Hijacking is an invasive and confrontational traumatic event that impacts significantly on the survivor’s biopsychosocial functioning. The experience of trauma shatters assumptions held about oneself, others and the world. It brings with it a diverse set of consequences that could possibly threaten effective coping behaviour (Meischenbaum, 1994). The purpose of the proposed study is to explore the application of emotional intelligence (EI) incorporated in therapy to a vehicle hijack survivor. It is therefore my intention to research the application value of emotional intelligence therapy as a viable means of counselling a vehicle hijack survivor. This will be facilitated through developing emotional intelligence based coping skills. I hope to thereby promote the possibility of a significant relationship between the emotional reactions of a hijack survivor and the constructs of EI as included in the therapy programme. The therapy will be aimed at indicating the advantage of being able to label emotions and to recognise the similarities and distinctions between the various emotions and their related meanings, which should contribute to the development of emotional awareness. Gaining greater insight into the personal meanings that may underlie a survivor’s emotions, will hopefully contribute to a greater acceptance and capacity to self-regulate his/her emotional experiences thereby enhancing the possibility of more effective functioning and more distinct coping skills. This study will be conducted from a constructivist and interpretivistic paradigmatic framework. The research design will follow a QUALITATIVE-quantitative approach which will serve as a guideline for the data collection methods to be used. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

The use of mechanical restraint is a common practice in psychiatric care, often defended by medical necessity but seldom questioned from a human rights perspective. The purpose of this thesis has been to investigate under which circumstances mechanical restraint by bed through belt fixation could amount to torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Persons with psychosocial disabilities are in a particularly vulnerable situation and as the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is the most comprehensive rights framework for this group, it has been discussed whether the CRPD sets out additional safeguards in relation to restraint.  A legal doctrinal approach is the basic methodology used in order to outline the current international and European legal framework on torture and other ill-treatment and disability rights. A survivor-controlled research methodology has been applied and to amplify other voices of persons with firsthand experience of being mechanically restrained, interviews have been conducted with persons from Sweden and Spain. Healthcare professionals have also been interviewed. A feminist perspective on the law is applied.  Different international conventions and bodies of the United Nations have diverse interpretations on what acts or omissions that amount to torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, although there is an aim and will to streamline the conventions. It is clear that the use of mechanical restraint can create such intense mental or physical suffering required to reach the common criterion of seriousness. However, some people do not experience the required levels of suffering for it to be considered torture, meaning that it might not amount to torture but rather other ill-treatment. The threshold for being considered torture according to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UNCAT) seems to be somewhat higher than that of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR). In this thesis it was found that the most critical element for this is the requirement of intent. Intent can however be implied under certain circumstances if the practice is of discriminatory nature. If a person has a psychosocial disability, intent might be presumed if States do not provide appropriate health care. In the case of girls and women, intent might also be presumed since they seem to have a higher risk of getting restrained for unlawful reasons.  The main conclusion in this thesis is that mechanical restraint by bed through belt fixation could amount to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment according to the UNCAT, ICCPR and ECHR.

The aim of this dissertation is to explore the stories of women who have been trapped in abusive relationships (victims of intimate partner violence (IPV)) and the process of how they moved on from these relationships to non-abusive relationships, thereby becoming survivors. The primary research question guiding the study is; How do the women describe their experiences of the processes that they underwent in leaving an abusive relationship and entering into a new, non-abusive, relationship? The study generates a rich description of their experiences, exploring what it is that makes these women unique in changing their identities from victim of abuse to survivor. This is done by taking an in-depth look at each participant’s story and uncovering the personal meanings that they ascribed to these experiences. Literature from past studies is also explored as various authors describe IPV, factors related to IPV and how their illustrations coincide or differ from the findings of this study. A narrative research approach is used in this study. Narrative research falls under the umbrella of postmodernism and is conducted with a social constructionist outlook. The narrative approach views knowledge as generated by exploring subjective experience and how the individual makes meaning with emphasis on context. This study, therefore, focuses on how the participant’s identities are constructed over time as a result of making meaning from their experiences, through self-exploration, social processes and through interactions with others. Data was gathered by means of semi-structured interviews. The tool used for analysis of the stories was the Three-Dimensional Space Approach, the specific tools being; analysis of situation, interaction and continuity. This approach allows for the data to be analysed, not as a given truth but rather, as meaning is generated from the unique perspective of each individual participant in the context, as well as how it was interpreted by myself, the researcher. The results explore this process through the themes of a message from each participant: commitment as it preceded the abuse, identity, control and manipulation at the hands of the perpetrator, and everyone needs someone to help. These themes were then integrated with the literature. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / Psychology / unrestricted

