Today, few companies would manage to continuously stay competitive without the proper utilization of information technology (IT). This has increased companies’ dependency of IT and created new threats that need to be addressed to mitigate risks to daily business operations. A large extent of these IT-related threats includes hackers attempting to gain unauthorized access to internal computer networks by exploiting vulnerabilities in the behaviors of employees. A common way to exploit human vulnerabilities is to deceive and manipulate employees through the use of social engineering. Although researchers have attempted to understand social engineering, there is a lack of empirical research capturing multilevel factors explaining what drives employees’ existing behaviors and how these behaviors can be improved. This is addressed in this thesis. The contribution of this thesis includes (i) an instrument to measure security behaviors and its multilevel determinants, (ii) identification of multilevel variables that significantly influence employees’ intent for behavior change, (iii) identification of what behavioral governance factors that lay the foundation for behavior change, (iv) identification that national culture has a significant effect on how organizations cope with behavioral information security threats, and (v) a strategy to ensure adequate information security behaviors throughout an organization. This thesis is a composite thesis of eight papers. Paper 1 describes the instrument measuring multilevel determinants. Paper 2 and 3 describes how security knowledge is established in organizations, and the effect on employee information security awareness. In Paper 4 the root cause of employees’ intention to change their behaviors and resist social engineering is described. Paper 5 and 8 describes how the instrument to measure social engineering security behaviors was developed and validated through scenario-based surveys and phishing experiments. Paper 6 and 7 describes experiments performed to understand reason to why employees fall for social engineering. Finally, paper 2, 5 and 6 examines the moderating effect of national culture. / <p>QC 20160503</p>

Much skilled nursing practice is described by words which at face value appear low-tech and self-explanatory. Despite being acknowledged as intrinsic to practice “nursing assessment” has few operational definitions. This thesis critiques and reviews the methodological assumptions that underpin research and the frameworks commonly used to facilitate Concept Analysis (CA). Despite the apparent plethora of approaches to CA, the majority of them used (or adapted without justification or critique) the work of one author, and this was found to be simplistic and ontologically flawed. A review of the contemporary nursing literature was undertaken to identify uses of the term assessment. The subsequent Glasarian Grounded Theory Analysis revealed the Judicial as the core of seven overlapping categories. Evidence of the everyday use of the term assessment was obtained through observation and audio recording of nursing assessment practice. Following Foucault, Critical Discourse Analysis of the data recorded in the study’s field work phase was undertaken. This revealed social power and dominance facilitated through subject/object conflations and the discourses of discrimination, surveillance, repression, natural science, resistance and institutional power, and in contrast, examples of empowering practice. This thesis will argue that the process of nursing asssessment is skilled and complex, and that in order to measure and demonstrate the quality of nursing practice within an arena dominated by the hegemonic power of medicine, it requires articulation and understanding. Nurses use a matrix of approaches to build rapport and assess patients during all interactions. Their work involves integrating intuitive, predictive and logical reasoning within an empathetic and authentic communication with patients and their carers. Hierarchies of nursing practice, government policies, inter-professional agendas and dissonaces between the policy rhetoric of placing patients at the heart of assessment and actual everyday practice, produce barriers to meaningful assessments.

Proactive government transparency has recently entered the spotlight. Examples of information made public at the initiative of the public body, without the need for filing a request, are: www.data.gov and www.recovery.gov. Transparency is an intrinsic value of democratic societies. In much of the literature an automatic link is assumed between transparency and increased accountability or trust. However, this link may not be as straightforward. Whether and how information is used to further public objectives also depends on the way information is incorporated into the complex communication chain of comprehension, action and response. Therefore, in this dissertation a communication approach was taken. The role of federal government communicators within the government transparency realm was studied in the USA and the Netherlands. More specifically, it was examined how the institutional (macro) and organizational (meso) embedding influences the way communicators value and implement proactive transparency (micro). A mixed method comparative case study consisting of process tracing, a web-based survey and semi-structured in-depth interviews showed that the institutional embedding in the USA can be characterized as a more rules-based approach while a principles-based approach prevails in the Netherlands. This study also showed that communicators working in an organization that supports proactive transparency provide more substantial information, use less spin and are more inclined to solicit feedback and participation from stakeholders. Finally, in both countries the majority of communicators valued proactive transparency highly and most communicators were actively involved in implementing proactive transparency. Communicators contributed to making information more findable, relevant and understandable for its users. At the same time some communicators indicated to sometimes leave out important details, give only part of the story or specifically highlight the positive elements in the information. Hence, communicators can play a role in both enhancing and constraining transparency. This study enhanced our understanding of proactive transparency and the value of communication. The project resulted in a conceptual framework for explaining similarities and differences in proactive transparency policy regimes from the perspective of the government communicator.

