This thesis examined 228 college students' reported use of relational maintenance behaviors and strategies and their reported perception of the degree of relational satisfaction and solidarity with the relational partners they chose to identify. The study gathered extensive data with the intention of primarily investigating the validity and reliability of measurement of relational maintenance behaviors across cultures with some attention to correlations between relationship maintenance behaviors, relationship satisfaction, and interpersonal solidarity. The study focused on refining previous measures of relationship maintenance behaviors in order to develop a comprehensive global measure. The study found that a linear combination of factors or relationship maintenance behaviors are related to relational satisfaction and interpersonal solidarity.

A few studies have examined the effects of a remote control tactile device (RCT) as an unobtrusive prompting method used to promote skills such as verbal initiations and play behaviors in children with autism. To date, however, no published studies have investigated the effects of the RCT as a consequence to increase and maintain conversation skills. This study was designed to determine whether the RCT, in conjunction with common training techniques (i.e. roleplays, visual feedback, and sibling coaching), could be used as a discrete and unobtrusive feedback system to promote conversation skills in high functioning children with autism. Results found that the RCT and training packages were effective in initially increasing rates of target responses. The effects however, did not always maintain with a return to baseline. Programming "naturally" maintaining communities of reinforcement was found to be a critical factor in the maintenance of the conversational responses.

We develop models for the spread of two opposing ideologies in a closed population based on epidemic models. Based on different interaction rules, we study deterministic and stochastic models of the problem. The goal of our work is to provide a tractable analytical framework for each situation, and to analyze the effect of different initial conditions on the proportion of the population affiliated with each ideology after a large time interval.

This research study is qualitative exploratory in nature, trying to gain insight into integrated communication at Eskom. The study presents the methodology of the investigation, the analysis of the data, the findings as well as the conclusion and recommendations. Data collection techniques include an online self-administered questionnaire, structured questionnaire, focus group discussions and content analysis of the organisations’ publications. The population selected consists of Eskom communication managers and professionals, human resources personnel and project managers to establish the extent to which integrated communication is practised within Eskom. Finally, the research findings are discussed and further recommendations proposed. The findings show that Eskom communication is predominantly top-down with the divisions still working in silos. Furthermore, a measuring instrument developed to evaluate the extent of integrated communication as proposed by Du Plessis and Scoonraad in Barker and Angelopulo (2006) were found to be applicable to the Eskom situation. / Communication Science / M.A. (Specialisation in Organisational Communication Research and Practice)

Este estudo objetivou conceber, aplicar e avaliar a eficácia de um programa de capacitação em comunicação interpessoal em cuidados paliativos. O programa foi desenvolvido com base em referencial teórico de comunicação interpessoal em saúde, de processo de morrer e nos princípios e filosofia dos cuidados paliativos. Foi aplicado à 303 profissionais de saúde de distintas disciplinas, em 11 turmas, em 5 diferentes instituições, no período de agosto de 2008 a julho de 2009. Os conhecimentos e habilidades comunicacionais dos sujeitos foram avaliados antes e imediatamente após a capacitação por meio da aplicação de um instrumento de avaliação especialmente desenvolvido para este estudo. Um ano após a intervenção educacional, 32 sujeitos que haviam completado a capacitação foram entrevistados, com o intuito de avaliar se os conhecimentos e habilidades adquiridos/aprimorados eram mantidos com o transcorrer do tempo e aplicados na prática diária destes profissionais. As variáveis qualitativas foram trabalhadas por agrupamentos por semelhança e expressas segundo sua frequência, por número e porcentagem. Para a análise das variáveis quantitativas foram utilizadas médias e medianas para resumir as informações e desvios-padrão, mínimo e máximo, para indicar a variabilidade dos dados. Para realizar a comparação entre as médias dos sujeitos de diferentes turmas foram utilizados os teste não paramétricos de Mann-Whitney e Kruskal-Wallis, assumindo-se nível de significância de 5%. Os discursos dos sujeitos foram analisados de acordo com a metodologia de análise do conteúdo. Os dados evidenciaram a superficialidade do conhecimento teórico e das habilidades comunicacionais empíricas pré-capacitação. Após a intervenção educacional houve aprimoramento de conhecimentos e habilidades comunicacionais em cinco das sete dimensões avaliadas, evidenciado pela alta