In the United States, there is a growing trend towards livable cities that facilitate physical, psychological, and social well-being. According to Congress of the New Urbanism, the great American suburb served by the automobile, does not fulfill all these functions. Urban sociologist Ray Oldenburg points out three realms of satisfactory life as work, home and the ‘great good place’ as the third. The third place is one that facilitates barrier free social interaction, for example the American main-street, the English pub, French coffee house etc. Despite the ever existing need for such places, greater travel distances and the ever expanding needs of the automobile era have stripped our urban fabric of these. The Charter of the New Urbanism points out that in the American suburbs, neighborhood parks have the potential to serve as ‘third places.’ The twofold purpose of this research was to examine Steeplechase dog-park using Oldenburg’s Third Place construct as a starting point; and then to operationalize third place by establishing relationships between social characteristics and physical environment. Participant observation, casual conversations and ethnographic interviews were methods used to examine how residents use Steeplechase Park. The observation phase was used to understand on-site behavior, user interests and then establish contacts with participants for recruitment. In-depth interviews were then conducted to examine user history, relationships and attitudes toward the place. Data was coded and analyzed in NVivo 10 utilizing Oldenburg’s framework as a reference, the components of which were then examined for correlations to the physical elements. The findings of suggest that Steeplechase Park functions as a somewhat unique third place in terms of user motivation, companion animal/social lubricant, neutrality and inclusiveness of the place. Findings also establish useful links between the physical design of the space and the social activity; prospect-refuge supported by vegetation and layout, topography, shade, edges and access being the most important aspects. Additionally, lack of maintenance was established as a major concern to sustained use.

This study was part of a larger multi-informant longitudinal study with a sample of 319 children (52% male, 48% female) ages 4-12 (mean= 7 years 9 months) whose parents had recently filed for divorce. Three annual waves of data from four informants were used for analysis: child self-report, mother, teacher, and observer report. The purpose of the study was to add to the understanding of multi-informant research and children’s psycho-social well-being. The first goal was to determine the consensus of children’s psycho-social well-being scores within informant across time, within child across informant, and between children over time. The second goal was to determine factors that contribute to the levels of consensus, such as, child gender, child age, child ethnicity, and length of parents’ separation, maternal baseline depressive symptoms score, and timing of the teacher questionnaire. The third goal was to determine if children could be classified into meaningful psycho-social well-being groups. Lastly, a visual diagnostic tool, the “patchwork”, was created using a random sample of eight prototypical cases of group membership based on predicted probabilities. This tool displayed the four informants scores, and child and informant characteristics. A single measure of child psycho-social well-being was created for each informant to compare rater consensus in hierarchical linear modeling. Latent class analysis was used to determine groupings. The HLM results indicate that 53% of the variance is within informants across time, 31% is within child across raters, and only 16% is between child over time. As expected, results showed more consensus of informants’ scores among girls than boys, the greatest consensus for children in middle childhood over other age groups, among Non-Hispanic White children compared to other ethnicities, and among spring reports than fall reports from teachers. Maternal baseline depressive symptoms score was significantly related to level of consensus of reporters, with greatest consensus when mother’s baseline depressive symptoms scores are at the mean (15.47). Mother’s scores of children’s psycho-social well-being decrease from highest scores of when baseline depressive symptoms score is 0, decreasing -.02 with each point increase in baseline depressive symptoms score. The results of the latent class analysis show two latent classes with maternal baseline depressive symptoms as a covariate best fit the data, one class with psycho-social well-being scores above the mean (N=258), and one with scores below the mean (N=61). Baseline data alone sufficiently models these groups and is chosen for parsimony over latent transition analysis. In sum, this study demonstrated benefits of multi-method multi-informant research, while acknowledging the strengths and biases that influence informant consensus of children’s psycho-social well being / text

An estimated 30 to 36 million people worldwide are living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). In 2009 about 5.7 million of the 30 to 36 million people who are infected with HIV were living in South Africa, making South Africa the country with the largest number of people infected with HIV in the world (UNGASS, 2010). Van Dyk (2008) states that HIV infection and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) are accompanied by symptoms of psycho–social distress, but relatively little is known of the direct effect of HIV and AIDS on psychological well–being. The psychological distress is mainly due to the difficulties HIV brings to daily life and the harsh reality of the prognosis of the illness (Van Dyk, 2008). It is not clear whether people infected with HIV who are unaware of their HIV status show more psychological symptoms than people in a group not infected with HIV. The research question for the current study was therefore whether people with and without HIV infection differ in their psycho–social symptoms and strengths before they know their HIV status. