The pronounced constraints on ecosystem functioning and human livelihoods in drylands are frequently exacerbated by natural and socio-economic stresses, including weather extremes and inequitable trade conditions. Therefore, a better understanding of the relation between these stresses and the socio-ecological systems is important for advancing dryland development. The concept of vulnerability as applied in this dissertation describes this relation as encompassing the exposure to climate, market and other stresses as well as the sensitivity of the systems to these stresses and their capacity to adapt. With regard to the interest in improving environmental and living conditions in drylands, this dissertation aims at a meaningful generalisation of heterogeneous vulnerability situations. A pattern recognition approach based on clustering revealed typical vulnerability-creating mechanisms at global and local scales. One study presents the first analysis of dryland vulnerability with global coverage at a sub-national resolution. The cluster analysis resulted in seven typical patterns of vulnerability according to quantitative indication of poverty, water stress, soil degradation, natural agro-constraints and isolation. Independent case studies served to validate the identified patterns and to prove the transferability of vulnerability-reducing approaches. Due to their worldwide coverage, the global results allow the evaluation of a specific system’s vulnerability in its wider context, even in poorly-documented areas. Moreover, climate vulnerability of smallholders was investigated with regard to their food security in the Peruvian Altiplano. Four typical groups of households were identified in this local dryland context using indicators for harvest failure risk, agricultural resources, education and non-agricultural income. An elaborate validation relying on independently acquired information demonstrated the clear correlation between weather-related damages and the identified clusters. It also showed that household-specific causes of vulnerability were consistent with the mechanisms implied by the corresponding patterns. The synthesis of the local study provides valuable insights into the tailoring of interventions that reflect the heterogeneity within the social group of smallholders. The conditions necessary to identify typical vulnerability patterns were summarised in five methodological steps. They aim to motivate and to facilitate the application of the selected pattern recognition approach in future vulnerability analyses. The five steps outline the elicitation of relevant cause-effect hypotheses and the quantitative indication of mechanisms as well as an evaluation of robustness, a validation and a ranking of the identified patterns. The precise definition of the hypotheses is essential to appropriately quantify the basic processes as well as to consistently interpret, validate and rank the clusters. In particular, the five steps reflect scale-dependent opportunities, such as the outcome-oriented aspect of validation in the local study. Furthermore, the clusters identified in Northeast Brazil were assessed in the light of important endogenous processes in the smallholder systems which dominate this region. In order to capture these processes, a qualitative dynamic model was developed using generalised rules of labour allocation, yield extraction, budget constitution and the dynamics of natural and technological resources. The model resulted in a cyclic trajectory encompassing four states with differing degree of criticality. The joint assessment revealed aggravating conditions in major parts of the study region due to the overuse of natural resources and the potential for impoverishment. The changes in vulnerability-creating mechanisms identified in Northeast Brazil are well-suited to informing local adjustments to large-scale intervention programmes, such as “Avança Brasil”. Overall, the categorisation of a limited number of typical patterns and dynamics presents an efficient approach to improving our understanding of dryland vulnerability. Appropriate decision-making for sustainable dryland development through vulnerability reduction can be significantly enhanced by pattern-specific entry points combined with insights into changing hotspots of vulnerability and the transferability of successful adaptation strategies. / Die Grenzen ökologischer Funktionen und menschlicher Lebensweisen in Trockengebieten