This diploma thesis focuses on selected psychological aspects of Jewish identity, namely its content and meaning in contemporary Czech society. It reviews how the bearers of this identity understand and feel positive or negative aspects related to it in their lives. The theoretical part introduces the field of identity in psychology in general and subsequently focuses specifically on Jewish identity. The chosen theoretical model of identity, adjusted to the Czech environment, represents the basis for applied research of this identity. The empirical part is conducted as a qualitative study by means of interpretative phenomenological analysis of in-depth semi-structured interviews. The results mapping contemporary Jewish identity in Czech society should be utilised to raise awareness about this frequently overlooked topic and perhaps also further utilised by professionals who encounter Jewish identity in their work. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

This qualitative study explored the experiences of individuals living with a sibling diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and how these individuals make meaning of this experience. The data for this study was collected from five (5) individuals between the ages of 12 and 19, who shared their experience of living with siblings diagnosed with ASD. The data was analysed using the interpretative phenomenological analysis method (IPA). I conclude that although living with a sibling diagnosed with ASD is a challenging experience, the way one makes meaning from the experience contributes greatly to their interpretation of their experience thereof; and therefore, making it a positive experience. The participants in this study showed great maturity and resilience. The findings of this study will be useful to parents, professionals and those who engage with individuals living with a sibling diagnosed with ASD. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology in Research Consultation)

Abstracts in English, Afrikaans and Sepedi / Approximately half of the people in the world is female and yet women hold just more than one in every five senior management positions. This underrepresentation is a worldwide phenomenon that is also evident in the audit profession where there are few women at audit partner level. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of women audit managers – to gain an understanding of the reasons why they resign from audit firms before they are promoted to audit partner level. It was anticipated that this understanding could enable audit firms to develop and implement effective retention strategies to retain women in audit partner positions and to overcome the potential barriers to the equal representation of men and women in senior management positions in audit firms. An exploratory qualitative research approach and an interpretative phenomenological analysis design were used to explore and interpret the lived experiences of the women audit managers to understand the reasons why they resign from audit firms. The study found that unclear progression paths due to uncertain timelines, as well as the black economic empowerment pressures experienced by the audit firms, explained some of the women’s resignations from the audit firms. Unhealthy supervisor relationships, discrimination, no female role models and the “old boys club” as part of the audit firms’ leadership and organisational culture also played a prominent role in the women audit managers’ experiences. Moreover, unsatisfactory compensation together with no work-life balance were found to have influenced the majority of the women’s decisions to resign from the audit firms. Finally, the study also found that some of the participants’ aspirations to become audit partners were not distinct and that other matters were more important to them than their careers. / Alhoewel ongeveer die helfte van die wêreldbevolking vrouens is, is net een uit elke vyf senior bestuurders 'n vrou. Hierdie onderverteenwoordiging is 'n wêreldwye fenomeen, ook in die ouditberoep waar daar net 'n paar vrouens op ouditvennootvlak is. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die ervarings van vroulike ouditbestuurders te verken – om 'n begrip te kry van die redes waarom hulle bedank uit ouditfirmas voordat hulle tot ouditvennootvlak bevorder word. Die verwagting is dat hierdie begrip ouditfirmas in staat kan stel om effektiewe behoudstrategieë te ontwikkel en te implementeer om vrouens in ouditvennootposisies te behou en om die potensiële struikelblokke tot die gelyke verteenwoordiging van mans en vrouens in seniorbestuursposisies in ouditfirmas te bowe te kom. 