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to explore the psychosocial health profiles of people with and without HIV and AIDS before they knew their infection status. A cross–sectional survey design was used for gathering psychological data. This was part of a multi–disciplinary study where the participants’ HIV status was determined after obtaining their informed consent and giving pre– and post–test counselling. This study falls in the overlap of the South African leg of the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology study (PURE–SA) that investigates the health transition and chronic diseases of lifestyle in urban and rural areas (Teo, Chow, Vaz, Rangarajan, & Ysusf, 2009), and the FORT2 and 3 projects (FORT2 = Understanding and promoting psychosocial health, resilience and strengths in an African context; Fort 3 = The prevalence of levels of psychosocial health: Dynamics and relationships with biomarkers of (ill) health in the South African contexts) (Wissing, 2005, 2008) on psychological well–being and its biological correlates. All the baseline data were collected during 2005. Of the 1 025 participants who completed all of the psychological health questionnaires, 153 (14.9%) were infected with HIV and 863 were not infected with HIV (since the HIV status of nine of the participants was not known, they were not included in the study). In the urban communities 435 participants completed the psychological health questionnaires, of whom 68 (15.6%) were infected with HIV and 367 were not infected with HIV. In the rural communities, 581 participants completed the psychological health questionnaires, of whom 85 (14.6%) were infected with HIV and 496 were not infected with HIV. The validated Setswana versions of the following seven psychological health questionnaires were used: Affectometer 2 (AFM), Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), Community Collective Efficacy Scale (CCES), Mental Health Continuum Short Form (MHC–SF), New General Self–efficacy Scale (NGSE), Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). Descriptive statistics were determined for all measures for all the participants with, and without HIV. Significant differences in psychosocial profiles among individuals with and without HIV and AIDS and also between those in the rural and urban areas were determined by means of t–tests and by a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). Practical significance was determined by the size of the effects. The results for the entire group showed statistically significant differences between the two groups of participants who were infected with HIV and those not infected with HIV regarding their sense of coherence and their perspective on the community’s capacity to succeed in joint activities, but these differences were of only small practical significance. The HIV–infected participants in the urban areas displayed statistically and practically a lower sense of coherence and viewed themselves as less capable of meeting task demands in community contexts, than did the participants not infected with HIV. Though the participants not infected with HIV in the rural group had, statistically and practically, a significantly greater capacity to succeed in joint community activities than the participants infected with HIV, an interesting finding was that the participants infected with HIV experienced more positive affect than the participants not infected with HIV. The research showed that people with and without HIV infection differ in some respects in their psycho–social symptoms and strengths even before they are conscious of their HIV status. It is striking that the differences found on the psychological measures for the participants reflected a personal sense of social coherence and perspective on their community’s capacity to succeed in joint activities, which was lower in the case of participants infected with HIV, and might therefore have led to high–risk social behaviours and consequent infections. It might be that the participants with a relatively lower sense of social coherence, integration, and co–operation towards collectively achieving meaningful goals were more inclined to manifest behaviours that would lead to detrimental consequences (in this case HIV infection) for themselves and others. The higher level of positive affect in the rural group of the participants infected with HIV is still unexplained and requires further research. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Clinical Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

An estimated 30 to 36 million people worldwide are living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). In 2009 about 5.7 million of the 30 to 36 million people who are infected with HIV were living in South Africa, making South Africa the country with the largest number of people infected with HIV in the world (UNGASS, 2010). Van Dyk (2008) states that HIV infection and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) are accompanied by symptoms of psycho–social distress, but relatively little is known of the direct effect of HIV and AIDS on psychological well–being. The psychological distress is mainly due to the difficulties HIV brings to daily life and the harsh reality of the prognosis of the illness (Van Dyk, 2008). It is not clear whether people infected with HIV who are unaware of their HIV status show more psychological symptoms than people in a group not infected with HIV. The research question for the current study was therefore whether people with and without HIV infection differ in their psycho–social symptoms and strengths before they know their HIV status. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to explore the psychosocial health profiles of people with and without HIV and AIDS before they knew their infection status. A cross–sectional survey design was used for gathering psychological data. This was part of a multi–disciplinary study where the participants’ HIV status was determined after obtaining their informed consent and giving pre– and post–test counselling. This study falls in the overlap of the South African leg of the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology study (PURE–SA) that investigates the health transition and chronic diseases of lifestyle in urban and rural areas (Teo, Chow, Vaz, Rangarajan, & Ysusf, 2009), and the FORT2 and 3 projects (FORT2 = Understanding and promoting psychosocial health, resilience and strengths in an African context; Fort 3 = The prevalence of levels of psychosocial health: Dynamics and relationships with biomarkers of (ill) health in the South African contexts) (Wissing, 2005, 2008) on psychological well–being and its biological correlates. All the baseline data were collected during 2005. Of the 1 025 participants who completed all of the psychological health questionnaires, 153 (14.9%) were infected with HIV and 863 were not infected with HIV (since the HIV status of nine of the participants was not known, they were not included in the study). In the urban communities 435 participants completed the psychological health questionnaires, of whom 68 (15.6%) were infected with HIV and 367 were not infected with HIV. In the rural communities, 581 participants completed the psychological health questionnaires, of whom 85 (14.6%) were infected with HIV and 496 were not infected with HIV. The validated Setswana versions of the following seven psychological health questionnaires were used: Affectometer 2 (AFM), Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), Community Collective Efficacy Scale (CCES), Mental Health Continuum Short Form (MHC–SF), New General Self–efficacy Scale (NGSE), Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). Descriptive statistics were determined for all measures for all the participants with, and without HIV. Significant differences in psychosocial profiles among individuals with and without HIV and AIDS and also between those in the rural and urban areas were determined by means of t–tests and by a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). Practical significance was determined by the size of the effects. The results for the entire group showed statistically significant differences between the two groups of participants who were infected with HIV and those not infected with HIV regarding their sense of coherence and their perspective on the community’s capacity to succeed in joint activities, but these differences were of only small practical significance. The HIV–infected participants in the urban areas displayed statistically and practically a lower sense of coherence and viewed themselves as less capable of meeting task demands in community contexts, than did the participants not infected with HIV. Though the participants not infected with HIV in the rural group had, statistically and practically, a significantly greater capacity to succeed in joint community activities than the participants infected with HIV, an interesting finding was that the participants infected with HIV experienced more positive affect than the participants not infected with HIV. The research showed that people with and without HIV infection differ in some respects in their psycho–social symptoms and strengths even before they are conscious of their HIV status. It is striking that the differences found on the psychological measures for the participants reflected a personal sense of social coherence and perspective on their community’s capacity to succeed in joint activities, which was lower in the case of participants infected with HIV, and might therefore have led to high–risk social behaviours and consequent infections. It might be that the participants with a relatively lower sense of social coherence, integration, and co–operation towards collectively achieving meaningful goals were more inclined to manifest behaviours that would lead to detrimental consequences (in this case HIV infection) for themselves and others. The higher level of positive affect in the rural group of the participants infected with HIV is still unexplained and requires further research. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Clinical Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

O bem-estar social depende das decisões tomadas pelos gestores públicos. O direito de voto deve ser exercido com a maior racionalidade possível, de tal forma que o interesse coletivo se sobressaia sobre o privado. Para tanto, a sociedade deve absorver a maior quantidade de informação, propiciando não apenas a fiscalização da administração como também a participação na escolha pública. O Índice de Qualidade do Gasto Público representa um método capaz de auxiliar na tomada de decisão. Reflete o retorno social, em termos de indicadores, das despesas per capita realizadas, permitindo estabelecer uma hierarquia das microrregiões e definir referenciais de qualidade do gasto público. Aplicando o referido método para as microrregiões do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, funções Educação e Cultura, Habitação e Urbanismo e Saúde e Saneamento, observa-se a presença de deseconomias de escala, ou seja, o aumento da despesa não gera um retorno proporcional em termos de indicadores sociais, revelando ineficiência na alocação dos recursos públicos. / Social well-being depends on the decisions taken by government administrators. The right to vote should be exercised with the greatest rationality possible, in such as way that public interest outweighs private interests. In order to do so, society must absorb the greatest amount of information, empowering not only the assessment of administration but also participation in government choice. The Government Spending Quality Index represents a method capable of assisting the decision making process. It reflects social return, in terms of indicators, of per capita executed expenses, allowing a hierarchy of micro-regions to be established and references in quality government spending to be defined. Applying the aforementioned method in the micro-regions of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Education and Culture, Habitation and Urbanism, and Health and Sanitation functions, one notes the presence of diseconomies of scale, that is, the increase in spending does not generate a proportional return in terms of social indicators, revealing inefficiency in the allocation of government recourses.

