Providing care for a frail older adult who is suffering from dementia has been described as a stressful experience that may erode psychological well-being and physical health of caregivers. The present study investigated the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), among older family caregivers of persons with neurocognitive disorders, compared with an intervention based on progressive muscle relaxation (PMR). Participants were randomly assigned to either MBSR or PMR (n = 28). The MBSR group showed significantly greater reductions in self-reported levels of depression and isolation from pre- to post-intervention, and those changes remained significant at 8 weeks post-intervention. Both groups showed similar decreases in levels of perceived stress, cortisol awakening response, daily average cortisol, and in resting systolic blood pressure from pre- to post-intervention. Results suggest that MBSR and relaxation-based interventions may both be effective for caregivers, however, further research, employing waitlist control participants will be necessary for unambiguous interpretation of the present results.

Restoration landscape theories propound the observation that landscape mitigates human emotion, mental functioning, and behaviour. Those environments that positively affect these spheres are called "restorative". In recent years, many attempts have been made to quantify restorative landscapes, so that landscape architects and others can replicate them in the manipulated environment. An understanding of how certain combinations of landscape attributes affect humans is important in knowing the ramifications of certain designs. A major finding in recent years is that preferred landscapes—or those high in scenic beauty—are generally more restorative than less-attractive environments. One realm of the environment not dealt with, however, is the sacred landscape. One reason for this is the relative difficulty in narrowing down the term “sacred” to something measurable. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the nature of sacred landscapes, and then to test sacred landscapes against preferred landscapes to measure their restorative potential. This testing involved subjecting participants to a psychological stressor, and then exposing them to slides rated highly in either sacredness or preference. A control group was also tested, but viewed a blank screen rather than images. Implications of this research impact both researchers and practitioners in the fields of landscape architecture, environmental psychology, public land management, and visual resource management. This study found that sacred landscapes are very restorative, although not quite as restorative as environments that rate highly in scenic beauty. This confirms previous research efforts, and opens the study of restorative environments to other landscape typologies as well.

Nature positively affects the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing of all people. In the natural environment, fresh air, daylight, organic materials and plant life exist in harmony. When we come into contact with this harmony, it provides a calming effect and have a direct positive impact on people undergoing cancer treatment, as well as patients’ families and friends, and the doctors, nurses and caregivers whose job it is to care for them. This thesis explores specific architectural interventions to an existing hospital that would provide a complementary healing environment to increase health and reduce stress. Using the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton as a project site, this design shows how we might provide therapeutic spaces and gardens to promote holistic healing of the mind, body and spirit.

Previous research has reported positive associations between anger, perceived stress and blood pressure. These associations have largely been based on cross-sectional data and a small number of longitudinal works. Using a prospective longitudinal cohort design, this study more directly tested the relationships between anger, perceived stress and blood pressure by using a psychological therapeutic intervention (mindfulness-based stress reduction) to manipulate anger and perceived stress. Anger and perceived stress were in turn evaluated for association with blood pressure. Despite improvements in psychosocial functioning and reductions in blood pressure, findings from this study failed to demonstrate an association between change in anger or perceived stress with change in daytime or 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure. A model where these variables interact indirectly via stress coping mechanisms or health behaviours may be the linking mechanism in this study. Results from this thesis have contributed evidence to a divided field dominated by cross-sectional research.

Previous research has reported positive associations between anger, perceived stress and blood pressure. These associations have largely been based on cross-sectional data and a small number of longitudinal works. Using a prospective longitudinal cohort design, this study more directly tested the relationships between anger, perceived stress and blood pressure by using a psychological therapeutic intervention (mindfulness-based stress reduction) to manipulate anger and perceived stress. Anger and perceived stress were in turn evaluated for association with blood pressure. Despite improvements in psychosocial functioning and reductions in blood pressure, findings from this study failed to demonstrate an association between change in anger or perceived stress with change in daytime or 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure. A model where these variables interact indirectly via stress coping mechanisms or health behaviours may be the linking mechanism in this study. Results from this thesis have contributed evidence to a divided field dominated by cross-sectional research.

