The present study aimed to investigate the role of self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism in conjunction with stressful life experiences in suicidal ideation, potential, and prior attempts among depressed adolescents. Self-oriented perfectionism involves striving to meet one's own unrealistically high standards and evaluating one's performance stringently. Socially prescribed perfectionism involves the perception that significant others have very high expectations for oneself, which the perfectionist strives to meet. This study examined correlations between these perfectionism dimensions and suicidal ideation, potential or risk, and prior attempts in addition to investigating whether either perfectionism dimension accounted for additional variance in suicide outcomes beyond the established risk factors depression and hopelessness. Also examined was a moderational model whereby dimensions of perfectionism were hypothesized to interact with stress to predict suicide outcomes. A sample of 55 adolescents (41 females, 14 males) who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - Fourth Edition (DSM-IV; APA, 1994) criteria for Major Depression (65.5%), Dysthymia (16.4%), or Depressive Disorder NOS (18.2%) completed self-report measures of perfectionism, daily hassles, depression, hopelessness, suicidal ideation, suicide potential, and prior suicidal attempts. Additionally, adolescents and one of their parents completed a diagnostic interview and a stress interview measuring major stressful experiences. Results revealed that self-oriented perfectionism was not correlated with any aspect of suicide; however, socially prescribed perfectionism was associated with suicide potential. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that self-oriented perfectionism did not account for unique variance in suicide outcomes, whereas, socially prescribed perfectionism predicted additional variance in suicide potential once depression and hopelessness were controlled. Regarding the moderational model, both self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism were found to interact with aspects of stress to predict suicidality. More specifically, self-oriented perfectionism interacted with daily hassles to predict suicide potential/risk. Socially prescribed perfectionism interacted with subjective and objective ratings of major stressful experiences and with daily hassles to predict suicide potential/risk. Neither perfectionism dimension interacted with stress to predict suicidal ideation or prior suicide attempts. Taken together, these findings suggest that among depressed adolescents, socially prescribed perfectionism is correlated with suicide risk and predicts unique variance in this suicide outcome beyond other established risk factors. Additionally, both selforiented and socially prescribed perfectionism act as vulnerability factors that are predictive of suicide potential when adolescents experience elevated levels of stress. As these relationships were apparent even after controlling for the contributions of depression and hopelessness to suicide, the results of this study highlight the importance of considering perfectionistic tendencies when evaluating suicide risk among youth. / Arts, Faculty of / Psychology, Department of / Graduate

by Chui Shu-fai, Fred. / Includes questionaire in Chinese. / Thesis (M.S.W.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [45-68] (3rd gp.)). / Chapter ONE --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter TWO --- THE IMPACT OF PARENTAL MENTAL ILLNESS ON CHILDREN --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1 --- Impact of parental mental illness on children --- p.8 / Chapter 2.2 --- Studies about the impact of parental affective disorder on children --- p.9 / Chapter 2.3 --- Children of schizophrenic patients --- p.12 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Effect of psychiatric symptoms and behavioral change --- p.14 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Impairment of interaction --- p.15 / Chapter 2.4 --- Parents with depression versus parents with schizophrenia: their differential impacts on children --- p.16 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Parenting --- p.16 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Children at risk --- p.18 / Chapter 2.4.3 --- Problems faced by the children --- p.20 / Chapter 2.5 --- Discussion on the above findings --- p.22 / Chapter 2.6 --- Resilience in Children / Adolescents --- p.25 / Chapter 