Magister Scientiae Dentium - MSc(Dent) / Background: This study aimed to investigate a possible relationship between the diagnosis of TMD and biographical, psychological and social status of patients. Materials and Method: All records of patients who attended the TMD clinic in the Mitchells Plain Oral Health Centre in the period from January 2015 to July 2018, and who were examined according to the DC/TMD protocol, were collected. All diagnostic observations, as well as their biographical, psychological and social data were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed by means of comparisons and association analysis among data to evaluate if there were any statistically relevant associations or differences.

Student-athletes' and athletic administrators' perceptions of available and accessible social support in the athletic department are explored. Interviews were conducted with three athletic administrators whose job responsibilities are most focused on student-athlete welfare and 13 student-athletes from a NCAA Division I University from the Pacific Ten Conference in the Northwestern United States chosen from a purposive sample based on demographic characteristics and nominations. Interviews were conducted with participants until informational redundancy was achieved. The university was chosen based on diversity of student-athletes, proximity to researcher, and access granted to student-athletes for interviews. Interview questions were based on the psychosocial model of development. Data from interviews were analyzed thematically using five dimensions of social support to examine the differences and similarities between the types of support identified as available and accessible by student-athletes and athletic administrators. From the 13 student-athletes and three athletic administrators that were interviewed, 38 categories were identified in the themes of emotional support, instrumental support, informational support, appraisal support, and lack of support. Student-athletes identified 29 categories in the five themes and athletic administrators identified 19 categories in the five themes. Similarities between student-athletes and athletic administrators were found in 14 categories. Student-athletes identified 13 categories that athletic administrators did not and athletic administrators identified six categories that student-athletes did not. Implications of the results for student-athletes and athletic administrators are discussed.

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Education in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education in the Department of Educational Psychology and Special Education at the University of Zululand, 2018 / This study investigated the resilience among Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) in KwaZulu-Natal schools. It identified OVC challenges and developed a psychosocial model of intervention. The Social Ecological Model was adopted as a framework for the study. The study adopted the mixed method research design. The population for the study was the OVC, caregivers and teachers from Kwazulu-Natal schools, specifically Amajuba and Zululand Districts. Random selection was done for OVC from mainstream schools. Purposive sampling method was used to select OVC from special schools, schools near the orphanage, home of safety and a Full Service school. The sample which participated during quantitative data collection consisted of 303 OVC from 12 to 20 years old who were selected from 7 school in Amajuba and Zululand Districts.The sample which participated in qualitative data collection consisted of 4 focus groups and those were 6 caregivers, 6 teachers and 12 OVC. OVC were selected from 303 OVC who filled the questionnaires and CYRM-28. This made a total of 24 participants for focus groups. The total of participants for the whole study was 315. Three instruments were used to collect data for this study, namely; the Child and Youth Resilience Scale-28 (CYRM-28), the self-constructed psychosocial questionnaire and the interview schedule. The CYRM-28 was used to measure the extent of OVC resilience with the self-constructed questionnaire. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse data. Frequencies were created for descriptive data and the Chi-Square statistical technique was used to test the null hypothesis. Then the thematic content analysis was used to identify themes from the focus group interviews. The results of descriptive statistics indicated that 79% of all participants reported high availability of resources that enabled resilience. Fewer resources were reported for children who had experienced abuse, followed by those with disabilities and more resources were reported for orphans. The main challenges of OVC identified were lack of support from teachers and neighbours/ communities. Other challenges included maltreatment by caregiver, OVC behavioural problems, unavailability of documents for social grant applications. Child Headed Household was identified as lacking all resources. The findings of inferential statistics indicated that there is a significant relationship between the age, gender and custody of OVC and their availability of resources. OVC and caregivers encountered various problems which were risk factors for the resilience of OVC. Availability of resources to a majority of OVC who participated in the study was a protective factor. Participants recommended that more resources which promote resilience of OVC be made available to communities, for examples, old age homes, and entrepreneurship skills, continuous counselling services for caregivers and OVC and recreational facilities for communities. Lastly, the psychosocial model of intervention was developed based on the literature and findings of the study. / Natonal Research Foundation National Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS)

