The aim of this study was to establish whether hardiness and tenure are predictive variables for coping with shiftwork. The extent of shiftwork and shiftwork research has expanded internationally in the past decade. It has been established that shiftwork has a negative effect on shiftworkers who are predisposed to certain strain symptoms such as inefficiency, impaired health and domestic problems. However, certain inter individual differences do moderate coping with shiftwork through a process of cognitive and behavioural protective acts which modify the stressful situation and neutralise the experience of problems. Using questionnaires (Biographical, Hardiness Index and Coping with Shiftwork Questionnaire), a sample group of 75 cases was analysed. A 95 percent confidence level was used throughout with a multiple stepwise regression analysis computed. The significant r2 value = 0.18. Focus group discussions were conducted to· add qualitative information to the areas of social, domestic, work and sleep problems as well as coping strategies. The predictive variables were regressed onto a number of criterion variables, namely coping with shiftwork, work, sleep, domestic and social problems, as well as engagement and diseng.agement strategies including both strategies in all four domains (work, sleep, social and domestic). It was found that hardiness and tenure are not predictive variables for coping with shiftwork. However, hardiness, commitment and challenge are predictors for disengagement strategies so that hardy, challenged and committed individua1s will use less disengagement coping strategies and more specifically, use less domestic disengagement coping strategies. The research established hardiness as an additional personality variable linked to a primary scale of coping with shiftwork, namely disengagement. The longer term adjustment of shiftworkers (through tenure) was not established. Recommendations were made for targeted shiftwork coping programmes and more extensive classical shiftwork research in South Africa / Economics and Management Sciences / M.A. (Industrial Psychology)

The diploma thesis deals with art-philetics with a focus on the process of couple communication. Art-philetics is a developing field with a relatively stable theoretical foundation. However, no one has so far studied the usage of art-philetics in couple communication. This topic deserves to be paid due attention, since couple relationships are the foundation for a stable family system and also present a model for children - our future generation. Communication is one of the most fundamental tools for having a satisfying relationship. The objective of the thesis is to explore and analyse the processes that facilitate communication. The underlying research also examines the following hypothesis: art-philetics, with a special focus on communication, can be applied when working with couples. The target group is married couples with children. In order to achieve my the desired goal, a detailed project of a qualitative research in the form of two case studies has been devised. Data come from observation, discussions and reflections, and are then analysed. The results are verified using a questionnaire collecting the subjective views of the couples. The cornerstone of the thesis is the theoretical part. It contains an explanation of the concepts and processes of art-philetics and communication. Special...

<p>The main purpose of this thesis was to take part of girl’s descriptions and experiences of their treatment for deliberate self-harm and to investigate whether they still experience effects of the treatment today. Our main research questions where; how do the girls describe their experiences of the treatment method, do the girls describe that they still experience any effects of the treatment, and finally how do the girls look back on their treatment today? In order to answer these questions, we carried out eight qualitative telephone interviews with girls that had undergone treatment in a specific treatment centre. We chose to analyze the material from the salutogenic theory and the concepts of SOC (sense of coherence) and with a hermeneutic approach. Our result showed that the treatment methods that where most important where dialectic behaviour therapy, horse therapy and finally environmental therapy. Several of the girls could see remaining effects of the treatment today, while other girls could not see any of these effects. A couple of the girls expressed that they should have been dead if they had not been taken care of by the treatment centre while other girls meant that the treatment did not make any difference.</p>

<p>Isberg, A. & Lidén, S. (2008). <em>KASAM- livsfrågeformulär som intervention vid psykisk ohälsa. </em>Högskolan i Gävle; Institutionen för pedagogik, didaktik och psykologi.</p><p> </p><p>Tidigare studier visar samband mellan KASAM, Känsla av sammanhang och människors upplevda hälsa. Då psykisk ohälsa tenderar att öka växer behovet av hälsofrämjande åtgärder. I och med detta ville vi studera om KASAM- livsfrågeformulär kunde användas som intervention vid psykisk ohälsa. Studien utgår ifrån en kvalitativ ansats för att få en djupare förståelse för hur deltagarna tänker och känner. Fyra deltagare med psykisk ohälsa har fyllt i KASAM- livsfrågeformulär samt intervjuats med syfte att undersöka om KASAM- livsfrågeformulär inneburit en förändrad förståelse för deltagarnas livssituation. Resultatet visar att deltagarna upplevde att KASAM- livsfrågeformulär inneburit nya reflektioner över sig själv och sin livssituation.</p>

The main purpose of this thesis was to take part of girl’s descriptions and experiences of their treatment for deliberate self-harm and to investigate whether they still experience effects of the treatment today. Our main research questions where; how do the girls describe their experiences of the treatment method, do the girls describe that they still experience any effects of the treatment, and finally how do the girls look back on their treatment today? In order to answer these questions, we carried out eight qualitative telephone interviews with girls that had undergone treatment in a specific treatment centre. We chose to analyze the material from the salutogenic theory and the concepts of SOC (sense of coherence) and with a hermeneutic approach. Our result showed that the treatment methods that where most important where dialectic behaviour therapy, horse therapy and finally environmental therapy. Several of the girls could see remaining effects of the treatment today, while other girls could not see any of these effects. A couple of the girls expressed that they should have been dead if they had not been taken care of by the treatment centre while other girls meant that the treatment did not make any difference.