significância estatística (p-valor < 0,0001) na comparação dos escores pré e pós-capacitação. As estratégias comunicacionais mais valorizadas pelos profissionais na atenção paliativista foram o toque afetivo, a afirmação verbal de solicitude, a escuta ativa e a presença mais frequente. Os conhecimentos e habilidades adquiridos/ aprimorados mantiveram-se no decorrer de um ano, à medida que do discurso dos sujeitos após este período emergiram sete categorias que evidenciaram que o aprendizado maior que a capacitação lhes proporcionou foi a prática comunicacional reflexiva. Esta prática possibilitou aos sujeitos reflexão e auto-avaliação constantes, propiciando mudanças em suas atitudes comunicacionais no âmbito paliativista. Frente ás evidências de sua eficácia recomenda-se a adoção do programa para a capacitação de profissionais de saúde em formação e já atuantes, tanto em âmbito acadêmico quanto das instituições de saúde. / The objective of this study was to design, apply, and evaluate the efficacy of a training program in interpersonal communication in palliative care. The program was developed based on a theoretical framework of interpersonal health communication, on the process of dying and on the principles and philosophy of palliative care. The program participants were 303 health professionals from different disciplines, consisting of 11 classes, from 5 institutions, and it was performed from August 2008 to July 2009. The subjects knowledge and communication skills were evaluated before and immediately after the training program using an evaluation instrument designed exclusively for this study. One year after the educational intervention, interviews were performed with 32 subjects who had completed the program, with the purpose to evaluate if the knowledge and skills they had learned/improved were maintained over time and applied in their daily practice. The qualitative variables were analyzed in groups according to their similarity and expressed according to their frequency, by number and percentage. To analyze the quantitative variables, means and medians were used to summarize the information, and standard deviations, minimum and maximum were used to indicate the variability of the data. To compare the means of subjects from different classes, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric tests were used, with a level of significance at 5%. The subjects discourses were analyzed according to the content analysis methodology. The data showed that the before participating in the program, subject had superficial theoretical knowledge and only empirical communication strategies. After the educational intervention there was improvement in their knowledge and communication skills in five of the seven evaluated dimensions, shown by the high statistical significance (p-value < 0.0001) when comparing the scores before and after the program. The communication strategies most valued by the professionals in palliative care were the affective touch, verbal encouragement of solicitude, active listening, and more frequent presence. The knowledge and skills that were learned/improved were kept after one year, as the subjects discourse after that interval made reference to seven categories that showed that the greatest improvement that the program gave them was the reflexive communicational practice. This practice made it possible for subjects to always reflect and perform self-evaluations, promoting changes in their communicational attitudes in the palliative care context. Considering the evidence of its efficacy, it is recommended that the program be used to train health professionals, those being prepared as well as those already working, in the academic environment as well as at health institutions.

Este estudo teve como objetivos identificar o significado da dimensão espiritual no cuidado para a equipe de Enfermagem da UTI, verificar os meios pelos quais a equipe identifica a dimensão espiritual do cuidado, verificar se existe relação, na percepção dos profissionais de Enfermagem, entre a expressão da comunicação interpessoal e a identificação das necessidades espirituais dos pacientes e verificar se os valores de espiritualidade interferem no processo de cuidar. Foram adotados como referenciais a Teoria do Cuidado Transpessoal e os fundamentos da Comunicação Interpessoal. Tratou-se de um estudo descritivo-exploratório e a coleta de dados se deu a partir de entrevista semi-estruturada, com trinta e quatro profissionais da equipe de Enfermagem de um hospital público de grande porte do município de São Paulo. A análise de conteúdo e a observação de sinais não-verbais foram os referenciais metodológicos utilizados para o tratamento dos dados. Após seguir os passos preconizados pelo método adotado para análise dos discursos, emergiram as seguintes categorias de análise: a dimensão espiritual e seus significados, composta pelas subcategorias: fé e crença religiosa; crença em uma Força/Poder Superior; bem-estar espiritual e atributo do espírito. A segunda categoria foi nomeada: formas de percepção das necessidades espirituais e necessidades religiosas dos pacientes, dividida nas subcategorias: o verbal; o não-verbal; a família e o Histórico de Enfermagem. Uma terceira categoria pôde ser identificada no sentido de expressar a relação entre a comunicação