The purpose of the present study is to extend our current understanding of the effects of caregiver burden on life satisfaction by examining whether or not there are ethnic differences in coping strategies used to manage caregiving. Several specific hypotheses were tested in order to determine the linkages among age, gender, ethnicity (i.e., familism, filial piety), caregiver burden, coping with caregiving, and life satisfaction. A total of 103 Hispanic and Non-Hispanic White participants ages 60 and older were included in this study (mean age was 67.42; 16.5% male; 83.5 % female; 52.4% Hispanic; 47.6% Non-Hispanic White). The results suggest that demographics and certain coping skills can influence levels of life satisfaction and burden experienced by caregivers. The findings from this study shed light on how to structure effective psychoeducational interventions, facilitate adaptive coping, reduce burden, and improve life satisfaction for older adult caregivers.

Title: Evaluation of the quality of services from the perspective of parents in street hockey - category mini-mite team and mite team Objectives: The main goal of this thesis is to evaluate the level of quality of services provided by extra-league street hockey clubs throughout the Czech Republic from the perspective of parents as customers in the categories of mini-mite teams and mite teams with subsequent delivery of recommendations to improve these services to increase the overall level of service and the attractiveness of the stated sport for children. Methods: The obtained data are collected based on a standardized SERVQUAL questionnaire, used to measure the quality of services provided and respondents' satisfaction. The questionnaire was distributed to 12 extra-league street hockey clubs in a form of online questionnaire through representatives of these clubs who directly send it to the parents of 357 children falling into the category of mini-mite team and mite team. Results: Based on the survey, it was possible to identify gaps within the basic five categories (according to the SERVQUAL methodology - material security, reliability, responsible approach, sense of security, empathy), where the highest gap reached belonged to the category reliability, followed by material security. The...

Relationship satisfaction often declines after marriage or cohabitation and between 40-50% of marriages end in divorce. Furthermore, many couples who stay together report feeling unsatisfied in their relationships. Thus, it is important to examine factors that contribute to enduring and satisfying relationships. One factor that has been closely linked to relationship satisfaction is the sexual relationship of the couple. One aspect of the sexual relationship that has received little attention is masturbation. Although most psychologists hold positive views about masturbation, and recommend masturbation in many instances, the empirical data examining the association between masturbation and relationship satisfaction has mixed findings, with the majority of studies reporting a small negative relationship between these variables. The purpose of the present study was to further explore the association between masturbation and relationship satisfaction, focusing on possible moderators and mediators of this relationship including: masturbation guilt, openness with an individual's partner about masturbation, gender, object of arousal during masturbation, and reason for masturbating. Overall, masturbation frequency did not have a significant association with relationship satisfaction. However, the object of arousal during masturbation and openness about masturbation moderated the association between masturbation frequency and relationship satisfaction. Specifically, individuals who (a) used objects of arousal other than the partner when masturbating and (b) were less open about the masturbation reported a more negative association between masturbation frequency and relationship satisfaction.