Isberg, A. &amp; Lidén, S. (2008). KASAM- livsfrågeformulär som intervention vid psykisk ohälsa. Högskolan i Gävle; Institutionen för pedagogik, didaktik och psykologi.   Tidigare studier visar samband mellan KASAM, Känsla av sammanhang och människors upplevda hälsa. Då psykisk ohälsa tenderar att öka växer behovet av hälsofrämjande åtgärder. I och med detta ville vi studera om KASAM- livsfrågeformulär kunde användas som intervention vid psykisk ohälsa. Studien utgår ifrån en kvalitativ ansats för att få en djupare förståelse för hur deltagarna tänker och känner. Fyra deltagare med psykisk ohälsa har fyllt i KASAM- livsfrågeformulär samt intervjuats med syfte att undersöka om KASAM- livsfrågeformulär inneburit en förändrad förståelse för deltagarnas livssituation. Resultatet visar att deltagarna upplevde att KASAM- livsfrågeformulär inneburit nya reflektioner över sig själv och sin livssituation.

Employees in the Occupational Risk Division (ORD) of a large petrochemical company experience many difficult situations on a regular basis. This division of the company comprises the emergency services, the security and the occupational health divisions of the company. Even though every precaution is taken to ensure the safety of employees in the company, accidents and incidents do happen. The employees of the ORD are confronted with gruesome accidents, dangerous accident scenes where they have to enter when everyone else is evacuated, and security breeches where they may have to enter and resolve serious conflict situations. The possibility that their work climate may contributed to their mental health status is suggested. It is suspected that the stress of the job affects the mental health of the employees of the OCD, and ways need to be found to reduce these effects. The objective of this research was to determine the relationship between core self-evaluations, role overload, powerlessness and health indicators of employees in the ORD of a large petro-chemical company and to determine whether core self-evaluations act as a moderator in the relationship between role overload and powerlessness on the one hand and health indicators on the other hand. A cross-sectional design was used. The sample consisted of 299 employees from the Occupational Risk Division of the organization. Age, gender and level of education were included as control variables. A comprehensive survey containing the measuring instruments was administrated. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. Results obtained indicated that some of the scales were not reliable. Powerlessness was dropped from the analysis and qualitative and quantitative role overload were collapsed into a total overload measure. The results showed that a negative relationship exists between role overload and core self-evaluations. A positive relationship exists between role overload and neuroticism, poor health and depression. Self-esteem, self-efficacy and locus of control are negatively related to neuroticism and health, and neuroticism is positively related to poor health. Depression was predicted by experiences of overload, levels of self-efficacy, locus of control and negative affect (Neuroticism). General health was predicted by experiences of overload, locus of control, neuroticism and the interaction between overload and self-esteem. None of the scales predict medication use to a significant degree. Results further indicated that only self-esteem acts as a moderator in the relationship between role overload and general health, but none of the variables of core self-evaluations act as a moderator between role overload and depression or between role overload and the use of medication. By way of conclusion, recommendations for future research were made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Bakgrunn Ergoterapeuter skulle, med bakgrunn i  sin utdannelse, kunne anvende sin kompetanse til både helsefremmende arbeid generelt og til helsefremmende arbeidsplasser. Til tross for dette er det foreløpig få som har spesialisert seg innen områdene arbeidshelse og folkehelse. Ved å utnytte kompetansen sin til helsefremmende arbeidsplasser kunne ergoterapeutene bidratt til å påvirke både den enkelte arbeidstakers helse, arbeidsmiljøet og på sikt også det arbeidsrelaterte sykefraværet. Hensikt med studien var å tydeliggjøre hva ergoterapeuter selv mener de har av kompetanse omkring helsefremmende arbeid og hvordan de anvender denne kompetansen i sitt daglige arbeid, med spesifikt fokus på: -          hvilken kompetanse de mener at de har om helsefremmende arbeidsplasser; -          hva de mener de savner av kompetanse om helsefremmende arbeidsplasser; -          deres erfaringer med eget arbeidsmiljø som helsefremmende; og -          deres tanker og meninger om fremtidsutsikter for helsefremmende ergoterapi Metode I denne oppgaven er det valgt en kvalitativ tilnærming og data er samlet inn via fokusgruppediskusjoner. Analyse av materialet er gjort med kvalitativ innholdsanalyse. Resultatene viser at selv om ergoterapeutene i denne studien beskrev et salutogent fokus og et helsefremmende arbeidssett, arbeider de i dag hovedsakelig på individnivå. Individfokuset deres er sterkt forankret i deres praksis og ser ut til å påvirke yrkesutøvelsen slik at de ikke bruker sin helsefremmende kompetanse på system- og samfunnsnivå i vesentlig grad. Samtidig mente de at det er mye som tyder på at deres kompetanse er for lite kjent blant folk flest, samarbeidspartnere og hos myndighetene, hvilket kan forklare at den ikke blir benyttet. Sammenfatning Mens ergoterapeutenes utsagn tyder på at de har mye kunnskap og erfaring med helsefremmende arbeidsplasser, viser funnene at de ikke ser betydningen av å bruke denne kompetansen til å utvikle helsefremmende arbeidsplasser. Funnene viser videre at ergoterapeutene i denne studien skulle kunne anvende sin kompetanse til både helsefremmende arbeid generelt og til helsefremmende arbeidsplasser. Selv om dette er en kvalitativ studie, er det sannsynlig at resultatene kan gjelde generelt for ergoterapeuter i Norge, noe som kunne vært interessant å undersøke videre / Background. Occupational therapists are trained to use their general competence in health promotion to initiate healthy workplaces. However very few therapists specialize in areas that combine occupational health and public health. By using their competence regarding healthy workplaces, therapists could positively impact employee health and work environments and likely reduce sick leaves that result from working conditions. The purpose of this study was to clarify the therapists’ opinion of their own competence in health promotion, and also determine how they use that competence in their daily work, focusing especially on: -          self-evaluation of their own competence regarding healty workplaces; -          their opinions on what competence they lack in this area; -          their personal experience with healthy promotive workplaces; and -          their thoughts and opinion on the potential for health promotion in occupational therapy Method. We chose a qualitative approach using focus groups and prosessed collected data  using thematic content analysis. The findings suggest that although study participants maintain a salutogenetic focus and a health promotional way of working, they currently work mainly at an individual level. Focus on the individual is deeply rooted in their practice and seems to influence their work such that they hardly use their health promotion competence on a system or a societal level. They also described their competencies as unknown by citizens, collaborating partners and authorities, possibly explaining why their competence is not in demand. Conclusions. While their statements indicate much knowledge and experience about healthy workplaces, our findings show that they don’t appreciate the importance of using that competance to initiate healthy workplaces. We further determined that study participants should be able to use their general competence in health promotion to initiate healthy workplaces. Allthough this is a qualitative study, our results may be valid for all the occupational therapists in Norway, an aera that requires further investigation. / <p>ISBN 978-91-82721-92-4</p>

