This research falls within the scope of the Thusano project to evaluate families concerning a variety of aspects of which this research specifically focuses on crime. Crime therefore is an act that must take place contradictory to the judicial system. The aim of the research is to determine the causes of the perceptions of the community with regard to crime, to identify the crimes that occurs most and to determine how crime in this community can be reduced. Through this research it was found that an increase has occurred with reference to certain crime categories, such as violent crime, women abuse and house theft. The community is of opinion that heavier punishment will lead to prevention of crime and to more job opportunities. Alcohol abuse also plays a large role in the assaults that take place during weekends. Furthermore they believe that, with the assistance of the police and the community, crime can decrease. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

Career development interventions have been lacking within disadvantaged contexts in South Africa. This is attributed to the country’s political history under the apartheid system. The predominant career interventions have been standardised on the English and Afrikaans populations, which are not necessarily applicable to the black population, a previously disadvantaged population. This study explored learners’ perceptions of career development interventions, career challenges and career needs within their contexts by using a career intervention vehicle, subject-career information guide titled, “A Guide for Schools into Higher Education”. The study was qualitative in nature and it conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 learners from a school within the disadvantaged context. The research interviews were analysed using the thematic content analysis. The findings of the study revealed that these learners had fairly different experiences of career guidance interventions within their contexts. The study indicated that the main career challenges faced by the learners were mainly externally based within their context. Thus, they needed career intervention resources to address the challenges. The findings of the study indicated that learners have benefited from A Guide for Schools into Higher Education as an intervention resource within their context. The study subsequently recommended that frequent career interventions be more available within schools and people perceived as role models within such contexts would need to be mobilized as career influencers. Furthermore it was recommended that learners within disadvantaged contexts would need to be taught skills towards the building of internal factors to facilitate them to own their career development.

This research falls within the scope of the Thusano project to evaluate families concerning a variety of aspects of which this research specifically focuses on crime. Crime therefore is an act that must take place contradictory to the judicial system. The aim of the research is to determine the causes of the perceptions of the community with regard to crime, to identify the crimes that occurs most and to determine how crime in this community can be reduced. Through this research it was found that an increase has occurred with reference to certain crime categories, such as violent crime, women abuse and house theft. The community is of opinion that heavier punishment will lead to prevention of crime and to more job opportunities. Alcohol abuse also plays a large role in the assaults that take place during weekends. Furthermore they believe that, with the assistance of the police and the community, crime can decrease. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

It is the purpose of this study to compare the readiness and achievement of older and younger first grade students. Other purposes of the study involved a comparison of girls and boys in the first grade as to their readiness and achievement.

No description available.

Background: Smoking contributes to health inequalities and there is a need to focus interventions on the disadvantaged. Abrupt quitting is widely advocated, but assisted ‘reduction’ may be an option for those not ready to quit. Physical activity acutely reduces cigarette cravings and withdrawal symptoms, and may increase long-term cessation and reduce weight gain. This thesis reports on the multi-method evaluation of an intervention delivered by Health Trainers (HTs) and a pilot randomised controlled trial of the Exercise Assisted Reduction then Stop (EARS) intervention for disadvantaged smokers who are not ready to quit, but do wish to reduce, without nicotine replacement therapy. This programme of research aimed to evaluate four aspects of the EARS trial: 1) Recruitment, 2) Study attrition, 3) Main quantitative outcomes, and 4) Intervention fidelity. Methods: 1) Recruitment: Smokers were recruited through mailed invitations from three primary care practices (62 participants) and one National Health Stop Smoking Service (SSS) database (31 participants). Six other participants were recruited via a variety of other community-based approaches. Data were collected through questionnaires, field notes, work sampling, and databases. Chi-squared and t-tests were used to compare baseline characteristics of participants. 2) Study Attrition: Disadvantaged smokers who wanted to reduce but not quit were randomised (N=99), of whom 61 (62%) completed follow-up assessments at 16 weeks. Univariable logistic regression was conducted to determine the effects of intervention arm, method of recruitment, and participant characteristics (socio-demographic factors, and lifestyle, behavioural and attitudinal characteristics) on attrition, followed by multivariable logistic regression on those factors found to be related to attrition. 3) Main quantitative outcomes: Data at 16 weeks were collected for various smoking and physical activity outcomes. Primary analyses consisted of an intention to treat analysis based on complete case data. Secondary analyses explored the impact of handling missing data, examining different methods including last baseline observation carried forward, last observation carried forward, and multiple imputation. 4) Intervention fidelity: Three researchers scored a total of 90 audio recorded consultations for 30 different participants split between three HTs delivering the intervention. Delivery was scored using a 0-6 likert scale for 12 different processes identified as being fundamental to the intervention. Results: 1) Recruitment: Depending on the intensity and time invested in following up those who did not initially respond to a letter, we randomised between 5.1–11.1% of those invited through primary care and SSS, with associated researcher time to recruit one participant varying from 18 –157 minutes. Recruitment rates were similar for invitations sent from primary care and SSS. Despite substantial time and effort, only six participants of our total of 99 were recruited through a wide variety of other community-based approaches, with an associated researcher time of 469 minutes to recruit one participant. Targets for recruiting a disadvantaged population were met, with 91% of the sample in social classes C2–E, and 41% reporting moderate to severe depression or anxiety. However, we under-recruited single parent smokers. Chi squared tests revealed that those recruited from the SSS database were more likely to respond to an initial letter, had used cessation aids before and had attempted to quit in the past year. Overall, initial responders were more likely to be physically active than those who were recruited via follow-up telephone calls. No other demographic or behaviour characteristics were associated with recruitment approach or intensity of effort. Qualitative feedback indicated that participants had been attracted by the prospect of being assigned to an intervention that focused on smoking reduction rather than abrupt quitting. 2) Attrition: Participants with low confidence to quit, and who were undertaking less than 150 minutes of moderate and vigorous physical activity per week at baseline were less likely to complete the 16-week follow-up assessment. Exploratory analysis revealed that those who were lost to follow-up early in the trial (i.e., by 4 weeks), compared with those completing the study, were younger, had smoked for fewer years and had lower confidence to quit in the next 6 months. Participants who recorded a higher expired air carbon monoxide reading at baseline were more likely to drop out late in the study, as were those recruited via follow-up telephone calls. Multivariable analyses showed that only completing less than 150 minutes of physical activity retained any confidence in predicting attrition in the presence of other variables. 3) Main quantitative outcomes: Compared with controls, intervention smokers made more quit attempts (36 v 10%; Odds Ratio 5.05, (95% CI: 1.10; 23.15)), and a greater proportion achieved ≥ 50% reduction in cigarettes smoked (63 v 32%; 4.21 (1.32; 13.39). Post-quit abstinence measured by exhaled carbon monoxide at 4 week follow-up showed promising differences between groups (23% v 6%; 4.91 (0.80; 30.24). No benefit of intervention on physical activity was found. Secondary analyses suggested that the standard missing data assumption of ‘missing’ being equivalent to ‘smoking’ may be conservative resulting in a reduced intervention effect. 4) Fidelity: All three HTs demonstrated high levels of skill in delivering a client-centred motivational interviewing based intervention. Processes relating to physical activity were not delivered as well as those relating to smoking behaviour. Processes related to social support were poorly delivered. There was little variation between individual HT scores and the scores of the researchers completing the scoring. Conclusions: 1) Recruitment: Mailed invitations, and follow-up, from health professionals was an effective method of recruiting disadvantaged smokers into a trial of an exercise intervention to aid smoking reduction. Recruitment via community outreach approaches was largely ineffective. 2) Study attrition: The findings indicate that those who take more effort to be recruited, are younger, are heavier smokers, have less confidence to quit, and are less physically active require more effort to be retained once recruited . 3) Main quantitative outcomes: A smoking reduction intervention for economically disadvantaged smokers which involved personal support to increase physical activity appears to be more effective than usual care in achieving reduction and may promote cessation. The effect does not appear to be influenced by an increase in physical activity. 4) Intervention fidelity was deemed to be successful overall. Key areas for improvement have been identified, including recommendations for future training as well as methodological implementation.

