Just as scientists develop general conceptual explanations of the phenomena they investigate, individuals also develop intuitive theories about such human characteristics as intelligence, personality, and athletic ability. These theories, unlike scientist's theories, are not explicitly articulated or documented, and so they are termed implicit theories. Implicit theories, in achievement motivation, distinguish between the belief that human attributes are fixed (entity theory) or malleable (incremental theory) and have been shown to have far-reaching consequences for motivation, goal-orientations, and regulatory strategies in an array of domains. This dissertation extended implicit theories research to the domain of body-weight management. Drawing from an elaborate theoretical framework on implicit theories and health behavior research, the present work predicted that (a) individuals differ systematically in their beliefs about the malleability of body weight and (b) these implicit beliefs are related to coping and self-regulation strategies following dieting setbacks. To test these hypotheses, I first developed the Implicit Theories of Weight Management Scale and examined its psychometric properties. Results revealed internal reliability and convergent and discriminant validity. Implicit theories of weight management were moderately related to health and dieting locus of control but were distinct from personality dimensions such as the Big Five and trait optimism. Psychometric properties of the scale are presented and discussed. Next, I tested the hypothesis that implicit theories of weight management would be related to adaptive regulatory strategies (e.g., increased motivation) and to maladaptive coping (e.g., avoidance) following dieting setbacks and that this relation would be mediated by feelings of helplessness and optimism, and by attributions. Results largely supported these conjectures, revealing that even after controlling for constructs related to successful dieting (e.g., dieting self-confidence, trait self-control), believing more strongly that weight is changeable was related to lower reported use of avoidance when coping with setbacks and more effort. Additionally, feelings of helplessness and optimism mediated the implicit theories-self-regulatory relations. Results are discussed in terms of how implicit theories create the structure in which meaning is assigned to events and are therefore important for achievement and motivation. Implications and avenues for future research are presented.

This project explored the way working mothers cope with home, work, family demands as well as self-care. It mainly focused on the balance they have been able to achieve in their lives as working women, wife, and mothers. This study used qualitative research to examine the challenges these women face in their working and personal lives, the support systems they rely on to fulfill their multiple roles, and the strategies and coping skills they utilize to maintain work and family life balance. This study used an interview format with a qualitative method based. In this approach, primarily open-ended questions were used. The major focus was to explore and then compared participants’ responses to those questions. This method was chosen because it allows for a comparison of different experiences of a common topic The challenges discussed by the working women included: (a) work schedule, (b) time constraints and (c) exhaustion. The participants relied on the following support systems to fulfill their multiple roles: (a) husbands, (b) grandparent and family, (c) co-workers, and (d) bosses. Finally, the strategies the working women used to achieve work/family balance included (a) planning, (c) faith, and (d) accepting limitations.

The purpose of this research was to identify coping mechanisms that African American men use when they perceive race-related stressors. Race-related stress derives from the occurrence of racism and discrimination that individuals, generally African Americans in the United States, experience in addition to daily life stress. Race-related stress may involve cultural racism, individual racism, or institutional racism. The coping mechanisms used by African American men when perceiving race-related stress were identified through the use of an online survey that consisted of 3 instruments: The Index of Race-Related Stress-Brief Version (IRRS-B), Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory (Brief COPE), and People of Color Racial Identity Attitude Scale (PRIAS). Participants were required to be African American males, ages 18 and older. Eighty-five participants completed the study. The data was analyzed through the use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) as a quantitative methodology specifically using multiple regression. Results of this study indicated that there was a moderate statistically significant correlation between race-related stress (cultural racism, institutional racism, and individual racism) and coping mechanisms (active coping, planning and religion) of African American men. This research has the potential to set the foundation for a greater understanding of racism and how it affects African American men specifically.

