M.A. / None

Cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities are causing substantial financial losses for governments and organizations all over the world. Cybersecurity criminals are stealing more than one billion dollars from banks every year by exploiting vulnerabilities caused by bank users' computer misuse. Cybersecurity breaches are threatening the common welfare of citizens since more and more terrorists are using cyberterrorism to target critical infrastructures (e.g., transportation, telecommunications, power, nuclear plants, water supply, banking) to coerce the targeted government and its people to accomplish their political objectives. Cyberwar is another major concern that nations around the world are struggling to get ready to fight. It has been found that intentional and unintentional users' misuse of information systems (IS) resources represents about 50% to 75% of cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities to organizations. Computer Crime and Security Survey revealed that nearly 60% of security breaches occurred from inside the organization by users. Computer users are one of the weakest links in the information systems security chain, because users seem to have very limited or no knowledge of user computer self-efficacy (CSE), cybersecurity countermeasures awareness (CCA), and cybersecurity skills (CS). Users' CSE, CCA, and CS play an important role in users' computer misuse intention (CMI). CMI can be categorized as unauthorized access, use, disruption, modification, disclosure, inspection, recording, or destruction of information system data. This dissertation used a survey to empirically assess users' CSE, CCA, CS, and computer misuse intention (CMI) at government agencies. This study used Partial Least Square (PLS) technique to measure the fit of a theoretical model that includes seven independent latent variables (CSE, UAS-P, UAS-T, UAC-M, CCS, CIS, & CAS) and their influences on the dependent variable CMI. Also, PLS was used to examine if the six control variables (age, gender, job function, education level, length of working in the organization, & military status such as veteran) had any significant impact on CMI. This study included data collected from 185 employees of a local and state transportation agency from a large metropolitan in the northeastern United States. Participants received an email invitation to take the Web-based survey. PLS was used to test the four research hypotheses. The results of the PLS model showed that UAC-M and CIS were significant contributors (p

This study examined personal, social, and demographic factors related to physical activity (PA) level and body mass index (BMI) in adolescent African American (AA) females. The participants were 211 AA females from selected parochial schools in a city in the southern U.S. Participants completed the Physical Activity Determinant Scale (PADS: Mitchell & Kontos, 2002), the Three Day Physical Activity Recall (3DPAR: Weston, Petosa & Pate, 1997), the Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire (LTEQ: Godin & Shepard, 1985), and demographic items. Height and weight measures were taken to assess BMI. Results from logistic regression indicated that the personal factor was a significant (p<.001, ExpB=4.65) predictor of PA level, and the social factor (p<.05, ExpB=1.43), age (p<.05, ExpB=.74), and age at menarche (p<.05, ExpB=.80) were significant predictors of low BMI for age. Results from ANOVA revealed that late maturers had significantly (p<.05) lower BMI scores, but were no more physically active than early and average maturers. Findings suggest that female adolescent AAs exert more control over personal PA factors, than social PA factors, such as peer pressure and sport socialization. Additionally, BMI was not related to PA for this sample, suggesting that BMI may be influenced by other factors not investigated in the current study. Based on these findings, potential interventions should focus on aspects of the personal factor for increasing PA in adolescent AA females. Future investigations are needed to further explore the relationship between personal, social, and demographic factors, and PA and BMI for adolescent AA females.

