published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Sciences

published_or_final_version / Social Service Management / Master / Master of Social Sciences

published_or_final_version / Mental Health / Master / Master of Social Sciences

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

With the rapid advancements in technology, researchers are seeking new ways to incorporate modern high-tech solutions such as virtual reality into treatment paradigms for stress. The current experiment explores the beneficial effects of immersing an individual into virtual reality after a stressful encounter. I examined the potential restorative effects of three unique immersive virtual reality environments by inducing stress and negative affect in sixty-nine participants and then randomly assigning them to freely explore one of three environments (a virtual nature setting, a virtual urban cityscape, or a neutral environment composed of solid geometric shapes) for ten minutes. Participants who explored the nature environment were found to have significantly improved affect (as measured by a standardized questionnaire), and significantly lower stress levels (as measured by self-report and skin-conductance levels) compared to those who explored the urban and geometric environments. The results suggest that virtual nature has restorative properties similar to real nature, and that simply immersing participants into a virtual nature setting can reduce stress. These results also suggest that the content of the virtual reality experience (i.e., whether it contains nature) is important in promoting restoration, and that in the absence of nature, stress levels remain unchanged.

Disertacijos tikslas yra identifikuoti ir ištirti streso darbe valdymo priemones bei jų veiksmingumą ir sukurti kompleksinį streso darbe valdymo modelį. Remiantis moksline literatūra disertacijoje pateikiama streso sampratos genezė, išanalizuoti streso darbe valdymo modeliai, identifikuoti esminiai stresą darbe sukeliantys veiksniai, išnagrinėtos organizacines streso darbe valdymo priemonės ir atskleistas jų veiksmingumas mažinant stresą darbe. Disertacijoje identifikuotos streso darbe valdymo priemonės, kurios iki šiol nebuvo nei teoriškai, nei empiriškai tyrinėtos. Remiantis mokslinės literatūros analize sukurtas kompleksinis streso darbe valdymo modelis, kuris empiriškai įvertintas Lietuvos energetikos įmonėse. Empiriniam tyrimui atlikti buvo pasirinktas kiekybinis tyrimo metodas – darbuotojų apklausa. Tyrimo metu nustatyta streso darbe priklausomybė nuo socialinių demografinių charakteristikų bei identifikuoti esminiai energetikos sektoriui stresoriai: atsakomybė už kitus žmones, darbo krūvis, vaidmens konfliktas, darbo sąlygos. Empirinis tyrimas patvirtino, kad streso darbe valdymo priemonės yra veiksmingos taikant jas kompleksiškai. Bendrą streso darbe lygį mažina bei atskirus stresorius įtakoja socialinė parama, karjeros valdymas, darbo ir asmeninio gyvenimo pusiausvyros užtikrinimo priemonės, darbuotojo žinių ir įgūdžių atitikimas darbo vietos reikalavimams, užduoties identiškumas. Remiantis tyrimo rezultatais parengtos rekomendacijos organizacijoms stresui darbe... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The aim of the dissertation is to identify organizational stress management interventions, analyze their effectiveness and create a systemic work related stress management model. Based on scientific literature there is revealed the genesis of the concept of stress, analyzed stress models, identified main work related stressors, analyzed stress management interventions and disclosed their effectiveness by reducing work related stress. There is revealed organizational stress management interventions which have been studied neither theoretically nor empirically were identified. The systemic work related stress management model is reasoned on the grounds of the theoretical analysis. The model was tested empirically in Lithuanian energy sector. The empirical study employs the survey method for data collection. The empirical study disclosed impact of social demographical characteristics on work related stress, and identified main stressors in Lithuanian energy sector: responsibility for other people, workload, role conflict, working conditions. The empirical study has fundamentally proved that organizational stress management interventions are efficient when they are applied systemically. The overall level of work related stress is reduced and individual stressors are influenced by social support, career management, interventions ensuring work – life balance, person's knowledge and skills fit to workplace requirements and task identity. On the grounds of the study conducted... [to full text]

