<p>Every year many individuals became sick listed, it could be for a long time, or a short time but irrespective there will be</p><p>effects on the individuals life and on the society. The aim of this study was to describe some relevant psychosocial relationships in the workplace that effect that women become sick listed. The method of the study was a literary study which was based on a number of scientific articles. The result of the study showed that many different factors effects the risk of becoming sick listed. Factors that causes sick leave where many and individual, but lack of social support, bullying, unstructured work environment and the</p><p>workplaces management, imbalance between demands and control and the women's situation were factors that had a big influence. Women had the greatest number of sick leave, and for a better answer to why it is mostly women who are sick listed more</p><p>research is needed. The answer we found was that it was not about the sex, it was more about where you work or in which profession</p><p>you are. To reduce the number of sick listed, big achievements are needed from the individual, the employer and the society. More research on how to reduce the number of people on sick leave is also needed.</p>

Every year many individuals became sick listed, it could be for a long time, or a short time but irrespective there will be effects on the individuals life and on the society. The aim of this study was to describe some relevant psychosocial relationships in the workplace that effect that women become sick listed. The method of the study was a literary study which was based on a number of scientific articles. The result of the study showed that many different factors effects the risk of becoming sick listed. Factors that causes sick leave where many and individual, but lack of social support, bullying, unstructured work environment and the workplaces management, imbalance between demands and control and the women's situation were factors that had a big influence. Women had the greatest number of sick leave, and for a better answer to why it is mostly women who are sick listed more research is needed. The answer we found was that it was not about the sex, it was more about where you work or in which profession you are. To reduce the number of sick listed, big achievements are needed from the individual, the employer and the society. More research on how to reduce the number of people on sick leave is also needed.

Detta arbete har som syfte att undresöka förskollärares uppfattningar om verbala kränkningar mellan barn. Arbetet söker svar på hur de kränkande språket kan vara en del i barns sociala utvecklning. Jag har genomfört intervjuer med förskollärare för att kunna ta del av deras erfarenhet och kunskap inom området. I mina resultat har det framkommit att förskolans pedagoger är en viktig del av barns sociala utveckling. Det är i förskolan man får sina första upplevelser av vänskap, men det är också där i relationerna som man kan bli utsatt, eller utsätta andra, för verbal kränkning. Den fysiska miljön är av betydelse för förekomsten av kränkande språk och det föreligger en ökad risk i de icke pedagogstyrda aktiviteterna. / This study examines preschool theatchers' perceptions of abusive language among children and the purpose is to expose their ideas of abusive language impact on children's socializing process. I have contucted interviews with preschool theatchers in order to share their experience and knowledge in the field. The result show that preschool theatcers are an important part of the child's social development. In prexchool, children have their first impressions of friendship, but it is also in this relationsships they can be exposed, or expose others, for abusive language. The activities are important regarding the occurence and frecuency of absuive langugage and there is an increased risk in the non teacher-present activities create situations of abusive langugage among children.

Introduction et problématiques: Les politiques et choix des produits plasmatiques (PP) ou recombinants (PR) en hémophilie divergent selon les pays en dépit de recommandations internationales consensuelles. A la différence d'autres pays, la politique française en ce sens ne fait aucune priorité de choix entre les PP versus les PR en dépit de l'avènement de variante (v) de la maladie de Creutzfeldt-Jakob (MCJ) dont le risque transfusionnel affecté à ces premiers est jugé être infinitésimal. L'adhésion des soignants et des patients à cette politique ainsi que les répercussions psychologiques des retraits de lots de PP pour le risque de vMCJ sur ces derniers, sont inconnues et suscitent des questions éthiques. Méthodologie: Des enquêtes mono et multicentriques ont été menées auprès de patients et médecins français afin d'évaluer leurs sentiments envers la politique de maintien sans restriction des PP et celle de leurs procédures de retrait de lots. Une discussion des problématiques éthiques inhérentes est conduite à partir des rapports des expertises scientifiques et de nos propres données. Résultats: L'analyse des politiques et choix des PP versus PR en hémophilie a permis d'identifier un modèle français aux côtés des trois modèles nord-américain, britannique et européen. Ce premier modèle apparaît être le moins astreignant alors que la France pointe à la haute deuxième place de la prévalence mondiale de la vMCJ après le Royaume Uni qui a tout simplement banni la prescription des PP pour les hémophiles, à la faveur des PR dénués de ce risque. Nous avons identifié nombre de tensions dans la prise en charge des patients et dans la gestion des risques de ces produits en France. Celles-ci sont principalement le fait de quatre problématiques qui correspondent à des paradoxes français de la politique de gestion de risque de ces produits, notamment: 1) multiplication injustifiée des procédures de retrait de lot de PP, essentiellement en rapport avec les formes sporadiques de la MCJ pourtant non transmissibles par ce biais. 