The aim of this study was to explore whether general self–efficacy would moderate the relationship between stress and positive mental health in participants from an African context. Literature supported the concept that stress has a negative influence on mental health and that this interaction may be moderated by cognitive resources. General self–efficacy is a cognitive resource that may act as a moderator in the negative association between stress and positive mental health. Although general self–efficacy is thought to be a universal construct, little empirical research on it has been conducted in an African context. An African socio–cultural context is often described as more collectivistic and characterised by social harmony and interdependence. A sample of 1050 participants from both urban (n=451) and rural (n=599) settings completed Setswana versions of the four relevant questionnaires, i.e. the Mental Health Continuum - Short Form (MHC–SF, Keyes, 2006), used to measure positive mental health, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ, Goldberg & Hillier, 1979), used to measure the experience of stress, the Generalized Self–Efficacy Scale (GSE, Jerusalem & Schwarzer, 1992) and the New General Self–Efficacy Scale (NGSE, Chen, Gully & Eden, 2001), both measuring general self–efficacy. Data were collected in a quantitative cross–sectional survey design with the aid of 16 trained bilingual (English and Setswana speaking) fieldworkers. Results showed negative correlations between the GHQ (SS, AS, SD, and DS) and MHC–SF (EWB, PWB, and SWB). Results indicated that general self–efficacy moderated the negative effect of manifestation of stress as shown by indices of psychological distress on emotional, psychological and social well–being. Thus, it is found that higher levels of self–efficacy are beneficial for the well–being of individuals in this African sample. / Thesis (M.A. (Clinical Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

On the Potchefstroom Campus of the North–West University, where the predominant language of instruction is Afrikaans, non–Afrikaans speaking students are accommodated due to the use of interpreting services. Educational interpreting implies in–class simultaneous interpreting of Afrikaans lectures into English by trained under– and postgraduate students. The aim of this research was to determine the impact of the Tomatis Method, a method of sound stimulation, on educational interpreters and explore their experience of the Tomatis programme. The research set out to answer the following questions: (i) Will attendance of a Tomatis programme impact educational interpreters by: improving interpreting performance; enhancing attention, concentration and personality functioning; reducing negative mood states; and enhancing the positive mood state vigour? (ii) What will participants report about their experience during and after the Tomatis programme? To study the TM’s effects on participants, quantitative and qualitative data were combined using a mixed methods triangulation design. After obtaining informed consent, participants were randomly assigned to an experimental (n = 9) and control group (n = 9). Participants comprised of nine male and nine female, under– and postgraduate students between the ages of 19 and 36. The experimental group attended 60 half–hour sessions, during which they listened to gradually filtered music, followed by a two–month break for integration of the sound stimuli and, finally, another 60 half–hour sessions of audio–vocal training. A panel of interpreting experts and a speech therapist evaluated both groups’ interpreting performance (IPE) pre– and post–program. Both groups also completed assessments on personality (NEO PI–R) and concentration and memory (WAIS III) pre– and post programme, while the experimental participants additionally completed the Profile of Mood States (POMS) pre–, in– and postprogramme. Three focus group discussions during the course of the Tomatis programme enabled participants to verbalize their experiences of the programme and how it impacted their interpreting process. Despite a bias in favour of the control group during the interpreting performance postassessment, findings suggested that interpreters benefited from the Tomatis programme in several areas of interpreting and in regards to personal experiences. Regarding interpreting performance, a significant improvement concerning Interpreting Technique occurred in favour of the experimental group. This advance can be explained by participants’ qualitative responses regarding improved interpreting efficiency, speech production and listening skills. Experimental participants’ decreased Fatigue–Inertia; increased Extraversion, Activity and Vigour; and experiences of enhanced relaxation possibly contributed to improved interpreting performance. Moreover, the experimental group’s positive feedback about the enriching effect of the Tomatis programme on their personal lives strengthened the value of the TM for individual growth and psychological well–being. The control group showed some enhancement in aspects of interpreting and sub–domains of personality, but only managed to outperform the experimental group on one subscale, namely Feelings, a facet of the domain Openness of the NEO–PI(R). Thus, it appears that the Tomatis programme had a significantly positive impact on interpreters’ performance and that their experience of the interpreting process was enhanced during and after the programme. / Thesis (M.A. (Research Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Work context has many consequences for the psychological