System of performance evaluation is an essential part of performance management and a major source of organizational control. Discussion about motivational/demotivational power of the formal and informal systems of performance evaluation for different personality types of employees opens a new page in the studies of human resource management. The following research question reflects the core of this thesis “To what extent the informal system of performance evaluation exists beside the formal system of performance evaluation and how do they operate as work motivators/demotivators for civil servants of different psychological types?”. The formal and informal systems of performance evaluation in the Office of the Prime Minister of Lithuania (OPML) are analysed using the theoretical research framework based on three different perspectives: sociology of law, human resource management and psychology. An ethnographic research, supplemented by the psychometric instrument HEXACO PI-R, is conducted to unfold the informal system of performance evaluation and to investigate its motivational/demotivation impact on two different personality types of OPML advisers (ORGANIZED and FLEXIBLE). The formal system is found to be a motivator for the ORGANIZED civil servants and demotivator for the FLEXIBLE advisers, while the informal system served as demotivator for all of the advisers who admitted its existence. In-depth interpretations of the doctoral dissertation research results are provided... [to full text] / Veiklos vertinimo sistema yra neatskiriama veiklos valdymo dalis ir svarbus organizacinės kontrolės įrankis. Diskusijos apie formalios ir neformalios vertinimo sistemų motyvavimo / demotyvavimo galią skirtingų asmenybės tipų darbuotojams atveria naujas perspektyvas žmogiškųjų išteklių valdymo tyrimuose. Šios disertacijos esmę atspindi tyrimo klausimas „Kiek neformali veiklos vertinimo sistema egzistuoja šalia formalios veiklos vertinimo sistemos, ir kaip jos, kaip darbo motyvatoriai / demotyvatoriai, veikia skirtingų asmenybės tipų viešojo sektoriaus darbuotojus?“. Formali ir neformali veiklos vertinimo sistemos Lietuvos Respublikos Ministro Pirmininko tarnyboje (MPT) analizuojamos pasitelkiant teorinį tyrimo pagrindą, kuris yra paremtas trimis skirtingomis perspektyvomis: teisės sociologija, žmogiškųjų išteklių valdymu ir psichologija. Etnografinis tyrimas, kurį papildo psichometrinis įrankis HEXACO PI-R, atliktas siekiant identifikuoti neformalią veiklos vertinimo sistemą ir ištirti jos motyvacinį / demotyvacinį poveikį dviejų skirtingų asmenybės tipų(ORGANIZUOTIESIEMS ir LANKSTIESIEMS) MPT patarėjams. Nustatyta, kad formali sistema veikia kaip motyvatorius ORGANIZUOTIESIEMS patarėjams ir kaip demotyvatorius LANKSTIESIEMS valstybės tarnautojams, o neformali sistema demotyvuoja visus patarėjus, kurie pripažino, kad tokia sistema egzistuoja. Darbe analizuojami atlikto tyrimo rezultatai ir pateikiamos išvados.

L'objectif général de cette thèse est d'examiner le lien entre les traits de personnalité évalués selon l'approche des cinq facteurs et les résultats des traitements psychosociaux auprès de jeunes adultes présentant un premier épisode psychotique. Afin d'atteindre cet objectif, 129 personnes ont été recrutées à participer à une étude expérimentale randomisée. Les participants ont été assignés soit à un groupe de thérapie cognitive-comportementale, soit à un groupe d'entraînement aux habiletés sociales visant la gestion des symptômes, soit à une liste d'attente. Les participants ont complété pré- et post-traitement le Questionnaire bref de personnalité NEO Révisé (Costa & McCrae, 1992), l'Échelle abrégée d'évaluation psychiatrique (Lukoff et al., 1986; Ventura et al., 1993) et l'Échelle d'adaptation cybernétique (Edwards & Baglioni, 1993). Dans le premier article, les profils de personnalité et la stabilité temporelle des traits de personnalité des jeunes adultes présentant un premier épisode psychotique ont été étudiés. Les résultats révèlent différents profils de personnalité et une stabilité des traits de personnalité. Dans le second article, les profils de personnalité et la valeur prédictive des traits de personnalité ou des profils sur les résultats thérapeutiques ont été investigués. Les résultats révèlent aussi différents profils de personnalité, aucun spécifiquement lié aux symptômes. Aucun lien n'a pu être rapporté entre les traits de personnalité et l'amélioration symptomatologique. Toutefois, les traits de personnalité et les profils sont liés à l'amélioration des stratégies actives d'adaptation. Dans le dernier article, la valeur prédictive des traits de personnalité sur les résultats thérapeutiques selon le groupe de traitement spécifique a été étudiée. Les résultats démontrent un lien entre les traits de personnalité et l'amélioration symptomatologique et des stratégies d'adaptation selon le traitement. Les traits de personnalité sont particulièrement liés aux résultats thérapeutiques des stratégies actives d'adaptation. Cette thèse contribue à l'avancement des connaissances en se penchant sur l'importance des traits de personnalité dans le traitement psychosocial des jeunes adultes présentant un premier épisode psychotique et en soulignant la nécessité d'étudier davantage les différences