'n Eksploratiewe, kwalitatiewe navorsingbenadering en 'n interpretatiewe, fenomenologiese ontledingsontwerp is gebruik om die geleefde ervarings van die vroulike ouditbestuurders te verken en te interpreteer om te kan verstaan waarom hulle uit ouditfirmas bedank. Die studie het bevind dat onduidelike progressiebane as gevolg van vae tydlyne, asook die druk van swart ekonomiese bemagtiging wat oudifirmas ervaar, kan verduidelik waarom sommige van die vrouens uit die ouditfirmas bedank. Ongesonde toesighouerverhoudings, diskriminasie, geen vroulike rolmodelle en die stelsel van baantjies vir boeties as deel van die ouditfirmas se leierskap- en organisasiekultuur speel ook 'n prominente rol in die vroulike ouditbestuurders se ervarings. Boonop is bevind dat onbevredigende vergoeding asook geen werk-lewebalans die meerderheid van die vrouens se besluite beïnvloed om uit die ouditfirmas te bedank. Die studie het ten slotte bevind dat dit nie sommige van die deelnemers se kennelike ambisie is om ouditvennote te word nie, en dat ander aangeleenthede van groter belang vir hulle is as hulle loopbane. / Tekanyetšo ya seripa sa batho mo lefaseng ke basadi efela basadi ke fela o tee godimo ga maemo a mahlano a bolaodi bja godimo. Kemedi ye ye nnyane ke setlwaedi sa motlalanaga seo se bonagalago ka go mošomo wa tlhakišo fao go nago le basadi ba bannyane maemong a bolekane bja tlhakišo. Mohola wa phatišišo ye e be e le go nyakolla maitemogelo a basadi ba balaodi ba batlhakiši – go kwešiša mabaka a go re ke ka lebaka la eng ba tlogela mešomo difemeng tša tlhakišo pele ba ka hlatlošetšwa maemong a bolekane bja tlhakišo. Go be go lebeletšwe gore kwešišo ye e ka kgontšha difeme tša tlhakišo go tlhabolla le go phethagatša maanotšhomo a maleba a go dula le bona sebaka mo go maemo a molekane wa tlhakišo le go fediša tšeo e ka bago mapheko go kemedi ya go lekana ga banna le basadi maemong a taolo ya godimo ka go difeme tša tlhakišo. Mokgwa wa diphatišišo tša boleng bja go nyakolla le tlhamo ya kahlaahlo ya ditiragalo tšeo di hlaloswago di be di šomišwa go nyakolla le go hlatholla maitemogelo ao balaodi ba tlhakišo ba basadi go kwešiša mabaka a go re ke ka lebaka la eng ba tlogela mošomo mo difemeng tša tlhakišo. Thuto ye e hweditše gore ditsela tša go se bonale tša kgatelopele ka lebaka la ditatelano tšeo di se nago bohlatse, go tee le matlafatšo ya ikonomi ya bathobaso tšeo di itemogetšwego ke difeme tša tlhakišo, e tlhalositše tše dingwe tša ditlogelo tša mošomo ka basadi go difeme tša tlhakišo. Dikamano tšeo di sa lokago le balebeledi, kgethollo, basadi ba go se tšewe bjalo ka mehlala le “old boys club” bjalo ka karolo ya boetapele bja difeme tša tlhakišo le setšo sa sehlongwa le tšona di ralokile karolo ya bohlokwa go boitemogelo bja balaodi ba basadi ba difeme tša tlhakišo. Go feta fao, tefelo yeo e sa kgotsofatšego go tee le tekanyetšo ya bophelo bja mošomo di hwetšagetše di na le khuetšo go bontši bja diphetho tša basadi tša go tlogela mošomo go tšwa go difeme tša tlhakišo. Mafelelong, phatišišo e hweditše go re ditumo tša batšeakarolo ba bangwe tša go ba balekane ba tlhakišo di be di sa bonale le go re merero ye mengwe e be e le bohlokwa kudu go bona go feta mešomo ya bona. / College of Accounting Sciences / M. Phil. (Accounting Sciences)

Abstracts in English, Afrikaans and Sepedi / Approximately half of the people in the world is female and yet women hold just more than one in every five senior management positions. This underrepresentation is a worldwide phenomenon that is also evident in the audit profession where there are few women at audit partner level. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of women audit managers – to gain an understanding of the reasons why they resign from audit firms before they are promoted to audit partner level. It was anticipated that this understanding could enable audit firms to develop and implement effective retention strategies to retain women in audit partner positions and to overcome the potential barriers to the equal representation of men and women in senior management positions in audit firms. An exploratory qualitative research approach and an interpretative phenomenological analysis design were used to explore and interpret the lived experiences of the women audit managers