2) absence de formalisation précise de l'organisation des procédures de retrait de lot dont les sources, les méthodes, les moyens et les délais de contact des médecins et leur relais aux patients sont divers et variés, ce qui témoigne d'une certaine improvisation et d'un cafouillage dans ce processus. 3) maintien sans restriction d'indication ni de source des PP. 4) information systématique traumatisante à posteriori des patients à l'occasion des retraits de lots pour ce risque très infime, au lieu d'une approche au cas par cas. Les problématiques éthiques induites sont: traumatisme psychologique rémanent des patients et leur famille à l'occasion de l'information, mal conduite et mal comprise, du risque de la vMCJ lors des procédures de retrait de lots de PP conduisant à leur switch massif pour des PR; inefficacité de ces procédures à éliminer les lots incriminés car souvent déjà consommés; diminution drastique, voire bannissement de la prescription des PP; vécu difficile et désapprobation majoritaire des médecins de la politique du maintien sans restriction des PP et des procédures de retrait de lot; faible respect des procédures de retrait de lots, appliquées de façon confuse et inégale; crise de confiance des patients et médecins envers cette politique; sentiments de conflits d'intérêts des autorités politiques en rapport avec un protectionnisme supposé de l'industrie nationale de fabrication des PP en l'absence de motifs solides à leur maintien sans restriction à des indications précises. Conclusion: Un recadrage institutionnel de procédures de retrait de PP en France apparait nécessaire, celles-ci étant majoritairement injustifiées car relatives aux formes sporadiques de la MCJ. La limitation de l'usage des PP à des indications spécifiques nécessite d'être discutée à l'heure de la grande disponibilité des PR. De larges enquêtes et réflexions aideraient aux futures orientations de la politique nationale. / Introduction and issues: The policy and local choices of plasmatic (PP) or recombinant products (RP) in hemophilia vary according to the country, despite consensus international recommendations. In contrast to other countries, French policy in this context gives no priority in the choice between plasmatic and recombinant ones, despite the appearance of variant Creutzeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) involving risks in transfusions, albeit miniscule, in the former. Caregivers and patient adherence to this policy and its likely psychological impact on them, are unknown and raise ethical questions. Methodology: Single- and multi-site surveys of French doctors and patients were carried out to evaluate their feelings about the French policy of unrestricted continued use of plasmatic products and their procedures of batch recall. A discussion of inherent ethical problems is conducted, based on reports of scientific expertise and our own data. Results: This analysis allowed a French model to be defined and compared to the North American, British, and European ones. This French model seems to be the least strict in terms of the use of PP, while France is in second place in terms of the worldwide prevalence of vCJD, just after U.K who have simply banned the prescription of these first products for hemophiliacs in favor of RP, which are risk-free. We identified many ethical tensions in the management of patients and in risk management of these products in France. These are mainly due to four issues that correspond to the paradoxes of French policy of hemophilia product risk management, including: 1) unjustified multiplication of recall procedures concerning batches of PP, primarily those related to sporadic forms of CJD even though incommunicable through it; 2) lack of accurate formalization concerning the organization of batch removal procedures, the sources, methods, means and time of contact for physicians and their patients that are very varied, reflecting some improvisations and a mess in the process; 3) maintaining of unrestricted indication and source of PP; 4) systematic retrospectively traumatic information for patients, especially during the batch recalls for this very small risk, rather than a case-by-case basis. The induced ethical issues are : residual psychological trauma for patients and their families on the occasion of information, poorly managed and poorly understood, the risk of vMCJ during batches removal procedures of PP leading to their massive switch RP ; ineffectiveness of these procedures to remove incriminated batches since they are often consumed; drastic reduction or even banishment of the prescription of PP; difficult experience and majority disapproval of physicians maintaining unrestricted PP and batch removal procedures; low respect for batch removal procedures, applied unevenly; crisis of confidence of patients and physicians concerning this policy; feelings of conflict of interest from political authorities in connection with an alleged protectionism of the domestic industry manufacturing PP in the absence of strong reasons to their retention without restriction to specific indications. Conclusion: An institutional reframing of PP recall in France appears to be necessary, these being mainly unjustified since relative to sporadic CJD forms. Restrictions on the use of PP at specific directions need to be discussed at this time of high availability of RP. Extensive surveys would help the future direction of national policy.

