En del personer med övervikt vill gå ner i vikt, men det kan vara svårt att lyckas. Studiens syfte var att ta reda på deltagares upplevelse av sin viktminskning på Itrim. En kvalitativ studie med 9 personer, varav 7 kvinnor som deltagit i Itrims viktminskningsprogram intervjuades och datamaterialet analyserades genom meningskoncentrering. Enligt motivationsteorin Self-Determination Theory (SDT) så ökar sannolikheten för att beteendeförändringar blir bestående om de är autonoma och motivationen intern. Resultatet visade att deltagarna upplevde sin viktminskning som positiv och att Itrims koncept fungerar bra. Deltagarna motiverades genom olika uppsatta mål, använde sig av olika strategier och upplevde ett bra stöd. Genom att gå på ett viktminskningsprogram känner personerna en stark samhörighet och ser sig själva som en del av en helhet. De känner sig inte ensamma i sin situation. Svårast är beteendeförändringen då den tar tid och kräver energi, men till hjälp använder deltagarna egna personliga strategier.

Participants in extreme sports have usually been studied from a risk perspective. The present study seeks to move away from this preconception and aims to study the emotional subjective experience. A qualitative methodology with phenomenological-hermeneutic design was used taking as a tool conversational systems. The informants were 8 extreme athletes belonging to the same group. Extreme sports included were: Mountain climbing, rappelling, bungee jumping, and mountaineering. The results indicate that fear is a generator of freedom, it can be useful, it is rewarding and it is also a promoter of personal transformations. This research gives theoretical value to the reason for involvement in extreme sports.

In previous work, we presented evidence suggesting that ordinary people do not conceive of subjective experiences as having phenomenal qualities. We then argued that these findings undermine a common justification given for the reality of the hard problem of consciousness. In a thought-provoking article, Talbot has challenged our argument. In this article, we respond to his criticism.

For many years the focus of research on child well-being and development has been primarily on the dynamics of the mother-child relationship. The mother was seen as the more influential parent as she spends more time with the children. The father’s role in the development process was thus undermined. Fortunately research on the father’s involvement in a child’s life has improved over the past thirty years. Where previously fathers were mostly perceived as the breadwinners and providers they are now also considered as being caregivers who are more closely involved with their children and the accompanying responsibilities. Research indicates the importance of a father’s role in child development and has found that the intellectual, emotional and social development of a child is influenced by the father. The most beneficial circumstances for children to grow up in is where both of the biological parents are part of the household, satisfied with their marital relationship and loving towards their children. Unfortunately there is a significant increase in South African families where the father is absent and where the mother is burdened with additional responsibilities. However, a father can be emotionally absent despite physical proximity and emotionally absent fathers can be included when describing fatherlessness due to the destructive effect it has on children. Some research indicates that a father is the most significant factor in his daughter’s life and the quality of their relationship influences her personality and general well-being in life. Most literature focusing on the paternal parenting role is more focused on the father-son dyad, the least studied parent-adult child dyad is that of adult daughters and fathers. A great number of research studies on the subjects of divorce, single parents, physically absent fathers and the resulting effects on males are available. Much less literature, especially in the South African context, can be found to focus on and explain the experiences of young adult women who grew up with an emotionally absent father. The aim of the study was thus to explore the subjective experiences of young adult women who grew up with an emotionally absent father. A qualitative research method was used with a phenomenological approach as research design. Eleven voluntary, 20-31 year old adult women, participated in the study and were recruited by word of mouth. Data were collected through in-depth interviews that were audio taped and transcribed verbatim. Transcribed data were analysed by means of thematic analysis from which themes and sub-themes were derived. Two main themes with sub-themes were identified. It was found that the participants experienced their fathers as emotionally absent because it was difficult to share their emotions with them, the participants' fathers did not show affection or express their love. They showed no interest, approval or acknowledgement and the participants found it difficult to trust their fathers. According to the participants their relationships with other men were influenced because of this. They further struggled with trusting other people and suffered from a low self-esteem. Due to repressed emotions they did not portray their true self and sought their fathers’ approval by doing things he liked. / MA (Clinical Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