interpessoal e a identificação das necessidades espirituais, cujas subcategorias pertencentes são: relação mecanicista; relação verbal e a relação não-verbal. Por fim, a última categoria emergente foi denominada: entre o vínculo e o conflito: a influência de valores no cuidado ao paciente gravemente enfermo, subdividida em: os valores religiosos e os valores bioéticos. Este estudo concluiu que a multiplicidade de significados fez relação direta com o cuidado prestado ao paciente e são preditivos das condições emocionais dos próprios funcionários, por interferirem nas relações de empatia e em suas questões existenciais. Evidenciou ainda a influência do significado religioso no acesso à dimensão espiritual dos pacientes. Também demonstrou que o mecanicismo cotidiano e as relações verbais podem influenciar negativamente na identificação das necessidades espirituais dos pacientes e que os profissionais pouco ou nada conheciam sobre a influência das expressões não-verbais no acesso à dimensão espiritual dos pacientes. Os valores de espiritualidade pouco apareceram nos discursos dos profissionais, sendo detectadas a influência de valores religiosos e bioéticos, onde estes foram geradores de situações ambíguas de vínculo e conflito. Por fim, o estudo concluiu que a Teoria do Cuidado Transpessoal associada aos pressupostos da comunicação não-verbal aparenta ser um importante veículo orientador para a prática espiritual na Enfermagem / This study aimed to identify the significance of Spiritual Dimension in caring for Intensive Care Unit Nursing staff, check the means by which nursing staff identifies the Spiritual Dimension of care, verify if there is relationship on the perception of professional nursing, between expression of interpersonal communication and identifying the spiritual needs of patients, and verify if the values of spirituality interfere in caring process. Was adopted as references the Transpersonal Care Theory, by Watson, and the foundations of Interpersonal Communication. This was a descriptive- exploratory study, and collecting data occurred by half-structured interviews among thirty-four ICU nursing professionals of a large public hospital from São Paulo city, Brazil. The content analysis and observation of non-verbal signals were the reference methodology used for speeches treatment. Following the steps recommended by the methods adopteds for analysis of speeches, emerged the following categories of analysis: Spiritual Dimension and their meanings, made by subcategories: Faith and religion, belief in a Force/Higher Power; Spiritual Well-being and Spirit\'s attribute. The second category was nominated: Forms of perception of spiritual and religious patients needs, divided into subcategories: the verbal and the non-verbal, the family and Historical of Nursing. A third category could be identified in order to express the relationship between interpersonal communication and the identification fo spiritual needs, which are owned subcategories: mechanistic relationship; verbal and non-verbal relationship. Finally, the last category was denomied: between the bond and conflict: the influence of values in caring to critical patient, subdivided into: the religious values and bioethical values. This study found that multiplicity of meanings has direct influence on care provided to patients and are predictive on nursing emotional conditions for interfering in empathy relations in their existential issues. also evidented, the influence of religious is significance in patients spiritual dimension access. also it showed that mechanicism and verbal relationships may adversely affect the identification of patients spiritual needs and the professionals little or nothing knew about the influence of non-verbal expressions in access to patients spiritual dimension. The values of spirituality little appeared in professionals speeches, and was detected the influence of religious and bioethical values, where they were generators of ambiguous situations of bond and conflict. Finally, the study concluded that Transpersonal Care Theory associated with the assumptions of non-verbal communication appears like an important guide spiritual practice in nursing

This thesis challenges dualistic human and animal ontologies by interpreting science fiction (sf) literature, and argues that whereas words can equivocate and obscure meaning, bodies do not lie. Linguistics and semiology extend the definition of "language" to include human and nonhuman gestures and movement, and posthumanist theory expands definitions of "human" and "animal" to explore species boundaries. Scrutinizing opposing dualisms ultimately questions Western epistemology and authority, allowing for an exploration of embodied animal communications within the larger discourse on species and speciesism. This perspective results in a more comprehensive understanding of the interdependence of all species: human, animal, and "other." Although the fictional texts I employ use fantastic elements to posit hypothetical realities, current scientific research reveals that communication with nonhuman animals is indeed possible. / by Jennifer K. Cox. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2013. / Includes bibliography. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / System requirements: Adobe Reader.