to understand the reasons why they resign from audit firms. The study found that unclear progression paths due to uncertain timelines, as well as the black economic empowerment pressures experienced by the audit firms, explained some of the women’s resignations from the audit firms. Unhealthy supervisor relationships, discrimination, no female role models and the “old boys club” as part of the audit firms’ leadership and organisational culture also played a prominent role in the women audit managers’ experiences. Moreover, unsatisfactory compensation together with no work-life balance were found to have influenced the majority of the women’s decisions to resign from the audit firms. Finally, the study also found that some of the participants’ aspirations to become audit partners were not distinct and that other matters were more important to them than their careers. / Alhoewel ongeveer die helfte van die wêreldbevolking vrouens is, is net een uit elke vyf senior bestuurders 'n vrou. Hierdie onderverteenwoordiging is 'n wêreldwye fenomeen, ook in die ouditberoep waar daar net 'n paar vrouens op ouditvennootvlak is. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die ervarings van vroulike ouditbestuurders te verken – om 'n begrip te kry van die redes waarom hulle bedank uit ouditfirmas voordat hulle tot ouditvennootvlak bevorder word. Die verwagting is dat hierdie begrip ouditfirmas in staat kan stel om effektiewe behoudstrategieë te ontwikkel en te implementeer om vrouens in ouditvennootposisies te behou en om die potensiële struikelblokke tot die gelyke verteenwoordiging van mans en vrouens in seniorbestuursposisies in ouditfirmas te bowe te kom. 'n Eksploratiewe, kwalitatiewe navorsingbenadering en 'n interpretatiewe, fenomenologiese ontledingsontwerp is gebruik om die geleefde ervarings van die vroulike ouditbestuurders te verken en te interpreteer om te kan verstaan waarom hulle uit ouditfirmas bedank. Die studie het bevind dat onduidelike progressiebane as gevolg van vae tydlyne, asook die druk van swart ekonomiese bemagtiging wat oudifirmas ervaar, kan verduidelik waarom sommige van die vrouens uit die ouditfirmas bedank. Ongesonde toesighouerverhoudings, diskriminasie, geen vroulike rolmodelle en die stelsel van baantjies vir boeties as deel van die ouditfirmas se leierskap- en organisasiekultuur speel ook 'n prominente rol in die vroulike ouditbestuurders se ervarings. Boonop is bevind dat onbevredigende vergoeding asook geen werk-lewebalans die meerderheid van die vrouens se besluite beïnvloed om uit die ouditfirmas te bedank. Die studie het ten slotte bevind dat dit nie sommige van die deelnemers se kennelike ambisie is om ouditvennote te word nie, en dat ander aangeleenthede van groter belang vir hulle is as hulle loopbane. / Tekanyetšo ya seripa sa batho mo lefaseng ke basadi efela basadi ke fela o tee godimo ga maemo a mahlano a bolaodi bja godimo. Kemedi ye ye nnyane ke setlwaedi sa motlalanaga seo se bonagalago ka go mošomo wa tlhakišo fao go nago le basadi ba bannyane maemong a bolekane bja tlhakišo. Mohola wa phatišišo ye e be e le go nyakolla maitemogelo a basadi ba balaodi ba batlhakiši – go kwešiša mabaka a go re ke ka lebaka la eng ba tlogela mešomo difemeng tša tlhakišo pele ba ka hlatlošetšwa maemong a bolekane bja tlhakišo. Go be go lebeletšwe gore kwešišo ye e ka kgontšha difeme tša tlhakišo go tlhabolla le go phethagatša maanotšhomo a maleba a go dula le bona sebaka mo go maemo a molekane wa tlhakišo le go fediša tšeo e ka bago mapheko go kemedi ya go lekana ga banna le basadi maemong a taolo ya godimo ka go difeme tša tlhakišo. Mokgwa wa diphatišišo tša boleng bja go nyakolla le tlhamo ya kahlaahlo ya ditiragalo tšeo di hlaloswago di be di šomišwa go nyakolla le go hlatholla maitemogelo ao balaodi ba tlhakišo ba basadi go kwešiša mabaka a go re ke ka lebaka la eng ba tlogela mošomo mo difemeng tša tlhakišo. Thuto ye e hweditše gore ditsela tša go se bonale tša kgatelopele ka lebaka la ditatelano tšeo di se nago bohlatse, go tee le matlafatšo ya ikonomi ya bathobaso tšeo di itemogetšwego ke difeme tša tlhakišo, e tlhalositše tše dingwe tša ditlogelo tša mošomo ka basadi go difeme tša tlhakišo. Dikamano tšeo di sa lokago le balebeledi, kgethollo, basadi ba go se tšewe bjalo ka mehlala le “old boys club” bjalo ka karolo ya boetapele bja difeme tša tlhakišo le setšo sa sehlongwa le tšona di ralokile karolo ya bohlokwa go boitemogelo bja balaodi ba basadi ba difeme tša tlhakišo. Go feta fao, tefelo yeo e sa kgotsofatšego go tee le tekanyetšo ya bophelo bja mošomo di hwetšagetše di na le khuetšo go bontši bja diphetho tša basadi tša go tlogela mošomo go tšwa go difeme tša tlhakišo. Mafelelong, phatišišo e hweditše go re ditumo tša batšeakarolo ba bangwe tša go ba balekane ba tlhakišo di be di sa bonale le go re merero ye mengwe e be e le bohlokwa kudu go bona go feta mešomo ya bona. / Auditing / M. Phil. (Accounting Sciences)