Human Resource Management (HRM) has undergone significant changes during the past twenty-five to thirty years in response to the demands made upon the Human Resource function. With the change in emphasis in HRM has come the need for human resource practitioners (HRPs) to adapt to the new demands made upon them to contribute directly to the bottom line success of their organisations It is argued that HRM is inherently ambiguous, attempting to meet both the needs of the business and the individual employee. This places pressure on HRPs to become "specialists in ambiguity" as they attempt to meet the demands of key stakeholders in the enterprise. The emphasis in the role of the HRP, has moved historically, from that of a welfare officer to that of a fully fledged member of the management team, held equally responsible for the success of the operation. As with most professions today, a price is exacted for participation in modem organisations in the form of increased work-related stress. Considerable research has been undertaken over the past thirty years into work-related stress among many professions~ but no identifiable, in depth studies into sources of work-related stress among HRPs were located. The significant shift that has taken place in the role of HRPs, from their original welfare orientated function, to the current role emphasis on contributing to direct bottom line success, provides the context for the increase in work related stress levels experienced by some HRPs. The study investigates the links between the career orientation of HRPs, role stress factors and burnout in an attempt to identify sources of stress among a sample of human resource practitioners drawn from the greater Durban area and the KwaZulu Natal coastal region. The report is diagnostic and not prescriptive in attempting to ascertain coping skills for stressed HRPs. The study model posits a juxtaposition between those HRPs who are "service" orientated with those who are "managemeng' orientated. The purpose is to establish in the current corporate environment, whether those who are more service orientated, would suffer greater work-related stress, in contrast to those who are more "management" orientated, who were conceived of as experiencing less work-related stress. No strong links are revealed between "service" and "general management' and Role Stress or Burnout. The combined effects of role stress and burnout are conceived in the study to illustrate work related stress. In contrast to the original study model, two other findings of significance emerged. Those HRPs who were entrepreneurially orientated showed the highest levels of workrelated stress. And, those who were technical/functional orientated were least likely to be affected by role stress and burnout. These findings are important in light of the current call for HRPs to be entrepreneurial and innovatively creative. Yet these HRPs reveal the greatest possibility of experiencing role stress and burnout. In contrast, those HRPs whose orientation is technical and functional are found to reveal the least possibility of suffering from work-related stress. These findings lead to a new paradigm revealing the presence of a different dilemma and tension for HRPs. Within the demand for a total business focus on the part of HRPs and HRM, emerges a tension between the more stressful entrepreneurial and innovative role and the more stable technical and functional role also demanded by the organisation. The study suggests that the ambiguity in HRM in practice presents itself in terms of dilemmas and contrasts with which the HRPs has to live. Role ambiguity and role overload appear to contribute most to the possibility of burnout. Role ambiguity has its origin in the very nature of HRM, which is shown to be inherently ambiguous. Role overload among management, is observed more as part of the nature of the modern work environment, whereas role ambiguity emerges as a feature of the nature of HRM. Role conflict is explained mostly as a normal element in the HRPs job of balancing competing demands in the work place. The ambiguous nature of HRM and the uncertainties which it generates adds to the work-related source of stress and leads to HRPs having to become "specialists in ambiguity". Role stress factors, rather than career orientation elements are shown to be the leading contributors to the possibility of increased levels of burnout The findings have implications for the selection and training of HRPs. The contemporary emphases require HRPs to balance a tough minded business focus with acceptable innovate approaches to the organisation's human resources and excellent ongoing functional services. This balancing of ambiguities needs to be accompanied by a sensitivity to people, without becoming the subject of role stress and raised levels of burnout. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

Problem: Stress at the workplace has become an increasing phenomenon due to external factors such as technological advancement, changes in the economy of a country which might lead to becoming redundant and so on. Stress can be considered as an inevitable condition at least at one point in time or another; however it can also be minimized to the extent that the productivity and health of the employee is maintained which could lead to a productive organization. Stress is also bound to occur in multinational companies where operation is global and employees have different cultural background.Purpose: Our purpose for this study is to have a clear understanding of the causes of stress at a multinational company such as Volvo Trucks AB Umeå, and how Stress by the employees as well as the company’s management are managed or handled.Methodology: This thesis has been made using qualitative approach, with a descriptive and exploratory case study approach. The data used are collected through conducting semi-structured interviews with 6 different employees from Volvo Trucks AB, Umeå one of whom works as a therapist at the company.Findings: The causes of stress at the work place range from personal problems to work overload, physical working environment, work situation and conflicts among colleagues and managers. Many employees struggle with stress, in worst cases leading to uncertainties and severe impairments on health and performance. The main situations that generate stress are likely uncontrollable, unpredictable, and some are not known. But alternatively there are several resources available like personal awareness in coping skills. For example: time management, assertiveness, ways to higher up self-confidence and so on. Management can also utilize some resources for reducing the stress level of the employees by providing services and facilities such as health facilities at the company, giving easy and on time access to therapist and also having free time activities and entertainment. Stress is related between the employee and the employer as the performance of the employee is affected by his/her stress level which intern affects the company’s productivity. Therefore stress management is Vital for both. The most successful stress management mechanisms found was time management, sharing of feelings and leisure activities.