werden häufig durch natürlichen und sozio-ökonomischen Stress, wie extreme Wetterereignisse und ungerechte Handelsbedingungen, weiter verengt. Zur Förderung der Entwicklung in Trockengebieten ist es daher wichtig, die Beziehung zwischen den Stressfaktoren und den sozio-ökologischen Systemen besser zu verstehen. Das Konzept der Vulnerabilität, welches in der vorliegenden Dissertation angewandt wird, beschreibt dieses Verhältnis durch die Exposition, Sensitivität und Anpassungsfähigkeit von Systemen im Hinblick auf Klima-, Markt- und anderen Stress. Bezüglich des Interesses, die Umwelt- und Lebensbedingungen in Trockengebieten zu verbessern, zielt diese Dissertation darauf ab, die vielschichtigen Ursachen und Veränderungen von Vulnerabilität sinnvoll zu verallgemeinern. Eine clusterbasierte Mustererkennung zeigte typische Mechanismen auf, welche Vulnerabilität auf globaler und lokaler Ebene verursachen. Dabei stellt die globale Studie die erste flächendeckende Untersuchung von Vulnerabilität in Trockengebieten mit sub-nationaler Auflösung dar. Die Clusteranalyse identifizierte sieben typische Muster basierend auf der quantitativen Beschreibung von Armut, Wasserknappheit, Bodendegradation, natürlichen Produktionshemmnissen und Isolation. Die Gültigkeit der ermittelten Cluster und die Übertragbarkeit von Anpassungsmaßnahmen innerhalb ähnlicher Gebiete wurden anhand unabhängiger Fallstudien belegt. Die flächendeckende Erfassung erlaubt es, die Vulnerabilität eines Systems in seinem größeren Kontext zu bewerten, auch in weniger gut durch Fallstudien dokumentierten Gebieten. Weiterhin wurde die Klimavulnerabilität von Kleinbauern bezüglich ihrer Nahrungsmittelsicherung im peruanischen Altiplano untersucht. In diesem lokalen Kontext wurden vier Cluster von Haushalten gemäß ihrer Produktionsrisiken, landwirtschaftlichen Ressourcen, der Bildung und ihres nicht-landwirtschaftlichen Einkommens unterschieden. Eine erweiterte Gültigkeitsprüfung unter Nutzung unabhängig erhobener Informationen stellte heraus, dass wetterbedingte Schäden mit den ermittelten Clustern korrelieren und dass haushaltsspezifische Schadensursachen mit den durch die Muster angezeigten Mechanismen übereinstimmen. Die lokale Studie liefert wertvolle Hinweise auf bedarfsgerechte Eingriffe unter Beachtung der Heterogenität innerhalb der sozialen Gruppe der Kleinbauern. Die notwendigen Bedingungen zur Erkennung typischer Muster ergaben fünf methodische Schritte. Ihre Darlegung soll die Anwendung der gewählten Methode in zukünftigen Vulnerabilitätsstudien anregen und erleichtern. Die fünf Schritte umfassen die Ableitung relevanter Ursache-Wirkungs-Hypothesen, die Quantifizierung der Mechanismen, die Bewertung von Robustheit und Gültigkeit sowie die Ordnung der ermittelten Muster nach dem Grad der Vulnerabilität. Dabei ist die genaue Beschreibung der Hypothesen eine wesentliche Voraussetzung für die Quantifizierung der grundlegenden Prozesse sowie eine einheitliche Interpretation, Gültigkeitsprüfung und Ordnung der ermittelten Muster. Besondere Beachtung finden skalenbedingte Aspekte, wie beispielsweise die ergebnisorientierte Gültigkeitsprüfung in der lokalen Studie. Weiterhin wurden die in Nordostbrasilien ermittelten Cluster im Hinblick auf wichtige endogene Prozesse in den dort vorherrschenden kleinbäuerlichen Nutzungssystemen untersucht. Diese Prozesse umfassen die Aufteilung der Arbeitskraft, die landwirtschaftliche Produktion sowie Einkommens- und Ressourcendynamiken. Sie wurden in einem qualitativen dynamischen Modell erfasst, welches eine zyklische Trajektorie mit vier unterschiedlich problematischen Entwicklungszuständen ergab. Als besonders problematischer Aspekt verschärfte sich die Vulnerabilität in weiten Teilen des Untersuchungsgebietes durch die Übernutzung natürlicher Ressourcen und die Möglichkeit weiterer Verarmung. Die in Nordostbrasilien gezeigten Veränderungen sind dazu geeignet, groß angelegte Entwicklungsprogramme, wie zum Beispiel “Avança Brasil”, angemessen an lokale Gegebenheiten anzupassen. Insgesamt ermöglicht es die Kategorisierung einer begrenzten Anzahl typischer Muster und Veränderungen, die Vulnerabilität in Trockengebieten besser zu verstehen. Eine nachhaltige Entwicklung von Trockengebieten basierend auf der Minderung von Vulnerabilität kann durch musterspezifische Ansätze zusammen mit Hinweisen zu Veränderungen im Schweregrad und zur Übertragbarkeit erfolgreicher Anpassungsstrategien wirkungsvoll unterstützt werden.

