The population of Australia is increasing in age, consequently the incidence of cancer diagnoses is rising. This rise will have a dramatic impact on hospitals with much of the disease burden extending to psychological support for cancer care. At present few men diagnosed with cancer seek support. This study sought to explore men's perceptions of support and prostate cancer support groups. The benefits of support groups for men with prostate cancer have been well documented in international studies. In Australia however, relatively few men diagnosed with prostate cancer join such groups and few studies have examined the factors that influence membership and attendance. This study investigated the experiences of a sample of 181 Australian men diagnosed with prostate cancer, 80 of whom were members of support groups and 107 who were not. The participants were recruited from prostate cancer support groups and an outpatient department of a major cancer hospital, in Melbourne, Australia. The two groups were compared on a range of factors, including disease characteristics, illness perceptions and views of prostate cancer support groups. Further, members of support groups rated a number of objectives to determine the effectiveness of the groups. The majority of members recommended prostate cancer support groups to other men with prostate cancer (92%), however of the non-members of prostate cancer support groups, almost half (48%) had never heard of them. Factors that discriminated between support group members and non-members were emotional perceptions of the illness, symptom reports and illness coherence, with support group members reporting higher scores on these variables. Length of diagnosis and age were also factors that discriminated between the groups with support group members younger and diagnosed longer than non-members. There were no differences between the groups on personal control, both groups reported high perceptions of control over the disease. Members reported more benefits and less costs associated with prostate cancer support groups than non-members. Benefits included information, support, sharing experiences, and supporting other men with the disease. Costs included negative discussions, other men dying, and the distance required to travel to the groups. Both members and non-members reported distance to travel to the groups as a major barrier to attendance. The majority of members had heard of the groups through friends and, for non-members who had heard of the groups, through hospital staff. General practitioners were one of the least likely sources of information about prostate cancer support groups reported by members. Prostate cancer support group members reported high levels of satisfaction with the groups on a range of objectives outlined by the Cancer Council of Victoria. Making friends and accessing community assistance exceeded men's expectations of attendance, however men reported a desire for more information and communication. A need for more funding, advertising, and recognition of prostate cancer support groups by medical staff was also reported. Many men with prostate cancer are unaware of support groups, however a number of benefits were noted by both members and non-members. Greater recognition of prostate cancer support groups by medical staff may provide men with prostate cancer an opportunity to access those benefits. Health service providers should consider the important role prostate cancer support groups play in the recovery of men from prostate cancer and consider ways of dispelling myths men may hold regarding the notion of support.

Title from title page of PDF (University of Missouri--St. Louis, viewed February 22, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (p. 300-314).

In recent years there has been considerable interest and research examining psychological distress resulting from athletic injuries, as well as coping strategies for an enhanced recovery. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychological effects of sport related concussions and to determine if participation in support groups can reduce these psychological side effects. Participants included concussed male and female varsity or comparable elite level athletes who were placed in either a control or an experimental group. All subjects completed the Profile of Mood States and the Post Concussion Rating Scale. Participants in the experimental group received three support group intervention sessions, while those in the control group received no intervention. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. It was revealed that participants in the experimental group improved their mood state. In addition to the impact of support groups on concussed athletes, factors influencing their moods were also identified including the concussion history of the athletes, the stage of rehabilitation, gender, and number of concussion symptoms.

The individualization and medicalization of the emotional distress of those given psychiatric diagnoses deny the social, political, and economic context in which the presenting behaviours arose and leads away from making changes to society. Some people who are psychiatrically labelled join in groups for solidarity in the face of being stigmatized. In these groups the members can resist the disempowerment and helplessness learned in the psychiatric system. With co-researchers from a self-help group this study gives expression to the usually silenced voices of psychiatrized people. Feminist and standpoint theories, co-cultural and living systems theories form a framework for this narrative study. A structural narrative method is used to analyze the stories, found in the transcripts of six individual interviews, told by the co-researchers about their experiences in psychiatric services and in the recovery process. The stories reveal how the ideology and practices of psychiatry use stigma, oppression and the creation of the identity of psychiatric patient for control and management. The stories also reveal the reality of hope for recovery through the support of peers and from the role models of those who have significantly recovered their mental health. Two focus group interviews were conducted with members of the self-help group where suggestions for programs were developed to address issues raised within the groups and in the individual interviews. The findings of the research will be reported to the self-help group who will use the study to back proposals for the funding of recovery-oriented programs. When social workers and other mental health professsionals recognize the importance of supporting the process of recovery, consumer/survivor-run programs will be acknowledged as effective and integral parts of any mental health system

