Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is a drug withdrawal syndrome exhibited by infants born to mothers with opioid use disorder (OUD). The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and other professional societies endorse opioid agonist pharmacotherapy (MATs) as the optimal treatment for OUD during pregnancy. This study focuses on impact of weaning of MAT drugs on the incidence of NAS and neonatal birth outcomes among babies born to women with opioid exposure. The study population included eighty-six pregnant women with OUD, divided in to weaning and non-weaning groups based on their choice to wean the MATs during pregnancy. Univariate analysis was performed between the clinical and demographic variables of both groups. Multivariate analysis was performed to find the association between outcome variables and predictor variables. All analyses were conducted using SAS version 9.4. The study identified a significant negative correlation (p-value: 0.0099) between weaning from MATs and NAS incidence. The study showed significant correlations of weaning with shorter LOS (p-value: 0.0036) and higher birth weights (p-value: 0.0408). Weaning emerged as a significant predictor for decreasing the incidence of NAS and improving the neonatal outcomes. Logistic regression confirmed weaning as a protective factor (odds ratio: 4.881 CI: 1.3, 18.1). The intricacies of weaning of MATs in the context of OUD during pregnancy present profound health and ethical considerations for both mothers and infants. The investigation into NAS incidence among infants born to women with OUD revealed a significant association with weaning from MATs during pregnancy. The study highlights the potential benefits of weaning, offering insights into optimized neonatal care and efficient healthcare resource utilization.

This thesis handles with the lifestyle of Straight Edge youth subculture. This subculture is identified by refusing alcohol, drugs, tobacco, sexual promiscuity and emphasizing moral compassion. First the thesis describes the lifestyle in general, including the typical attitudes, values and freetime activities. Further it reflects subcultures, their place within society, their specifics, and maps the academic studies of (post)subcultural theories. Following part describes the Straight Edge subculture in detail and is asking the question whether this subculture can fulfill the function of the substition of religion. The qualitative analysis then focuses on the lifestyle of the individual followers, their perception of the community, the relationship with society and selfpresentation. Additionaly the thesis presents the ethical and moral dimension of Straight Edge and delas with the problem of commercialism of subcultures.

Extra-marital affairs seem to be rampant among Seventh-day Adventist adult membership in Botswana. To determine the extent of the problem, to investigate the causative factors and to suggest ways in which individuals and families can be helped, has been the motivation for this study. It was discovered that 11.8% of married adults in the survey had at least one secret sexual partner, and 42.6% of singles had an illegal sexual partner(s). Seventh-day Adventist adults' sexuality in Botswana is characterized by hetero-sexual, multiple partners. Some of the contributing factors are economic, cultural and spiritual. Despite the prevailing influences, the majority of the adults (68%) still disagree with lax sexual behavior. This gives hope to work for their restoration and empowerment. Two key areas that were seen to be critical in empowering them were the family and spirituality. A psycho-spiritual program called, Harmonious Development, is being suggested for a systematic, educational, holistic and lifelong empowerment. This model is based on the psycho-educational theory developed by W.J. Schoeman for adult training. / SCH: HUM, SOC SCIENC & THEO / DTH (SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY)

The Department of Education is promoting HIV/AIDS education programmes in the public schools of South Africa, particularly through the subject Life Orientation. Therefore, this study investigates the role of Life Orientation in addressing HIV/AIDS in KwaZulu-Natal secondary schools. Different role-players were evaluated to ascertain their attitudes and beliefs about Life Orientation and HIV/AIDS. The examination of different role-players was undertaken to establish the significance of their attitudes and beliefs on the success or failure of the Life Orientation based sex and HIV education programmes in the schools. An attempt was also made to find a relevant definition of the subject Life Orientation that contains the meaning and the purpose of the subject. Teachers were found to be uncertain about an appropriate definition that carries the meaning of Life Orientation; hence they tend to define it by its components such as Life skills, physical education, decision-making, HIV education and others. The study also sought to establish the impact of sex education embedded in Life Orientation on the fight against HIV/AIDS. Sex education was examined to determine whether it encourages or reduces youth sexual activities. In order for teachers to be able to use Life Orientation content to drive sex and HIV education programmes, it had to be ascertained if they were informed or not about HIV/AIDS. The questionnaire carried out an extensive assessment of teachers’ knowledge, attitudes and their personal stance on HIV/AIDS. This study established that training of teachers in both Life Orientation and HIV/AIDS provides them with knowledge which enables them to positively handle sex and HIV education programmes in the classroom. It was for this reason that the study made recommendations with regard to training and support programmes to ensure that teachers are adequately equipped for effective implementation of the subject Life Orientation in the National Curriculum Statement. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