A healthy academic community is essential for the creation of an environment favourable to the development of managerial competence in education. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between burnout and coping strategies of academic managerial personnel at a tertiary education institution. A cross-sectional survey design was used. The study population consisted of 70 academic managers at a tertiary education institution from the job levels of departmental heads, directors of schools and deans of faculties. The COPE questionnaire and Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey were administered. Statistical analysis was carried out with the SAS-program. Cronbach alpha coefficients, inter-item correlations and confirmatory factor analysis were used to assess the reliability and validity of the measuring instruments. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients were used to specify the relationships between the variables. Canonical correlation was used to determine the relationships between the dimensions of burnout and coping strategies. The results indicate that in general, academic managerial personnel at a tertiary education institution in South Africa experience low levels of burnout. A positive correlation between active coping and both exhaustion and professional efficacy were found. A positive correlation was also found between focus on and venting of emotions and exhaustion. More specifically, the results show that active coping, planning and positive reinterpretation was associated with exhaustion and professional efficacy. It appears that academic managerial personnel utilise both problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies, and the coping strategies of planning, active coping and positive reinterpretation and growth were used most often to deal with potential stress factors. Recommendations for the organisation and future research were made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2003

A healthy academic community is essential for the creation of an environment favourable to the development of managerial competence in education. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between burnout and coping strategies of academic managerial personnel at a tertiary education institution. A cross-sectional survey design was used. The study population consisted of 70 academic managers at a tertiary education institution from the job levels of departmental heads, directors of schools and deans of faculties. The COPE questionnaire and Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey were administered. Statistical analysis was carried out with the SAS-program. Cronbach alpha coefficients, inter-item correlations and confirmatory factor analysis were used to assess the reliability and validity of the measuring instruments. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients were used to specify the relationships between the variables. Canonical correlation was used to determine the relationships between the dimensions of burnout and coping strategies. The results indicate that in general, academic managerial personnel at a tertiary education institution in South Africa experience low levels of burnout. A positive correlation between active coping and both exhaustion and professional efficacy were found. A positive correlation was also found between focus on and venting of emotions and exhaustion. More specifically, the results show that active coping, planning and positive reinterpretation was associated with exhaustion and professional efficacy. It appears that academic managerial personnel utilise both problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies, and the coping strategies of planning, active coping and positive reinterpretation and growth were used most often to deal with potential stress factors. Recommendations for the organisation and future research were made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2003

The thesis determines whether life in home for the elderly in fluence on stress factors and stress management of seniors. The theoretical part is devoted to the description of old age and their specific needs, changes in old age and elderly living. The second chapter is devoted to the general definiton of stress and its context, response to stress, psychosomatic dimension of stress. Charakterizes the stress factors, their categories and stress factors related to home for the elderly. The last area of the theoretical part contains the definition of coping strategies, ways of coping and the factors that affect it. The practical part contains a survey that aims to determine and compare stress factors and coping strategies of elderly people in their households and homes for the elderly. Partial goals were to describe the stress factors and coping strategie for all seniors and to find different by sex stress management seniors. And then describe what coping strategies used by all seniors. The data was used to determine coping strategies inventory (CSI). The study involved a total of 51 respondents, including 26 respondents were interviewed in their own households and 25 respondents in homes for the elderly.

ABSTRACT
 This diploma thesis deals with whether and, if so, what influence the stress factors have on the life satisfaction of adults. It also focuses on what other aspects are important during the evaluation. The thesis is based on a qualitative research, in which the individuals have given authentic testimonies when evaluating their life satisfaction and conditions, which significantly affect the evaluation. Attention was paid to both negative and positive effects and strategies when coping with difficult situations, trying to find similarities and differences and evaluate substantial factors. The goal also is to show possibilities of achieving a higher level of satisfaction. The merit of the thesis is in honest and comprehensive testimonies of the individuals on this topic and in the possibility to think about one's own life attitude and about the level and limits for reaching life satisfaction in general. KEYWORDS
 Life satisfaction, stress factors, adaptation, resistance, mental balance, mental well-being.

