Master of Public Health / Department of Food, Nutrition, Dietetics and Health / Mark Haub / INTRODUCTION: College represents a major stepping stone toward independence for a number of students. This transition from high school to college life is a critical period for development of a healthy lifestyle. Health promotion departments at universities are uniquely positioned to implement a comprehensive strategy for increasing physical activity, and advocate for healthful eating. The Kansas State University (KSU) Health Promotion team at Lafene Health Center helps students enhance their health behaviors, and they developed a questionnaire to better understand the health issues students face. Their questionnaire, The Health Assessment Needs of Kansas State Students (THANKS), was created to better understand the barriers to a healthful lifestyle for students at KSU. The purpose of the current study was to assess the THANKS (questionnaire)used in the Fall 2016 and Fall 2017 semesters within the student population at KSU. METHODS: The Fall 2016 and Fall 2017 THANKS questionnaires were analyzed for this investigation. The THANKS questionnaires focused on holistic aspects of health, including: physical activity, hydration, nutrition, tobacco use, mental health, social determinants of health, general health, and demographics. For the purpose of assessing this questionnaire, section A: Physical Activity (PA), section B: Nutrition, and section H: Demographics were analyzed. The following analyses were performed: readability analysis; the Flesch Reading Ease Score and Flesch Kincaid Grade Level score, descriptive statistics, reliability analysis; Cronbach’s Alpa and Cronbach’s Alpha if item deleted, and ANOVA. RESULTS: Overall, women made up the majority of the sample size (66.7%). Age ranges for ≤18 yrs old for all academic classifications were 72.3% (freshman) and 3.4% (sophomore). 19-24 yrs old age category had 93.3% (sophomore), 92.6% (Junior), 87.1% (Senior), whereas, graduate or professional students had 39.8% as their highest for the category of 25 to 30 yr olds. The majority of freshman resided in campus residence halls (75.3%), whereas for all classes respectively resided off campus (52.1%, 71.6%, 83.1%, 83%). The sample was primarily Caucasian for all classes (sophomore- graduate or professional), respectively (83.4%, 83.2%, 85.8%, 87.6%, 65.9%). Reliability analysis showed a low Cronbach’s Alpha for the PA section (0.58). For the nutrition section, frequency questions (0.61), and location of meals consumed had a high a high reliability (0.89). Flesch Reading Ease score of 70.3 indicated the THANKS survey is fairly easy to read. Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level score of 5.2 indicated the reader’s age of fifth graders. All inter-item correlations for the frequency of PA and location of engagement in PA were below 0.15, ANOVA of general nutritious diet and consumption of p-values of SSB (0.001), energy drinks (0.019), meals at home (0.007), meals off campus (0.000), meals at vending machine (0.031), glasses of water (0.001), participation in PA (0.000), frequency of moderate intensity (0.002), frequency of strength/resistance training (0.000) per week showed significance. ANOVA for participation in PA and of p-values SSB (0.001) per week and glasses of water per week (0.000) showed significance. CONCLUSION: The THANKS survey shows promise for an adequate survey tool but with room for improvement. Health promotion department may need to improve the psychometric properties of the PA and nutrition sections of the survey in order to obtain meaningful survey results that may be used in translation to programming for improved health on campuses.