DSM-IV-TR classifies hypochondriasis as a complex somatoform disorder, characterised by physical complaints for which no organic cause could be identified. DSM-5 replaced it with two new diagnostic terms: somatic symptoms disorder and illness anxiety disorder. The distinction was based on the presence or absence of somatic symptoms, and concerns have been raised with regards to the validity of these new diagnostic concepts. While there has recently been an increase in recognising the role of the underlying anxiety in this condition, the psychological needs of individuals with hypochondriasis remain unclear. It is conceivable that specific emotional and interpersonal dimensions play a mediating role in the onset of hypochondriacal presentations, and have explanatory power with regards to the improvement of tailored therapeutic interventions. The present study used a mixed methodology, with an emphasis on the qualitative component, to investigate emotions and the interpersonal aspects of hypochondriasis. Six young adult females meeting the diagnostic criteria for both DSM-IV-TR hypochondriasis and DSM-5 illness anxiety disorder formed a clinical group for the present study. Semi-structured interviews were administered and analysed in line with the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Four major themes emerged from the qualitative data: 1) Early life experience; 2) Inward focus; 3) Learned helplessness; and 4) Experience of psychological therapy. Eight subordinate themes were identified: (i) Unmet emotional needs; (ii) Emotional isolation; (iii) There is something wrong with me; (iv) Emotional reasoning; (v) Self-fulfilling prophecy; (vi) External locus of control; (vii) Over-reliance on other people; and (viii) The experience of psychological therapy. Fifty-one female undergraduate psychology students formed a matched comparison group for the study and enabled a supplementary quantitative analysis to be conducted. The quantitative measures included measures of trait (TEIQue-SF) and ability emotional intelligence (MSCEIT) as well as a measure of sociotropy-autonomy (SAS). The quantitative data showed that the clinical group scored significantly lower than the comparison group on the measures of trait emotional intelligence, understanding emotions, and autonomy. Additionally, the clinical group scored significantly higher than the comparison group on the measure of sociotropy. The theoretical and therapeutic recommendations are discussed in light of the limitations of the present study. In conclusion, emotional and interpersonal aspects of DSM-IV-TR Hypochondriasis and DSM-5 illness anxiety disorder in young women provide a useful framework for the conceptualisation and therapeutic management of these conditions. It appears that with its scientific knowledge base, therapeutic flexibility, focus on reflective practice, and the emphasis on an effective working relationship, the discipline of counselling psychology is well-suited to address the needs of participants with hypochondriacal presentations.

