Research in Logotherapy substantiates the influence of meaning on psychological health and Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) corroborates the effects of psychological health on physical health. This dissertation explores the relationship between meaning and physical health hypothesising that purpose affects physical health. Methodology Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), ANOVAs and stepwise regression were used to explore three possible models. Results EFA revealed four factors, purpose, fear, vitality and aggression. Significant correlations were found between purpose, vitality (0.42) and work application (0.53). Despite the significant relationship between purpose and vitality, the lack of Chi-square is significant, suggesting that additional variables should be introduced into the model. Conclusion People reporting high levels of purpose together with low levels of fear and aggression, can be characterised by high vitality and an absence of medical conditions. Future research should focus on evaluating meaning centred interventions on immunity and vitality. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Interest in patient-reported health care outcomes such as health related quality of life (HRQL) has increased dramatically over the past two decades. Typically, HRQL has been conceptualized as having at least three domains: physical, psychological, and social functioning. Although research has attempted to identify factors that influence HRQL,few studies have simultaneously examined how various factors impact HRQL in the elderly. The purpose of this study was to develop and test a causal model to identify factors influencing HRQL. The constructs and observed variables hypothesized to influence HRQL included medical burden, housing satisfaction, socioeconomic status,religion/spirituality, age, gender, and marital status.Three hundred and sixty three (363) participants were drawn from a random sample of community dwelling elderly living in Tompkins County, NY (mean age, 74.9; SD, 8.5; range 60-103). Tompkins County is located in central NY, and home to a large university and mid-size college.This study was a non-experimental retrospective design using secondary survey data from the "Pathways to Life Quality" study. Using confirmatory factor analysis, a measurement model of HRQL was tested and validated. The final HRQL model was defined by four constructs: general health perception, physical functioning, psychological functioning, and social functioning. Once this model was validated, structural equation modeling was used to test the full model examining factors influencing HRQL. Several goodness-of-fit indices were used to assess model fit. Modification indices were used to provide clues as to what changes would be appropriate to improve model fit. Respecifications to the model were based on theoretical rationale.Greater levels of medical burden, increased frequency of attendance at religious events, and increased satisfaction with housing significantly influenced HRQL (pThe results of this study suggest that there are other constructs and variables particularly salient and that directly influence HRQL in older community dwelling adults. These variables and constructs should be accounted for when conducting randomized clinical trials and cohort studies examining HRQL outcomes in older adults.

Cette thèse vise à mieux comprendre les tensions ethniques. Ceci est fait en explorant, dans une étude en quatre parties, l'une de ses caractéristiques les plus importantes mais sévèrement négligées: la langue. S’inspirant des traditions de recherche de la sociolinguistique, de la psychologie sociale et de la science politique, cette thèse fournit une analyse en profondeur de l'influence de la langue sur les relations intergroupes. Elle le fait, spécifiquement, en se concentrant sur l'influence que la vitalité linguistique, la santé sociale d'une langue, a sur les tensions sociales. Cette thèse propose un cadre théorique dans lequel le niveau de vitalité linguistique contribue à générer des griefs culturels qui ont une incidence par la suite sur les relations intergroupes. Le premier article explore la relation macro entre la vitalité linguistique et l'intensité des conflits intergroupes. Les résultats, dérivés de données de l'Atlas UNESCO des langues en danger dans le monde et du projet Minorities at Risk (MAR), démontrent une relation curvilinéaire où les niveaux bas et élevé de vitalité linguistique génèrent une intensité inférieure au niveau modéré de vitalité. Ces résultats confirment que la vitalité linguistique est un déterminant important des tensions ethniques fondées sur la langue d'une manière générale, mais encore davantage pour les pays ayant plusieurs minorités linguistiques. Le deuxième article explore l'influence de la vitalité linguistique sur la confiance politique. Il utilise des données de l'Atlas UNESCO des langues en danger