Thesis (M.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

This study deals with the role of 'self’ within the context of the family, from a pastoral point of view. A number of questions arise within the topic, including: • What is meant by 'self from psychology's point of view? . • What is meant by 'self from a Biblical point of view? • What is the role of 'self within the context of the family? Psychology has wrestled with the concept of 'self since the days of the ancient Greek philosophers where 'self was deemed to be the core of personality. Psychology's current viewpoint is that it is difficult to define 'self as various fields of study within psychology ascribe various meanings to the word, and 'self is often interpreted from a behaviouristic point of view. The result is that a universally accepted definition of 'self is lacking, and 'self is often described within the parameters of a reflexive noun, i.e. 'self-image', 'self-worth' and 'self-concept'. Theology defines 'self as the soul of man that was given to him by God as a dichotomous part of his creation. Scripture refers to the soul as the person's 'heart', 'life', his 'mind' and 'himself, indicating that the soul of man is also his 'self. Scripture also indicates that the original sinless 'self’ enjoyed perfect harmony with God and creation and his spouse, Eve. Since the fall of man destroyed this situation and brought him in to a situation where the ever-present debilitating effect of sin ruled his life and relations, it is only the redemption offered in Christ that can amend this situation. The aim of this study was to utilize the guidelines posited by Zerfas, to investigate the meta- and basis-theoretical perspectives of 'self and to develop a practice-theory for pastoral theology. Research indicated that, as 'self refers to the soul and heart of man, and this is in turn has direct implications for his relationship with God and other family members, counselling people in regard to 'self also means a journey into the spiritual life of the counselee. Healing the wounded 'self is connected to the Biblical concept of sanctification, and similar strategies and methods can be employed. The conclusion of this research is that individuals who suffer from a dysfunctional 'self, or, interchangeably, dysfunctional relationships within the family can be assisted to overcome these problems and enjoy a restored relationship with God. / Thesis (M.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

This study deals with the role of 'self’ within the context of the family, from a pastoral point of view. A number of questions arise within the topic, including: • What is meant by 'self from psychology's point of view? . • What is meant by 'self from a Biblical point of view? • What is the role of 'self within the context of the family? Psychology has wrestled with the concept of 'self since the days of the ancient Greek philosophers where 'self was deemed to be the core of personality. Psychology's current viewpoint is that it is difficult to define 'self as various fields of study within psychology ascribe various meanings to the word, and 'self is often interpreted from a behaviouristic point of view. The result is that a universally accepted definition of 'self is lacking, and 'self is often described within the parameters of a reflexive noun, i.e. 'self-image', 'self-worth' and 'self-concept'. Theology defines 'self as the soul of man that was given to him by God as a dichotomous part of his creation. Scripture refers to the soul as the person's 'heart', 'life', his 'mind' and 'himself, indicating that the soul of man is also his 'self. Scripture also indicates that the original sinless 'self’ enjoyed perfect harmony with God and creation and his spouse, Eve. Since the fall of man destroyed this situation and brought him in to a situation where the ever-present debilitating effect of sin ruled his life and relations, it is only the redemption offered in Christ that can amend this situation. The aim of this study was to utilize the guidelines posited by Zerfas, to investigate the meta- and basis-theoretical perspectives of 'self and to develop a practice-theory for pastoral theology. Research indicated that, as 'self refers to the soul and heart of man, and this is in turn has direct implications for his relationship with God and other family members, counselling people in regard to 'self also means a journey into the spiritual life of the counselee. Healing the wounded 'self is connected to the Biblical concept of sanctification, and similar strategies and methods can be employed. The conclusion of this research is that individuals who suffer from a dysfunctional 'self, or, interchangeably, dysfunctional relationships within the family can be assisted to overcome these problems and enjoy a restored relationship with God. / Thesis (M.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka hur lycka upplevs av förskolebarn.  Individuella intervjuer gjordes med 26 förskolebarn (73% pojkar) mellan 4 och 5 år, med hjälp av en semistrukturerad intervjuguide. Tidigare forskning har visat på att lycka har många delar så som kärlek, välbefinnande, tillfredställelse, god hälsa och att lycka skulle kunna vara något större så som meningen med livet. Materialet analyserades med stöd av ICF-CY och resultatet visade att barn upplevde lycka när de kände sig delaktiga i ett sammanhang. Omgivningsfaktorer, så som att barnen fick något av materiell karaktär samt familjekontexten har också betydelse om barn känner sig lyckliga. Barn ville känna sig delaktiga, ha en stabil omgivning och kärleksfulla nära relationer. Denna studie bidrar till att belysa barns egen uppfattning av just begreppet lycka samt ger kunskap som bidrar till att kunna upprätthålla barns chans att få känna lycka. Vidare forskning skulle vara att undersöka om olika personlighets typer  har olika uppfattning om lycka.

