Research in the field of divorce has primarily focused on women and children, and there is a definite lack of literature that addresses divorce from a male perspective. This lack of knowledge has influenced the clinical treatment and general social support available to men who get divorced. This study aims to explore which, if any, of the personality factors in the 16PF are correlated with adjustment to divorce using the Fisher Divorce Adjustment scale in South African men. The divorce-stressadjustment perspective was used to conceptualise adjustment to divorce and the factors that influence adjustment to divorce (Amato, 2000). The sample consisted of South African men who were divorced. A sample size of 40 participants was obtained using convenient sampling. The results of the study indicated that the personality factors ‘Anxiety’ and ‘Emotional Sensitivity’ are significantly and negatively correlated to adjustment to divorce. This indicates that aspects of personality that relate to a robustness of ego, low anxiety and a self-confident individual who is emotionally mature, is more likely to adjust significantly better to divorce and thus contribute significantly to the well-being of an individual post divorce.

Master of Arts in Social Work - Social Work / This study investigated the adjustment of twenty boys a year after they had been disengaged from Boys Town (SA). An exploratory descriptive design was used. Two questionnaires were administered, one to the twenty boys and the other to their caregivers. Biographical details were obtained from the Proposed Disengagement forms completed by the Children’s homes six months prior to disengagement. Sixty boys were disengaged at the end of 2002. All were targeted to take part. The results showed that fifty percent of the boys were able to make a satisfactory adjustment. Twenty five percent made an unsatisfactory adjustment and twenty five percent a neither satisfactory nor unsatisfactory adjustment. Stability in terms of accommodation, school performance, work stability, family relationships, peer relations, social adjustment and generalized contentment formed the criteria against which the adjustment was measured. The use made by the boys and their caregivers of reconstruction and aftercare services as well as the sustainability of the changes that had occurred at Boys Town were examined. Recommendations include the development of a specialized aftercare programme to address the major problems highlighted by the research. Problems were identified in the areas of accommodation, substance abuse, dropping out of school or college and difficulties with finding work. The need for counseling particularly family therapy and work between sons and their fathers, stepfathers and foster fathers was highlighted.

Objectives: This thesis includes two distinct pieces of work. The purpose of the systematic review was to address a gap in the literature by examining available evidence relating to the use of Emotional Regulation (ER) strategies (avoidance, problem solving, reappraisal, rumination, and suppression) on the wellbeing of older people. The empirical paper aimed to examine the role of ER strategies and ageism on adjustment and retirement satisfaction. It also sought to examine the impact of other contextual factors such as financial status, health, and social support on retirement wellbeing. Methods: A systematic review of cross-sectional studies examining a quantitative association between one aspect of ER (avoidance, problem-solving, reappraisal, rumination and /or suppression) and a self-reported quantitative well-being measure was completed via a comprehensive literature search of electronic databases. Studies were included if the participants were 60 years or older and without cognitive impairment. Wellbeing was explored in a broader way not only including measures of the absence of illness but positive constructs such as positive affect, positive social relations or autonomy. In the empirical study, participants completed a postal survey which included ER strategies, attitudes to ageing, adjustment and satisfaction with retirement and contextual factors such as financial status, health and social support. A series of hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the independent contributions of ER strategies and attitudes to aging to adjustment to, and satisfaction with, retirement. Results: Twenty studies met inclusion criteria for the systematic review. The relationship between life satisfaction, positive emotion and ER was explored by four studies while nineteen out of twenty studied the relationship between ER and anxiety and depression. Only a conclusion about ER and negative mood measures could be made given the scarcity of research examining the association between ER and positive psychological concepts. Rumination was found to be the ER strategy most strongly associated with symptoms of anxiety and depression in OP population, while mixed results were found for avoidance, problem solving, suppression and reappraisal. Findings from the empirical study indicated that traditional predictors of adjustment (wealth and health) accounted for 12% of the total variance in outcome. Problem-solving was the strongest variable in the model explaining 24% of the difference in adjustment. Interestingly, the retirees who reported not having used problem-solving as a mechanism to cope with retirement were the most adjusted. Regarding satisfaction, retirees tended to experience higher retirement satisfaction if they had a greater level of self-rated mental health and increased access to household income (explained 14% and 9% of the total variance respectively). However, retirees who reported high levels of rumination experienced lower retirement satisfaction (rumination accounted for 8% of the total variance). Ageism was not a predictor of retirement adjustment or satisfaction. Conclusions: According to the systematic review, rumination seems to be the ER strategy most strongly associated with symptoms of anxiety and depression in OP population. This finding was consistent despite the heterogeneity of the studied populations and a variety of outcome measures. Further research is needed to explore the impact of ER strategies on measures of physical health and wellbeing in OP. The results of the empirical paper support the role of traditional predictors (wealth and health) in satisfaction and adjustment with retirement. The retirees who adjusted better to retirement were those who did not use problem-solving as a strategy to confront retirement. Retirees who reported high levels of rumination experienced lower retirement satisfaction. Ageism did not predict retirement satisfaction or adjustment. These findings are discussed in the context of retirement planning and successful ageing.