Pain has a significant burden on individuals and society; however challenges remain in the measurement of pain-related utility. Research was conducted to design a measurement framework for valuing pain states, for use in policy making. Within the theoretical framework of utility theory, the bio-psychosocial model of pain was used to select co-variates impacting the pain-utility relationship. The applicability of two utility theories (prospect theory and hedonist theory) to pain was evaluated, with EQ-5D-5L and utility values for scenarios of different pain intensities elicited using time-trade-off (TTO) and willingness-to-pay (WTP). Prospect theory was tested using the pain-utility relationship in 600 members of the general population (‘genpop’) by examining the presence of a reference point and the relationship between pain decreases/increases (gains/losses) and utility. Hedonist theory was tested through examination of predicted, experienced and remembered utilities, and ‘peak-end’ effects, principally using data from 56 university athletes experiencing training pain. Pain intensity had the greatest influence on EQ-5D values, with present and worst pain showing additive effects. Duration of the pain episode, general health, mood, age and gender also had significant impacts. In addition to pain intensity, TTO ‘genpop’ models included age, income, experienced pain and general health; WTP ‘genpop’ models included residual pain, age and income. The TTO and WTP models did not fit the athletes’ data well and alternative models were developed. The data did not confirm prospect theory: a reference point could not be identified (‘genpop’ and athletes) and the shape of the utility curve contradicted theory (athletes). Results for hedonist theory were inconclusive: predicted utility was consistently higher than experienced utility in athletes but the relationship depended on pain levels in ‘genpop’; remembered and experienced utility differed despite being consistent for pain levels; peak-end effects were not found. Further research in controlled environments is recommended for further theory testing.

Thesis (Ph.D.(Psychology))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Humanities, 2013. / The research entailed a comprehensive study of vicarious trauma in short-term insurance claims workers, compared to trauma counsellors and a control group of holiday booking consultants. A well-known, comprehensive model of compassion fatigue/secondary traumatic stress, developed for therapists formed the basis of the study. The research attempted to determine whether this model can be applied more widely to include administrative populations exposed to traumatised clients on a regular basis. To this end, the model was deconstructed into its eleven constituent parts and each element was investigated in addition to other variables of interest to the study. This was done to determine the importance and applicability of each model element and other selected variables to the administrative context. A mixed methods approach was utilised, which combined quantitative and qualitative data. The results yielded by the study were collectively utilised to construct an etic and an emic voice from the research. At the same time, effects from vicarious trauma were considered from an overarching bio-psychosocial stance, systematically gauging effects on various levels of functioning. Scores from quantitative measures on secondary traumatic stress, negative cognitive schemas, empathy, social support and compassion satisfaction were statistically analysed, which revealed significant differences between the worker groups. Widely accepted relationships between the study variables were tested and found to hold true within and across groups. Regression analysis determined the roles of empathy, social support and compassion satisfaction in vicarious trauma, as measured by secondary traumatic stress and negative cognitive schemas. In addition, constructivist selfdevelopment theory was employed to interpret the negative cognitive effects from vicarious traumatisation. Qualitative data were utilised to further elucidate the role and nature of vicarious trauma in each of the worker groups. The themes of exposure to client suffering, detachment, level of empathic engagement, personal trauma history and difficult life demands were unearthed from the qualitative data, which illuminated the importance and role of each of these elements to claims workers. Other areas of interest, being utilisation of sick-leave as a means to cope, work-related illness, attitudes towards professional counselling, feelings evoked by traumatised clients, and the language utilised by workers in response to client traumata were investigated. Further effects on participants as well iv as effects that reach beyond the person were identified and examined. Effects on the social and work contexts were also elucidated. Finally, interesting themes that emerged spontaneously from the data were considered. The consideration of the various model elements and other areas of interest systematically revealed that administrative workers dealing with traumatised clients are also affected by the process of vicarious trauma. Furthermore, the model was found to be largely suitable to the context of claims workers. However, the model was expanded to augment its usability within the more general administrative domain. Finally, the overarching aim was to enrich, contextualise and elaborate on the experiences of claims workers within their unique work context, to facilitate insight and a deeper understanding of vicarious trauma in more administrative populations that have largely been overlooked in research.