Cardiac crises (e.g. heart attack or bypass surgery) have been shown to be related to poorer patient psychological and relational functioning. While these studies assume that the event significantly impacts patients, they do not measure the specific ways by which the cardiac event impacts their lives. In the current study, new measures were developed and validated to assess specifically how the event emotionally impacts the patient’s life. I proposed that how these emotions are engaged in part accounts for the impact of the event on negative outcomes. Results showed that the greater the current impact of the cardiac event on patients, the greater their current levels of depression, anxiety and trauma. Further, greater emotional blocking (failure to willingly process emotions internally) was associated with less optimal psychological and relational functioning. Unexpectedly, greater disclosure of emotions to one’s partner was also related to diminished psychological health, but unrelated to relationship functioning. Thus, it appears disclosure in the current study reflects distressed “venting”, and blocking represents an unhealthy form of engaging negative emotions from the cardiac event. Implications for further research using the scales assessing the distinct components of the emotional impact of the event and the engagement of these emotions are discussed.

Cardiac crises (e.g. heart attack or bypass surgery) have been shown to be related to poorer patient psychological and relational functioning. While these studies assume that the event significantly impacts patients, they do not measure the specific ways by which the cardiac event impacts their lives. In the current study, new measures were developed and validated to assess specifically how the event emotionally impacts the patient’s life. I proposed that how these emotions are engaged in part accounts for the impact of the event on negative outcomes. Results showed that the greater the current impact of the cardiac event on patients, the greater their current levels of depression, anxiety and trauma. Further, greater emotional blocking (failure to willingly process emotions internally) was associated with less optimal psychological and relational functioning. Unexpectedly, greater disclosure of emotions to one’s partner was also related to diminished psychological health, but unrelated to relationship functioning. Thus, it appears disclosure in the current study reflects distressed “venting”, and blocking represents an unhealthy form of engaging negative emotions from the cardiac event. Implications for further research using the scales assessing the distinct components of the emotional impact of the event and the engagement of these emotions are discussed.

No description available.

The aim of this study is to examine how the public responds to the journalists’ use of subjectivity in the reporting of broadcasting news. The investigation is a qualitative study based on nine interviews with respondents in ages of 21 to 25 from different parts of Sweden. After showing five examples of news reporting with a subjective approach, the respondents gave their look on the use of subjectivity. The theoretical frame of the investigation is founded on the theory of framing (de Vreese, 2005; Entman, 1993) and the discussion concerning the terms objectivity and subjectivity (e.g. Westerståhl, 1972).   The investigation shows that the respondents saw the use of subjectivity in news reporting as something that made them able to connect and identify to the news and the journalist. It also showed that the news was made more comprehensible. The investigation, on the other hand, also showed that the respondents felt like the journalists made assumptions for them. Irrespective of the reaction, the investigation showed clear results of the fact that the respondents own values was an underlying factor in their stance to subjectivity.

This thesis is the outcome of a PhD CASE Studentship funded by the ESRC and British Telecom. It presents an exploration into the teaching of collaborative talk. The study was conducted in three phases: exploratory, development and implementation. During the exploratory phase, observations and interviews were conducted in authentic workplace settings to gain an understanding of workplace collaboration and collaborative talk. During the development phase, a teaching unit for the teaching of collaborative talk at GCSE was devised, informed by understandings gleaned during the preceding phase. During the implementation phase, the teaching unit was taught by two teachers in their secondary English classrooms. Both participating classes were arranged into groups of 4: 8 groups in School 1 and 7 in School 2. For the duration of the 3 week teaching unit, groups were recorded via camera and audio recorder, and the data later synchronised. Both teachers wore an audio recorder to capture interactions with groups and the whole class. To complement the core data set, students were interviewed for their views on their learning. Student booklets provided a means of collecting both group and individual reflections and evaluative comments. The data was analysed to explore the development of students’ collaborative talk. The role of the teacher in implementing the teaching unit and supporting students’ development was also examined. The findings provide an insight into the realities of implementing successful collaborative talk in the ‘real’ secondary classroom. It contributes to conceptualisations of collaborative talk and its development. It makes links between the role of emotional engagement and dialogic interactions in supporting that development. It proposes teaching strategies which challenge perceived notions of ‘good’ talk and encourages the development of meta-language to support self-evaluation and the development of collaborative talk.