outcomes of employees. These outcomes also have consequences for the employer through possible loss of productivity, impaired health of employees which may be associated with absenteeism and turnover intention, among others. The literature also shows that these outcomes are not always the same even under similar working conditions. Theorising in cognitive psychology indicates that the way in which an individual appraises a situation may be more important to psychological outcomes than the actual presence of a stressor. Recently, personal resources have been hypothesised to influence these individual differences. Few if any studies have explored such personal resources as moderators in the relationship between work context and psychological outcomes, especially in the South African public service context. Thus, the general aim of this study was to determine whether personal resources (emotional intelligence, self-efficacy and explanatory styles) are moderators in the relationship between work context Gob demands and job resources) and psychological outcomes (psychological well-being and work engagement) in a sample of government employees. A cross-sectional survey research design was implemented. Data were collected from 459 participants with the following measuring instruments, the Job-Demands Resources (JD-R) Scale, the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), the Affectomemter-2 Short-form (AFM.), the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) , the Emotional Intelligence Scale (ElS), the General Self-efficacy (GSE) scale, and the Explanatory Style (ES) Questionnaire. A demographic questionnaire was developed by the first author to capture diverse information from the participants relating to gender, turnover intention, post level and so forth. Analyses were conducted mainly in 2 steps. Firstly, multiple regression analyses were used to test the main effects of work context variables on psychological outcomes. Secondly, two-step hierarchical regression analyses were used to test whether personal resources (emotional intelligence, self-efficacy, and explanatory styles) moderated the relationship between work context variables and psychological outcomes. Before testing the moderation, all independent variables and moderator variables (dimensions of personal resources) were centred so as to exclude the possibility of any multicollinearity in the regression equation. The results of the study, reported in three articles/manuscripts, showed significant main effects for work context and the personal resources as predictors of psychological outcomes. In the second place, the results also showed that the personal resources used in this study moderate the relationship between work context and psychological outcomes. In the first article, it was concluded that emotional intelligence is of potential value, especially in the public sector that is focussed on optimal service delivery, and where emotional encounters are stock-in-trade. Emotional intelligence is a valuable personal resource to cultivate for establishing, developing, and maintaining positive outcomes in psychological well-being in the workplace. In the second article, it was concluded that as self-efficacy beliefs facilitate actions and behaviour taken by individuals, it is important that feedback and modelling could play an important role especially in service-oriented work contexts that may need self-regulation of emotions. In the third article, it was concluded that as attributional feedback can induce change in how individuals perceive their success or failure in a task, the role of explanatory styles in psychological outcomes could be cultivated through active feedback given to employees on their performance and possibilities of future growth in the organisation. Overall it was concluded that a lack of job resources in the presence of high job demands will undermine psychological outcomes even in the presence of personal resources. Therefore, the consequences for health impairment and negative outcomes cannot be over-emphasised in a situation where job demands outstrip job resources. Employees in the public service require skills such as social and emotional competency, self-efficacy and optimism as these are important tools in dealing with the public. Employees must have initiative, flexibility, motivation to achieve, empathy, self-esteem and confidence, self-control, and group management among fellow employees and the public that is served by them. Although the limitations for this study are related to the fact that it was a cross-sectional research design and data was collected using self-reports, insights were gained about the role of personal resources in the relationship between work context and psychological outcomes. Based on all three articles, it was recommended that cross lagged panel studies may be useful in further clarifying the role of personal resources in longitudinal studies about the relationship between job resources and psychological outcomes and possible upward spirals arising from facilitating these relationships. Aspects of such studies may also include a qualitative assessment of what participants perceive as job resources and personal resources and these help them to achieve their goals. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

