with Dr. Mary Gail Frawley-O'Dea / Gasson Hall 100

Published Article / Psychosocial support has been defined as an ongoing process of meeting emotional, social, mental and spiritual needs, all of which are considered essential elements of meaningful and positive human development. It goes beyond simply meeting the learners' physical needs, placing greater emphasis on learners' psychological and emotional development and their need for social interaction. The Free State Department of Basic Education defines vulnerable learners as orphans, heads of child-headed households, neglected learners and all learners who do not have access to a basic set of school uniforms. The department states that there are currently 70 000 of these learners in the province. This article presents a theoretical critique, within a social justice paradigm, of efforts aimed at supporting vulnerable learners psychosocially in the rural areas of South Africa. It describes attempts to afford vulnerable learners education and addresses their marginalisation and inherent powerlessness (social justice). It argues that psychosocial support (meeting their needs) for vulnerable learners will improve their access to education.

Fysisk aktivitet, stress och psykosocial arbetsmiljö är viktiga faktorer på och utanför arbetsplatsen. Tidigare forskning har visat att fysisk aktivitet kan påverka den subjektiva stressupplevelsen. En arbetsmiljö präglad av höga krav, för lite kontroll och socialt stöd kan leda till negativa känslor och stress. Syftet med uppsatsen var att undersöka deltagarnas träningsgrad och dess betydelse för upplevelse av allmän stress och fysisk aktivitet. Psykosocial miljö undersöks och sätts i relation till stressupplevelse, anställningstid, ålder och träningsgrad genom multipla regressionsanalyser. Deltagare i undersökningen var 82 anställda, varav 54 kvinnor. Resultaten visade bland annat att träningsgrad har betydelse för den allmänna upplevelsen av stress och fysisk aktivitet. Slutsatsen att psykosocial arbetsmiljö, stress och fysisk aktivitet kan interagera med varandra är av värde att lyfta fram. Detta kan bidra till ökad medvetenhet för organisationer och vara ett hälsofrämjande verktyg för att minska negativt upplevd stress på och utanför arbetsplatsen.

Children with reading difficulties (RD) are also likely to experience psychosocial problems. However, a significant proportion (30-50%) are indistinguishable, in psychosocial terms, from their typically-achieving (TA) peers. The aim of the current study was to identify aspects of social information processing which serve a protective function for children with RD, in terms of their at-risk status for concomitant psychosocial problems. Method: The sample comprised 42 children (21 with RD, and 21 TA), aged 9-11 years, with 11 boys and 10 girls in each group. A multifactor procedure was used to classify children as RD, based on the inclusionary criteria of teacher selection, and reading achievement below the 25th percentile, as well as several exclusionary criteria. The reading subtests of the WIAT-II, and the KBIT-2 (non-verbal IQ) measures were used to identify the presence of RD according to these criteria. The dependent variable, behavioural symptoms, was assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, which was rated by both parents and teachers. Children (RD and TA) completed measures of theory of mind, understanding emotions in facial expression and tone of voice, attachment style, and affective experience. Results: As expected, RD were correlated with increased levels of psychosocial problems, and poorer theory of mind skills predicted increased psychosocial problems. Consistent with hypotheses, emotion understanding, positive affect, and secure attachment, moderated the link between RD and psychosocial problems. That is, better emotion understanding, more positive affect, and secure attachment status, functioned as protective factors for children in the RD group, but not those in the TA group. Conclusion: The findings are discussed in relation to extant findings, as well as within a risk and protective framework. Finally, strengths and limitations of the current study are described, and implications for psychosocial interventions suggested.

No description available.

