This study analyzed the amount of variance in employment interests of a sample of poor women that may be attributed to self-esteem, locus of control, and exposure to nontraditional occupations and the interaction among these variables. A stratified random sample was selected from a population of 1172 participants enrolled in the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) in seven sites in Virginia. The selected sites were representative of geographic and economic areas in the state. Two of the independent variables were measured using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the Rotter Locus of Control Scale. Demographic data and the variables of exposure to nontraditional occupations and employment interests were measured using the Employment Interests and Experiences Interview Schedule designed by the researcher. Data were collected by the paraprofessionals in each unit using the EFNEP records and through face-to-face interviews. Descriptive statistics were reported and multiple regression procedures were utilized to analyze the data. The conclusions drawn were that the poor women in the sample were heterogeneous, had relatively high education and employment aspirations, and had low self-esteem. These women need more exposure to nontraditional occupations and they expressed a willingness to consider such careers. Poor women such as those in this study need a combination of support services to successfully make the transition to the workforce. For this group exposure to nontraditional occupations and higher self-esteem increased interest in nontraditional careers. Those with a higher self-esteem were also more likely to be interested in nonsex-typed occupations. Programs that serve poor women may need to broaden their scope to match the needs of heterogeneous groups. These women also require indepth career counseling to help them understand the range and scope of occupations that are available, especially those that are nontraditional for their gender. Recommendations for further research which may expand the knowledge base about the employment interests of poor women are given. This research could contribute to breaking the cycle of poverty that affects an increasing portion of our population. / Ed. D.

Thesis (PhD (Social Work))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Domestic violence crosses all boundaries and is regarded as a universal challenge affecting women of all spheres of life. Domestic violence is seen as a serious social problem in South Africa. It is regarded by many researchers as a leading cause of female injury. Domestic violence can be described as an act by a member of a family against another member with intent to do physical injury, psychological or emotional harm, or an assault or a threat that reasonably places that member in fear of imminent physical injury or emotional harm. It has major consequences, not only for the abused woman, but also for her children and society at large. Many low-income women cannot escape their abusive circumstances due to a lack of resources. Despite the fact that they cannot leave their situation, many women display certain strengths, helping them to deal with their difficult situation. These women can be viewed as heroic, assertive and persistent. They are not victims, but active survivors. The social work profession could benefit from greater insight into the strengths and coping mechanisms of low-income female survivors of domestic violence. The goal of the study is to gain an understanding of low-income female survivors’ experience of domestic violence, focusing on their environmental resources (including family, friends and community) and on their coping mechanisms (inner resources/strengths). To achieve this goal, the objectives are: to present a theoretical overview of the nature and extent of domestic violence; to describe the environmental resources (such as family, friends and community) of low-income abused women from the ecological perspective; to explore the coping mechanisms (inner resources) of these women in terms of the principles of the strengths perspective; and to analyse and interpret the data obtained from the study. The research utilises an exploratory and descriptive design. The research question is, “What are the experience (environmental resources) and coping mechanisms (inner resources) of lowincome female survivors of domestic violence?” This question was addressed by means of qualitative research. Twenty participants took part in the study. Purposive and snowball sampling were used to select the participants. They were interviewed by the researcher, and the data obtained from the interviews were organised into themes. Five themes namely, the experience of domestic