</i> = 606). Factors which predict low emotional distress in each country and factors which differentiate between low emotional distress Indian and Peruvian adolescents were additionally investigated. A cross-sectional exploratory investigation of secondary data was employed. The findings suggest that the profile of low vulnerability for emotional distress differs between different cultural contexts and contribute to an extraordinarily limited evidence-base in low and middle income contexts. Extensive additional research is required to delineate culturally-specific profiles of resilience for emotional distress in a bid to develop culturally-sensitive treatment targets.

Background: Co-morbidity of eating disorders and alcohol use among women is a topical theme. Eating disorders can be seen as a disease of modern women and alcohol use as very frequent and tolerated by society. Co-morbidity of these disorders is not given enough attention. Aim: The theoretical part defines basic terms of eating disorders, alcohol abuse and their co-morbidity. In the practical part my goal was to identify the risk and protective factors, personal characteristics that were common for women suffering with co-morbidity and to outline the subjective perception of respondents regarding this issue. Methods and sample: Data were obtained by the method of a semistructured interview with five respondents - clients of the aftercare group for alcohol addicts. Two methods were used for the purpose of data analysis: qualitative type of an approach and a pattern (gestalt) recognition method. Results: The thesis described risk factors on the individual, familial and social level. It also described personal characteristics of respondents that overlapped with the risk factors. They can therefore be taken as risk factors on the individual level. Protective factors are mainly positive influence of peers, hobbies and awareness of one's value. Respondents and their subjective view on this issue point out...

L’obiettivo generale del presente progetto di ricerca era trattare i specifici e problematici casi in cui violenza domestica e violenza assistita coesistono. Tali situazioni infatti richiedono di “vedere doppio” per identificare adeguate e integrate strategie di protezione e sostegno di madri e minori. Considerando che la protezione dei minori è strettamente connessa alla valutazione delle competenze genitoriali, una miglior comprensione dell’impatto esercitato dalla violenza sulle pratiche di parenting è cruciale. Il primo capitolo teorico tratta lo scenario internazionale circa l’Intimate Partner Violence, esplorando dati di prevalenza, l’impatto su donne e bambini e le principali teorie sul processo di uscita dalla violenza. Il secondo capitolo tratta la valutazione da parte degli operatori della Tutela Minori delle competenze genitoriali sia materne che paterne di nuclei famigliari segnalati per violenza assistita, esplorando quali fattori di rischio e protezione sono associati all’intervento di allontanamento del minore. Il terzo capitolo presenta una rassegna sistematica con meta-analisi che esplora l’associazione tra IPV e tre dimensioni di parentig: parenting positivo, punizioni severe, stress genitoriale. Il quarto capitolo presenta i risultati preliminari di uno studio quantitativo diretto a investigare fattori di rischio e protezione circa le competenze genitoriali in contesti di IPV. / The general aim of the present research project was to address problematic situations where domestic and witnessed violence co-occurs. These cases require to “see double” and to identify integrated strategies to foster resilience of both mothers and minors. Considering that child protection is closely linked to the parenting skills assessment, a better comprehension of the IPV impact on parenting is crucial. The first theoretical chapter deepens the knowledge about the domestic violence scenario, exploring the international prevalence, negative impact for women and children and theories about the violence interruption process. The second chapter addresses the CPS workers’ assessment of both mothers and fathers of minors referred for witnessed violence. The study adopted the judgment analysis approach and aimed to explore risk and protective factors that influence the CPS workers’ child removal intervention. The third chapter presents a systematic review and meta-analysis which aimed to get a consistent overview about the relationships between IPV and positive parenting, harsh discipline and parenting stress. The fourth chapter presents the preliminary analyses about a national research directed to investigate the determinants of parenting in context of domestic and witnessed violence from an ecological point of view.

Studiens syfte att få fördjupad kunskap om hur förskollärare upptäcker och praktiskt arbetar med normbrytande beteende hos barn, samt vilken kunskap de upplever att de har om risk- och skyddsfaktorer som en del i detta arbete. För att besvara studiens syfte tillämpades en kvalitativ metod där semistrukturerade djupintervjuer genomfördes med 13 förskollärare. Resultaten visade att förskollärare upplever sig ha kunskapen att upptäcka normbrytande beteende bland barn. Däremot upplever de inte att de besitter en kunskap om risk- och skyddsfaktorer, trots att författarna kan urskilja att förskollärarna i sitt arbetssätt arbetar med vad som i forskning menas med risk- och skyddsfaktorer. Vidare framgår det att de har tydliga handlingsplaner för hur de ska agera praktiskt när det upptäcker ett normbrytande beteende hos ett barn. Avslutningsvis upplever förskollärarna att det ingår i deras uppgift att upptäcka normbrytande beteende och arbeta med risk- och skyddsfaktorer hos dessa barn för att förhindra en negativ beteendeutveckling. / The aim of the present study is twofold. Firstly, the aim is to gain a deeper understanding of how preschool teachers discover and manage normbreaking behavior among children. Secondly, the aim is to understand how they experience their knowledge about risk- and protective factors for normbreaking behavior. The authors conducted semi-structured interviews with 13 preschool teachers. The result showed that preschool teachers have the knowledge to discover normbreaking behavior among children in preschool. The preschool teachers do not have knowledge regarding risk- and protective factors for normbreaking behavior, but the writers identify them to work according to the risk- and protective factors that are presented in earlier literature. Additionally, preschool teachers are well aware of the course of action to take whenever they discover a child with normbreaking behavior. Lastly, the preschool teachers believe it to be a part of their task to discover children with normbreaking behavior, and to work practically with risk- and protective factors to prevent these children from having a negative behavioral development.