The purpose of this study was to assess job satisfaction of middle school principals in Virginia as measured by the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ). The primary question addressed by the study was: What is the general satisfaction level of middle school principals in Virginia as measured by the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire? In addition to the primary question, three sub-questions were addressed by the study. They were: a) What is the general satisfaction level according to the demographic variables gender, age, degree, experience, school location, and school size? b) what is the satisfaction level for each of the 20 dimensions of the job measured by the MSQ? and c) what is the satisfaction level for the 20 dimensions of the job according to the demographic variables gender, age, degree, experience, school location, and school size? One hundred eighty-eight middle school principals in Virginia selected from the 1997-98 Virginia Educational Directory were surveyed with the Individual Data Sheet and the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire. Demographic data pertaining to gender, age, experience, degree, school location, and school size were collected through use of the Individual Data Sheet. The 1967 Long-Form Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire was used to measure job satisfaction. This instrument utilized a 20-dimension Likert-type scale with five response alternatives ranging from "Not Satisfied" (weighted 1) to "Extremely Satisfied" (weighted 5). On this scale, the general satisfaction score for the respondents resulted in a mean of 3.65 (SD= .57) indicating that these principals are "Satisfied" (3.00-3.99) with their jobs. According to the demographic variables, all general satisfaction scores were within the "Satisfied" range. The mean scores for the 20 dimensions ranged from "Slightly Satisfied" (2.00-2.99) to "Very Satisfied" (4.00-4.99). Compensation ranked the lowest in the hierarchy ( M=2.83, SD=.94), and Social Service ranked the highest ( M=4.19, SD= .73). Demographically, females were significantly more satisfied with Activity and Variety than males; younger and older principals were significantly more satisfied with Activity than middle aged principals; principals with educational specialist degrees were significantly more satisfied with Achievement than doctorate and masters principals; principals from suburban schools were significantly more satisfied with Compensation, Supervision, and Working Conditions than urban and rural principals, and principals at large schools were significantly more satisfied with General Satisfaction, Advancement, and Security than principals from small schools. Recommendations for further research included conducting a study of principal satisfaction and student performance; conduct a comparative investigation of elementary, middle and secondary principal satisfaction; investigate principal satisfaction and school size, and study job satisfaction of principals using the interview technique or an open-ended survey instrument. / Ed. D.

Data relevant to five separate areas of a worker's job satisfaction (satisfaction with: work, pay, promotion opportunities, co-workers and supervision) were gathered from a sample of 98 male Coloured salesmen and 95 male White salesmen, employed in different branches of a life assurance company in South Africa. Furthermore, measures were obtained of the subjects' feelings of overall job satisfaction and dissatisfaction, in order to investigate the validity of Herzberg's theory that job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction are qualitatively different and that, as a result, they should be measured separately. Next, measures were obtained of the subjects' feelings of internal versus external control in life. Separate measures were obtained on the two subscales of personal control and control ideology of Gurin's Internal-External Scale (1969). The subjects were asked to indicate in what class (upper, middle or lower) they regarded themselves to be and with what class they compared themselves. Analysis of these data included: (a) the Coloured subjects were more satisfied with their jobs than the White subjects; (b) the workers who compared themselves with a higher comparative reference-group were less satisfied with their jobs than were workers who compared themselves with their membership reference-group, or with a lower comparative reference-group. An explanation of these findings in terms of frames of reference and alternatives available to the workers is offered. (c) The Coloured subjects were less internally-orientated than the Whites and expressed less sense of personal control over their lives; (d) feelings of personal control were more highly correlated with satisfaction with intrinsic than with extrinsic job-aspects. The present study established not only the usefulness of reference-group theory as a social explanation for differences in workers' satisfaction with various job-aspects, but also served to remove cultural limitations of Gurin et aI's theory of internal-external control and to increase its generality. Finally, measures of internal-external control were related to satisfaction with intrinsic and extrinsic job-aspects, and the I-E concept was related to the social reference-group theory.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy( Library and Information Studies) in the Department of Information Studies at the University Of Zululand, 2017. / This study set out to investigate the provision and use of public library services in Nigeria with a view to determining the satisfaction level of users with the services offered. Additionally the study wanted to develop a framework that will address the issues and challenges identified when providing public library services to the Nigerian population. Providing access to information through an institution such as a public library presupposes a well-governed and efficiently managed system. Lacking these, service delivery might be compromised, resulting in a population dissatisfied with the services delivered. The study is centred on the IFLA Public Library Service Guidelines, with the use of theoretical models such as the Traditional Public Administration Model (TPAM) and the New Public Management (NPM). An interpretivist approach to research was adopted involving mainly qualitative methods. A quantitative paradigm was also used as a supplementary method. The case study design methodology was used by conducting in-depth interviews with three permanent secretaries, six public library directors, and six heads of rural community libraries, cutting across the six geo-political zones in Nigeria. An informal interview was held with the children using the public library services in order to gauge their opinion about the services provided in the children’s section of the library. A questionnaire was administered to public library users in order to understand their responses on awareness, accessibility, use and satisfaction with the services provided by public libraries. Observation was used for validation of the responses from the interviews and questionnaire. In all, fifteen interviews were conducted with the administrators/managers of public libraries in Nigeria. The reason for using multiple instruments (interview, observation and questionnaire) was for triangulation of the responses in order to identify areas of divergence and convergence during data analysis. The interview responses were thematically analysed using content analysis, while the data collected through a survey questionnaire were analysed using the statistical packages for social sciences (SPSS) in order to arrive at summary and descriptive statistics. A test-retest reliability method using two methods was imperative; (1) expert opinion where a content validity index (CVI) was computed, and (2) Cronbach’s Alpha, that became more useful where continuous and non-dichotomous data were included in the analysis. It was therefore concluded that the instrument was internally consistent and reliable. Ethical considerations were also taken into account with informed consent forms, approval seeking, permission as well as confidentiality. vi The findings of this study showed that variables such as: relevant academic qualifications, years of experience, and designation of the administrators of public libraries affected the service delivery. The study also revealed that the pattern of administration of public libraries in Nigeria still conforms to the Traditional Public Administration Model (TPAM), which was criticised for its top-down and inefficient administrative approach. Very little community participation in the administration of the public libraries was identified, and it was established that there is still a huge dependency on the parent bodies for decision-making and funding. Additionally the study also found the following challenges as impediments to the expected service delivery: inadequate funding; insufficient staff; irregular electricity supply; outdated library materials; lack of functional library resources and facilities; and inappropriate public library legislation. Digital resources were found to be lacking in most of the libraries, and the physical infrastructure was found lacking, especially in the rural areas. Awareness of the services provided by the public libraries was found to be low, and it is mainly traditional services that are currently offered. This situation subsequently resulted in a low level of satisfaction with the use of the services. The study recommended that laws specific to public libraries should be promulgated in order to regulate the governance and administration of this public unit; more relevant and adequate services should be provided; alternative forms of funding should be explored in order to alleviate the dependence on governmental budgets; and training and retraining of public library staff should be actively explored with special emphasis on attaining IT skills.

