The aim of this study was to assess life satisfaction and coping behaviour of orphaned children. The study used a quantitative cross sectional survey research design. The sample comprised 466 participants including both male and female orphans (n= 235) and a control group of non-orphaned (n=231) children selected from primary and secondary schools in Mafikeng.The age of participants ranged from 9 to 16 years. Test of significance including student t- test and chi-test analysis were used to verify the study hypotheses. Results showed that, non-orphaned children report higher levels of life satisfaction and cope better compared to orphaned children. It was also found that gender does not play any significant role in determining life satisfaction and coping of orphaned children. Lastly, satisfaction with life of orphaned children is not dependent on the children's age, however the coping behaviour depends on the age of individuals. Recommendations were made in line with the findings of the study. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.(Clinical Psychology) North-West University, Mafikeng campus, 2013

While the majority of school-aged children associate immunizations with low levels of anxiety, fear, and pain, there is a small subset for whom needles are highly distressing (Humphrey, et al., 1992). Poorly managed, these individuals may come to avoid medical treatment (Ollendick, King, & Muris, 2002). Using Lazarus and Folkmans (1984) transactional theory of coping and Reid and colleagues (1998) development and validation of the Pain Coping Questionnaire as frameworks, the present program of research elaborated on existing knowledge about how children cope with needles. As part of Studies 1 (N = 176) and 2 (N = 302), a Coping with Needles Questionnaire (CNQ) was developed and validated; both two- and three-subscale versions of the questionnaire were examined. The resulting CNQ was composed of and scored as two separate subscales: problem-focused and emotion-focused coping. Construct validity testing demonstrated that emotion-focused coping was robustly associated with more negative experience with needles (i.e., higher anxiety, fear, pain, and lower self-efficacy). There was no main effect of problem-focused coping but it tended to moderate the negative effect of emotion-focused coping when the two interacted. Study 3 (N = 78) was designed to investigate (1) the percentage of participants who are high on only one type of coping (i.e., dominant copers) and (2) how coping responses change over time in response to repeated presentations of the same stressor. Presently there are gaps in the existing literature regarding these two targeted areas of investigation. Results of this investigation indicated that most children engage in high amounts of both problem- and emotion-focused coping when initially queried about their experience with an immunization, with approximately 30% showing a pattern of coping dominance. When participants were followed and queried about a second experience with immunization, it was found that most of them engaged in low amounts of both types of coping. This pattern of change in the distribution of coping over time was not consistent with learning effects. In other words, participants did not seem to improve their coping with experience. However, lack of a clearly positive type of coping and a six-month time-lag may have inhibited the potential for learning to occur. The utility of the CNQ for screening purposes and implications of these findings for interventions are discussed.

While the majority of school-aged children associate immunizations with low levels of anxiety, fear, and pain, there is a small subset for whom needles are highly distressing (Humphrey, et al., 1992). Poorly managed, these individuals may come to avoid medical treatment (Ollendick, King, & Muris, 2002). Using Lazarus and Folkmans (1984) transactional theory of coping and Reid and colleagues (1998) development and validation of the Pain Coping Questionnaire as frameworks, the present program of research elaborated on existing knowledge about how children cope with needles. As part of Studies 1 (N = 176) and 2 (N = 302), a Coping with Needles Questionnaire (CNQ) was developed and validated; both two- and three-subscale versions of the questionnaire were examined. The resulting CNQ was composed of and scored as two separate subscales: problem-focused and emotion-focused coping. Construct validity testing demonstrated that emotion-focused coping was robustly associated with more negative experience with needles (i.e., higher anxiety, fear, pain, and lower self-efficacy). There was no main effect of problem-focused coping but it tended to moderate the negative effect of emotion-focused coping when the two interacted. Study 3 (N = 78) was designed to investigate (1) the percentage of participants who are high on only one type of coping (i.e., dominant copers) and (2) how coping responses change over time in response to repeated presentations of the same stressor. Presently there are gaps in the existing literature regarding these two targeted areas of investigation. Results of this investigation indicated that most children engage in high amounts of both problem- and emotion-focused coping when initially queried about their experience with an immunization, with approximately 30% showing a pattern of coping dominance. When participants were followed and queried about a second experience with immunization, it was found that most of them engaged in low amounts of both types of coping. This pattern of change in the distribution of coping over time was not consistent with learning effects. In other words, participants did not seem to improve their coping with experience. However, lack of a clearly positive type of coping and a six-month time-lag may have inhibited the potential for learning to occur. The utility of the CNQ for screening purposes and implications of these findings for interventions are discussed.