Bakgrund Sepsis är ett problemområde internationellt. Snabb behandling är av vikt för att undvika att sepsis utvecklas till septisk chock. Septisk chock kan innebära förödande konsekvenser och i värsta fall kan den drabbade avlida. Syfte Att beskriva personers livskvalité efter att ha överlevt sepsis. Metod Denna studie har gjorts som en beskrivande litteraturstudie. Litteraturstudien bygger på tolv artiklar, tio kvantitativa och två kvalitativa. Dessa har sökts vid databaserna PubMed och Cinahl. Huvudresultat Efter att ha överlevt sepsis upplevde flera personer att deras livskvalité på olika sätt försämrats. Både fysiska och psykiska begränsningar framkom, detta kunde ha negativ påverkan på det dagliga livet. Rehabilitering efter utskrivning från sjukhuset samt stöd från både familj, anhöriga och sjukvården var av betydelse för att uppnå god livskvalité. Slutsats Att leva livet på samma sätt som innan är inte en självklarhet efter att ha överlevt sepsis. Sjuksköterskan ska sträva efter ett gott bemötande och därför är det av betydelse att ha kunskap om vad som krävs av sjukvården för att erbjuda så god vård som möjligt. Detta för att personer som överlevt sepsis ska ha möjlighet till god livskvalité även tiden efter utskrivning från sjukhuset. / Background Sepsis is a problem internationally. Rapid treatment is important to prevent sepsis from developing into septic shock. Septic shock can have devastating consequences and in the worst case, the person may die. Aim To describe people's quality of life after surviving sepsis. Method This study is a descriptive literature study. The literature study is based on twelve articles, ten quantitative and two qualitative. These have been searched at the databases PubMed and Cinahl.  Main result After surviving sepsis, several people experienced that their quality of life in various ways deteriorated. Both physical and mental limitations emerged, this could have a negative impact on daily life. Rehabilitation after discharge from the hospital as well as support from both family and health care were important in achieving a good quality of life. Conclusion After surviving sepsis, living life as before is not a matter of course. In order to be able to respond as a nurse in the right way, is it important to have knowledge of what is needed by the healthcare system to offer the best possible care. This is so that people who have survived sepsis should be able to have a good quality of life even after the discharge from the hospital.

In many conflict regions, women and girls continue to be at high risk of becoming victims of rape by armed combatants, whether local or foreign militaries, rebel groups or peace keeping forces. The physical and psychological repercussions of CRSV against women and their families can be long-lasting and far-reaching (Bosmans, 2007); and it is by no accident that sexual violence is now widely referred to as a ‘weapon of war’ (Clifford, 2008) or an ‘act of terrorism’ (United Nations, 2017). Very often, social taboos dictate that victims of sexual violence be seen as unclean, spoiled or unfaithful, which can lead to social isolation and stigmatisation (Albutt, Kelly, Kabanga, & VanRooyen, 2016). Injuries and trauma from sexual violence may also raise the concern that women are not be able to work, perform household chores or care for children; effectively diminishing their perceived ‘worth’ (Glass, Ramazani, Tosha, Mpanano, & Cinyabuguma, 2012). Depression and other mental illnesses may create further barriers with family and friends and diminish participation in wider community life (Betancourt, Agnew-Blais, Gilman, Williams, & Eliis, 2010). Raising a child born from CRSV can add to this burden, and these dyads may face further barriers to secure attachments. This may arise as a result of a mother’s own emotion dysregulation following the trauma of sexual violence or indeed ambivalence towards their child as a result of his/her conception. Such dyadic victimhood may also be compounded by migration and assimilation into a new culture. And yet, women do not (always) see themselves as victims, many women seem themselves as brave and courageous (Medica Zenica & medica mondiale, 2014). Many are able to achieve growth in spite of their experiences. The overarching aim of this dissertation is to contribute to the discourse on the myriad psychosocial outcomes of conflict-related sexual violence for survivors, by systematically exploring areas of difficulty and areas of perceived strength and combining mixed methodologies. It is built on the foundation of multiple intertwining areas of global mental health and explored several of these within two different contexts: being a mother, being a survivor. Using the evidence generated through this dissertation, recommendations for addressing their needs have been provided.:Foreword 4 Introduction 5 Background & Context 6 Outcomes of CRSV Against Women: Being a Mother, Being a Survivor 8 Aims & Objectives 12 Research Questions 12 Core Publications of this Dissertation 13 Chapter I: Being a Mother 14 Methodology 15 Publication I 21 Publication II 36 Chapter II: Being a Survivor 57 Methodology 58 Publication III 63 A Dual Model of Posttraumatic Stress and Posttraumatic Growth in Survivors of Sexual Violence 76 Publication IV 77 Discussion 103 Summary of Findings 104 Strengths and Limitations 107 Conclusion 108 Future directions 111 Recommendations 113 Thesis References 134 Appendices 141 1. Abbreviations 142 2. Zusammenfassung 143 3. This dissertation is based on the following publications 145 4. Presentation of own contribution 146 6. Curriculum Vitae 148 7. Publication List 149 8. Certificate of Good Scientific Practice 151 9. Acknowledgements 152

