The focus of this study was to explore the experiences of secondary school educators concerning the educator-learner relationship. The study hopes to add value in developing sustainable support to enhance the quality of life and well-being of South African educators. The study highlights specific aspects of the educators’ perspective (Koomen et al., 2011; Philip, 2008; Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2011; Easter et al., 2008), such as cultural perspective, attachment perspective, career satisfaction perspective and academic perspective. According to Philippson (2009) it is important to understand educators’ holistic experiences concerning the educator-learner relationship. The following research question arose: What are the experiences of secondary school educators in the Gauteng area, South Africa, of the educator-learner relationship? This research was conducted within a Positive Psychology framework and a qualitative method was used. Data were collected via personal interviews and focus group discussions as research techniques. Purposeful sampling was used and six secondary school educators from various secondary schools in the Gauteng Province of South Africa were participants of this study. The objective of this study was to understand and interpret holistic experiences of secondary school educators in the educator-learner relationship that contribute to the educators’ phenomenology. Data were gathered through individual interviews during which each participant was motivated through visual mapping to express his/her hierarchy of ideas contributing to the phenomenon. The collected data were audio-recorded and a narrative analysis was conducted in which trustworthiness was obtained through member checking to ensure that the recorded and observed data were correctly transcribed and evaluated accordingly. Findings of this study are presented by means of the following themes: Different aspects of the supportive educator-learner relationship; awareness of differences in the educator-learner relationship; important perspectives of “a calling” in respect of the educators’ experiences; role of emotions in an educator-learner relationship; challenges for the educator in the educator-learner relationship; role of discipline and values in an educator-learner relationship; phenomenology of the educators’ experiences. Results indicate that educators’ positive experiences of the educator-learner relationship can be viewed as an investment in the well-being and positive functioning of both the educator as well as the learners. A recommendation for future research is to develop a support system for secondary school educators to encourage them in a psycho-social, emotional and spiritual way towards sustainable well-being. / MA (Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

To stay competitive organisations need to harness and develop their human potential. Traditionally, a deficiency-based approach (DBA) was followed i.e. the focus was set on the development of employees’ deficiencies and weaknesses. However, focusing on an employee’s weaknesses and deficiencies was not sufficient. Consequently, a positive approach was developed that focuses on an individual’s strengths and talents. Unfortunately, exclusively focusing on only strengths or on weaknesses is not sufficient for optimum human functioning. Therefore, it is suggested that South African organisations make use of a balanced approach (i.e. a balanced focus on both the development and use of strengths and weaknesses). This will assist employees to be more positive and engaged in terms of their work. However, there seems to be a lack of research regarding the use of a balanced approach in organisations. The general objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between job resources, a strength-based approach (SBA), a DBA, occupational self-efficacy (OSE), and work engagement. This study was further aimed at determining whether OSE mediated the relationship between these variables among South African employees. An availability sample (N = 699) was taken from various South African organisations. This study made use of a quantitative, cross-sectional design to collect data; a biographical questionnaire; a job resources questionnaire (VBBA); an organisational SBA and DBA questionnaire; a OSE questionnaire and a work engagement questionnaire (UWES). Structural equation modelling was chosen as the method to test the hypothesised model. Mediating effects were tested by using the bootstrapping method. The research results have indicated that there is a positive correlation between autonomy, SBA, DBA, OSE and work engagement. This research found that no correlations existed between relationship with supervisor, information sharing and participation in decision-making and work engagement. There seems to be a significant relationship between autonomy, relationship with colleagues and OSE. From the results OSE can only be seen as the mediator between autonomy and work engagement. From this one can assume that using SBA and DBA in a balanced approach can lead to higher work engagement. Recommendations were made for the organisation and future research. / Thesis (MCom (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