Objetivos: Principalmente nas regiÃes com maior carga de TB no mundo, ainda existe grande demora no recebimento dos exames diagnÃsticos de TB pelos pacientes. Pesquisadores da Rede Brasileira de Tuberculose desenvolveram e avaliaram o desempenho de um teste diagnÃstico para TB pulmonar: escore clÃnico Neural TB. O objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar a efetividade do escore clÃnico Neural TB no diagnÃstico rÃpido de tuberculose pulmonar em unidade de referÃncia. MÃtodos: Foi realizado um ensaio clÃnico pragmÃtico, que recebeu intervenÃÃo diagnÃstica na segunda metade do projeto. Foram recrutados 351 pacientes com 18 anos de idade ou mais, com suspeita de TB pulmonar e aplicado o escore clÃnico Neural TB. Na primeira fase do estudo, os pacientes seguiram a rotina do Hospital. Na segunda fase, os pacientes tinham a coleta do escarro para baciloscopia antecipada de acordo com a classificaÃÃo pelo escore clÃnico. Para comparaÃÃo entre duas subpopulaÃÃes independentes foram utilizados o teste T-Student e o teste de Mann Whitney. Os resultados foram considerados significantes para um valor de p < 0,05. Foi calculada RazÃo de prevalÃncia e intervalo de confianÃa de 95%. A concordÃncia entre Escore e diagnÃstico de TB pulmonar foi realizada pelo Ãndice de Kappa. Resultados: Quando comparado ao diagnÃstico realizado atravÃs da baciloscopia do escarro, cultura do escarro ou diagnÃstico clÃnico-radiolÃgico em conjunto, o escore clÃnico Neural TB apresentou sensibilidade de 75,9%, especificidade de 48,8% e acurÃcia de 55%. O uso do escore clÃnico Neural TB foi capaz de diminuir o tempo entre a triagem e a leitura da lÃmina por baciloscopia em 1 dia (de 3,2 para 2,6 dias; p < 0,001). Apesar de diminuir o tempo para inÃcio do tratamento em mÃdia 4 dias com relaÃÃo ao grupo baseline (de 8,2 para 4 dias), essa diferenÃa nÃo foi estatisticamente significante (p = 0,166). ConclusÃes: O escore clÃnico pode ser uma ferramenta Ãtil na detecÃÃo de casos de TB pulmonar. Por sua simplicidade, nÃo necessita de equipamentos caros e complexos para sua execuÃÃo. Ao ser utilizado por um profissional treinado, o questionÃrio poderà gerar informaÃÃes sobre encaminhamentos ou pedidos de exames na abordagem do paciente sintomÃtico respiratÃrio, ou ainda ajudar na decisÃo sobre inÃcio do tratamento. / Objectives: Mainly in regions with the greatest TB burden in the world, there is still a delay for patients to receive the results of the diagnostic exams. Researchers from Rede Brasileira de Tuberculose developed and evaluated the performance of a diagnostic test for pulmonary TB: Neural TB clinical score. The objective of the present work is to evaluate the effectiveness of the Neural TB clinical score in the rapid diagnose of pulmonary tuberculosis in a reference unit. Methods: A pragmatic clinical essay with diagnostic intervention in the second half of the project was conducted. We recruited 351 patients aged 18 years or older, suspected of having pulmonary TB, and we applied the Neural TB clinical score to them. In the first phase of the essay, patients followed the routine of the Hospital. In the second phase, patients had collection of sputum samples for baciloscopy anticipated according to their classification by the score. T-Student test and Mann Whitney test were used to compare two independent subpopulations. Results were considered significant if p value < 0,05. Prevalence ratio and 95% confidence interval were calculated. Kappa index was used to measure conformity between the clinical score and pulmorary TB diagnostic. Results: Neural TB clinical score showed sensitivity of 75,9%, specificity of 48,8% and accuracy of 55% when compared to the diagnostic realised through sputum baciloscopy, sputum culture or clinical-radiological diagnostic altogether. The use of Neural TB clinical score was able to reduce time between patient screening and detection of organisms in a sputum sample slide in 1 day (from 3.2 to 2.6 days; p < 0.001). Although time until beginning the treatment was reduced 4 days in average when compared to the baseline group (from 8.2 to 4 days), this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.166). Conclusion: The clinical score may be a useful tool for the detection of pulmonary tuberculosis cases. Because it is simple, it does not require expensive or complex equipment for its execution. As it is used by a trained professional, the questionnaire may produce information about referrals or test requests for the respiratory symptomatic patient, or even help in the decision of starting treatment.

