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Background: About 3% of new cancer cases affect young adults aged between 15 and 39 years. The young age, the increasing incidence and the relatively good prognosis of this population lead to the growing importance to investigate the psychosocial long-term and late effects. The aims of the AYA-LE long-term effects study are: first, to assess the temporal course and related factors of life satisfaction and psychological distress of adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors; and second, to examine a specific topic in each of the yearly surveys in a more differentiated way. Methods: This study represents a continuation of the longitudinal AYA-LE study. The existing sample of AYA cancer patients (t1: N = 577; t2: N = 514; aged between 18 and 39 years at diagnosis; all major tumor entities) was extended by four further survey points (t3: 2018, t4: 2019, t5: 2020, t6: 2021). In addition, a comparison sample of young adults without cancer was collected. We measured longitudinal data for outcomes such as quality of life, psychological distress, and fatigue with standardized questionnaires. Furthermore, each survey point included a different cross-sectional topic (e.g., health behavior, occupational situation, and compliance). Discussion: The AYA-LE long-termeffects study will show the long-termconsequences of cancer in young adulthood. We expect at least complete data of 320 participants to be available after the sixth survey, which will be completed in 2021. This will provide a comprehensive and differentiated understanding of the life situation of young adults with cancer in Germany. The findings of our study enable a continuous improvement of the psychosocial care and specific survivorship programs for young cancer patients.

A survey was done in order to identify the predictors that contribute to satisfaction with qowl. A positive correlation was found between satisfaction with facets of work life and overall satisfaction with qowl. No significant difference was found between overall satisfaction and the mean of the satisfaction with the facets of work life. Organisational climate seemed to have the greatest influence. Significant predictors are identification with the organisation, participation, communication, resource management, work group functioning, reward system, health and safety aspects, job security and the rate of pay. Significant differences were found between rank, occupational, race and age groups. When need non-fulfilment scales are added to facets of work life measures, increase in the prediction of overall satisfaction is significant. The need to do work that supports moral values contributed most significantly to overall satisfaction. The most frequent preference was for financial security, followed by recognition, relationships and for achievement. / Psychology / M.A.

A survey was done in order to identify the predictors that contribute to satisfaction with qowl. A positive correlation was found between satisfaction with facets of work life and overall satisfaction with qowl. No significant difference was found between overall satisfaction and the mean of the satisfaction with the facets of work life. Organisational climate seemed to have the greatest influence. Significant predictors are identification with the organisation, participation, communication, resource management, work group functioning, reward system, health and safety aspects, job security and the rate of pay. Significant differences were found between rank, occupational, race and age groups. When need non-fulfilment scales are added to facets of work life measures, increase in the prediction of overall satisfaction is significant. The need to do work that supports moral values contributed most significantly to overall satisfaction. The most frequent preference was for financial security, followed by recognition, relationships and for achievement. / Psychology / M.A.

Recent organisational changes have refocused attention on the productivity and performance of sales representatives and consequently brought about a re-evaluation of the QWL these employees experience, as well as their trust in the organisation to support them. Responses to an internet-based survey methodology were analysed using quantitative techniques and structural equation modelling. Results confirm a positive relationship between Managerial Practices and Organisational Trust, and a lower relationship between the dimensions of Personality and Organisational Trust. A positive relationship was noted between QWL and Managerial Practices, and a lower relationship between QWL and the Personality constructs. This study accentuates the importance of management to be aware of the trust employees have in the organisation as well as their experience of QWL, as it seems as though the Personality traits and Managerial Practices of managers influences both the trust relationship and QWL experienced by employees. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

