The importance of psychological needs for optimal mental and physical well-being has been well documented within the literature. However, there remains little consensus on the definition of basic psychological needs, on which needs are most important or fundamental, and on how to best assess basic needs in individuals. The purpose of this dissertation was to develop and validate a comprehensive measure of fundamental psychological needs and to examine its predictive utility for both mental and physical health. To fulfil these objectives, measure construction and validation studies were conducted in 2 separate undergraduate student samples (N = 226; N = 283). Participants completed online self-report measures of emotional and psychological symptoms, negative life events, personality characteristics, and psychological needs. Factor Analyses of the Psychological Needs Questionnaire (PNQ) revealed that needs can be classified in a three-level multi-factorial confirmatory model and that self-worth and relationship types of psychological needs can be further divided into several, second-level factors. Results also indicated that the PNQ is reliable and possesses good construct validity as well as predictive utility for numerous psychological and physical problems. In addition, psychological needs moderated the relationship between depressive personality characteristics and mood. Future studies should examine the proposed needs-based model in a longitudinal fashion, both in community and clinical samples. In addition to functioning as a global introduction and providing an overview of the relevant literature, Chapter 1 proposes a new model of psychological needs. Chapter 2 describes in further detail the importance of each need identified by the new model, with a particular emphasis on the consequences associated with having each need unfulfilled. Chapter 3, 4, and 5 represent three academic journal articles resulting from the data collected in the current project. Finally, chapter 6 provides a global discussion of the entire dissertation.

With the aim of developing a housing needs assessment tool for rural Manitoba, the research investigates definitions of ‘rural’, the concept of housing need, and approaches to its assessment. The main question is: how can housing need be identified and quantified at the community or regional level? The response comes in the development of a community-based rural housing needs assessment guidebook (documented in Volume 2). Literature reviewed (Part 2) targets definitions of rural, and an examination of: methods of assessing housing need, the nature of housing need, trends in housing policy, housing services programming, and the determination of housing need at a local level. Throughout, there is a focus on application of relevant literature to informing the design and development of the guidebook. The key informant interview process and related ethical considerations are presented in Part 3. The precedents review, of prior housing needs assessments and guides, is also described. The results from these research methods interviews are presented in Part 4, again with a focus on identifying how each informed development of the guidebook. Part 4 concludes with a description of the design of the housing needs assessment guidebook, addressing the structure and scope of the assessment process, key considerations and components included in the guide, the two-phase process that constitutes the main information-generating component of the tool, and the discrepancy model used to guide the user through the assessment process. Design of a sample survey (an optional component of the guide) is also briefly discussed, as well as perceived limitations of the guide including the need for a complementary strategic planning process that picks up where the assessment leaves off, which might merit a second guide that details such further steps. Certain realities of housing needs assessment in rural Manitoba, and complicating aspects of the discrepancy model, are also discussed. Part 5 details the early stages of application of components of the housing needs assessment guide in the Minnedosa area of Manitoba. Strengths and weaknesses of the components are identified, and associated refinements and changes are noted. It is concluded (Part 6) that the rural housing needs assessment guide is a viable means of identifying housing need in rural Manitoba. Possible benefits of its application are noted, but there are also cautions regarding further desirable or necessary research. / February 2006

The first objective was to test the prospective relationship between need satisfaction and coping. A total of 113 undergraduate students completed a measure of need satisfaction at Time 1 (T1; i.e. a few weeks before the midterm exams) as well as a measure of coping at Time 2 (T2; i.e. a few weeks after the midterm exams). Results indicated that need satisfaction T1 explained unique variance in both dimensions of coping T2, namely task-oriented and disengagement-oriented coping, even after having statistically controlled for gender, Conscientiousness, Neuroticism, and social desirability at T1. The second objective was to examine a model in which need satisfaction and coping predict the amount of progress towards academic goals and, in turn, how coping and goal progress are associated to increases in need satisfaction over the course of a semester. A total of 166 undergraduate students completed a measure of need satisfaction at Time 1 (T1; i.e. a few weeks before the midterm exams) as well as measures of coping, goal progress, and need satisfaction at Time 2 (T2; i.e. a few weeks after the midterm exams). Results from structural equation modeling indicated that coping T2 fully mediated the relationship between need satisfaction T1 and goal progress T2. Results also indicated that goal progress T2 partially mediated the relation between task-oriented coping T2 and need satisfaction T2 as well as between disengagement-oriented coping T2 and need satisfaction T2.