2.7 --- Limitations of some empirical studies about children of mentally ill --- p.27 / Chapter THREE --- "STRESS, COPING RESOURCES AND MENTAL HEALTH" --- p.30 / Chapter 3.1 --- Concept of Stress --- p.30 / Chapter 3.2 --- "Life events, daily hassles and life strains" --- p.36 / Chapter 3.3 --- Objective burdens and subjective burdens arising from the mentally ill in the family --- p.37 / Chapter 3.4 --- "Stressors as management problems, psychological problems and social / economic costs faced by the children" --- p.39 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Management problems --- p.39 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Psychological problems --- p.41 / Chapter (a) --- Self-blame and Guilt / Chapter (b) --- Anger / Chapter (c) --- Feeling of Embarrassment and shame / Chapter (d) --- Anxieties caused by parent's hospitalization / Chapter (e) --- Sense of inferiority caused by the prejudice and rejection of community / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Social / economic costs --- p.47 / Chapter (a) --- Disruption of family functioning / Chapter (b) --- Conflict in the family / Chapter (c) --- Financial difficulties / Chapter (d) --- Reduction in social life / Chapter 3.5 --- Perceived Stress --- p.50 / Chapter 3.5.1 --- Measurement of perceived stress --- p.52 / Chapter 3.6 --- Stress and Coping in Children/Adolescents --- p.53 / Chapter 3.7 --- Coping Resources --- p.56 / Chapter 3.7.1 --- Health and energy --- p.58 / Chapter 3.7.2 --- Positive beliefs --- p.58 / Chapter 3.7.3 --- Social skills --- p.61 / Chapter 3.8 --- Coping resources being examined in this study --- p.62 / Chapter 3.8.1 --- Self-efficacy --- p.63 / Chapter (a) --- Self-efficacy as a coping resource / Chapter (b) --- Social self-efficacy / Chapter (c) --- Measurement of self-efficacy / Chapter 3.8.2 --- Self-esteem --- p.71 / Chapter (a) --- Measurement of Self-esteem / Chapter 3.8.3 --- knowledge / Information --- p.73 / Chapter (a) --- Knowledge about schizophrenia / Chapter (b) --- Measurement about mental health knowledge / Chapter 3.8.4 --- Attitude toward the ex-mental patient --- p.76 / Chapter (a) --- Mental health knowledge and attitude toward mental patient / Chapter (b) --- Adolescent's attitude toward the mentally-ill / Chapter (c) --- Measurement of attitude toward mental illness and mental patients / Chapter 3.9 --- Mental Health --- p.81 / Chapter 3.9.1 --- Concept of “Mental´ح --- p.81 / Chapter 3.9.2 --- Concept of “Health´ح --- p.81 / Chapter 3.9.3 --- Mental health as a concept --- p.82 / Chapter 3.9.4 --- Measurement of mental health --- p.84 / Chapter FOUR --- LITERATURE REVIEW ON THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG VARIABLES UNDER STUDY --- p.85 / Chapter 4.1 --- Stress and mental health --- p.85 / Chapter 4.2 --- Coping resources and perceived stress --- p.87 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Self-efficacy and perceived stress --- p.87 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Self-esteem and perceived stress --- p.88 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Knowledge and perceived stress --- p.89 / Chapter 4.2.4 --- Attitude and perceived stress --- p.89 / Chapter 4.3 --- Coping resources and mental health --- p.90 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Self-efficacy and mental health --- p.90 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Self-esteem and mental health --- p.92 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Knowledge and mental health --- p.93 / Chapter 4.3.4 --- Attitude and mental health --- p.94 / Chapter 4.4 --- Conceptual framework --- p.94 / Chapter 4.5 --- Research questions and hypotheses --- p.99 / Chapter 4.6 --- Definition of concepts --- p.103 / Chapter 4.6.1 --- Definition of stressors --- p.103 / Chapter 4.6.2 --- Definition of perceived stress --- p.103 / Chapter 4.6.3 --- Definition of social self-efficacy --- p.103 / Chapter 4.6.4 --- Definition of self-esteem --- p.104 / Chapter 4.6.5 --- Definition of knowledge about schizophrenia --- p.104 / Chapter 4.6.6 --- Definition of behavioral intentions / attitude --- p.104 / Chapter 4.6.7 --- Definition of mental health --- p.105 / Chapter FIVE --- RESEARCH METHODOLOGY --- p.106 / Chapter 5.1 --- Sample Design --- p.106 / Chapter 5.2 --- Instruments for Measurement --- p.107 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- Scale measuring the stressors (ST-ALL) and Perceived Stress (PS-ALL) --- p.107 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (RSES) --- p.108 / Chapter 5.2.3 --- Adolescent Social Self-efficacy Scale (SEFF) --- p.108 / Chapter 5.2.4 --- Knowledge about Schizophrenia Scale (SKS) --- p.109 / Chapter 5.2.5 --- Behavioral Intention toward Ex-mental Patients Scale (BIEMPS) --- p.109 / Chapter 5.2.6 --- General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-30) --- p.110 / Chapter 5.2.7 --- Chinese Version of Hopelessness Scale (C-Hope) --- p.111 / Chapter 5.2.8 --- Demographic /personal data --- p.111 / Chapter SIX --- RESULTS --- p.112 / Chapter 6.1 --- Psychometric properties of the measuring instruments --- p.112 / Chapter 6.1.1 --- Measurement of stress / Chapter (a) --- Stressor Scale (ST-ALL) / Chapter (b) --- Perceived Stress Scale (PS-ALL) / Chapter 6.1.2 --- Measurement of coping resources --- p.113 / Chapter (a) --- Adolescent Social Self-efficacy Scale (SEFF) / Chapter (b) --- Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (RSES) / Chapter (c) --- Knowledge about Schizophrenia Scale (SKS) / Chapter (d) --- Behavioral intention towards Ex-mental Patients Scale (BIEMPS) / Chapter 6.1.3 --- Measurement of mental health --- p.115 / Chapter (a) --- General health questionnaire - 30 (GHQ-30) / Chapter (b) --- Chinese-Hopelessness Scale (C-Hope) / Chapter 6.2 --- Demographic characteristics of the respondents --- p.133 / Chapter 6.2.1 --- Sex and Age of Respondents --- p.133 / Chapter 6.2.2 --- Relationship of Respondents to Their Schizophrenic Parents --- p.133 / Chapter 6.2.3 --- Education Level of Respondents --- p.133 / Chapter 6.2.4 --- No. of Siblings of the Respondents and Their Rank among siblings --- p.134 / Chapter 6.2.5 --- Religion of respondents --- p.134 / Chapter 6.2.6 --- Out-patient or in-patient status of respondents' schizophrenic parents and number of years of treatment --- p.134 / Chapter 6.2.7 --- Education Level of the Parents --- p.135 / Chapter 6.2.8 --- "Occupation of the respondents' parents, the family's income and its source" --- p.135 / Chapter 6.2.9 --- Type of accommodation and family size within the same household --- p.136 / Chapter 6.2.10 --- Marital status of respondents' parents --- p.136 / Chapter 6.2.11 --- Principal caregivers of the respondents' schizophrenic parents --- p.136 / Chapter 6.3 --- Respondents' perception of the existing services and expressed needs --- p.140 / Chapter 6.3.1 --- Number of respondents who had visited social workers in the past 6 months and their satisfaction with the service of social workers --- p.140 / Chapter 6.3.2 --- The social services which were considered by the respondents as important for their schizophrenic parents --- p.140 / Chapter 6.3.3 --- The social services which were needed by respondents --- p.141 / Chapter 6.4 --- "Findings of stress, coping and mental health of respondents" --- p.144 / Chapter 6.4.1 --- Stress --- p.144 / Chapter (a) --- Stressors faced by respondents / Chapter (b) --- Perceived stress experienced by respondents / Chapter 6.4.2 --- Coping resources --- p.148 / Chapter (a) --- Distribution of responses to the items in the Social Self-efficacy Scale / Chapter (b) --- Distribution of responses to the items in the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale / Chapter (c) --- Distribution of responses to the items in the Knowledge about Schizophrenia Scale / Chapter (d) --- Distribution of responses to the items in the Behavioral Intention toward Ex-mental Patient Scale / Chapter 6.4.3 --- Mental health --- p.152 / Chapter (a) --- Distribution of responses to the items in the General Health Questionnaire-30 (GHQ-30) / Chapter (b) --- Distribution of responses to the items in the Chinese version of Hopelessness Scale (C-Hope) / Chapter 6.5 --- "Interrelationships amongst stress, coping and mental health of the respondents" --- p.166 / Chapter 6.5.1 --- Relationship between perceived stress and psychological well being --- p.166 / Chapter (a) --- Relationship between perceived stress and GHQ-30 / Chapter (b) --- Relationship between perceived stress and hopelessness / Chapter 6.5.2 --- Relationships between perceived stress and coping resources --- p.167 / Chapter (a) --- Relationship between perceived stress and social self-efficacy / Chapter (b) --- Relationship between perceived stress and self-esteem / Chapter (c) --- Relationship between perceived stress and knowledge about schizophrenia / Chapter (d) --- Relationship between perceived stress and behavioral intentions towards ex-mental patients / Chapter (e) --- Differential effects of coping resources