The aim of this study has been to theoretically and empirically explore the nature of personal archetypes, aspects of personality and psychological well-being, as well as the relationship between archetypes and aspects of personality and psychological well-being. This study was conducted according to the new paradigm emerging with the field of psychology, focusing on health and psychological well-being, so diverging from the conventional pathogenic meta-perspective in which the focus is on illness /pathology/abnormalities. T his new paradigm focuses on strengths and positive aspects of human functioning. It has become clear that an individual is a dynamic, holistic, psychophysical, multi-dimensional organism, and therefore psychological health and wellness must consequently be studied from holistic and multidimensional perspectives, with recognition of various health domains / life dimensions (physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, social and vocational). According to the Archetypal Theoretical exploration, Archetypes are the psychological correlations and symbolic representations of typical instinctive human behaviour, such as attitudes, feelings, modes of action, thought processes and impulses. These emotional-imaginable mental structures functionally shape personal experiences, and therefore behaviour towards situations and objects. Personology indicates that acquiring a personality means the optimum development and realization of the whole person as a dynamic, holistic, psychophysical, multi-dimensional organism. This includes all conscious and unconscious processes and the harmonization of polar psychophysical energy. Personality is not something static, but a dynamic process of growth that can be compared metaphorically to a journey towards becoming an individuated / self-actualised person. The functional centre of the psyche that organizes this developmental journey of personality is the Se& and the process is called individuation. During the inner journey towards individuation, and through each major chronological stage of development, a person is confronted by certain life-issues and natural psychological growth patterns. This calls forth certain Archetypes that act as guiding mechanisms on the developmental journey, empowering a person with certain innate psychological SeIf-Strengths, giving expression to certain essential qualities and integrating parts of the personality. Within the different dimensions of a person, archetypes are instinctive symbolic representations of these Self-potentials / Self-strengths, which empower the personality with coping skills, and act as neurotic defense entrenchments, preventing illness, and thus enhancing psychological well-being. Although archetypal development is a fundamental part of human development universally, different cultures and genders identify more strongly with certain archetypes and show a difference in progression through the stages of the journey. In the empirical study an availability sample (n = 300 students between the ages of 18 and 25) consisting of males and females (from two major cultural groups: White and Black South Africans) has been used. Personal Archetypes have been operationalized by means of the Pearson-Maw Archetypal Indicator (Pearson & Mum, 2003). Certain aspects of personality have been operationalized by means of the Revised NEO Personality Inventory /iWO PI-R: E&A] (Costa & McCrae, 1992) and psychological well-being have been operationalized be means of the Sense of Coherence Scale (Antonovsky, 1987), the Aflectometer 2 (Kammann & Flett, 1983), the Satisfaction With Life Scale (Diener, Emmons, Larsen & Grzfi, 1985), the Life Orientation Test (Scheier & Carver, 1985), the General Health Questionnaire (Goldberg & Hillier, 1979) and the Generalized Self-eflcacy Scale (Schwaner & Jerusalem, 1995). Favourable internal Cronbach Alpha reliability indices and validity, comparable with those reported in literature have been found for most of the scales and sub-scales. The mean scores found for the Total Group and for the different groups (Male, Female, Black and White) have been compared and interpreted. The White cultural group mainly focuses on the Sage, Jester, Caregiver, Lover and Creator archetypes, while the Black cultural group mainly focuses on the Sage, Warrior and Ruler archetypes. As a Total Group its main focus is on founding and understanding truth behind appearance and illusions. They value high mindedness, thinking of authority as something earned by attaining wisdom or expertise. Sometimes they evaluate others in a cold, judgmental way and may also feel disconnected from real life / the greater world, resisting certain changes. They may lack the ability to let go of certain old habits/relationships/thought patterns,which are no longer important in their lives. The White cultural group is actively concerned with issues of personal responsibility and freedom, and yet has not fully developed a sense of personal identity, power and authenticity, while identifying itself with a f e d m e cast, which may indicate cooperativeness, receptiveness and emphasis on living in process with each other and the natural world. The Black cultural group, on the other hand, is actively concerned with issues of personal power and freedom, and yet has not fully developed a sense of personal identity, responsibility and authenticity, while identifying itself with a masculine cast, which may indicate hierarchical cultural structures, competitiveness, aggressiveness and an emphasis on achievement and mastery. It seems as if cultural and socio-political influences underlie the differences between the two cultural groups within this study. The Total Group showed moderately high levels of psychological well-being, and according to the indices for personality seems to be affectionate, friendly, have positive emotions of joy, happiness, love, excitement, is considerate and