violence, low-income, resources, coping mechanisms and statutory intervention were identified. These themes were further divided into sub-themes and categories. Conclusions derived from the data included: domestic violence is a phenomenon that cuts across all racial, marital status or age boundaries; some low-income female survivors of domestic violence experience their situation as stressful; low-income is one of the determining factors preventing some abused women to leave their situation; resources play a significant part in the lives of some low-income abused women; certain strengths from some low-income battered women help them cope; and some abused low-income women do not find an Interim Protection Order (IPO) or the police to be helpful. The recommendations are that social workers should assess primary, secondary and tertiary intervention in dealing with domestic violence; the ecological and strengths perspectives combined would be helpful in assessing resources and coping mechanisms in low-income abused women and collaboration between social workers, the court and the police could help low-income abused women to use statutory services effectively. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Gesinsgeweld ken geen grense nie en word beskou as ’n universele bedreiging vir vroue uit alle sektore van die samelewing. Gesinsgeweld word beskou as ’n ernstige maatskaplike probleem in Suid-Afrika. Dit word deur baie navorsers beskou as ’n hoofoorsaak van vrouebeserings. Gesinsgeweld kan beskou word as ’n daad deur een lid van die gesin teen ’n ander wat gemik is op fisieke skade, sielkundige of emosionele teistering, of ’n aanval of ’n dreigement wat die lid van die gesin laat vrees vir fisieke beserings of emosionele skade. Dit het grootskaalse gevolge, nie net vir die mishandelde vrou nie, maar ook vir haar kinders en vir die breër gemeenskap. Baie lae-inkomste vroue kan nie uit hulle gewelddadige situasie ontsnap nie, vanweë beperkte bronne. Nieteenstaande die feit dat baie vroue nie hul huidige omstandighede kan ontkom nie, toon hulle sekere sterktes wat hulle help in hulle moeilike omstandighede. Hierdie vroue kan beskou word as heldinne wat nie tou opgooi nie. Hulle is nie slagoffers nie, maar oorleef aktief [Engels: “active survivors”]. Die maatskaplikewerkprofessie kan baat by groter insig in die sterktes en hanteringsvaardighede van lae-inkomste vroue wat gesinsgeweld oorleef. Die doel van die studie is om groter insig te verkry in lae-inkomste vroue se ervaring van gesinsgeweld, veral hulle omgewingsfaktore (insluitende familie, vriende en gemeenskap) en van hulle hanteringsmeganismes (innerlike bronne/sterktes). Om hierdie doel te bereik, is die doelwitte: om ’n teoretiese aanbieding van die aard en omvang van gesinsgeweld te gee; om die omgewingsbronne (soos familie, vriende en gemeenskap) van lae-inkomste mishandelde vroue te verduidelik; om die hanteringsmeganismes (innerlike bronne) van hierdie vroue te eksploreer in terme van die beginsels van die sterkte perspektief; en om die data van die studie te analiseer en te interpreteer. Die navorsingsontwerp is eksploratief-beskrywend van aard. Die navorsingsvraag lui soos volg: “Wat is die ervaring (omgewingsfaktore) en hanteringsmeganismes (innerlike bronne) van lae-inkomste vroue wat gesinsgeweld te bowe kom?” Die vraag is aangespreek deur middel van kwalitatiewe navorsing. Twintig deelnemers het deelgeneem aan die studie. Doelgerigte- en sneeubal steekproeftegnieke is gebruik om die deelnemers te verkry. Die navorser het met hulle onderhoude gevoer en die data wat verkry is, is georganiseer in temas. Vyf temas, naamlik die ervaring van gesinsgeweld; lae inkomste; bronne; hanteringsmeganismes; en statutêre intervensie is geïdentifiseer. Die temas is in subtemas en kategorieë onderverdeel. Gevolgtrekkings wat gemaak is uit die data is: gesinsgeweld is ’n verskynsel wat alle ras-, huwelikstatus- of ouderdomsgrense oorskry; sekere lae-inkomste vroulike oorwinnaars van gesinsgeweld ervaar hulle situasie as stresvol; hulpbronne speel ’n betekenisvolle rol in die lewens van sommige lae-inkomste mishandelde vroue; sekere sterktes van lae-inkomste mishandelde vroue help hulle om die situasie te hanteer; en sekere lae-inkomste, mishandelde vroue vind nie ’n Interim Beskermingsbevel (IB) of die polisie as hulpvaardig nie. Die aanbevelings is dat maatskaplike werkers primêre, sekondêre en tersiêre intervensie behoort te assesseer by gesinsgeweld; die ekologiese en sterktes perspektiewe behoort saam aangewend te word om die omgewingsbronne en hanteringsmeganismes van lae-inkomste mishandelde vroue te ondersoek; en samewerking tussen maatskaplike werkers, die hof en polisie kan lae-inkomste mishandelde vroue help om statutêre dienste beter te benut.