on perceived stress / Chapter 6.5.3 --- Relationships amongst the various measures of coping resources and psychological well-being --- p.169 / Chapter (a) --- Relationship between social self-efficacy and psychological well-being / Chapter (b) --- Relationship between self-esteem and mental health / Chapter (c) --- Relationship between knowledge about schizophrenia and psychological well-being / Chapter (d) --- Relationship between attitude toward ex-mental patient and psychological well-being (C-Hope) / Chapter (e) --- Differential effects of coping resources on psychological well-being / Chapter SEVEN --- DISCUSSION --- p.175 / Chapter 7.1 --- Psychometric properties of the tools --- p.175 / Chapter 7.1.1 --- Measurement of stress --- p.175 / Chapter (a) --- Stressor Scale (ST-ALL) / Chapter (b) --- Perceived Stress Scale (PS-ALL) / Chapter 7.1.2 --- Measurement of coping resources --- p.178 / Chapter (a) --- Social Self-efficacy Scale (SEFF) / Chapter (b) --- Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (RSES) / Chapter (c) --- The Knowledge about Schizophrenia Scale (SKS) / Chapter (d) --- Behavioural Intentions Toward Ex-mental Patients (C-BIEMP) / Chapter 7.1.3 --- Measurement of psychological well-being --- p.181 / Chapter (a) --- GHQ / Chapter (b) --- Chinese version of Hopelessness Scale / Chapter 7.2 --- Characteristics of respondents --- p.183 / Chapter 7.2.1 --- "Sex, age and education" --- p.183 / Chapter 7.2.2 --- "Housing condition, family size and family income" --- p.183 / Chapter 7.2.3 --- Religion --- p.184 / Chapter 7.2.4 --- Caregivng role --- p.185 / Chapter 7.3 --- Respondents' perception of the existing service and expressed concern --- p.185 / Chapter 7.3.1 --- Number of respondents who had visited social worker in the past 6 months and their satisfaction with the service of social workers --- p.185 / Chapter 7.3.2 --- The social services which were considered by respondents as important for their schizophrenic parents --- p.185 / Chapter 7.3.3 --- Social services most needed by respondents --- p.189 / Chapter 7.4 --- "Stress, coping resources and mental health of respondents" --- p.192 / Chapter 7.4.1 --- Stress --- p.192 / Chapter (a) --- Stressors faced by respondents / Chapter (b) --- Perceived Stress / Chapter 7.4.2 --- Coping Resources --- p.201 / Chapter (a) --- Social Self-efficacy / Chapter (b) --- Self-esteem / Chapter (c) --- Knowledge about schizophrenia / Chapter (d) --- Behavioral intentions toward ex-mental patients / Chapter 7.4.3 --- Mental health of respondents --- p.210 / Chapter (a) --- General Health Questionnaire / Chapter (b) --- Hopelessness Scale / Chapter 7.5 --- Findings on relationships among major variables --- p.211 / Chapter 7.5.1 --- Relationship between perceived stress and psychological well-being --- p.211 / Chapter 7.5.2 --- Relationships between perceived stress and coping resources --- p.212 / Chapter 7.5.3 --- Relationship between coping resources and mental health --- p.215 / Chapter 7.6 --- Limitations --- p.216 / Chapter 7.6.1 --- Use of variables --- p.216 / Chapter 7.6.2 --- Sampling --- p.217 / Chapter 7.6.3 --- Data Collection --- p.219 / Chapter 7.6.4 --- Measuring Instruments --- p.219 / Chapter EIGHT --- CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS --- p.220 / Chapter 8.1 --- Conclusions --- p.220 / Chapter 8.2 --- Recommendations --- p.225 / Chapter 8.2.1 --- Education on management of problems arising from mental patients --- p.225 / Chapter 8.2.2 --- Training on stress management --- p.226 / Chapter 8.2.3 --- Social skills training --- p.226 / Chapter 8.2.4 --- Special counselling service --- p.227 / Chapter 8.2.5 --- Mental health education for the patients and their family members as well --- p.228 / Chapter 8.2.6 --- Public education --- p.230 / Chapter 8.2.7 --- Promotion of teamwork approach among different professionals --- p.231 / Chapter 8.2.8 --- Cooperation among different professionals and special training for them --- p.231 / Chapter 8.2.9 --- Community support service and utilitarian support --- p.233 / Chapter (a) --- Financial assistance / Chapter (b) --- Special home help /family aid service / Chapter (c) --- Outreaching psychiatric service / Community nursing service / Chapter (d) --- Volunteer service / Chapter (e) --- Aftercare service team / Chapter (f) --- Social club for ex-mental patients / Chapter (g) --- Respite service / Chapter 8.2.10 --- Concluding remarks --- p.236 / APPENDIX A QUESTIONNAIRE (English Version) / APPENDIX B QUESTIONNAIRE (Chinese Version) / APPENDIX C TABLE31 / REFERENCES