Aims: Coronary Revascularization (CR) has increased patients' survival rate globally. However, the lack of a consensus definition of Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) and the different methodological and conceptual approaches adopted by researchers in the cardio-revascularization field create an incomplete picture of the influence of CR on individuals' HRQoL. By using mixed methodology, the current research aimed to explore Greek CHD patients' perspectives of their HRQoL after CR (Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) or Percutaneous Coronary Interventions (PCI)), as well as detect and explain individual disparities. Method: Two studies were conducted with a total sample of 487 individuals: (1) The translation and validation of the Coronary Revascularization Outcome Questionnaire (CROQ) into Greek and (2) The longitudinal mixed methods study, the main study of the thesis, following a sequential explanatory design with two research components: a) the longitudinal quantitative component aimed to detect changes in patients' HRQoL (both overall and its subdomains) following CR over a 12-month period based on individuals' subjective evaluation as captured by the CROQ, detect the influence of CR type on the outcome and to explore potential predictors (individuals' demographic, clinical and behavioural features). Data were analysed using multilevel modelling; b) the qualitative component aimed to capture individuals' lived experience, their view and understanding of themselves and their life approximately 12 months after treatment using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Results/findings: Based on participants' subjective evaluations as captured by the validated Greek version of the CROQ, one year after CR Greek Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) patients experience an increase in their HRQoL level compared to prior to CR. The pattern of change though is not constant; initially HRQoL increases with time, and then decreases again, however, remaining much greater compared to prior to CR one year after CR. Regarding the influence of the CR type of treatment on patients' HRQoL level, a year after CR mixed findings are revealed. In the symptoms and physical functioning subdomain, patients treated with CABG demonstrate a greater increase compared to patients treated with PCI. In the psychosocial functioning subdomain no difference is found. In the cognitive functioning subdomain, patients treated with CABG demonstrate a decline compared to their cognitive functioning prior to the CR. Various demographic, clinical and behavioural features are demonstrated to be predictors of the outcome though not consistent for all subdomains. The main predictors associated with larger positive changes following CR seem to be sex, BMI and smoking; females with low BMI that do not smoke tend to demonstrate a greater increase in HRQoL after CR. According to individuals' lived experience, participants, reflecting on their experience one year after treatment, perceive CR as a simple process and their negative experience is mostly related to medical care. Many participants with no symptoms or adverse effects tend to misperceive CHD, viewing their health condition as an acute disease treated with CR. Trying to understand disease causality they tend to adopt medical discourse especially in relation to stress as a factor that can be controlled by themselves and reflect on their own responsibility as a causal factor. Feeling grateful for being alive, sensing a different body, a 'revitalized body' as many participants suggest, as well as a fear of re-occurrence or disease progression motivate individuals to work on aspects of the self related to the CHD development in an effort to regain control over their life which has been reduced after the CHD diagnosis. In effect a dramatic change in how the self and life are viewed is reported, highlighting a positive growth; a greater appreciation of life, a personal growth and effort to