This study was part of a larger multi-informant longitudinal study with a sample of 319 children (52% male, 48% female) ages 4-12 (mean= 7 years 9 months) whose parents had recently filed for divorce. Three annual waves of data from four informants were used for analysis: child self-report, mother, teacher, and observer report. The purpose of the study was to add to the understanding of multi-informant research and children’s psycho-social well-being. The first goal was to determine the consensus of children’s psycho-social well-being scores within informant across time, within child across informant, and between children over time. The second goal was to determine factors that contribute to the levels of consensus, such as, child gender, child age, child ethnicity, and length of parents’ separation, maternal baseline depressive symptoms score, and timing of the teacher questionnaire. The third goal was to determine if children could be classified into meaningful psycho-social well-being groups. Lastly, a visual diagnostic tool, the “patchwork”, was created using a random sample of eight prototypical cases of group membership based on predicted probabilities. This tool displayed the four informants scores, and child and informant characteristics. A single measure of child psycho-social well-being was created for each informant to compare rater consensus in hierarchical linear modeling. Latent class analysis was used to determine groupings. The HLM results indicate that 53% of the variance is within informants across time, 31% is within child across raters, and only 16% is between child over time. As expected, results showed more consensus of informants’ scores among girls than boys, the greatest consensus for children in middle childhood over other age groups, among Non-Hispanic White children compared to other ethnicities, and among spring reports than fall reports from teachers. Maternal baseline depressive symptoms score was significantly related to level of consensus of reporters, with greatest consensus when mother’s baseline depressive symptoms scores are at the mean (15.47). Mother’s scores of children’s psycho-social well-being decrease from highest scores of when baseline depressive symptoms score is 0, decreasing -.02 with each point increase in baseline depressive symptoms score. The results of the latent class analysis show two latent classes with maternal baseline depressive symptoms as a covariate best fit the data, one class with psycho-social well-being scores above the mean (N=258), and one with scores below the mean (N=61). Baseline data alone sufficiently models these groups and is chosen for parsimony over latent transition analysis. In sum, this study demonstrated benefits of multi-method multi-informant research, while acknowledging the strengths and biases that influence informant consensus of children’s psycho-social well being / text

La recherche en santé mentale reconnaît plusieurs habiletés aux travailleurs sociaux. Cependant, lorsqu’il est question de médication, élément central du plan de traitement en santé mentale, on constate que l’on attribue surtout aux travailleurs sociaux le rôle de veiller à l’observance de ce traitement. Pourtant, la recherche scientifique montre que prendre des médicaments est une expérience complexe et comporte des impacts psychosociaux. Pour les intervenants sociaux, ce contexte constitue une opportunité d’explorer avec les personnes qu’ils accompagnent, les différentes facettes de cette expérience. Cette opportunité n’est pas seulement remarquée par les professionnels mais aussi par des voix de la marge, celles de personnes qui ont vécu un problème de santé mentale et qui ont vu la médication entrer dans leur vie. C’est à partir de cette perspective que l’approche de la Gestion autonome de la médication (GAM) a été élaborée et permet de considérer les dimensions expérientielles et psychosociales de la prise de médicaments. La GAM propose, par des pratiques d’accompagnement individuel ou de groupe, de soutenir l’usager pour qu’il puisse porter un regard critique sur sa médication, s’assurer que celle-ci soit bien au service de sa qualité de vie et apporter des changements en conséquence. Cette étude réalisée auprès de 19 intervenants sociaux ayant participé à une formation sur la GAM, s’intéresse à leurs pratiques en lien avec la médication psychiatrique et à l’accueil qu’ils ont réservé à la GAM. Un état des connaissances par rapport à l’intervention sociale et la médication y est présenté ainsi qu’une description détaillée de la GAM. Des conclusions sont tirées sur la formation GAM et sur la formation des travailleurs sociaux. / Mental health research recognizes several skills in social workers. However, when it comes to medication—fundamental element of the mental health treatment plan—one notes that social workers are mainly attributed the role of seeing to the patient’s acceptance of the treatment. And yet, scientific research shows that taking medication is a complex experience which entails psychosocial impacts. This context then presents an opportunity for social workers to explore the different facets of this experience with the people they accompany. This opportunity is not only put forth by professionals, but also by voices from the margins, those of people who have lived through a mental health problem and dealt with medication becoming a part of their lives. It is from this perspective that the Gestion autonome de la medication (GAM) approach allows to consider the experiential and psychosocial dimensions of medication-taking. Through individual intervention or group meetings, the GAM offers support to individuals taking medication in order to help them have a critical look on their medication and to furthermore ensure that the medication consumed is in the best interest of their quality of life. This study was conducted on 19 workers in the field of social intervention, who had participated in the GAM training. The goal was to learn more about their respective practices in relation to psychiatric medication as well as how the GAM has been received by them. A literature review on social intervention and medication is introduced, as well as a detailed description of the GAM. Conclusions will be elaborated on the GAM training and the professional training of social workers.