Hjärtstopp är den tredje vanligaste dödsorsaken i Europa och allt fler överlever hjärtstoppet men merparten drabbas av någon form av konsekvens, både fysiska och psykiska komplikationer. Det saknas uppdaterade sammanställningar av forskning som belyser de drabbades upplevelser av att ha överlevt ett hjärtstopp. Det behövs mer evidensbaserad kunskap för att optimera omhändertagandet av personerna som överlevt hjärtstopp och deras anhöriga.  Syftet är att belysa patienters upplevelser och erfarenheter av sin livssituation efter att ha överlevt ett hjärtstopp.  En allmän litteraturstudie med systematisk sökstrategi valdes som metod och artikelsökningar gjordes i databaserna PubMed, CINAHL och PsychInfo. Totalt valdes 15 artiklar ut till resultatet och dessa kvalitetsgranskades. Resultaten analyserades med integrerad analys där likheter och skillnader tydliggjordes som sedan formade totalt fyra kategorier och tolv underkategorier. Kategorierna kopplades löpande till Cullbergs kristeori. I resultatet presenteras kategorierna, mening och sammanhang, en förändrad kropp, existentiell påverkan och emotionella reaktioner. Personer som överlevt hjärtstopp har många och ibland motstridiga känslor. Deltagarna berättade om långvariga fysiska symtom som en konsekvens av hjärtstoppet. De kände inte igen sin kropp och upplevde att de inte kunde lita på kroppens förmåga. Begränsningarna gjorde dem nedstämda och otrygga. Personerna som överlevt hjärtstopp önskade att de hade fått mer information om vad de hade att vänta sig efter utskrivningen från sjukhuset.  Att överleva ett hjärtstopp är en livsomvälvande händelse. Personerna kan ställas inför många utmaningar under återhämtningen. Den förändrade livssituationen ledde för en del till en förändrad identitet och de hittade en ny roll i livet. Andra upplevde svårigheter att acceptera sin nya livssituation och önskade att återgå till livet som det var innan. Att använda Cullbergs kristeori gav oss en större förståelse kring hur kriser kan ge en förändrad livsbild. Personer kan behöva individanpassat stöd för att komma vidare i krisprocessen och därmed nå en acceptans för sitt nya liv. / Cardiac arrest is the third most common cause of death in Europe and more and more people survive cardiac arrest. The majority suffer from some form of consequence, both physical and mental complications. There is a lack of updated summary of research that shed light on the persons' experiences of having survived a cardiac arrest. More evidence-based knowledge is needed to optimize the care of people who have survived cardiac arrest and their relatives. The purpose is to shed light on patients' experiences of their life situation after surviving a cardiac arrest. A general literature study with a systematic search strategy was chosen as the method and article searches were performed in the databases PubMed, CINAHL and PsychInfo. A total of 15 items were selected for the result and these were quality reviewed. The results were analyzed with an integrated analysis where similarities and differences were clarified, which then formed a total of four categories and twelve subcategories. The categories were continuously linked to Cullberg's crisis theory. The results present the categories, meaning and context, a changed body, existential influence and emotional reactions. People who have survived cardiac arrest have many and sometimes conflicting emotions. Participants reported prolonged physical symptoms as a consequence of cardiac arrest. They did not recognize their body and felt that they could not trust the body's ability. The restrictions made them depressed and insecure. The people who survived cardiac arrest wished they had received more information about what to expect after discharge from the hospital. Surviving a cardiac arrest is a life-changing event. People can face many challenges during recovery. The changed life situation led in part to a changed identity and they found a new role in life. Others experienced difficulties in accepting their new life situation and wanted to return to life as it was before. Using Cullberg's crisis theory gave us a greater understanding of how crises can give a changed life picture. People may need individualized support to move forward in the crisis process and thus reach an acceptance of their new life