This study provides an orientation towards coping with stress management through salutogenic functioning. Six constructs, namely, sense of coherence, hardiness, self-efficacy, potency, learned resourcefulness and locus of control, were studied as it manifest amongst random sampled university administrative staff. The literature review focused on salutogenic functioning, coping and stress, integrated in the salutogenic personality profile. The results from the research revealed positive correlations between external locus of control and self-efficacy and meaningfulness, autonomy and self control, internal locus of control and meaningfulness, internal locus of control and meaningfulness, challenge and meaningfulness. Negative correlations existed between autonomy and self-efficacy and comprehensibility, potency and all locus of control dimensions, males and females differed in their self control and external control, black africans had the lowest score on external control, and there was no relationship between age and the constructs. Conclusions and recommendations were made regarding the optimisation of salutogenic functioning among university administrative staff. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-03T16:34:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Viviane Rosaria Capecce.pdf: 1250469 bytes, checksum: 78d3efaa708f32262401d425f696cafd (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-12-11 / The study had as general objective submit to empirical test the relationships between well-being at work and the optimism in workers students. The study used a sample chosen by convenience, consisting of 125 working students of both sexes, divided into two groups. Group 1, with 60 students at a university in São Bernardo do Campo, and group 2, with 65 young adolescents from a non-governmental organization in São Paulo. The instrument was a self-application form consists of items both dealings about variables of research and questions about personal and professional s life of participants of the study. Statistical analysis were described and multivariated. The descriptive results of the three dimensions of BET (well-being at work) show a greater presence of feelings of satisfaction with supervisors and colleagues in both groups, lower levels of satisfaction for both groups occurred with the salary and promotion factors, weak emotional bonds of group 1 with the work and the organization, lack of involvement with the work of the group 2. Both groups showed high levels of optimism, which means to say that both had a sense of future. It has been confirmed empirically the hypothesis that stock could have some association with optimism through the presence of correlation between optimism and satisfaction with colleagues and with involvement with work for the group 1. In group 2, optimism correlated with satisfaction with tasks and affective organizational commitment. This study aims to contribute to the comprehension of well-being in the workplace and optimism in their relationships in the professional context of workers students, to this way provide the better conceptual basis on the subject for scholars and to suggest actions an management practices people to enhance the well-being and promotion of human health when placed in the context of organization place. / O estudo teve como objetivo geral submeter ao teste empírico as relações entre bem estar no trabalho e otimismo em estudantes trabalhadores. No estudo foi utilizada uma amostra escolhida por conveniência, sendo composta por 125 estudantes trabalhadores de ambos os sexos, divididos em dois grupos. O grupo 1, com 60 estudantes de uma universidade da cidade de São Bernardo do Campo; e, o grupo 2, com 65 jovens adolescentes de uma organização não governamental da cidade de São Paulo. O instrumento de coleta foi um questionário de auto-aplicação composto por itens versando sobre as variáveis da pesquisa e questões sobre dados pessoais e profissionais dos participantes do estudo. As análises estatísticas foram descritivas e multivariadas. Os resultados descritivos das três dimensões de BET indicam a maior presença de sentimentos de satisfação com chefias e colegas em ambos os grupos; menores níveis de satisfação de ambos os grupos ocorreram com os fatores salário e promoção; fracos vínculos afetivos do grupo 1 com o trabalho e com a organização; fraco envolvimento com o trabalho do grupo 2. Os dois grupos apresentaram níveis elevados de otimismo, o que significa afirmar que ambos tinham uma percepção de futuro promissor. Foi confirmada empiricamente a hipótese de que BET pudesse ter alguma associação com otimismo, através da presença de correlação entre otimismo e satisfação com colegas, bem como, com envolvimento com o trabalho para o grupo 1. Para o grupo 2, otimismo correlacionou-se com satisfação com tarefas e comprometimento organizacional afetivo. O presente estudo visou a contribuir para a compreensão de bem estar no trabalho e otimismo e suas relações no contexto profissional de estudantes trabalhadores para desta forma prover melhor fundamentação conceitual acerca do tema para estudiosos, bem como sugerir ações e práticas de gestão de pessoas que intensifiquem o bem estar e a promoção de saúde das pessoas quando inseridos no contexto organizacional de trabalho.

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Self-help counselling is an important industry that not only influences its immediate users’ behavior but also society and social behaviors more generally. Since New Ageis a main branch of self-help, and since positivity is a dominant concept in (New Age) self-help discourse, it is worth analyzing how positivity might be achieved in terms of language use. The present study investigates whether the adjectives in a couple of New Age publications contribute to communicating positivity and, if yes, how. What adjectives are used and how can they be categorized in terms of positive, negative, neutral or undetermined connotations as well as semantic prosody? The findings support the hypothesis that the use of “positive adjectives” (Rozin, Berman & Royzman, 2010, p. 536) is what helps to make New Age self-help books convey a positive spirit.