Denna studie undersöker fenomenet stress och hur det figurerar i förskolan. Syftet med studien är att bidra med kunskap om förskollärares uppfattningar av stress i förskolan samt hur förskollärarna uppfattar att stress påverkar förskolans verksamhet. Studien utgår från en fenomenografisk ansats och jag har därmed valt att använda semistrukturerad intervju som metod för datainsamling, där respondenternas uppfattningar är centrala. Jag valde att intervjua fyra förskollärare från två olika förskolor. Resultatanalysen utgår från en fenomenografisk analysmodell och resultatet presenteras utifrån fenomenografins begrepp kategorier och utfallsrum. Resultatet visar att förskollärarna uppfattar att stress ofta orsakas av faktorer som inte går att påverka eller ibland ens förebygga. Vidare uppfattar de ändå att stressen går att hantera och lindra med hjälp av bland annat olika strategier, kollegialt stöd och struktur. Viktiga slutsatser är att det bör avsättas tid för relationsbyggande och återhämtning i förskolan samt att vardera arbetslag för diskussioner kring en, för dem, fungerande struktur samt gemensamt förhållningssätt. / This study examines the phenomenon of stress and how it figures in preschool. The purpose of the study is to contribute knowledge about preschool teachers' experience of stress in preschool and how preschool teachers perceive that stress affects the preschool's operations. The study is based on a phenomenographic approach and I have therefore chosen to use a semi-structured interview as a method for data collection, where the respondents' perceptions are central. I chose to interview four preschool teachers from two different preschools. The result analysis is based on a phenomenographic analysis model and the results are presented based on the phenomenographic concepts of categories and outcome spaces. The results show that the preschool teachers feel that stress is often caused by factors that cannot be influenced or sometimes even prevented. Furthermore, they still believe that the stress can be managed and alleviated using, among other things, different strategies, collegial support and structure. Important conclusions are that there should be time set aside for relationship-building and recovery in the preschool and that each work team has discussions about a structure that works for them and a joint approach.

Vegetation establishment is one of the major rehabilitation methods that are used to stabilize, cover, to minimize, mitigate or remove the contaminants from tailings storage facilities (TSF’s). Phytostabilization is a useful mechanism by which plants limit the contamination of natural systems with toxic elements. For successful occurrence of phytostabilization on mine tailings, it is vital to establish plant species that can survive the hostile conditions of the substrate. Major problems encountered with vegetation covers is the lack of natural soil properties e.g. soil structure, organic carbon and also hostile chemical conditions. Only a few species are tolerant to the different negative properties of the tailings. The main aim of this project is to identify plant species that can be used for vegetative rehabilitation of nine different types of tailings material including gypsum, gold, platinum, kimberlite, coal, fluorspar and andalusite tailings. The ability of 28 different plant species to survive in the tailings was assessed by statistically calculating the growth potential of the species and summarizing the data in graphs and an index table that calculates a specific merit value for each of the tailings-species combinations. The various plant stress factors that the species exhibited were also documented. Finally, the results were correlated with a soil physical and -chemical baseline study of the tailings to provide insight into successes and failures of certain species. The final results identified various successful tailings-species combinations, as well as failures. The index table proved to be a useful tool to identify suitable species for establishment on various tailings. The baseline study of the different tailings could be used to explain why certain species could be established successfully, as well as the reason why some species did not survive. / M (Environmental Sciences), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Vegetation establishment is one of the major rehabilitation methods that are used to stabilize, cover, to minimize, mitigate or remove the contaminants from tailings storage facilities (TSF’s). Phytostabilization is a useful mechanism by which plants limit the contamination of natural systems with toxic elements. For successful occurrence of phytostabilization on mine tailings, it is vital to establish plant species that can survive the hostile conditions of the substrate. Major problems encountered with vegetation covers is the lack of natural soil properties e.g. soil structure, organic carbon and also hostile chemical conditions. Only a few species are tolerant to the different negative properties of the tailings. The main aim of this project is to identify plant species that can be used for vegetative rehabilitation of nine different types of tailings material including gypsum, gold, platinum, kimberlite, coal, fluorspar and andalusite tailings. The ability of 28 different plant species to survive in the tailings was assessed by statistically calculating the growth potential of the species and summarizing the data in graphs and an index table that calculates a specific merit value for each of the tailings-species combinations. The various plant stress factors that the species exhibited were also documented. Finally, the results were correlated with a soil physical and -chemical baseline study of the tailings to provide insight into successes and failures of certain species. The final results identified various successful tailings-species combinations, as well as failures. The index table proved to be a useful tool to identify suitable species for establishment on various tailings. The baseline study of the different tailings could be used to explain why certain species could be established successfully, as well as the reason why some species did not survive. / M (Environmental Sciences), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

This study investigated the difference in stress levels of stress factors according to the structure or type of family. The relatedness of the ranking of stress factors within and across three family types and the relationship between level of stress and number of years in current family type were also examined. Important aspects of this study were using three family types, using families seeking counseling as the subjects, and investigating numerous stress factors across family types. These research techniques avoided the limitations of previous research which investigated only one family type, thus isolating special stress issues for a certain family type where those special issues actually might not differentiate among family types. Also, considering numerous stress factors at one time, rather than only a few factors, indicated relative levels of stress as well as absolute stresses that families are likely to experience. Targeting families who had sought counseling should give counselors a more realistic view of clients and their problems.