individuelles de la personnalité de cette clientèle. Les implications cliniques des résultats et les recommandations pour la recherche sont présentées. / The aim of this thesis was to elucidate the link between personality traits based on the Five Factor Model of personality and therapeutic outcomes of two group treatments for first episode psychosis: cognitive behavior therapy and skills training for symptom management. One hundred and twenty-nine individuals with first episode psychosis were recruited to participate in a randomized controlled trial. Participants were randomized to one of two group treatments or to a wait-list control group. Measures pre- and post-treatment included the shorter version of the Revised NEO personality Inventory (Costa & McCrae, 1992), measures of Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale-Expanded (Lukoff et al., 1986; Ventura et al., 1993) and the shorter version of the Cybernetic Coping Scale coping strategies (Edwards & Baglioni, 1993). In the first article, personality profiles and stability over time of personality traits of individuals with a first episode of psychosis were investigated. Results showed that individuals with a first episode of psychosis present with different personality profiles. Moreover, personality traits of the first episodes showed stability over time. In the second article, personality profiles and predictive value of personality traits or profiles on therapeutic outcomes of treatments for first episode psychosis were investigated. Results revealed also different personality profiles, none specifically linked to psychotic symptoms. No links could be demonstrated between personality traits and symptom improvements but personality traits and profiles were linked to therapeutic improvements in active coping strategies. In the last article, predictive value of personality traits on therapeutic outcomes accordingly to specific group treatments for first episode psychosis was investigated. Results showed links between personality traits, symptoms and coping outcome measures, according to specific group treatments. Personality traits were particularly linked to therapeutic improvements in active coping strategies. In sum, this thesis contributed to the field of personality traits in those with a first episode psychosis by investigating the pertinence of personality traits in the choice of psychosocial treatments and highlighting the need for further study considering individual differences in psychosis. Clinical implications are discussed and recommendations for clinical research offered.

La présente recherche a pour objectif d’étudier les effets que peuvent exercer la conception du travail sur le type de conflit qui émerge en milieu de travail. La notion de conception du travail se divise en trois dimensions, soit les caractéristiques reliées à la tâche, les caractéristiques reliées aux connaissances et les caractéristiques sociales. Ces dimensions sont mises en relation avec les deux types de conflit en milieu de travail, soit le conflit relié à la tâche et le conflit relié à la relation. Cette recherche vise également à vérifier l’effet modérateur des traits de personnalités sur les relations entre les dimensions de la conception du travail et celles du conflit en milieu de travail. Cette recherche est basée sur 473 participants qui occupent un emploi rémunéré et qui ont vécu une situation de conflit en milieu de travail allant jusqu’à 6 mois avant la période de sondage, allant du 14 au 18 janvier 2012. Les résultats indiquent qu’il n’y a pas de relations particulières entre la conception du travail et le type de conflit en milieu de travail. En ce qui a trait aux effets des traits de personnalité, les résultats indiquent que ces variables n’ont aucuns effets modérateurs sur la relation entre la conception du travail et le type de conflit en milieu de travail. Globalement, les résultats ne démontrent aucune relation entre la conception du travail et les types de conflit en milieu de travail, ou les effets modérateurs que les traits de personnalités peuvent avoir sur ces relations. / The goal of this research is to study the effect of work design on the type of conflict that emerges in the workplace. The concept of work design is divided in two three dimensions, namely task, knowledge and social characteristics. These dimensions are linked to the two dimensions of workplace conflict, that is, task conflict and relationship conflict. This research is also intended to verify the moderating effect of personality traits on the association between work design and workplace conflict. This study is based on 473 employed participants who have experienced workplace conflict up to 6 months prior to the canvass period, which was from January 14th to the 18th 2012. The results indicate that there is no particular association between work design and conflict in the workplace. With regards to the moderating effect of personality traits, results indicate that these variables do not moderating the association between the dimensions of work design and the type of workplace conflict. Overall, results do not show a relation between work design and types of workplace conflict, or the moderating effect that personality traits can have on these relations.