by Willow Yuen-Shan Chan. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 98-108). / Text in English; abstract also in Chinese. / by Willow Yuen-Shan Chan. / Acknowledgment --- p.ii / Abstract --- p.iii / List of tables --- p.viii / List of figures --- p.ix / Chapter CHAPTER 1 --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Background and Problem of the Investigation --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Purpose of the Investigation --- p.2 / Chapter 1.3 --- Significance of the Investigation --- p.2 / Chapter CHAPTER 2 --- LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.4 / Chapter 2.1 --- Adolescent Stress --- p.4 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Various types of stress in adolescence --- p.4 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Adolescent Problems --- p.5 / Chapter 2.2 --- Adolescent Coping --- p.7 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Coping in the Anticipation Stage of Exam --- p.8 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Gender Differences in Coping --- p.9 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- The Relationship between Achievement and Coping --- p.10 / Chapter 2.2.4 --- Effectiveness of Coping on Adaptational Outcomes --- p.11 / Chapter 2.3 --- Personal and Situational Factors in Relation to Coping --- p.12 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Personal Factors in Relation to Coping --- p.13 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Situational Appraisals in Relation to Coping --- p.18 / Chapter 2.4 --- Multivariate Models of Coping --- p.21 / Chapter 2.5 --- The COPE Inventory --- p.21 / Chapter 2.6 --- Summary of Literature Review --- p.24 / Chapter CHAPTER 3: --- THE PRESENT INVESTIGATION --- p.27 / Chapter 3.1 --- The Present Investigation --- p.27 / Chapter 3.2 --- The rationale of investigation --- p.28 / Chapter CHAPTER 4 --- STUDY I: VALIDATION OF CONSTRUCTS --- p.29 / Chapter 4.1 --- The aim of study 1 --- p.29 / Chapter 4.2 --- Method --- p.30 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Subjects --- p.30 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Measures --- p.30 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Procedures --- p.34 / Chapter 4.3 --- Results --- p.34 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Descriptive and Psychometric Properties of Scales --- p.35 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Exam Stress and Coping in the Anticipation of Public Exam --- p.37 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Exploratory Factor Analysis --- p.38 / Chapter 4.3.4 --- Evaluation of Single Latent Construct Measurement Models --- p.41 / Chapter 4.3.5 --- Evaluation of Measurement Models --- p.45 / Chapter 4.4 --- DISCUSSION --- p.47 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- Exam Stress --- p.47 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Coping in the Anticipation of Public Exam --- p.47 / Chapter 4.4.3 --- Psychometric Characteristics of Constructs --- p.47 / Chapter 4.4.4 --- "Conceptual Differences of Family versus. Friend Support, and Internal versus External Outcome Controllability" --- p.48 / Chapter CHAPTER 5 --- STUDY II: MODELING AND GENDER AND SCHOOL BAND DIFFERENCES --- p.49 / Chapter 5.1 --- Framework of study II --- p.49 / Chapter 5.2 --- Three Hypothesized Coping Models --- p.49 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- The Additive Coping Model --- p.50 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- The Mediational Coping Model --- p.50 / Chapter 5.2.3 --- The Full Coping Model --- p.51 / Chapter 5.3 --- The Aim of Study II --- p.51 / Chapter 5.4 --- Method --- p.52 / Chapter 5.4.1 --- Subjects --- p.52 / Chapter 5.4.2 --- Procedures and Measures --- p.53 / Chapter 5.5 --- Results --- p.53 / Chapter 5.5.1 --- The Three Hypothesized Coping Models --- p.53 / Chapter 5.5.2 --- "Gender and School Band Differences in Coping, Support Resources, Situational Appraisals and Psychological Distress" --- p.62 / Chapter 5.5.3 --- Full Coping Model by Gender and by School Band --- p.65 / Chapter 5.6 --- Discussion --- p.73 / Chapter 5.6.1 --- The Transactional Model of Coping --- p.73 / Chapter 5.6.2 --- The Important Influences of Dispositional Traits and Situational Appraisals on Coping and Psychological Distress --- p.74 / Chapter 5.6.3 --- Gender and School Band Differences --- p.75 / Chapter CHAPTER 6 --- STUDY III: LONGITUDINAL STUDY --- p.79 / Chapter 