by Ip Kim-ching. / Thesis (M.S.Sc.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1990. / Bibliography: leaves 45-56. / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / ACKNOWLEDGMENTS --- p.iv / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.v / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vii / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.viii / LIST OF APPENDICES --- p.ix / Chapter CHAPTER I- --- Introduction --- p.1 / The hand injured patients --- p.1 / Social support --- p.5 / Locus of control --- p.9 / Relation between social support and locus of control --- p.11 / Review of the local studies --- p.14 / Formulation of the problem --- p.15 / Chapter CHAPTER II- --- METHOD --- p.18 / Subjects and procedure --- p.18 / Instruments --- p.19 / Aims of the study --- p.23 / Chapter CHAPTER III- --- RESULTS --- p.24 / Means --- p.24 / Intercorrelations --- p.26 / Regression analysis --- p.29 / Chapter CHAPTER IV - --- DISCUSSION --- p.34 / Influences of locus of control --- p.34 / Social support and its interactive effect with locus of control --- p.35 / Influences of demographic variables --- p.38 / Conclusion --- p.40 / Enhancing psychological adjustment of the patient --- p.42 / Implication for further study --- p.43 / REFERENCES --- p.45 / APPENDICES --- p.57

Working with a three-dimensional shape that adjusts light seemed exciting. Venetian blinds became a basis and source of inspiration in my project. What is a Venetian blind? I arrived at the definition ”a surface of angleble pieces for sun adjustment”. From that simplified meaning I started making sketches of what an alternative model could look like. My sun shield consists of manual adjustable cylinders. The idea is that every adjustable piece, besides blocking sunlight, also can be a jig-saw-piece. Every cylinder has a simple décor on the blocking side. Depending on how the pieces are angled, different patterns are formed. The shadow effect will also be an adjustable pattern. My aim has been to make a prototype for alternative sun adjustment. Focus is on experiment with shape and user experience rather than technical perfection and efficiency. / <p>Program: Textildesignutbildningen</p><p>Uppsatsnivå: C</p>

Expatriates and tourists both represent transient markets who travel to destinations and, to differing degrees, look to understand their host destination. To date, the overlap between tourism and expatriation has received scant analysis and yet could offer useful synergies. With this premise in mind, a two-stage, mixed methods study analysed the connection between tourists and expatriates in Dubai, UAE. The results from 36 face-to-face interviews and 439 questionnaires suggested that tourism practices do benefit expatriate adjustment by providing opportunities to expatriates and nationals to meet, interact, and learn from one another. The results offered the five Arenas of adjustment – the Individual, the Destination, Exposure opportunities, the Company, and the Host – that facilitate adjustment within the expatriate. Tourism is directly referred to in the Exposure Arena, reflecting a qualitative effect of tourism in adjustment. It was through such opportunities that tourism was found to encourage expatriate adjustment by either directly teaching expatriates and nationals about one another, or providing the opportunity for them to meet, interact, and learn.

Background: Interest in resilience has rapidly increased over recent years because of its potential impact on health, well-being and quality of life. However, despite the increasing prevalence of dementia, there is a lack of resilience research involving people diagnosed with this condition. Therefore, little is known about what it is that enables people to live well with dementia and continue to lead successful and meaningful lives. Even small delays in the onset and progression of dementia have the potential to significantly reduce its global burden. More specifically, studies have shown an association between social engagement and reduced risk of cognitive decline and incident dementia and consequently there is growing interest in the effect of increasing social interaction on cognition. Objectives: This thesis comprises two parts. Initially, a systematic literature review summarises and evaluates the current empirical evidence to establish whether interventions which aim to increase social interaction can improve cognition in older adults. Secondly, a qualitative study aims to develop a grounded theory of the concept of resilience in people diagnosed with mild to moderate dementia. Methods: For the systematic review, a comprehensive list of electronic databases was systematically searched, relevant authors in the field were contacted and a hand search of relevant journals was conducted. For the qualitative study, seven semi-structured interviews were conducted with people diagnosed with dementia, with a social constructivist version of grounded theory informing the collection and analysis of data. Results: 17 studies met eligibility criteria for the systematic review, mostly of moderate quality. Study heterogeneity and methodological variability made it difficult to determine the specific contribution of social interaction to cognitive improvements. There was, however, tentative support for improvement in semantic fluency. The results of the qualitative study propose a model which hypothesises resilience is a process of ‘overcoming dementia’. For participants this meant maintaining a sense of pre- and post-diagnostic continuity which was achieved through a complex interaction of their approach to life and acceptance of dementia in conjunction with spousal and other social support. Conclusions: Although the systematic review found some evidence increased social interaction can improve cognition in older adults, this finding is tentative and should be interpreted with caution, with further research warranted. The qualitative study proposes a model of resilience which explains the process of ‘overcoming dementia’. Resilience is conceptualised as comprising individual, social, community, societal and cultural aspects and opens up the possibility of promoting resilience in people with dementia through the development of psychosocial interventions. This study emphasises the strengths and abilities of people with dementia, as well as the importance of social support, but most importantly it is from the perspective of the person with dementia.

