The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine differences between dropouts and completers in a domestic violence focused couples treatment (DVFCT) program. Fifty-eight men met the criteria of participating in at least one couples session for domestic violence. Data was analyzed with t-test and chi-squares. The dropout rate was 36 percent. Three variables — age, race, and marital status — were significant predictors of dropping out from the program. White men who were over 30 and married were found significantly more likely to complete treatment than were nonwhite single men younger than 30. Other variables that approached significance were employment, parental status, living arrangement and prior treatment. That is, employed men who lived with their partners, had children with their partners, and had prior treatment tended to stay in treatment. Stages of Change using the URICA and the URICA-DV measures and level of violence at intake using the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale were not found to differentiate between dropouts and completers in this sample. Other variables examined but not found as significant discriminators between completers and dropouts of DVFCT were education and referral source. A literature review of dropouts in therapy, marriage and family therapy, batterer programs and DVFCT; as well as literature on stages of change, is included. Further discussion and recommendations for further research and for improving domestic violence focused couples treatment is included. / Master of Science

Yes / A literature review is a key part of all academic research that informs researchers of the existing body of knowledge. Reviews conducted systematically are becoming more appealing to the researcher about two reasons. Firstly, they are robust, strong, comprehensive and reproducible and can appropriately serve the review of any primary research. Secondly, they are qualified to be a stand-alone piece of academic work that contributes to the scientific body of knowledge. Although researchers and students in higher education who wish to write their dissertations are informed about the need for generating a literature review for primary research, when it comes to conducting a full systematic review, they may have some confusion and doubt on the distinction between a traditional literature review and a systematic review. This paper aims to clarify what a systematic review entails and take the readers' attention through the practical steps in conducting a systematic review. So, more of a practical step-by-step guide, rather than theoretical discussion of content, has been included. This paper would benefit early-career researchers, undergraduate students and many post-graduate students who wish to write their papers or dissertations based on a systematic review.

Québec Université Laval, Bibliothèque 2015

Québec Université Laval, Bibliothèque 2015

Québec Université Laval, Bibliothèque 2015

This study focuses on the importance of considering the interaction between gender and family life stages to properly understand gender similarities and differences in the work and family interface. Data for this study come from the IBM 2004 Global Work and Life Issues Survey representing 79 countries (N=41,813). This study is a first step toward a better understanding of similarities and differences among male and female workers across the life course and it shows that work, family and life outcomes are similar across groups, independent of life stages or gender. Six family life stage groups were created: no children and workers age 35 or less, transition to parenthood, preschool children, elementary children, teenagers, and empty nest (workers age 50 years or older and no children dependent). The findings indicate that gender differences increase when young children are present. Parenthood creates or maintains a more gendered family and work life. A key characteristic of the first stage is that gender differences are smaller than in later stages. In the transition to parenthood stage, gender differences increase substantially. For example, the difference in work hours increases four times from the previous life stage and males experience substantially more work-to-family conflict than females. The preschool stage is the stage in which gender differences in work hours and work-to-family conflict reach their highest point. In the elementary children stage, gender differences in work hours and work-to-family conflict decrease to a level very similar to the transition to parenthood stage. In the teenager children stage, differences in work-to-family conflict decrease to levels similar to the first life stage and differences in access-use of work-family programs decrease to levels similar to the transition to parenthood stages. Finally, in the empty nest stage gender differences are small and some are unique to this stage. Future research could benefit from exploring how the fit of the model may change with the addition of other important work-family variables that were not adequately measured in this study because the data were collected in a corporate setting. Employers could benefit from applying these research findings to the development of work policies and programs attentive to shifts in work-family linkages over the life course.