build more meaningful relationships. Challenges that participants face in modification of their lifestyle are attributed to both external and internal factors. Concerning smoking participants' accounts point to a lack of knowledge regarding the relationship between smoking and CHD, a lack of support (by experts or family members) and conscious denial as a way to cope with every day anxiety and stress, but also a pleasure in everyday life. The findings provide a complementary insight into perceptions of individuals with CHD about their quality of life one year after CR, suggesting that other factors beyond CR may influence their perspectives. Conclusions/implications: This study highlights the benefits of using a mixed methods longitudinal design in exploring HRQoL. Both the quantitative and qualitative findings support the notion that HRQoL is a multidimensional, continuously changing concept, providing support for the Wold Health Organization's definition. Also, the findings suggest that CR has a positive influence on individuals' HRQoL. The effect of the CR type needs further investigation as mixed findings are observed in the present thesis. Moreover, it seems difficult to investigate the pure effect of CR on individuals' HRQoL without taking into consideration individuals' adjustment processes and positive growth triggered by the CR. The self regulation model (SRM) might be considered a useful theoretical framework for developing theory-based interventions aiming to alter patients' false beliefs since individuals' making-meaning process seems to be aligned with it. Finally, the complementary insights concerning smoking may help health care providers to develop smoking cessation interventions tailored to cardiac patients.

Barn har rätt att påverka sina liv utifrån barnkonventionen, vilket brister i dagsläget. Studien syftar till att synliggöra ungdomars upplevelser och åsikter om påverkan i relation till vuxna rörande det de anser är viktigt att få påverka i sina liv. Få studier finns om vad unga anser är viktigt att påverka eller om vad vuxna kan göra för att främja deras påverkansmöjligheter, varpå även det ämnas undersökas. Studien intar ett agens och empowermentperspektiv. Inspiration för ansatsen hämtas från fenomenologin där fokus kretsar kring individens upplevelser. Resultatet baseras på semistrukturerade intervjuer med fem ungdomar boende i Västra Götalands län, vilka är 16 eller 17 år. Materialet analyserades med tolkande fenomenologisk analys och centrala delar ur det utifrån ungdomarnas upplevelser är: det är viktigt att få möjlighet att påverka allt i sina liv, möjligheten att påverka enklare saker finns, vid komplexa sådana tas de ej på allvar. Att skapa tillit mellan sig och vuxna utgör en påverkansstrategi och samspelet mellan ungdomen och den vuxne påverkar hela processen. Vuxna kan främja möjligheterna till påverkan genom inkludering och att vilja förstå deras perspektiv. Samhället har skyldighet att arbeta för allas lika rättigheter. Så länge ojämlika förhållanden existerar är främjandet av barns rättigheter aktuellt. / According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, children have the right to impact their own lives, which is inadequately implemented in today's society. The present study aims to highlight experiences from adolescents, who voiced their opinions on their perceived ability to impact decisions affecting matters central in their lives. Few studies exist regarding which areas adolescents consider most important to influence, nor regarding what adults can do to assist them in this. The current study captures a perspective of agency and empowerment and its approach is inspired by phenomenology. The result is based on semi-structured interviews involving five 16-17 year old adolescents living in Västra Götaland County, Sweden. The material was analysed with an interpretative phenomenological analysis methodology. The main findings show that adolescents' view the ability to impact all imoprtant matters in their lives as imperative and that while they do perceive that they are allowed to influence basic things, they are not taken seriously in regard to more complex matters. The findings suggests that adults can encourage impact by including adolescents in decision making and show willingness to understand their perspective. All societies have an obligation to promote equal rights. As long as unequal rights exist, promotion of the UN Rights of the Child is crucial.