As the economy continues to struggle in its recovery from the recent recession, higher education institutions have been hard-hit, affecting stakeholders at all levels, including boards of trustees, students, faculty, and the surrounding communities. In the middle of the turmoil and period of change are the presidents, needing to answer to board members as well as other institutional stakeholders, while still maintaining a balance of organizational consistency and change. Nearly all organizational change literature incorporates interpersonal communication as an integral component in effective change efforts; therefore, the constantly changing higher education landscape necessitates presidents who are skilled in communicative leadership, of which interpersonal skills are a cornerstone. Although all presidents need these skill sets, this study examines only a newly appointed president and one of his change-initiative teams to capture the dynamic environment surrounding new administration. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2017. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Este estudo objetivou conceber, aplicar e avaliar a eficácia de um programa de capacitação em comunicação interpessoal em cuidados paliativos. O programa foi desenvolvido com base em referencial teórico de comunicação interpessoal em saúde, de processo de morrer e nos princípios e filosofia dos cuidados paliativos. Foi aplicado à 303 profissionais de saúde de distintas disciplinas, em 11 turmas, em 5 diferentes instituições, no período de agosto de 2008 a julho de 2009. Os conhecimentos e habilidades comunicacionais dos sujeitos foram avaliados antes e imediatamente após a capacitação por meio da aplicação de um instrumento de avaliação especialmente desenvolvido para este estudo. Um ano após a intervenção educacional, 32 sujeitos que haviam completado a capacitação foram entrevistados, com o intuito de avaliar se os conhecimentos e habilidades adquiridos/aprimorados eram mantidos com o transcorrer do tempo e aplicados na prática diária destes profissionais. As variáveis qualitativas foram trabalhadas por agrupamentos por semelhança e expressas segundo sua frequência, por número e porcentagem. Para a análise das variáveis quantitativas foram utilizadas médias e medianas para resumir as informações e desvios-padrão, mínimo e máximo, para indicar a variabilidade dos dados. Para realizar a comparação entre as médias dos sujeitos de diferentes turmas foram utilizados os teste não paramétricos de Mann-Whitney e Kruskal-Wallis, assumindo-se nível de significância de 5%. Os discursos dos sujeitos foram analisados de acordo com a metodologia de análise do conteúdo. Os dados evidenciaram a superficialidade do conhecimento teórico e das habilidades comunicacionais empíricas pré-capacitação. Após a intervenção educacional houve aprimoramento de conhecimentos e habilidades comunicacionais em cinco das sete dimensões avaliadas, evidenciado pela alta significância estatística (p-valor < 0,0001) na comparação dos escores pré e pós-capacitação. As estratégias comunicacionais mais valorizadas pelos profissionais na atenção paliativista foram o toque afetivo, a afirmação verbal de solicitude, a escuta ativa e a presença mais frequente. Os conhecimentos e habilidades adquiridos/ aprimorados mantiveram-se no decorrer de um ano, à medida que do discurso dos sujeitos após este período emergiram sete categorias que evidenciaram que o aprendizado maior que a capacitação lhes proporcionou foi a prática comunicacional reflexiva. Esta prática possibilitou aos sujeitos reflexão e auto-avaliação constantes, propiciando mudanças em suas atitudes comunicacionais no âmbito paliativista. Frente ás evidências de sua eficácia recomenda-se a adoção do programa para a capacitação de profissionais de saúde em formação e já atuantes, tanto em âmbito acadêmico quanto das instituições de saúde. / The objective of this study was to design, apply, and evaluate the efficacy of a training program in interpersonal communication in palliative care. The program was developed based on a theoretical framework of interpersonal health communication, on the process of dying and on the principles and philosophy of palliative care. The program participants were 303 health professionals from different disciplines, consisting of 11 classes, from 5 institutions, and it was performed from August 2008 to July 2009. The subjects knowledge and communication skills were evaluated before and immediately after the training program using an evaluation instrument designed exclusively for this study. One year after the educational intervention, interviews were performed with 32 subjects who had completed the program, with the purpose to evaluate if the knowledge and skills they had learned/improved were maintained over time and applied in their daily practice. The qualitative variables were analyzed in groups according to their similarity and expressed according to their frequency, by number and percentage. To analyze the quantitative variables, means and medians were used to summarize the information, and standard deviations, minimum and maximum were used to indicate the variability of the data. To compare the means of subjects from different classes, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric tests were used, with a level of significance at 5%. The subjects discourses were analyzed according to the content analysis methodology. The data showed that the before participating in the program, subject had superficial theoretical knowledge and only empirical communication strategies. After the educational intervention there was improvement in their knowledge and communication skills in five of the seven evaluated dimensions, shown by the high statistical significance (p-value < 0.0001) when comparing the scores before and after the program. The communication strategies most valued by the professionals in palliative care were the affective touch, verbal encouragement of solicitude, active listening, and more frequent presence. The knowledge and skills that were learned/improved were kept after one year, as the subjects discourse after that interval made reference to seven categories that showed that the greatest improvement that the program gave them was the reflexive communicational practice. This practice made it possible for subjects to always reflect and perform self-evaluations, promoting changes in their communicational attitudes in the palliative care context. Considering the evidence of its efficacy, it is recommended that the program be used to train health professionals, those being prepared as well as those already working, in the academic environment as well as at health institutions.