showed active concern over the well-being of others. Some significant differences have been found between the two cultural groups. The White Group are more caring, empathetic and compassionate towards themselves and others, while the Black Group are more demanding, disciplined, assertive and competitive. The White Group is furthermore more modest humble than the Black Group, which may believe it is superior. The White Group tends to focus more strongly on enjoyment joy, excitement, stimulation, bright colours, loud environments, liberation, freedom, and are likely more playful, present-orientated, curious and unconcerned with what others may think, than the Black Group, which is less focused on playfulness, excitement-seeking, impulsiveness and constant stimulation. Furthermore the White Group experiences a higher level of positive emotion than the Black Group, which is less joyful and happy. These differences are found for the current research group and should not be considered indicative of the difference between these cultures in general. No significant differences have been found between the two gender groups, but further analysis of the cultural-gender groups revealed that the White Group of Women are the most modest of all the cultural-gender groups and tends to experience a higher level of activity, and thus is more energetic and fast pacing than the Black Group of Women (that probably prefer a more easy and calm tempo lifestyle). The exposition of correlations indicated that more practically significant correlations are found between personal archetypes and certain aspects of personality, than between personal archetypes and psychological well-being. Significant correlations (with personal archetypes) are found on 9 of the personality sub-scales, while on 2 aspects of personality no significant correlations are found. Significant correlations (with personal archetypes) are found on 4 of the psychological well-being scales and sub-scales, while on 6 aspects of psychological well-being no significant correlations are found. No practically significant correlations are found between two of the archetypal sub-scales (Pmr5: Seeker 62 Pmr6: Destroyer) and other scales and subscales for personality and psychological well-being. It has been concluded that archetypes have returned to contemporary psychology as measurable constructs that could serve as valuable indicators of personality development and psychological health and well-being across age, culture and gender lines. Recommendations for further research and for the practical implication of the findings have been made. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2005.

The aim of this study has been to theoretically and empirically explore the nature of personal archetypes, aspects of personality and psychological well-being, as well as the relationship between archetypes and aspects of personality and psychological well-being. This study was conducted according to the new paradigm emerging with the field of psychology, focusing on health and psychological well-being, so diverging from the conventional pathogenic meta-perspective in which the focus is on illness /pathology/abnormalities. T his new paradigm focuses on strengths and positive aspects of human functioning. It has become clear that an individual is a dynamic, holistic, psychophysical, multi-dimensional organism, and therefore psychological health and wellness must consequently be studied from holistic and multidimensional perspectives, with recognition of various health domains / life dimensions (physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, social and vocational). According to the Archetypal Theoretical exploration, Archetypes are the psychological correlations and symbolic representations of typical instinctive human behaviour, such as attitudes, feelings, modes of action, thought processes and impulses. These emotional-imaginable mental structures functionally shape personal experiences, and therefore behaviour towards situations and objects. Personology indicates that acquiring a personality means the optimum development and realization of the whole person as a dynamic, holistic, psychophysical, multi-dimensional organism. This includes all conscious and unconscious processes and the harmonization of polar psychophysical energy. Personality is not something static, but a dynamic process of growth that can be compared metaphorically to a journey towards becoming an individuated / self-actualised person. The functional centre of the psyche that organizes this developmental journey of personality is the Se& and the process is called individuation. During the inner journey towards individuation, and through each major chronological stage of development, a person is confronted by certain life-issues and natural psychological growth patterns. This calls forth certain Archetypes that act as guiding mechanisms on the developmental journey, empowering a person with certain innate psychological SeIf-Strengths, giving expression to certain essential qualities and integrating parts of the personality. Within the different dimensions of a person, archetypes are instinctive symbolic representations of these Self-potentials / Self-strengths, which empower the personality with coping skills, and act as neurotic defense entrenchments, preventing illness, and thus enhancing psychological well-being. Although archetypal development is a fundamental part of human development universally, different cultures and genders identify more strongly with certain archetypes and show a difference in progression through the stages of the journey. In