An estimated 30 to 36 million people worldwide are living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). In 2009 about 5.7 million of the 30 to 36 million people who are infected with HIV were living in South Africa, making South Africa the country with the largest number of people infected with HIV in the world (UNGASS, 2010). Van Dyk (2008) states that HIV infection and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) are accompanied by symptoms of psycho–social distress, but relatively little is known of the direct effect of HIV and AIDS on psychological well–being. The psychological distress is mainly due to the difficulties HIV brings to daily life and the harsh reality of the prognosis of the illness (Van Dyk, 2008). It is not clear whether people infected with HIV who are unaware of their HIV status show more psychological symptoms than people in a group not infected with HIV. The research question for the current study was therefore whether people with and without HIV infection differ in their psycho–social symptoms and strengths before they know their HIV status. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to explore the psychosocial health profiles of people with and without HIV and AIDS before they knew their infection status. A cross–sectional survey design was used for gathering psychological data. This was part of a multi–disciplinary study where the participants’ HIV status was determined after obtaining their informed consent and giving pre– and post–test counselling. This study falls in the overlap of the South African leg of the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology study (PURE–SA) that investigates the health transition and chronic diseases of lifestyle in urban and rural areas (Teo, Chow, Vaz, Rangarajan, & Ysusf, 2009), and the FORT2 and 3 projects (FORT2 = Understanding and promoting psychosocial health, resilience and strengths in an African context; Fort 3 = The prevalence of levels of psychosocial health: Dynamics and relationships with biomarkers of (ill) health in the South African contexts) (Wissing, 2005, 2008) on psychological well–being and its biological correlates. All the baseline data were collected during 2005. Of the 1 025 participants who completed all of the psychological health questionnaires, 153 (14.9%) were infected with HIV and 863 were not infected with HIV (since the HIV status of nine of the participants was not known, they were not included in the study). In the urban communities 435 participants completed the psychological health questionnaires, of whom 68 (15.6%) were infected with HIV and 367 were not infected with HIV. In the rural communities, 581 participants completed the psychological health questionnaires, of whom 85 (14.6%) were infected with HIV and 496 were not infected with HIV. The validated Setswana versions of the following seven psychological health questionnaires were used: Affectometer 2 (AFM), Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), Community Collective Efficacy Scale (CCES), Mental Health Continuum Short Form (MHC–SF), New General Self–efficacy Scale (NGSE), Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). Descriptive statistics were determined for all measures for all the participants with, and without HIV. Significant differences in psychosocial profiles among individuals with and without HIV and AIDS and also between those in the rural and urban areas were determined by means of t–tests and by a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). Practical significance was determined by the size of the effects. The results for the entire group showed statistically significant differences between the two groups of participants who were infected with HIV and those not infected with HIV regarding their sense of coherence and their perspective on the community’s capacity to succeed in joint activities, but these differences were of only small practical significance. The HIV–infected participants in the urban areas displayed statistically and practically a lower sense of coherence and viewed themselves as less capable of meeting task demands in community contexts, than did the participants not infected with HIV. Though the participants not infected with HIV in the rural group had, statistically and practically, a significantly greater capacity to succeed in joint community activities than the participants infected with HIV, an interesting finding was that the participants infected with HIV experienced more positive affect than the participants not infected with HIV. The research showed that people with and without HIV infection differ in some respects in their psycho–social symptoms and strengths even before they are conscious of their HIV status. It is striking that the differences found on the psychological measures for the participants reflected a personal sense of social coherence and perspective on their community’s capacity to succeed in joint activities, which was lower in the case of participants infected with HIV, and might therefore have led to high–risk social behaviours and consequent infections. It might be that the participants with a relatively lower sense of social coherence, integration, and co–operation towards collectively achieving meaningful goals were more inclined to manifest behaviours that would lead to detrimental consequences (in this case HIV infection) for themselves and others. The higher level of positive affect in the rural group of the participants infected with HIV is still unexplained and requires further research. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Clinical Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