<p><strong>Syfte: </strong>Att kartlägga patientgruppen som förskrevs Fysisk aktivitet på Recept, FaR® och hänvisades till friskvårdslots i Uppsala läns landsting under perioden 090701-091231 samt att undersöka eventuell skillnad i fördelningen av kön beträffande förändringsbenägenhet för fysisk aktivitet vid första kontakt med friskvårdslots. Vidare var syftet att se om de patienter som avslutade kontakten med friskvårdslots visade ökad förändringsbenägenhet för fysisk aktivitet. <strong>Metod: </strong>Patientdata tillhörande patientgruppen (<em>n = </em>193) sammanställdes och kartlades efter insamling av friskvårdslotsar i Uppsala läns landsting. Patienternas förändringsbenägenhet för fysisk aktivitet bedömdes av friskvårdslotsen, enligt Stages of change-modellen, i samband med telefonkontakt. Förändringsbenägenheten för fysisk aktivitet vid första och avslutande telefonkontakt undersöktes hos de patienter (<em>n </em>= 39) som inom tidsramen för detta uppsatsarbete hann avsluta sin kontakt med friskvårdslotsen. <strong>Resultat: </strong>Majoriteten av patienterna i gruppen (<em>n = </em>193<em>) </em>var kvinnor (75,6 %). De flesta var hemmahörande i Uppsala kommun (75,6 %) och primärvården var den enhet som i störst utsträckning hänvisade patienter (63,7 %) till friskvårdslots via FaR®. Träning på gym var den träningsform som flest patienter (30,6 %) föredrog. Av patienterna vars förändringsbenägenhet för fysisk aktivitet bedömdes (<em>n </em>= 167) befann sig störst andel i förberedelsestadiet (46,7 %) följt av begrundandestadiet (39,5 %) vid första kontakt med friskvårdslots. Det förelåg ingen statistiskt signifikant skillnad beträffande könsfördelningen i de olika stadierna vid första kontakten. De patienter (<em>n </em>= 39) som avslutades av friskvårdslotsen visade ökad förändringsbenägenhet för fysisk aktivitet (<em>P </em>= 0,004). <strong>Konklusion: </strong>Patienter som hänvisades till friskvårdslots via FaR® var till största delen kvinnor och flest patienter förskrevs från primärvården. Förskrivning av FaR® med hänvisning till friskvårdlots ökade förändringsbenägenheten för fysisk aktivitet.</p>

Syfte: Att kartlägga patientgruppen som förskrevs Fysisk aktivitet på Recept, FaR® och hänvisades till friskvårdslots i Uppsala läns landsting under perioden 090701-091231 samt att undersöka eventuell skillnad i fördelningen av kön beträffande förändringsbenägenhet för fysisk aktivitet vid första kontakt med friskvårdslots. Vidare var syftet att se om de patienter som avslutade kontakten med friskvårdslots visade ökad förändringsbenägenhet för fysisk aktivitet. Metod: Patientdata tillhörande patientgruppen (n = 193) sammanställdes och kartlades efter insamling av friskvårdslotsar i Uppsala läns landsting. Patienternas förändringsbenägenhet för fysisk aktivitet bedömdes av friskvårdslotsen, enligt Stages of change-modellen, i samband med telefonkontakt. Förändringsbenägenheten för fysisk aktivitet vid första och avslutande telefonkontakt undersöktes hos de patienter (n = 39) som inom tidsramen för detta uppsatsarbete hann avsluta sin kontakt med friskvårdslotsen. Resultat: Majoriteten av patienterna i gruppen (n = 193) var kvinnor (75,6 %). De flesta var hemmahörande i Uppsala kommun (75,6 %) och primärvården var den enhet som i störst utsträckning hänvisade patienter (63,7 %) till friskvårdslots via FaR®. Träning på gym var den träningsform som flest patienter (30,6 %) föredrog. Av patienterna vars förändringsbenägenhet för fysisk aktivitet bedömdes (n = 167) befann sig störst andel i förberedelsestadiet (46,7 %) följt av begrundandestadiet (39,5 %) vid första kontakt med friskvårdslots. Det förelåg ingen statistiskt signifikant skillnad beträffande könsfördelningen i de olika stadierna vid första kontakten. De patienter (n = 39) som avslutades av friskvårdslotsen visade ökad förändringsbenägenhet för fysisk aktivitet (P = 0,004). Konklusion: Patienter som hänvisades till friskvårdslots via FaR® var till största delen kvinnor och flest patienter förskrevs från primärvården. Förskrivning av FaR® med hänvisning till friskvårdlots ökade förändringsbenägenheten för fysisk aktivitet.