The primary aim of this survey is to: * explore whether there is potential for job-sharing in the South African labour market; * * describe the characteristics of potential job-sharers and to explain why Job-sharing would be an appropriate and feasible solution to unemployment, massive retrenchments, poor quality ofwork life (QWL) and low worker productivity Job-sharing has been used in many developed countries to address a variety of problems at the individual, organisational and national level. These include allowing workers to have a balance between their work and non-work life; to increase worker productivity and QWL and to increase employment opportunities. The literature survey affirms that these problems are prevalent in Africa as a whole and in South Africa specifically. The survey results reveal that the environment in South is Africa is conducive to jobsharing and that slightly over one third of the workers and organisations and two thirds of the jobseekers are willing to job-share. The results of this study also reveals that QWL, productivity and unemployment does influence the willingness to job-share and that approximately 80% of the employees would rather either job-share, work-share or opt for some other alternative than to have retrenchments. Thus by implication, job-sharing would address the problems relating to poor QWL, low worker productivity, fewer employment opportunities, as well as massive retrenchments in South Africa. The study has also explored possible reasons and obstacles to job-sharing and found that whether these are perceived as significantly important or not, depends on whether one is an employer, employee or job-seeker . The job-seekers feel more than others, that there is no reason insurmountable or obstacle preventing the introduction of job-sharing by which to avert their unemployed status. There are also differences in willingness to job-share among subgroups with regard to the industry, area of work, position held in the organisation and the availability of job-sharing positions in the organisation. This thesis reports that there is potential for job-sharing in the South African labour market, to address a variety of problems pertaining to workers, organisations, job-seekers and, therefore, the whole nation at large. / Business Management / D.B.L.

Afrikaans text / Die doel van hierdie navorsing is om lewenssin soos dit binne die leefwereld van die gesitueerde Suid-Afrikaanse sakepersoon van toepassing is, teoreties te omlyn, te operasionaliseer en die belewenis daarvan op fenomenologiese wyse te beskryf. Lewenssin, met lewenssinvolheid en lewenssinloosheid as twee pole op 'n kontinuum, is ondersoek deur te fokus op lewensorientasie, lokus van gedrag, waardes, spiritualiteit, groei, ontwikkeling, transendering, vervreemding, 'n kortstondige en fatalistiese ingesteldheid, konformisme, kollektivisme, fanatisme, en die strewe na mitiese sukses. In die literatuurondersoek, wat die eksistensiele, humanistiese en holistiese paradigmas as vertrekpunte neem, is operasionele definisies van lewenssinvolheid en lewenssinloosheid gekonstrueer. Die profiel van die Suid-Afrikaanse sakepersoon met so 'n belewenis is aan die hand van sy/haar paradigma, kenmerke en gedrag gekonstrueer. 'n Proses van meaning making word voorgehou, terwyl lewenssin as integrasie van teenoorgesteldes gekonstrueer word. Daar word gepostuleer dat die sakepersoon met 'n belewenis van lewenssinvolheid die landskap van sy/haar psige relasioneel bewoon. Daarteenoor openbaar 'n belewenis van Jewenssinloosheid 'n nie-relasionele orientasie, paradigma en bewoning van die wereld. In die fenomenologiese ondersoek is gebruik gemaak van die onderhoud om die fenomeen, lewenssin, te laat ontvou. Die steekproef het bestaan uit getroude sakelui, dertig jaar en ouer, en woonagtig in Gauteng. Heterogeniteit in terme van geslag, geloofsoortuigings en korporatiewe opset is ook verreken. Uit die ondersoek ontvou ses temas wat sentreer om ruimtelikheid, basiese stemming, beliggaming en bewoning, asook die teenwoordigheid van die psige, andere en die wereld (wat die aarde en 'n transpersoonlike entiteit insluit). Dit blyk dat die Suid-Afrikaanse sakepersoon sy/haar landskap vera! nie-relasioneel bewoon. Elemente van relasionele bestaan is wei aanwesig. Tog word die begeerte aan 'n meer relasionele bestaan in die behoeftes en versugtinge van die betrokke sakelui verwoord. Die gevolgtrekking word gemaak dat gebrekkige relasies in verband gebring kan word met 'n nie-relasionele paradigma wat lewenssinloosheid tot gevolg het. Op 'n kontinuum van lewenssin word bevind dat Suid-Afrikaanse sakelui nader aan die pool van lewenssinloosheid le, met 'n behoefte aan 'n beweging na die teenoorgestelde pool, naamlik lewenssinvolheid. Om lewenssinvolheid, lewenskwaliteit, en optimaliteit te bevorder, word aanbeveel dat die relasionele paradigma as vertrekpunt dien by remedierende ingrepe. / The purpose of this research is to theoretically outline and operationalise meaning in life as it applies to the life-world of situated South African businesspersons, and to describe phenomenologically their experience of that phenomenon. integration of opposites. It is posited that the businessperson experiencing life as meaningful, inhabits the landscape of his/her psyche in a relational way. In contrast, the person experiencing life as meaningless, displays a non-relational orientation, paradigm and being-in-the­ world. The phenomenological investigation made use of interviews to allow the phenomenon, meaning in life, to unfold. The sample consisted of married business persons, thirty years and older, and residing in Gauteng. Heterogeneity (in terms of gender, religious convictions and corporate circumstances) was also taken into account. Meaning, with meaningfulness and meaninglessness as its two extremes on a continuum, was examined, focusing on life orientation, engagement style, values, spirituality, growth, development, transcending, alienation, transitoriness and fatalism, conformism, collectivism, fanaticism, and aspiring to mythical success. In the literature investigation, which was based on existential, humanistic and holistic paradigms, operational definitions of meaningfulness and meaninglessness were construed. The profile of the South African businessperson experiencing the phenomenon, was construed with reference to his/her paradigm, characteristics and conduct. A meaning making process is proffered, while meaning is construed as an Six themes unfold from the investigation, centring around spatiality, basic mood, human bodiliness and being-in-the-world, as well as the presence of the psyche, other people and the world (including the earth and a transpersonal entity). The South African businessperson appears to inhabit his/her landscape in a mainly non­ relational manner. There are some elements of relational existence, but the needs and heart's desires voiced by the businesspersons concerned point to a longing for a more relational existence. In conclusion: Deficient relations can be associated with a non-relational paradigm, which causes an experience of life as meaningless. A meaning continuum shows South African businesspersons as figuring closer to meaninglessness, and needing to move towards the opposite pole, namely meaningfulness. To promote meaningfulness, quality of life and optimal functioning, the relational paradigm is recommended as point of departure in remedial intervention. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / DCom (Bedryfsielkunde)