Depuis les années 1990, de nombreuses recherches ont porté sur le dévoilement de l’agression sexuelle chez l’enfant et sur les caractéristiques y étant associées. Outre les facteurs liés à l’enfant et au contexte, le type de questions utilisé par l’intervieweur (notamment les invitations et les questions ouvertes) est une variable déterminante pour le dévoilement de l’enfant et la quantité de détails qui sera fournie entourant l’agression sexuelle. Bien que plusieurs enquêteurs reçoivent une formation sur l’utilisation des questions ouvertes dans les entrevues avec les enfants, peu d’entre eux utilisent un style de question approprié une fois sur le terrain. L’objectif de cette recherche vise à déterminer si certaines caractéristiques personnelles des enquêteurs sont associées à leur adhésion à un protocole d’entrevue structuré pour lequel ils ont été formés, à l’utilisation de questions ouvertes dans des entrevues d’enquête auprès d’enfants soupçonnés d’avoir vécu une agression sexuelle et à la quantité de détails dévoilés par l’enfant lors de ces entrevues. Deux études ont été menées pour répondre à cette question. La première étude a été effectuée à l'École nationale de police du Québec auprès de 24 enquêteurs de police ayant suivi une formation d'une semaine visant l’apprentissage du protocole d’entrevue structuré du National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). Le genre féminin, les habiletés cognitives et le trait de personnalité Ouverture à l’expérience sont trois caractéristiques personnelles qui ont été reliées positivement à la performance des enquêteurs lors d’une entrevue simulée avec un comédien jouant le rôle d’un enfant victime d’agression sexuelle, tandis que le nombre d’années d’expérience et la capacité de gestion du stress de ces enquêteurs ont montré une relation négative avec cette performance. Dans la seconde étude effectuée sur le terrain auprès de 13 enquêteurs du Service de police de la Ville de Montréal, 114 entrevues conduites auprès d’enfants ayant dévoilé une agression sexuelle ont été recueillies et cotées pour mesurer l’adhésion au protocole d’entrevue du NICHD, le ratio de questions ouvertes et la quantité de détails dévoilés par l’enfant par question posée par l’enquêteur. L’intelligence émotionnelle et les traits de personnalité Extraversion, Esprit consciencieux et Agréabilité ont été trouvés comme des caractéristiques personnelles positivement associées à l’adhésion au protocole d’entrevue et à l’utilisation de questions ouvertes, tandis que le nombre d’années d’expérience et le trait de personnalité Névrosisme ont été négativement associés à ces deux critères de performance. Le niveau d’habiletés cognitives des enquêteurs a quant à lui montré une association positive avec la quantité de détails dévoilés par l’enfant. La signification et l’interprétation de ces résultats, de même que les implications potentielles pour la sélection et la formation des enquêteurs sont finalement discutées. / Since the 1990’s, disclosure of child sexual abuse (CSA) has been studied extensively. In addition to characteristics related to the child and the context of the CSA, the types of questions used by investigative interviewers (ex. invitations and open-ended questions) are another critical component for the child’s disclosure and the amount of details provided by the child related to the incident. Despite their participation in training programs, few investigative interviewers use open-ended questions once in the field. This research project aims to determine whether certain personal characteristics are related to investigators’ adherence to a structured interview protocol, their use of open-ended questions in an investigative interview with a child victim of sexual abuse and the amount of details obtained from the child during this interview. Two studies were conducted to attempt to answer this question. The first study was conducted at the École nationale de police du Québec with 24 French Canadian police investigators after following a one-week training program aimed at using the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) interview protocol. These investigators performed a mock interview at the end of their training to test their practical competence. Interview performance was positively related to cognitive abilities, female gender, and the personality trait Openness to Experience and negatively to stress management and investigator’s experience. The second study was conducted with 13 police investigators from the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal. A total of 114 real investigative interviews conducted with child victims of sexual abuse were collected and scored. Results showed that emotional intelligence, and the personality traits of Extraversion, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness were positively related to adherence to the NICHD interview protocol and the ratio of open-ended questions. The number of years of experience and personality trait Neuroticism were negatively related with these two performance criteria. Cognitive abilities were related to the amount of details obtained from the child per question. The interpretations of these results and their implications for the selection and training of investigative interviewers are discussed.

