Social isolation and loneliness are problems that affect the quality of life of many older adults. As the proportion of older people increases in Canada and other nations, studying factors that could improve the quality of life of older people becomes even more crucial. Two studies were conducted drawing on longitudinal data (1996 and 2001) from the Aging in Manitoba Project (Study 1 N = 760) and the Successful Aging Study 2003 (Study 2 N = 228). The main objective of Study 1 was to identify the characteristics of older individuals who differed in their loneliness trajectories over time, allowing for a comparison of those who became lonely, overcame loneliness, were persistently lonely, and were persistently not lonely. A discriminant function analysis examined the social, demographic, physical, and psychological factors as potential discriminators of the loneliness trajectories. When compared to those who were neither lonely at time 1 or time 2, the most important discriminators of persistent loneliness were: living alone, being in poor health, and having low perceptions of control. These predictors were found to be more important than people’s friendships or social activities, highlighting the complexity of loneliness in later life. Study 2 examined the longitudinal relationships between loneliness, health, physical activity, and mortality, and tested Fredrickson’s Broaden and Build Theory that positive emotions (happiness) might serve to “undo” the detrimental effects of negative emotions like loneliness. Regression analyses showed that loneliness longitudinally predicted health, physical activity, and mortality, underscoring the importance of socioemotional variables to health. Moreover, happiness moderated the relationships between loneliness and physical activity and loneliness and mortality. Thus, in support of Fredrickson’s hypothesis, results suggested that happiness has the power to “undo” the detrimental effects of loneliness on physical activity and even on mortality. Being happy may indeed offset the negative consequences of being lonely. Based on these two studies, it was concluded that future interventions could target positive emotions, perceptions of control, and loneliness as ways of ultimately enhancing the lifespan, healthspan, and wellspan of older adults.

The aim of the current series of studies was to begin the process of examining whether a propensity to act rashly in response to positive affective states (positive urgency) increases the likelihood of engaging in risky, maladaptive, and harmful acts. We theorized that this trait may account for some types of risky drinking behavior not explained by other risk factors, particularly for college students. In the current series of studies, an internally consistent (=.94), unidimensional scale was developed. This scale was shown to have convergent validity across methods and discriminant validity from other types of impulsivity. For both alcohol use and risky behavior, positive urgency explained variance not explained by other forms of impulsivity. Cross-sectional tests were consistent with the hypothesis that positive urgency leads to positive alcohol expectancies, which lead to increased drinking, which leads to involvement in risky behavior. This possibility should be examined prospectively.

Listening to music is rated as one of the most pleasurable activities in human life and,in fact, listeners report the emotional impact of music to be one of the main motivatorsas to why they listen to music. This thesis focuses on the positive affective statesexperienced when listening to music and their underlying neural substrates. Despite thefact that research on the neural correlates of music-induced positive affect is arelatively recent undertaking our understanding has significantly improved during thelast decades. The aim of the current thesis is to give an overview of the neuralcorrelates of music-induced positive affect in healthy individuals. As such,psychophysiological, neuroimaging and electrophysiological studies are reviewed.Across studies the consistent involvement of brain regions, such as the orbitofrontalcortex, the striatum and the amygdala and left hemisphere frontal regions in response tomusic-induced positive affect has been found. These structures constitute an importantpart of the mesolimbocortical reward circuitry found to be involved in the processing ofa wide range of pleasures. The thesis also discusses conceptual and methodologicallimitations inherent in the studies reviewed. Understanding the nature and underlyingneural basis of music-induced positive affect is important because of the implications itmay have for psychological and physical wellbeing.

