The prevalence of adults 65 years of age and older with significant pain is 25% to 50%, with many experiencing pain on a daily basis. The financial toll due to chronic pain is staggering; American's spend nearly $635 billion annually on health care. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to better understand the relationship between resilience, general health, and chronic pain in older adults. The quantitative question pertained to the relationship between resilience and both levels of chronic pain and general health in elderly chronic pain patients, and the qualitative question addressed participants' lived experiences of chronic pain. Resilience theory, which suggests that individual strengths enable people to rise above adversity, grounded the study. Participants were between ages 65 and 75 and were recruited from 3 pain centers and through the Survey Monkey participant pool; they included 55 older adults with chronic pain who responded to surveys (including Resilience scale, the Pain Impact Questionnaire-Revised (PIQ-R) Pain scale, and the Short Form 12 item (version 2) (SF-12v2) Health Survey, and 10 of them also participated in interviews. Regression analyses found no statistical relationships between resilience and either chronic pain or general health. Interview participants noted that to cope with pain they used personal strength, a positive outlook, religion, spirituality, pain management, physical activity, rest/sleep, managing their life, and religion and spirituality. Resilient behavior was inherent across various pain diagnoses, and participants appeared to place a great value in the social networks formed throughout life. These findings may help medical practitioners have a better understanding of the relationship between chronic pain and resilience in an aging, at-risk population.

Submitted by Clebson Anjos (clebson.leandro54@gmail.com) on 2016-01-07T19:17:39Z No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 1437134 bytes, checksum: ec32bd90bf09054f759b3f3de05cbe53 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-01-07T19:17:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 1437134 bytes, checksum: ec32bd90bf09054f759b3f3de05cbe53 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-08-25 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / This study aimed at estimating the psychosocial protective and vulnerability factors of successful aging. It was based on the premise that aging is a continuous process of multidimensional, multidisciplinary and heterogeneous dimensions which counts on factors of biological, psychological, social, cultural, economic types, as well as, coping, losses and gains facts. The research counted on a cross-sectional quantitative approach, 913 participants comprising, being divided into three studies. The first study used a sample of 288 elderly participants, was aimed to analyze the cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric properties of the Scale for Successful Aging (SAS), consisting of 14 items. The second study, counted on 270 elderly volunteers; it was aimed to analyze the cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric properties of the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), consisting of six items. The third study consolidated the general purpose of investigating the protective and vulnerability factors of successful aging. To this end, it obtained a sample of 355 elderly volunteers who answered about 200 questions about successful aging, resilience, perceived stress, life satisfaction, anxiety, depression, health profile, as well as, socio demographic data. The first study presented a satisfactory results with an index of internal consistency α = 0.65 and the reduction of four items of the scale. The final version of SAS was composed of 10 items. The second study showed an internal consistency α = 0.78 and the factor structure of the scale maintained the number of the original items. The third study presented that BRS (β = 0.44, p <.01) and three of the other used scales [ESV (β = 0.38, p <.01); HADS-D (β = 0.38, p <.05); and PSN (β = 0.20, p <.01)] were predictors of protection or vulnerability of successful aging. The presented model is statistically significant [F (7, 35) = 17.59, p <.01)], accounting for 26% of the variance of successful aging. Therefore, this latter study showed, as protective factors, satisfaction with life, resilience, social support and better health perception, and as a vulnerability factor, the presence of depressive symptoms, and, for each construct, there are the determining factors and the supporting successful aging. Validation of multidimensional scaling SAS opens up several possibilities for future research, regarding the regional characteristics of successful aging in Brazil. / O objetivo deste trabalho foi estimar os fatores psicossociais de proteção e vulnerabilidade do envelhecimento bem-sucedido. Partiu-se da premissa de que o envelhecimento é um processo contínuo, heterogêneo, multidisciplinar, multidimensional, que envolve fatores biológicos, psicológicos, sociais, culturais, econômicos e de enfrentamento e compensação de perdas e ganhos. A pesquisa teve um corte transversal e um cunho quantitativo, sendo composta por 913 participantes e subdividida em três estudos. O primeiro estudo, que empregou uma amostra de 288 idosos, teve como objetivo a adaptação transcultural e a análise das propriedades psicométricas da Escala de Envelhecimento Bem-sucedido (SAS), composta por 14 itens. O segundo estudo, que utilizou 270 idosos, teve como objetivo a adaptação transcultural e a análise das propriedades psicométricas da Escala de Resiliência Breve (BRS), de seis itens. O terceiro estudo consolidou o objetivo geral de investigar os fatores de proteção e vulnerabilidade do envelhecimento bem-sucedido. Para tanto, obteve-se uma amostra de 355 idosos, que responderam cerca de 200 questões sobre envelhecimento bem-sucedido, resiliência, estresse percebido, satisfação com a vida, ansiedade, depressão, perfil de saúde e dados sociodemográficos. O primeiro estudo apresentou um resultado satisfatório, tendo um índice de consistência interna α = 0,65 e redução de quatro itens da escala. A versão final da SAS ficou composta por 10 itens. O segundo estudo apresentou uma consistência interna α = 0,78 e a estrutura fatorial da escala manteve o número de itens original. O terceiro estudo revelou que a BRS (β =0,44, p < ,01) e três das demais escalas utilizadas [ESV (β = 0,38, p <,01); HADS-D (β = -0,38, p <,05); e PSN (β = 0,20, p < ,01)] foram preditores de proteção ou de vulnerabilidade do envelhecimento bem-sucedido. O modelo se apresentou estatisticamente significativo [F (7,35) = 17,59, p <,01)], respondendo por 26% da variância no envelhecimento bem-sucedido. Portanto, este último estudo apresentou, como fatores de proteção, a satisfação com a vida, a resiliência, o suporte social e uma melhor percepção de saúde e, como fator de vulnerabilidade, a presença de sintomatologia depressiva, sendo que, para cada construto, existem os fatores determinantes e coadjuvantes do envelhecimento bem-sucedido. A validação da escala multidimensional SAS abre diversas possibilidades de investigações futuras, a respeito das especificidades regionais do envelhecimento bem-sucedido, no Brasil.