Although addiction is treated by means of different treatment programmes in South Africa, the researcher discovered that the level of self-actualization and changes in addicts relationships, are questionable. A preliminary literature review indicated that the family of origin could be the cause of addiction. The above prompted the researcher to compile a treatment programme that addresses the family of origin as a cause of addiction. The treatment programme was divided into three phases. Phases one and two were included to provide therapists with guidelines on how to assist clients to reach abstinence, as well as how to function effectively in their life-worlds, while phase three addressed the family of origin as a cause of addiction. The family systems and relations theories served as the theoretical framework of the study. Phase three of the treatment programme was implemented by therapists during an empirical investigation to determine the effectiveness of the treatment programme. / Teacher Education / D Ed. (Psychology of Education)

L'addiction ou dépendance aux substances psychoactives est une affection chronique, fréquente et grave, émaillée de rechutes et de périodes d'abstinence. Les études épidémiologiques montrent que l'abstinence aux opiacés est fortement associée à une prévalence accrue de la dépression. Nous résumons ici les principaux aspects cliniques de la dépendance aux opiacés et de la dépression, en détaillant leurs mécanismes physiopathologiques. Puis, nous présentons notre modèle d'abstinence aux opiacés chez la souris. Suite à un traitement morphinique chronique et au cours de l'abstinence apparaissent progressivement des comportements apparentés à la dépression. Ce traitement morphinique modifie profondément le fonctionnement du système sérotoninergique, notamment dans le noyau du raphé dorsal. De plus, les déficits comportementaux observés peuvent être prévenus par un traitement chronique par la fluoxétine, un antidépresseur ciblant ce système. Nous avons généralisé ce modèle à l'héroïne, un autre opiacé illicite. Nous avons révélé par des approches génétiques de délétion constitutive et conditionnelle les rôles distincts des 3 récepteurs opioïdes (mu, delta et kappa) lors de l'abstinence à l'héroïne. Enfin, nous avons initié une étude de caractérisation, à l'échelle de l'ensemble du génome, des adaptations transcriptomiques (ARN messagers et micro-ARN) dans le noyau du raphé dorsal au cours de l'abstinence à l'héroïne et du traitement antidépresseur. Ce travail devrait permettre d'améliorer notre compréhension des mécanismes neurobiologiques à l'œuvre dans la comorbidité entre dépendance aux opiacés et dépression et pourrait suggérer de nouvelles pistes thérapeutiques.

Lässt sich Persönlichkeit als Risikofaktor bei Personen mit Alkoholabhängigkeit verstehen? Dies ist die Leitfrage der Studie. In einem Querschnittsdesign werden insgesamt 297 alkoholabhängige Personen untersucht. Es wird eine umfassende Persönlichkeitsdiagnostik (TPF, SKID-II, DITS-40) durchgeführt. In unterschiedlichen Bereichen des Suchtverhaltens (Suchtverlauf, Trinkmenge, Abstinenzverhalten, Rückfall) werden Hochrisikogruppen gebildet und mit der jeweils übrigen Stichprobe mittels binär logistischer Regression verglichen. Die Einflussvariablen der logistischen Modelle werden als Risikofaktoren für Hochrisikoverhalten gedeutet. Es zeigt sich, dass Persönlichkeitsvariablen in vielen Bereichen des Suchtverhaltens eine wichtige Rolle spielen. Insbesondere gilt dies für den Suchtverlauf vor der ersten Entgiftungsbehandlung, die Trinkmenge und das Rückfallverhalten. Für den Suchtverlauf nach der ersten Entgiftungsbehandlung und das Abstinenzverhalten gilt dies weitaus weniger. Insgesamt wird Hochrisikoverhalten in unterschiedlichen Bereichen des Suchtverhaltens stark durch Persönlichkeitsvariablen geprägt. Hierauf sollte in der Praxis jede Therapie adäquat reagieren. / Is it possible to consider personality as a risk factor in people who are alcohol dependent? This is the main question to be addressed in this project. A total of 297 alcohol dependent people are tested in a cross-sectional design. A comprehensive personality diagnosis is undertaken (TPF, SKID-II, DITS-40). In various aspects of alcohol abuse (history of abuse, amount consumed, abstinence behaviour, relapse) high-risk groups are formed and compared with the rest of the sample in each case by means of binary logistic regression. The influencing variables of the logistic models are interpreted as risk factors for high risk behaviour. What this shows is that personality variables play a major role in many areas of abusive behaviour. This applies especially to the history of abuse before the first detoxification treatment, the amount consumed an the relapse behaviour. This applies to a far lesser extent to the history of abuse after the first detoxification treatment and abstinence behaviour. Overall, high-risk behaviour in various aspects of alcohol abuse is strongly influenced by personality. Every therapy should have the appropriate answer to this in practise.

