Cognitive deficits have been shown to be responsible for the onset and maintenance of depression, while psychological resources are known to enhance psychological wellbeing. The present study aimed to understand the mechanism of depression by integrating both perspectives. Partial support was found for the hypothesis that participants with higher levels of negative attentional bias tended to engage in more brooding rumination, which in turn predicted more depressive symptoms. On the other hand, partial support was found for the hypothesis that participants with higher levels of cautiousness or vitality tended to engage in less negative attentional bias and brooding rumination, which in turn predicted less depressive symptoms. Implications for clinical practice and research were discussed in detail. / published_or_final_version / Clinical Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

The focus of the study is on restorative experiences and the relationship between these experiences and psychological well-being. The variety of experiences that people experience as restorative were explored, as well as how often these experiences occurred. A working definition were written since no generally accepted definition of restorative experiences exists. A checklist with 22 categories of restorative experiences has also been drawn up. Students completed psychological well-being questionnaires and the results were used to form two groups: one with higher and one with lower levels of psychological well-being. The two groups were compared in terms of the restorative experiences present in their lives. Nature emerged as the most popular restorative environment. Rest was the most popular category with subcategories for sleep and holidays. Interpersonal contact was also a popular category for both groups. The categories for eating and drinking and activities that are damaging to the body showed important differences between groups in terms of popularity and frequency. The group with the higher levels of psychological well-being shows signs of a healthier lifestyle and they have a greater capacity to postpone gratification. In addition, they show fewer signs of substance dependency, fewer symptoms of psychological disorders and less avoidance than the group with the lower levels of psychological well-being. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

The focus of the study is on restorative experiences and the relationship between these experiences and psychological well-being. The variety of experiences that people experience as restorative were explored, as well as how often these experiences occurred. A working definition were written since no generally accepted definition of restorative experiences exists. A checklist with 22 categories of restorative experiences has also been drawn up. Students completed psychological well-being questionnaires and the results were used to form two groups: one with higher and one with lower levels of psychological well-being. The two groups were compared in terms of the restorative experiences present in their lives. Nature emerged as the most popular restorative environment. Rest was the most popular category with subcategories for sleep and holidays. Interpersonal contact was also a popular category for both groups. The categories for eating and drinking and activities that are damaging to the body showed important differences between groups in terms of popularity and frequency. The group with the higher levels of psychological well-being shows signs of a healthier lifestyle and they have a greater capacity to postpone gratification. In addition, they show fewer signs of substance dependency, fewer symptoms of psychological disorders and less avoidance than the group with the lower levels of psychological well-being. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or myalgic encephalopathy (CFS/ME) has a negative impact on a child and their parents. It is not known what the impact is for the siblings of children with CFS/ME. Nine siblings participated in semi-structured interviews. Siblings identified a number of negative impacts to their family and to themselves, as well as describing some protective family factors. These findings have implications for current practice in CFS/ME paediatric services.

It is reported that natural disasters such as earthquakes impact significantly upon survivors’ psychological wellbeing. Little is known however about the impact of disasters upon the professional performance of survivor employees such as teachers. Using a survey research design with an emphasis upon a qualitative data collection, 39 teachers from 6 schools in the eastern suburbs of Christchurch, New Zealand rated the impact of the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes upon their professional performance and 13 volunteered to participate in a follow up focus group interviews. The data collected was interpreted via three theoretical/policy frameworks: the New Zealand Teacher Council mandatory requirements for teachers, the basic psychological needs theory and the inclusive transactional model of stress. Contrary to expectations, relationships with learners, colleagues, learner's whanau (family) and the wider community were on the whole perceived to be positively impacted by the earthquakes, while participation in professional development was regarded in more negative terms. The results indicated that teachers were able to continue (despite some stress reactions) because the basic psychological needs of being a teacher were not disrupted and indeed in some cases were enhanced. A model of teacher performance following a natural disaster is presented. Recommendations and implications (including future research undertakings) arising from the study are indicated. It was noted that given the importance of the school in supporting community recovery following a disaster, support for them and consideration of the role of teachers and the preparation for this should be given some priority.

Previous research into the psychological impact of miscarriage has taken a pathogenic approach, with limited research examining the factors that relate to enhanced psychological wellbeing. As a result, it is difficult to understand what predicts lower anxiety, depression and higher wellbeing. In order to address such gaps this study employed mixed methods, using a salutogenic perspective to investigate the effects of miscarriage on women's psychological wellbeing and to identify factors related to enhanced psychological wellbeing over time.