There has been a significant increase in the number of Down Syndrome (DS) births over the past 3 decades in South Africa. This means there are increasingly more mothers, children with DS and family members experiencing the stressors associated with the condition. However, the increase in DS births has led to the advancement of related medical and educational interventions, resulting in more families with a child with DS overcoming these stressors and discovering the positive aspects of having a child with DS. This study aimed to uncover these positive aspects by exploring the positive experiences of a sample of mothers of a child with DS, with the hope that the findings will help society to move away from its focus on the stressors of having a child with DS to instead concentrating on the many ways in which families can cope with these stressors. As part of the research process, face-to-face interviews were conducted as a qualitative approach to gain an in-depth understanding of this research topic. The interviews were all recorded by means of a tape recorder. There is only one hospital in the Western Cape Metropole area that specialises in this condition, and that hospital was consequently selected as the location for this research, since all mothers of children with DS are referred to this hospital. A purposive sampling method and the criterion sampling strategy were used for the selection of these five mothers with whom interviews were conducted in the hospital’s developmental clinic The main findings of the research include both the difficult and positive experiences of being a mother of a child with DS. Two of the major themes that arose in terms of the difficult experiences were: (1) having to make many adjustments to one’s life to accommodate unpredictable health implications, developmental delays, negative perceptions, and unprofessional conduct; and (2) the difficulty of dealing with emotions, emotions of: fear, aloneness, and grieving. The mothers’ positive experiences generally developed out of their attempts to find coping mechanisms for the above challenges, and these positives centre on support, resources, faith in God, accepting the condition, a positive attitude and bonding with their child with DS. The predominant finding in terms of participants’ own recommendations for new mothers of a child with DS was for them to learn to accept the condition. Other findings addressing ways of coping with the condition were as follows: persevering, being hopeful, taking it one day at a time, having awareness and understanding of the diagnosis, being around positive people, attending regular appointments, seeking out guidance and support for your child’s development, loving your child, enjoying your child, and being present in every moment. / Thesis (MSW (Forensic Practice))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

There has been a significant increase in the number of Down Syndrome (DS) births over the past 3 decades in South Africa. This means there are increasingly more mothers, children with DS and family members experiencing the stressors associated with the condition. However, the increase in DS births has led to the advancement of related medical and educational interventions, resulting in more families with a child with DS overcoming these stressors and discovering the positive aspects of having a child with DS. This study aimed to uncover these positive aspects by exploring the positive experiences of a sample of mothers of a child with DS, with the hope that the findings will help society to move away from its focus on the stressors of having a child with DS to instead concentrating on the many ways in which families can cope with these stressors. As part of the research process, face-to-face interviews were conducted as a qualitative approach to gain an in-depth understanding of this research topic. The interviews were all recorded by means of a tape recorder. There is only one hospital in the Western Cape Metropole area that specialises in this condition, and that hospital was consequently selected as the location for this research, since all mothers of children with DS are referred to this hospital. A purposive sampling method and the criterion sampling strategy were used for the selection of these five mothers with whom interviews were conducted in the hospital’s developmental clinic The main findings of the research include both the difficult and positive experiences of being a mother of a child with DS. Two of the major themes that arose in terms of the difficult experiences were: (1) having to make many adjustments to one’s life to accommodate unpredictable health implications, developmental delays, negative perceptions, and unprofessional conduct; and (2) the difficulty of dealing with emotions, emotions of: fear, aloneness, and grieving. The mothers’ positive experiences generally developed out of their attempts to find coping mechanisms for the above challenges, and these positives centre on support, resources, faith in God, accepting the condition, a positive attitude and bonding with their child with DS. The predominant finding in terms of participants’ own recommendations for new mothers of a child with DS was for them to learn to accept the condition. Other findings addressing ways of coping with the condition were as follows: persevering, being hopeful, taking it one day at a time, having awareness and understanding of the diagnosis, being around positive people, attending regular appointments, seeking out guidance and support for your child’s development, loving your child, enjoying your child, and being present in every moment. / Thesis (MSW (Forensic Practice))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

