<p><font size="3"> <p>The costs of occupational health and well-being are increasingly being considered as sound &lsquo / investments&rsquo / as healthy and engaged employees yield direct economic benefits to the company. The concept of Work engagement plays a vital role in this endeavour because engagement entails positive definitions of employee health and promotes the optimal functioning of employees within an organisational setting. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between work engagement, self-efficacy and optimism amongst call centre employees in a retail organisation in the Western Cape. Over the last several years, most call centre research has predominately been focused on the aspects and causes of stress, burnout, and the deterrents of employee&rsquo / s well-being. In response to the prevailing preoccupation with negative aspects, the research focused on more positive aspects of human functioning and experiences. The sample comprised of ninety three call centre employees who are employed in the customer service department in a major retail organisation in the Western Cape. Convenience sampling was utilised. The measuring instruments included the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, The Life Orientation Test-Revised and The General Self-Efficacy Scale. Statistically significant relationships were found between work engagement, self-efficacy and optimism. It was found that call centre agents displayed average levels of work engagement and optimism however they displayed high levels of self-efficacy. It was furthermore found that a moderate percentage of the variance in work engagement can be explained by self-efficacy and optimism. The implication of the results is that interventions that focus on the personal resources (viz. efficacy beliefs, optimism, hope and resiliency) and job resources (viz. physical, social or organizational aspects of the job) will contribute to increasing levels of work engagement.</p> </font></p>

Tyrimo tikslas – nustatyti vienos Elektrėnų vidurinės mokyklos 11 - 15 metų (5 - 8 klasių) mokinių psichologinės savijautos ir savivertės ypatumus bei sąsajas su pažangumu. Šiuo darbu siekiama nustatyti penktų - aštuntų klasių mokinių psichologinės savijautos mokykloje ypatumus, taip pat penktų - aštuntų klasių mokinių savivertės ypatumus. Darbe bus bandoma išmatuoti pažangumo lygį bei mokymosi rezultatus. Taip pat ieškoma mokinių psichologinės savijautos mokykloje ir savivertės sąsajų su pažangumu arba mokymosi rezultatais. Duomenų rinkimui tyrime buvo naudojami dviejų tipų tyrimo metodai. Pirmajame - McClellan D., Katz L., „Vaikų socialinio vystymosi“ vertinimo skalės trečioji klausimų dalis „Socialiniai įgūdžiai ir savijauta mokykloje“ (tiriamųjų psichologinės savijautos mokykloje ypatumams nustatyti) ir Rosenberg savęs vertinimo skalė (tiriamųjų savivertės ypatumams nustatyti). Antrajame – duomenys apie mokinių pažangumą buvo renkami analizuojant dokumentus, t.y., 5 – 8 klasių mokinių žurnalus ir metinę pažangumo suvestinę - ataskaitą. Tyrimas buvo atliekamas 2007-2010 metais. 2007 m. balandžio mėn. tyrime dalyvavo visi vienos Elektrėnų vidurinės mokyklos penktųjų klasių mokiniai, iš viso 137 moksleiviai. 2010 metų kovo mėn. buvo atliekamas pakartotinis tyrimas visose tos pačios Elektrėnų vidurinės mokyklos aštuntose klasėse. Antrame tyrimo etape dalyvavo 113 aštuntųjų klasių moksleivių. Sulyginus gautas anketas, atrinkti 99 tiriamieji - 60 mergaičių ir 39 berniukai... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Objective of research is to define the correlation of psychological well-being and self-esteem and academic achievements of the one Elektrėnų high school 11 - 15 years (5 - 8 grades). This work is aimed to identify the fifth - eighth grade students psychological well-being of school characteristics, as well as the fifth - eighth grade students self-esteem characteristics. The paper will attempt to measure the achievement levels and learning outcomes. It also sought students psychological well-being at school and correlation with self-esteem or achievement of learning outcomes. The research was made by applying two types of tests. The first - McClellan D., L. Katz, Social Development; on the scale of the third question group; well-being and social skills at school (test of psychological well-being of the characteristics of the school) and the Rosenberg Self-Assessment Scale (self-assessment test to determine the characteristics). The second - the data on student excellence were collected by analyzing documents, 5-8 grade students achievement records and annual summaries The study was carried out in 2007-2010. 2007 April. The study included all Elektrėnų one fifth of secondary school classes, a total of 137 students. 2010 March. Re-examination was performed in all of the same high school Elektrėnų eighth grades. In the second stage of the investigation involved 113 eighth graders. Overall, the questionnaires received, a selection of 99 subjects - 60 boys and 39 girls. The... [to full text]