The central purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between job characteristics and job satisfaction, and the impact of organizational climate on that relationship in the public sector. The subjects of the study were all Oregon State Government managers at and above the level of supervisor in all of the state agencies and the judicial branch. This study was conducted with the use of a survey. Six hundred and fifty-six (656) questionnaires were returned for a response rate of 66 percent. The questionnaire consisted of four parts. The first part was drawn from the Organizational Climate Questionnaire; the second part was drawn from the Job Diagnostic Survey; the third part was drawn from the Job Descriptive Index; and the last part concerned managers’ demographic factors. Statistical methods used to analyze the data included Cronbach's alpha coefficient to determine reliability of the instrument and factor analysis to identify the dimensions of organizational climate. Pearson's product-moment correlation, multiple regression, and the subgroup method were used to determine the relationship between job characteristics and job satisfaction, and the moderating effects of organizational climate on that relationship. Chi-square and z scores were used to test the significance of the results. Examination of the data revealed that the relationship between job context factors (such as relationships with co-workers and treatment by supervisors) and job satisfaction was stronger than the relationship between job characteristics (such as job autonomy and task significance) and job satisfaction. The job characteristics-job satisfaction relationship was significantly moderated by organizational climate. This relationship was weak for the group with a favorable climate, but it was notably strong for the group with an unfavorable climate. Also, the relationship was significantly moderated by the effects of the interaction between organizational climate and individual need for personal growth (NPG). Thus, the relationship was particularly strong for the high-NPG managers with an unfavorable climate, but significantly weak for the high-NPG managers with a favorable climate. These findings suggest that the job characteristics-job satisfaction relationship cannot be comprehensively understood without reference to organizational climate, and that job enrichment intervention is appropriate when the high-NPG managers are dissatisfied with their working environment. Finally, to improve the quality of the state managers work life, programs to enhance the relationships among co-workers and between co-workers and supervisors are recommended.