Wong Siu Wai Winnie. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 150-153). / Abstract --- p.ii / Acknowledgment --- p.iii / Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1. --- Ecumenical Grassroots Development Center and the Welfare Campaign --- p.3 / Chapter 2. --- Literature Review and Methodology --- p.19 / Chapter 3. --- The Empowerment Process --- p.36 / Chapter 4. --- The Free-Riders --- p.72 / Chapter 5. --- Selective Incentives: A Panacea? --- p.93 / Chapter 6. --- Mobilizing Acts of EGDC --- p.108 / Conclusion --- p.137 / Appendix I --- p.146 / Appendix II --- p.149 / Bibliography --- p.150

The major findings of this study include: (1) poverty resulting from being laid-off is the direct reason for help-seeking and help-receiving to take place, and the lived experience of the research participants is the result of their interpretation of the causes of their poverty; (2) the actions of help-seeking and help-receiving are due to the fact that basic needs not being fulfilled and have demonstrated a task-centered characteristic; (3) help-seeking and help-receiving have different meanings, and cultural value is the root of this difference; (4) the research participants' willingness or readiness and their actual practice in seeking and receiving help show a ranking structure. Amongst formal and informal social support systems, the State ranks the first preference while the family and informal social networks are considered to be their second choice. However, in reality they have to resort to depend on informal social networks, they would seek and receive help in an order determined by the relatedness in blood relation and psychological distance; (5) in the transition period of inadequate social security system in China, social solidarity is based on the family which has been the major source of help; (6) the major support of the participants is from family members, relatives, former colleagues, friends who could only provide limited help due to their own limitations in resources and power; (7) participants' idea of the responsibility of the State under the market economy system is the result of their subjective interpretation of their relationship with their family, society and the State under the situation of restricted resources of the family and informal social network; (8) the social and psychological costs arising from help-seeking and help-receiving are found to have derived from their concept of honour and dignity based on traditional Chinese cultural values. / The significance of this study are: (1) it is a break-through from the traditional positivist objective analysis framework and has presented the subjective experience of help-seeking and help-receiving of the impoverished laid-off female workers in China; (2) it has summarized and conceptualized the research participants' help-seeking and help-receiving action as "an experience of Confucianism-Socialism-Communalism ethical practice", and thus provides an analytical framework for the study of help-seeking and help-receiving behaviour in the Chinese context so as to develop indigenous social work theory of helping; (3) it has put forward suggestions to eradicate social exclusion of the impoverished laid-off female workers and improve their social participation in regard to social policy and social welfare services. / Using narrative analysis of the qualitative approach, this study explores and describes the subjective interpretation of the help-seeking and help-receiving experience of 15 impoverished laid-off female workers in urban China. This study reveals how these impoverished women make meanings for their lived experience in the context of drastic social and economic changes in China. / 馬鳳芝. / 呈交日期: 2006年5月. / 論文(哲學博士)--香港中文大學, 2006. / 參考文獻(p. 368-403). / Cheng jiao ri qi: 2006 nian 5 yue. / Adviser: Lam Mong Chow. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-11, Section: A, page: 4337. / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest Information and Learning Company, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in Chinese and English. / School code: 1307. / Lun wen (zhe xue bo shi)--Xianggang Zhong wen da xue, 2006. / Can kao wen xian (p. 368-403). / Ma Fengzhi.

No description available.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A review of the past decade of literature on the subject of depression in South African women revealed a paucity of research that documents the perspectives of low-income women who have been diagnosed with depression. Informed by this and recent feminist critiques of the concept of depression, this study aimed to bring traditionally overlooked perspectives to the fore by providing rich descriptions of the subjectively lived experience of depression, as recounted by low-income women themselves. This feminist phenomenological study took place in a poor, rural community in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with ten low-income women who had been diagnosed with depression. The transcribed interviews were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. A number of important findings emerged. Firstly, participants were seen to express somatic complaints ahead of (and more frequently than) disclosures of sadness. Secondly, participants often described experiencing their psychological distress as anger, anxiety and a changed sense of self. Thirdly, participants generally attributed these experiences (and their overall distress) to a history of childhood trauma, the loss of important relationships, being physically, sexually or emotionally abused, feeling under supported and overburdened by multiple responsibilities, living in dangerous communities, and/or the various