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

South Africa is passing through a phase of transition and children living in the country are still subject to many social and financial problems. They face high levels of social adversity, socio-economic deprivation, migration, displacement and morbidity. Rural South African children’s right to education and physical and mental health remains unfulfilled because of exposure to on-going adversity including poverty, family disruption through labour migration, malnutrition, inter-personal violence, chronic illness and death of family members due to HIV/AIDS. Although numerous studies highlight psychosocial problems amongst these children in South Africa and even document risk factors, there is paucity of studies that have focused on rural children’s mental health with consideration to both protective and risk factors. The study is focused on primary school children aged 8-12 in grades 5 and 6. It examines the prevalence of psychosocial problems among these children and determines the socio-demographic factors which can serve as predictors of psychological outcomes in these children. The study looks at both risk factors and protective factors as predictors of said psychological outcomes.

Cette recherche se situe dans le champ de la psychopathologie sociale clinique. En référence à la métapsychologie psychanalytique, elle est construite à partir de l’étude de cas. Depuis la place de clinicienne en institution, en portant notre attention sur les différents espaces de la réalité psychique, nous proposons de questionner les liens entre exclusion sociale et temporalité. Nous avons rencontré, dans la clinique et dans le processus de la recherche, différents niveaux de confusion dans l’ordre du temps et avons proposé, pris par la question de l’origine, qu’un espace intérieur se constitue à l’orée de la vie dans le lien avec les premiers objets : l’espace du silence. A partir d’une analyse de la relation transféro-contre-transférentielle dans le cadre d’une clinique individuelle, groupale, institutionnelle ainsi qu’avec l’analyse d’une oeuvre littéraire, nous avons interrogé, à travers la formation de cet espace premier, le devenir sujet dans le lien à l’autre. Ce devenir implique une ouverture à une temporalité propre à chacun et permettant l’inscription dans une histoire singulière. Le sujet "exclu" se construirait comme étranger en lui-même, dans une forme de confusion qui renverrait à un brouillage entre l’intérieur et l’extérieur, entre fantasme et réalité. Sa temporalité serait construite à partir de cryptes renfermant le temps de l’objet, elle ouvrirait sur un temps qui s’étalerait dans un "en dehors" enfoui : un temps qui tournerait sur lui-même, nous renvoyant aux figures de la mélancolie. A sa rencontre, le clinicien serait convoqué à un point de retour, lieu de l’absence totale. Il y aurait, et ce travail de recherche en serait une voie, à figurer quelque chose de ce chaos des origines. / This research has been conduct in the field of clinical social psychopathology. It is based on case study, in reference to psychoanalytical metapsychology. By focusing our attention on the different spaces of psychic reality, and through a vast experience as a clinical psychologist, we are going to question the links between social exclusion and temporality. Throughout the clinical cases and research process, we have been confronted with different levels of time order confusion. As we took in account the question of origin, we have suggested that an inner space is constituted at the edge of life in the bond with the first objects: the space of silence. On the basis of an analysis of the transference and countertransference relationship in the context of an individual, group and institutional therapy, as well as the analysis of a literary work, we have questioned the establishment of interpersonal relationships of one subject, through the construction of its first space. This process involves an opening to a temporality proper to each one that allows the integration in a singular history. The "excluded" subject would build itself as a stranger to itself in a form of confusion that would refer to a blur between the inside and the outside, between fantasy and reality. Its temporality would be built from crypts containing the time of the object, it would open on a time that would spread out in a buried "outside": a time that would turn on itself, referring us to the figures of melancholy. When meeting the subject, the clinical psychologist would be brought back to a point of return, the place of nothingness. This research work would be one way to decipher and understand the chaos of origins.