As a result of the HIV/AIDS problem, South Africa is presently confronted by the worst pandemic in the history of this country. An estimated 4,2 million people in South Africa are already infected with the HI virus. The Faculty of Health Sciences at the PL) for CHE (Focus area 9.1) for this reason undertook to investigate the immune systems of HIV/AIDS patients in the Potchefstroom health district. The aim of this effort was multiple, namely: * to improve by means of oral supplements the immune systems of HIV/AIDS patients in the named health district; * to slow down by means of the above mentioned action the deterioration of patients from HIV to AIDS, and * to improve the sense of well-being and quality of life of HIV/AIDS patients by means of a group work intervention programme. To reach this aim, the following goals had to be attained: * To determine by means of a literature study the nature and extent of HIV/AIDS world-wide. This aim was reached by analysing theoretical perspectives gained from the relevant literature as well as empirical results regarding the nature and extent of HIV/AIDS, especially in South Africa. * To determine by means of a literature study and an empirical investigation the needs of persons diagnosed as being HIV positive or having AIDS. In order to reach this goal, the procedure of survey was used. Schedules were personally completed by the investigator, assisted by field-workers, regarding 110 HIV/AIDS patients. In this manner the needs of the patients could be determined. From the results obtained by this survey, it was evident that HIV/AIDS patients experience various problems and definitely had a need for help. * To investigate by means of a literature study the task of Social Work, and specifically group work, regarding assistance to HIV/AIDS patients. This investigation emphasised that Social Work definitely has a task and responsibility regarding the prevention of HIV/AIDS as well as supplying direct assistance for HIV/AIDS patients. If group work intervention is thoroughly planned, it can render a valuable contribution to the improvement of the sense of well-being and quality of life of these patients. * The aim of the last-mentioned goal was to compile an appropriate programme based on the specific needs of patients and to evaluate it after implementation. This programme was successfully presented in the course of 13 weeks and was in particular suited, not only to improve the knowledge of the HIV/AIDS group members concerning their condition, but also to broaden their insight with regard to the impact of their illness on their social functioning. By means of this programme the group members could develop skills concerning the handling of their condition. * To evaluate the effect of the group work intervention programme on the sense of well-being and quality of life of the patients who have been diagnosed as HIV positive or having AIDS. This goal was attained by measuring on four occasions the sense of well-being and quality of life by means of the measuring scale known as Affectometer 2 (AFM) by Kammann and Flett (1983). The results obtained by this evaluation showed that the group work intervention programme brought about a significant difference in the sense of well-being and quality of life of these HIV/AIDS patients. The sense of well-being of HIV/AIDS patients who participated in the group work intervention programme was significantly higher than that of patients who did not form part of the group work intervention programme. All in all this research undeniably proved that a scientifically grounded, well-planned group work intervention programme can be successfully implemented to improve the quality of life of HIV/AIDS patients. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Social Work))--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2002.

Since the implementation of the prevention of mother–to–child transmission of HIV program in South Africa in 2001, infant deaths due to HIV and AIDS have still remained high. HIV–exposed infants need to be taken for follow–up, schedule at six weeks, for PCR HIV testing. When the infant is found to be HIV–positive, the antiretroviral treatment is commenced for life (DOH, 2010). This benefits them in that the earlier they start treatment, the higher their quality of life and their life expectancy will be. Health workers face a problem in that there are still mothers of HIV–exposed infants who do not return their babies for the 6 weeks of age follow–up schedule and their babies therefore do not benefit from the treatment and care. The study looked at the reasons for the low follow–up of babies born to HIV–positive mothers according to HIV–positive mothers and nurses and counsellors and what strategies can be used by nurses and counsellors to encourage the mothers to bring their babies for follow–up. To answer these questions, qualitative, exploratory and contextual design was used. Purposive sampling was done with participants who had knowledge about the research problem. HIV–positive mothers were individually interviewed and nurses and counsellors were interviewed in a focus group. Five individual interviews and three focus group interviews were conducted. The focus groups were interviewed twice for each question mentioned. Responses were satisfactory with the following categories emerging from the findings: fear about disclosure, denial of status, insufficient knowledge about HIV, accusations about who is the actual “giver” of HIV and incongruent health education on HIV and AIDS and the management thereof in the case of babies with HIV, with specific reference to incorrect and/or insufficient information. Recommendations are made concerning these issues, so as to effect an increase in the follow–up of babies born to HIV–positive mothers. / Thesis (M.Cur.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Historically, children with disabilities have been perceived as sources of stress, and disability has been portrayed in Western society as a tragedy to be avoided. This study used Appreciative Inquiry methodology and an integrated conceptual framework combining the Dynamic Ecological Systems Model, Cognitive Adaptation Theory, and components of the Affirmative Model of Disability. Qualitative interviews were conducted with ten children and sixteen parents to gain insight into their perceptions of the positive effects that a child with a disability has on the family. Findings suggest that children with disabilities can have some of the same positive effects on, and make some of the same contributions to, their families as any other child. They can also have unique positive effects and make unique contributions potentially unparalleled by their non-disabled peers. These findings may have implications for how disability is perceived by medical professionals, parents raising children with disabilities, and the public.