Drug use poses a serious threat to the quality of life for many Kentuckians and their families. Recent statistics indicate drug offenders account for a significant portion (in one year, 52,597 arrests were made for drug violations statewide) of individuals within thecriminal justice system, directly affecting the economic vitality within our state (Bunn & Slavova, 2012; Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2012). These statistics signify an overwhelming need for effective prevention efforts and innovative treatment alternatives. This study provides an innovative alternative treatment for drug offenders that infuses social and emotional coping strategies using percussion as a context. During the innovative program participants were able to express, recognize, articulate and evaluate themselves and their peers’ emotional coping strategies while developing peer camaraderie. They did so while being introduced to rudimentary drumming skills, fusing emotional intelligence with the art of drumming. The hypothesis is that this innovative program will enhance participant emotional intelligence to express, learn an effective coping skill, and establish camaraderie with their peers.

The research on management strategies by the school principal for the managing of the female teacher with burnout, is divided into six phases. Firstly it is to determine what the nature of burnout in the female teacher is, what the causes of burnout in the female teacher is, what the causes of burnout are, which symptoms are detected by teachers suffering from burnout and what consequences the burnout in female teachers may have for the learners, colleagues, employer and for the female teacher concerned. In the second place it is shown what strategies can be applied for the managing of the female teacher suffering from burnout. A few recent models for managing burnout are explained and strategies aimed at intra- en interpersonal skills, factors related to the environment as well as group activities are discussed. In the third place it is empirically determined to what extent female teachers in d1e North West Province are suffering from burnout by means of standardised questionnaires for the measurement of burnout. Fourthly it is indicated how female teachers who differ with regard to home language, medium of instruction in their schools, years of experience and !he area where the school is situated, also differ with regard to the degree of burnout they experience. During the fifth phase of this study it is determined empirically, by means of questionnaires for principals, how principals are recently managing female teachers with burnout The first ten strategies, according to the order of preference by principals, are then discussed, Lastly directives are given. by means of a holistic management model aimed at the causes of burnout, which could be used by principals as managing strategies. These strategies deal with the professional development of the female teacher, acquirement of intra- en inter-personal skills as well as the management of demographic and environmental causes of burnout. / Thesis (PhD)--PU for CHE, 1998

abstract: Previous research indicates that survivors of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) are at a greater risk of developing Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptomatology. IPV survivors often use maladaptive coping strategies in response to IPV that place them at a higher risk for PTSD. Cultural gender roles/beliefs have been known to influence coping methods. Marianismo, a Latino/a gender role belief, has not been investigated in relation to IPV, coping strategies, and PTSD among Latinas. This study examined whether physical, psychological, or sexual abuse by a romantic partner, coping strategies, and Marianismo were associated with PTSD symptomatology among 157 college-aged Latinas. The participants completed an on-line survey that assessed IPV frequency, disengaged and engaged coping, Marianismo, and PTSD symptomatology. Hierarchical multiple regressions revealed that, regardless of IPV type, more IPV and disengaged coping strategies were the best predictors of PTSD symptomatology. Marianismo did not significantly moderate the relation between coping and PTSD. However, the strong zero-order correlation between disengaged coping and Marianismo indicated they were highly correlated variables. The study findings are consistent with previous research that suggested that coping strategies are culturally dependent on beliefs and gender role expectations. Latinas may use more disengaged coping strategies because these methods may be deemed more culturally appropriate and reflect Marianismo beliefs. Psychologists working with Latina IPV survivors need to develop culturally sensitive approaches to psychoeducation on IPV and coping strategies that empower these women within their cultural belief systems and reduce their PTSD symptomatology. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Counseling Psychology 2017

Alcoholism is a major health problem, and current methods of treatment have been only partially successful. One treatment approach is to teach coping skills for dealing with problematic situations. This study was designed to investigate the effectiveness of imagery techniques in teaching coping skills. There were two major objectives of this study. The first objective was to determine whether covert skills training would produce positive changes in alcoholics in terms of their effectiveness in responding to stressful situations, their self-concept, and selected personality characteristics. The second objective was to determine whether alcoholics subjectively experience the imagery approach as beneficial. The statistical design also evaluated whether the effectiveness of the treatment fluctuated as a function of age, education, chronicity of alcohol problem, number of rehabilitation attempts, and environmental support as measured by the presence of a family or job awaiting the alcoholic's return.

