This study examines the applicability of Michael Lipsky’s (1980) concept of “street-level bureaucracy” to the profession of social work in 2019. Street-level bureaucrats are public service workers “who interact with citizens in the regular course of their jobs; have significant independence in decision making, and potentially have extensive impact on the lives of their citizens” (Lipsky, 1980:3). They are faced with uncertainties in their work related to inadequate resources, unclear policies, and caseloads/workloads that defy what may be possible to achieve by any one worker. Workers develop routines and “coping mechanisms,” to manage their environments. The routines that they develop then become effective public policy for their clients. The street-level bureaucracy theory has been widely applied, but generally with the assumption that street-level bureaucrats are homogenous across occupations and settings. Recent research suggests the need for more nuanced approaches, especially with regard to the effects of professionalism, individual characteristics of workers, and the variety of circumstances in which they interact with clients. Yet most research utilizes small numbers of cases, making it difficult to measure differences among types of workers. The present study addresses that gap with a large survey of social workers in Louisiana. Findings show that these street-level bureaucrats do exercise discretion, but circumstances in which they do so vary significantly, even within a single profession. Further, ways in which they exercise discretion differ from those described by Lipsky. Instead of using coping mechanisms to buffer themselves from an otherwise overwhelming environment, the respondents in this study report consultation with peers and management to find ways to serve client needs. These findings have implications for both the study of street-level bureaucracy and the practice of social work. Keywords: Discretion, decision-making, street-level bureaucracy, social work, coping mechanisms

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Considering that the greatest fear of deploying military personnel is separation from family, an obvious and overlooked psychological phenomenon that merits further investigation is loneliness. In this study, 131 US troops completed the UCLA Loneliness Scale, Anxiety Control Questionnaire, and a leisurely activity participation scale to predict loneliness with participation in non-work activities in the presence of another moderator (locus of control) and various demographic factors. As hypothesized, the results indicated that 1) the best non-work activity predictors of loneliness were emailing friends and listening to music, 2) external locus of control was positively correlated with loneliness and internal locus of control was negatively correlated with loneliness, and 3) loneliness was positively correlated with length of time deployed.

Studien handlar om hur professionella inom verksamheter som arbetar med föräldraskapsstöd upplever stödet och dess effekt, samt hur de anser att stödet kan utvecklas och göras mer lättillgänglig. Studien baseras på fyra semistrukturerade intervjuer med personer som arbetar eller har erfarenhet av arbete med föräldraskapsstöd. Det insamlade materialet analyserades med hjälp av en riktad innehållsanalys utifrån tre teman; Stödets betydelse ur ett professionsperspektiv, Viktiga faktorer för ett gott resultat och Eventuella hinder, utmaningar och arbete för ett mer lättillgängligt stöd. Studiens slutsatser tyder på att föräldraskapsstöd utöver att stärka föräldrar i sin föräldraförmåga, kan även bidra till att föräldrar får ett ökat självförtroende och en känsla av egenmakt. Föräldraskapsstöd bör ses som ett förebyggande arbete som minskar risken för negativa utfall och ett normbrytande beteende hos barn och unga. Utbudet på föräldraskapsstödsinsatser behöver anpassas för att möta de behov som finns och även göras mer jämlikt över hela landet. Arbetet kräver ett professionellt förhållningssätt, flexibilitet och bör grunda sig i empowerment. Föräldraskapsstöd behöver även marknadsföras ytterligare samt normaliseras för att göra det mer lättillgängligt för allmänheten.

This editorial chapter addresses the problem of burnout in academic libraries by introducing a fusion of principles from trauma-informed care (TIC) and Constructive Living (CL) to offer unique, easy-to-incorporate plans of action to identify and mitigate symptoms of burnout. These two action-based philosophies, which may be new to most readers, provide strategies for considering, practicing, and adopting perspectives and behaviors that may give those suffering from burnout new ways of thinking about their professional and personal lives. We identify accessible opportunities to connect mind and body in self-care to neutralize negative self-talk, regain perspective and balance, and foster lifelong resiliency at a pace wholly determined by the individual and without formal training or expense.

Bakgrund: Det råder ojämlikheter i vården, och kvinnor är en grupp som drabbas av sämre hälsa och sämre tillgång till vård. Endometrios, en kronisk kvinnosjukdom som drabbar var tionde kvinna, orsakar smärtsamma symtom kopplade till menstruation. Diagnosfördröjningar beror ofta på normalisering av menstruationssmärta. Trots dess vanliga förekomst finns ingen känd orsak eller botemedel för endometrios. Sjuksköterskor spelar en viktig roll i att stödja dessa patienter. Syfte: Syftet var att belysa kvinnors erfarenheter av att leva med endometrios. Metod: En litteraturöversikt med tio kvalitativa artiklar inkluderade i resultatet från två databaser; Cinahl Complete och PubMed. Resultat: Resultatet bestod av tre huvudteman och sju underteman: 1. Att bli misstrodd; En lång väntan på diagnos; Bristande förtroende för vården 2. Att hantera vardagen; Hinder i vardagen; Strategier i vardagen 3. En känslomässig berg- och dalbana; Påverkan på intima relationer; En förändrad kvinnlighet; En förändrad kroppsuppfattning Slutsats: Kvinnor med endometrios upplever att hela livet påverkas vilket resulterar i många olika känslor och en förlorad autonomi. Många tappar förtroende för vården och känner sig felbehandlade. Misstro från omgivningen bidrar till ytterligare lidande för kvinnorna. / Background: Inequalities exist in healthcare, and women are a group disproportionately affected by poorer health and limited access to healthcare. Endometriosis, a chronic women's health condition affecting one in ten women, causes painful symptoms linked to menstruation. Delays in diagnosis often stem from normalization of menstrual pain. Despite its common occurrence, there is no known cause or cure for endometriosis. Nurses play a crucial role in supporting these patients. Aim: The aim was to explore women's experiences of living with endometriosis. Method: A literature review with ten qualitative articles included in the results from two databases; Cinahl Complete and PubMed. Results: The results consisted of three main themes and seven subthemes: 1. Being disbelieved; A long wait for a diagnosis; Lack of trust in healthcare 2. Managing everyday life; Daily life obstacles; Strategies in daily life 3. Emotional turmoils; Impact on intimate relationships; Altered femininity; Altered body perception Conclusions: Women with endometriosis experience that their entire lives are affected, resulting in many different emotions and a lost autonomy. Many lose trust in healthcare and feel mistreated. Distrust from their surroundings contributes to further suffering for the women.