This diploma thesis deals with mutism from the perspective of specialized czech and foreign literature. The character of the thesis is theoretical and the thesis is divided into three parts. In the first chapter, there is mutism described based on the study of czech specialized literature as well as etiology, symptoms, diagnostics and treatment. The second chapter describes the same categories but based on the study of foreign literature. The last part is dedicated to the analysis and comparison of acquired knowledge in particular areas. The most signifiant differences can be found in the area of diagnostics and therapy of mutisms, which are more elaborated in foreign literature than in Czech literature. Some differences appear in all other areas of mutism. The learning theory is the characteristic feature of foreign literature in the field of etiology of mutism, also the social enxiety is the characteric feature in the area of symptoms and treatment; overall we can see a dominant influence of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The Czech literature provides a number of different views not only on the definition of mutism, but also on the etiology and symptomatology. The diagnostics and the therapy of mutism is not further elaborated in the Czech literature.

As interações entre o sistema nervoso central e os sistemas imune e endócrino são o objeto de estudo da psiconeuroimunologia. Protocolos de indução de estresse têm sido amplamente utilizados como métodos confiáveis de investigação da relação entre transtornos psiquiátricos, aspectos psicológicos, traços de personalidade, ansiedade e a resposta imune. O procedimento de simulação de falar em público (SFP) é um protocolo experimental validado que reconhecidamente é capaz de ativar o eixo hipotálamo-hipófise-adrenal (HPA) e produzir respostas de estresse em sujeitos humanos. Esse método foi utilizado para: 1) Comparar a reatividade imunológica de indivíduos com diagnóstico de fobia social com a de indivíduos sem qualquer diagnóstico psiquiátrico; 2) Investigar se ocorrem alterações imunes subseqüentes à exposição a um estressor agudo induzido em laboratório e 3) identificar e correlacionar parâmetros imunológicos com traços de personalidade, humor, níveis de ansiedade e medidas fisiológicas. Os traços de personalidade foram investigados por meio dos seguintes instrumentos: Inventário de Temperamento e Caráter (TCI), Escala de Afeto Positivo e Negativo (PANAS), Inventário de Ansiedade Traço (IDATE-T), Inventário de Depressão de Beck (BDI), Inventário de Estratégias de ?Coping? de Folkman e Lazarus e Adaptação da Escala de Percepção de Estresse (PSS). Os sintomas de ansiedade foram avaliados por meio da Escala Analógica Visual de Humor (VAMS), da Escala de Sintomas Somáticos (ESS) e do IDATE-Estado. As variáveis psicofisiológicas avaliadas foram pressão arterial sistólica (PAS), diastólica (PAD), batimentos cardíacos (BPM), resposta galvânica da pele (GSR) e temperatura. Os níveis plasmáticos de catecolaminas (adrenalina, noradrenalina e dopamina) e hormônios do eixo HPA (cortisol e ACTH) também foram dosados. Realizou-se a contagem de células imunes polimorfonucleares e mononucleares no sangue periférico e mediu-se a atividade citotóxica de células NK e neutrófilos. Dosou-se proteínas de fase aguda e imunoglobulinas (A, D, G, M e E) a produção de citocinas no sangue por ELISA e RT-PCR. Os dados foram submetidos a análises de variância para dados com medidas repetidas testando efeitos de grupo, sexo, momento experimental e interações. As correlações entre as variáveis foram testadas por regressões múltiplas e coeficientes de correlação de Pearson. Os resultados apontam que o SFP foi eficiente para induzir estresse e produzir alterações detectáveis em diversos dos parâmetros investigados. As diferenças entre fóbicos sociais e controles são significativas para traços de personalidade e atuam ao longo do tempo para as medidas psicofisiológicas. Alterações imunes e hormonais estiveram mais frequentemente associadas ao gênero do que ao grupo experimental, e afetaram mais homens. Além disso, as alterações imunes foram de pequena magnitude afetando componentes inespecíficos da resposta imune. Conjuntamente, os resultados apontam uma relativa ativação do eixo HPA em fóbicos mas que não corresponde a alterações imunes de mesma magnitude. Mais estudos com uma amostra maior e a investigação de outros parâmetros são necessários para compreender melhor como a fobia social afeta o sistema imune de homens e mulheres e investigar se as alterações podem aumentar a susceptibilidade a doenças nesse grupo de sujeitos. Uma vez que essa interação seja melhor compreendida poderá subsidiar estratégias mais adequadas para abordar e elaborar estratégias de prevenção e intervenção capazes de promover comportamentos saudáveis. / Interactions among the nervous, immune and endocrine systems are the object of study of Psychoneuroimmunology. Stress protocols have been broadly used as reliable means to investigate the relationship among psychiatric disorders, psychological aspects, personality traits, anxiety and immune response has been studied using these interactions. The