Suicide in later life is a growing public health concern that is expected to increase as the baby boom generation reach late adulthood. In the general population, older adults have rates of suicide that are higher than any other age group. The rate of suicide is particularly higher for older men. In Canada, older men between 80 and 84 years have rates of suicide approximately six times greater than older women the same age. Older adults living in the community are a sub-set of the population that are at high risk for suicide yet are not typically a focus of suicide research. As a result they remain hidden from the view of mental health promotion and suicide prevention programs until a decline in mental status brings them to the attention of formal mental health care services. Improving our understanding of suicide in later life particularly among community-residing older men can inform suicide prevention strategies. To improve this understanding, the goals of this research were three-fold: to comprehensively describe the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of community residing older adults who have experienced suicide-related behaviour; to describe the rates, risk and protective factors, and predictors of suicide-related behaviour among this population; and to compare these findings to a subpopulation of community-residing older adults with neurological conditions. To achieve these aims, this research utilized a secondary data analysis approach using health information from multiple linked datasets. The Canadian Institute of Health Information (CIHI) performed record linkages between Ontario hospital administrative data (Discharge Abstract Database, National Ambulatory Care Reporting System, and Ontario Mental Health Reporting System) and Ontario home care data (Home Care Reporting System). Home care data are sourced from the Resident Assessment Instrument–Home Care (RAI-HC) Assessment Instrument, the provincially mandated assessment tool used to identify the strengths, preferences and needs of all long-stay home care clients. The RAI-HC contains over 350 items across a wide range of domains including health, functional status and resource use. Linkages of these data records between home care and hospital sectors enabled the prospective examination of community-residing older adults with recent suicide-related behaviour. This is one of the first national and international studies to use the RAI-HC to examine older home care clients with experiences of suicide-related behaviour. The study samples consisted of Ontario home care clients aged 60 years or older assessed with the RAI-HC between April 2007 and September 2010. Clients’ initial RAI-HC assessment was examined followed by corresponding hospital records for suicide-related behaviour (N = 222,149). The prevalence of suicide-related behaviour for the sample was 1.01% (n=2,077) with higher rates for older men than women. Rates were examined across geographic regions of Ontario. Descriptive analyses demonstrated that older adults with suicide-related behaviour had more indicators of psychiatric distress (including cognitive impairment) and psychosocial dysfunction than the general home care population. Multivariate analyses showed significant effects for age and gender in the prediction of suicide-related behaviour after adjusting for risk and protective covariates. Tangible areas for intervention were revealed that may reduce future suicide risk such as managing alcohol use and dependence, managing pain, increasing positive social relationships, and reducing social isolation. Time-to-event analysis supported the multivariate regression findings. Analyses of two subpopulations of older adults with neurological conditions (dementia and Parkinson’s disease) demonstrated marked differences in suicide risk and protective factors compared to the general home care population. Findings suggest that a one-size-fits-all approach to suicide prevention and intervention is not appropriate for persons with these conditions, as their specific risk and protective factors need to be taken into consideration. This study based on provincial data covering the home care sector in Ontario defined high risk groups of older adults and provided evidence for risk and protective factors associated with suicide-related behaviour. Findings point to several areas that should be assessed by home care professionals to reduce risk in the older home care client population. This multi-dimensional profile of high risk older adults will assist in initiating a policy dialogue regarding the need for targeted suicide prevention strategies in Ontario’s home care sector.