dans le monde ainsi que des données du European Social Survey (ESS). Les résultats soutiennent un modèle de médiation dans lequel la vitalité linguistique influence positivement la confiance politique d'une manière directe ainsi qu’indirectement par le biais de la discrimination perçue. Le troisième article cherche à isoler la séquence socio-psychologique qui relie la vitalité linguistique aux tensions intergroupes. Des données de sondage originales ont été recueillies auprès de francophones du Québec, de l'Ontario, du Nouveau-Brunswick et du Manitoba. Les résultats d’analyses de régression multiple soutiennent une séquence socio-psychologique dans laquelle la menace endogroupe influence les attitudes envers l’exogroupe par le biais de la menace perçue comme étant causée par l’exogroupe. Ainsi, ces constats soulignent l'importance des perceptions de la vitalité linguistique pour les attitudes intergroupes. Le quatrième article, produit en collaboration avec Patrick Fournier et Veronica Benet-Martinez, utilise un protocole expérimental pour déterminer le rôle causal de la vitalité linguistique sur les attitudes intergroupes. Les résultats démontrent que le type d'information, positif ou négatif, au sujet de la vitalité linguistique influence les perceptions de menace envers une langue. Cependant, les résultats quant à l'impact de l’information à propos de la vitalité linguistique sur les attitudes envers l’exogroupe, l’appui à la souveraineté et l'identité subjective sont moins évidents. Cette thèse permet de mieux comprendre les tensions intergroupes en démontrant le rôle important que joue la vitalité linguistique sur des phénomènes macros ainsi que sur les attitudes des individus. / This dissertation seeks to add to the understanding of ethnic tensions. It does so by exploring in a four-part study one of its most important but severely overlooked features: language. Combining research traditions from sociolinguistics, social psychology and political science, this dissertation provides an in depth analysis of language’s influence on intergroup relations. It does so, specifically, by concentrating on the influence that linguistic vitality, the social health of a language, has on social tensions. This dissertation puts forward a theoretical framework in which linguistic vitality is presented as fueling cultural grievances, which subsequently impact intergroup relations. The first article explores the general macro-social relationship between linguistic vitality and intergroup conflict intensity. Using data from UNESCO’s Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger and from the Minorities at Risk (MAR) project, the results show a curvilinear relationship in which low and high levels of linguistic vitality generate lower conflict intensity than moderate vitality levels. The findings support linguistic vitality as being an important determinant of language-based ethnic tensions in a general manner, but even more so for countries with multiple linguistic minorities. The second article explores the influence of linguistic vitality on political trust. The results of the analyses, using survey data from the European Social Survey (ESS) and linguistic vitality data from UNESCO’s Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger, show that linguistic vitality positively influences trust in national institutions and that perceptions of linguistic discrimination decrease political trust. The findings further indicate that the status of a language, how ‘official’ it is, also positively affects trust in national institutions. Therefore, language is clearly underscored as being an important dimension of political trust. The third article seeks to isolate the socio-psychological sequence which connects linguistic vitality and intergroup tensions. Original survey data was gathered from Francophones in Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick and Manitoba. The findings, using stepwise regression analyses, support a socio-psychological sequence in which in-group threat influences attitudes towards the out-group through the mediation of perceived threat caused by the out-group. Thus, these findings emphasize the importance of linguistic vitality perceptions on intergroup attitudes The fourth, and final, article, in collaboration with Patrick Fournier and Verònica Benet-Martínez, uses an experimental design to ascertain the causal role of linguistic vitality on intergroup attitudes. The results demonstrate that the type of information, positive or negative, on linguistic vitality influences perceptions of threat towards a language. However, results about linguistic vitality information’s impact on out-group attitudes, support for sovereignty and subjective identity were less one-sided. This dissertation permits to shine new light on group tensions by highlighting the important role that linguistic vitality plays on macro-social phenomena and micro-individual attitudes.