Abstract Retail business leaders can improve profitability when they implement employee engagement strategies. The purpose of this single case study was to explore employee engagement strategies retail leaders use to improve profitability. The population included 6 department leaders in a single retail organization in the southeastern United States. The conceptual framework included Kahn's employee engagement theory. Using Yin's 5-step data analysis process, data from semistructured interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed to gain employee engagement strategies that retail leaders use to improve profitability. Four major themes emerged that retail business leaders use to increase profitability: having daily staff interaction, hiring the right people for the job, creating a positive work environment, and having regular one-on-one interaction with every staff member. The implications for positive social change include a more engaged workforce, which could encourage business owners to reinvest profits and offer sustained employment to a workforce, which may contribute to the economic well-being of communities.

Virtual reality (VR), an emergent technology, affords experiential content delivery in education by evoking emotive responses in users, which can be prohibitive via traditional media. This thesis explores VR for the development of grit – passion and perseverance, which are essential characteristics in education and long-term success. The research proposes design strategies to stimulate senses for emotional engagement and a physiological response. In the project, two interactive environments position the user in emotional states to build passion and perseverance. To develop passion, the virtual world is designed to engage in creativity using 3D-spatial audio and visual effects. In contrast, to build perseverance users are exposed to a challenging environment that requires them to overcome and positively associate frustration with growth. This thesis demonstrates the potential of design for higher sense-stimulation applied through VR in education.

Background: Patients who are cared for at the end-of-life may be in need of support and to become involved in care and treatment. Communication between patients, relatives and healthcare professionals is central to be able to alleviate suffering for patients. Aim: To describe nurses' experiences of caring at the end-of-life. Method: Systematic literature study where ten qualitative articles have been reviewed and form the basis of the result. Results: After review, two themes were identified; Challenges in caring at the end-of-life and Emotionally affected by caring at the end-of-life as well as four sub-themes; Feeling of powerlessness in connection with caring, Lack of knowledge regarding difficult conversations, Emotionally engaged to nurturing and Re-evaluate your own life in connection with caring. Conclusion: The nurses experienced emotional challenges and felt powerless when caring for the patients at the end-of-life. Not having enough knowledge about the treatment and how to best be supportive during difficult conversations with the patients was experienced as difficult and emotional, which resulted in feelings of guilt and anxiety among the nurses. Despite the fact that the nurses experienced challenges in the care, they felt honoured to spend the last period in the patients' lives with them. / Bakgrund: Patienter vilka vårdas vid livets slut kan vara i behov av stöd samt att bli delaktiga i vård och behandling. Kommunikation mellan patienter, närstående och vårdpersonal är centralt för att kunna lindra lidande för patienter. Syfte: Att beskriva sjuksköterskors upplevelser av att vårda vid livets slut. Metod: Systematisk litteraturstudie där tio kvalitativa artiklar har granskats och ligger till grund för resultatet. Resultat: Efter granskning identifierades två teman; Utmaningar i att vårda vid livets slut och Emotionellt påverkad av att vårda vid livets slut samt fyra subteman; Känsla av maktlöshet i samband med att vårda, Saknad av kunskap angående svåra samtal, Känslomässigt engagerad av att vårda och Omvärdera det egna livet i samband med att vårda. Slutsats: Sjuksköterskor upplevde känslomässiga utmaningar och kände sig maktlösa när de vårdade patienter vid livets slut. Att inte inneha tillräckligt med kunskap kring bemötande och stöd vid svåra samtal med patienter upplevdes vara jobbigt och känslosamt, vilket resulterade i skuldkänslor och ångest hos sjuksköterskor. Trots att sjuksköterskor upplevde utmaningar i vårdandet kände de sig hedrade då de fick spendera den sista tiden i patienters liv med dem.

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The main goal of this thesis is to highlight the importance of employee engagement and deeply investigate employee engagement among selected employees in medium size organization, which operates in Liptovský Mikuláš. Besides finding out the total employee engagement, author examines the level of cognitive, physical, and emotional engagement too. Results are then compared to other studies provided by Gallup and CIPD research centers. Thesis further introduces the link between employee engagement and age, gender and occupation of workers. Additionally, it presents the importance of individual employee engagement drivers for employees. The data collection was done by using questionnaire and structured interviews. After the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the research results, author presents possible recommendations that observed organization can use in the future in order to improve the engagement level.