According to a 2003 Health Canada report, suicide was the leading cause of death among Aboriginal individuals under the age of 45, accounting for 23% of all deaths in this at-risk population. While previous research has explored many potential risk factors for suicide among Aboriginal populations, none have considered the Métis population independent of other Aboriginal groups. Additionally, there have been no studies explicitly examining the relationship between family context and suicidality among either of these populations; this is the primary relationship of interest in this project. Data used for this project was taken from the 2006 Aboriginal Peoples Survey (APS). The APS is a national cross-sectional survey of 61,041 First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. Within the APS, family context was constructed using several variables including parental divorce, childhood adoption, number of siblings, etc. Analyses for this project included a multi-stage process consisting of bivariate and multivariable analyses. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was separated by gender and examined those aged 25-54. Results showed that that for women, renting versus owning your home, the death of sibling under age 2, or being removed by a child welfare agency, the church, or government officials was significantly associated with suicidal ideation. For men, unemployment, living in the community of origin, death of a sibling under age 2, and participating in traditional craftwork all significantly associated with suicidal ideation. Not graduating from high school and unemployment were significantly associated with suicide attempts for men or women when controlling for all other demographic, family context, and culture variables within the final model. As has been the case in previous research surrounding culture, several of the results in the bivariate analysis of this project were counterintuitive (Wilson & Rosenberg, 2002). This shows that nuanced and contextual interpretations are critical, and a space is opened with this research to critically consider what exactly is being captured through the survey measures. I argue that the strength of the linkage between a measure and its conceptual basis becomes increasingly tenuous and problematic as the complexity of the circumstance the measure is attempting to capture increases.

According to a 2003 Health Canada report, suicide was the leading cause of death among Aboriginal individuals under the age of 45, accounting for 23% of all deaths in this at-risk population. While previous research has explored many potential risk factors for suicide among Aboriginal populations, none have considered the Métis population independent of other Aboriginal groups. Additionally, there have been no studies explicitly examining the relationship between family context and suicidality among either of these populations; this is the primary relationship of interest in this project. Data used for this project was taken from the 2006 Aboriginal Peoples Survey (APS). The APS is a national cross-sectional survey of 61,041 First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. Within the APS, family context was constructed using several variables including parental divorce, childhood adoption, number of siblings, etc. Analyses for this project included a multi-stage process consisting of bivariate and multivariable analyses. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was separated by gender and examined those aged 25-54. Results showed that that for women, renting versus owning your home, the death of sibling under age 2, or being removed by a child welfare agency, the church, or government officials was significantly associated with suicidal ideation. For men, unemployment, living in the community of origin, death of a sibling under age 2, and participating in traditional craftwork all significantly associated with suicidal ideation. Not graduating from high school and unemployment were significantly associated with suicide attempts for men or women when controlling for all other demographic, family context, and culture variables within the final model. As has been the case in previous research surrounding culture, several of the results in the bivariate analysis of this project were counterintuitive (Wilson & Rosenberg, 2002). This shows that nuanced and contextual interpretations are critical, and a space is opened with this research to critically consider what exactly is being captured through the survey measures. I argue that the strength of the linkage between a measure and its conceptual basis becomes increasingly tenuous and problematic as the complexity of the circumstance the measure is attempting to capture increases.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a heritable disorder, which has detrimental effects on childhood development and is associated with maladaptive functioning in adulthood. Despite this, we are far from an understanding of the etiology and possible trajectories of ADHD, possibly due to investigations focusing on the contribution of single genes. In fact, single genes are likely not influential enough to alter behavior, but the additive effect of many genes may predispose an individual toward certain behaviors. Further, environmental input can activate or suppress genetic expression, thereby leading to vast individual differences in both normative behavior and psychopathological illness, including ADHD. This study investigated the effect of cumulative genetic sensitivity across three dopaminergic polymorphisms (DRD2 A1, DRD4 7R, and DAT1 10R) on ADHD symptomatology in very young children. In addition, we were interested in the G x E associations with ADHD symptomatology. Findings provide novel evidence regarding the effects of dopamine polymorphisms on inattention, and thus ADHD, symptomatology in very young children. Specifically, the findings suggest that the cumulative effect of genetic sensitivity across several dopamine polymorphisms predicts severity of symptomatology, particularly in males. In addition, a robust G x E interaction emerged, whereby a specific genetic predisposition moderated the effect of family context on behavior. This finding, lending support to the BSC model and the differential susceptibility hypothesis, suggests that genetic sensitivity can moderate environmental influence, for better and for worse.

Many family-based treatments for pediatric obesity teach specific parenting practices related to weight management. Although youth in these programs show increases in positive health behaviors and reductions in the extent to which they are overweight, most remain overweight after treatment. A recent trend is to create tailored programs for subgroups of families. We examine the possibility of tailoring based on family context, highlighting 3 aspects of family context that have been studied in relation to pediatric obesity: parenting style, family stress, and family emotional climate. We argue that family context may moderate treatment outcomes by altering the effectiveness of health-related parenting practices and discuss the implications of this argument for designing and evaluating tailored programs.

