Suicide ideation is a growing phenomenon that can be observed in stressful environments such as those of a correctional official, and it is a cause for concern. Suicide ideation is seen as the first step of suicidal behaviour and refers to thoughts, cognitions and overt intent to kill oneself. The root causes for correctional officials experiencing such a severe state of hopelessness that they feel death must be the only escape, can be ascribed to different factors. The objective of this research is to establish the relationship between psychological strengths, stress and suicide ideation of employees of the Department of Correctional Services (DCS). Three concepts of psychological strength namely locus of control, sense of coherence and affect as independent variables, were compared, with suicide ideation as a dependant variable. The relationship between suicide ideation and stress as an independent variable was also established. A cross-sectional design was used. A simple random sample (n=157) was taken from correctional officers from a management area in the Freestate Province. The Work Locus of Control Scale, Orientation to Life Questionnaire, Affectometer 2, and the Adult Suicide Ideation Questionnaire were administered. In addition, the Correctional Officer Stress Inventory was developed and administered. Principal component and factor extraction with Oblique rotation, Cronbach alpha and inter-item correlation coefficients, factor analysis, a discriminant analysis and a stepwise multiple regression analysis were used to analyse the data. Results showed that positive affect and external locus of control were associated with suicide ideation. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

Uitbranding as verskynsel was oorspronklik waargeneem by individue wat in hulpverlenings beroepe gestaan het, soos byvoorbeeld verpleegsters. Vandag word dit erken dat individue in enige beroep uitbranding kan ontwikkel. Dit is om hierdie rede dat navorsing oor die verband tussen uitbranding, begeestering, coping en lokus van kontrole van nagraadse studente toepaslik en noodsaaklik is, aangesien hulle die toekomstige werknemers van Suid Afrika is. Die doe1 van die navorsing is om die verband tussen uitbranding, begeestering, coping en lokus van kontrole van werkende nagraadse studente en nie-werkende nagraadse studente te bepaal. 'n Opname-ontwerp is gebruik vir die navorsing. Die ondersoekgroep het bestaan uit (n=40) nagraadse studente in die Ingenieursfakulteit asook @=SO) nagraadse studente in die MBA klas van die Besigheidskool. Vier vraelyste is in hierdie empiriese navorsing gebruik, naamlik die Maslach Uitbrandingsvraelys - Algemene Opname (MBI-GS), die Utrech Work Engagement-Skaal (UWES), die COPE-Vraelys (COPE) en die Lokus van Kontrole- Inventark (LOC). Beskrywende statistiek is gebruik om die data te analiseer. Die resultate van die ondersoek dui daarop dat nagraadse studente 'n risiko loop vir uitbranding. Die resultate wys verder daarop dat die meeste nagraadse studente intern gemotiveer word en gebruik maak van aktiewe coping- strategieë om stres van die akademiese lewe te kan hanteer. Die resultate dui verder ook daarop dat 'n eksterne lokus van kontrole verband hou met hoe uitbrandingsimptome en passiewe coping- strategieë. Verdere aanduidings is dat hoe uitputting met 'n eksterne lokus van kontrole en hoe vlakke van sinisme korreleer. Toewyding en lewenskrag korreleer positief met interne lokus van kontrole en outonomie, en voorspel ook lae vlakke van uitputting en sinisme. Aanbevelings vir verdere navorsing is aan die hand gedoen. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