Este estudo demonstra a Homeopatia como Racionalidade Médica, com seu paradigma vitalista, e como isto foi vivenciado/experimentado, em um ambulatório de Homeopatia no Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), no município de Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul (RS). Trata-se de um estudo qualitativo que analisa os resultados de entrevistas semiestruturadas realizadas a partir de um roteiro baseado em um instrumento de avaliação da atenção primária elaborado pela Universidade de Edimburgo, Escócia. Tem como objeto o tratamento homeopático de 10 sujeitos atendidos nesse ambulatório, no período entre 2007 a 2014 e, por objetivo, o entendimento dos sujeitos sobre esse tratamento e possíveis influências em suas vidas e em seu viver. O que entendeu, vivenciou, experenciou o sujeito em um tratamento homeopático? Houve influências desse tratamento em sua vida? Se sim, quais? Dos 10 sujeitos, oito eram mulheres e dois, homens, cujas idades variaram entre 32 e 73 anos. A análise baseia-se nos discursos de usuários sobre a vivência que tiveram dessa realidade de cuidado e mostra o quanto essa Racionalidade Médica é capaz de influenciar o processo saúde/doença do indivíduo O estudo seguiu os preceitos éticos submetidos e aprovados pelo Comitê de Ética e Pesquisa da Secretaria Municipal de Saúde de Porto Alegre e pela Plataforma Brasil. Como resultado deste estudo, aparecem como temas centrais da análise das entrevistas, a busca por um tratamento integral, a noção de saúde como equilíbrio, a confiança na terapêutica, a procura por um tratamento para problemas emocionais, o fato do sujeito não querer usar tratamento alopático e a cura natural (suave) e a longo prazo (duradoura) da Homeopatia. Como recomendações, os sujeitos sugerem que esse tratamento esteja mais disponível, com mais divulgação e acesso, pois “geraria mais economia aos cofres públicos” e provocaria uma “mudança de paradigma, onde o foco não está na doença, mas no desequilíbrio e a pessoa em tratamento pode ser sujeito do seu reequilíbrio ou estado saudável e ser corresponsável por mantê-lo”. Por fim, entende-se que a implantação da Política das Práticas Integrativas no SUS é um desafio e, especialmente em Porto Alegre, no que tange à Homeopatia, necessita de apoio e de pressão política organizada por parte de usuários, profissionais especializados e gestores para ser efetivada. / This study presents Homeopathy as a Medical Rationality based on its vitalist paradigm and the way it has been lived/experienced, in a Homeopathy Clinic in the Unified Health National System (SUS) in the city of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul (RS). This is a qualitative study that analyzes the results of semi-structured interviews made according to a script created through a primary care assessment instrument developed by the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. It aims at the homeopathic treatment of ten subjects attended in this clinic between 2007 and 2014 and by objective, the subjects' understanding of this treatment and possible influences on their lives and their way of life: what does a person understand, experience under homeopathic treatment? Were there any influences from this treatment in his/her life? If so, which ones? Among the individuals, eight were women and two men, whose ages ranged from 32 to 73 years. The analysis is based on the users' discourses about the experience they had of this reality of care, and also shows how much this Medical Rationality is able to influence the health / illness process of the individual The study followed the ethical precepts submitted and approved by the Ethics and Research Committee of the Municipal Health Department of Porto Alegre and by Brazil Platform. The results of this study indicate as central themes of the interview analysis: the search for an integral treatment, the notion of health as an equilibrium, confidence in the treatment, the search for a treatment for emotional problems, the fact that the subject does not want to use treatment allopathic, and the natural (mild) and long-term (lasting) cure of Homeopathy. As recommendations, the individuals suggest that this treatment should be more available, with more disclosure and access, because "it would generate more savings to the public coffers" and would provoke a "paradigm shift, in which the focus is not on the disease, but on the imbalance, and the person in treatment can act on his/her rebalancing or healthy state and be co-responsible for maintaining it". Finally, it is understood that the implementation of the Policy of Integrative Practices in the SUS is a challenge and, especially in Porto Alegre, in relation to Homeopathy, needs support and organized political pressure from users, specialized professionals and managers to be effective.

We examined the potential contribution of sleep quality to the relation between mindfulness and subjective vitality, a marker of physical and psychological energy. Seven components of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were investigated as potential mediators of the association between dispositional mindfulness and subjective vitality in our sample of 219 older adults. Mindfulness, sleep quality, and subjective vitality were significantly and positively associated with each other. Sleep quality partially mediated the relation between mindfulness and subjective vitality, with two components responsible for this effect: habitual sleep efficiency and sleep-related problems experienced during the daytime. Implications of the association between mindfulness and subjective vitality in older adults via sleep quality are addressed, including the potential for interventions to improve sleep quality and well-being among older adults by inclusion of mindfulness training.