Bakgrund: Demenssjukdom orsakar sänkt kognitiv förmåga och den sjukes personlighet förändras. Att låta närstående vara delaktiga i omvårdnaden och att vårdpersonal tar sig tid att lyssna på deras åsikter skapar goda chanser för att båda parterska bli nöjda med omvårdnaden som ges till den sjuke. Syfte: Syftet med litteraturstudien var att undersöka närståendes behov i omvårdnad av personer med demenssjukdom. Metod: Studien gjordes som en litteraturöversikt (n=15) med systematiskt tillvägagångssätt. Resultat: Studiens resultat visade att närstående hade egna behov som behövde tillgodoses, att få möjlighet att skapa en relation till vårdpersonal, att få tid att prata, att få delta i omvårdnaden samt att få information. Närstående hade även behov av att den sjukes behov blev tillgodosedda. För att detta skulle ske krävdes det att vårdpersonal skapade en god relation till den sjuke, att han/hon fick tillräckligt med tid och en god omvårdnad. Slutsats: Närståendes behov av att den sjuke får en fungerande relation med vårdpersonal blev inte tillfredställt. Närstående önskade att både de själva och den sjuke får mer tid och kontakt med vårdpersonal. Calgarymodellen kan användas av vårdpersonal för kartläggning av närståendes behov i omvårdnaden. / Background: The illness of dementia causes decreased cognitive capacity and the personality of the person who is ill changes. To let the relatives be a part of the care and that nursing staff make time to listen to relatives opinions will make good chances for that both parts will be satisfied with the care that is given to the ill person. Aim: Examine relative´s needs in the care of the illness of Dementia. Method: The literature review (n=15) was executed by a systematic procedure. Result: The result of the study showed that relatives had their own needs that had to be satisfied, to get the possibility to create a relation to the nursing staff, to get time to talk, to take part of the care and to get information. Relatives had also needs of that the ill person needs were satisfied. For this to happen it demanded that the nursing staff created a good relation to the ill person, that he/she got enough of time and a good care. Conclusion: Relatives needs ofthat the ill person gets a good relationship with the nursing staff were not satisfied. Relative wished more time and contact with the nursing staff. The model of Calgary can be used by the nursing staff to make a survey of relatives needs in the care.

No description available.

WiMAX is a new mobile technology which provides high bandwidth and VoIP service. Therefore, WiMAX will bring effects to 3G telecom market. It is important that 3G telecom how to face WiMAX effects and WiMAX telecom how to enter the telecom market. Because WiMAX does not operate popularly and literatures usually only compare technology between WiMAX and 3G, this research discusses pricing strategy of the WiMAX and 3G. This study discusses WiMAX and 3G based on MEC Model and Customer Differentiation Matrix, and uses price and platform of the MEC Model and customer valuation and customer need of the Customer Differentiation Matrix to discuss strategic position. This research uses case study to interview executive managers of the WiMAX and 3G telecoms. According to interview results and secondary data, this study concludes telecom strategic positions. These results: (1) voice service will become mass market; (2) mobile value-added service will become important strategy; (3) WiMAX telecom will enter telecom market quickly; (4) WiMAX is not only a competitive role but also a complementary role; (5) mobile telecom will become personalized service. This conclusion discusses WiMAX and 3G positions according to marketing strategy. The telecom market will create new pricing strategy due to market competition after WiMAX enters telecom market.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1983.

This dissertation seeks to understand how the need for orientation (NFO) and motivated reasoning influence the agenda-setting process at the level of the individual by examining whether and to what extent the two types of motivations guide individuals to process information differently, thereby resulting in differences in the second level of agenda-setting effects. The first motivation, the need for orientation (NFO), was developed as part of the agenda-setting theory in communication studies, while the other set of motivations (i.e., accuracy and directional goals) was introduced by the theory of motivated reasoning that was developed in the field of psychology. By combining the two motivations - NFO and motivated reasoning - this study demonstrated that the role of NFO on the agenda setting process was moderated by motivated reasoning, accuracy and directional goals. In other words, participants with High-NFO who used accuracy goals that motivated them to seek information in accurate ways searched for more news about unemployment which was manipulated as the most salient attribute. Their information seeking behaviors, in turn, led to higher agenda-setting effects. By comparison, participants with High-NFO who used directional goals to seek information that was congruent with their prior perspectives or perceptions were less likely to seek information about unemployment and showed lower agenda-setting effects. Overall, the findings of this study suggest that individuals’ motivation to seek more information about an issue (NFO) may not always result in higher agenda-setting effects: if their motivations are biased by strong prior perceptions or perspectives, then their eagerness to seek information may blind them to what the media cover. Individuals’ motivations are expected to play an increasingly important role in their information seeking behaviors in the new media environment where people have unprecedented opportunities to access a broad range of information that varies in content as well as perspectives. Implications for the findings of this study and for the role of the media in a democratic society are also discussed. / text