6.1 --- Framework of Study III --- p.79 / Chapter 6.2 --- The Aim of Study III --- p.79 / Chapter 6.3 --- Method --- p.80 / Chapter 6.3.1 --- Subjects --- p.80 / Chapter 6.3.2 --- Procedures and Measures --- p.80 / Chapter 6.4 --- Results --- p.81 / Chapter 6.4.1 --- Casual Relations of Time 1 Coping Constructs and Other Constructs on Time2 Psychological Distress --- p.82 / Chapter 6.4.2 --- Casual Relations of Time 1 Psychological Distress and Other Constructs on Time 2 Coping Constructs --- p.84 / Chapter 6.5 --- Discussion --- p.90 / Chapter 6.5.1 --- Effectiveness of Coping --- p.90 / Chapter 6.5.2 --- Causal Directionality of Coping and Distress --- p.90 / Chapter CHAPTER 7: --- GENERAL DISCUSSION --- p.91 / Chapter 7.1 --- discussion --- p.92 / Chapter 7.1.1 --- Coping as Mediator --- p.92 / Chapter 7.1.2 --- Effectiveness of Active Problem-focused Coping --- p.92 / Chapter 7.1.3 --- Effects of Dispositional Traits --- p.93 / Chapter 7.1.4 --- "Differential Effects of Internal and External Outcome Beliefs, and Family and Friend Support Resources on Coping" --- p.94 / Chapter 7.1.5 --- The Predominant Effect of Causal Influence from Coping to Distress --- p.95 / Chapter 7.2 --- Implications for Intervention --- p.96 / Chapter 7.3 --- Limitations --- p.97 / REFERENCES --- p.98 / Appendix A Sample items of questionnaires for investigation / Appendix B Reliabilities of various scales in pilot study / "Appendix C Tables in Study I, II and III" / Appendix D Figures in Study III

Thesis (MA (Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / The primary objective of the current study was to determine the fear-coping mechanisms of a group of late adolescents regarding normal fears and their perceived efficacy of these mechanisms during recall of their early childhood and their perception of their current functioning. The secondary aim of this study was to determine any gender differences in terms of this group of late adolescents' fear-coping mechanisms regarding their early-childhood fears, that were retrospectively recalled by them, and also to determine gender differences in terms of their fear-coping mechanisms in response to their current fears. Within the South African context Loxton (2004) proposed the primary-secondary control model as a suitable model for describing the fear-coping mechanisms of young children (between the ages of 5 and 7 years). The primary-secondary control model is based on studies by Band and Weisz (1988) and Tremewan and Strongman (1991). This model was used as a framework for the current study in order to be able to do a comparative study of the current fear-coping mechanisms of late adolescents and their early-childhood fear-coping mechanisms reported retrospectively. A group of late adolescents enrolled as first-year students at a tertiary institution in the Western Cape, South Africa, were approached to participate voluntarily. The questionnaires were completed by 255 students between the ages of 17 and 27 years, with a mean age of 19.4years (SD=1.49). Of the 255 participants 52 were male and 203 female. The study was a combination of qualitative and quantitative research, which was mainly explorative in nature. The Free-Option-Method Questionnaire which forms part of a bigger research project, was the first questionnaire to be completed by the students. Based on the expression of fears, the focus was aimed at the coping of fears and the perceived efficacy thereof. In order to facilitate appropriate comparisons, the content of the responses as well as the number of responses were coded according to categories identified by Band and Weisz (1988), Loxton (2004) and Tremewan and Strongman (1991). Participants reported that the most efficacious coping mechanisms were also those most frequently used. In terms of the sustainability of fear-coping mechanisms, it seems as though direct problem solving and problem-focused avoidance were two of the three most frequently used as well as the most efficacious coping mechanisms, during both early childhood and late adolescence. No statistical significant differences were found with regard to gender during the retrospective recall of fear-coping mechanisms and the perceived efficacy of early-childhood coping mechanisms. Statistical significant differences were however found between gender groups with regard to fear-coping mechanisms during late adolescence. A recent study by Loxton (2004) relating to fear-coping mechanisms offered support for the majority of findings of the current study.