Small group leadership self-efficacy is conceptualized as an individual’s degree of confidence in his/her ability to successfully assume a leadership role in a small group. The task specificity of self-efficacy and the conceptualization of leadership as context bound informs the need for a small group leadership self-efficacy measure that is a superior operationalization of the specified construct than extant measures of leadership self-efficacy in the context of small group leadership. Consequently, the purposes of this study were: (a) to develop a psychometrically sound self-report measure of small group leadership self-efficacy and establish its underlying structure through factor analytic procedures, and (b) to present preliminary validity evidence for the measure. In order to develop a representative item pool for the posited small group leadership self-efficacy dimensions, relevant theory was reviewed and extant literature was surveyed, with special attention to factor analytic studies. Using the data of 568 undergraduate students collected online, Study 1 investigated the factor structure of the initial 101-item measure. This resulted in the refinement and reduction of the initial measure to a 32-item measure, consisting of 5 dimensions. However, in Study 2, factor analyzing data collected from 296 undergraduate students who completed only the 32 items retained in Study 1 and the item-to-category sorts of 7 independent judges resulted in the confirmation of a second-order small group leadership self-efficacy factor structure with 2 dimensions (initiating structure and consideration) consisting of 23 items that best captured the content domain of the construct. The final 23-item measure of small group leadership self-efficacy was embedded into a nomological network where its relationships with four variables of interest was tested and results revealed that previous small group leadership experience, valence of previous small group leadership experience, and subjective vitality are correlates of small group leadership self-efficacy. The results of the present work have both theoretical and practical implications. An outcome of this study is a psychometrically sound measure of small group leadership self-efficacy which has the potential for high utility in both applied and scientific settings. These implications as well as possible directions for future research are identified and discussed.

Darbo tikslas yra nustatyti galimus metabolinius pokyčius žmogaus danties pulpoje ortodontinio gydymo metu veikiant gramzdinimo jėgoms ir įvertinti šių jėgų įtaką pulpos gyvybingumui. Uždaviniai: 1. Nustatyti fermento aspartato aminotransferazės (toliau – AST) akty¬vumą sveikų dantų pulpos audinyje. 2. Nustatyti, kaip kinta danties pulpos AST aktyvumas veikiant dantis 7 ir 14 dienų nepertraukiama gramzdinimo jėga ir 7 dienų nepertrau¬kiama jėga su vėlesniu 7 dienų poilsiu bei palyginti šiuos aktyvumus su sveikų dantų pulpos AST fermento aktyvumu. 3. Įvertinti danties pulpos atsaką į dirginimą elektros srove, taikant elektroodontometrinio gyvybingumo testą (toliau – EPT) sveikiems ir dantims paveiktiems 7 ir 14 dienų nepertraukiama gramzdinimo jėga bei 7 dienų nepertraukiama jėga su vėlesniu 7 dienų poilsiu. 4. Atlikti jėgos, veikiančios ortodontinio krūvio metu, matematinę ana¬lizę. 5. Įvertinti galimą pulpos AST fermento aktyvumo bei pulpos EPT at¬sako ryšį su gramzdinimo jėgos dydžiu, dantų šaknų skaičiumi, žan¬dikaulio tipu, bei amžiumi. 6. Atlikti pacientų, kuriems radiografinis tyrimas taikytas odontolo¬ginio gydymo planavimui, skaitmeninių panoraminių radiogramų analizę, siekiant įvertinti pulpos akmenų pulpos kameroje ir šak¬ninėje pul¬poje paplitimą tarp jauno amžiaus pacientų. 7. Atlikti ortodontinių pacientų pirminių bei galutinių skaitmeninių pa¬no¬raminių radiogramų lyginamąją analizę, siekiant įvertinti pulpos akmenų paplitimą pulpos kameroje ir šakninėje... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The aim of the study was to evaluate metabolic alterations of the human dental pulp in response to application of intrusive forces, and to investigate impact of such forces on the pulp vitality.Objectives of the study: 1) to determine activity of aspartate aminotransferase (hereinafter – AST) in the dental pulp of teeth unaffected by orthodontic loading; 2) to evaluate changes in the dental pulp AST activity after appli¬cation of continuous intrusive force for 7 and for 14 days, or, continuous force for 7 days with the following 7 days of rest, and to compare the obtained values with the pulp AST activity in teeth unaffected by orthodontic loading; 3) to compare dental pulp response to electrical stimulation by means of electric odontometric pulp test (hereinafter – EPT) in teeth unaffected by orthodontic loading, and in teeth subjected to continuous intrusive force for 7 and for 14 days, also for 7 days of continuous loading with the following 7 days of rest; 4) to perform mathematical analysis of the forces acting during the orthodontic loading; 5) to analyse relation of the pulp AST activity and the EPT measu¬rements with the intrusive force magnitude, tooth type (i.e. number of tooth roots; maxilar or, mandibular), and patient‘s age; 6) to analyse digital panoramic X-ray images of the patients, sub¬jected to radiography during routine dental treatment planning, in order to observe occurence of pulp stones in the dental pulp chamber; 7) to compare baseline and final... [to full text]

Thesis (M.S.)--Miami University, Dept. of Physical Education, Health, and Sport Studies, 2007. / Title from first page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 64-67).