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

The purpose of this research was to explore HIV/AIDS stigma in the workplace, with a special focus on the stigmatised. The sample consisted of 10 HIV/AIDS positive employees. A qualitative interview schedule was designed. The interview guide was used to facilitate one-on-one interviews with each participant. An analysis of the data revealed that the majority of the participants were shunned by family, friends and partners. Others were too ashamed or afraid to reveal their positive status. The majority of the participants did not feel comfortable revealing their positive status to their line managers and to their co-workers. All participants felt that others viewed people living with HIV/AIDS as dirty and unclean and many had been exposed to stigmatising behaviours towards them due to their HIV/AIDS positive status. As a coping mechanism, most participants noted that they would walk away if stigmatised against. Recommendations were made to address HIV/AIDS stigma in the workplace. / Industrial & Organisational Psychology / M. A. (Industrial and Organisation Psychology)

A lot has been said about change. For example, it is widely recognised that the only constant is change (Heraclitus, 470 BC). As such, no sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account not only the world as it is, but the world as it will be (Isaac Asimov). As regards this, a bulk of existing researches have been aimed at understanding the triggers for change and the extent or degree to which individuals, organisations, systems or entities have to change. Generally, results from such studies vary. With specific relations to organisations, organisations are advised of the need to develop added adaptive and dynamic capabilities. One of such added adaptive and dynamic capabilities is organisational resilience. In the literature, organisational resilience has been successful linked with organisations ability to maintain long term performance. Hence, the research is not about re-examining the relationship between organisational resilience and organisations ability to maintain long term performance. This research focuses on exploring the critical success factors required to maintain long term performance and building adequate resilience into systems undergoing changes. The investigation was conducted in three phases, namely: (a) the exploratory phase; (b) the descriptive phase; and the empirical phase. The exploratory phase involved identifying the critical factors essential to maintain long term performance and at the same time build resilience into their systems after undergoing organisation-wide changes. In order to make out these critical, a pilot study was conducted. 21 persons occupying senior managerial positions in different organisations were interviewed. The interview data were transcribed, coded and analysed using coding and thematic analysis to identify five common themes, namely (a) employees readiness to support ongoing organisation-wide changes; (b) development of targeted organisational adaptive capacity; (c) the provision of individualised and social support; (d) the use of stress coping mechanisms; and (e) the existence of organisational resilience strategies. The second phase of the research entailed conducting case study research with the intention of describing the identified critical success factors. The final phase entailed conducting empirical analyses and cross case analysis. Results from the cross case study analyses indicated that both resilience building at the individual level and organisational level is needed for organisations to build in resilience into their systems especially after undergoing organisation-wide changes. Three factors (i.e. employees readiness to support ongoing organisation-wide changes, the provision of individualised and social support and the use of stress coping mechanisms) were found to be more pronounced at the individual level. The remaining two factors namely development of targeted organisational adaptive capacity and the existence of organisational resilience strategies are essentially carried out at the organisational level. The research has contributed to the current body of knowledge on how organisations can strive to maintain long term performance, especially for a country like Nigeria where there still remains a dearth of such related studies. Each of the research hypotheses were either confirmed or non confirmed. This will give the practitioners, academicians and managers of Nigerian organisations the opportunity to understand how each of the sub factors of the five critical success factors can influence on attempts to build organisational resilience. In addition, specific actions that managers can follow over the life of an organisation-wide change project that will improve the resilience of systems undergoing change. In addition, differences in how varied control factors can influence resilience building in organisations were explored and validated based on the results of the Mann Whitney test results. At the end of the thesis, recommendations for future practice and research were made. One of such is that resilience building at both levels be done concurrently and given equal prominence.

For historians of twentieth-century British affairs, the decade of the 1930s is very significant. It was marked not only by a devastating economic crisis at the outset, but also by the rise of fascism in Europe and the onset of the Second World War at its close. These issues were problematic in themselves, but Britain’s response to them was complicated still further by the deep divisions between the Left and the Right over socialism and over the Soviet Union. The presence of the USSR in the East and its influence in Britain loomed over the internal debates that took place, affecting British responses to difficult situations in drastic and far-reaching ways. People of both anti-Soviet and pro-Soviet persuasions were forced to account for events that did not tally with their most strongly held beliefs, hopes or fears. This dissertation explores the ways in which British people of a variety of political leanings publicly processed and coped with the role of the Soviet Union in these debates. Using a range of sources including contemporary newspapers, books and pamphlets, I will trace the evolution of attitudes to the Soviet Union from 1929, the first year of the economic crisis, up until 1943, the high point of the Anglo-Soviet wartime alliance. My analysis will show how people with fundamentally different belief systems mirrored each other in their responses to intellectual challenges, and how interactions between different groups sustained or exaggerated each group’s response to the Soviet Union. I will also critique the analyses of some historians who have limited the parameters of their studies to take in only single groups or single events, and in so doing have become unfairly critical of individuals who struggled to process a large number of difficult and confusing events.