Arbetsplatsmobbning har omfattande konsekvenser för individer i arbetslivet och samhället. Observatören har en viktig roll i arbetet mot mobbning, då dennes ingripande kan influera andra att göra detsamma. Denna studie undersökte om observatörens kön, locus of control och erfarenhet av observerad mobbning har en påverkan på intentionen att ingripa vid en mobbningssituation. Detta prövades utifrån sex hypoteser och frågeställningen hur relationen ser ut mellan ovangivna variabler i förhållandet till intentionen att ingripa vid mobbning. 165 individer i arbetslivet, varav 114 kvinnor, besvarade en enkät vilken innehöll Rotters The internal-external scale, en justerad Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised och ett instrument inspirerat av Hektner och Swensons påstående om intentionen att ingripa. Materialet anlyserades med hjälp av tvåvägs-ANOVA och Pearsons korrelationskoefficient. Studiens resultat var att erfarenhet av observerad mobbning, både enskilt och i kombination med kön och locus of control, påverkar intentionen att ingripa. Kön och locus of control visade inte på signifikanta huvudeffekter.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between locus of control and achievement, and between self-concept and achievement in achieving and underachieving gifted students. The subjects were fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students in the Anderson Community Schools who were currently participating in the gifted program, or who had been screened for the program, but were not currently participating. The schools that participated in the study represented a cross section of the socio-economic, cultural, and racial composition of the city. The participating subjects had received a score of 120 or above on the Slosson Test of Intelligence. The 60 subjects were divided into two groups based on grades for 5 consecutive six-week grading periods. Students who had received only A and B grades were placed in the achievers group, while students who had received one or more C grades (or below) during the same time period were placed in the underachievers group.Subjects were removed from their classrooms and administered the Nowicki- Strickland Locus of Control for Children and the Piers-Harris SelfConcept Scale in small groups.Multivariate analyses of variance were used to determine if significant differences existed between gifted achievers and underachievers on each of the two instruments. No significant differences were found between the achievers and underachievers on either self-concept or locus of control at the .05 level. Several researchers, including Shavelson and Bolus, (1982) have indicated academic self-concept is more highly correlated with academic achievement than are other dimensions of self-concept. Therefore, subsequent univariate analysis on the Piers-Harris subtests showed that achievers and underachievers were significantly different on the intellectual and school status subscale (F = 9.0, p <.01).As a result of the analysis of the data collected in this study, the findings indicated that, subject to the limitations of this investigation, gifted achievers and underachievers do not differ significantly on measures of locus of control or global self-concept. However, the results of subsequent univariate analyses indicated that, in fact, some differences between the groups may exist. / Department of Educational Leadership

Suicide ideation is a growing phenomenon that can be observed in stressful environments such as those of a correctional official, and it is a cause for concern. Suicide ideation is seen as the first step of suicidal behaviour and refers to thoughts, cognitions and overt intent to kill oneself. The root causes for correctional officials experiencing such a severe state of hopelessness that they feel death must be the only escape, can be ascribed to different factors. The objective of this research is to establish the relationship between psychological strengths, stress and suicide ideation of employees of the Department of Correctional Services (DCS). Three concepts of psychological strength namely locus of control, sense of coherence and affect as independent variables, were compared, with suicide ideation as a dependant variable. The relationship between suicide ideation and stress as an independent variable was also established. A cross-sectional design was used. A simple random sample (n=157) was taken from correctional officers from a management area in the Freestate Province. The Work Locus of Control Scale, Orientation to Life Questionnaire, Affectometer 2, and the Adult Suicide Ideation Questionnaire were administered. In addition, the Correctional Officer Stress Inventory was developed and administered. Principal component and factor extraction with Oblique rotation, Cronbach alpha and inter-item correlation coefficients, factor analysis, a discriminant analysis and a stepwise multiple regression analysis were used to analyse the data. Results showed that positive affect and external locus of control were associated with suicide ideation. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