People with intellectual disabilities are increasingly being diagnosed with cancer due, in part, to increases in life expectancy for this population. Despite the growing number of people with cancer and intellectual disabilities, the cancer-related experiences of people with intellectual disabilities are under-researched. Person-centred approaches to research are needed to better understand the needs and psychosocial outcomes of people with cancer and intellectual disabilities. This thesis aims to better understand the cancer-related experiences of people with intellectual disabilities, and the impact on the people who support them. The thesis comprises four related studies: (1) a systematic review of psychosocial experiences of cancer in people with intellectual disabilities; (2) a qualitative study of cancer experiences in people with intellectual disabilities using thematic analysis informed by grounded theory; (3) a survey of UK oncology nurses' attitudes and care perceptions towards people with intellectual disabilities; and (4) a feasibility study of an intervention to improve healthcare professionals' perceptions of communicating with people with cancer and intellectual disabilities. Five themes emerged from the ten papers included in the systematic review: delayed diagnosis; information, communication, and understanding; negative psychological consequences; negative physical consequences; and social support. Six of the ten papers included data from the same ethnographic study of 13 people, highlighting a paucity of empirical research regarding the psychosocial cancer experiences of people with intellectual disabilities. The qualitative study indicated that people with intellectual disabilities were often excluded from conversations about their diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care, and expressed confusion and anxiety about their cancer. Attempts to protect them from distress inhibited communication, but where additional support was offered, participants engaged more meaningfully in their experience and this should, therefore, be encouraged. In the qualitative study, oncology nurses were reported to be important figures in the care of patients with intellectual disabilities. The survey of oncology nurses highlighted that caring for cancer patients with intellectual disabilities may intensify their already difficult role; however, previous experience may ameliorate negative consequences. This sample identified their need for training about communicating with people with intellectual disabilities. The first three studies informed the development of a novel, brief, online, video-based intervention for healthcare professionals working with people with intellectual disabilities and cancer. The feasibility trial of this intervention indicated that there were problems with recruitment, high attrition, and intervention adherence. These problems were, most likely due to participants finding the content and delivery method to be unacceptable. It is clear that the intervention is not feasible in its current format, and that further theoretical and modelling work is needed before the intervention is feasibility tested again ahead of a definitive trial. This body of work has demonstrated that people with intellectual disabilities and cancer face multiple barriers to accessing cancer care, including informative and understandable communication with healthcare professionals. With appropriate support, psychological and physical outcomes can be improved for people with intellectual disabilities and cancer, but caring for people with cancer and intellectual disabilities can be challenging for paid and informal carers, and oncology staff. Difficulties with communication are bi-directional, and improving communication might be an appropriate first step to improving cancer experiences for this population, but developing effective interventions presents numerous feasibility challenges.

Objectives: A systematic literature review was conducted to investigate whether aging impacts on emotion regulation and whether there are relationships between aging, emotion regulation and psychosocial outcomes. An empirical study used a cross-sectional quantitative design to examine the nature of trauma exposure in a clinical group of older people. A novel model was developed to investigate the relationship between trauma exposure and psychosocial outcomes and to examine whether emotion dysregulation and resilience had a role in this relationship. Method: The search strategy used in the review identified 15 relevant papers which met the inclusion criteria which were assessed for quality and relevant findings extracted. The empirical study recruited 47 participants from psychological therapy services who completed six self-report measures of trauma exposure, resilience, emotion dysregulation, PTSD symptoms, quality of life, anxiety and depression. A bootstrapped corrected procedure was used to test the indirect effects of resilience and emotion regulation. Results: Results of the review indicated that older people used positive reappraisal more than younger people. Examining the relationship between age, emotion regulation and psychosocial outcomes was difficult because of differences in the nature of relationships investigated, the definition and measurement of variables and additional variables examined. Results of the empirical study indicated trauma exposure to be reported by all participants and to be directly related to PTSD symptoms. Further analysis indicated that emotion dysregulation partially mediated this relationship. Trauma exposure was not directly related to anxiety, depression and quality of life but was indirectly related through emotion dysregulation. Resilience was not found to be associated with trauma exposure. Conclusions: The review highlighted the complexity of the relationship between age, emotion regulation and psychosocial outcomes. Results of the empirical study improved understanding about the nature of trauma exposure in a clinical group of older people. It also supports the importance of emotion dysregulation as an intervening variable in the relationship between trauma exposure and psychosocial outcomes. Clinical practice issues and areas for future research were identified.