This study explores the influence of employee perception of acquisition success and the dispositional antecedents of positive affect and adaptive coping on employee- organization commitment during the 60-day period following a business acquisition. Allen & Meyer's affective, normative and continuance model of commitment was used for the dependent variables. A single sample was analyzed using a hierarchical regression approach. The survey was conducted with TRW's GIT Division, and included 51 employees who participated in three web- based surveys. The surveys were administered at (a) the change of control date, (b) 30 days, and (c) 60 days after the change of control date. Through a full- model regression, the combined dispositional and demographic variables were found to have a significant impact on the three components of employee- organization commitment. Specifically, the dispositional attribute of positive affect had a statistically significant predictive relationship to affective and normative commitment. Employee perception of acquisition success was found to have limited influence only on affective commitment, and finally, company service was determined to have a small predictive value for continuance commitment. The changing nature of the relationships between the independent variables and the dependents over time led to the conclusion that the employee sample was experiencing several symptoms of merger syndrome during the initial post- acquisition time period. As a single case, the study cannot be considered conclusive, however, the study does provide insights into the changing nature of employee- organization commitment during a specific time of organizational change. Research into additional dispositional antecedents to employee commitment is suggested, as well as further research on employee commitment after the initial 60-day post- acquisition integration period. / Ph. D.

No description available.

The experience of trauma is prevalent among young adult college students and is often associated with poor mental health outcomes such as symptoms of anxiety. Not all individuals who have experienced trauma, however, develop anxiety, perhaps due to individual-level adaptive characteristics, such as use of adaptive rather than maladaptive coping strategies. Yet, little research has examined the interrelationships between the experience of trauma, specific types of coping strategies, and subclinical anxiety symptoms. A sample of 915 undergraduate students completed self-report measures of trauma, coping strategies, and anxiety symptoms. We hypothesized that traumatic life events would be associated with anxiety symptoms, and that this relation would be moderated by adaptive and maladaptive coping, such that adaptive coping will weaken, whereas maladaptive coping will exacerbate, the trauma-anxiety relationship. Results demonstrated maladaptive coping, but not adaptive coping, was a moderator of the association between the experience of trauma and symptoms of anxiety.

abstract: Generativity was first described by Erikson (1963) as an adult's concern for and commitment to promoting the welfare and development of future generations. Generativity is juxtaposed by stagnation in Erikson's stage of midlife (35-65 years old). The developmental hurdle faced at this point in the developmental cycle is whether a person will produce something of real value, both in the present and impacting future generations. Generative adults seek to give something back to society, generally behaving in a way to make the world a better place for others with no personal gain attached. The goal of the current study was to assess differences in levels of generativity at the final stage of adult life, and the potential functions that generativity can serve individuals. Results suggest that lowly generative individuals in older adult life tend to experience doubts about the impact they have had on the world and the lack of legacy they are leaving behind. Themes of highly generative participants included having felt they lived a purposeful and meaningful life, along with feeling fortunate and lucky in their lives. Also highly generative participants seemed to feel confident in the legacy they will leave behind after death. Results are discussed in light of the theories and findings of Erikson and McAdams. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Counseling Psychology 2013

The purpose of this study is to describe and explore the happiness, sense of coherence and resilience of rural teachers from a positive psychology framework where positive and healthy adaptation is emphasized. This study forms part of the dissemination phase of a longitudinal study known as STAR (Supportive Teachers Assets and Resilience). Completed questionnaires by twelve rural teachers in STAR schools (2 primary and 1 secondary) in rural Mpumalanga were purposively sampled as data sources for secondary analysis. The measures included the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ), Resilience Scale (RS-14) and the Orientation to Life Questionnaire (SOC-13). Results are presented as descriptive and non-parametric statistics. Results indicated that teachers possess High Moderate to High levels of happiness, Moderate to High Moderate sense of coherence, and High Moderate to high levels of resilience. There was no significant relationship between happiness, sense of coherence and resilience. No significant differences were observed between levels of happiness, sense of coherence and resilience of teachers in (Pre- STAR intervention and post- STAR intervention); nor with regards to gender. Theorizing the findings of this study within the theoretical framework of positive psychology indicates that despite significant risk and adversity, teachers are able to demonstrate positive psychological constructs in the form of happiness (extraversion, kindness, humor, sense of purpose, aesthetic appreciation, locus of control, positive affect, self-efficacy, physical health and self-esteem ), sense of coherence (comprehensibility, manageability and meaning) and resilience (self-reliance, having a purposeful and meaningful life, equanimity, perseverance and existential aloneness). / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