Being a lecturer and serving in the Higher Degrees Committee of the Department of Public Administration and Management at Unisa for several years, gave me exposure to master’s and doctoral candidates’ scholarly work. I realised that the doctoral candidates, in particular, were facing methodological challenges. This realisation triggered my curiosity in the methodological preparedness of doctoral candidates. My scholarly curiosity prompted me to undertake a preliminary literature review which has identified a number of scholarly contributions on the quality of research in Public Administration. These studies have not established or attempted to establish conceptual frameworks for understanding this phenomenon. I deduced that the lack of scholarly contributions on the methodological preparedness of doctoral candidates indicates a knowledge gap that compromises scholarly understanding of methodological preparedness, both as a concept and a phenomenon. The main purpose of this research was to generate theory, by means of the development of a conceptual framework, in response to the identified knowledge gap in the literature. Consequently, a qualitative theory generating research design was chosen and actualised in three interrelated research phases. Phase 1 provides a theoretical perspective by turning to the scholarly literature and institutional documents to obtain a deepened understanding of the concept methodological preparedness relevant to Public Administration doctoral candidates. This phase serves, firstly, to provide an overview of the characteristics of the doctorate in Public Administration as an immediate context for methodological preparedness, and secondly, to do a concept analysis to identify and describe the meaning of the concept methodological preparedness with reference to a doctoral candidate. Phase 2 aimed to make sense of the methodological preparedness of Public Administration doctoral candidates at Unisa by exploring, through an Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), how doctoral candidates and supervisors make sense of this phenomenon. This study makes a methodological contribution by employing the IPA for the first time in the South African Public Administration fraternity. Phase 3 generates a conceptual framework for understanding the methodological preparedness of Public Administration doctoral candidates at Unisa. The framework contributes to the understanding of the under- vi researched concept and phenomenon methodological preparedness of doctoral candidates in Public Administration. This study has shown that a candidate’s methodological preparedness (the state of being competent to independently make a methodological decision relevant to his or her doctoral research project), is not a once-off gate-keeping phenomenon, but an ongoing and fluent state of being. / Public Administration / D. Litt. et Phil. (Public Administration)

This thesis aimed to extend knowledge of athletes’ career transitions through examining athletes’ retirement decision-making process and influence of cultural diversity and organisational culture on the process of career transition. The purpose of Study 1 was to identify the current status of knowledge in the study area through providing a systematic review of the athlete career transition studies. The findings provided up to date knowledge in the study area and suggested potential future research directions. Study 2 aimed to understand Korean tennis players’ career transition out of sport experiences via longitudinal qualitative research. The results indicated that athletes perceived making the retirement decision was difficult process for them and revealed that participants’ experiences were influenced by cultural aspects and sport contexts of Korea. Study 3 focused on exploring the athletes’ retirement decision-making process among Korean tennis players. Results showed that athletes’ leaving from sport decision-making is a complex and multidimensional process, and the transtheoretical model was helpful in explaining athletes’ retirement from sport decision-making. The objective of Study 4 was to explore the processes involved in the development of an athletes’ career transition programme. Results revealed that the organisation might have influence on athletes’ retirement decision and the quality of career transition. Overall, the findings from the current thesis provide advanced useful knowledge on the athlete career transition process, and such knowledge may assist attempts to enhance athletes’ well-being and welfare for during and post-sport life.