The aim of the research was to study the effect of child sexual abuse on the non–accused parent/guardian's psycho–social functioning. To reach this aim, the following objectives were set: * Objective 1: To establish the non–accused's reaction to disclosure of sexual abuse of their child. * Objective 2: To investigate the extent in which the parent/guardian's psycho–social functioning was influenced by the disclosure of the sexual abuse. * Objective 3: To research the influence the disclosure of the sexual abuse had on the relationship between the child involved and the parent/guardian. * Objective 4: To investigate the outcome of the cases following the disclosure of the sexual abuse and to determine whether actions had been taken against the alleged perpetrators and whether they were at all legally prosecuted. The research was primarily based on in–depth interviews with the non–accused parents from the case loads of a welfare organisation in Randfontein. The results of the research were reported on, based on main themes and sub–themes linked to the four objectives. Regarding theme one (1), it was found that the majority of non–accused parents/guardians reacted exceptionally negatively following the disclosure of the sexual abuse in that they experienced extremely negative emotions. Theme two's (2) information was also obtained through the self–designed questionnaire. The effect of the disclosure on the non–accused parents/guardians' psycho–social functioning was studied. It was found that their psychological, emotional, financial and physical functioning was negatively affected. Theme three's (3) information was also obtained by means of the self–designed questionnaire. The relationship and bond between the child involved and the non–accused parent/guardian was investigated. It was found that the relationships between the children involved and the parents/guardians were negatively affected following the disclosure of the sexual abuse in that they experienced feelings of rejection, anger, anxiety and depression. Theme four's(4) was also obtained via self–designed questionnaires. The outcome of the disclosure was investigated. It was established that the caring situations of the children involved following the disclosure had not been significantly affected. Furthermore, it was found that the non–accused parents/guardians had not taken sufficient legal steps and that the alleged perpetrators had not been legally prosecuted in all the cases. In summary it can be stated that this research has proven that the child's sexual abuse has a negative effect on the psycho–social functioning on the non–accused parent/guardian's functioning. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

The motivation for the study had its origin in the fact that sexual abuse in South Africa seems to be a formidable problem which has a detrimental effect on the adolescent’s development and functioning. Social workers have to deal with sexual abuse often and do not always have the necessary programmes and skills acquired to follow through therapeutic intervention with these victims. Therefore this study focused on the development, implementation and evaluation of a narrative social work intervention programme where sand play techniques were integrated in the narrative process. The research problem formulated was that many adolescents suffer from the effects of sexual abuse and therefore the aim of the study was to develop and evaluate a narrative social work intervention programme for adolescent survivors of sexual abuse. The study served to broaden the body of social work knowledge by means of meaningful quantitative and qualitative enquiry. Quantitative data were obtained through the use of questionnaires and qualitative data through the use of combined sand play and narratives as approaches. Four (4) participants were included in a series of 10–15 sand play sessions. Only the data of one (1) participant was used for data–analysis. Two (2) sessions were used for general assessment and building of therapeutic relationship and an additional session was used for an interview with the parent(s). The researcher undertook mixed method research where the quantitative and qualitative approaches were combined into the research methodology of the single study. Intervention research was used as basic methodology. Purposive sampling was used in the selection of the research subject for this study. Collected data was analyzed according to Tesch’s approach to qualitative data analysis (Creswell, 1994). The researcher applied the developed social work intervention programme with four (4) adolescent participants who had allegedly been sexually abused. The sand play sessions were audio recorded and evaluated by means of data analysis. The findings of this study emphasized the psycho–social impact of sexual abuse on survivors of sexual abuse. This thesis reflects the contribution and impact that the social work intervention programme had on the adolescent survivor of sexual abuse. This programme was found to be a valuable tool that can be used in intervention with adolescents and could add to the knowledge of social workers and other professionals working with the survivors of sexual abuse. The research can be recognized as a positive demonstration of the value of a narrative social work intervention programme. Recommendations regarding future implementation of the narrative social intervention programme have been made. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Social Work))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