Uitbranding as verskynsel was oorspronklik waargeneem by individue wat in hulpverlenings beroepe gestaan het, soos byvoorbeeld verpleegsters. Vandag word dit erken dat individue in enige beroep uitbranding kan ontwikkel. Dit is om hierdie rede dat navorsing oor die verband tussen uitbranding, begeestering, coping en lokus van kontrole van nagraadse studente toepaslik en noodsaaklik is, aangesien hulle die toekomstige werknemers van Suid Afrika is. Die doe1 van die navorsing is om die verband tussen uitbranding, begeestering, coping en lokus van kontrole van werkende nagraadse studente en nie-werkende nagraadse studente te bepaal. 'n Opname-ontwerp is gebruik vir die navorsing. Die ondersoekgroep het bestaan uit (n=40) nagraadse studente in die Ingenieursfakulteit asook @=SO) nagraadse studente in die MBA klas van die Besigheidskool. Vier vraelyste is in hierdie empiriese navorsing gebruik, naamlik die Maslach Uitbrandingsvraelys - Algemene Opname (MBI-GS), die Utrech Work Engagement-Skaal (UWES), die COPE-Vraelys (COPE) en die Lokus van Kontrole- Inventark (LOC). Beskrywende statistiek is gebruik om die data te analiseer. Die resultate van die ondersoek dui daarop dat nagraadse studente 'n risiko loop vir uitbranding. Die resultate wys verder daarop dat die meeste nagraadse studente intern gemotiveer word en gebruik maak van aktiewe coping- strategieë om stres van die akademiese lewe te kan hanteer. Die resultate dui verder ook daarop dat 'n eksterne lokus van kontrole verband hou met hoe uitbrandingsimptome en passiewe coping- strategieë. Verdere aanduidings is dat hoe uitputting met 'n eksterne lokus van kontrole en hoe vlakke van sinisme korreleer. Toewyding en lewenskrag korreleer positief met interne lokus van kontrole en outonomie, en voorspel ook lae vlakke van uitputting en sinisme. Aanbevelings vir verdere navorsing is aan die hand gedoen. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

The history of HIV/AIDS dates back to 1985, when it was thought to be a disease affecting animals. Later, HIV/AIDS was regarded as an illness which affected gay individuals. However, research world-wide has shown that HIV/AIDS is a disease that affects everyone irrespective of race, gender, social status and sexual orientation. Research regarding the psychological well-being (coping, sense of coherence, locus of control and general health) of HIV infected persons in the workplace seems appropriate and relevant. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between sense of coherence, locus of control, coping, and general health. A cross-sectional survey design was used to achieve research objectives. For the purpose of this study, an availability sample of (n = 91) HIV infected individuals in the workplace was used. Four questionnaires were employed in the empirical study, namely the General Health Questionnaire, the Coping Orientations to the Problems Experienced Questionnaire, the Work Locus of Control Scale, and the Orientation to Life Questionnaire. Descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations, skewness and kurtosis) were used to analyse the data. Pearson correlations and canonical analysis were used to assess the relationships between sense of coherence, locus of control, coping strategies and general health. Approach coping strategies such as active coping, planning, seeking support for instrumental reasons, seeking support for emotional reasons, positive reinterpretation and growth, and acceptance were positively related to a strong sense of coherence and a low external locus of control. Avoidance coping strategies, such as focus on and ventilation of emotions, denial, behavioural disengagement, and mental disengagement were negatively related to sense of coherence and positively related to an external locus of control. HIV infected employees who measured high on planning, low on focus on and venting of emotions, and low on mental disengagement, experienced less anxiety and fewer somatic problems. Recommendations for future research were made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Tremendous pressure is placed on organisations to improve their performance and to become increasingly competitive. In order to survive in a highly competitive economy, organisations are undergoing major restructuring and can no longer guarantee employees with life time employment, leading to job insecurity. The primary objectives of this research were to investigate the relationship between job insecurity and job satisfaction of employees (N = 298) in a government organisation, as well as to determine whether work locus of control mediates the relationship between job insecurity and job satisfaction. A cross-sectional survey design was used. Constructs were measured by means of the Job Insecurity Survey (JIS), the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ), the Work Locus of Control Scale (WLCS) and a biographical questionnaire. Results indicated that a practically significant relationship exists between job insecurity and job satisfaction. It was further found that external locus of control is associated with high levels of job insecurity and lower levels of job satisfaction. Regression analyses confirmed the partially mediating of work locus of control on the relationship between cognitive job insecurity and job satisfaction. Conclusions and recommendations were made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2005.