the empirical study an availability sample (n = 300 students between the ages of 18 and 25) consisting of males and females (from two major cultural groups: White and Black South Africans) has been used. Personal Archetypes have been operationalized by means of the Pearson-Maw Archetypal Indicator (Pearson & Mum, 2003). Certain aspects of personality have been operationalized by means of the Revised NEO Personality Inventory /iWO PI-R: E&A] (Costa & McCrae, 1992) and psychological well-being have been operationalized be means of the Sense of Coherence Scale (Antonovsky, 1987), the Aflectometer 2 (Kammann & Flett, 1983), the Satisfaction With Life Scale (Diener, Emmons, Larsen & Grzfi, 1985), the Life Orientation Test (Scheier & Carver, 1985), the General Health Questionnaire (Goldberg & Hillier, 1979) and the Generalized Self-eflcacy Scale (Schwaner & Jerusalem, 1995). Favourable internal Cronbach Alpha reliability indices and validity, comparable with those reported in literature have been found for most of the scales and sub-scales. The mean scores found for the Total Group and for the different groups (Male, Female, Black and White) have been compared and interpreted. The White cultural group mainly focuses on the Sage, Jester, Caregiver, Lover and Creator archetypes, while the Black cultural group mainly focuses on the Sage, Warrior and Ruler archetypes. As a Total Group its main focus is on founding and understanding truth behind appearance and illusions. They value high mindedness, thinking of authority as something earned by attaining wisdom or expertise. Sometimes they evaluate others in a cold, judgmental way and may also feel disconnected from real life / the greater world, resisting certain changes. They may lack the ability to let go of certain old habits/relationships/thought patterns,which are no longer important in their lives. The White cultural group is actively concerned with issues of personal responsibility and freedom, and yet has not fully developed a sense of personal identity, power and authenticity, while identifying itself with a f e d m e cast, which may indicate cooperativeness, receptiveness and emphasis on living in process with each other and the natural world. The Black cultural group, on the other hand, is actively concerned with issues of personal power and freedom, and yet has not fully developed a sense of personal identity, responsibility and authenticity, while identifying itself with a masculine cast, which may indicate hierarchical cultural structures, competitiveness, aggressiveness and an emphasis on achievement and mastery. It seems as if cultural and socio-political influences underlie the differences between the two cultural groups within this study. The Total Group showed moderately high levels of psychological well-being, and according to the indices for personality seems to be affectionate, friendly, have positive emotions of joy, happiness, love, excitement, is considerate and showed active concern over the well-being of others. Some significant differences have been found between the two cultural groups. The White Group are more caring, empathetic and compassionate towards themselves and others, while the Black Group are more demanding, disciplined, assertive and competitive. The White Group is furthermore more modest humble than the Black Group, which may believe it is superior. The White Group tends to focus more strongly on enjoyment joy, excitement, stimulation, bright colours, loud environments, liberation, freedom, and are likely more playful, present-orientated, curious and unconcerned with what others may think, than the Black Group, which is less focused on playfulness, excitement-seeking, impulsiveness and constant stimulation. Furthermore the White Group experiences a higher level of positive emotion than the Black Group, which is less joyful and happy. These differences are found for the current research group and should not be considered indicative of the difference between these cultures in general. No significant differences have been found between the two gender groups, but further analysis of the cultural-gender groups revealed that the White Group of Women are the most modest of all the cultural-gender groups and tends to experience a higher level of activity, and thus is more energetic and fast pacing than the Black Group of Women (that probably prefer a more easy and calm tempo lifestyle). The exposition of correlations indicated that more practically significant correlations are found between personal archetypes and certain aspects of personality, than between personal archetypes and psychological well-being. Significant correlations (with personal archetypes) are found on 9 of the personality sub-scales, while on 2 aspects of personality no significant correlations are found. Significant correlations (with personal archetypes) are found on 4 of the psychological well-being scales and sub-scales, while on 6 aspects of psychological well-being no significant correlations are found. No practically significant correlations are found between two of the archetypal sub-scales (Pmr5: Seeker 62 Pmr6: Destroyer) and other scales and subscales for personality and psychological well-being. It has been concluded that archetypes have returned to contemporary psychology as measurable constructs that could serve as valuable indicators of personality development and psychological health and well-being across age, culture and gender lines. Recommendations for further research and for the practical implication of the findings have been made. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2005.