<p>Includes bibliographic references (leaves 70-80).&quot / The goal of this research was to explore and describe the experiences and perceptions of the street children about the cyclical pattern of recidivism. To gain in- depth information regarding this issue, a qualitative research approach was followed. Data were collected by means of story-telling, guided by two foundational question themes. Firstly, experiences of family life and schooling and secondly, experiences of survival on the street and repeated criminal involvement. Data were analyzed according to the guideline discussed in Creswell (l998). Data were verified by means of measures suggested by Creswell (l998). Findings indicated that participants in this study suffered severe emotional and physical and material deprivation in their family contexts before moving to the street. Survival on the street depended on befriending other street children / begging on the street / abusing substances and getting involved in crime...&quot / </p>

<p>Includes bibliographic references (leaves 70-80).&quot / The goal of this research was to explore and describe the experiences and perceptions of the street children about the cyclical pattern of recidivism. To gain in- depth information regarding this issue, a qualitative research approach was followed. Data were collected by means of story-telling, guided by two foundational question themes. Firstly, experiences of family life and schooling and secondly, experiences of survival on the street and repeated criminal involvement. Data were analyzed according to the guideline discussed in Creswell (l998). Data were verified by means of measures suggested by Creswell (l998). Findings indicated that participants in this study suffered severe emotional and physical and material deprivation in their family contexts before moving to the street. Survival on the street depended on befriending other street children / begging on the street / abusing substances and getting involved in crime...&quot / </p>

No description available.

BACKGROUND: The Beck Depression Inventory, Second Edition (BDI-II), and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) are considered reliable and valid for measuring depressive symptom severity and screening for a depressive disorder. Few studies have examined the convergent or divergent validity of these two measures, and none has been conducted among low-income women-although rates of depression in this group are extremely high. Moreover, variation in within-subject scores suggests that these measures may be less comparable in select subgroups. OBJECTIVE: We sought to compare these two measures in terms of construct validity and to examine whether within-subject differences in depressive symptom severity scores could be accounted for by select characteristics in low-income women. METHODS: In a sample of 308 low-income women, construct validity was assessed using a multitrait-monomethod matrix approach, between-instrument differences in continuous symptom severity scores were regressed on select characteristics using backward stepwise selection, and differences in depressive symptom classification were assessed using the Mantel-Haenszel test. RESULTS: Convergent validity was high (rs = .80, p < .001). Among predictors that included age, race, education, number of chronic health conditions, history of depression, perceived stress, anxiety, and/or the number of generalized symptoms, none explained within-subject differences in depressive symptom scores between the BDI-II and the PHQ-9 (p > .05, R2 < .04). Similarly, there was consistency in depressive symptom classification (χ = 172 and 172.6, p < .0001). DISCUSSION: These findings demonstrate that the BDI-II and the PHQ-9 perform similarly among low-income women in terms of depressive symptom severity measurement and classifying levels of depressive symptoms, and do not vary across subgroups on the basis of select demographics.