Simulated Public Speaking (SPS) is a validated experimental procedure known to activate the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis and produce stress responses in human subjects. This method was used to: 1) compare the immune reactions of individuals with a diagnosis of social phobia to that of individuals without any psychiatric diagnosis; 2) investigate if immune alterations occur subsequent to the exposure to an acute laboratory induced stressor; 3) identify and correlate immune parameters with personality traits, mood, anxiety levels and physiologic measures. Personality traits were investigated with Cloninger?s Temperament and Character?s Inventory (TCI), Positive and Negative Affects Scale (PANAS), State-Trait Anxiety Scale (STAI?T), Beck?s Depression Inventory (BDI), Lazarus?s Coping Strategies Inventory, Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Anxiety symptoms were investigated along the procedure with the Bodily Symptoms Scale (ESS), STAI-E and the Visual Analogue Mood Scale (VAMS). Psychophysiologic variables assessed were Systolic (PAS) and Diastolic (PAD) Blood Pressure, Heart Rate (BPM), Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) and temperature. Plasmatic circulating levels of cathecolamines (Adrenaline, Noradrenaline and Dopamine) and HPA axis hormones (Cortisol, ACTH) were assessed. Peripheral blood cell population counts were obtained for polymorphonuclear (PMN) and mononuclear cells. Cytotoxic activity of neutrophils and NK cells was assessed, as well as cytokine production by ELISA and RT-PCR. Acute phase proteins and immunoglobulins (A, D, G, M, and E) were dosed on peripheral blood. Data was submitted to variance analysis for data with repeated measures testing effects of group, sex, experimental moment and interactions on variables. Correlations among variables were tested by multiple regressions and Pearson?s correlation deltas. The results show SPS was efficient in inducing stress and produce detectable alterations in several of the parameters investigated. Differences between social phobics and controls are significant for personality traits and, along time for psychophysiologic measures. Hormonal and immune alterations were more often associated to gender rather than to the group subjects belonged to, with men being more susceptible to the procedure. Also, immune changes were of small magnitude, usually affecting inespecific components of the response. Together, the results point to a relatively higher activation of the HPA-axis in social phobics, but one that does not correspond to immune responses of the same magnitude. Further studies with a larger sample and investigation of other parameters are necessary to better understand how social phobia affects the immune system of men and women and to investigate if the alterations can increase susceptibility to diseases in this group of individuals. Once this interaction is better understood it may provide the basis for an improved design to approach and elaborate prevention/intervention strategies and promote healthy behaviours.

Cette thèse analyse la manière dont le discours satirico-humoristique se constitue lorsqu’il cible la figure présidentielle, en se focalisant sur des dimensions de contenu et de forme qui le structurent, et en faisant attention à leur articulation. A partir d’une étude biculturelle (France-Argentine), qui vise à la conceptualisation d’un humour transculturel, nous supposons qu’au-delà des spécificités locales, il est possible de parvenir à une grammaire, et donc à un système d’invariants, constituée des codes verbaux et visuels.Suivant une approche basée sur les sciences de l’information et de la communication, nous intégrons des perspectives théoriques et méthodologiques complémentaires pour analyser deux corpus de titres et d’images (caricatures politiques à une ou plusieurs vignettes) de l’hebdomadaire Le Canard enchaîné et du supplément Sátira/12 qui portent sur Jacques Chirac et Carlos Menem respectivement, à des moments de grande importance politique pendant leurs deux mandats. / This thesis analyzes the satirical humour discourse that aims at the presidential institution, by focusing on how its content and form are constituted and interrelated. Based on a bicultural approach (France-Argentina) aiming to contribute to the conceptualization of transcultural humour, we put forward that beyond local specificities, it is possible to construct a grammar, or a system of invariants, constituted by verbal and visual codes.Following an approach based on information and communication sciences, we merge different theoretical and methodological perspectives to analyse two corpora of titles and images (political cartoons and strips), from the weekly Le Canard enchaîné and the weekly newspaper supplement Sátira/12, that deal with Jacques Chirac and Carlos Menem, respectively, at moments of great political importance of their two presidential terms. / En este trabajo abordamos la construcción de la imagen mediática del ex presidente JacquesChirac en el semanario satírico francés Le Canard enchaîné, centrándonos en los rasgos depersonalidad que el periódico atribuye al personaje. Nuestro