Social isolation and loneliness are problems that affect the quality of life of many older adults. As the proportion of older people increases in Canada and other nations, studying factors that could improve the quality of life of older people becomes even more crucial. Two studies were conducted drawing on longitudinal data (1996 and 2001) from the Aging in Manitoba Project (Study 1 N = 760) and the Successful Aging Study 2003 (Study 2 N = 228). The main objective of Study 1 was to identify the characteristics of older individuals who differed in their loneliness trajectories over time, allowing for a comparison of those who became lonely, overcame loneliness, were persistently lonely, and were persistently not lonely. A discriminant function analysis examined the social, demographic, physical, and psychological factors as potential discriminators of the loneliness trajectories. When compared to those who were neither lonely at time 1 or time 2, the most important discriminators of persistent loneliness were: living alone, being in poor health, and having low perceptions of control. These predictors were found to be more important than people’s friendships or social activities, highlighting the complexity of loneliness in later life. Study 2 examined the longitudinal relationships between loneliness, health, physical activity, and mortality, and tested Fredrickson’s Broaden and Build Theory that positive emotions (happiness) might serve to “undo” the detrimental effects of negative emotions like loneliness. Regression analyses showed that loneliness longitudinally predicted health, physical activity, and mortality, underscoring the importance of socioemotional variables to health. Moreover, happiness moderated the relationships between loneliness and physical activity and loneliness and mortality. Thus, in support of Fredrickson’s hypothesis, results suggested that happiness has the power to “undo” the detrimental effects of loneliness on physical activity and even on mortality. Being happy may indeed offset the negative consequences of being lonely. Based on these two studies, it was concluded that future interventions could target positive emotions, perceptions of control, and loneliness as ways of ultimately enhancing the lifespan, healthspan, and wellspan of older adults.

As a result of the HIV/AIDS problem, South Africa is presently confronted by the worst pandemic in the history of this country. An estimated 4,2 million people in South Africa are already infected with the HI virus. The Faculty of Health Sciences at the PL) for CHE (Focus area 9.1) for this reason undertook to investigate the immune systems of HIV/AIDS patients in the Potchefstroom health district. The aim of this effort was multiple, namely: * to improve by means of oral supplements the immune systems of HIV/AIDS patients in the named health district; * to slow down by means of the above mentioned action the deterioration of patients from HIV to AIDS, and * to improve the sense of well-being and quality of life of HIV/AIDS patients by means of a group work intervention programme. To reach this aim, the following goals had to be attained: * To determine by means of a literature study the nature and extent of HIV/AIDS world-wide. This aim was reached by analysing theoretical perspectives gained from the relevant literature as well as empirical results regarding the nature and extent of HIV/AIDS, especially in South Africa. * To determine by means of a literature study and an empirical investigation the needs of persons diagnosed as being HIV positive or having AIDS. In order to reach this goal, the procedure of survey was used. Schedules were personally completed by the investigator, assisted by field-workers, regarding 110 HIV/AIDS patients. In this manner the needs of the patients could be determined. From the results obtained by this survey, it was evident that HIV/AIDS patients experience various problems and definitely had a need for help. * To investigate by means of a literature study the task of Social Work, and specifically group work, regarding assistance to HIV/AIDS patients. This investigation emphasised that Social Work definitely has a task and responsibility regarding the prevention of HIV/AIDS as well as supplying direct assistance for HIV/AIDS patients. If group work intervention is thoroughly planned, it can render a valuable contribution to the improvement of the sense of well-being and quality of life of these patients. * The aim of the last-mentioned goal was to compile an appropriate programme based on the specific needs of patients and to evaluate it after implementation. This programme was successfully presented in the course of 13 weeks and was in particular suited, not only to improve the knowledge of the HIV/AIDS group members concerning their condition, but also to broaden their insight with regard to the impact of their illness on their social functioning. By means of this programme the group members could develop skills concerning the handling of their condition. * To evaluate the effect of the group work intervention programme on the sense of well-being and quality of life of the patients who have been diagnosed as HIV positive or having AIDS. This goal was attained by measuring on four occasions the sense of well-being and quality of life by means of the measuring scale known as Affectometer 2 (AFM) by Kammann and Flett (1983). The results obtained by this evaluation showed that the group work intervention programme brought about a significant difference in the sense of well-being and quality of life of these HIV/AIDS patients. The sense of well-being of HIV/AIDS patients who participated in the group work intervention programme was significantly higher than that of patients who did not form part of the group work intervention programme. All in all this research undeniably proved that a scientifically grounded, well-planned group work intervention programme can be successfully implemented to improve the quality of life of HIV/AIDS patients. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Social Work))--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2002.