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the Degree of Masters of Technology: Public Management, Durban University of Technology, 2013. / Poor quality of work life is a challenge in higher education institutions (HEIs) and it impact negatively on performance, attraction and retention of quality staff. The purpose of the research was to report on the factors that impact on the quality of work life of employees at the University “A”. The findings from this investigation will assist employees and management alike to understand factors that can improve performance and assist University “A” to be an employer of choice to attract, develop and retain suitably qualified employees. The rationale for the study was to investigate and obtain a better understanding of the quality of work life status in University “A”. Higher education institutions face a serious challenge of retaining adequately qualified and competent staff due to regular resignation and termination of employment contracts of employees. This has resulted in a steady backlog of vacant positions and which has a detrimental effect on the quality of teaching and learning. The deficit of staff leads to increased teaching workloads and consequently impacts negatively on the quality of service being offered including teaching and learning. This study is grounded in both quantitative and qualitative research traditions whereby a survey was conducted in the form of a structured questionnaire and in depth-interviews to university employees. The structured questionnaire was analysed using Statistical Packages for Social Scientists version 12 generating the reliability coefficient Alpha of 0.898 indicating the high degree of acceptance and consistent of the results. This study used the probability stratified random sampling whereby 160 structured questionnaires were distributed to both academic and non-academic employees with 142 returned successfully generating the response percentage of 89%. The findings of this research suggested that career advancement was one of the main reasons that were identified to lead to poor quality of work life. Furthermore, another primary concern was job insecurity, employees felt that their jobs are not reliable and secure. It was also noted in the research outcomes that a high proportion of the respondents were generally not well. The study findings suggest that respondents were not involved in decisions that affect them in their area of work and they feel that they are not given a lot of freedom to decide how to do their jobs. The research results indicated that the increase percentage of the respondents disagreed that their employer provides adequate facilities and flexibility for employees to adjust their work with their family time. It was evident from the responses that even though some policies exist, employees were unaware of their application and also the absence of performance management systems. Another prominent finding from the study was that employee expressed that their health and safety of their working conditions should be improved. The findings and results will assist management and employees alike in the practical implementation of quality of work life programmes with the aim of improving the retention of current employees and attracting potential employees. This study will contribute to the body of knowledge as published studies on the quality of work life is scant in higher education institutions. There is minimal research that has been conducted on the QoWL of employees in higher education institutions, and the results from this research could be utilized by management and supervisors, in order to minimize the potential factors that could negatively impact on the QoWL of employees in HEIs.