This study explored the effect of the Lifeplan® programme, an Africa Unit for Transdisciplinary Health Research (AUTHeR) initiative, on the psychological well–being of the rural community of Taung, in the North West Province of South Africa. A mixed method sequential explanatory research design was followed where quantitative data were obtained in a pre– and post–evaluation phase. Participants were adult individuals (N=99) between the ages of 20 and 83 years, with a mean age of 43 years, living within six rural towns in the Taung community. Participants were randomly divided into an experimental group (n=47) and a control group (n=52). Four standardised scales, the General Psychological Well–being Scale (GPWS) (Khumalo, Temane, & Wissing, 2010), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ–9) (Kroenke, & Spitzer, 2002), the Coping Self–Efficacy Scale (CSE) (Chesney, Neilands, Chambers, Taylor, & Folkman, 2006), and the Mental Health Continuum - Short Form (MHC–SF) (Keyes, 2006; Keyes, Wissing, Potgieter, Temane, Kruger, & van Rooy, 2008), validated for use in a Setswana–speaking group, were administered to measure psychological well–being. Qualitative data were obtained through conducting semi–structured interviews with a simple random sample of 30 participants three months after presentation of the programme. The quantitative findings reflected a small increase in the general psychological and emotional well–being of the experimental group. Between–group comparisons showed small practical significant differences (d=0.19 - 0.40) in the experimental group on most of the measuring instruments. Qualitative results suggest that the participants in this study experienced the Lifeplan® programme as educational, and contributing positively towards their general well–being. Participants felt that they have become more attentive to their health needs especially through exercise, a healthier diet and better attendance to overall hygiene. Suggestions for further research and possible programme interventions include a follow–up study to evaluate the sustainability of skills obtained and changes made as a result of the Lifeplan® programme. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

The aim of this study was to explore whether general self–efficacy would moderate the relationship between stress and positive mental health in participants from an African context. Literature supported the concept that stress has a negative influence on mental health and that this interaction may be moderated by cognitive resources. General self–efficacy is a cognitive resource that may act as a moderator in the negative association between stress and positive mental health. Although general self–efficacy is thought to be a universal construct, little empirical research on it has been conducted in an African context. An African socio–cultural context is often described as more collectivistic and characterised by social harmony and interdependence. A sample of 1050 participants from both urban (n=451) and rural (n=599) settings completed Setswana versions of the four relevant questionnaires, i.e. the Mental Health Continuum - Short Form (MHC–SF, Keyes, 2006), used to measure positive mental health, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ, Goldberg & Hillier, 1979), used to measure the experience of stress, the Generalized Self–Efficacy Scale (GSE, Jerusalem & Schwarzer, 1992) and the New General Self–Efficacy Scale (NGSE, Chen, Gully & Eden, 2001), both measuring general self–efficacy. Data were collected in a quantitative cross–sectional survey design with the aid of 16 trained bilingual (English and Setswana speaking) fieldworkers. Results showed negative correlations between the GHQ (SS, AS, SD, and DS) and MHC–SF (EWB, PWB, and SWB). Results indicated that general self–efficacy moderated the negative effect of manifestation of stress as shown by indices of psychological distress on emotional, psychological and social well–being. Thus, it is found that higher levels of self–efficacy are beneficial for the well–being of individuals in this African sample. / Thesis (M.A. (Clinical Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

On the Potchefstroom Campus of the North–West University, where the predominant language of instruction is Afrikaans, non–Afrikaans speaking students are accommodated due to the use of interpreting services. Educational interpreting implies in–class simultaneous interpreting of Afrikaans lectures into English by trained under– and postgraduate students. The aim of this research was to determine the impact of the Tomatis Method, a method of sound stimulation, on educational interpreters and explore their experience of the Tomatis programme. The research set out to answer the following questions: (i) Will attendance of a Tomatis programme impact educational interpreters by: improving interpreting performance; enhancing attention, concentration and personality functioning; reducing negative mood states; and enhancing the positive mood state vigour? (ii) What will participants report about their experience during and after the Tomatis programme? To study the TM’s effects on participants, quantitative and qualitative data were combined using a mixed methods triangulation design. After obtaining informed consent, participants were