There is concern about the recently increasing number of infants born with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS), yet little is known about its long-term neurodevelopmental effects. School-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are in a unique position to comment on potential long-term consequences of NAS because their caseloads include children with a variety of communication disorders and comorbidities. School-based SLPs across the United States (N = 258) responded to a survey about the presence of children with NAS on their caseloads and their perceptions of the children’s communication disorders and comorbidities. Results revealed that children with NAS currently are being treated by SLPs. They primarily present with receptive/expressive language and literacy disorders, and comorbid Broad Developmental Delay, ADD, and ADHD. Furthermore, documentation of NAS is often not available to SLPs, hindering creation of protocols for identification and treatment. The results of this study indicate that investment in future research is warranted.

Extra-marital affairs seem to be rampant among Seventh-day Adventist adult membership in Botswana. To determine the extent of the problem, to investigate the causative factors and to suggest ways in which individuals and families can be helped, has been the motivation for this study. It was discovered that 11.8% of married adults in the survey had at least one secret sexual partner, and 42.6% of singles had an illegal sexual partner(s). Seventh-day Adventist adults' sexuality in Botswana is characterized by hetero-sexual, multiple partners. Some of the contributing factors are economic, cultural and spiritual. Despite the prevailing influences, the majority of the adults (68%) still disagree with lax sexual behavior. This gives hope to work for their restoration and empowerment. Two key areas that were seen to be critical in empowering them were the family and spirituality. A psycho-spiritual program called, Harmonious Development, is being suggested for a systematic, educational, holistic and lifelong empowerment. This model is based on the psycho-educational theory developed by W.J. Schoeman for adult training. / SCH: HUM, SOC SCIENC and THEO / DTH (SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY)

The Department of Education is promoting HIV/AIDS education programmes in the public schools of South Africa, particularly through the subject Life Orientation. Therefore, this study investigates the role of Life Orientation in addressing HIV/AIDS in KwaZulu-Natal secondary schools. Different role-players were evaluated to ascertain their attitudes and beliefs about Life Orientation and HIV/AIDS. The examination of different role-players was undertaken to establish the significance of their attitudes and beliefs on the success or failure of the Life Orientation based sex and HIV education programmes in the schools. An attempt was also made to find a relevant definition of the subject Life Orientation that contains the meaning and the purpose of the subject. Teachers were found to be uncertain about an appropriate definition that carries the meaning of Life Orientation; hence they tend to define it by its components such as Life skills, physical education, decision-making, HIV education and others. The study also sought to establish the impact of sex education embedded in Life Orientation on the fight against HIV/AIDS. Sex education was examined to determine whether it encourages or reduces youth sexual activities. In order for teachers to be able to use Life Orientation content to drive sex and HIV education programmes, it had to be ascertained if they were informed or not about HIV/AIDS. The questionnaire carried out an extensive assessment of teachers’ knowledge, attitudes and their personal stance on HIV/AIDS. This study established that training of teachers in both Life Orientation and HIV/AIDS provides them with knowledge which enables them to positively handle sex and HIV education programmes in the classroom. It was for this reason that the study made recommendations with regard to training and support programmes to ensure that teachers are adequately equipped for effective implementation of the subject Life Orientation in the National Curriculum Statement. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)