La mémoire de travail joue un rôle prépondérant dans les apprentissages et le raisonnement. Chez les enfants, des difficultés sur le plan de la mémoire de travail entraînent plusieurs conséquences à l’école, notamment des difficultés de compréhension et d’expression à l’oral et à l’écrit, de l’inattention, des difficultés d’apprentissage, des échecs scolaires et des problèmes d’organisation et de planification. Ainsi, l’évaluation et la compréhension des difficultés de la mémoire de travail est d’un grand intérêt, en raison de son implication dans plusieurs troubles fréquents en milieu scolaire, dont le trouble de déficit de l’attention/hyperactivité (TDAH). Cependant, les outils traditionnels d’évaluation de la mémoire de travail sont généralement coûteux, peu accessibles et soulèvent des questionnements quant à leur validité. À cet effet, le Working Memory Rating Scale (WMRS), un questionnaire portant sur les observations de l'enseignant des comportements associés aux difficultés de la mémoire de travail, a été développé afin de rendre plus accessible l’évaluation de la mémoire de travail en milieu scolaire. Plus de huit ans après la publication du WMRS, peu d’études ont été réalisées sur la validité et la pertinence du questionnaire, encore moins auprès d’enfants présentant un diagnostic de TDAH. La présente étude vise donc à documenter la pertinence du WMRS pour l’évaluation des difficultés de la mémoire de travail chez un échantillon d’enfants québécois francophones présentant un TDAH. De façon secondaire et dans une perspective exploratoire, l’étude vise à documenter certaines caractéristiques psychométriques du questionnaire, soit la validité convergente et la cohérence interne, auprès de la population ciblée. L’échantillon se compose de 27 enfants, répartis en deux groupes selon qu’ils présentent un diagnostic de TDAH (n = 11) ou un développement typique (n = 16). Pour répondre aux objectifs de l’étude, l’enseignant de chaque participant a rempli une version traduite et adaptée en français du WMRS. En plus des observations de l’enseignant au WMRS, les comportements d’inattention et d’hyperactivité/impulsivité en classe et à la maison ont été mesurés par le biais d’un questionnaire standardisé alors que la mémoire de travail, l’attention et l’inhibition ont été évaluées par le biais de tests cognitifs. Les résultats montrent que les enfants ayant un TDAH présentent plus de comportements liés à des difficultés de la mémoire de travail en classe, tels que mesurés par le WMRS, comparativement à leurs pairs au développement typique. De façon similaire, les enfants ayant un TDAH montrent une performance plus faible aux tests cognitifs de la mémoire de travail que les enfants au développement typique, du moins, pour les mesures utilisant la modalité verbale. En second lieu, l’exploration des qualités psychométriques du questionnaire indiquent que l’adaptation en français du WMRS présente une validité convergente satisfaisante. Le score au WMRS est en effet modérément corrélé aux mesures de l’administrateur central en modalité verbale, une composante de la mémoire de travail. De plus, le score au WMRS est modérément à fortement corrélé aux comportements d’inattention et d’hyperactivité/impulsivité associés au TDAH de même qu’au test cognitif mesurant l’attention, un construit associé à la capacité de la mémoire de travail. De plus, les résultats concernant la cohérence interne du WMRS révèle une grande homogénéité des items, appuyant la fidélité du questionnaire. Globalement, les résultats soutiennent les conclusions d'études antérieures qui identifient le WMRS comme un outil pertinent pour le dépistage des difficultés de la mémoire de travail et ce, auprès d’enfants québécois francophones présentant un diagnostic de TDAH. Ces résultats ont des implications pratiques importantes pour l’évaluation de la mémoire de travail en milieu scolaire et l’intervention auprès des enfants ayant un TDAH.

