The purpose of this study was to better understand sexual development during the transition to adulthood. Previous research was extended by testing models that examined direct effects of romantic attachment and social support on emerging adults’ sexual outcomes, as well as models that examined the mediating role of sexual motivations in those associations. Undergraduate students (n = 290, 66% female) completed questionnaires that assessed romantic attachment, social support, sexual motives, risky sexual behaviors, and health-promoting sexual beliefs. Results indicated romantic attachment strongly predicted sexual functioning, such that higher levels of attachment insecurity were associated with fewer health-promoting sexual beliefs and more risky sexual behaviors. Attachment anxiety was most closely associated with sexual outcomes for females, while attachment avoidance was a stronger predictor of sexual outcomes for males. Furthermore, coping but not intimacy motivations were found to partially mediate the link between attachment anxiety and health-promoting sexual beliefs for females. Although overall relationships between social support and sexual outcomes were not significant as hypothesized, links between specific support sources and sexual outcomes emerged during further analysis. Conclusions underscore the usefulness of attachment theory as a framework for understanding sexual behavior and provide further support for the importance of considering gender differences when examining the interplay between the attachment and sexual systems. Practical implications for sexual health prevention and intervention efforts are discussed.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a complicated psychiatric disorder that is typically first diagnosed in childhood and associated with negative outcomes in adulthood such as poor academic performance and difficulties with social relationships. ADHD can be difficult to accurately diagnose in adulthood, given the absence of clear, agreed upon ADHD symptomology in adults. In the current study, two raters used psychometrically sound instruments and diagnostically valid assessment techniques on an archival dataset to create three distinct groups: ADHD [2/3 with other mental health diagnosis (OMH)], OMH only, and no diagnosis. Findings support the value of comprehensive assessment, combined with a thorough evaluation of the material by a trained clinician, for the accurate diagnosis of ADHD for research purposes. Comparisons were made across groups to infer that college students with ADHD have lower grade point averages and academic self-concept than students without mental health diagnoses. Yet, contrary to much of the current literature, college students with ADHD seem to create as strong, deep, supportive and harmonious relationships with loved ones and close friends as their non-diagnosed peers. Clinicians working with college students with ADHD may use the results of the current study to better inform conceptualization, better recognize the innate resilience college students with ADHD likely have, and inform treatment interventions.

Cui, Jiaying. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2013. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 410-426). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese.

Social networking sites and virtual spaces have flourished in the past few years. The author explores the impact of such social networking services on the local community at a small liberal arts college. The author investigates modern trends in community theory. Defining community has become more difficult in modern society, where community is no longer easily distinguished by geographical boundaries. From the background of modern community theory the author explores the designation of virtual spaces as “virtual communities.” Literature and research about virtual spaces indicates that they can provide many of the values thought be to inherent to community membership. The strong localized community on campus makes students hesitant in calling Facebook a “virtual community,” despite its strong integration with the face-to-face community itself. Facebook is seen as simply a tool. This thesis incorporates research on one specific case study: through mathematical and ethnographic research of Facebook.com, the author evaluates the opinions of students in considering virtual spaces as communities.

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Social Work and Social Administration / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Social networking sites and virtual spaces have flourished in the past few years. The author explores the impact of such social networking services on the local community at a small liberal arts college. The author investigates modern trends in community theory. Defining community has become more difficult in modern society, where community is no longer easily distinguished by geographical boundaries. From the background of modern community theory the author explores the designation of virtual spaces as “virtual communities.” Literature and research about virtual spaces indicates that they can provide many of the values thought be to inherent to community membership. The strong localized community on campus makes students hesitant in calling Facebook a “virtual community,” despite its strong integration with the face-to-face community itself. Facebook is seen as simply a tool. This thesis incorporates research on one specific case study: through mathematical and ethnographic research of Facebook.com, the author evaluates the opinions of students in considering virtual spaces as communities.