The overall aim of this research is to describe and analyse the educational pathways from preschool to school of a group of children with and without special educational needs. The aim is also to describe and analyse children’s views and experiences of early years education, and how these can be obtained. The research comprises six studies that are presented in four articles and two conference papers. Longitudinal and multiple-case study designs, and mixed method approaches are adopted in the empirical studies, and the data is collected via observations, a questionnaire, documents, conversations and interviews with staff, children’s drawings and interviews with children. The results from the empirical studies show a variation of pathways to compulsory education; changes in activities and relationships in the transitions; a variation in preschool quality; a broad conceptualising of special educational needs; an application of comprehensive or specialised typologies in the educational settings; an undecided and cautious attitude toward inclusive education; an allocation of generous resources to specialised and segregated programmes; and a diversity of support provisions. The children report more positive than negative experiences of their early school years and pinpoint the importance of having a sense of belonging among peers; opportunities for creative play and thinking; experiences of speed, excitement and physical challenges; elements of cosiness, withdrawals and comfort for recreation; experiences of growth in knowledge and understanding of the world; feeling safe; feeling free and autonomous; and preventing homesickness in order to thrive. The results of the literature review are that the researchers may obtain data from children with and without special educational needs by means of traditional and innovative data collection methods. For broadening participation and sharing of views, the researchers may offer relational and material support. The thesis has relevance for researchers in the field of special education, inclusive education and early childhood education and care. It has also relevance for teacher training, policy makers and stakeholders, school heads, teachers and families. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following paper was unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 6: Submitted.</p>

Bakgrund: Att hänvisa patienter till adekvat vårdnivå ingår i ambulanssjuksköterskors arbetsuppgifter. Det är dock ingen enkel uppgift och tidigare forskning visar att det ofta är förenat med en känsla av otrygghet. Under hösten 2018 inleddes en samverkan mellan en ambulansorganisation i södra Sverige och 1177 vårdguiden, med målet att stärka sjuksköterskors trygghet vid hänvisning av patienter från ambulanssjukvård till egenvård. I samverkan ingick ett nytt beslutsstöd samt ett uppföljningssamtal för patienterna via 1177 vårdguiden. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att undersöka och beskriva hur sjuksköterskor upplever hänvisning av patienter från ambulanssjukvård till egenvård vid samverkan med 1177 vårdguiden. Metod: En mixad metod med kvantitativa enkäter och kvalitativa intervjuer med en förklarande sekventiell design har använts. Resultat: Resultatet visar på en positiv förändring av hur sjuksköterskorna upplever hänvisning av patienter till egenvård, efter utbildningsinterventionen upplever de en ökad trygghet. De upplever det tryggt både för sig själva och för patienterna att en tredje part följer upp och kontrollerar utförda bedömningar, därigenom erfar de trygghet i ett delat ansvar. Konklusion: Ett mångdimensionellt beslutsstöd, att patienterna får ett uppföljande samtal samt att bedömningen blir kontrollerad, är faktorer som samtliga bidrar till ökad trygghet för sjuksköterskorna. / Background: Referring patients to an adequate level of care is included in the assignments of ambulance nurses. However, it is not a simple task and previous research shows that it is often associated with a feeling of insecurity. In the fall of 2018 a collaboration between an ambulance organization in southern Sweden and the 1177 care guide where introduced. The aim of the collaboration was to strengthen the nurses feelings of safety when referring patients from ambulance care to self-care. The collaboration included a new decision support system and a follow-up call for the patients. Aim: The aim of the study was to explore and describe how nurses experience non-conveyance of patients who gets referred from ambulance care to self-care in collaboration with 1177 care guide. Method: A mixed method with quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews with an explanatory sequential design has been used. Results: The result shows a positive change in how the nurses experience referral of patients to self-care, after the training intervention they experience increased feeling of security. They find it safe both for themselves and for the patients that a third party follows up and verify the assessments, thereby they experiencing feeling of safety in a shared responsibility. Conclusion: A multi-dimensional decision support system, that the patients receive a follow-up call and that the assessment is controlled, are factors that all contribute to increased feelings of safety for the nurses.