Historical and contemporary literature on post-abortion issues draws attention to the complexity of women’s experiences in this regard. The literature observes a vast range of potential effects of abortion on the mental health of women. This study contributes to the current understanding of post-abortion issues, by exploring women’s subjective experiences of post-abortion distress and the impact on interpersonal relationships. The relational impact is further situated in the context of its importance to psychological well-being. Four women, between the ages of 23 and 45, described their lived experiences of post-abortion distress during semi-structured interviews. Each participant gave detailed accounts of the abortion event, the difficulties experienced afterwards and the perceived impact that this kind of distress had on their lives and specifically, their relationships with others. The data was subsequently analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Twelve main themes emerged from the transcripts, each of which is discussed separately as well as in relation to other pertinent literature. The critical examination of the findings presented in this study revealed divergent aspects to those found in some of the existing literature, as well as understandings comparable with previous research. The meanings that emerged from these women’s stories revealed intense cognitive, emotional and behavioural dilemmas, all of which highlight the subjective experience of post-abortion distress as a complicated and deeply personal issue, with profound effects on their relational worlds. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Psychology / Unrestricted

The purpose of this study was to explore the psychological wellbeing of adolescents with physical disabilities living in inclusive community settings in Zimbabwe. An inclusive community is one that aims to remove exclusionary practice within the community and promote community's systems that accept all people, regardless of their differences. A constructivist lived experience perspective underpinned this research, in which the researcher used multiple case studies to interact with the participants about their inclusion and psychological wellbeing as adolescents with physical disabilities. The 14 participants (nine males and five females) were purposively sampled. Data was collected through face-to-face interviews. Four themes emerged from the inductive thematic analysis of data sources. It was found that participants in this study were involved in various inclusive community activities available within their communities. The study also found that parent, the government, the community and donor communities were working together towards improving the lives of adolescents with physical disabilities in the communities in which they live. These stakeholders assumed different roles, such as providing disability awareness education, vocational counselling, and inclusive infrastructure and resources. The study also found that the participants encountered environmental restrictions in choosing inclusion activities in which to participate in their communities. The findings of this study have the potential to help the policy makers and researchers in inclusive communities to better understand the needs of adolescents with physical disabilities living in these communities. Furthermore, the current research has the potential to guide future research and develop future initiatives to improve the psychological wellbeing of adolescents with physical disabilities, thus improving their outcomes and quality of life. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Educational Psychology / PhD / Unrestricted

Perfectionism is regarded as both a virtue and a vice, due to its paradoxically motivating and dysfunctional possibilities for musicians. The aim of this mixed method study was to obtain a greater understanding of the impact of perfectionism on the psychological wellbeing of the musician by exploring the correlations between perfectionism, rumination, and mindfulness in South African university music students. The quantitative phase consisted of a cross-sectional survey design, during which 72 music students completed a questionnaire consisting of the Multidimensional Perfectionism Cognitions Inventory-English (Concern over mistakes; Pursuit of Perfection; Personal Standards), the Rumination Response Scale (Reflection; Brooding), and the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (Observing; Describing; Acting with Awareness; Non-judging of inner experiences; Non-reactivity to inner experiences). The subsequent qualitative phase involved a multiple case study design with nine music students participating in semi-structured interviews. Correlational analysis revealed several significant correlations between perfectionism and rumination, perfectionism and mindfulness, and rumination and mindfulness. Brooding rumination was found to be positively related to concern over mistakes and pursuit of perfection in music students. Perfectionism (concern over mistakes and pursuit of perfection) furthermore revealed an inverse correlation with non-judging mindfulness, and to a lesser degree, non-reactivity mindfulness. Brooding rumination furthermore showed a significant association with decreased levels of mindfulness, whereas reflection rumination mostly correlated with higher levels of mindfulness. Multiple regression analysis revealed brooding rumination to be an important predictor of self-critical perfectionism among music students. The qualitative data supported these findings and emphasised the negative experience of perfectionism and the dichotomous view of perfection among music students. The study provides valuable insight into the perfectionistic, ruminative and mindfulness tendencies of music students and can be employed to enhance the psychological wellbeing of university musicians and increase the quality of academic output. / Thesis (DMus (Musicology))--University of Pretoria, 2021. / Music / DMus (Musicology) / Unrestricted

In five multi-method studies this dissertation examined how context based morality may explain increased incidence of combat related psychological difficulties among US service personnel. We were particularly interested in the relationship between causing harm to others and moral self-perceptions and related emotional consequences. In studies 1 and 2 we found that our samples of Iraq and Afghan war veterans reported that a soldier would feel increased levels of guilt and shame and negative moral judgments of the self when they return home and reflect on incidents of harm that may have occurred during their deployments. These two studies were supported by three short experiments showing that different moral judgments of harm were made depending on whether the harm doing was interpersonal or intergroup. Interpersonal harm doing was judged more harshly than intergroup harm leading us to believe that while in combat harm doing had minimal consequences on the self-perceptions and emotions of a soldier and that when they returned home to civilian life where interpersonal moral standards are more prevalent their self-perceptions and emotional wellbeing was affected by their prior conduct.