Nature positively affects the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing of all people. In the natural environment, fresh air, daylight, organic materials and plant life exist in harmony. When we come into contact with this harmony, it provides a calming effect and have a direct positive impact on people undergoing cancer treatment, as well as patients’ families and friends, and the doctors, nurses and caregivers whose job it is to care for them. This thesis explores specific architectural interventions to an existing hospital that would provide a complementary healing environment to increase health and reduce stress. Using the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton as a project site, this design shows how we might provide therapeutic spaces and gardens to promote holistic healing of the mind, body and spirit.

<p>The purpose of this research was to ascertain how children in lowrisk, middle to upper income areas perceive violence and their experience of it. It explores their exposure to violence and how this may affect their view of the future in terms of their hopes and fears. The research was framed around Frantz Fanon&rsquo / s theory of violence and Urie Bronfenbrenner&rsquo / s Systems Theory. The aims of the research was to explore children&rsquo / s perceptions of violence and how this affects children&rsquo / s sense of wellbeing within the context of South Africa by: i) investigating how much children know and understand about the violence that is prevalent in the country, ii) discovering how this frames their perception of violence and finally iii) explore how this affects their sense of well-being. The participants of the study were 28 male and female grade 6 children, between the ages of 10 and 12 from a private school in the Cape Town metropole. There were three focus groups consisting of 8-11 children per group. This was a qualitative study. The data collection was interpreted through Thematic Analysis. The highest standards of ethical conduct and research practice were adhered to.</p>

<p><font size="3"> <p>The costs of occupational health and well-being are increasingly being considered as sound &lsquo / investments&rsquo / as healthy and engaged employees yield direct economic benefits to the company. The concept of Work engagement plays a vital role in this endeavour because engagement entails positive definitions of employee health and promotes the optimal functioning of employees within an organisational setting. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between work engagement, self-efficacy and optimism amongst call centre employees in a retail organisation in the Western Cape. Over the last several years, most call centre research has predominately been focused on the aspects and causes of stress, burnout, and the deterrents of employee&rsquo / s well-being. In response to the prevailing preoccupation with negative aspects, the research focused on more positive aspects of human functioning and experiences. The sample comprised of ninety three call centre employees who are employed in the customer service department in a major retail organisation in the Western Cape. Convenience sampling was utilised. The measuring instruments included the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, The Life Orientation Test-Revised and The General Self-Efficacy Scale. Statistically significant relationships were found between work engagement, self-efficacy and optimism. It was found that call centre agents displayed average levels of work engagement and optimism however they displayed high levels of self-efficacy. It was furthermore found that a moderate percentage of the variance in work engagement can be explained by self-efficacy and optimism. The implication of the results is that interventions that focus on the personal resources (viz. efficacy beliefs, optimism, hope and resiliency) and job resources (viz. physical, social or organizational aspects of the job) will contribute to increasing levels of work engagement.</p> </font></p>

Shelterbelts were established in the Canadian Prairies as a means to protect soil from wind erosion. Knowledge gaps remain about shelterbelts' ecosystem services to the agro-landscape, hence hiding farmers' trade-offs in a changing agriculture. This research first investigated shelterbelts' effect on soil biological activity and fertility. Soil samples were collected in September 2012 from sheltered and non-sheltered fields in the Rural Municipality of Stanley, Manitoba. Results showed that shelterbelts promote higher soil biological activity, potentially correlated to the enhanced organic matter and micro-climate adjacent to shelterbelts. A survey was then conducted to explore shelterbelts' cultural services to the local community. Results indicated that while shelterbelts were perceived to significantly benefit community well-being, they were mainly recognised for agricultural functions. We conclude that shelterbelts are a significant element of both supporting and cultural ecosystem services, contributing to the prairie agro-system resilience. Further research and quantification of shelterbelts' socio-ecological services is recommended.