O bem-estar social depende das decisões tomadas pelos gestores públicos. O direito de voto deve ser exercido com a maior racionalidade possível, de tal forma que o interesse coletivo se sobressaia sobre o privado. Para tanto, a sociedade deve absorver a maior quantidade de informação, propiciando não apenas a fiscalização da administração como também a participação na escolha pública. O Índice de Qualidade do Gasto Público representa um método capaz de auxiliar na tomada de decisão. Reflete o retorno social, em termos de indicadores, das despesas per capita realizadas, permitindo estabelecer uma hierarquia das microrregiões e definir referenciais de qualidade do gasto público. Aplicando o referido método para as microrregiões do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, funções Educação e Cultura, Habitação e Urbanismo e Saúde e Saneamento, observa-se a presença de deseconomias de escala, ou seja, o aumento da despesa não gera um retorno proporcional em termos de indicadores sociais, revelando ineficiência na alocação dos recursos públicos. / Social well-being depends on the decisions taken by government administrators. The right to vote should be exercised with the greatest rationality possible, in such as way that public interest outweighs private interests. In order to do so, society must absorb the greatest amount of information, empowering not only the assessment of administration but also participation in government choice. The Government Spending Quality Index represents a method capable of assisting the decision making process. It reflects social return, in terms of indicators, of per capita executed expenses, allowing a hierarchy of micro-regions to be established and references in quality government spending to be defined. Applying the aforementioned method in the micro-regions of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Education and Culture, Habitation and Urbanism, and Health and Sanitation functions, one notes the presence of diseconomies of scale, that is, the increase in spending does not generate a proportional return in terms of social indicators, revealing inefficiency in the allocation of government recourses.

Abstract The incidence of childhood onset type 1 diabetes in Finland has been the highest in the world for several decades. Optimal management of the disease presents a lifelong challenge to the affected individuals. Related complications are common and include an ocular pathology called diabetic retinopathy. Type 1 diabetes with its ramifications can impact on several facets of a patient’s physical and psychological well-being. This study aimed to assess the ophthalmic findings and to evaluate the characteristics of general well-being of a population-based cohort of paediatric patients with type 1 diabetes and a population-based cohort of young adults with type 1 diabetes since childhood. The prevalence and risk factors of diabetic retinopathy were assessed of the population-based paediatric cohort in the catchment area of the Northern Ostrobothnia Hospital District and these were compared to a similar paediatric cohort studied 18 years previously. There was no significant change in the overall prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (12%) during the study period. Furthermore, glycaemic balance and other risk factors of diabetic retinopathy had remained almost unchanged. A population-based cohort of young adults was evaluated in 2007 for the prevalence and severity of diabetic retinopathy. Most of the cohort subjects (94%) had developed diabetic retinopathy and in every third subject there was evidence of proliferative retinopathy. Health related quality of life was the same as that in the age- and gender-standardised control population. For the most part, the young adults with a long duration of type 1 diabetes fared equally well as the general population in the measured social aspects. However, proliferative diabetic retinopathy was associated with lower educational achievements and poorer health related quality of life as well as with a higher probability of unemployment or being pensioned. Glycaemic balance and prevalence of diabetic retinopathy have remained unchanged in paediatric cohorts for nearly two decades despite concurrent advances in care. Social well-being was mainly restricted in young adults exhibiting signs of proliferative diabetic retinopathy. The negative impact of advanced complications of type 1 diabetes already in these young adults highlights the importance of strict metabolic control to maintain overall well-being. / Tiivistelmä Lapsuusiässä alkavan tyypin 1 diabeteksen ilmaantuvuus on ollut Suomessa maailman korkein usean vuosikymmenen ajan. Hyvän hoitotasapainon ylläpitäminen on elinikäinen haaste sairastuneelle. Diabeteksen liitännäissairaudet ovat yleisiä, kuten myös silmänpohjissa todettava diabeettinen retinopatia. Tyypin 1 diabetes voi komplikaatioineen vaikuttaa laajasti potilaan fyysiseen ja psyykkiseen hyvinvointiin. Tässä tutkimuksessa pyrittiin arvioimaan silmien terveydentilaa ja yleiseen hyvinvointiin liittyviä tekijöitä tyypin 1 diabetesta sairastavien lasten sekä lapsena diabetekseen sairastuneiden nuorten aikuisten väestöpohjaisissa potilasaineistoissa. Diabeettisen retinopatian esiintyvyys ja riskitekijät tutkittiin väestöpohjaisessa lapsipotilasaineistossa