Manitoba Parent-Child Coalitions are tasked with identifying community support needs and priorities for parents with young children and developing a sustainable plan for addressing needs. The methods used to establish community needs and priorities vary considerably. Use of a systematic participatory needs assessment (NA) process such as the Concerns Report Method (CRM) could provide communities with important information about parents’ community support needs while involving parents in the decision-making process. The CRM uses a mixed methods exploratory sequential research design. Phase 1 of the CRM involved the use of several qualitative methods: a document review, interviews and focus groups with parents (N=29) and service providers (N=11). Phase 1 results were used to develop a Community Concerns Report Survey for parents (N=319) and service providers (N=47) used in Phase 2. Logistic regression helped to determine the family characteristics that were associated with parent perceived community support needs. Existing community data revealed important socioeconomic differences across neighbourhoods, but the Early Development Instrument showed that kindergarten children from all socioeconomic backgrounds were not ready for school. Four themes emerged from the interviews and focus groups: 1) Availability of/ access to community supports, 2) Barriers and facilitators to participation, 3) Parent and child transition periods, and 4) Making connections with parents/ service providers. The survey results extended our understanding of these issues and showed that parents and service providers prioritized community support needs differently but also had shared areas of concern. Finally, very few of the family characteristics were associated with parent perceived needs. Despite only examining the first two phases of the CRM, this study adds to the body of literature on use of the CRM in the context of identifying the community support needs of parents with young children. The NA process highlighted the strengths and limitations of the different methods used and the CRM as a methodology in determining community support needs. As well, the challenges associated with reconciling the different findings were discussed. Coalitions seeking to engage different stakeholders in a NA process should consider using the CRM to identify community support needs and priorities. / October 2014

Στην παρούσα έρευνα εκτιμήθηκε η επίδραση του κατά κεφαλήν εισοδήματος, της τιμής του ηλεκτρισμού και της τιμής του ακατέργαστου πετρελαίου στην ζήτηση ηλεκτρικού ρεύματος στην Ελλάδα και συγκεκριμένα στον τομέα των νοικοκυριών. Τα δεδομένα που εισήχθησαν στο οικονομετρικό μοντέλο αφορούσαν την περίοδο 1981 έως 2010. Για την εκτίμηση των βραχυχρόνιων και μακροχρόνιων επιδράσεων των ανεξάρτητων μεταβλητών επί της εξαρτημένης εφαρμόστηκαν δύο μέθοδοι, η Engle Granger two step method και η ARDL . Τα αποτελέσματα που προέκυψαν από την έρευνα έδειξαν ότι οι μακροχρόνιες επιδράσεις όλων των ανεξάρτητων μεταβλητών βρέθηκαν στατιστικά σημαντικές στο επίπεδο σημαντικότητας 0.05. Συγκεκριμένα η επίδραση του εισοδήματος βρέθηκε θετική ενώ των τιμών ηλεκτρισμού και πετρελαίου αρνητικές. Βραχυχρόνια βρέθηκε ότι στη ζήτηση του ηλεκτρισμού επιδρά σημαντικά η τιμή του πετρελαίου σύμφωνα και με τις δύο μεθόδους και το κεφαλήν εισόδημα σύμφωνα μόνο με την μέθοδο Engle Granger. Τέλος οι μακροχρόνιες ελαστικότητες βρέθηκαν μεγαλύτερες από τις αντίστοιχες βραχυχρόνιες. / The present study estimates the effect of GDP per capita, electricity price and oil price on the residential electricity demand in Greece. The annual data that has been used in the econometric model is from the period 1981 to 2010. Two techniques have been used for the estimation of the long run and short run effects of the independent variables on the dependent, Engle Granger two step method and ARDL method. The results that have been found from the study show that long run effects of all independent variables are statistically significant at the 0.05 significant level. The effect of electricity price and oil price has been found negative and the effect of GDP per capita has been found positive. More specifically, in the short run period only oil price elasticity has been found statistically significant according to the two methods and income elasticity has been found statistically significant only according to Error Correction Model. In addition long run elasticities have been found to be larger than the short run elasticities.