consequences of poverty. Finally, it was observed that while symptoms of suicidal ideation and intent were present in many of the women interviewed, strong religious and cultural norms existed and generally functioned to silence and deny the subject. Overall, the women’s subjective experiences, understandings and descriptions of depression allowed a more complex picture to emerge than that which is currently offered by mainstream biomedical models. Consequentially, the current conceptualisation of the term “depression” was deemed to be inadequate, specifically because it does not fully capture low-income women’s experiences of distress, and also because it tends to obscure the possible impact of socio-economic and political contexts on their mental health. Implications of these findings include firstly, that not only does the diagnosis of depression serve to medicalise women’s misery, but it may simultaneously serve to obscure their feelings of anger, anxiety, sadness, hopelessness and other symptoms of distress that are intrinsically linked to their disadvantageous social and living conditions. Secondly, the findings indicate that the use of traditional diagnostic and suicide assessment interviews may be unhelpful or even irresponsible in some South African contexts. Finally, many of the study findings warrant further investigation and psychological research. Recommendations to this end are thus included and stress the need to use theoretical perspectives and research methodologies that are sensitive to the multilayered, complex psychological experiences of depression in low-income women. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: ’n Oorsig van die afgelope dekade se literatuur oor depressie by Suid-Afrikaanse vroue dui op ’n gebrek aan navorsing oor die perspektiewe van vroue uit lae-inkomstegroepe wat met dié toestand gediagnoseer word. Na aanleiding hiervan sowel as onlangse feministiese kritiek op die konsep van depressie, was hierdie studie dus daarop toegespits om tradisioneel miskende perspektiewe na vore te bring deur middel van ’n ryke beskrywing van die subjektiewe ervaring van die lewe met depressie soos vroue uit lae-inkomstegroepe self daarvan vertel. Hierdie feministiese fenomenologiese studie is in ’n arm, landelike gemeenskap in die provinsie Wes-Kaap, Suid-Afrika, onderneem. Semigestruktureerde diepte-onderhoude is gevoer met tien vroue in die laeinkomstekategorie wat met depressie gediagnoseer is. Die getranskribeerde onderhoude is op vertolkende fenomenologiese wyse ontleed. ’n Aantal belangrike bevindinge is gemaak. Eerstens het die meeste deelnemers somatiese klagtes gehad voordat (en meer dikwels as wat) hulle oor hul neerslagtigheid en terneergedruktheid gepraat het. Tweedens het heelwat deelnemers hul sielkundige nood as woede, angs en ’n gewysigde selfbeskouing beskryf. Derdens het die vroue merendeels hul ervarings (en hul algehele nood) aan ’n geskiedenis van kindertrauma, die verlies van belangrike verhoudings, fisiese, seksuele of emosionele mishandeling, ’n gebrek aan ondersteuning tesame met ’n oormaat verantwoordelikhede, hul gevaarlike woonbuurte en/of die verskillende gevolge van armoede toegeskryf. Laastens is waargeneem dat hoewel die ideasie en voorneme van selfdood wél as simptome by baie van die respondente opgemerk is, daar terselfdertyd sterk godsdienstige en kulturele norme bestaan waarvolgens dié onderwerp oor die algemeen doodgeswyg en ontken word. In die geheel skets die vroue se subjektiewe ervarings, begrippe en beskrywings van depressie ’n meer komplekse prentjie as wat hoofstroom- biomediese modelle tot dusver gebied het. Dus blyk die huidige konseptualisering van die term ‘depressie’ onvoldoende te wees, veral omdat dit nie die ervarings en nood van vroue uit lae-inkomstegroepe ten volle vasvang nie, en ook geneig is om die moontlike impak van sosio-ekonomiese en politieke kontekste op dié vroue se geestesgesondheid te misken. Die implikasies van hierdie bevindinge sluit eerstens in dat die diagnose van depressie nie net hierdie vroue se nood ‘medikaliseer’ nie, maar terselfdertyd dalk ook hul gevoelens van woede, angs, hartseer, hopeloosheid en ander simptome van nood wat ten nouste met hul minderbevoorregte maatskaplike en lewensomstandighede verband hou, verberg. Tweedens dui die bevindinge daarop dat die gebruik van tradisionele diagnostiese en selfdoodevalueringsonderhoude in sekere Suid-Afrikaanse kontekste nutteloos en selfs onverantwoordelik kan wees. Laastens regverdig baie van die studie se bevindinge verdere ondersoek en sielkundige navorsing. Aanbevelings in hierdie verband word dus ingesluit, en beklemtoon onder meer die behoefte aan teoretiese perspektiewe en navorsingsmetodologieë wat gevoelig is vir die meervlakkige, komplekse sielkundige ervarings van depressie by vroue uit laeinkomstegroepe.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this paper was to review the available literature concerning how low-income women experience their heterosexual relationships. Particular attention was paid to the constructs of social support and intimacy which have both been cited as important variables for coping with stress. It was found that, despite there being more stressors associated with poverty, very little research has been conducted on lowincome women. However, when comparing the available literature, there seem to be important differences between low-income and middle-class women's expectations regarding heterosexual relationships. The literature suggests that for low-income women, heterosexual relationships can often be experienced as an additional source of stress, particularly as traditional gender roles playa greater role in expectations regarding the