corpus está conformado por 234títulos que tratan sobre el mandatario en cuatro períodos de análisis seleccionados por suimportancia en el contexto político de Francia a lo largo de sus dos mandatos. Realizamosinicialmente un análisis de discurso y un análisis de contenido de los títulos con el fin deidentificar y clasificar los rasgos de personalidad y detectamos que la mayoría son negativos.Acto seguido, aplicamos un test χ² que nos permitió determinar la existencia de unadependencia entre los rasgos negativos y los períodos analizados. Un Análisis Factorial deCorrespondencias Simples posibilitó identificar tres grupos con algunas modalidadesasociadas. La decisión de conformar estos grupos fue luego confirmada por un Análisis deClasificación Jerárquica. Los rasgos agrupados según un ethos preponderante constituyenaspectos nucleares en la figura de un Presidente y su variación a lo largo de los cuatroperíodos analizados no responde a un criterio cronológico sino que parece guardar relacióncon las vicisitudes del escenario político.

Objectifs. Le décrochage d’études universitaires est un comportement marquant la sortie d’un cursus avant l’obtention du diplôme le validant. Il est produit par des processus complexes se manifestant sur les lignes de fragilité du rapport entre la singularité psychique de l’étudiant et le cursus d’études dans lequel il s’inscrit et évolue. Cette thèse vise à préciser les déterminants psychosociaux à l’œuvre dans ces processus. / Introduction. Dropping out of university is a behavior related to leaving a study course without a degree. It is produced by complex processes manifested on the lines of fragility in the relationship between the psychic singularity of the student and the enrollment on specific studies. The aim of this thesis is to precise psychosocial determinants at work in these processes.

It has been suggested 'expert systems' might have a significant role in the future through enabling many more people to access human experts. It is, therefore, important to understand how potential users interact with these computer systems. This study investigates the effect of extension agents' attitudes towards the features and use of an example expert system for rice disease diagnosis and management(POSOP). It also considers the effect of extension agents' personality traits and intelligence on their attitudes towards its use, and the agents' perception of control over using it. Answers to these questions lead to developing better systems and to increasing their adoption. Using structural equation modelling, two models - the extension agents' perceived usefulness of POSOP, and their attitude towards the use of POSOP, were developed (Models ATU and ATP). Two of POSOP's features (its value as a decision support tool, and its user interface), two personality traits (Openness (0) and Extraversion (E)), and the agents' intelligence, proved to be significant, and were evaluated. The agents' attitude towards POSOP's value had a substantial impact on their perceived usefulness and their attitude towards using it, and thus their intention to use POSOP. Their attitude towards POSOP's user interface also had an impact on their attitude towards its perceived usefulness, but had no impact on their attitude towards using it. However, the user interface did contribute to its value. In Model ATU, neither Openness (0) nor Extraversion (E) had an impact on the agents' perceived usefulness indicating POSOP was considered useful regardless of the agents' personality background. However, Extraversion (E) had a negative impact on their intention to use POSOP in Model ATP indicating that 'introverted' agents had a clear intention to use POSOP relative to the 'extroverted' agents. Extension agents' intelligence, in terms of their GPA, had neither an impact on their attitude, nor their subjective norm (expectation of 'others' beliefs), to the use of POSOP. It also had no association with any of the variables in both models. Both models explain and predict that it is likely that the agents will use POSOP. However, the availability of computers, particularly their capacity, are likely to impede its use. Although the agents believed using POSOP would not be difficult, they still believed training would be beneficial. To be a useful decision support tool, the expert system's value and user interface as well as its usefulness and ease of use, are all crucially important to the preliminary acceptance of a system. Most importantly, the users' problems and needs should be assessed and taken into account as a first priority in developing an expert system. Furthermore, the users should be involved in the system development. The results emphasise that the use of an expert system is not only determined by the system's value and its user interface, but also the agents' perceived usefulness, and their attitude towards using it. In addition, the agents' perception of control over using it is also a significant factor. The results suggested improvements to the system's value and its user interface would increase its potential use, and also providing suitable computers, coupled with training, would encourage its use.