This doctoral thesis aimed to better understand the relationship between coping and achievement in the post-secondary academic setting within the classic transactional model of stress and coping (Lazarus, 1991, 1999). Article 1 included the development of the Coping Inventory for Academic Striving (CIAS). The CIAS was developped to address limitations in the measurement of coping in the post-secondary setting. The results of two studies supported a psychometrically sound questionnaire measuring 11 coping strategies organized within task-oriented and disengagement-oriented coping dimensions. Tests of the concurrent, predictive, and incremental validity examining the relationships between the antecedents and outcomes of coping supported the conceptual independence of the task- and disengagement-oriented coping dimensions. Using this conceptual framework in Article 2 and 3, two daily diary studies were conducted in university students to examine the relationship between coping and goal progress. Individual differences in coping exist because not all students are coping the same way (i.e., between-person level). However, coping behaviours are also likely to vary from one day to the other during a typical week of the academic year (i.e., within-person level). Therefore in Article 2, new research questions pertaining to appraisal, coping, and goal progress were examined at both the between-person and within-person levels of analysis. While most effects were homologous, different within-person and between-person associations were found. Importantly, individual tendencies toward threat appraisal related to goal disengagement, but the momentary appraisal of threat can bring awareness to goal interferences redirecting goal directed behaviour. Finally, Article 3 tested an experimental coping skills training program whereby students in the experimental condition set if-then coping plans to manage negative emotions detrimental to the pursuit of daily studying goals. Daily over the course of a week, students in the experimental group reported lower levels of stress and negative emotions and higher levels of studying time in comparison to students in the control group. However, the effect of the intervention on some indicators of performance and emotions were only applicable to students with a limited coping repertoire. The development of this coping training skills program aimed to create bridges between coping theory and preventive coping interventions.

The aim of this Master's thesis is to describe the motives and opinions on volunteering among university students, whether they volunteer or not. The theoretical part deals with the basic concepts and the most important information from this area and form the basis for practical part of this thesis. The practical part is processed by a questionnaire and focuses on the situation in volunteering among university students and detects whether there is any link between chosen subject of study and relation to volunteering. In the final summary of the research and thesis the benefits of thesis are evaluated and recommendations for practice are formulated.

Background: Research has shown that music performance anxiety (MPA) is experienced by individuals in all age groups and skill levels. Due to the need for effective treatment of performance anxiety in musicians, researchers have begun to investigate the viability of mindfulness, which has been proven as an effective treatment in populations with generalized anxiety. Although preliminary studies have been undertaken in examining the effects of mindfulness training on the experience of MPA, these efforts have been by a small group of researchers, and further replication and statistical significance is needed. Objective: This study aims to monitor the effects of a two-week mindfulness intervention on musicians using questionnaires and heart rate data. Methods: This experiment used a control group design, in which the first 13 participants collected were allocated to the experimental group, and the next 13 collected were allocated to the control group. All participants underwent the same baseline data collection involving completing the state side of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) directly before and after performing in front of a mock jury panel while wearing a hear rate monitor watch. After this session, only the experimental group partook in two weeks of mindfulness training consisting of 6-9 sessions, each an hour in duration. Once the two-week intervention was concluded, both experimental and control groups participated in a post-intervention data collection identical to the baseline session. Results: The experimental group experienced a decrease in anxiety between pre- and post-intervention while the control group experienced an increase of anxiety. A two-way mixed ANOVA analysis revealed that there was a significant relationship between the changes in anxiety when comparing the control and experimental groups. However, statistical analysis also revealed that the two groups exhibited statistically different levels of anxiety at baseline. Heart rate data revealed no significant differences between groups. Conclusion: Data from the STAI suggests that mindfulness has a significantly positive effect on the cognitive experience of music performance anxiety. Through this study no correlation was found between the physiological experience of music performance anxiety and mindfulness training.

The Master thesis focuses on drawing up a marketing research of customer satisfaction for Cayo Ltd.. The object of the work is to work up the marketing research and on the basis of obtained information to suggest measures leading to higher customer satisfaction including economic appraisal.

The diploma thesis is focused on the comparison of goodwill values of two construction companies. The theoretical part describes the basic knowledge and principles they are required to terminated the value of goodwill. Furthermore, terms such as marketing planning and questionnaire creation are explained. In the practical part, selected methods are used to terminate the value of goodwill. Subsequently, five questions are set and the questions are tested. Based on the analysis results is proposed marketing strategy at the end of the thesis.