abstract: Over 35% of multiracial college students fail to earn a degree, which can have significant economic and health costs over their lifespan. This study aimed to better understand college and psychological adjustment among multiracial college students of Hispanic/Latinx and White non-Hispanic descent by examining students’ racial identities and use of resilience resources. Latent profiles of identity were identified to better understand how different aspects of racial identity are clustered in this population. Multiracial college students (N=221) reported on racial identity as measured on multiple dimensions: Hispanic/Latinx identity, Hispanic/Latinx cultural orientation, White identity, identity integration, shifting expressions of identity, and identity malleability. Students also reported on their use of multiple resilience resources (personal mastery, social competence, perspective taking, coping flexibility, familism support values) and both college and psychological adjustment. Through regression and SEM analyses, results indicated that, of the resilience resources, only personal mastery was positively related to both college and psychological adjustment, while social competence was positively related to college adjustment. More shifting expressions of identity was related to poorer college and psychological adjustment, which was partially mediated via personal mastery. Stronger Hispanic/Latinx identity was related to higher perspective taking and coping flexibility, while stronger White identity was related to higher familism support values. Latent profiles of identity indicated a four-class solution, consisting of 1) “low identity”, 2) “integrated, low shifting”, 3) “integrated, shifting”, and 4) “high shifting, low integration”. Findings highlight the need for person-centered and ecological approaches to understanding identity development and resilience among multiracial college students, and can inform prevention and intervention efforts for multiracial college students of Hispanic/Latinx and White non-Hispanic descent. Results also demonstrate the importance of assessing multiracial identity via multiple dimensions including factors such as identity integration, shifting expressions of identity, and identity malleability. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Psychology 2020

Social adjustment of Persian students in terms of their social participation with Americans is analyzed by correlation and multiple regression analyses with six independent variables. The six independent variables are: education, attitude, time, English, social class, and religion. The results of correlation and multiple regression analyses support some of the hypotheses. The significant finding is that the level of education the Persian students completed before coming to the United States, their attitudes toward the Americans, and the length of stay in the United States are the most important factors while other variables are much less useful.

The purpose of this study was to explore, classify, and evaluate the personal experiences of juvenile offenders following release from a state training school. During a two month period beginning in the fall of 1967, a group of twenty-three releasees from the MacLaren School for Boys in Woodburn, Oregon were interviewed on a weekly basis in the Portland metropolitan area. The boys, ranging in age from thirteen to seventeen were contacted in their homes, schools, and other settings to learn of positive, negative, and critical experiences encountered in the community. Open ended questions based upon a twenty- seven item schedule were administered to the boys, focusing upon personal experiences in six major areas: school, family, peer group, community, work and authority. Responses were recorded verbatim and classified according to the boys’ judgments of positive and negative connotations. Critical experiences were also recorded to determine specific incidents which brought the boys into contact with legal authorities or otherwise seriously affected their parole status. Positive, negative, and critical experiences from this study were analyzed both descriptively and statistically. Null hypotheses were tested to determine the quality, quantity, and intensity of experiences with respect to such major variables as age of the boys, race, length of stay in the community, records of school attendance, and personality inventory characteristics. Experiences were similarly related with respect to other variables found to be present as a result of the interviewing experience. Findings yielded evidence to indicate a predominance of negative experiences in the boys’ contacts with the community following release. The highest proportion of these occurred within the boys’ families, followed by contacts with authority and school, respectively. Peer group relationships for the boys indicated the highest proportion of positive experiences when compared with other major categories.