Individer som utövar någon typ av sport utsätter sig för både psykiskt och fysisk påfrestning. Denna påfrestning kan vara något som stressar individen och måste därför hanteras och bemästras på något sätt.  Syftet med studien var att undersöka vad som motiverar hobby- respektive professionella ryttare, finns det någon skillnad i upplevelsen av motgångar i sin sport mellan hobbyryttare och professionella tävlingsryttare, och om grupperna har olika sätt att bemästra motgångar. Deltagarna var 11 kvinnor, fem professionella ryttare och sex hobbyryttare. Analysen gjordes genom meningskoncentrering, där olika teman utformades efter studiens frågeställningar. Resultatet visade bland annat på att hobbyryttarna använde sig utav undvikande bemästrande strategi i större utsträckning än vad de professionella ryttarna gjorde. Detta skulle kunna bero på att professionella ryttare använde sig mer utav problemfokuserad bemästrandestrategier därför att de hade mer rutin och kunskap inom sporten än hobbyryttarna hade.

Yes / The self-regulatory model proposes that illness representations influence adjustment and coping in chronic conditions. Better understanding of the illness representations held by people with dementia could help with targeting information and support so as to optimize adjustment and coping. In this mixed-methods study of illness representations among people with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s, vascular, or mixed dementia we aimed to clarify the nature of the representations held, to determine whether specific profiles can be identified based on perceptions of the identity and cause of the condition, and to examine associations between these profiles and other participant characteristics. Data were collected in the second wave of the Memory Impairment and Dementia Awareness Study (MIDAS). Sixty-four people with dementia, who had been told their diagnosis at a memory clinic, completed interviews and responded to questionnaires. In each case a carer was also interviewed. Cluster analysis based on responses about identity and cause identified three profiles. ‘Illness’ cluster participants saw themselves as living with an illness and used diagnostic labels, ‘ageing’ cluster participants did not use diagnostic labels and viewed their difficulties as related to ageing, and ‘no problem’ cluster participants considered that they did not have any difficulties. ‘Illness’ cluster participants had better cognition and better awareness, but lower mood, and perceived more practical consequences, than ‘ageing’ cluster participants. Holding an ‘illness’ model may not be advantageous. Rather than encouraging adoption of such a model, it may be preferable to target information and select interventions in line with the person’s representation profile.

<p>Arbetet som ambulanspersonal är påfrestande, såväl fysiskt som psykiskt.</p><p>Att vara fysiskt vältränad är säkerligen en fördel, men kan man vara</p><p>vältränad även på det psykiska planet? Många studier har gjorts om</p><p>ambulanspersonalens copingstrategier, men få har gjorts i Sverige. Studier</p><p>gjorda utomlands har visat att några av de vanligaste copingstrategierna hos</p><p>ambulanspersonal är socialt stöd, emotionell- och kognitivcoping. Denna</p><p>studie har gjorts för att belysa relationen mellan socialt stöd och coping</p><p>angående arbetsmiljöstressorer hos ambulanspersonal i Mellansverige.</p><p>Författaren genomförde studien genom intervjuer av fyra kamratstödjare</p><p>inom ambulansen. Resultatet visade att socialt stöd har en stor betydelse för</p><p>ambulanspersonalen för att lägga upp copingstrategier i hanteringen av</p><p>arbetsmiljöstressorer. Studien visar samma tendens hos ambulanspersonal</p><p>utomlands.</p>

Arbetet som ambulanspersonal är påfrestande, såväl fysiskt som psykiskt. Att vara fysiskt vältränad är säkerligen en fördel, men kan man vara vältränad även på det psykiska planet? Många studier har gjorts om ambulanspersonalens copingstrategier, men få har gjorts i Sverige. Studier gjorda utomlands har visat att några av de vanligaste copingstrategierna hos ambulanspersonal är socialt stöd, emotionell- och kognitivcoping. Denna studie har gjorts för att belysa relationen mellan socialt stöd och coping angående arbetsmiljöstressorer hos ambulanspersonal i Mellansverige. Författaren genomförde studien genom intervjuer av fyra kamratstödjare inom ambulansen. Resultatet visade att socialt stöd har en stor betydelse för ambulanspersonalen för att lägga upp copingstrategier i hanteringen av arbetsmiljöstressorer. Studien visar samma tendens hos ambulanspersonal utomlands.