The study of construct validity is particularly relevant in the twenty-first century, as more and more entities in South Africa are using psychometric instruments – instruments which have to be valid and reliable in accordance with the requirements of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). Even though validity and reliability, together with their accompanying aspects, are the two main considerations of a psychometric instrument, the construct validity of an instrument is one of the most important aspects to consider. This study’s focus is therefore, for the most part, based on the construct validity of the Life-Style Questionnaire. Even though the Life-Style Questionnaire is not a very distinguished questionnaire in the South African context, it is, however, a classified and useable questionnaire to determine into which of the five trait-descriptive lifestyle categories an individual belongs. In recent years, the Professional Board has become increasingly concerned about the misuse of assessment measures in South Africa, while recognising the important role of psychological assessment in the professional practice of psychology, as well as for research purposes (Foxcroft&Roodt, 2005:20). The need therefore existed to determine whether or not the Life-Style Questionnaire actually measures what it is supposed to measure, in other words to determine its construct validity. “The Life-Style Questionnaire was developed as an objective means to measure into which of five trait-descriptive lifestyle categories (aggressive, conforming, defensive, individualistic, or resistive) participants belong” (Driscoll&Eckstein, 2007:1). The purpose of this study was to determine the construct validity of the Life-Style Questionnaire, developed by Driscoll and Eckstein, in the South African -Questionnaire, developed by Driscoll and Eckstein, in the South African context. A quantitative descriptive survey design was used to conduct the research. The Life- Style Questionnaire was administered to a non-probability convenience sample consisting of 301 individuals living in South Africa and the results were subjected to factor analysis (FA), item analysis and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Various iterations of the (FA) indicated the primary factors for each of the components of the Life-Style Questionnaire. The final FA yielded a questionnaire consisting of five factors. This was confirmed through Kaiser’s eigenvalues and Cattell’s scree plot. The item analysis indicated that it should be considered to remove items 2, 3, 5, 7, 12, 27, 28, 30 and 32 from the Life-Style Questionnaire. After the factor and item analysis, a CFA was conducted. The purpose of the CFA was to determine whether the postulated theoretical model actually fits the observed data. The most common test used to measure the goodness-of-fit of an instrument is the chi-square test. The chi-square test was conducted by using the EQS programme. The results indicated a poor model fit. However, the reliability of the Life-Style Questionnaire was determined and a Cronbach alpha of 0.853 established the instrument’s high level of reliability. Thus, the Life-Style Questionnaire is a reliable, but invalid instrument. This research study contributed to the understanding and importance of construct validity in psychological instruments. It is important to realise that instruments do not necessarily measure what they are intended to measure and therefore they have to be investigated. Lastly, this study not only emphasises the importance of psychometric properties of psychological instruments, but also the important role that psychometrists and industrial psychologists play with regard to the development and use such instruments. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Human Resource Management / unrestricted

The objective of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Burnout Inventor for employees in a selected organization in South Africa. A purposive, non-probability sample was used (N = 365). The Burnout Inventory and a biographical questionnaire were administered. Exploratory factor analysis with target rotations confirmed the construct equivalence of the questionnaire. Two internally consistent factors, namely, Organisation and Work-context were extracted. AFRIKAANS : Die doelstelling van hierdie studie was om die psigometriese eienskappe van die Burnout Inventory vir werknemers in n geselekteerde organisasie in Suid- Afrika te bepaal. ‘n Doelgerigte nie-waarskynlikheidsteekproef is gebruik (N = 365). Die Burnout Inventory en biografiese vraelys is afgeneem. Verkennende Faktoranalise met teikenrotasies het die konstrukekwivalensie van die vraelys bevestig. Twee interne konsekwente faktore, organisasie en werkskonteks is onttrek. Copyright 2007, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Karodia, TR 2007, Psychometric properties of the burnout inventory, MCom dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-02222012-110515 / > C12/4/198/gm / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Human Resource Management / unrestricted