For many years the focus of research on child well-being and development has been primarily on the dynamics of the mother-child relationship. The mother was seen as the more influential parent as she spends more time with the children. The father’s role in the development process was thus undermined. Fortunately research on the father’s involvement in a child’s life has improved over the past thirty years. Where previously fathers were mostly perceived as the breadwinners and providers they are now also considered as being caregivers who are more closely involved with their children and the accompanying responsibilities. Research indicates the importance of a father’s role in child development and has found that the intellectual, emotional and social development of a child is influenced by the father. The most beneficial circumstances for children to grow up in is where both of the biological parents are part of the household, satisfied with their marital relationship and loving towards their children. Unfortunately there is a significant increase in South African families where the father is absent and where the mother is burdened with additional responsibilities. However, a father can be emotionally absent despite physical proximity and emotionally absent fathers can be included when describing fatherlessness due to the destructive effect it has on children. Some research indicates that a father is the most significant factor in his daughter’s life and the quality of their relationship influences her personality and general well-being in life. Most literature focusing on the paternal parenting role is more focused on the father-son dyad, the least studied parent-adult child dyad is that of adult daughters and fathers. A great number of research studies on the subjects of divorce, single parents, physically absent fathers and the resulting effects on males are available. Much less literature, especially in the South African context, can be found to focus on and explain the experiences of young adult women who grew up with an emotionally absent father. The aim of the study was thus to explore the subjective experiences of young adult women who grew up with an emotionally absent father. A qualitative research method was used with a phenomenological approach as research design. Eleven voluntary, 20-31 year old adult women, participated in the study and were recruited by word of mouth. Data were collected through in-depth interviews that were audio taped and transcribed verbatim. Transcribed data were analysed by means of thematic analysis from which themes and sub-themes were derived. Two main themes with sub-themes were identified. It was found that the participants experienced their fathers as emotionally absent because it was difficult to share their emotions with them, the participants' fathers did not show affection or express their love. They showed no interest, approval or acknowledgement and the participants found it difficult to trust their fathers. According to the participants their relationships with other men were influenced because of this. They further struggled with trusting other people and suffered from a low self-esteem. Due to repressed emotions they did not portray their true self and sought their fathers’ approval by doing things he liked. / MA (Clinical Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The impetus for this study grew from observations in clinical practice that many individuals survived all sorts of hardships with minimal distress, or with the ability to tolerate their distress, and move on with their lives in a positive manner. A review of the literature led to the conclusions that the research investigating resilience was making minimal inroads into understanding what made these people different, and that the richness of who they were was being lost in the scientific process. This dissatisfaction led to the decision to explore the construct from a phenomenological framework, and to try and discover the essential elements of resilience through analysis of the subjective experience of resilience. A qualitative study involving thirteen participants identified by their peers as resilient was undertaken and the underlying themes of their stories were analysed. This led to the development of a model of resilience that attempted to balance the need for parsimony with that of explanatory breadth, and which had the potential to tolerate the complexity and instability of the construct itself. The model developed identified three core elements that embraced the construct of resilience. These included the physiological capacity to be resilient, and from this basis the ability to be adaptive and the ability to maintain well-being emerge. Factors identified with these elements include individual reactivity to and recovery from adverse events, the ability to be effective and efficient in the management of adverse events, and the beliefs about the world and the self that promote well-being when exposed to adverse events. The model has a basis within neurobiology and is framed within the context of Dynamic Systems Theory. The theory itself is a culmination of clinical observations with what is known from within the current literature and the results of this study.

Doctor of Philosophy / This thesis studies the relationship between subjective experience and social environment during recovery from alcoholism in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). As a result of participation in AA meetings, many alcoholics undergo healing transformations involving a sense of acceptance of themselves, others and the world. In early sobriety these experiences often remove an alcoholic’s desire to drink. Outside AA, however, alcoholics frequently experience subjective unravelling – a sense of conflict with themselves, others and the world. For many, this subjective state is associated with actual or potential craving for a drink. Regular participation in AA meetings alleviates these states. This thesis construes the relationship between subjective experience and immediate social environment in terms of ‘experiential stakes of relevance’. This conceptual category can be used to characterise both the structural properties of the social environment and the key attributes of the subjective experience of agents within this environment. Listening to stories at AA meetings results for many alcoholics in a radical change in ‘experiential stakes of relevance’. It is argued that the process of spontaneous re-connection with one’s past experiences during AA meetings is akin to the process of mobilisation of embodied dispositions as theorised by Bourdieu. Transformation in AA takes place in the space of a mere one and a half hours and involves processes of intensification of experience. These are analysed in terms of Bourdieu’s notion of ‘illusio’ and Chion’s notion of ‘rendu’. The healing experiences of acceptance presuppose a social environment free of interpersonal conflict. This thesis argues that the need to structurally eliminate conflict between alcoholics has turned AA into a social field which is sustained by the very healing subjective experiences that it facilitates. In the process, AA has developed structural elements which can best be understood as mechanisms inverting the social logic of competitive fields. The fieldwork entailed a detailed ethnographic study of one particular group of Alcoholics Anonymous in Sydney’s Lower North Shore as well as familiarisation with the more general culture of AA in Sydney. Methods of investigation included participant observations at AA meetings and interviews with a number of sober alcoholics in AA.