Restoration landscape theories propound the observation that landscape mitigates human emotion, mental functioning, and behaviour. Those environments that positively affect these spheres are called "restorative". In recent years, many attempts have been made to quantify restorative landscapes, so that landscape architects and others can replicate them in the manipulated environment. An understanding of how certain combinations of landscape attributes affect humans is important in knowing the ramifications of certain designs. A major finding in recent years is that preferred landscapes—or those high in scenic beauty—are generally more restorative than less-attractive environments. One realm of the environment not dealt with, however, is the sacred landscape. One reason for this is the relative difficulty in narrowing down the term “sacred” to something measurable. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the nature of sacred landscapes, and then to test sacred landscapes against preferred landscapes to measure their restorative potential. This testing involved subjecting participants to a psychological stressor, and then exposing them to slides rated highly in either sacredness or preference. A control group was also tested, but viewed a blank screen rather than images. Implications of this research impact both researchers and practitioners in the fields of landscape architecture, environmental psychology, public land management, and visual resource management. This study found that sacred landscapes are very restorative, although not quite as restorative as environments that rate highly in scenic beauty. This confirms previous research efforts, and opens the study of restorative environments to other landscape typologies as well.

Bakgrund Sjuksköterskor är utsatta för stress då de i yrket möter stressorer som ingår i arbetets natur. Mindfulness minskar stress utan farmakologiska läkemedel, och det finns flera interventionsmetoder som kan anpassas efter var grupps unika behov. Sjukvården behöver hitta metoder för att stärka sjuksköterskornas hälsa, då forskning visar att stressade sjuksköterskor utför vård av lägre säkerhet och kvalitet än sjuksköterskor med låg stressnivå. Dessutom orsakar de negativa konsekvenserna av stress stort lidande för sjuksköterskan och höga kostnader på individ-, arbetsgivar-, och samhällsnivå. Syfte  Syftet var att undersöka hur mindfulness påverkar sjuksköterskor med stressymptom. Metod Induktiv litteraturöversikt i vilken artiklar med kvantitativ metodik sammanställdes. Artiklar söktes i databaserna Cinahl och PsychArticles, analyserades enligt Fribergs femstegsmodell och sammanställdes i en tabell.  Resultat Artiklarna visade att mindfulness har statistiskt signifikant effekt oavsett interventionsmetod, om sjuksköterskorna får vägledning. Oönskade stressymptom minskade, och sjuksköterskornas KASAM ökade genom att symptom som ökar en individs förmåga att uppleva begriplighet, hanterbarhet och meningsfullhet ökade. Slutsats Mindfulness ökar KASAM och flera parametrar av hälsa hos sjuksköterskor med stressymptom, och kan hjälpa sjuksköterskor att hantera stressorer som är svåra eller omöjliga att eliminera i deras yrke. / Background Nurses are under stress since, in their occupation, they deal with stressors which are parts of the workcontent. Mindfulness decreases stress without pharmacological drugs and there are several methods to practice mindfulness in, which may be adapted to the unique needs of each group. The healthcare need to find methods to strengthen the health of nurses, since research show nurses under stress perform care of lower safety and quality to the patients, than those unstressed. Besides, the negative consequences of stress cause great suffering for the nurse, and high costs at individual, employer and societal level.  Aim The aim was to examine how mindfulness affects nurses with stress symptoms.  Method An inductive literature review in which articles of quantitative design were compiled. Articles were searched for in the databases of Cinahl and PsychArticles, analyzed according to the Fivesteps-modell of Fribergs and compiled into a chart.   Results  The articles showed mindfulness has statistically significant effect regardless of method, if the nurses obtain guidance. Unwanted stress symptoms decreased, and the nurses´ KASAM increased by the increase of symptoms strengthening an individual´s ability to experience comprehensibility, manageability and meaningfulness.  Conclusion Mindfulness increases KASAM and several parameters of health for nurses suffering from stress sympthoms, and may help nurses to handle stressors which are difficult or impossible to eliminate in their occupation.

Este trabalho apresenta resultados de ensaios laboratoriais e de análises paramétricas, realizadas através do método dos elementos finitos, para a avaliação do comportamento do geocomposto MacDrain 2S quando utilizado como elemento compressível na técnica da trincheira induzida para redução de tensões sobre estruturas enterradas. Mostra-se que este geocomposto fabricado pela Maccaferri América Latina, que tradicionalmente é aplicado em obras de drenagem, apresentou ótimo desempenho para o fim proposto, proporcionando redução de tensões sobre o conduto de até 85,5%. Mostra-se ainda que a utilização de uma camada de geotêxtil sobre o elemento compressível não implica em grandes benefícios de desempenho, o que torna sua utilização descartável. Os resultados experimentais, refinados através das análises numéricas, mostraram que a camada indutora deve ser posicionada o mais próximo possível do conduto, sendo que o número de camadas da inclusão pouco influencia na eficiência do sistema. Valores adequados de larguras das inclusões devem se situar numa faixa entre 2 e 2,5 vezes a distância entre a inclusão e o topo do conduto / This work presents results of laboratory tests and parametric analyses using the finite element method to evaluate the behavior of the MacDrain 2S geocomposite when used as compressible layer of the induced trench method to reduce vertical earth stress on buried structures. The analyses showed that this geocomposite, manufactured by Maccaferri América Latina, that traditionally is applied in drainage works, presented excellent behavior, providing stress reduction up to 85,5%. The results showed that the use of a geotextile layer located over the compressible element did not show a performance, what turns it dispensable. The experimental results, confirmed by the numeric analyses, showed that the compressible layer must be located as near as possible to the culvert crown, and the number of inclusion did not play important role on the system performance. Appropriate values of inclusion width must be situated between 2 and 2,5 times the distance between the geocomposite and the top of the conduit

