This research is concerned with the construction of identity with regards to female children of alcoholics studying at Rand Afrikaans University (RAU). Available literature on this topic suggests that the context of parental alcoholism is not conducive to the healthy construction of identity, particularly with regards to self-esteem and the ability to create strong, trusting relationships in later life. It seems that it is during the young adult years, namely between the ages of 18 and 25, that concerns surrounding one’s identity begin to emerge. The study was conducted from a qualitative perspective, namely social constructionism, in which meaning making is unique to each individual and the construction of identity is impacted on by one’s context, culture, history and language. Focus groups were conducted on a sample of female, students at RAU who were socialised within the context of parental alcoholism. This sample represented the ethnic ratio of RAU students during 2003. The focus group sessions were videotaped with the informed consent of the participants. Five focus groups were conducted for a duration of one hour each. The sessions were transcribed after which a discourse analysis was executed. The results of the study suggest that the construction of identity is impacted on by a context of parental alcoholism. It seems that female students experience a great sense of responsibility towards others to the extent of taking on a parental function and denying their own needs. In addition to this, a common thread, which seemed to weave itself through the stories of the participants, was that of struggling with intimate relationships, in particular, trusting others appeared especially difficult and painful. / Dissertation (MA (Counselling Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Psychology / unrestricted

Chinese international students represent one sixth of the international post-secondary student population present in Anglophone Canada. A popular field of study for this demographic is engineering. Considering differences in cultural background and English language barriers, Chinese international students face their own unique set of challenges in university classrooms where collaborative work has become a standard measure to instruct and assess material. Four face-to-face focus groups with fourteen Chinese international students examined how collaborative work with non-Chinese peers shapes the self-perceptions of English language skills by Chinese international students. Using Saldaña’s approach to coding as the selected method, the data generated categories, a concept and a key assertion. Participants’ perceptions of English language are shaped by efficiency, embarrassment and confidence. A desired goal of Chinese international students, which is only achieved by very few, is English language fluency. Suggesting an interrelated relationship, the key assertion proposes that language competence and perceptions develop in four stages. Perceptions and language competence transition through a non-linear process, which ranges from Shock, to the Brutal Upward Learning Curve, Acceptance and eventually Confident Mastery. Focus group participants demonstrated a high level of accurate self-assessment and are forced to adopt a dismissive attitude which allows them to move past negative experiences and perceptions and develop a strong sense of confidence which is necessary for survival.

The thesis focuses on bubble tea market in the Czech republic in relation to Bubbleology company. The objective of the thesis is to analyze the marketing mix of this company and suggest additions that would increase the awareness for the brand and subsequently increase the profits. First the target group is identified with the help of on-line questionnaire. Then leading bubble tea brands are described and the main competition for Bubbleology is identified. Follows analysis of the marketing mix. Proposed is increase in digital engagement with the help of social networks and mobile app. Improvements to promotions in the shopping malls are also suggested. The concepts are then verified with the help of focus groups.

Positive psychology has become influential in research and practice. However, some have criticized positive psychologists who focus solely on the virtues of being positive. A tyrannical pressure to be positive may potentially exist in positive psychology, as well as mainstream United States culture. The following study explored perceptions of this theory using focus groups of individuals who differed in coping style, social desirability, and depression. Results suggest that individuals are affected by social pressures to be positive, and the expression of both positive and negative emotions is determined by social pressures, rules, context, and consequences. Although emotional expression, especially negativity, is contraindicated in several social contexts, there are also social, psychological, and physical benefits to all types of emotional expression.