Pohjois-Pohjanmaan sairaanhoitopiirin alueella ja tuloksia verrattiin vastaavaan 18 vuotta aiemmin tutkittuun potilasaineistoon. Diabeettisen retinopatian esiintyvyys (12 %) ei ollut merkittävästi muuttunut tutkimusaikana. Glykeeminen tasapaino ja muut diabeettisen retinopatian riskitekijät olivat pysyneet kohorttien välillä oleellisilta osin ennallaan. Lapsena sairastuneiden nuorten aikuisten väestöpohjaisesta potilasaineistosta arvioitiin diabeettisen retinopatian esiintyvyys ja vaikeusaste vuonna 2007. Enemmistölle potilaista (94 %) oli kehittynyt diabeettinen retinopatia ja kolmanneksella todettiin proliferatiivinen retinopatia. Terveyteen liittyvä elämänlaatu oli verrattavissa ikä- ja sukupuolivakioituun verrokkiväestöön. Sosiaalista hyvinvointia mittaavat tulokset olivat pääosin yhtäläiset muuhun väestöön verrattuna. Proliferatiivisella diabeettisella retinopatialla havaittiin kuitenkin yhteys huonompaan terveyteen liittyvään elämänlaatuun ja koulutustasoon sekä korkeampiin työttömyys- ja eläköitymislukuihin. Tutkitussa aineistossa lapsipotilaiden glykeeminen tasapaino sekä diabeettisen retinopatian esiintyvyys pysyivät ennallaan lähes kahden vuosikymmenen ajan hoitojen kehittymisestä huolimatta. Nuorten aikuisten sosiaalisessa hyvinvoinnissa esiintyi poikkeavuuksia lähinnä proliferatiivista diabeettista retinopatiaa sairastavilla. Tyypin 1 diabeteksen pitkälle edenneiden komplikaatioiden negatiivinen vaikutus jo nuorella aikuisiällä korostaa hyvän hoitotasapainon tärkeyttä yleisen elämänlaadun ylläpitämisessä.

This study investigated marital dissolution in the Tanzanian context. The study specifically focused on the potential effect of marital dissolution (both positive and negative) on early adolescents’ academic and psycho-social functioning. The primary research question directing the research is: ―How can insight into marital dissolution in Tanzania broaden our knowledge on its effect on children?‖ The conceptual framework for the study is based on attachment theory, crisis theory, family stress theory and life course theory. Epistemologically, the study utilised social constructivism as paradigm. A qualitative methodological approach was followed, implementing an instrumental case study as research design. I purposefully selected eight children from two children’s centres in Tanzania and four additional children from custodial homes. In addition, twelve parents, who had been separated from their partners, as well as twelve teachers and caregivers who have been involved with the child participants, participated in the study. For data collection I employed semi-structured interviews with the parents and children; focus group discussions with teachers and caregivers; interviews and narrations with children; and an analysis of existing documents. Field notes, a research diary and verbatim transcripts were utilised to document the data I collected. Following inductive thematic analysis four themes emerged, relating to the reasons for marital dissolution, the effect of marital dissolution on early adolescents’ functioning, trends following marital dissolution and managing marital dissolution in Tanzania. In terms of reasons for marital dissolution I identified the following subthemes: abuse, lack of commitment to the family, influence of others, and financial strain. In terms of the effect of marital dissolution on early adolescents’ functioning three subthemes emerged namely; effect on early adolescents’ academic performance, effect on early adolescents’ psycho-social well-being, and parents’ insight into the effect of marital dissolution on their children. With regard to trends following marital dissolution I identified the following three subthemes: positive effect of marital dissolution, change in living arrangements, and other related changes negatively affecting children. Finally, two subthemes emerged concerning the management of marital dissolution in Tanzania, namely minimising the effect of marital dissolution on children, and potential role of the Tanzanian government. The findings of this study indicate that the majority of Tanzanian couples merely separate, rather than following a legal divorce. Parents showed limited insight into the effect of marital dissolution on their children. Besides some children experiencing the separation of their parents as a relief, the majority of children were negatively affected in terms of their academic performance and psycho-social functioning. Children indicated the need to be involved in discussions preceding and during the separation process, yet Tanzanian parents did not value the involvement of their children during this process. Based on the findings I obtained I conclude that the effect of marital dissolution on children are not only continuous but that the effects in various areas of functioning are interrelated and cyclic in nature, and that children can experience the effects before, during and after marital dissolution. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / lk2014 / Educational Psychology / PhD / Unrestricted