This thesis analyses the gender dimensions of work-life balance policies in the UK. It focuses on three related questions: firstly, to what extent are work-life balance policies framed by 'diversity'; secondly, how does this impact on the conceptualisation and implementation of work-life balance policies (in government and in organisations); and thirdly, what are the implications for gender equality? Through analysing published research, the UK Government's work-life balance agenda and data generated from three selected case study organisations, the prominent dimensions of diversity that shape the conceptualisation and implementation of work-life balance policies are presented. This thesis argues that the concept of diversity - as defined by the feminist literature - offers the potential to progress gender equality through overcoming the same-difference dichotomy, and by recognising multiple aspects of identity. However, this theoretical potential is not necessarily reflected in practice. With the emphasis on the individual worker and choice, diversity has been primarily defined as 'managing diversity', and has a significant affect on how work-life balance policies have been applied in both government policy and organisational practice. The UK Government states that work-life balance policies are meant to provide everyone with opportunities to balance work with other aspects of life. The current policy framework targets parents and in particular mothers, potentially limiting the choices that men and women have to 'work' and 'care'. Locating work-life balance policies within the context of 'managing diversity' supports and facilitates women's employment, but does not necessarily challenge fundamental gender disparities such as occupational segregation and gender pay gaps. Analysis of the UK Government's current agenda and organisational case studies show that despite progressive equality, diversity and worklife balance agendas, work-life balance policies are limited in challenging persistent structural gender inequalities.

The objectives of this study were to mathematically model the quality of college life (QCL) concept and to study the associations between attachment style, emotion regulation abilities, psychological needs fulfillment and QCL via structural equation modeling. Data was collected from 507 undergraduate students (men = 178, women = 329; age M = 21.78 years, SD = 4.37). This data was used to provide evidence for the validity of the College Adjustment Scales (CAS) as a measure of quality of college life. The CAS demonstrated good convergent validity with the World Health Organization Quality of Life measure (WHOQOL), Subjective Well-being and Psychological Well-being Scales. Results: Students who were insecurely attached were as likely to feel adequate in their academic and professional endeavors as securely attached students. However, insecurely attached students had lower QCL levels, lower fulfillment of psychological needs and more emotion regulation difficulties than securely attached students. The results also indicated that Anxious Attachment and Avoidant Attachment were positively and strongly associated. Nonetheless, Anxious Attachment and Avoidant Attachment affected QCL through different mechanism. Emotion regulation mediated the path between Anxious Attachment and QCL while the fulfillment of psychological needs mediated the path between Avoidant Attachment and QCL. The fulfillment of psychological needs also mediated the path between emotion regulation and QCL. The described pattern of results was found for three separate models representing 1) the student’s attachment with their romantic partner, 2) best friend and 3) mother. Additionally, the study’s findings suggest a change in primary attachment figure during the college years. Emotion regulation, the fulfillment of psychological needs and QCL were all affected more strongly by the student’s attachment style with their romantic partner and best friend compared to their attachment style with their parents.