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

The proposed study examined the role of anxiety and risk-taking in driving performance in adolescents. In addition to examining the sample as a whole, gender differences were assessed given earlier reports from our laboratory and others indicating that males and females differ with respect to risky behaviors to driving performance and anxiety. Adolescents' subjective and physiological responses to a driving simulator task were assessed. Anxiety was measured via self report and salivary cortisol. Participants provided a baseline saliva sample and 3 post-task samples for cortisol analysis. Subjective anxiety scores were obtained at both baseline and following the driving stressor. Information concerning impulsivity, as well as other psychological constructs was also collected at baseline. Unlike the pilot study, there were no relationships (with or without respect to gender) between salivary cortisol and both self-reported anxiety (state and trait) or impulsively measures for this sample. These results suggest that this group of adolescents may not have been anxious about the driving task. This discrepancy may stem from error introduced by the smaller sample size obtained from the initial findings or to other factors remaining outside the parameters of the current study. The task did, however, induce a slight hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis response indicating some physiological arousal. Males had significantly higher cortisol levels at baseline than females and at time point 3 while approaching significance at time points 2 and 4. Females possessed significantly higher trait anxiety than males and all post task cortisol levels were positively correlated to age while time points 2 and 4 (with time point 3 approaching significance, p=0.09) were inversely correlated with Self Depreciation scores. Additionally, females had Persecutory Ideas scores that were also negatively correlated with cortisol at time points 3 and 4. For both the entire sample and males only, the correlation between post-task cortisol and driving performance was positive and approached significance (p=0.07 and p=0.08, respectively), suggesting that some HPA activation may be facilitative for successful driving task performance. Correlations between driving performance and psychological constructs were explored and discussed with and without respect to gender.

A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of Arts, University of the Witwatersrand;Johannesburg, in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts Clinical Psychology Johannesburg 1992 / The adverse effects of the current turbulent social and political situation in South Africa upon the mental health of socio-politically disadvantaged youth has emerged as a central area of concern amongst mental health professionals. The ability of the vast number of disadvantaged youths to cope with the stresses that confront them on a daily basis, has profound consequences for the South Africa of the future. the present study was prompted by the lack of any comprehensive and accessible intervention programme for children under stress in this country, as well as by the dearth of applied stress research into so-called "normal" Apartheid-related conditions.