Sexuell hälsa är betydelsefullt i alla människors liv. Personer med intellektuell funktionsnedsättning möter ofta barriärer som hindrar dem att uttrycka sin sexualitet. Personalen är outbildad inom området, därav använder sig av sin egen moral i bemötandet. Syftet med studien var att undersöka hur bemötande till sexualitet hos personer med intellektuell funktionsnedsättning, hos den bedömde ser ut. Påverkas bemötandet till sexualitet av graden av intellektuell funktionsnedsättning och self-efficacy av bedömaren? Sammanlagt deltog 96 socionomstudenter och 38 boendestödjare i en vinjettstudie med experimentell mellangruppsdesign. Vinjetten varierade i två olika betingelser. Deltagare fick ta ställning med hjälp av egengjorda skalor och en self-efficacy skala. Resultatet visar positivt samband mellan self-efficacy och pedagogisk kompetens hos bedömaren. I fråga om bemötandet i relation till sexualitet och graden av intellektuell funktionsnedsättning visades ingen signifikant skillnad. Förslag på framtida forskning är att undersöka hur skillnader ser ut beroende på kön hos den bedömde.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Over the past decades, the use and application of statistical concepts for university students have been a big challenge learned from their previous courses. Aftermath of democracy, South African higher education focused on redressing issues of reparation and social imbalances inherited from Apartheid with the commitment to reconstruct a comprehensive educational quality framework. Growing activities lead to new models emphasised to support students and universities in their attempts to demonstrate evidence of enthusiastic statistics learning, with an acceptable degree of accuracy. This study combines quantitative and qualitative research approaches to assess the knowledge of postgraduate students in applying suitable statistical procedures in higher education (HE). The quantitative data were randomly collected from the postgraduate students (n1=307) while the qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews (n2=19) from two institutions (University of Cape Town [UCT] and University of the Western Cape [UWC]) in the Western Cape, South Africa. The SPSS V24 statistical package was used for quantitative data analysis and the explorative design was selected as a theoretical framework to guide the investigation, analysis and interpretation of the qualitative findings. UCT model achieved for all combined categories 73% high prediction accuracy. The UWC model revealed similar results, with ask for help, worth of statistics, fear of statistics monitors, affect, cognitive competence, support from significant others, marital status, ethnic groups and type of study as significant predictors with a high prediction accuracy of 75.49%. Additionally, the ethnic groups, marital status, postgraduate programmes, experiences in statistics and effort were significant contributed factors of SELS beliefs while findings of the combined data of UCT and UWC significantly explained the variation observed in SELS beliefs with only 60% model accuracy. Nevertheless, the qualitative data outcomes indicated that the comments of the participants provided a rich understanding of the perceived failure to choose a relevant statistical test. The results further indicated that confusion and frustration characterised the attitude of students during the selection of a suitable statistical test. The original value of this current study is bridging the inequity gap, in terms of statistics learning, and building a substantial input to the achievement of the objectives of UNESCO, the World Education Forum and the White Paper 3, while ultimately, contributing to the sustainable development of learning statistics at universities in the Western Cape, South Africa. By logical extrapolation, this current study proffers significant insights to the rest of the universities in Africa, and beyond.

Magister Scientiae (Occupational Therapy) - MSc(OT) / Tuberculosis (TB) and multi-drug resistant (MDR) TB have been identified as one of the largest health problems in the world, and notably recognized as a big issue in democratic South Africa. Socio-demographic factors such as poverty and unemployment were identified to be major contributing factors to the epidemic. Individuals with TB reportedly have poor levels of occupational self-efficacy and found it challenging to return to work after prolonged hospitalization. The Model of Occupational Self-Efficacy (MOOSE) has been used effectively to assist individuals with traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) to return to work. Adaptation of the MOOSE was recommended for application with other syndromes associated with long hospitalization and absence from work. The aim of the study was to adapt the MOOSE for clients living with tuberculosis and to aid them in returning to work. The study was conducted through exploratory research. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten purposively selected key informants from private and public health facilities in the Western Cape. The data was analysed through thematic analysis from which six themes emerged. Themes One, Two and Six describe the barriers experienced by the participants when returning to work following their diagnosis of PTB or MDR-TB. Theme Three, Four and Five discussed the factors that facilitate the resumption of the worker role for the PTB and MDR-TB survivors. The findings of this study were used to inform the adaptation of the MOOSE for use with patients living with TB. Ethics clearance was obtained from the Biomedical Research Ethics Committee (BMREC) of UWC. Permission was given by the Department of Health to conduct the study on the clinical platform. All ethics principles were upheld.