La présente thèse poursuit l’objectif global de mieux comprendre comment, dans un contexte socioculturel où la mort est déniée, des soignants arrivent à se préserver psychiquement en faisant quotidiennement face à la réalité existentielle de la finitude. Pour ce faire, nous proposons une exploration détaillée de l’expérience spirituelle et existentielle d’infirmières qui accompagnent des patients en fin de vie. Cette thèse est présentée sous forme de trois articles. Le premier article vise, par une analyse conceptuelle systématique et exhaustive de la littérature empirique, à élaborer une définition intégrative du concept de spiritualité en contexte de fin de vie. La synthèse effectuée a permis de définir le concept de spiritualité comme étant « un processus de développement conscient qui se caractérise par deux mouvements de transcendance; celui d’aller profondément à l’intérieur de soi ou encore au-delà de soi-même. » Le deuxième article a pour but d’exposer une meilleure compréhension (a) de la façon dont les infirmières qui accompagnent des patients en fin de vie gèrent la confrontation quotidienne à la finitude, ainsi que (b) des dimensions spirituelles et existentielles de leur expérience. Des entrevues qualitatives en profondeur ont été menées auprès de 11 infirmières en soins palliatifs. L’analyse phénoménologique et interprétative des données recueillies a permis d’établir une typologie, laquelle fait état de trois modes de régulation psychique dans la confrontation à la finitude : « la mort intégrée », « la mort à combattre » et « la mort-souffrance ». De plus, les résultats de l’analyse suggèrent une relation potentielle entre les mécanismes de régulation psychique des infirmières, leur expérience spirituelle et existentielle personnelle, ainsi que leur mode de régulation intersubjective dans la relation avec les patients. Le troisième article vise pour sa part à décrire les effets d’une intervention d’approche existentielle de groupe sur l’expérience spirituelle et existentielle d’infirmières, tant au niveau personnel que professionnel. Pour ce faire, 10 infirmières ont été rencontrées en entrevues suite à leur participation à une intervention existentielle de groupe. Selon la perspective des infirmières, la participation à l’intervention existentielle leur a permis d’élargir leur conscience spirituelle et existentielle, notamment par une conscience accrue (a) de la finitude, (b) des sources de sens à la vie, (c) du sens de la souffrance, ainsi que (d) par la possibilité d’accéder à un état de gratitude. Les participants ont de plus bénéficié de la fonction « contenante » de l’expérience de groupe, en développant un langage partagé pour discuter des dimensions spirituelle et existentielle de leur expérience et ainsi qu’en éprouvant un sentiment de validation de leur expérience par le partage entre pairs. En conclusion, les résultats de notre analyse soulignent l’importance des différences individuelles dans les mécanismes de régulation psychique impliqués dans la confrontation à la mort chez les infirmières. De plus, le bilan des articles proposés permet de tisser des liens conceptuels cohérents pour supporter la thèse du rôle potentiellement catalyseur de la confrontation à la mort dans le développement de l’expérience spirituelle et existentielle des infirmières qui accompagnent des patients en fin de vie / The global objective of this thesis is to develop a better understanding of how health care providers psychologically negotiate death proximity, given the common contextual tendencies towards denial of death. To address this objective, we suggest an in-depth exploration of the spiritual and existential experience of palliative care nurses. This thesis is comprised of three articles. The first article is a systematic and exhaustive conceptual analysis of the empirical literature that provides an integrative definition of the concept of spirituality at the end of life. The resulting synthesis suggests that spirituality can be defined as “developmental and conscious process, characterized by two movements of transcendence; either deep within the self or beyond the self.” The objectives of the second article are to derive a better understanding of (a) how palliative care nurses handle daily confrontation with death, and (b) the spiritual and existential dimensions of their experience. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 11 palliative care nurses. An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the data allowed the emergence of a typology that described three modes of affective regulation of death confrontation: “Integrating death”, “fighting death”, and “suffering death”. Furthermore, the results suggest a potential relationship between these three factors: (a) nurses’ affective regulation, (b) spiritual-existential experiences' and (3) intersubjective regulation in relationship with patients. The third article describes the effects of a Meaning-Centered Intervention on the spiritual and existential dimensions of nurses’ experience, both at a personal and at a professional level. Ten nurses were interviewed individually after participating in a group Meaning-Centered Intervention. From the nurses’ point of view, the intervention helped them to enlarge their spiritual and existential awareness by encouraging them to become more conscious of (a) the finiteness of life, (2) the sources of meaning in life, (3) the meaning of suffering and (4) the impact of mindfulness. Moreover, participants reported to have benefited from the containing function of the group experience by developing a common language and feeling validated through sharing their experience with peers. In conclusion, our results indicate the importance of individual differences in the psychological mechanisms involved in nurses’ experience of confrontation with death. Taken as a whole, the findings of the three articles suggest a coherent conceptual link between the role of death confrontation in the development of spiritual and existential experiences for palliative care nurses.