Syftet med studien är att ta reda på vilka motivationsfaktorer som elever i olika ensembler på kulturskolan erfar och om det skiljer sig något mellan fokusgrupperna. Bakgrundskapitlet belyser litteratur och tidigare forskning inom området motivation, instrumentalspel och gruppsykologi. Arbetets vetenskaps- och kunskapsteoretiska utgångspunkter är interpretativism och konstruktionism. Studiens teoretiska perspektiv är fenomenologi med inriktning mot livsvärldsperspektivet. Studiens forskningsmetod innefattar semistrukturerade interjuver med fyra olika fokusgrupper från fyra olika ensembler på kulturskolan. Materialet analyserades utifrån tematisk analysmetod. I analysen av resultatet har två övergripande teman, sociala- och musikaliska faktorer, framkommit. De sociala faktorerna berör elevers erfarande av att det är att umgås med vänner i ensemblen, träffa människor i olika åldrar, ha en god relation med sina lärare och att ha eget ansvar i ensemblen. Det framkom också att musicera tillsammans, att utvecklas på sitt instrument, lära sig av varandra och att medverka i konsertsamanhang var motiverande faktorer för att spela i ensemble. Ett antal icke motiverande faktorer framkom även bland annat tidsbrist, för svåra eller lätta låtar, olika åsikter i ensemblen och att vänner slutar i ensemblen. Skillnader gällande synen på medbestämmande, ensemblens funktion och medverkan på konserter har också framkommit. Avslutningsvis diskuteras, i förhållande till tidigare presenterad litteratur och forskning inom området, betydelsen av det sociala umgänget, musikaliska upplevelsen, medbestämmandet och tidsbristen. / The purpose of this study is to find out what motivational factors pupils in different ensembles at the cultural school experience and if there is any difference between the focus groups. The background chapter illustrates literature and previous research in the area of ​​motivation, instrumental playing and group psychology. The work's scientific and knowledge theoretical principles are interpretativism and constructionism. The theoretical perspective of the study is phenomenology with a focus on the life-world perspective. The study's research method includes semi-structured interviews with four different focus groups from four different ensembles at the culture school. The material was analyzed based on the thematic analysis method. In the analysis of the result, two overarching themes, social and musical factors, have emerged. The social factors affect students' experience of being with friends in the ensemble, meeting people of different ages, having a good relationship with their teachers and having their own responsibility in the ensemble. It also emerged that playing music together, developing on their instrument, learning from each other and participating in concert contexts were motivating factors for playing in an ensemble. A number of non-motivational factors also emerged including lack of time, too difficult or easy tunes, different opinions in the ensemble and that friends quit the ensemble. Differences regarding the view of co-deciding the function of the ensemble and participation in concerts have also emerged. Finally, the results are discussed in relation to previously presented literature and research in the field. The significance of social interaction, musical experience, co-determination and lack of time was discussed in the concluding chapter.

Background: For human beings´ sexuality is a core characteristic and in the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework sexuality is listed as an activity of daily living (ADL). Still, sexuality related issues are rarely investigated in occupational therapy and nursing. Aim: The aim was to investigate the relevance of the Quality of Sexual Function Scale (QSFS) for occupational therapists and nurses in Sweden. Methodology: Two Qualitative Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with occupational therapists and nurses with 8 participants was done online (March 2021), recorded, transcribed and analysed with a deductive content analysis.Results: The analyses revealed five main categories that described the relevance of the QSFS; outdated wordings, heteronormative per default and definition of sex, an educational tool, needed to refine laws and break taboos and a facilitator to work with sexual health. Overall, an instrument measuring sexual health was desired and well received by the participants, however the QSFS need to be revised to adapt to accurate vocabular and embrace diversity. A revised tool may facilitate to address questions about sexuality, intimacy and expressions that are fundamental aspects of a person’s wellbeing. However, questions about sexuality should be raised by staff as a natural part of their work, without a tool. Conclusion: The QSFS is not an optimized tool to assess the quality of sexual function and needs among patients. The tool requires further development. Greater emphasis needs to be placed on policies and praxis in work-places and health care educations to address patients’ sexual expressions and needs.

Syftet med föreliggande studie är att undersöka lärares arbete med rekrytering av bleckblåselever på svenska musik- och kulturskolor. Studien behandlar verksamma bleckblåslärares skildringar av strategier som används för att rekrytera elever och vilka utmaningar som de intervjuade bleckblåslärarna beskriver gällande rekryteringrelaterat arbete. Metoden som använts är fokusgruppsamtal där totalt nio lärare intervjuades i grupper à tre. Bearbetning och analys av det insamlade datamaterialet genomfördes med utgångspunkt i det sociokulturella perspektivet. Resultatet synliggör strategier som handlar om att bjuda in barn och föräldrar till musik- och kulturskolan för att prova instrument, vilket också beskrivs som en form av marknadsföring. Samtliga fokusgrupper beskriver också social gemenskap i form av förberedande bleckblåsgrupper, till vilka barn rekryteras för att senare rekryteras vidare till musik- och kulturskolans instrumentalundervisning. Samtidigt beskrivs utmaningar gällande inkludering av föräldrar i musik- och kulturskolans verksamhet. Avslutningsvis diskuteras musik- och kulturskolans marknadsföring och föräldrars förståelse för verksamheten i relation till det sociokulturella perspektivet. / The purpose of the present study is to examine the teachers’ work on recruitment of brass students at Swedish music and cultural schools. The study processes active brass teachers’ depictions of strategies used to recruit students as well as what challenges the interviewed brass teachers describe about recruitment-related work. The method used in the present study is focus group interviews where a total of nine teachers were interviewed in groups of three. Processing and analysis of the collected data material was carried out on the basis of the sociocultural perspective. The result highlights strategies that involve inviting children and parents to the music- and cultural school to try out instruments are described, which is also described as a form of marketing. All focus groups also describe social community of preparatory brass groups, to which children are recruited and later recruited to the instrumental teaching of the music- and cultural school. At the same time, challenges regarding the inclusion of parents in music and cultural school activities are described. Finally, the marketing and parents’ understanding of the activities in relation to the sociocultural perspective.

Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur lärare i musikteori konstruerar och arbetar med relationen mellan musikteori och musikalisk praktik i undervisning. För att undersöka detta har fokusgrupper bestående av musikteorilärare använts som datainsamlingsmetod. I analysen av intervjuerna har ett diskurspsykologiskt perspektiv använts. Studien har en kvalitativ forskningsansats och en socialkonstruktionistisk epistemologisk utgångspunkt. I resultatet synliggörs tolkningsrepertoarer där lärarna beskriver relationen mellan musikteori och musikalisk praktik. Dessa tolkningsrepertoarer framställs ibland som motstridiga, såsom framställningen av musikteori som något som gynnar kontra hindrar inlärning av klingande musik. Det rådde däremot samstämmighet i tolkningsrepertoaren som framställde musikteori som något som får sin mening endast i och med musikalisk praktik. Resultatet diskuteras i relation till tidigare forskning om musikteoriämnets historiska rötter respektive ämnets relation till nutida musikutövande samt forskning om musikteoriundervisning och dess roll i musikalisk utveckling. / The purpose of this study is to examine how music theory teachers constructs and work with the relationship between music theory and musical practice in teaching.  To examine this, focus groups consisting of music theory teachers were used as method for data collection. A discourse psycological view was used to analyze the interviews. The study has a qualitative research approach and a social constructionist epistemological view. The result illuminates’ interpretative repertoires were the teachers describes the relationship between music theory and musical practice. Sometimes these interpretative repertoires are described as conflicting, such as the description of music theory as something that benefits versus obstructs the learning of musical practice. Other interpretative repertoires have been unanimous, such as the rendering that music theory gets its meaning only in association with musical practice. The result is discussed in relation to previous research of the historical roots of music theory in contrast to the subjects’ relationship to contemporary musical performance and also research about music theory education and its role in musical development.

Studiens syfte är att undersöka sånglärares syn på röstbenämningar och röstkvaliteter inom sångundervisning samt deras beskrivningar av arbetet med röstregisterbenämningar i undervisningen. Studiens teoretiska ramverk utgörs av diskursanalys med en diskurspsykologisk ansats. Datainsamlingsmetoden har utgjorts av fokusgruppssamtal där lärare från olika typer av sångundervisningssammanhang har samtalat om sin syn på röstregister. Samtalen skedde via videosamtal och spelades in med ljud och bild. Efter transkriptionen av samtalen analyserades materialet med diskursanalys för att urskilja diverse tolkningsrepertoarer. I resultatet framgår ett antal tolkningsrepertoarer där sånglärarnas formuleringar kring, användande av och erfarenheter kring röstregisterbenämningar lyfts. Resultatet visar att sånglärarna anpassar benämningarna beroende på elevernas förståelse, vilket pekar mot en individualisering utifrån ålder och nivå. I sånglärarnas uttalanden framgår en kontrast vad gäller sätt att arbeta med röstbenämningar i undervisningen, det vill säga som något uttalat eller som något outsagt. I resultatet framgår hur vissa av lärarna konstruerar och argumenterar för begreppen som knutna till musikaliska inriktningar. Dessutom lyfts en uppfattning att sångläraren hellre lär ut något som denne själv är väl bevandrad i, vilket tydliggör ännu en möjlig slutsats: att sångläraren lär ut inom området som denne kan, snarare än vad som eleven är mest bekväm i.I lärarnas uttalanden framgår en tolkningsrepertoar i hur sånglärarnas egna frustrationer och erfarenheter av svårigheter blivit en drivkraft för deras undervisning. I diskussionen lyfts de i resultatet mest framträdande tolkningsrepertoarerna och diskuteras i relation till det teoretiska perspektivet och tidigare presenterad relevant litteratur och forskning. / The purpose of this study is to examine voice teachers’ perspective on terms regarding voice registers and their descriptions of the work with voice registers in voice education. The theoretical framework of the study is discourse analysis with a discourse psychological approach. The method for data collection was focus groups, where voice teachers from a variety of voice educations talked about their views on voice registers. The conversations were conducted via a video call and were recorded with both audio and video. After the transcription, the material was analysed with discourse analysis to distinguish various interpretative repertoires. The result shows a number of interpretative repertoires as the voice teachers describe their constructions, uses of and experiences regarding voice registers. The result shows that the voice teachers adapt the terms depending on the understanding of the pupils, which indicates an individualization based on age and level of education. In the voice teachers’ statements a contrast is evident in ways of working with register terms, that is, as something articulated or unarticulated. The result shows how some of the educators construct and argue for the use of concepts in relation to musical genres. In addition, a view is raised that the voice educator rather teachssomething in which he or she is familiar with, which clarifies yet another possible conclusion: that the voice educator teaches in the field that he or she is mastering, rather than what the pupil is most comfortable with. In the statements of the voice teachers an interpretative repertoire appears in how the voice educators' own frustration and experience of difficulties have become a driving force for their own teaching. In the discussion, the most prominent interpretative repertoires are raised from the results and discussed in relation to the theoretical perspective and previously presented relevant literature and research.

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