This study examines the relationship between supervisors’ transformational leadership behaviors and their work groups’ subsequent affective well-being and job satisfaction under specific moderating conditions (collective efficacy and perceptions of meaningful work). Longitudinal data from 42 work groups in a Canadian government organization was used to test the proposed relationships. Work groups’ collective efficacy has a significant moderating effect on the relationship between transformational leadership and positive group affective well-being. Specifically, groups with lower levels of collective efficacy exhibit a stronger relationship between transformational leadership behaviours and both affective well-being and job satisfaction.

BAKGRUND: Bröstcancer är en av de vanligaste dödsorsakerna hos medelålders kvinnor i Sverige och varje år drabbas närmare 8500 kvinnor. Antalet kvinnor som avlider är ca 1400 per år. Recidiv av cancer kan bero på att alla cancerceller inte lyckats elimineras vid första behandlingen och istället återkommer i förökat antal. Tidigare forskning visar att lidandet hos cancerpatienter i det sena palliativa skedet omfattar psykiskt, socialt, existentiellt/andligt och fysiskt lidande. Den visar också att välbefinnande uppnås när kropp och själ fylls med meningsfulla upplevelser. Här har det sociala och professionella stödet en betydelsefull uppgift att fylla. SYFTE: Syftet är att identifiera faktorer som ökar upplevelsen av lidande respektive välbefinnande i det sena palliativa skedet hos kvinnor med recidiv av bröstcancer. METOD: Metoden som används är narrativ med berättelser i form av bloggar RESULTAT: Presenteras i två domäner med tillhörande kategorier. Domänen ökat lidande resulterade i två kategorier; Känslan av maktlöshet av att vara i sjukdomens grepp och tankar på att livet går mot sitt slut. Domänen ökat välbefinnande resulterade i en kategori; Att få stöd- en källa till trygghet, återhämtning, fortsatt livslust och kämparglöd. SLUTSATS: Kvinnor med recidiv av bröstcancer som befinner sig i det sena palliativa skedet upplever ökat lidande när känslan av maktlöshet och tankar på att döden står för dörren infinner sig. Genom stöd från nära och kära samt professionell hälso-och sjukvårdspersonal, upplever kvinnorna bland annat ökad trygghet, fortsatt livslust och kämparglöd, vilket skapar en upplevelse av ökat välbefinnande. / BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common cause of death among middle age women in Sweden. Approximately 8500 women are affected annually and about 1400 women dies every year. Recurrence of cancer can be that all cancer cells failed to be eliminated on the first treatment and instead return in multiplied numbers. Previous research shows that the suffering of cancer patients in the late palliative phase includes the mental, social, existential/spiritual and physical suffering. Previous research also shows that well-being was reached when body and soul was filled with meaningful experiences. It turned out that social and professional support play an important role. PURPOSE The aim is to identify factors that increase the experience of suffering and well-being in the late palliative phase among women with recurrence of breast cancer. METHOD: Narrative method as blogstories. RESULT: Presented in two domains with associated categories. The domain increased suffering resulted in two categories; The feeling of powerlessness of being in the grip of sickness and thoughts that life is about to end. The domain increased well-being resulted in one category, which was named; Getting support- a source of security, recovery, continued lust for life and fighting spirit. CONCLUSION: Women with recurrence of breast cancer who are in the late palliative phase experience increased suffering when the feeling of powerlessness and thoughts of that death is near appears. An experience of increased well being appears when the women gets support from loved ones and from professional health and care workers. Through that support, the women experienced a feeling of security, recovery, continued lust for life and fighting spirit.

Peterson, Park, and Seligman (2005) have proposed that individuals seek to increase their well-being through three behavioural orientations; via pleasure, meaning, and engagement. The current study investigated how orientations to happiness influenced the pursuit and experience of daily activities using an experience sampling methodology (ESM). Daily activities were experienced as a blend of both hedonic and eudaimonic characteristics. Dominant orientation to happiness did not predict engaging in different daily activities. Trait orientations to happiness had some influence on the momentary experience of behaviour. Those scoring highest on all three orientations to happiness also rated their daily activities highest on momentary pleasure, meaning, engagement, and happiness. The results suggest that increasing all three orientations is a pathway to the full life and a balanced well-being portfolio.