Doctorat en sciences psychologiques / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

This study applied the impression management theory in the context of social networking to investigate the generalized research question of this dissertation which is "Do active social media presence and various privacy concerns influence online behaviors of students on social media?" The results and conclusions are presented via the conduct of three different studies and the summary provides insights and explain the overall contribution of the research. For each study we developed a research model for which data was collected separately for each of these models. Hypotheses of each model were tested by partial least squares- structural equation modeling techniques using SmartPLS 2.0. Our findings confirm the hypotheses and showed that all the predictors positively influence online social networking behaviors. Active social media presence is operationalized as predictors such as SNS stalking awareness, Selective disclosure, desired differential persona, impression motivation, and information trustworthiness. Privacy concerns have been operationalized as SNS privacy awareness, technology awareness. Online behaviors have been operationalized as responsible image and reckless image.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this dissertation I report on an action research study in relation to the democratisation of science education in a Grade 10 life sciences classroom at a local high school through the application of educational technology, more specifically social network media such as Facebook. I argue that action research for social justice with the support of educational technology can contribute towards cultivating critical teaching and learning in the science classroom, thus contributing to the democratisation of science education in schools. In the main, this study shows that educational technology can contribute to the democratisation of science education in classrooms in relation to teaching contentious issues in the current life sciences school curriculum on three levels: firstly, learners and educators can experience enhanced levels of participation, collaboration and deliberation through Facebook; secondly, learners can construct personal learning contexts as a testament to the sense of autonomy they have (and can acquire) in learning about life sciences, particularly as they endeavour to nurture their critical and problem-solving skills, construct and apply life sciences knowledge, and integrate understandings of life sciences into the context of societal change; and thirdly, learners and educators can cultivate equal partnerships in the sense that equality refers to their insistence to „rupture‟ and „disrupt‟ pedagogical activities in the life sciences classroom. Finally, this study also reveals that critical teaching and learning in the life sciences classroom cannot be oblivious to poststructuralist thought on learning to think and act rhizomatically as opposed to hierarchically and linearly, and that exercising one‟s individual autonomy through a claim to intellectual equality can simply be pedagogical ingredients that can further enhance democratic science education in schools. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie proefskrif doen ek verslag oor ‟n aksienavorsingstudie in verband met die demokratisering van wetenskaponderwys in ‟n Graad 10 lewenswetenskappe- klaskamer in ‟n plaaslike skool deur die toepassing van onderwystegnologie, meer spesifiek sosiale netwerkmedia soos Facebook. Ek argumenteer dat aksienavorsing vir sosiale geregtigheid met die ondersteuning van onderwystegnologie kan bydra tot die kultivering van kritiese onderrig en leer in die wetenskapklaskamer, wat dus bydra tot die demokratisering van wetenskaponderwys in skole. Hierdie studie bewys hoofsaaklik dat onderwystegnologie op drie vlakke kan bydra tot die demokratisering van wetenskaponderwys in klaskamers met verwysing na omstrede vraagstukke in die huidige lewenswetenskappe-skoolkurrikulum: eerstens kan leerders en opvoeders hoë vlakke van deelname, samewerking en beraadslaging deur Facebook ervaar; tweedens kan leerders persoonlike leerkontekste konstrueer as bevestiging van hulle sin van outonomiteit wat hulle bekom (en kan aanleer) deur leer oor die lewenswetenskappe, veral soos hulle poog om kritiese en probleemoplossingsvaardighede uit te bou, wetenskapskennis te konstrueer en toe te pas, en betekenisse van lewenswetenskappe in die konteks van sosiale verandering kan integreer; en derdens kan leerders en opvoeders gelyke verhoudings kweek in soverre gelykheid verwys na hulle aandrang daarop om pedagogiese aktiwiteite in die lewenswetenskappe-klaskamer te „verbreek‟ en te „ontwrig‟. Ten slotte wys hierdie studie dat kritiese onderrig en leer in die lewenswetenskappe-klaskamer nie onbewus kan wees van poststrukturalistiese denke oor die aanleer van risomatiese eerder as hiërargiese en liniêre denke en optrede nie, en dat die uitleef van individuele outonomie deur aanspraak te maak op intellektuele gelykheid die pedagogiese inspuiting kan wees wat benodig word om demokratiese wetenskaponderwys verder in skole te bevorder.