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Submitted by isabela.moljf@hotmail.com (isabela.moljf@hotmail.com) on 2017-06-01T15:59:50Z No. of bitstreams: 1 eduardarezendefreitas.pdf: 965579 bytes, checksum: 3111cce5877f119df5d013cf7c8f555e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2017-06-02T15:57:10Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 eduardarezendefreitas.pdf: 965579 bytes, checksum: 3111cce5877f119df5d013cf7c8f555e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-02T15:57:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 eduardarezendefreitas.pdf: 965579 bytes, checksum: 3111cce5877f119df5d013cf7c8f555e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-11-13 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / FAPEMIG - Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais / Promover as forças do caráter parece ser um caminho possível e necessário para um envelhecimento positivo. Com o objetivo de desenvolver uma proposta de Educação para o Caráter Baseada em Forças para Idosos (Educafi), realizaram-se duas revisões sistemáticas de literatura, sendo uma sobre o estado da arte das pesquisas sobre forças do caráter e outra sobre aspectos positivos na Terapia Cognitivo-Comportamental em Grupo (TCCG). Artigos que relatam pesquisas com idosos em suas amostras foram selecionados para os dois estudos. Constatou-se, em ambos, uma produção científica limitada, sendo a coorte etária de idosos pouco pesquisada. Nesse cenário, a Educafi surge como intervenção positiva desenvolvida especificamente para promover todo o conjunto de forças do caráter proposto pelo Values in Action e elevar os índices de satisfação com a vida e bem-estar psicológico dessa coorte etária. Trata-se de uma atividade de educação para o caráter que, de acordo com os princípios da TCCG, pode ser classificada como de orientação/treinamento. São propostos 26 encontros, totalizando aproximadamente 40 horas. Uma vez que atividades educacionais favorecem um desenvolvimento saudável até idades avançadas, é possível afirmar que a Educafi é promissora e, portanto, deve ser testada empiricamente em diferentes contextos. / Promote character strengths appears to be a possible and necessary way for a positive aging. Aiming to develop a proposal for the Character Education Based on Strengths for the Elderly (Educafi), two systematic literature reviews were made, one on the state of the art research on character strengths and another about positive aspects in Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy (CBGT). Articles reporting research with old people in their samples were selected for the two studies. It was found, in both, a limited scientific production, being the age cohort of the elderly little researched. In this scenario, the Educafi appears as a positive intervention specifically developed to promote the full range of character strengths proposed by Values in Action and raise the levels of satisfaction with life and psychological well-being in this age cohort. It is a character education activity that, according to the principles of CBGT, can be classified as orientation/training. 26 meetings are proposed, totaling about 40 hours. Once educational activities support healthy development into old age, it can be said that the Educafi is promising and should, therefore, be tested empirically in different contexts.

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe themes of resilience in the expressions and behaviours of six-year-old children with regard to the mother-child relationship, where the mothers are infected with HIV&AIDS. Themes of resilience were investigated within the framework of positive psychology. A study of limited scope was conducted from a phenomenological paradigm. I followed a mixed method methodological paradigm based on a case study design. I purposefully selected eleven six-year-old participants whose mothers are infected with HIV&AIDS from a five-year randomised control trail study (Kgolo Mmogo). Qualitative data collection methods included the transcriptions of structured baseline interviews relating to the Kinaesthetic Family Drawing (KFD), as well as the KFD per se. I utilised the scores from the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale (Vineland) as uantitative data collection strategy. The transcriptions were analysed by means of an inductive thematic analysis. For the analysis of the KFD I developed and piloted a framework of analysis. The raw scores from the Vineland were compared with the appropriate age norms and compared with themes of resilience identified from the KFD as well as the transcripts of the interviews. I identified both internal and external resources of resilience. The findings of my study illustrate the presence of themes of resilience as well as non-resilience within the participants and the mother-child relationships. More factors of resilience (protective factors) than non-resilience (risk factors) were identified. Secondly, it seems possible to use the KFD with the Vineland when exploring resilience as insights from both mother and child participants are measured. The integrated results from the different data sources indicate that although the results of the KFD and the transcriptions did not correlate with the results obtained from the Vineland, the results from the different data sources supplement one another. The use of the KFD as a measure to generate data related to resilience made it possible to evaluate adaptation and resilience in a specific cultural context unlike the Vineland. The results from the data sources indicate resilience and/or non-resilience in the mother-child relationship in terms of three categories namely, protective factors (Expressive Language Skills, Interpersonal Relationships and Play and Leisure Time), risk factors (Coping Skills and Gross Motor Skills) and a balance between protective and risk factors (Receptive Language, Daily Living Skills, personal and domestic, as well as Fine Motor Skills). It is feasible to use the KFD as a measure to identify themes of resilience and non-resilience when the drawing is accompanied by an interview. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

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