The aim of the research was to explore the subjective experience of patients admitted to a psychiatric hospital. Sub-aims were to explore how these experiences relate to self management, stress and psychological well-being. This study was motivated by research literature that documents a wide variety of negative experiences by patients. A recent psychiatric patient survey conducted in England and Wales (Mind, 2004) found that more than 50% of respondents indicated that hospital surroundings had not helped their recovery. In fact, close to a third of those thought that it had a detrimental effect on their health. Wood and Pistrang (2004) found that psychiatric patients often represent a lower status, marginalized group in society and thus their views are often not taken into account in mainstream research. These results, however, were overwhelmingly based on research conducted in an American or European context. The South African context is unique in the sense of our political, economic and social issues that influence people's perceptions. In relation to other developing and developed nations little research has been done. The research was conducted at a large Psychiatric hospital in Pretoria South Africa. An availability sample of five adults from the hospital was used. A qualitative case study method design was used. Data were obtained through interviews and analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (PA) (Smith, 1996; Smith et al., 1997, 1999) Using the IPA method the data was analysed to extract significant or relevant points related to the research topic. These themes were then collated with themes that occur in other accounts and from there tested against the hypothesised outcomes of the investigation. Positive experiences and negative experiences were identified as the main themes; these were each divided into sub themes. The negative experiences related primarily to interaction with hospital staff and -environment, while positive experiences primarily related to effective treatment. Implications of results are that patient experiences and perceptions may be more influential for long term psychological wellbeing than has been acknowledged by care givers within larger mental healthcare facilities. It was concluded that many if not all of the results of previous studies were confirmed. Additionally this study recognised that singular positive experiences may to a greater degree influence patients recovery and maintenance than a combination of negative experiences. Recommendations following from the findings include further studies to assess enhanced interpersonal skills training for nursing staff, and greater community based care facilities. / Thesis (M.A. (Clinical Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

The aim of the research was to explore the subjective experience of patients admitted to a psychiatric hospital. Sub-aims were to explore how these experiences relate to self management, stress and psychological well-being. This study was motivated by research literature that documents a wide variety of negative experiences by patients. A recent psychiatric patient survey conducted in England and Wales (Mind, 2004) found that more than 50% of respondents indicated that hospital surroundings had not helped their recovery. In fact, close to a third of those thought that it had a detrimental effect on their health. Wood and Pistrang (2004) found that psychiatric patients often represent a lower status, marginalized group in society and thus their views are often not taken into account in mainstream research. These results, however, were overwhelmingly based on research conducted in an American or European context. The South African context is unique in the sense of our political, economic and social issues that influence people's perceptions. In relation to other developing and developed nations little research has been done. The research was conducted at a large Psychiatric hospital in Pretoria South Africa. An availability sample of five adults from the hospital was used. A qualitative case study method design was used. Data were obtained through interviews and analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (PA) (Smith, 1996; Smith et al., 1997, 1999) Using the IPA method the data was analysed to extract significant or relevant points related to the research topic. These themes were then collated with themes that occur in other accounts and from there tested against the hypothesised outcomes of the investigation. Positive experiences and negative experiences were identified as the main themes; these were each divided into sub themes. The negative experiences related primarily to interaction with hospital staff and -environment, while positive experiences primarily related to effective treatment. Implications of results are that patient experiences and perceptions may be more influential for long term psychological wellbeing than has been acknowledged by care givers within larger mental healthcare facilities. It was concluded that many if not all of the results of previous studies were confirmed. Additionally this study recognised that singular positive experiences may to a greater degree influence patients recovery and maintenance than a combination of negative experiences. Recommendations following from the findings include further studies to assess enhanced interpersonal skills training for nursing staff, and greater community based care facilities. / Thesis (M.A. (Clinical Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

The impetus for this study grew from observations in clinical practice that many individuals survived all sorts of hardships with minimal distress, or with the ability to tolerate their distress, and move on with their lives in a positive manner. A review of the literature led to the conclusions that the research investigating resilience was making minimal inroads into understanding what made these people different, and that the richness of who they were was being lost in the scientific process. This dissatisfaction led to the decision to explore the construct from a phenomenological framework, and to try and discover the essential elements of resilience through analysis of the subjective experience of resilience. A qualitative study involving thirteen participants identified by their peers as resilient was undertaken and the underlying themes of their stories were analysed. This led to the development of a model of resilience that attempted to balance the need for parsimony with that of explanatory breadth, and which had the potential to tolerate the complexity and instability of the construct itself. The model developed identified three core elements that embraced the construct of resilience. These included the physiological capacity to be resilient, and from this basis the ability to be adaptive and the ability to maintain well-being emerge. Factors identified with these elements include individual reactivity to and recovery from adverse events, the ability to be effective and efficient in the management of adverse events, and the beliefs about the world and the self that promote well-being when exposed to adverse events. The model has a basis within neurobiology and is framed within the context of Dynamic Systems Theory. The theory itself is a culmination of clinical observations with what is known from within the current literature and the results of this study.