Det har länge varit känt att de kropps- och skönhetsideal som råder i samhället långt ifrån inkluderar alla typer av kroppar. Modebranschen har framförallt utmärkt sig på den här punkten, och det är väl känt att det allt som oftast är smala modeller som representeras i branschen. Vår valda problemformulering grundar sig i att normbrytande kroppar är underrepresenterande i samhället och i modebranschen. Vårt syfte med den här uppsatsen var att undersöka hur Veckorevyn förhåller sig till sitt manifest de kallar Size Hero. Det här manifestet grundar sig i en protest mot de rådande kropps- och skönhetsideal som råder i samhället. I samband med detta ska vi även analysera hur många normativa kontra normbrytande kroppar som totalt finns representerande i tidningen, och hur de framställs. Vi ämnar även att problematisera begreppet ”plus size”, dess användning och betydelse. Den valda metoden för vår analys grundar sig i flermetodsforskning, och valet av den här metoden gjordes då vi ville ha svar på hur underrepresenterade de är men även hur de framställs när dem väl gör det. Vårt material består av alla Veckorevyns utgivna tidningar under ett år. Vi har analyserat dessa med hjälp av en semiotisk bildanalys och genom en kvantitativ metod. Tillsammans med den semiotiska bildanalysen så har vi använt oss av Hansen och Machins bärare av denotationer och konnotationer för att analysera bilderna. Vårt resultat visade att Veckorevyn uppfyller sitt manifest men i det stora hela är de modeller med normbrytande kroppar fortfarande väldigt underrepresenterade. / It has been known for a long period of time that the body and beauty ideals in society do not include all types of bodies. The fashion industry is known to be exceptional good at excluding bigger bodytypes, and it is well known that it is slim models that is representing majority of it. Our chosen problem for this essay is based on the fact that norm-breaking bodies are underrepresented in society and in the fashion industry. Our purpose with this essay was to investigate how the fashion magazine Veckorevyn relates to their manifest, called Size Hero. This manifest is based on a protest against the prevailing body and beauty ideals that exists in society. We will also analyse how many normative vs. norm-breaking bodies there are as a total representation in the magazine, and how they are presented. We also intend to problematize the concept of the word "plus size", its use and meaning. The chosen method for our analysis is based on a multimethod research and the choice of this method was made because we wanted to have an answer to how underrepresented the norm-breaking bodies are and how they are being portrayed when so. Our material consists of all of Veckorevyn's published magazines for one year. We have analyzed them with the help of a semiotic image analysis and through a quantitative method. Together with the semiotic image analysis, we have used Hansen and Machin's bearers of denotations and connotations in order to analyze the images. Our result showed that Veckorevyn is fulfilling their manifest but on the whole the norm- breaking bodies were still very underrepresented.

There has been a surge in the involvement of service users and carers in health and social care education, research, and practice in the last three decades within the United Kingdom. However, there are few studies that have evaluated the impact of Involvement in health and social care students' education. This study explored the impact of active involvement in Adult Nursing and Social Work pre-registration education. It provided a tripartite perspective from the perceptions of the three main stakeholders involved: students, academic staff and service users/carers in a specific Higher Education setting in the United Kingdom. A concurrent embedded mixed-methods approach was employed in this study. The study sample was drawn from the three participating stakeholder groups. A total of 38 participants took part in this study. Qualitative information was gathered using semi-structured interviews and focus groups, which explored participants' perspectives of the impact of active involvement in Adult Nursing and Social Work pre-registration degrees. Questionnaires was the data collection tool for the quantitative information required in this study. Questionnaire was helpful in obtaining contextual information about the participants and service users and carers' involvement at the research site. It was used to gather factual information about the participants and the current nature of the involvement in Adult Nursing and Social Work pre-registration degree as it was being practiced at the time of data collection and characteristics that may influence or affect the impact of involvement Qualitative data was analysed thematically from the semi-structured interviews and focus groups. Additionally, descriptive and cross-tab analysis of quantitative data was carried out. Then, a side-by-side comparison was used to identify aspects of the qualitative and quantitative findings that were convergent and conflicting. Findings of this study indicated that the scope and integration of service users and carers in educational activities varied greatly within and between subjects even within the same university. Social Work degree reported a wider scope and greater inclusion than the Adult nursing degree. Two main factors account for this notable differences between the two degrees. These are: the duration of involvement being a regulatory requirement by the Professional Regulatory and Statutory Bodies as well as the duration of conducting involvement. Furthermore, this study revealed that involvement influences all three main stakeholders