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: Chronic renal failure patients are confronted with many challenges and often express feelings of being a burden to their families. Since the inception of haemodialysis in 1913, limited research has been conducted to explore the coping behaviours of the families of haemodialysed patients, especially in the South African context. The family’s inability to cope with the condition and treatment, may impact on their wellness as well as that of the family member on haemodialysis. In light of the limited research available on the coping behaviours of families of haemodialysed patients, this study set out to describe the coping behaviours using the mixed method. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHOD: The study followed an explanatory mixed method approach with sequential design and was divided into two phases. Phase one addressed the first objective in identifying and describing the coping behaviours of the families using the Family Crisis Orientated Personal Scale (F–COPES) developed by McCubbin, Larsen and Olson. During phase two, the researcher conducted interviews to explore the coping behaviour identified in phase one. RESULTS: The mean scores of the subscales of the F–COPES scale ranged from 3.05 to 4.16 with reliability indices found to be within the normal range. The average mean score for the subscale “seeking spiritual support” measured highest at 4.16, followed by “mobilising the family to acquire and accept help” (M=3.94). “Acquiring social support” measured lowest at 3.05. Four categories emanated from the thematic analysis of the data from the second phase namely, challenges, coordinated care, support structures and beliefs about disease. CONCLUSION: The subscales “seeking spiritual support, mobilising the family to acquire and accept help, reframing and acquiring social support” showed concordance with the categories derived from the qualitative data analysis. Supporting evidence for “passive appraisal” as a sub–scale from the first phase and “challenges” as a category from the second phase could not be found. / Thesis (M.Cur.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: Chronic renal failure patients are confronted with many challenges and often express feelings of being a burden to their families. Since the inception of haemodialysis in 1913, limited research has been conducted to explore the coping behaviours of the families of haemodialysed patients, especially in the South African context. The family’s inability to cope with the condition and treatment, may impact on their wellness as well as that of the family member on haemodialysis. In light of the limited research available on the coping behaviours of families of haemodialysed patients, this study set out to describe the coping behaviours using the mixed method. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHOD: The study followed an explanatory mixed method approach with sequential design and was divided into two phases. Phase one addressed the first objective in identifying and describing the coping behaviours of the families using the Family Crisis Orientated Personal Scale (F–COPES) developed by McCubbin, Larsen and Olson. During phase two, the researcher conducted interviews to explore the coping behaviour identified in phase one. RESULTS: The mean scores of the subscales of the F–COPES scale ranged from 3.05 to 4.16 with reliability indices found to be within the normal range. The average mean score for the subscale “seeking spiritual support” measured highest at 4.16, followed by “mobilising the family to acquire and accept help” (M=3.94). “Acquiring social support” measured lowest at 3.05. Four categories emanated from the thematic analysis of the data from the second phase namely, challenges, coordinated care, support structures and beliefs about disease. CONCLUSION: The subscales “seeking spiritual support, mobilising the family to acquire and accept help, reframing and acquiring social support” showed concordance with the categories derived from the qualitative data analysis. Supporting evidence for “passive appraisal” as a sub–scale from the first phase and “challenges” as a category from the second phase could not be found. / Thesis (M.Cur.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

The purpose of the study is to explore the psychological profile of South African police trainees. A literature study highlighted three important pretrauma variables that can influence an individual’s resilience when stressful circumstances occur. These variables include coping behaviour, personality characteristics and psychological distress. The primary goal of the research was to explore whether a relationship exists between these pretrauma variables and if demographic differences occur. Police officers in South Africa are exposed to violent circumstances, which can have a negative impact on their psychological functioning; it is therefore important to explore which psychological profiles are more likely to result in resilience. Studies such as this one can be used to facilitate the selection of resilient police officers in South Africa. A quantitative research investigation was conducted using three instruments namely, the Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WOC), Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R). As a secondary aim, the psychometric properties of these instruments were briefly explored. A sample of 150 police trainees was selected to take part in the research study during their first six months in training, before entering the field. The selected sample size yielded a total of 142 completed tests. The participants were selected using a method of stratified random sampling, which resulted in an equal distribution of male and female trainees. The results confirm that the trainees are more likely to use adaptive coping mechanisms, and are generally psychologically healthy. As expected, significant relationships exist between the three pretrauma variables under investigation. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Psychology / unrestricted