randomly assigned to an experimental (n = 9) and control group (n = 9). Participants comprised of nine male and nine female, under– and postgraduate students between the ages of 19 and 36. The experimental group attended 60 half–hour sessions, during which they listened to gradually filtered music, followed by a two–month break for integration of the sound stimuli and, finally, another 60 half–hour sessions of audio–vocal training. A panel of interpreting experts and a speech therapist evaluated both groups’ interpreting performance (IPE) pre– and post–program. Both groups also completed assessments on personality (NEO PI–R) and concentration and memory (WAIS III) pre– and post programme, while the experimental participants additionally completed the Profile of Mood States (POMS) pre–, in– and postprogramme. Three focus group discussions during the course of the Tomatis programme enabled participants to verbalize their experiences of the programme and how it impacted their interpreting process. Despite a bias in favour of the control group during the interpreting performance postassessment, findings suggested that interpreters benefited from the Tomatis programme in several areas of interpreting and in regards to personal experiences. Regarding interpreting performance, a significant improvement concerning Interpreting Technique occurred in favour of the experimental group. This advance can be explained by participants’ qualitative responses regarding improved interpreting efficiency, speech production and listening skills. Experimental participants’ decreased Fatigue–Inertia; increased Extraversion, Activity and Vigour; and experiences of enhanced relaxation possibly contributed to improved interpreting performance. Moreover, the experimental group’s positive feedback about the enriching effect of the Tomatis programme on their personal lives strengthened the value of the TM for individual growth and psychological well–being. The control group showed some enhancement in aspects of interpreting and sub–domains of personality, but only managed to outperform the experimental group on one subscale, namely Feelings, a facet of the domain Openness of the NEO–PI(R). Thus, it appears that the Tomatis programme had a significantly positive impact on interpreters’ performance and that their experience of the interpreting process was enhanced during and after the programme. / Thesis (M.A. (Research Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Work context has many consequences for the psychological outcomes of employees. These outcomes also have consequences for the employer through possible loss of productivity, impaired health of employees which may be associated with absenteeism and turnover intention, among others. The literature also shows that these outcomes are not always the same even under similar working conditions. Theorising in cognitive psychology indicates that the way in which an individual appraises a situation may be more important to psychological outcomes than the actual presence of a stressor. Recently, personal resources have been hypothesised to influence these individual differences. Few if any studies have explored such personal resources as moderators in the relationship between work context and psychological outcomes, especially in the South African public service context. Thus, the general aim of this study was to determine whether personal resources (emotional intelligence, self-efficacy and explanatory styles) are moderators in the relationship between work context Gob demands and job resources) and psychological outcomes (psychological well-being and work engagement) in a sample of government employees. A cross-sectional survey research design was implemented. Data were collected from 459 participants with the following measuring instruments, the Job-Demands Resources (JD-R) Scale, the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), the Affectomemter-2 Short-form (AFM.), the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) , the Emotional Intelligence Scale (ElS), the General Self-efficacy (GSE) scale, and the Explanatory Style (ES) Questionnaire. A demographic questionnaire was developed by the first author to capture diverse information from the participants relating to gender, turnover intention, post level and so forth. Analyses were conducted mainly in 2 steps. Firstly, multiple regression analyses were used to test the main effects of work context variables on psychological outcomes. Secondly, two-step hierarchical regression analyses were used to test whether personal resources (emotional intelligence, self-efficacy, and explanatory styles) moderated the relationship between work context variables and psychological outcomes. Before testing the moderation, all independent variables and moderator variables (dimensions of personal resources) were centred so as to exclude the possibility of any multicollinearity in the regression equation. The results of the study, reported in three articles/manuscripts, showed significant main effects for work context and the personal resources as predictors of psychological outcomes. In the second place, the results also showed that the personal resources used in this study moderate the relationship between work context and psychological outcomes. In the first article, it