The world that is becoming more advanced and complex, induces acute competitiveness and immense challenges for organisations and employees. This, along with the increased demands from current operating economic conditions around the globe oblige organizations to embark on adaptive strategies such as downsizing, restructuring and temporary employment as a mechanism to sustain their continued existence in a hastened transformation era. Although these impetuses affect the content and structure of work directly, they also have indirect inherent effects as they create pressures of uncertainty and feelings ofjob insecurity. It is apparent that job insecurity may negatively affect employees' job satisfaction and affective organisational commitment. It is deemed important to identify the negative impacts of these changes on individual employees and devise change management and coping interventions to empower employees in lowering the stress that they may experience due to transformations within their organisations. Thus, the objectives of this research was to investigate the relationship between job insecurity, job satisfaction, affective organisational commitment and work locus of control and how demographic groups might differ in their experience of job insecurity among employees (N = 286) in a co-operation industry. A cross-sectional survey design was used. The constructs were measured by means of the Job Insecurity Scale (JIS), Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ), Organisational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQAffective- subscale), Work Locus of Control Scale (WLCS) and a demographic questionnaire. The research method consists of a brief literature review and an empirical study. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess the construct validity of the MSQ, OCQAffective, and WLCS. Alpha coefficients were also computed to assess the internal consistency of the scales. Descriptive statistics, Pearson-product moment correlation coefficients, MANOVA, and ANOVA were used to analyse the data. Multiple regression analyses were used to further examine the potential mediating effect of work locus of control in the job insecurity-outcomes relationships. Simple principal component analyses confirmed appropriate factor structures for the JIS. MSQ and OCQ. Although Spector proposed that the WLCS is a unidimensional scale, various previous studies have obtained evidence supporting a two-factor structure. In a similar vein, simple principle component analysis delivered a two-factor structure. All scales used demonstrated an adequate level of internal consistency. Job insecurity indicated a practically significant positive correlation with intrinsic job satisfaction, although the relationship between job insecurity and extrinsic job satisfaction was not statistically significant. A statically significant positive correlation was found between job insecurity and affective organisational commitment. Work locus of control demonstrated a practically significant correlation with job insecurity. Work locus of control demonstrated a practically significant positive correlation with affective organizational commitment, as well as both job satisfaction dimensions. Regression analyses indicated that work locus of control mediates the relationship between job insecurity and intrinsic job satisfaction. Work locus of control was also found to be a mediator of the relationship between job insecurity and affective organisational commitment. It was established that employees with tertiary qualifications such as degrees and postgraduate degrees experienced lower job insecurity as compared to employees with lower qualifications such as Grade 10 to Grade 12. No further significant differences were established in terms of gender, culture, age and tenure in the experience of job insecurity. Conclusions are made, limitations of the current research are discussed and recommendations for the organisation and future research are outlined. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2007.

Due to constant changes and demands from external forces markets, today's employees are subjected to continuous change in the workplace in order for organisations to stay competitive. Changes include restructuring, downsizing, technological changes and so forth, which result in employees feeling less secure in their jobs compared to employees a few decades ago. This insecurity is a reality in the lives of employees and leads to a whole range of emotions and reactions toward these changes. The primary objectives of this research is to determine the nature of the relationship between job insecurity and affective organisational commitment, and also the nature of the relationship between job insecurity and the general health of employees in a specific petro-chemical organisation (N = 229). The final objective is to determine if work locus of control plays a mediating role in the above mentioned relationships. A cross-sectional survey design was employed. Constructs were measured using the following: the Job Insecurity Questionnaire (JIQ), the Organisational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ) [where only the affective subscale was interpreted], the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), the Work Locus of Control Scale (WLCS) as well as a biographical questionnaire. Results indicated that a practically significant relationship of medium effect exists between job insecurity (both dimensions) and work locus of control, and also a practically significant negative relationship between job insecurity (cognitive subscale) and affective organizational commitment and between affective organisational commitment with work locus of control. No other practically significant relationships were found, although the relationship between the variables did prove to be statistically significant. Regression analysis confirmed that work locus of control fully mediate the relationship between affective job insecurity and affective organisational commitment and also between affective job insecurity with general health, whilst partial mediation by work locus of control was found between cognitive job insecurity and affective organisational commitment and cognitive job insecurity and general health. Conclusions and recommendations were made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2007.