Thesis (MEdPsych)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Cochlear implantation is a surgical procedure, where an electronic device is implanted into the inner ear to give people, with severe to profound hearing loss, access to sound and the spoken word. In spite of a wealth of international research, local studies on cochlear implants, and more specifically research concerning the experience of adolescents with the device, are limited. Adolescence, as a development stage, is also a very difficult phase, which is marked as a crisis period in the developement process towards maturity, as well as a continued selfconsciousness and worry about how others perceive them. It may therefore be deduced that the use of the cochlear implants could cause this to be an intense experience during this developmental phase and that served as motivation to conduct my research specifically on adolescents. This generic qualitative study had a dual purpose: Firstly it endeavoured, through explorative and descriptive research, to determine the experience of adolescents with cochlear implants in school and also in other social circumstances. That sparked off a better understanding and insight, concerning the experience of adolescents with these devices. Secondly, the purpose of this study was to enquire into and describe the experience of adolescents with their support systems. This in turn lead to the identification of support systems, but also the lack of such systems in the personal-, social- and learning environment. An interpretative qualitative study was designed to explain the experience of adolescents with cochlear implants. The Bronfenbrenner Bioecological Model of human development was used as framework to discuss the complex experience of adolescents with cochlear implants. The Asset based approach, as well as Outcomes of well-being founded on the principles of Positive Psychology, was also used as theoretical and conceptual framework to explain existing assets, support systems and management strategies. Four adolescents with cochlear implants and their parents took part in the the study. In-depth data was generated through alternative methods of interviewing, which were adjusted according to the unique requirements of each participant as well as the level of their loss of hearing. Interactive activities, that targeted the interest of participants, were adapted to their language ability and visually interactive were also used. Interviews were constantly supported by thorough field notes. Raw data was then transcribed and processed by using the constant comparative method. The themes, that were constructed from these, seem to indicate that the experieces of these adolescents are unique and are influenced by several intrapersonal and external factors. The exploration of these factors revealed the following: • Adolescents with cochlear implants sometimes experience social exclusion at school as well as amongst their friends. • Various obstacles lead up to social exclusion: Firstly, adolescents with cochlear implants are not able to follow group conversations and background interference further hampers their limited hearing. Secondly, they experience a lack of effort from their peers and teachers to include them in conversations, because the latter have a wrong perception that cochlear implants restore deaf people's hearing 100%. • Participants often experience powerlessness concerning their deafness and are selfconscious due to the visibility of the cochlear implant. • Scholastic advancement is further hampered by the ignorence of teachers, concerning the needs of learners with cochlear implants, and also due to language impairments caused by their deafness. • Personal strengths, like a positive outlook, assertiveness and perseverance, along with coping strategies, like extreme effort and mediation by parents at school, for their adolescents with cochlear implants, improve the resilience of this group to handle the above mentioned obstacles. • Other children with cochlear implants, the families of participants and school are considered to be the primary support systems. Suggestions, concerning the development and improvement of the support systems of adolescents with cochlear implants, were made on the basis of the data results. Due to the limited range of this study, further research suggestions have been made, that are supported by the knowledge gained in this study about the experience of adolescents with cochlear implants. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kogleêre inplantering is 'n chirurgiese metode, waar 'n elektroniese toestel in die binneoor inplanteer word om mense met erge tot uitermatige gehoorverlies, toegang tot klanke en gesproke taal te gee. Ten spyte van 'n rykdom internasionale navorsing, is nasionale studies oor kogleêre inplantings, en meer spesifiek rakende adolessente se ervaring daarmee, beperk. Adolessensie, as ontwikkelingstadium, is ook 'n moeilike fase wat gekenmerk word as 'n krisistydperk in die ontwikkelingsproses tot volwassenheid, asook volgehoue selfbewussyn en kommer oor hoe ander hul ervaar. Die afleiding is dus dat die gebruik van kogleêre inplantings tydens hierdie ontwikkelingsfase, aanleiding kan gee tot 'n intense belewing daarvan en het dit daarom ook as motivering gedien om my ondersoek spesifiek op adolessente te rig. Die doel van hierdie generies kwalitatiewe studie was tweeledig: Eerstens het dit gepoog om, deur verkennende en beskrywende navorsing, die ervaring van vier adolessente met kogleêre inplantings in die skool, en ander sosiale hoedanighede, te bepaal. Dít het aanleiding gegee tot 'n ruimer begrip en insig aangaande adolessente se belewing met hierdie apparate. Tweedens het die studie ten doel gehad om die adolessente se belewing van hul ondersteuningsisteme te ondersoek en te beskryf. Dit het voorts gelei tot die identifisering van ondersteuningsisteme, maar ook die leemtes daarvan in hul persoonlike-, sosiale- en leeromgewing. 'n Interpretivistiese, kwalitatiewe studie is ontwerp om die ervarings van adolessente met kogleêre inplantings te verduidelik. Bronfenbrenner se Bioekologiese Model van menslike ontwikkeling is as raamwerk gebruik om die kompleksiteit van adolessente met kogleêre inplantings se ervaring te bespreek. Die Bategebaseerde benadering, sowel as Uitkomste van welwees ("well-being") wat berus op die beginsels van die Positiewe Sielkunde, is verder as teoretiese en konseptuele raamwerk gebruik om bestaande bates, ondersteuningsisteme en hanteringstrategieë te verduidelik. Vier adolessente met kogleêre inplantings en hul ouers het aan die studie deelgeneem. Data is genereer deur alternatiewe metodes van onderhoudsvoering, wat aangepas is volgens elke deelnemer se unieke behoeftes en verskillende grade van gehoorverlies. Daar is ook gebruik gemaak van interaktiewe aktiwiteite, wat op deelnemers se belangstellings gerig was, volgens hul taalbekwaamheid aangepas is en ook visueel ondersteunend was. Onderhoude is deurlopend met deeglike veldnotas ondersteun. Rou data is getranskribeer en deur middel van die konstante vergelykende metode verwerk. Die temas, wat hieruit gekonstrueer is, dui daarop dat hierdie adolessente se ervarings uniek blyk te wees en deur verskeie intrapersoonlike en eksterne faktore beïnvloed word. Die verkenning van hierdie faktore het die volgende aan die lig gebring: • Adolessente met kogleêre inplantings beleef soms sosiale uitsluiting in die skool, asook tussen hul vriende. • Verskeie hindernisse gee aanleiding tot sosiale uitsluiting: Eerstens kan adolessente met kogleêre inplantings nie gesprekke in groepe volg nie en word hul gehoor verder deur agtergrondgeraas belemmer. Tweedens is hul belewing dat hul vriende en onderwysers nie aanpassings maak om hul by gesprekke te betrek nie, omdat hulle oor 'n wanpersepsie beskik dat kogleêre inplantings mense wat doof is se gehoor 100% herstel. • Deelnemers beleef dikwels magteloosheid oor hul doofheid en is selfbewus oor die sigbaarheid van die kogleêre inplanting. • Skolastiese vordering word belemmer deur onderwysers se onkunde aangaande die behoeftes van leerders met kogleêre inplantings, maar ook as gevolg van taalagterstande, wat deur hul doofheid veroorsaak word. • Persoonlike sterktes, soos 'n positiewe lewensingesteldheid, beslistheid en deursettingsvermoë, asook hanteringstrategieë, soos uiterse harde werk en voorspraak, wat ouers vir hul adolessente met kogleêre inplantings by die skool maak, bevorder veerkragtigheid ("resilience") by hierdie groep adolessente om bogenoemde hindernisse te hanteer. • Ander kinders met kogleêre inplantings, adolessente deelnemers se gesinne en ook die skool word as primêre ondersteuningsisteme beskou. Aanbevelings rakende die verbetering van adolessente met kogleêre inplantings se ondersteuningsisteme is op grond van die bevindinge uit die data gemaak. Vanweë die beperkte omvang van hierdie studie is daar ook, na aanleiding van verworwe kennis aangaande die ervarings van adolessente met kogleêre inplantings, verdere navorsingsvoorstelle gemaak.