An estimated 30 to 36 million people worldwide are living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). In 2009 about 5.7 million of the 30 to 36 million people who are infected with HIV were living in South Africa, making South Africa the country with the largest number of people infected with HIV in the world (UNGASS, 2010). Van Dyk (2008) states that HIV infection and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) are accompanied by symptoms of psycho–social distress, but relatively little is known of the direct effect of HIV and AIDS on psychological well–being. The psychological distress is mainly due to the difficulties HIV brings to daily life and the harsh reality of the prognosis of the illness (Van Dyk, 2008). It is not clear whether people infected with HIV who are unaware of their HIV status show more psychological symptoms than people in a group not infected with HIV. The research question for the current study was therefore whether people with and without HIV infection differ in their psycho–social symptoms and strengths before they know their HIV status. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to explore the psychosocial health profiles of people with and without HIV and AIDS before they knew their infection status. A cross–sectional survey design was used for gathering psychological data. This was part of a multi–disciplinary study where the participants’ HIV status was determined after obtaining their informed consent and giving pre– and post–test counselling. This study falls in the overlap of the South African leg of the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology study (PURE–SA) that investigates the health transition and chronic diseases of lifestyle in urban and rural areas (Teo, Chow, Vaz, Rangarajan, & Ysusf, 2009), and the FORT2 and 3 projects (FORT2 = Understanding and promoting psychosocial health, resilience and strengths in an African context; Fort 3 = The prevalence of levels of psychosocial health: Dynamics and relationships with biomarkers of (ill) health in the South African contexts) (Wissing, 2005, 2008) on psychological well–being and its biological correlates. All the baseline data were collected during 2005. Of the 1 025 participants who completed all of the psychological health questionnaires, 153 (14.9%) were infected with HIV and 863 were not infected with HIV (since the HIV status of nine of the participants was not known, they were not included in the study). In the urban communities 435 participants completed the psychological health questionnaires, of whom 68 (15.6%) were infected with HIV and 367 were not infected with HIV. In the rural communities, 581 participants completed the psychological health questionnaires, of whom 85 (14.6%) were infected with HIV and 496 were not infected with HIV. The validated Setswana versions of the following seven psychological health questionnaires were used: Affectometer 2 (AFM), Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), Community Collective Efficacy Scale (CCES), Mental Health Continuum Short Form (MHC–SF), New General Self–efficacy Scale (NGSE), Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). Descriptive statistics were determined for all measures for all the participants with, and without HIV. Significant differences in psychosocial profiles among individuals with and without HIV and AIDS and also between those in the rural and urban areas were determined by means of t–tests and by a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). Practical significance was determined by the size of the effects. The results for the entire group showed statistically significant differences between the two groups of participants who were infected with HIV and those not infected with HIV regarding their sense of coherence and their perspective on the community’s capacity to succeed in joint activities, but these differences were of only small practical significance. The HIV–infected participants in the urban areas displayed statistically and practically a lower sense of coherence and viewed themselves as less capable of meeting task demands in community contexts, than did the participants not infected with HIV. Though the participants not infected with HIV in the rural group had, statistically and practically, a significantly greater capacity to succeed in joint community activities than the participants infected with HIV, an interesting finding was that the participants infected with HIV experienced more positive affect than the participants not infected with HIV. The research showed that people with and without HIV infection differ in some respects in their psycho–social symptoms and strengths even before they are conscious of their HIV status. It is striking that the differences found on the psychological measures for the participants reflected a personal sense of social coherence and perspective on their community’s capacity to succeed in joint activities, which was lower in the case of participants infected with HIV, and might therefore have led to high–risk social behaviours and consequent infections. It might be that the participants with a relatively lower sense of social coherence, integration, and co–operation towards collectively achieving meaningful goals were more inclined to manifest behaviours that would lead to detrimental consequences (in this case HIV infection) for themselves and others. The higher level of positive affect in the rural group of the participants infected with HIV is still unexplained and requires further research. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Clinical Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.