本研究之目的在探討國小兒童的「人格特質」、「親子關係」、「同儕關係」與「憂鬱」之相關， 並以問卷調查方式進行。研究樣本為國小高年級兒童為對象， 共收集487 份有效樣本進行分析。本研究之研究工具為「兒童青少年憂鬱篩選量表」、「國小學童人格特質量表」、「親子互動關係問卷」及「國小學童同儕互動關係量表」。數據資料以敍述性統計、t 檢定、單因子變異數分析、皮爾遜積差相關， 及多元逐步迴歸進行分析等。研究主要發現如下： 一、目前國小兒童的憂鬱行為表現普遍水準偏向正面，即較無憂鬱。 二、不同性別、出生序、家庭結構之國小兒童，其憂鬱行為表現沒有顯著差異 三、全體國小兒童之「神經質」、「支配/指使」、「衝突/攻擊」、「競爭/忌妒」、「敵意/防衛」與其整體憂鬱行為表現間，皆存有顯著正相關的關係；而「嚴謹性」、「外向性」、「友善性」及「開放性」、「親子關係」、「合作/利社會行為」、「遊戲/聯合活動」、「信任/尊重」、「親密/依附」等正向同儕關係及「整體同儕關係」則與其整體憂鬱行為表現間，存有顯著負相關的關係。 四、「老么」、「雙親家庭兒童」之「外向性」與其整體憂鬱行為表現間，存有顯著負相關的關係。 五、「老大」、「單親家庭兒童」之「母親心理」親子關係與其憂鬱行為表現間，存有顯著負相關的關係。 六、「中間子女」之「信任/尊重」、「親密/依附」、「競爭/忌妒」及「敵意/防衛」等四項同儕關係上，與其憂鬱行為表現皆存有顯著相關。 七、「敵意防衛」同儕關係及「神經質」人格特質最能夠效預測全體國小兒童的「憂鬱行為表現」。 八、同儕關係的「競爭嫉妒」最能預測「男生」、「獨生子女」和「中間子女」兒童的「憂鬱行為表現」。 九、同儕關係的「敵意防衛」最能夠預測「女生」、「老大」、「雙親家庭」兒童的「憂鬱行為表現」 十、「神經質」人格特質最能夠預測「老么」、「單親家庭」兒童的「憂鬱行為表現」 本研究根據上述各項結果加以討論，並提出數點建議，以供後續相關實務工作及研究的參考。 / The main purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among personality traits, parental relationship, peer relationship and depression. The study adopted a method of questionnaire survey. The subjects of this study were 487 grade five and six elementary school students in Taiwan.Instruments used in this study were“Children and Adolescents Depression Screening Scale”,“Parental Interaction Relationship Questionnaire”,“The scale of interaction between peers for elementary students”. The study was analyzed by descriptive statist ics,T-tests,One-way ANOVA,Pearson product -moment correlation and multiple step-wise regression analysis. The main findings of this study were as fol lows: 1. The status of depressive tendency for most respondents is regarded as positive. 2. There were no significant differences in depression among these students according to their different gender , birth order and family structure. 3. There were significant positive correlations between “neuroticism”,” control / instigate”,” conflict / attack”,”competitive / jealous”,” hostile / defensive” peer relationship and “depression”.However, there were significant negative correlations between” conscientiousness”,”extraversion”, “agreeableness”,”openness”,” parental relationship”,”cooperative / prosocial behavior”,”game / joint activities”,”trust / respect”,”intimate/ attachment” peer relationship and “depression”. 4. Significant negative correlations were found between youngest birth order and parents-family child’ extraversion and depression. 5. Significant negative correlations were found between oldest birth order and single parent-family child’ mother mentality relationship and depression. 6. Significant correlations were found between the middle child’ ”trust /respect”,”intimate/ attachment”, ”competitive / jealous”,” hostile / defensive” peer relationship and depression. 7. ” hostile / defensive” peer relationship and “neuroticism” show prediction to the total score of depression. 8. ”competitive / jealous” peer relationship shows prediction to boy,singleton, and the middle child’ depression. 9. ” hostile / defensive” peer relationship shows prediction to girl,oldest birth order,and parents-family child’ depression. 10.“neuroticism” shows prediction to youngest birth order and single parent-family child’ depression. Finally, after discussion, the researcher proposed some suggestions for educational instruction and future studies.