In this qualitative study the researcher explores the experiences faced by adolescents living with a clinically depressed parent, and the emotional, social and intellectual challenges they go through, with the aim to identify and explore the emotional impact of parental depression on adolescents. The approach employed in this study is based on an ethnographic stance. A qualitative methodological design was followed allowing for personal experiences and meaning attributions to come to the fore. The participants were selected because they were accessible and met the criteria of living with a depressed mother. The study‟s results were presented in the form of descriptive text with particular reference to the thematic analysis process. An analysis of the participants‟ global themes revealed that by experiencing and sharing their mother‟s pain the experience had a negative emotional, social and behavioural impact on them and affected their interactional relationships with their parent. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

Este estudo objetivou verificar o impacto e a persistência de um Programa de Intervenção Motora com enfoque no contexto Motivacional para a Maestria no cotidiano das crianças participantes. Foi avaliado o desempenho motor (habilidades motoras fundamentais), a descrição dos contextos familiar e escolar e as medidas antropométricas (IMC e circunferência abdominal). A amostra desta pesquisa foi composta por 40 crianças (20 do grupo controle e 20 do grupo interventivo) participantes do Programa realizado no ano de 2008, na Escola de Educação Física da UFRGS, e de uma Escola Estadual do município de Porto Alegre. Para as avaliações das crianças foram utilizados: (1) o Teste de Desenvolvimento Motor Grosso (TDMG) de (ULRICH, 2000), adaptado e validado para a população do RS (VALENTINI; VILLWOCK; BARBOSA; PICK; SPESSATO; BALBINOTTI, 2008) para avaliar o desempenho motor bem como a descrição do contexto familiar (questionário (BERLEZE, 2002) adaptado de (SERRANO; NETO, 1997) e do contexto escolar (entrevista semi-estruturada) para melhor discutir o desempenho motor e; (2) as medidas da circunferência abdominal e, peso e estatura para cálculo do IMC, para a análise antropométrica. As crianças foram avaliadas em 03 momentos distintos: pré e pós-intervenção e 18 meses após o termino da intervenção (período de manutenção). O Programa de Intervenção Motora foi desenvolvido em 28 semanas, implementando os pressupostos da estrutura TARGET à aprendizagem das habilidades motoras básicas. Os resultados demonstraram que: (1) no desempenho motor, as crianças do grupo interventivo apresentaram ganhos na pós-intervenção e permaneceram com estes durante o período de manutenção (55% na categoria “Média”) enquanto que as crianças do grupo controle permaneceram com o mesmo desempenho em todos os períodos avaliados (60% na categoria “Muito Pobre”); (2) na análise antropométrica, ambos os grupos apresentaram a maior parte de seus participantes na categoria “Eutrófico” (70% interventivo; 60% controle) da pré para a pós-intervenção e no período de manutenção; (3) as avaliações antropométricas de IMC (p=0,795) e circunferência abdominal (p=0,751) apresentaram-se com resultados não significantes no período de manutenção bem como na interação com o desempenho motor no mesmo período. Conclui-se que as experiências proporcionadas em um ambiente adequado com a implementação de climas motivacionais apropriados contribui para o aumento do nível de interesse e desempenho final nas habilidades adquiridas, revelando assim, o impacto positivo do Programa Interventivo, bem como, a manutenção em mudanças positivas nas variáveis analisadas. / This study aimed to verify the impact and persistence of an intervention program focusing on the Motor Motivational context of Mastery in everyday life of the participants. We assessed motor performance (fundamental movement skills), the description of the family and school contexts, and anthropometric measurements (BMI and waist circumference). The sample in this study comprised 40 children (20 in the control group and 20 of the interventional group) participating in the program conducted in 2008, the School of Physical Education at UFRGS, and a state school in the city of Porto Alegre. For assessments of children were used: (1) Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD) of (Ulrich, 2000), adapted and validated for the population of RS (VALENTINI; VILLWOCK; BARBOSA; PICK; SPESSATO; BALBINOTTI, 2008) to evaluate motor performance and a description of the family context (questionnaire (BERLEZE, 2002) adapted from (SERRANO; NETO, 1997) and the school context (semi-structured interview) to discuss the best motor performance and (2) measurements of waist circumference and, weight and height for BMI calculation, for anthropometric analysis. The children were evaluated in 03 separate stages: pre-and post-intervention and 18 months after the end of intervention (maintenance period). The Motor Intervention Program was developed in 28 weeks, implementing the assumptions of the structure of TARGET learning basic motor skills. The results showed that: (1) in motor performance, the children of the interventional group showed gains in postintervention and remained with them during the maintenance (55% in category "Medium") while children in the control group remained the same performance in all evaluated periods (60% in category "Very Poor"), (2) anthropometric analysis, both groups showed a Most of the participants in the "eutrophic" (70% interventional and 60% control) from pre-to post-intervention and in the maintenance period, (3) anthropometric assessments of BMI (p = 0.795) and waist circumference (p = 0.751) were non-significant results in the maintenance period as well as interaction with the motor performance in the same period. We conclude that the experiences provided in a suitable environment with the implementation of appropriate motivational climate contributes to the increased level of interest and ultimate performance in the acquired skills, thus revealing the positive impact of the Intervening Program, as well as the maintenance of positive changes in the variables analyzed.