This was a study of physicians' narratives regarding their medical experiences with children with persistent medically unexplained physical illness. The goal was to better understand those attitudes and beliefs that are involved in the construction of meaning regarding the child's symptoms of illness or pain. The study also sought to learn more about physicians' early life experiences with health and illness and their potential to shape diagnostic thinking and treatment. Ten physician participants were interviewed using an open-ended, semistructured interview methodology. Interviews were analyzed using an alternative narrative approach described by Mishler (1986, 1991) to identify key themes within and across interviews for comparative analysis. The subjective experience and dynamic discourse between interviewer and participant were also analyzed (Mishler, 1991; Paget, 1983). Four key themes emerged: (1) the experience of certainty and uncertainty; (2) physician search for restitution; (3) the path to truth and the construction of the physician's illness narrative; and (4) the parallel anxiety between physician and parent. Findings suggested a &quot;stages of training&quot; model or developmental career theme associated with the ways in which physicians make meaning of persistent medically unexplained illness or pain in the child. Implications for diagnosis and treatment include the possibility that the nature of the relationship between physicians and parents-- particularly the ability to negotiate trust, intimacy, and power--may lead to a hidden and collaborative meaning making of symptoms that occurs in exclusion, of the child, Certain early life experiences of the physician may also be brought to bear in the medical encounter with parent and child. Physicians would benefit from training in neutrality and negotiation of therapeutic goals with parents of sick children, as well as training to enhance self-awareness and understanding of the ways in which alliances and conflicts with patients and parents may occur as a result of family of origin issues.

Context and Objectives: There is an increasing recognition that there is great potential in utilizing learning in client relationships as this can enable service providers to develop relational capabilities and more successfully manage relationships. Building on this premise, the present study argues that learning in relationships relates to the ability to learn from the local context to leverage relationship success. To do this, requires an understanding of what drives success in each stage of relationship development and how this can be achieved to ensure success. The aim of the research is to explore the potential for learning in business service relationships, through the exploration of learning needs relevant in stages of relationship development. Learning needs are defined as what service providers need to learn about how to leverage successful relationships at each stage of development. Research Methodology: The study employs two qualitative case studies of business service providers that provide contextually differing embedding conditions for relationships and learning. Data has been gathered through interviews with individual service providers, observation of practice and organisational documentation. The research undertaken explores service providers’ approach towards relationship development, with the aim of identifying critical factors influencing success in each relationship stage and corresponding opportunities for learning through the experiences and challenges faced by service providers in practice. Findings: Results highlights that learning from the local context is critical for managing relationship success. Critical success factors for each stage are identified from the experiences and challenges faced by service providers across the two cases. These are translated into learning needs for each stage that aim to guide service providers’ attempts to learn from the local context in order to inform and adapt their approach. The appreciation of learning needs in relation to the unique context of each organisation directs attention to corresponding guidelines for practice. The research concludes with the proposition of a theoretical model for learning in relationships as well as a practical learning needs framework that can be incorporated in service providers’ practices for managing client relationships. Importantly results suggest that becoming relationally capable requires a transition to embracing a learning orientation in terms of both philosophy and process. Research Relevance and Implications: The study extends the potential for the creation of a relational capability in business relationships through the exploration of learning needs. Findings suggest that relationship management can be viewed as a cyclical process of learning and adaptation where success at each stage rests on the ability to read and learn from the local context and engage in appropriate actions in practice. The study contributes towards practice, by providing a practical framework through which service providers can develop relational learning. Exploration and appreciation of learning needs in stages of relationship development can aid service providers in the establishment of appropriate approaches towards intervention or stimulation of relationship success.