Orientador: Eliana Mara Braga / Banca: Pedro Marco Karan Barbosa / Banca: Fernanda Paula Cerântola Siqueira / Resumo: A experiência adquirida em contextos de Unidades de Terapia Intensiva (UTIs) desperta questionamentos sobre temas relacionados a ações humanizadas. As UTIs são locais destinados a cuidados críticos, assistidos por uma equipe multiprofissional qualificada, sob as melhores condições possíveis. A responsabilidade da equipe se estende para além das intervenções tecnológicas e farmacológicas focalizadas no paciente, inclui avaliação das necessidades dos familiares, grau de satisfação destes sobre os cuidados realizados, além da preservação da integridade do paciente, acreditando-se que a humanização da assistência auxilia a diminuir os traumas do paciente, da família e norteia os profissionais envolvidos para uma assistência menos mecanizada. O objetivo deste estudo foi compreender o significado do cuidado humanizado para profissionais das Unidades de Terapia Intensiva, a partir da vivência em equipe multiprofissional de um hospital escola. Foi um estudo de campo, exploratório e descritivo, com abordagem qualitativa; utilizou como base teórica a Política Nacional de Humanização (PNH) e metodológica, a Análise de Conteúdo. Os sujeitos foram 24 profissionais da equipe multiprofissional (enfermeiros, fisioterapeutas, psicólogos, nutricionistas, médicos e assistente social) atuantes em UTIs Adulto. A coleta de dados se deu por meio de entrevista semiestruturada, tendo como foco principal a questão norteadora: Como é a sua experiência no desenvolvimento do cuidar humanizado junto a pacientes internados na UTI, atuando em equipe multiprofissional?. Nos resultados deste estudo, os 24 profissionais da equipe multiprofissional, com idade média de 35 anos, sendo a maioria do sexo feminino e religião católica. O tempo médio de formação destes profissionais é de 10 anos, sendo 6 anos o tempo de atuação em unidade crítica e, 15 dos entrevistados, atuam em um único emprego. Na análise das entrevistas, emergiram ... / Abstract: The experience gained in the context of Intensive Care Units (ICUs) awakens questions to topics related to humanized actions. ICUs are places for critical care, assisted by a skilled multidisciplinary team, under the best possible conditions. The team's responsibility extends beyond the technological and pharmacological interventions focused on the patient. It includes assessing the patient's family needs, their degree of satisfaction on the offered care, preserving the integrity of the patient, believing that the humanization of care helps reduce the patient's and family's trauma, and guides the professionals involved to a less mechanized assistance. The aim of this study was to understand the meaning of humanized care among professionals in the Intensive Care Units of a teaching hospital, from the working experience of a multidisciplinary team. This is a field study, with an exploratory and descriptive qualitative approach; the National Humanization Policy (NHP) was used as theoretical framework, and the Content Analysis as methodological framework. The subjects were 24 multidisciplinary team professionals (nurses, physiotherapists, psychologists, nutritionists, doctors and social workers) working in Adult ICUs. Data collection occurred through semi-structured interviews, focusing on the main question: "What is your experience in the development of humanized care with patients admitted to an ICU, working in multidisciplinary team '. In this study, the multidisciplinary team of 24 professionals had average age of 35 years, the majority being female and Catholic. These professionals had an average of 10 years from graduation, 6 years of working in the ICU, and 15 professionals worked in a single job. In the interviews, themes and units of meaning emerged. Theme 1 - Multidisciplinary Team and what facilitates humanized care: focusing in the practice of individualized care; understanding and contextualizing the ... / Mestre