This investigation evaluated the efficacy of relaxation training and cognitive therapy separately and in combination in enhancing the coping skills of patients during epidural steroid injections. Subjects consisted of 80 back pain patients. They were randomly assigned to four groups to receive either relaxation training, cognitive therapy, relaxation and cognitive therapy, or attention control treatment. All subjects were provided preparatory information describing the procedure for the epidural injection and typical physical sensations experienced by patients undergoing the procedure. Relaxation training consisted of Jacobsonian progressive relaxation instructions which were modelled by the trainer. Cognitive therapy consisted of instructions and a work sheet designed to assist subjects in designing positive (rational) self statements concerning the injection procedure. Attention control procedures involved instructions and written exercises of equal duration to the relaxation and cognitive treatments but containing no instructions for the control of anxiety and pain. The three experimental groups exhibited significantly fewer "ae1f-distress" verbalizations during the injection. On other dependent measures, namely, the remaining catagories of pain verbalizations, gross body movements, heart rate, and independent ratings of anxiety there were no significant differences among experimental and control groups. Results are discussed in terms of spontaneous use of coping skills, habituation, individual differences in predisposition to specific coping strategies, and possible cultural/class/educational correlates of specific coping strategies. Improvements in methodology and directions for future research are recommended.

Alkoholproblem är ett samhällsproblem som orsakar lidande. Genom att erbjuda behandling med målet kontrollerat drickande har vårdsökandet ökat. Syftet med föreliggande kvalitativa studie var att studera hur personer med alkoholproblem hanterar risksituationer kopplat till alkohol efter genomgången BSCT-behandling för att uppnå kontrollerat drickande, om interventionerna varit till nytta i utmanande situationer samt hur de tänker om behandlingen. Det är enligt vår kännedom den första studien som undersökt detta. Tolv intervjuer genomfördes vilka bearbetades med en reflexiv tematisk analys utifrån ett experientiellt paradigm. Två övergripande teman framträdde: Vara på sin vakt och Värden som ger livskvalitet. Den mödosamma vägen mot kontrollerat drickande och olika aspekter av att fortsätta leva med alkohol synliggörs. Det tycks vara möjligt att leva ett liv med kontroll över alkoholkonsumtionen. Så länge positiva konsekvenser överväger tycks det vara värt ansträngningen. Kognitiv kontroll och funktionell känsloreglering förbättrar förutsättningarna. Behandlingen har erbjudit ökade strategier. Självbestämmande verkar vara viktigt både avseende val av behandling och strategier likväl om en ska vara öppen med svårigheterna. I enlighet med tidigare forskning visar vår studie att kompetens, självbestämmande och tillhörighet kan främja beteendeförändringen.

This project is part of a community-based intervention research project in rural Appalachia called Mom Power. Mom Power is a trauma-informed parenting intervention developed to improve mental health and parenting among high-risk mothers with young children. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between maternal self-care beliefs, and maternal emotion regulation and coping skills. It was hypothesized that self-care beliefs would be negatively associated with emotion regulation difficulties and positively associated with coping skills. To date, 53 mothers oversampled for psychosocial stressors (e.g., low income, mental health difficulties, trauma histories) have completed self-report questionnaires on self-care, emotion regulation difficulties, and coping skills. Self-care beliefs were found to have a nonsignificant correlation with emotion regulation difficulties (r = -0.04) and a nonsignificant correlation with coping skills (r = 0.22). Though nonsignificant, the results add to our understanding of the relationship between these constructs such that there was a trend towards a positive relationship between self-care beliefs and coping, but not a relationship between self-care beliefs and emotion regulation difficulties. More research is needed on this topic to better provide for high-risk mothers.