Previous research has revealed that green spaces provide numerous benefits to human beings. One such benefit is the proven ability of green spaces to restore individuals’ attention capacities. However, there exists very little literature that examines these benefits in the context of tertiary education campuses. University campuses are hubs where full-time students spend many hours daily during the course of their studies and are therefore exposed to the benefits of the landscaping on their campuses. This study therefore aimed to determine the manner in which students at the University of Pretoria perceive the on-campus green spaces, specifically in terms of the restorative properties of these areas. Quantitative data collection strategies were utilised, yielding a final sample size of 286 participants. A survey was employed as the research design, and included both closed and open-ended questions. Results indicated a generally positive perception of the green spaces on campus. Students tend to enjoy spending time in green spaces and find all green spaces that were addressed restorative. The Manie van der Schijff Botanical Garden was rated as the most restorative green space on campus. Future research includes exploring the link between attention restoration and academic achievement of students in order to better understand the role green spaces play in this regard. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / lk2014 / Psychology / MA / Unrestricted

Providing care for a frail older adult who is suffering from dementia has been described as a stressful experience that may erode psychological well-being and physical health of caregivers. The burden and stress is increased when the caregivers are themselves elderly. The present study investigated an 8-week stress-reduction program, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), and compared it to a similarly structured, alternative behavioral intervention, Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR), to determine if MBSR was as effective or more effective than PMR at reducing subjective burden, symptoms of depression, perceived loneliness or perceived stress among middle-aged and older family caregivers of persons with dementia and other neurocognitive disorders. Twenty-eight participants were randomly assigned to either MBSR or PMR. Self-report and biological measures were collected on five occasions: At the beginning and end of intervention training, and at 8 weeks, 6 months and 1 year following the end of intervention training. In addition to a packet of self-report questionnaires and home-collected salivary cortisol, a laboratory controlled emotional stress test was designed to elicit an emotionally stressful response relevant to caregivers’ experience of caregiving, and facilitate the measurement of stress-related changes in systolic blood pressure and cortisol reactivity. At 1 year post-intervention, the PMR group showed a significantly greater reduction in perceived stress and disruptive patient behaviors. A reduction in emotional reactivity to patient problem behaviors approached significance (p = .08) at 1 year post-intervention for the PMR group. The MBSR group showed significantly greater reductions in self-reported symptoms of depression and perceived isolation from pre- to post-intervention, and those changes remained significant at 8 weeks post-intervention. However, by 1 year post-intervention, interaction effects were non-significant as both groups showed similar decreases in symptoms of depression and perceived isolation. Both groups showed similar decreases in diurnal cortisol, cortisol awakening response, and daily average cortisol (but not laboratory cortisol) from pre- to post-intervention and further decreases at 8 weeks post-intervention, and showed similar reductions in magnitude of change by 1 year post-intervention. This pattern was similar for both groups with systolic blood pressure, showing decreases from pre- to post-intervention, additional decreases at 8 weeks post-intervention, and returning towards baseline by 1 year post-intervention. Both groups also reported similar increases in levels of dispositional mindfulness and self-compassion and similar improvement in overall sleep quality that was sustained at 1 year post-intervention. No changes were seen for perceived burden or loneliness. Significant correlations with amount of daily practice of the instructed stress-reduction approaches were observed for several of the dependent measures from pre- to post-intervention and 8 weeks post-intervention. From pre-intervention to 1 year post-intervention, an overall pattern emerged, where both groups showed similar improvements from pre- to post-intervention, and additional improvements at 8 weeks post-intervention, but displayed a curvilinear reduction in improvements—with some exceptions—and a return towards baseline at 6 months and 1 year post-intervention. In general, reductions in the magnitude of changes observed by 1 year post-intervention remained below baseline levels. Results suggest that both MBSR and relaxation-based interventions may be differentially effective in reducing psychological and physiological indices of chronic stress among older caregivers of relatives with neurocognitive disorders. However, further research, employing wait-list control participants, will be necessary for unambiguous interpretation of the present results.