Employees in the Occupational Risk Division (ORD) of a large petrochemical company experience many difficult situations on a regular basis. This division of the company comprises the emergency services, the security and the occupational health divisions of the company. Even though every precaution is taken to ensure the safety of employees in the company, accidents and incidents do happen. The employees of the ORD are confronted with gruesome accidents, dangerous accident scenes where they have to enter when everyone else is evacuated, and security breeches where they may have to enter and resolve serious conflict situations. The possibility that their work climate may contributed to their mental health status is suggested. It is suspected that the stress of the job affects the mental health of the employees of the OCD, and ways need to be found to reduce these effects. The objective of this research was to determine the relationship between core self-evaluations, role overload, powerlessness and health indicators of employees in the ORD of a large petro-chemical company and to determine whether core self-evaluations act as a moderator in the relationship between role overload and powerlessness on the one hand and health indicators on the other hand. A cross-sectional design was used. The sample consisted of 299 employees from the Occupational Risk Division of the organization. Age, gender and level of education were included as control variables. A comprehensive survey containing the measuring instruments was administrated. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. Results obtained indicated that some of the scales were not reliable. Powerlessness was dropped from the analysis and qualitative and quantitative role overload were collapsed into a total overload measure. The results showed that a negative relationship exists between role overload and core self-evaluations. A positive relationship exists between role overload and neuroticism, poor health and depression. Self-esteem, self-efficacy and locus of control are negatively related to neuroticism and health, and neuroticism is positively related to poor health. Depression was predicted by experiences of overload, levels of self-efficacy, locus of control and negative affect (Neuroticism). General health was predicted by experiences of overload, locus of control, neuroticism and the interaction between overload and self-esteem. None of the scales predict medication use to a significant degree. Results further indicated that only self-esteem acts as a moderator in the relationship between role overload and general health, but none of the variables of core self-evaluations act as a moderator between role overload and depression or between role overload and the use of medication. By way of conclusion, recommendations for future research were made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

The primary objectives of this study were to determine the relationship between the wellness constructs coping and SoC as well as the relationship between the wellness constructs LoC and SoC in the petrochemical industry in South Africa. The sample of 184 participants completed three different psychological concepts namely COPE (Hereinafter referred to as coping), Locus of Control Inventory and Sense of Coherence Scale. The results of the study indicate that there is a statistically significant relationship between the variables coping ad Soc as well SoC and LoC but no statistically significant relationship between the variables coping and LoC. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)