A focus on care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS throughout the world has become a key discussion in the general HIV/AIDS discourse. This thesis provides an in-depth analysis of two HIV/AIDS support groups operating in areas south of Durban, South Africa. In particular, the thesis presents the readers with a description of the 1) purpose of HIV/AIDS support groups, 2) main participants involved in HIV/AIDS support groups, and 3) an overview of how the two HIV/AIDS support groups under study operate. The grounded theory approach of this study led to the emergence of two themes crucial to the understanding of the HIV/AIDS support groups under study, the existence of widespread conflict, and a system of "negotiated" reciprocity within each support group. The thesis uses the framework of Victor Turner's social drama, and the anthropological theories of reciprocity, in order to analyze these concepts. This thesis reveals that each support group operates within an environment, in which a discrepancy of expectations, obligations, and goals amongst the support group participants exists. Additionally, the support group members and the sponsoring organization of both support groups have varying perceptions of the support group, both in its ideal and actual form. Finally, the thesis reveals the way in which each support group oscillates between a state of stability and conflict, and how conflict and negotiation, in turn, become inherent within, and synonymous with, everyday organisation and operation of the support groups. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

Bakalauro darbe analizuojami socioedukacinių poreikių tenkinimo, anoniminių alkoholikų (AA) savipagalbos grupėse ypatumai. Tyrimo tikslas - atskleisti socioedukacinių poreikių tenkinimo, anoniminių alkoholikų savipagalbos grupėse, ypatumus. Tyrimo uţdaviniai: taikant teorinę analizę ištirti socioedukacinių poreikių tenkinimo anoniminių alkoholikų savipagalbos grupėse ypatumus. Taikant interviu metodą, ištirti AA savipagalbos grupės narių socioedukacinius poreikius. Bei taikant turinio analizės metodą, nustatyti socioedukacinių poreikių tenkinimo ypatumus AA savipagalbos grupėse. Buvo atliekamas kokybinis tyrimas, siekiant išsiaiškinti anoniminių alkoholikų socioedukacinių poreikių tenkinimą AA grupėje, kokybinio tyrimo respondentais pasirinkti 5 AA grupės nariai. Tyrime dalyvavo 4 vyrai ir 1 moteris. Jų amţius nuo 40 iki 63 metų. Tyrime gautos tokios kategorijos: „Principai ir metodai, susiję su vertybiniu ugdymu, tarnavimu kitiems, bendravimu, išsisakymu, patirties dalinimusi, anonimiškumu, 12 ţingsnių programa, visuomenės informavimu“. „Bendrumo poreikis AA savipagalbos grupėje: socialinio tinklo kaita (prieš ir po dalyvavimo AA grupėje), bendruomenės poveikis bei santykiai ir bendri interesai grupėje“. „Saugumo poreikis ir pagalbos teikimas: socialinės, psichologinės ir fizinės sveikatos pokyčiai“. „Savigarbos, savo vertės jutimo poreikis: savęs vertinimas, savigarbos jausmas“. „Prieraišumo ir meilės poreikis AA grupėje arba po jos uţsiėmimų: intymūs santykiai, santykiai... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The peculiarities of meeting the socioeducational requirements in self-help groups of anonymous alcoholics (AA) are analyzed in the final work of Bachelor. The object of research is to reveal the peculiarities of meeting the socioeducational requirements in self-help groups of AA. The goals of research are these: through theoretical analysis to explore the peculiarities of meeting the socioeducational requirements in self-help groups of AA; through the method of interview to investigate the socioeducational needs of AA in self-help groups; also through the method of content analysis to identify the peculiarities of meeting the socioeducational requirements in self-help groups of anonymous alcoholic. Qualitative research was carried out with the purpose to find out meeting the socioeducational requirements in self-help group of anonymous alcoholics. Five members from anonymous alcoholics` group were chosen to be the respondents of qualitative research. Four men and one woman participated in the research. Their age was from 40 to 63. These categories were received in the research: principles and methods related to the value training, serving others, communication, openness, sharing experiences, anonymity, 12 steps programme and informing society. The need of community in the self-help group of AA: “fluctuation of social network (before and after participation in anonymous alcoholics group, influence and relationships of community and common interests in the group”. “The need of... [to full text]

The relationships between post-traumatic growth (PTG), benefit finding, happiness, pessimism and antiretroviral (ART) medication adherence were examined among 10 people living with HIV or AIDS who attended HIV support groups, and were currently prescribed ART medications. Analyses indicated that none of these psychosocial factors were significantly correlated with ART adherence, that the relationships continued to be non-significant after pessimism was partialled out of the analysis, and that participants who reported achieving optimal ART adherence did not significantly differ from participants who reported taking less than optimal ART adherence in regards to PTG, benefit finding, subjective happiness, or pessimism. The results suggest that interventions designed to change these psychosocial factors may not be effective means of improving ART adherence. / Department of Psychological Science

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Michigan State University. Dept. of History, 2008. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Mar. 30, 2009). Includes bibliographical references (p. 283-294). Also issued in print.

Thesis (M.A.) - Carleton University, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 121-129). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Ohio University, November, 2008.. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references.