We spend a large portion of our life at work, however that workplace is generally more suited for some than for others. There is a bias towards extraverted people in the design of the workplace which can have outright negative effects on the introverted population and as an extension, people with schizoid personality disorder. The purpose of the thesis was to identify areas which could be subject to change in the workplace in order to facilitate a larger population and increase the well-being of introverted people, particularly those with schizoid personality disorder (SPD). Data was collected through a questionnaire (N = 52) and the analysis presented evidence of a difference in how important the participants deem it that a workplace is designed for socialisation and how possible it is to work without interruptions from other colleagues. The results indicated a large difference between the more and less extraverted groups in how important and how possible it was to work without interruptions from their colleagues. The results also indicate a significant difference between how important they deem it that a workplace should be designed for socialisation. In conclusion the author suggests areas which can be improved in the workplace design to facilitate a larger group of the population and not just be beneficial to the extraverted population.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

People with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) constitute the fastest-growing developmental disability population in North America, yet their employment outcomes are significantly poorer. Little attention has been given to the role of gender in shaping their employment experiences and the interface between their work and family demands. This qualitative research is intended to enable the ‘voice’ of people with autism to be heard through the content analysis of naturally occurring discourse in an on-line autism forum. The research is composed of three substantive studies. The first study investigated the role of gender in career exploration and job-seeking experiences. Guided by the Stages of Considering Work, the study examined how women and men with autism experienced three consecutive sets of vocational barriers related to contemplating employment, defining career goals, and finding jobs. The second study explored gender differences related to challenges in the workplace to maintain employment, including workplace mental health, social interaction, executive function, communication, disclosure, accommodation, sensory environment, and corporate cultures. The third study investigated the domestic experiences of women with autism as mothers, housekeepers, and caregivers, and how they negotiated the interface of work and family demands. Guided by the work/family border theory, the studyshowed how gender and disability identities significantly influenced their work-family experiences. Overall, this research informs gender-sensitive policies and practices to improve the employment and work-family balance experiences of individuals with autism. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

No description available.

No description available.

Effective educational efforts require knowledgeable health professionals to promote breastfeeding and instigate changes in individual behavior. This research was conducted to assess breastfeeding knowledge, and attitudes, beliefs, and intentions among students and professionals in health-related fields. A 5-year prospective study was conducted to investigate breastfeeding knowledge, and attitudes, beliefs, and intentions regarding breastfeeding in the workplace among nutrition students (n=69) while in school and later while in the workplace. A 47-item questionnaire was mailed to participants to survey knowledge, and attitudes, beliefs, and intentions related to breastfeeding in the workplace along with demographic information. From baseline to follow-up, nutrition students had a significant increase in breastfeeding knowledge (P<0.001), and change in attitudes (P<0.01) and change in intentions (P<0.02) regarding breastfeeding in the workplace. Sources of breastfeeding information were predictors of attitudes and intentions regarding breastfeeding in the workplace. In a separate study, a cross-sectional comparison of nutrition students (n=270) and non-nutrition students (n=271) at Virginia Tech demonstrated that nutrition students had significantly higher scores on breastfeeding knowledge, and attitudes, beliefs, and intentions regarding breastfeeding in the workplace scales (all P<0.001) compared to non-nutrition students. The 47-item questionnaire was also used in this investigation with junior, senior, and graduate students enrolled at Virginia Tech in spring of 20004. In both nutrition and non-nutrition students, attitudes and beliefs were significant predictors (both P<0.001) of intentions regarding breastfeeding in the workplace. In a final study, a cross-sectional evaluation of the Caribbean Association of Home Economics (CAHE) (n=71) revealed that respondents had mean (&#177;SD) scores of 5.76 + 1.34 for breastfeeding knowledge, 3.67 + 0.50 for attitudes, and 4.23 + 0.68 for beliefs related to breastfeeding in the workplace. Based on the 35-item survey, attitudes regarding breastfeeding in the workplace were positive predictors of beliefs (P<0.001). Overall, nutrition students, nutrition graduates, and CAHE members are knowledgeable about breastfeeding and possess positive attitudes and intentions regarding breastfeeding in the workplace. Attitudes regarding breastfeeding in the workplace are critical to intended behaviors. Nutrition program graduates may be effective educators of and advocates for breastfeeding and for breaking barriers to breastfeeding in the workplace. / Ph. D.

The Lactation Support Program at Virginia Tech, renamed the Nursing Mom's Support Program, was established  in 1999 when a group of women through the Women's Center and Work/Life Resources publicized a private concern about expressing milk.  While the basic goal was to create a universal opportunity for women seeking to express milk during the workday, university administrators also saw the program as a way to advance the progressive goals of the university and increase the recruitment of competitive faculty and students.  Lack of awareness about the program and struggles of women today reflect the original abandonment of an education component that would have maintained a collective conversation about the needs of working women, mothers, and caregivers in general.   Even though many of the women in this study did not use the spaces, or were unaware of their existence, most participants felt that the program represented a significant success for the university and stated that they felt supported because of the mere existence of these spaces. Viewed in this manner, it is possible to see how the production of space and its symbolic value masks over any residual injustices and replaces concerns about milk expression on the individual.  Yet, the permeable nature of lactation (scheduling, cleaning pump parts, storing milk, etc.) means that the women expressing milk will always be visible.  This visibility creates an opportunity to continue to address milk expression as a public concern and shift social expectations of what it means to be a worker. / Master of Science

A two-stage study was conducted which examined role strain and its correlates among technical professional employees in team settings in 14 companies in the United States and Canada. A questionnaire was constructed based on the results of interviews with engineers and managers, and the analysis of simple plot data.