Bakgrund: År 2020 drabbades cirka 8300 personer av hjärtstopp i Sverige. Att drabbas av nära-döden-upplevelse leder till konsekvenser som utmanar det fortsatta livet. Kognitiva komplikationer och motoriska nedsättningar är exempel på konsekvenserna.  Syfte: Syftet var att beskriva personers upplevelse av livet efter hjärtstopp. Metod: Kvalitativ litteraturöversikt med induktiv ansats tillämpades, där studier från 11 vetenskapliga artiklar analyserades i enlighet med Fribergs beskrivning av kvalitativ analys. Resultat: Resultatet presenteras utifrån tre teman: Att återfå kontroll över kroppen, Att återgå till det normala livet och Att omvärdera livet. Resultatet beskriver personernas upplevelse där bland annat fysiska och emotionella utmaningar tog stor plats. Kognitiva förändringar, smärta efter HLR, oro, ångest, finna en ny identitet och existentiella frågor var ytterligare konsekvenser av hjärtstoppet. Flera upplevde att stödet från familj, vänner och sjukvård var av stor vikt för det fortsatta livet.  Slutsatser: Att överleva hjärtstopp innebär att personen ställs inför en hel del utmaningar i det fortsatta livet. Både fysiska, psykiska och existentiella aspekter av livet påverkas och det fortsatta livet innebär en hel del förändringar. / Background: In Sweden year 2020, approximately 8,300 people suffered a cardiac arrest. To suffer from a near- death experience leads to consequences that challenges the continued life. For example, cognitive complications and motor impairments. Aim: The aim was to describe people’s experience of life after a cardiac arrest. Method: Qualitative literature review with an inductive approach was applied, where 11 studies from scientific articles was analysed according to Friberg’s description of qualitative analysis. Results: The result was presented on the basis of three themes: To regain control of the body, To return to the normal life and To Re-evaluate life. The result describes the individuals’ experiences for example, the physical and the emotional challenges. Cognitive changes, pain after CPR, anxiety, seeking a new identity and existential questions were further consequences of cardiac arrest. The support from their family, friends and health care system was important for the continued life.  Conclusion: Surviving a cardiac arrest meant that the person faced a lot of challenges in their life. The physical, mental, and existential aspects was affected, and the continued life meant that a lot of changes had to be done.

This qualitative case study describes the disparate experiences of how three siblings reacted and were affected by their father's suicide death. Specifically, through individual interviews, this study explores the siblings' individual memories, emotions, and perceptions of support connected with the time directly before and after their father's death. In addition, the researchers considered the long-term effects of their father's death by suicide as lived by the sibling survivors. In seeking to understand the siblings' experiences, this study also explores each sibling's reaction as they were presented with a group of children's picture books that were developed to help children express their emotions and are used by therapists who counsel with children bereaved by suicide. Findings suggested that, although the siblings shared the trauma of the father's suicide, each had different perceptions and experiences surrounding that trauma; they also reacted differently to the books presented to them. Implications for practice for teachers, parents, and school-based mental health practitioners (e.g., school psychologist and school counselors) are provided. These implications include the importance of knowing the specifics of each child's perceptions and providing supportive interventions that match the individual child's needs. Also, when selecting therapeutic books to share with a grieving child, consider presenting options and allowing the child to select a book. Also, be aware that a book that is preferred by one child, may not be preferred by another. Additionally, certain pictures included in children's books may trigger memories of the parent's suicide that could potentially further traumatize the child.

No description available.

This thesis investigates the use of Maximum Likelihood Sequence Estimation (MLSE) in the presence of unknown channel parameters. MLSE is a fundamental problem that is closely related to many modern research areas like Space-Time Coding, Overloaded Array Processing and Multi-User Detection. Per-Survivor Processing (PSP) is a technique for approximating MLSE for unknown channels by embedding channel estimation into the structure of the Viterbi Algorithm (VA). In the case of successful acquisition, the convergence rate of PSP is comparable to that of the pilot-aided RLS algorithm. However, the performance of PSP degrades when certain sequences are transmitted. In this thesis, the blind acquisition characteristics of PSP are discussed. The problematic sequences for any joint ML data and channel estimator are discussed from an analytic perspective. Based on the theory of indistinguishable sequences, modifications to conventional PSP are suggested that improve its acquisition performance significantly. The effect of tree search and list-based algorithms on PSP is also discussed. Proposed improvement techniques are compared for different channels. For higher order channels, complexity issues dominate the choice of algorithms, so PSP with state reduction techniques is considered. Typical misacquisition conditions, transients, and initialization issues are reported. / Master of Science