Rättsmedicinalverket som sluten institution är en expertmyndighet inom rättsväsendet som finns på sex skilda platser runt hela landet som omfattar cirka 500 medarbetare. Varje år görs det cirka 500 rättspsykiatriska undersökningar i Sverige. Omvårdnadspersonal på Rättsmedicinalverket hanterar dagligen individer som kommer från häktet, som mår psykiskt dåligt och behöver stöttning. Vissa av dessa fall kan vara väldigt tunga och påverkar de anställdas välbefinnande negativt. Personalen i sin arbetsroll måste se människan bakom brottet och därför agera som lojala, tillitsfulla och objektiva, vilket kan vara både krävande och svårt. Med hänsyn till institutionens karaktär har studien använt sig av en socialpsykologisk ansats och ett kvalitativt tillvägagångssätt. Med hjälp av teoretiska utgångspunkter i Kazemis modell om socialt välbefinnande och Goffmans teori om totala institutioner har studien sökt förståelse för problemet. Syftet med studien var att undersöka det sociala välbefinnandet hos personal inom den slutna institutionen Rättsmedicinalverket. Tio semistrukturerade intervjuer genomfördes med omvårdnadspersonal på Rättsmedicinalverket, varav 8 var män och 2 kvinnor. Resultatet visade bland annat att personalen värderade sina sociala relationer högt, både mellan kollegor och chefer, samt med de intagna. Det framhöll även att personalen använde sig av en rad copingstrategier för att hantera arbetets specifika karaktär. Vidare visade resultatet den slutna institutionens beroende av säkerhet-/infrastruktur för hanteringen av det dagliga arbetet. / The National Board of Forensic Medicine is a closed institution and an expert authority within the legal system, that includes around 500 employees located in six different locations throughout the country. Every year, about 500 forensic psychiatric examinations are conducted in Sweden. Nursing staff at the National Board of Forensic Medicine deal with individuals daily who come from custody, are mentally unwell and require support. Some of these cases can be very heavy and negative for the well-being of the employees. In their role, the staff must see the person behind the crime and therefore act with loyalty, being trustworthy, and objective, which can be both demanding and difficult. The purpose of the study was to investigate the social well-being of staff at the closed institution National Board of Forensic Medicine. Considering the nature of the institution, the study used a social-psychological approach. Using theoretical frameworks such as Kazemi´s model of social well-being and Goffman's theory of total institutions, the study sought understanding of the problem. Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with nursing staff at National Board of Forensic Medicine, of which 8 were men and 2 were women. The result showed, among other things, that the staff valued their social relationships highly, both among colleagues and with the inmates. The result also showed that the staff used a range of coping strategies to deal with the specific nature of their work. Furthermore, the result showed that the functioning of the closed institution depended on its security and infrastructure.

The COVID-19 pandemic had considerable effects on the tourism industry as well as on individuals. The lockdown led to long-lasting mental health consequences. Equally, awareness of well-being increased, and consequently, demand for tourism experiences that focus on well-being rose. Concerning the tourism industry, a rethinking process was evoked through the pandemic. Tourism scholars were in consensus that a paradigm shift was needed to counteract current sociocultural and environmental challenges while responding to the need to provide tourist offers that support the mental and physical health of consumers. The regenerative tourism paradigm offers a solution as it withdraws from the pro-growth agenda of the current tourism industry and strives towards a net positive impact on nature, people, and planet. The rise in well-being for the whole system is thereby aimed.The study contributed to the understanding of the regenerative tourism paradigm from the traveler's perspective. Thereby, travelers’ well-being is conceptualized in a multidimensional way including hedonic, eudaimonic, and social well-being. The aim of this study is to understand how different dimensions of well-being are experienced in regenerative tourism. A qualitative approach is applied by using interviews and observations to gather information. The case and research setting is thereby Mahakala Retreats Center in Montenegro which aligns with the principles of a regenerative tourism space. The narrative analysis following an inductive approach leads to the identification of three core themes that represent the answer to the research question. Findings reveal that hedonic well-being is experienced through being in a safe space, surrounded by beauty and nature. The dimension of social well-being is experienced by connecting with other retreat guests and lastly, eudaimonic well-being is experienced through self-reflection. These experiences are all fostered by the regenerative tourism space. It is argued that well-being itself constitutes the regenerative tourism experience, not an activity. The study furthermore identifies three new aspects of a regenerative tourism experience that go beyond the current established principles. Hence, experiencing beauty, experiencing a safe space and the balance between solitude and connection are aspects that are of high importance in regenerative tourism from the travelers' perspective.