This dissertation consists of two projects. Project 1 is comprised of two systematic review studies in which self-report measures of adult characterological resilience were identified and summarized. In Study 1, 51 personality-based instruments across five personality-based resilience constructs (ego-strength, grit, hardiness, mental toughness, and resilience) were identified. Information for each measure inclusive of measure title, construct, item count, factors, response scale and items, scoring method, and score range was summarized. In Study 2, 1,322 articles were identified that described 1,193 studies and 1,351 participant samples who completed between one and four of these resilience measures. Measure use frequency and contextual use information related to study and sample attributes are summarized. Project 2 is a series of meta-analyses that were conducted to investigate the psychometric properties of scores on the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) reported in 149 studies of adult participants. Reliability generalization methods are used to summarize 86 observations of internal consistency (mean Cronbach’s α = .86) and validity generalization methods are used to summarize eight observations of convergent validity (Mr = .61). Concurrent validity is also investigated via validity generalization methods for the most frequently observed mental health correlates of BRS scores. For each set of mental health measures, an estimated summary effect was calculated (anxiety, Mr = -.47; depression, Mr = -.49; optimism, Mr = .44; social support, Mr = .24; and stress, Mr = -.53). Of the significant moderators conducted for concurrent validity estimates, the largest was sample category (accounting for 100% of the variance in the observed correlations between the BRS and measures of social support). Geographic location and participant age, accounted for 55%, and 24%, of the variation in the observed correlations between the BRS and significantly moderated the relation between the BRS and perceived stress. Discussion for both projects include how the obtained relate to resilience theory, and the potential broader implications of these findings. Also based upon these reviews and meta-analyses, the challenges of resilience measure use are discussed and observations/recommendations are provided.