Self-injury behavior is identified as the non-suicidal, deliberate infliction of a wound to oneself in an attempt to seek expression. Self-injury is becoming more prevalent in the adolescent population; however, many nursing professionals are unaware of this phenomenon and the implications it holds for nursing. Approximately 12 to 17 percent of adolescents deliberately injure themselves although accurate statistics are difficult to obtain due to the secret and private nature of the behavior. Nurses, especially those who care for adolescents, could benefit from an understanding of the implications of self-injury, the characteristics of adolescents who self-injure, the expressivity of the behavior, and the repetitive patterns of the emotions experienced by adolescents who self-injure. Six adolescent females were interviewed for this study. Their stories were shared in rich, descriptive narratives. Common themes emerged from the words of the participants and these themes described the essence of self-injury by cutting for adolescent females. The themes which emerged were living with childhood trauma, feeling abandoned, being an outsider, loathing self, silently screaming, releasing the pressure, feeling alive, being ashamed, and being hopeful for self and others. The general structure that emerged from a synthesis of the themes was that the experience of self-injury by cutting for adolescent females is one where they are struggling for well-being and hoping for more being by using their skin as a canvas upon which internal pain is expressed as tangible and real. / by Rhonda Goodman Lesniak. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2008. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2008. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

A sequential design characterized by a mixture of a cross-sectional and a nine-month follow-up longitudinal design was used to allow both between and within groups comparisons. Two schools using the "through-train mode" for school promotion were invited to participate in order to ensure that follow-up measures could be made. A total of 405 schoolchildren (213 boys, 192 girls) completed the study, with 144 in the G5-6 group (i.e., grade promotion from Grade 5 to Grade 6), 142 in the G6-7 group (i.e., school transition from Grade 6 to Grade 7), and 119 in the G7-8 group (i.e., grade promotion from Grade 7 to Grade 8). The creative thinking, stress levels, and conventionality in thinking of the participants were measured using three parallel forms of the Test for Creative Thinking-Drawing Production (TCT-DP), Stress Appraisal Measures (SAM), and the Conventionality Test at 3 time-points (i.e., before, during, and after promotion to a new school or higher grade). / In the fast-changing modern world, creativity has become increasingly important for dealing with complex problems and opportunities. Improving creativity is therefore important for both individuals and societies. Studying creativity development can help us to infer the contributing factors that may hinder or enhance creativity. Studies on creativity development during childhood and adolescence have suggested that a creativity slump is a special, but common, phenomenon. Yet it remains unclear why a creativity slump occurs at a specific age or at a specific time of development. The present dissertation provides a direct empirical comparison of two competing hypotheses on the creativity slump. The school transition stress hypothesis, drawn from the continuity or experience perspective of human development, suggests that a creativity slump is related to the stress associated with school transition, whereas the cognitive-developmental hypothesis, which takes the stage perspective of human development, suggests that the conventional thinking stage inhibits the expression of creativity and is hence conducive to a slump. The explanatory power of these two theoretical perspectives in relation to a creativity slump was tested by addressing the research question as to whether a creativity slump would still occur if school transition occurred at the cognitive stage that is beyond the conventional thinking stage (i.e., the postconventional thinking stage). The study explicitly compared the relative contribution of stress appraisal and conventionality in thinking to creativity development. / In the present study, it was found that a creativity slump still occurred when school transition took place during the postconventional thinking stage, lending support to the school transition stress hypothesis, but not to the cognitive-developmental hypothesis, regarding a creativity slump at school transition. We further clarified the specific roles of cognitive appraisals of stress in relation to creativity. Negative stress appraisals (i.e., appraising school life as threatening) were negatively predictive of creativity, whereas positive stress appraisals (i.e., appraising school life as challenging and controllable) were positively predictive of creativity. Regarding the role of level of conventionality in thinking in creativity, the results suggest that although postconventional thinking has a positive effect on creative thinking, its effect on creative thinking is significantly mediated by stress appraisals. The results also showed individual differences in experiencing a creativity slump. The statistic that only 44.4% of the students in the school transition group experienced a slump lends support to the idea that a creativity slump is neither overwhelming nor unavoidable. In accounting for these individual differences, stress appraisal variables were found to be the significant predictors when both the stress appraisal and conventionality in thinking variables were included in the logistic regression equation to predict the occurrence of a slump. / The present dissertation contributes to the current literature by offering empirical evidence to address the explanatory power of the cognitive-relational theory of stress and the cognitive-developmental perspective in relation to the existence of a creativity slump. The findings suggest that the major factors that are detrimental to creative thinking at school transition are negative appraisals and lack of positive appraisals on school life (i.e., viewing school life as more threatening, less challenging, and less controllable). These findings are helpful for understanding the critical factors that either facilitate or hinder the development of creativity in schoolchildren, which, in turn, could shed further light on effective creativity education. / He Wu, Jing. / Adviser: Wan Chi Wong. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 73-03, Section: B, page: . / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 125-138). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [201-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese; form A-C, appendix III in Chinese.