Disertacijoje nagrinėjamas kompiuterinės sistemos kūrimas, su kuria būtų galima nustatyti asmens psichoemicinę būseną pagal jo balso signalų požymius. Taip pat pateikiama vyzdžio skersmens matavimo sistema. Taigi, pagrindiniai mokslinio tyrimo objektai yra žmogaus balso požymiai ir jo vyzdžio dydžio pa-sikeitimo dinamika. Pagrindinis disertacijos tikslas – sukurti metodikas ir algo-ritmus, skirtus automatiškai apdoroti ir išanalizuoti balso signalo požymius. Šių sukurtų algoritmų taikymo sritis – streso valdymo sistemos programinė įranga. Šiame darbe sprendžiami keli pagrindiniai uždaviniai: analizuojant kalbėtojo balsą, kalbančiojo psichoemocinės būklės identifikavimo galimybės ir vyzdžio dydžio kaitos dinamika. Disertaciją sudaro įvadas, keturi skyriai, rezultatų apibendrinimas, naudotos literatūros sąrašas ir autoriaus publikacijų disertacijos tema sąrašas. Įvade aptariama tiriamoji problema, darbo aktualumas, aprašomas tyrimų objektas, formuluojamas darbo tikslas bei uždaviniai, aprašoma tyrimų metodi-ka, darbo mokslinis naujumas, darbo rezultatų praktinė reikšmė, ginamieji teigi-niai. Įvado pabaigoje pristatomos disertacijos tema autoriaus paskelbtos publika-cijos bei pranešimai konferencijose ir disertacijos struktūra. Pirmajame skyriuje pateikta asmens biometrinių bei fiziologiniu požymiu analizės pagrindu sukurta „Rekomendacine biometrinė streso valdymo sistema” (angl. Recommended Biometric Stress Management System). Sistema gali padėti nustatyti neigiamą streso lygį... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The dissertation investigates the issues of creating a computer system that uses voice signal features to determine person’s emotional state. In addition pre-sented system of measuring pupil diameter.The main objects of research include emotion recognition from speech and dynamics of eye pupil size change.The main purpose of this dissertation is employing suitable methodologies and algo-rithms to automatically process and analyse human voice parameters. Created algorithms can be used in Stress Management System software. The dissertation also focuses on researching the possibilities of identification of speaker’s psy-choemotional state: applying the analysis of speaker’s voice parameters and the analysis of dynamics of eye pupil size change. The dissertation consists of four parts including Introduction, 4 chapters, Conclusions and References. The introduction reveals the investigated problem, importance of the thesis and the object of research and describes the purpose and tasks of the paper, re-search methodology, scientific novelty, the practical significance of results ex-amined in the paper and defended statements. The introduction ends in present-ing the author’s publications on the subject of the defended dissertation, offering the material of made presentations in conferences and defining the structure of the dissertation. Chapter 1- the Recommended Biometric Stress Management System found-ed on the speech analysis. The System can assist in determining the level of... [to full text]

Three hundred and eight nurse educators, who teach in NLN Accredited Bachelor of Science in Nursing Programs in the Midwest, were requested to complete a three-page survey concerning their perceptions and practices concerning student stress. The study demonstrated that nurse educators, in this study, were aware of the level of stress among students who were pursuing undergraduate degrees in nursing. The study found that most nurse educators understood that the sources of stress were a combination of the many roles and responsibilities of students. They were aware that most students needed services/interventions to assist them in coping with stress. Most nurse educators thought that they were responsible, to some degree, for intervening to assist students in decreasing their stress level. However, they expressed frustration at their attempts to help students. They indicated that many of the sources of stress were not within faculty control and that there was low participation when services/interventions were offered. Finally, the study found that most nurse educators thought that stress management for nursing students was included in the nursing curriculum. However, very little time was actually spent on stress management in the nursing program. Nurse educators indicated that they relied on other institutional services/interventions to provide stress management skills. However, many nurse educators indicated that they were willing to make changes to assist students. Nurse educators need to reconsider the amount of time that is spent facilitating students in reducing stress and helping them build coping skills that will continue to help them become competent nurses. Given the predicted nursing shortage that is estimated to last until 2020, the low application rate to nursing school, and the graying of America, it would seem prudent that nurse educators assist students who are in nursing programs become successful. The health of our nation may be at stake. The task for nurse educators is to help students recognize the signs of stress, understand the effects that unmanaged stress can produce, and teach the techniques that students can use in coping with stress. / Department of Educational Leadership