provision of social support. It therefore seems as though some low-income women, in a bid not to submit to traditional role expectations, choose to stay single and strive for financial independence in order to retain power within heterosexual relationships. The need for intimacy was not clearly articulated by low-income women but a desire for a sexually faithful partner was expressed. Although it seemed as though low-income women did not expect social support or intimacy from their male partners, they did articulate other specific expectations. The literature suggested that low-income women could reliably expect sex and the conception of children. from their heterosexual relationships but that their other expectations were often disappointed. However, heterosexual relationships are considered an important means for low-income women to gain status within the community. Finally, the current review of the literature highlighted the considerable overlap between the constructs of social support and intimacy. In conclusion, further research needs to be conducted (particularly in South Africa) in order to determine how low-income women experience their heterosexual relationships. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie was om 'n oorsig te kry van die beskikbare literatuur oor laeinkomstevroue se ervaring van hulle heteroseksuele verhoudings. Aandag is in die besonder gegee aan die konstrukte van sosiale ondersteuning en intimiteit, wat albei as belangrike veranderlikes tydens die hantering van stres aangedui is. Daar is bevind dat, ondanks die feit dat daar meer stressore is wat met armoede in verband gebring word, baie min navorsing nog oor lae-inkomstevrouegedoen is. Wanneer die beskikbare literatuur egter vergelyk word, lyk dit asof daar belangrike verskille is tussen die verwagtinge wat onderskeidelik laeinkomstevroue en vroue uit die middelklas het ten opsigte van heteroseksuele verhoudinge. Die literatuur voer aan dat lae-inkomstevroue heteroseksuele verhoudings dikwels as 'n addisionele bron van stres beleef, veral aangesien tradisionele geslagsrolle 'n groter rol speel in verwagtinge rondom die verskaffing van sosiale ondersteuning. Dit lyk dus asof sommige lae-inkomstevrouein 'n poging om hulle nie aan tradisionele rolverwagtinge te onderwerp nie, verkies om nie te trou nie, maar om eerder na finansiële onafhanklikheid te streef in 'n poging om die mag in heteroseksueleverhoudings te behou. Die behoefte aan intimiteit is nie duidelik deur lae-inkomstevroue aangedui nie, maar wel 'n behoefte aan 'n enkelvoudige heteroseksuele verhouding. Alhoewel dlt gelyk het asof lae-lokomstevroue nie sosiale ondersteuning of intimiteit van hulle mansvriende verwag het nie, het hulle ander spesifieke verwagtinge genoem. Uit die literatuur wil dit lyk of lae-inkomstevroue met redelike sekerheid seks en die verwekking van kinders van hulle heteroseksuele verhoudings kon verwag, maar dat hulle ander verwagtinge dikwels teleurgestel word. Nogtans word heteroseksuele verhoudings as 'n belangrike manier gesien waarop lae-inkomstevroue status in die gemeenskap kan verkry. Die huidige literatuurstudie belig ook die aansienlike oorvleueling tussen die konstrukte van sosiale ondersteuning en intimiteit. Ten slotte is dit duidelik dat verdere navorsing gedoen moet word (veral in Suid-Afrika) om te bepaal hoe laeinkomstevrouehulle heteroseksueleverhoudings beleef.

Little research has addressed the degree to which domestic violence is mutual and whether patterns are stable across women's relationships. Studies that exist have conflicting results. This study addressed these issues and the effects of sustaining past violence on women's expressions of violence in their current relationship. Archival data from a sample of severely psychologically abused community women (N = 92) and a sample of low-income community women (N = 836) were analyzed. Results showed the presence of mutual violence in women's current relationships which was not related to past partners' violence. Results regarding the stability of violence are weak, but indicate that the frequency and severity of violence across relationships sustained by women does not decrease across relationships. Overall, results supported the hypothesis that violence is mutual in the relationships of community women, although specific patterns may differ by ethnicity.

A model for health care utilization was applied to a sample of low income women. Demographic Predisposing, Psychosocial Predisposing, Illness Level, and Enabling indicators were examined separately for African American (n = 266), Anglo American (n = 200), and Mexican American (n = 210) women. Structural Equation Modeling revealed that for African American and Anglo American women, Illness Level, the only significant path to Utilization, had a mediating effect on Psychosocial Predisposing indicators. The model for Mexican Americans was the most complex with Enabling indicators affecting Illness Level and Utilization. Psychosocial Predisposing indicators were mediated by Illness Level and Enabling indicators which both directly affected Utilization. Implications of the results for future research are addressed.

This research report serves to explore how women living in Tembisa, the second largest township in Johannesburg, South Africa, create and maintain highly flexible and mobile personal networks, to maximize their access to financial and social capital in order to improve individual and household resilience to food insecurity. What are the strategies that are adopted, created and manipulated in the daily lives of the food insecure in an attempt to attain a semblance of food security for themselves, their households and their communities?