Magister Artium (Psychology) - MA(Psych) / Divorce and self-efficacy are areas that have been studied quite widely and extensively in recent decades. Going through a divorce has an effect on how parents actually parent their children, which in turn has an effect on the behavioral, emotional, social and academic outcomes of the child. Divorce is considered a significant factor in determining emotional and social problems that children begin to exhibit. However, few research has been conducted on the relationship of divorce with parental self-efficacy and perception of parenting among divorced parents in South Africa. Therefore, this study used qualitative interviews to explore the impact of divorce on parental self-efficacy and perceptions of parenting among ten divorced parents from working to middle class community in Cape Town, South Africa. . The interviews were analyzed by making use of thematic analysis. Results showed that, although participants experienced an initial period of extreme emotional distress and feeling overwhelmed at being a single parent, their confidence in their parenting increased over time as they began to adjust to their new lives and received adequate and regular support. This was accomplished through various techniques and coping mechanisms employed by the participants, and with their social support structure playing a significant role on their parental self-efficacy. This study contributes to the research that has been conducted on parental self-efficacy, specifically, the research that has been conducted in a South African context, which has been generally lacking in terms of previous research.

This longitudinal study examined the relationship between Zimbardo time perspectives (TPs) and career decision-making self-efficacy (CDMSE). In total, 1,753 young adults participated in the longitudinal study. For the present study, we selected only participants who were students and provided information on TPs, CDMSE, and sociodemographic characteristics (n = 492, M = 22.97 years, SD = 1.32, 82.9% women). The results of multilevel modeling showed that future orientation and present-hedonistic TPs were positively related to CDMSE, whereas present-fatalistic and past-negative TPs were negatively related to CDMSE. These findings indicate that besides the beneficial effect of widely studied future TP, the negative role of past-negative and present-fatalistic TPs should be considered in connection with the career development of emerging adults.

This online study evaluated the efficacy of an e-health avatar/cartoon video with women of color living with type 2 diabetes for a minimum of 2 years. After considerable dropout, the sample size declined from n=149, as 50.3% (n=75, 50.33%) did not complete the survey. After eliminating those who did not watch “all” or “most” of the video, the sample declined further. The final sample (n=64) was 31.3% (n=20) U.S.-born, 100% (n=64) female, 79.7% (n=51) Black, and 12.5% (n=8) Asian—with mean age of 49.28 (Min=22, Max=79, SD=13.24). Using backwards stepwise regression, higher post-video global self-efficacy to perform AADE7 Self-Care Behaviors™ was significantly predicted by: higher level of coping self-efficacy—stopping unpleasant emotions and thoughts (B=0.131, p =.001); and higher age (B=0.026, p=.002) with the R2=.331 (Adjusted R2 =.298; 29.8% of the variance was explained). However, less emphasis should be placed on findings from this controversial regression with small sample size. Instead, as this is an online evaluation of a brief online video intervention, what are important are results of pre- versus post-video paired t-test results. These suggested that engagement in the brief online intervention of watching the new video was associated with: a significant increase in type 2 diabetes self-management knowledge for performing the AADE7™ Self-Care Behaviors; and, a significant increase for stages of change, self-efficacy, and motivation to perform the 7 diabetes self-management behaviors. Finally, the mixed methods data were important for underscoring the value of the study’s quantitative findings. Some 89.1% (n=57) would recommend the video to other women of color living with type 2 diabetes. Reflecting how the video intervention was a true innovation in integrating a brief form of motivational interviewing with relapse prevention, consider sample emergent themes: video was motivational; and video covered relapse prevention and problem solving, using a menu of options. There is value in ensuring exposure to an e-health avatar video on the AADE7 Self-Care Behaviors™ that also integrates the evidence-based approaches of motivational interviewing and relapse prevention, in order to meet the health education needs of those diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the relationship between identity processing styles and self-efficacy to academic achievement in first-year university students. The sample included one hundred and twenty-seven first-year university students (n=127). Non-probability purposive sampling was used to select the participants on the basis of their status as first-year university students. Participants completed a Demographic Questionnaire, Identity Style Inventory Revised (ISI3) and General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE). The research findings indicated a non-significant relationship between the normative and diffuse-avoidant identity processing styles to academic achievement. However, a significant relationship was found between the informational identity processing style and academic achievement. More specifically, a weak, negative correlation between the informational identity processing style and academic achievement was noted. With regard to General Self-Efficacy, a significant relationship between identity processing styles and General Self-Efficacy was indicated. With reference to previous research studies, the results of the current research study are discussed.