in Higher Education. Some beneficial outcomes of involvement were similar in the academic staff and students' participant groups. Academic staff and service users/carers raised similar concerns. Overall, the participants indicated that service users and carers' involvement is generally positive and makes an important and unique contribution to the education of nurses and Social Workers supporting the delivery of patient/client-centred care. This study contributed to new knowledge about involvement in Adult Nursing and Social Work pre-registration degrees by generating a holistic view of its impact. This was achieved by exploring these impacts from a tripartite perspective of the three main stakeholders in Higher Education. This study also developed a modified six rung model that helps to involvement is active and meaningful. A partnership framework was proposed to inform future involvement practices and research about ways of optimising the beneficial outcomes and limiting the inhibitory factors of service users and carers' involvement in students' education. Overall, this study provided insights into best practices and pitfalls to avoid, which may be of value to HE providers, education commissioners as well as Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies regarding the practices of service users and carers' involvement in Higher Education.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T16:57:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Pericles Cesar de Araujo.pdf: 2815289 bytes, checksum: 8b5efd754b4e27e42558c8f0ebe0c75e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-08-18 / This thesis aims at dealing with issues concerning the scientification of Mathematics Education and, consequently, the methods used in researches in that area. It means dealing with methodological issues, under qualitative, quantitative and mixed perspectives with the objective of discussing the increase, always desired, of the reliability of data analysis. It is a theoretical research, with methodological procedures adequate to this kind of study, that is, bibliographical review, analysis of thesis, dissertations, articles and books. Among the theoretical background, we mention Didactic Engineering, Conceptual Metaphor, Fuzzy Logics, Bayesian Statistics and elements from Popper, Kuhn and Lakatos theories. The Didactic Engineering was considered the common thread of reflections; the Fuzzy Logics, inserted for the research universe in Mathematics Education, is characterized by an important heterogeneity of the phenomena. The Bayesian Statistics is a referential to deal with the qualitative aspect. As results, we propose in this thesis, mixed methods of research in Mathematics Education. The first is the one that considers the combination of two methods: the Bayesian method and the Didactic Engineering; the second is the Fuzzy and Bayesian. This way, we understand that with this thesis, we contribute to the discussion on the use of mixed methodology in researches in Mathematics Education, as well as present a method with potential to develop the research in Mathematics Education with scientific characteristics that meet the demands of Popper, Kuhn and Lakatos / Esta tese tem por objetivo tratar das questões relativas à cientificidade da Educação Matemática, e em consequência, dos métodos utilizados na pesquisa dessa área. Ou seja, tratar das questões metodológicas, nas perspectivas qualitativas, quantitativas ou mistas com vistas a discutir a ampliação, sempre desejável, da confiabilidade da análise de dados. Trata-se de uma pesquisa de caráter teórico, com procedimentos metodológicos adequados a esse tipo de estudo, ou seja, realização de levantamento bibliográfico, análise de dissertações, teses, artigos, e livros. Entre as bases teóricas, estão a Engenharia Didática Clássica, a Metáfora Conceitual, a Lógica Difusa, a Estatística Bayesiana, e elementos das teorias de Popper, Kuhn e Lakatos. A Engenharia Didática Clássica foi considerada um fio condutor das reflexões; a Lógica Difusa é inserida, pois o universo da pesquisa em Educação Matemática é caracterizado por uma acentuada heterogeneidade de fenômenos. A Estatística Bayesiana é um referencial para tratar do aspecto quantitativo. Como resultado são propostos nesta tese métodos mistos de pesquisas em Educação Matemática. O primeiro deles é aquele que considera a agregação de dois métodos: o Método Bayesiano e a Engenharia Didática Clássica; o segundo é o Método Estatístico Bayesiano de Dados Difusos. Assim, avaliamos que trazemos, com esta tese, uma contribuição para a discussão sobre o uso de metodologias mistas na pesquisa em Educação Matemática, bem como que apresentamos um método com potencialidades de munir a pesquisa em Educação Matemática de características científicas que atendam às exigências de Popper, Kuhn e Lakatos

Genital human papillomavirus infection is the most common sexually transmitted virus in the United States, with almost 20 million Americans currently infected and an additional 6.2 million becoming newly infected each year. Women rely strongly on their health care providers to educate and comfort them regarding this distressing diagnosis. This study will use an online, self-completion questionnaire to obtain women’s opinions regarding their health care providers’ performances concerning the initial consultation after learning of their HPV diagnosis. Findings from this study provided insight as to how women prefer receiving information from their health care providers concerning their diagnosis of HPV. In addition, study findings provide suggestions for improving clinical practices regarding HPV consultations in the Tri-cities area of East Tennessee.