was concluded that emotional intelligence is of potential value, especially in the public sector that is focussed on optimal service delivery, and where emotional encounters are stock-in-trade. Emotional intelligence is a valuable personal resource to cultivate for establishing, developing, and maintaining positive outcomes in psychological well-being in the workplace. In the second article, it was concluded that as self-efficacy beliefs facilitate actions and behaviour taken by individuals, it is important that feedback and modelling could play an important role especially in service-oriented work contexts that may need self-regulation of emotions. In the third article, it was concluded that as attributional feedback can induce change in how individuals perceive their success or failure in a task, the role of explanatory styles in psychological outcomes could be cultivated through active feedback given to employees on their performance and possibilities of future growth in the organisation. Overall it was concluded that a lack of job resources in the presence of high job demands will undermine psychological outcomes even in the presence of personal resources. Therefore, the consequences for health impairment and negative outcomes cannot be over-emphasised in a situation where job demands outstrip job resources. Employees in the public service require skills such as social and emotional competency, self-efficacy and optimism as these are important tools in dealing with the public. Employees must have initiative, flexibility, motivation to achieve, empathy, self-esteem and confidence, self-control, and group management among fellow employees and the public that is served by them. Although the limitations for this study are related to the fact that it was a cross-sectional research design and data was collected using self-reports, insights were gained about the role of personal resources in the relationship between work context and psychological outcomes. Based on all three articles, it was recommended that cross lagged panel studies may be useful in further clarifying the role of personal resources in longitudinal studies about the relationship between job resources and psychological outcomes and possible upward spirals arising from facilitating these relationships. Aspects of such studies may also include a qualitative assessment of what participants perceive as job resources and personal resources and these help them to achieve their goals. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

Befolkningen blir äldre samtidigt som övervikt och fetma i alla åldersgrupper ökar. Detta bidrar till sjukdomar och kostnader. Tidigare forskning är bristfällig inom området. Syftet var att undersöka hur fysisk aktivitet och fysisk rörelseförmåga är relaterad till fetma bland äldre (≥65) i Västmanland samt hälsoutfall som BMI är förknippade med. Samband undersöktes mellan fysisk aktivitet och fetma; fysisk rörelseförmåga och fetma; BMI och psykiskt välbefinnande; BMI och högt blodtryck. Kön, ålder, kost och socioekonomisk status är variabler som kontrollerats för. Datamaterialet baseras på enkätundersökningen Hälsa på lika villkor. Totalt deltog 2 558 personer i åldern 65 år och äldre boende i Västmanland vilket gav en svarsfrekvens på 67 procent. Chi2-test samt logistisk regressionsanalys användes som statistiska analysmetoder. Resultatet visar ett samband mellan fysisk aktivitet och fetma bland äldre. Betydligt fler äldre som har nedsatt fysisk rörelseförmåga har också fetma. Undervikt och fetma är relaterade till psykiskt välbefinnande, dock kan fysisk rörelseförmåga vara en bakomliggande confounder i detta fall. Högt blodtryck ökade med både vikten och åldern. Att satsa på fysisk aktivitet, med hänsyn tagen till fysisk rörelseförmåga, skulle kunna vara viktig åtgärd för att minska risken för fetma och dess negativa hälsoutfall bland den äldre befolkningen. / The population is getting older while overweight and obesity in all age groups is increasing. This contributes to diseases and societal costs. Previous research is deficient. The aim was to examine how physical activity and physical mobility is related to obesity in elderly (≥ 65) in Västmanland, and health outcomes that BMI is associated with. Relationships were examined between physical activity and obesity; physical mobility and obesity; BMI and psychological well-being; BMI and hypertension. Gender, age, diet, and socioeconomic status are variables that are controlled for. The data are based on the survey Hälsa på lika villkor (Health on equal terms). A total of 2558 people aged 65 years and older living in Västmanland participated which are a response rate of 67 percent. Chi²-test and logistic regression analysis were used as statistical analysis. The results show a correlation between physical activity and obesity among older people. Significantly more elderly who have impaired physical mobility has also obesity. Underweight and obesity are related to psychological well-being, however, physical mobility might be an underlying confounder in this case. High blood pressure increases with both weight and age. Investing in physical activity, taking physical mobility into consideration, could be important measure to reduce the risk of obesity and its adverse health outcomes among the elderly population.