This dissertation is a report on research into the development and evaluation of a career assessment and counselling procedure that falls under the aegis of the constructivist, narrative approach: My Career Chapter: A Dialogical Autobiography. My Career Chapter enables an individual to construct a holistic understanding of his or her career. The procedure facilitates an individual writing and reflecting on an autobiographical account of his or her career that is contextualised amidst systems of career influences. The resulting autobiographical text can be used in career counselling, including co-constructive dialogue between client and counsellor. The literature underpinning the research project is described with a wide-ranging discussion of issues that critically pertain to the research endeavour and essentially provide a primary base for the work. Two theoretical frameworks that exemplify constructivism in vocational psychology underpin the research: the Systems Theory Framework and the Theory of Career Construction. From the base of those two theoretical frameworks, narrative career counselling is explicated and exemplars are described. The Theory of Dialogical Self is introduced to inform the design of My Career Chapter and, ultimately, the theory and practice of narrative career counselling. The research is predominantly positioned within a paradigm of constructivism/interpretivism and the results of the studies are collectively interpreted accordingly; but postpositivism and critical ideological paradigms are present in a secondary form due to the mixture of research methods used in the project as a whole. Six empirical studies investigate the experience of My Career Chapter from the perspective of the developer, the counsellor-user, and the client-user; each explicated with two studies respectively. Research methods include autoethnography for the developer's experience, interpretative phenomenological analysis and focus group for the counsellor-users' experience, and quasi-experiment and interpretative phenomenological analysis for the client-users' experience. The studies of the developer's experience of My Career Chapter comprehensively explicate how and why the procedure was developed and emphasise the importance of reflexive science and practice. Crucially, the autoethnographies revealed a nexus of theory-practice-person which underpins the production of My Career Chapter, and critically influences the entire research project. The studies involving counsellor-users affirmed My Career Chapter's alignment with recommendations for the development and application of qualitative career assessment and counselling procedures. These studies also raised questions pertaining to the characteristics of client-users that may mediate the efficacy of the procedure (e.g., age, language ability). Studies of client-users firstly support the conclusion that My Career Chapter is a safe career assessment and counselling procedure, with minimal attendant risk of inducing psychological harm or distress. The procedure was experienced as being helpful as a tool for personal reflection, through its theoretically-derived processes of facilitating clients writing, reading, and hearing and talking their autobiographical manuscripts through in the interpretation phase. There are four dimensions of significance associated with this research project. Firstly, the divide between theory and practice has indeed been much lamented in vocational psychology and counselling psychology. Thus, the overall significance of the research reported upon in this dissertation is significant because it attempts to bring theory and practice together through a reflexive and theoretically informed research process into a career assessment and counselling procedure. Secondly, the research and development process produced a new career assessment and counselling product which will add to the limited range of techniques that fall under the aegis of constructivist career assessment and counselling broadly, and the narrative approach specifically. My Career Chapter complements other procedures. Thirdly, two of the research methods used in the project (viz., autoethnography and interpretative phenomenological analysis) demonstrated their potential as additional qualitative methods for research within vocational psychology. Finally, the research process has enabled the articulation of the Theory of Dialogical Self—from another branch of psychology—into the extant corpus of literature on career development theory and practice.