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Teacher attrition is a state and local concern. Teachers leaving the profession before they reach the age of retirement is costly to school divisions, hinders school achievement, and negatively affects student success. Studies of teacher attrition and retention state teachers are leaving the workforce and pointing to adverse working conditions of teaching in the schools as the main stressor. Increasing teacher resilience may be a pathway to increasing teacher retention in schools. The negative factors associated with teaching in high poverty elementary public schools present challenges that are driving away teachers in their beginning years as well as those with the most experience. Currently, resilience studies have taken on a profession oriented lens. Teacher resilience is how teachers overcome personal and job related challenges to become more resilient and therefore more equipped to manage stress associated with teaching in today's schools. This study uses a survey and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-25 to measure and compare the resilience of two groups of elementary teachers in Southwest Virginia. Teachers from high poverty (≥90%) and lower poverty (≤50%) elementary public schools were identified by their levels of Free and Reduced Price Lunch and qualification for the Community Eligibility Provision. The CD-RISC-25 resulted in statistically insignificant differences between the mean resilience scores between the two groups of teachers, however, the interviews with ten elementary school principals described and delineated the differences between the challenges faced by teachers in high poverty schools compared to teachers in lower poverty schools. / Doctor of Education / The number of teachers leaving the profession before reaching the age of retirement is a state and national concern. The cycle of replacing teachers who leave the classroom is costly to school divisions, negatively influences teachers' working conditions, functions as a barrier to consistent student achievement, and hinders the overall success of the school. Studies of the conditions influencing teachers who leave the profession indicate adverse working conditions as the primary concern. The negative factors associated with teaching in high poverty elementary public schools places additional stress and a litany of challenges for teachers to overcome before they are able to start the instructional day as well as maintain a status quo in the classroom. Currently resilience studies are taking on a profession oriented lens. Teacher resilience results from their capacity to overcome personal and job related challenges to become more resilient and therefore more equipped to manage stress associated with teaching in today's schools. Teachers have a complex set of internal systems (parent, spouse, daughter/son, sibling) interacting within a highly stressful professional environment ( high poverty elementary schools) using multiple skill sets (instruction, behavior management, record keeping, and counseling) at varying degrees of expertise (beginning teacher, experienced teacher, and master teacher). This study investigates the resilience of two groups of teachers working in Southwest Virginia public elementary schools. The first group of teachers were from high poverty elementary schools while the second group of teachers were from lower poverty elementary schools. A survey and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-25 (CD-RISC-25) measured individual teachers' resilience for comparisons between the two groups of teachers. Findings showed there were no statistically significant differences between the resilience of teachers in high poverty elementary schools and lower poverty elementary schools. In addition, there were no statistically significant relationships between teacher resilience, teachers choosing to remain in the profession, and teachers deciding to leave the profession. In contrast to the survey and CD-RISC- the differences between these two groups of teachers derived from the interviews with ten elementary school principals. The comments provided an in-depth perspective to the challenges of working in a high poverty elementary school as compared to a lower poverty elementary school. Understanding the role of resilience in Southwest Virginia teachers in both the high poverty and lower elementary schools may add to plausible policies, workable practices, and engaging professional development dedicated to increasing teachers' abilities to withstand the stressors associated with teaching in a public or private school.

El texto completo de este trabajo no está disponible en el Repositorio Académico UPC por restricciones de la casa editorial donde ha sido publicado. / The objective of this research is to assess the psychometric properties of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) in order to contribute to the literature identifying validated resilience measures in low-resource settings where individuals face significant adversity. This cross-sectional study included 789 adolescent mothers who delivered at a maternity hospital in Lima, Peru. The Spanish version of the 10-item CD-RISC was used to measure resilience. Internal consistency and construct validity were assessed by evaluating individual item characteristics as well as the association of CD-RISC score with symptoms of depression, anxiety and sleep disturbance. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed to test the factorial structure of the CD-RISC. The CD-RISC was found to have good internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.85). CD-RISC scores were positively associated with school attendance, financial hardship, and history of childhood abuse; scores were negatively associated with household dysfunction, depression, anxiety and poor sleep quality. The results of the EFA showed that the CD-RISC contained a two-factor solution, which accounted for 46% of the variance. Overall, these findings suggest that the Spanish-language version of the CD-RISC-10 is an adequate measure of resilience in this population. Further research is needed to incorporate culturally-specific constructs into resilience measures. / National Institutes of Health / Revisión por pares

The growth of a country's economy is highly dependent on the levels of skills available in that country. South Africa has a stark shortage of skilled individuals due to an inadequate and failing education system (Horwitz, 2013). As a response to this problem the South African government actively incentivises organisations to develop the skillset of their employees in order to build a strong economy, improve job creation and promote social development (Department of Higher Education and Training, 2019). It is therefore important that all stakeholders involved yield a return on this investment. It is also a global phenomenon that an increasing number of fulltime employees are also engaging in formal further studies due to the rapid changes in the labour market. For example, advancements in technology have had a major impact on traditional business models and the roles, and skills needed. These employees are referred to as non-traditional students and are the subject of this study. Research shows that trying to manage both work and school simultaneously can cause psychological strain for non-traditional students (Adebayo et al., 2008). The psychosocial safety climate (PSC) is an emerging construct which refers to the shared perceptions regarding policies, practices and procedures designed to protect the psychological health of employees (Dollard et al., 2012). This study builds on existing research in the work - school interface by investigating its application within the South African context. Participants in this research (n=127), comprised of non-traditional students (n=40) and employees who are not engaged in further studies (n=87). Correlation analysis demonstrated that PSC had a positive relationship with work school facilitation (WSF) and a negative relationship with work school conflict (WSC). It was further confirmed that job control (JC) mediated the relationship between PSC and WSF and that PSC mediated the relationship between JC and WSF. These findings show that PSC is an antecedent to the work school interface in that it promotes the positive outcomes of studying while working (work school facilitation). It further demonstrates that PSC also reduces the negative outcomes (work school conflict). This study confirmed that the working environment plays a crucial role in the work school interface and introduces PSC as a construct South African organisations should be concerned with and make a priority, based on the resources it provides employees, more especially their non-traditional students. This study's findings will add to the existing body of research and provide practical insights for enhancing the PSC application within South African organisations who have non-traditional students.

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