Sjuksköterskor väljer att lämna yrket på grund av rådande arbetsvillkor. I den kliniska verkligheten är det högt arbetstempo samtidigt som krav och ansvar över patienten måste uppfyllas. Nyutexaminerade sjuksköterskor upplever en hög stressbelastning vilket ger konsekvenser på hälsan och ökar benägenhet att vilja lämna professionen. Sjuksköterskans kärnkompetens handlar om att främja patientens hälsa och lindra lidande samtidigt som den egna hälsan ska skötas så förmågan att ge en god vård inte äventyras. En komplex problematik för den enskilde individen och samhället. Syftet med studien var att undersöka upplevelser av orsaker till stress i arbetet bland nyutexaminerade sjuksköterskor. Metoden som använts är en litteraturöversikt över befintligt forskningsläge där både kvalitativa och kvantitativa studier har sammanställts. I databearbetningen framkom tre teman, Känsla av otillräcklighet, Känsla av utsatthet och utanförskap samt Individen i professionen. Resultatet visar att nyutexaminerade sjuksköterskor upplever ett flertalstressfaktorer och att det verkar vara en allmängiltig upplevelse runt om i världen i denna yrkesgrupp. Upplevelser av orsaker till stress visades i samband med rollanpassning, klinisk kompetens, hantering av palliativ vård, konflikter, brist på stöd, mobbning, arbetsbelastning samt schema. Ålder, yrkeserfarenhet och karaktärsdrag påverkade upplevelsen av arbetsrelaterad stress och det framgick att vissa grupper av nyutexaminerade sjuksköterskor har en ökad sårbarhet. Dessa kunskaper är viktiga för att utveckla strategier som kan minska stressrelaterad ohälsa i denna yrkesgrupp och föra yrket mot en mer hållbar utveckling. / Nurses choose to leave the profession because of prevailing working conditions. In the clinical reality, it is a high workload, while demands and responsibilities over the patient must be fulfilled. Newly graduated nurses experience high rate of stress load, which have consequences on their health and increases the tendency for wanting to leave the profession. The core competence of the nurse’s is about promoting the patient’s health and alleviating suffering while at the same time managing their own health so that the ability to provide good care is not compromised. A complex problem for the individual and society. The purpose of the study was to investigate experiences of causes of stress in the work of newly graduated nurses. The method used is a literature review of the existing research situation where both qualitative and quantitative studies have been compiled. In the data processing, three themes could be revealed, Feeling of inadequacy, Feeling of vulnerability and exclusion and The person in the profession. The result shows that newly graduated nurses experience a number of stress factors and that it seems to be a universal experience around the world in this professional group. Experiences of causes of stress were shown in connection with role adaptation, clinical competence, management of palliative care, conflicts, lack of support, bullying, workload and schedule. Such as age, professional experience and character traits affected the experience of work-related stress and it emerged that certain groups of newly graduated nurses have an increased vulnerability. These insights are important for developing strategies that can reduce stress-related ill-health in this professional group and lead the profession towards a more sustainable development.