D.Cur. / The overall objective of this research study was the development of a psychiatric nursing science model that will provide a theoretical framework to facilitate the mental health of women exposed to continuous intimate partner abuse. In this thesis continuous intimate partner abuse will also refer to an abusive relationship. Violence against women is a global pandemic that costs the health and lives of more women than malaria, traffic, accidents and war combined (Holm 2000:12). It is stated that around the world at least one woman in every three has been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in her lifetime. Most often the abuser is a member of her own family. There are a few support structures in place in the rural communities for these women. For many women who have been abused health workers are the main and often the only point of contact with public services which may be able to offer support and information. Yet victims of violence who seek care from health professionals often have needs that providers do not ask about and do not know how to address. A theory generative research design was applied during the conduct of this study. The research project was carried out in four steps of theory generation. Step one dealt with concept analysis which was divided into two sub-steps concept identification and concept definition. During the process of the subiv vii step of concept identification, a qualitative research strategy, which is explorative, descriptive and contextual was used to reveal the true experiences of women in abusive relationships. A purposive sample of 10 women in abusive relationships in the Eastern Cape meeting the selection criteria was utilised. In-depth semi-structured phenomenological interviews were used as a method of data collection.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty, of Arts, University of the Witwatetsrand, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (Clinical Psychology). Johannesburg, 1981 / The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of using parents as change agents for their children. This was based on the thesis that the early familial environment and the tone of the parent child relationship is crucial in influencing the development of personality and psychological adjustment. Self-esteem is viewed as the personality factor central to adjustment, and its development is traced in the family. Parent education is viewed by community psychologists as an effective and primary technique in reducing psychopathology and promoting mental health. This approach focuses on changing the person within his environment. Within this approach, however, orientations differ and it is necessary to determine which is most effective. This study evaluates three methods of parent education: the didactic, discussion and training approaches. A no-intier.venti on control was included. Twenty-four mothers and their children were divided into four equal groups. The variable of z/elf-esteem was used as a basis on which to compare the three approaches. All mothers were assessed before and after the six-week programmes on the following measures: Self-esteem Inventory, Confidence in Parental Role, the Relationship Change Scale and Satisfaction Change Scale, and the Incomplete Sentences Test. Children were rated by their mothers and teachers on the Behavior Rating Form and Semantic Differential . Analysis of Variance demonstrated no significant findings. A trend analysis revealed an increase in both maternal and child esteem for the training group when compared with the other groups. These results were then discussed and shortcomings and limitations in the research elaborated upon. Finally, suggestions and implications for further research were proposed.

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between sex-role ideology and body image among women of various ages. Theorists have suggested that poor body image may be related to the experience of being female in contemporary society. This study attempted to objectively test this theory by determining whether or not feminist women, due to less restrictive notions of their rights and roles in contemporary society, might demonstratemore positive relationships with their bodies than women with more traditional attitudes.such a relationship (between feminist sex-role ideology and body esteem) would apply across age categories.Five hundred seventy-five female faculty, staff, retirees, and students completed a demographic profile, the Body Esteem Scale, and the Simplified Attitudes Toward Women Scale. Correlational analysis of data provided no support for the proposed hypotheses. Further study is recommended. / Institute for Wellness

Women continue to be objectified by our society and this objectification is often internalized by women and can result in negative psychological consequences such as eating disorders and depression. One postulate of the self-objectification theory is that self-objectification can lead to a lack of internal awareness and this lack of internal awareness may mediate the relationship between self-objectification and mental health problems in women. To test this postulate, undergraduate women completed a number of self-report instruments measuring self-objectification, internal awareness, maladaptive eating behaviors, and depressive symptoms. Results indicated that internal awareness does not mediate the relationship between self-objectification and maladaptive eating behaviors or depression. However, both self-objectification and a lack of internal awareness independently explaine a significant amount of variance for the mental health variables measured. The relevance and implications of these results are discussed and future areas of research recommended. / Department of Psychological Science

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Toronto, 2004. / Adviser: Niva Piran.

Thesis (M.S.)--Missouri State University, 2008. / "May 2008." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 44-48). Also available online.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Mass., 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 62-64).

Thesis (M.A.)--Carleton University, 1997. / Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Oregon State University, 2009. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 152-164). Also available on the World Wide Web.

The present study investigated the relationship between variables of father’s behaviour and their daughter’s levels of self-esteem - both were explored based on the perceptions of the daughter. Self-esteem was viewed as the measure of worthiness that one attributed to oneself, whilst the variables of father’s behaviour included support, punishment, control, rejection, indulgence, autonomy and protectiveness. The same elements of mother’s behaviour were also considered to see how they related to their daughter’s self-esteem; the primary motive for doing this was to provide a contrast to the outcome of the fathering information. The participation of seventy-seven young adult women between the ages of 21 and 34, and from different race groups and cultural backgrounds was requested through a number of associates who then passed the relevant questionnaires on to their associates. Respondents were asked to return the questionnaires fully completed, and data on father variables and self-esteem were then used from these questionnaires. Statistical analysis involved non-parametric analyses in the form of Spearman’s Correlation Rank and demonstrated a significant, negative correlation between protectiveness and self-esteem (r =-.368, p<0.001, 13.54% of variance) only for the father behaviours, while for the mother behaviours significant correlations existed between praise and self esteem, rejection and self-esteem, punishment self-esteem and protectiveness and the young adult women’s self-esteem. Theoretically and practically the implications of the findings suggest that parents and the roles they play may have an impact on their daughter’s self-esteem, at least for this sample, and thus future research into the meanings of the above findings and their impact on children - or more specifically - female children is a worthwhile undertaking, as is consideration of the stereotypical gender roles that society upholds. / Brenda Radebe