Spegling, härbärgering och grundning - En studie av tre begrepp i det terapeutiska rummet, av Elin Nygren, är en uppsats inom ramen för Magisterprogrammet i musikpedagogik med inriktning musikterapi vid Kungl. Musikhögskolan i Stockholm. Syftet med uppsatsen har varit att i litteraturstudier samt i intervjuer undersöka begreppen spegling, härbärgering och grundning. Intervjuerna har haft i fokus att utforska hur fyra terapeuter kliniskt använder begreppen och hur musik kan utveckla dessa. Uppsatsen grundar sig i de utvecklingspsykologiska teorierna och i Wigrams teorier om musikterapeutiska improvisationstekniker. Resultatdelen i uppsatsen är en sammanställning av intervjuerna efter att de bearbetats enligt modellen Tematisk analys. I denna del redovisas hur terapeuterna beskriver det metodiska användandet av begreppen anpassat efter de olika målgrupper som de arbetar med. Vid sammanställning av intervjuerna blev det tydligt att de fyra terapeuterna har en överensstämmande syn kring de tre begreppens funktion för terapeuten och en överensstämmelse i sina definitioner av dem. Det framkom också att musik i många delar är analogt med Sterns vitalitetsaffekter och kompatibelt med hur vi människor kommunicerar. / Reflecting, containing and grounding – A study of three concepts used in therapy, by Elin Nygren is a study carried out within the context of Master Program in Music Education, with orientation Music Therapy at The Royal College of Music in Stockholm. The purpose with this paper has been to look into the concepts reflecting, containing and grounding in literature and in interviews. The main focus of these interviews has been to explore how four therapists in therapy uses the concepts and how music can develop these. The paper is based on the developmental psychology theories and Wigram’s theories of improvisation techniques in music therapy. The result of this paper is a compilation of the interviews, after being processed according to the model of Thematic Analysis. In the result it is reported how the therapists describes the methodological use of the concepts adapted to the different audiences they work with. In the compilation it was clear that the four therapists have equivalent perspectives about the three concepts function for the therapist and an equivalent definition of them. It also appeared that music is analogue to Sterns dynamic forms of vitality and compatible with how humans communicate.

Research in Logotherapy substantiates the influence of meaning on psychological health and Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) corroborates the effects of psychological health on physical health. This dissertation explores the relationship between meaning and physical health hypothesising that purpose affects physical health. Methodology Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), ANOVAs and stepwise regression were used to explore three possible models. Results EFA revealed four factors, purpose, fear, vitality and aggression. Significant correlations were found between purpose, vitality (0.42) and work application (0.53). Despite the significant relationship between purpose and vitality, the lack of Chi-square is significant, suggesting that additional variables should be introduced into the model. Conclusion People reporting high levels of purpose together with low levels of fear and aggression, can be characterised by high vitality and an absence of medical conditions. Future research should focus on evaluating meaning centred interventions on immunity and vitality. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)