There is compelling evidence that helping adolescents develop certain traits (especially related to resiliency) can mitigate the confounding effects of suicide. Specific demographics of youth appear to have higher rates of suicidal behavior including those with mental health diagnoses and educational disabilities that affect students' academic achievement. We looked at evidence based social and emotional learning programs (SEL) that fostered adaptive coping skills and resilience. We identified Strong Teens (Carrizales-Engelmann, Merrell, Feuerborn, Gueldner, & Tran, 2016) as a program that could be easily administered and adapted into traditional and nontraditional school settings. This study was conducted in a residential treatment center (RTC) for adolescent males. The RTC permitted one of their therapists to implement the Strong Teens over the course of two consecutively run groups. Group 1 included seven boys and Group 2 included four boys. We relied on the therapist's self-assessment of modifications made to the program; the researcher's field notes collected during observations; emails between the therapist and researcher; the researcher's notes taken during conversations between the therapist and researcher; monthly Youth Outcome Questionnaire Self Report (Y-OQ-SR) test scores; youth Strong Teens pre and post test scores; and youth exit surveys conducted in one-one interviews at the conclusion of the Strong Teens lessons. Fidelity of program implementation was measured by the therapist and researcher completing the Strong Teens fidelity checklist (included in the Strong Teens manual). Based on collected data, we make the following recommendations: Adapt the Strong Teens program to increase student participation and receptiveness; carefully consider the size of the group, taking into account the capacity of the group leader to manage the group's behaviors and attend to individual needs; consider conducting groups sessions in settings that help youth feel safe and comfortable--groups held outside may be preferable to groups held inside classrooms; mental health professionals and teachers who lead the Strong Teens lessons may consider learning about a variety of basic therapeutic strategies and how these strategies might fit participants' needs; when evaluating the effectiveness of Strong Teens, carefully gather, consider, and contextualize a variety of data (quantitative and qualitative) from a variety of sources (youth participants, group leaders, and others who interact with the youth); in addition to focusing on teaching information and skills, group leaders must consider motivational strategies; focus initial conversations on why one would use such strategies to benefit oneself--later conversations may expand to include how strategies benefit others.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to gain an in-depth understanding of whether or not, and how teachers in a resource-constrained rural school sustain their motivation in and commitment to teaching over a life-span. The Social Cognitive Career Theory was chosen as theoretical framework because it recognises the importance that factors in the environment play when the career paths of individuals unfold. A conceptual framework for ‘teacher career resilience’ was developed by merging current thinking on resilience, teacher resilience and career resilience. The life-history design was framed methodologically as biographical research with participatory principles. Teacher participants (n=5, 3=female and 2=male) were selected according to purposive sampling. Data were generated through participatory interview-conversations, which were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim, as well as memory books, joint photograph-taking and field notes in a researcher diary. Five themes emerged from the guided phenomenological analysis process (Hycner, 1985) and narrative comparison. First, this study exposes illiteracy of learners’ parents, demotivated learners, and a negative national teacher fraternity as sources of adversity not previously noted as significant for teachers in rural settings. Second, rural teachers in this study drew strength from their own life experiences of adversity (being from rural areas themselves); and they relied on their own agency in problem solving. Third, in addition participating rural teachers make use of encouraging memories of their own teachers from childhood and partake in informal professional development activities such as collaborative peer discussions rather than mentoring to grow professionally. Fourth, participating teachers in rural resource-constrained South Africa thus use similar internal protective resources (problem solving, strategizing, cognitive restructuring and emotional regulation) in their adaptive coping repertoire to those of other teachers globally. Fifth, teachers did not enter the teaching profession in the same way as has been documented elsewhere; but entered the teaching profession as a result of socio-political and financial influences, chance happenings and the influence of significant teachers in their past. Teachers seem to balance their use of protective resources between internal and external resources in their current practice. Over time, however they draw more on internal protective resources. Teachers conceptualised their teacher career resilience on a continuum: persevering through adversity, both as young children, and as growing professionals. They use their self-efficacy beliefs, embedded in an adversity drenched past, to manage, overcome and cope despite current chronic adversity. Teachers’ overt behavior in adaptive coping processes was dependent on the interrelatedness between their attributes (especially internal protective resources), the environment (chronic adversity) and the continuous loop of influence (appraisal) between these three factors. Teachers became skilled in resilience processes because of the chronic adversity they face. Teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs about their adaptive coping extended beyond what they themselves can achieve to what their efforts in teaching may mean to model hope to learners, as their teachers modelled to them, fostering a certain altruistic career anchor. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