The two research questions of the study were: (1) Is the job satisfaction of school district administrators related to the personal factors of group membership and sex? (2) What are the sources of overall job satisfaction? Do they confirm findings from previous studies in which autonomy, responsibility, the work itself, growth, recognition, feedback, achievement, and interpersonal relationships were found to be major contributors to job satisfaction? Utilizing the Job Diagnostic Survey (JDS) developed by Hackman and Oldham and free response questions, ratings of job satisfaction were obtained to determine if sex and group membership (elementary principal, secondary principal and vice principal, or central office administrator) made a difference in the level of job satisfaction. The findings from the two research questions were: (1) Group membership and sex do not significantly relate to job satisfaction. (2) Approximately 22% of job satisfaction for administrators was attributed to autonomy and feedback from the work itself. Data gathered from the free response questions did reveal some differences in the sources of job satisfaction and dissatisfaction according to group membership. The main sources of satisfaction--regardless of group membership--involved the work itself, achievement, and interpersonal relationships. Recognition was also seen as a source of satisfaction at the central office and secondary level. Student performance and interaction was seen as a primary source of satisfaction at the elementary and secondary level. Autonomy was a main source of satisfaction at both the elementary and central office level. The main sources of dissatisfaction--regardless of group membership--involved amount of work, lack of feedback, constraints, and administrative policies. While interpersonal relationships were seen as sources of satisfaction by 25% of those responding administrators in central office positions, 60% of the responding administrators identified them as sources of dissatisfaction. The findings of this study imply that boards of education and upper-echelon administrators should be aware of the motivational potential in the two factors of autonomy and feedback and in the identified areas of job satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Opportunities which allow for greater administrator autonomy and feedback should be expanded in order to increase job satisfaction.

The purpose of this study is to examine faculty perceptions of instructional satisfaction and support when teaching distance education at a university located in the southeastern United States. Two research questions were included to determine what factors of instructional support faculty perceive as promoting/impeding their satisfaction when they participate in distance education, and to determine if there are any meaningful and significant relationships or differences between faculty perceptions of instructional satisfaction and demographic information. Data were collected via email using Google Docs, then compared to determine any significant difference in any of the categories. Descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, ANOVA, and the follow-up Tukey HSD test were used to determine if there were significant differences among faculty members in different demographic categories. Male participants are more satisfied with technology support, appropriate workload, and fair tenure process than females. Females are more satisfied than males with the potential growth opportunities. Overall Caucasians are more satisfied than African-Americans and participants aged 40-49 are more satisfied than any other age participants when teaching distance education. Generally, faculty with higher academic rank (Professor and Associate Professor) are more satisfied than lower academic rank faculty (Assistant Professor and Instructor). Tenured faculty are more satisfied than non-tenured faculty, and full-time faculty are more satisfied than part-time faculty. Participants who earned the highest salaries are more satisfied than participants earning lower salaries. Finally, generally the participants with more years of teaching experience were more satisfied than participants in the early years of their career. Tenure is a positive factor and factor workload is a negative factor impacting faculty satisfaction when teaching distance education.

The purpose of this research was to identify predictors of job satisfaction among academic librarians. Structural models were developed and examined with path analytic procedures to determine the effects of the following variables on librarians' job satisfaction: 1) selected characteristics of individual librarians (education, experience, sex, age, salary, and position), 2) selected characteristics of library organizations (annual budget, sex of director, size of staff, average annual salary of staff, organizational status of librarians, and size of collection), and 3) librarians' perceptions of their job (perceptions of the work, adequacy of pay, promotion opportunities, supervision, associates, and job security).