Background: Career ending injuries are known to cause negative psychosocial and behavioural outcomes in retired athletes. However, there has been a limited amount of quantitative studies to complement mostly qualitative research. Furthermore, qualitative studies have typically assessed the effects of athletic identity, mental health/mood disturbances, loss, coping mechanisms and social support with minimal research regarding physical body transitions and body-esteem throughout the retirement process. Thus, the purpose of this thesis was to investigate the relationship between affective, behavioural, and cognitive outcomes and athletic retirement (voluntary, involuntary) among elite and competitive athletes. Method: A retrospective mixed method (questionnaire and interview) study was utilized to examine how participants interpreted their experience during the transitional process into retirement. Inclusion criteria consisted of male and female, elite and competitive athletes who have voluntarily or involuntarily (career ending injury) retired, ages 18 and above. Exclusion criteria included non-athletes/recreational athletes, athletes who were able to return to play or retired due to illness, health problems or deselection as well as who were less than 18 years of age. Posters were advertised in sports clubs, fitness centers, sports centers, physiotherapy offices and universities as well as on social media (Facebook and Instagram). The main outcome measures are as follows:1) Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS); 2) Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ), 3) Mental Health and 4) COPE Inventory. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants from both retirement (voluntary and involuntary) groups. All interviews (telephone, zoom) were recorded, transcribed verbatim and a thematic analysis was implemented to further determine the various themes and subthemes. An independent t-test explored the impacts of body dimensions and coping mechanisms on retirement type. Then a factorial ANOVA was conducted to examine the effects of the dependent variables (mental health, mood disturbances and coping mechanisms) on the main analysis (retirement) and the exploratory (strength of athletic identity) analysis. Results: 50 (26 involuntary and 24 voluntary) questionnaires and eight (four voluntary and four involuntary) interviews were completed by the participants. Results from the quantitative data revealed a borderline main effect of retirement type on both mental health and mood disturbances. An exploratory analysis found retirees who weakly identified with the athletic role were less likely to experience severe mood disturbances and demonstrated higher levels of mental health than retirees who strongly identified with the athletic role. Information from qualitative data suggested participants who involuntarily retired and possessed a strong athletic identity experienced higher levels of mood disturbances (depression, frustrations, loss etc.), lower levels of mental health, identity loss, physical discomfort, negative effects of mind and body dualism as well as utilized maladaptive coping techniques than their counterpart who voluntarily retired or weakly identified with the athletic role. Conclusion: Both retirement types are subjected to various athletic and non-athletic demands and psychosocial effects of athletic retirement however, what sets them apart from experiencing a successful or unsuccessful transition into retirement is the intensity and severity of their emotional reaction to their retirement. Limitations of said study included a decrease in sample size, memory recall bias, the participant’s own bias, limited diversity of the sample population as well as the inability to verify the findings from the interviews. The following study can be implemented to aid researchers, retired or soon to be retired athletes, coaches and athletic personnel to comprehend the diverse areas of athletic retirement. Future research should aim to investigate the impacts of mood disorders, the utilization of psychologist or mental performance consultant during the retirement process as well as the effects of body dimensions in retired athletes. Lastly, a longitudinal study should be employed to examine the athlete’s emotional response and reaction throughout retirement (time of injury, during physiotherapy, post- surgery and recovery). / Graduate