<p dir="ltr">Ostracism negatively affects wellbeing, and its effects are especially detrimental when individuals are unable to cope. A growing body of literature explores interventions that facilitate recovery from ostracism. Research indicates that the comparisons we make with others (social comparisons) or with ourselves (temporal comparisons) serve many functions, from helping us evaluate ourselves and our experiences to enhancing self-esteem. The direction of these comparisons has important implications for wellbeing: downward comparisons (with a worse comparison target) can enhance wellbeing, whereas upward comparisons (with a better comparison target) can harm wellbeing when a sense of contrast is elicited. This dissertation examined whether downward social and temporal comparisons mitigate the detrimental effects of ostracism on wellbeing and whether upward social and temporal comparisons exacerbate these effects. In three studies, participants underwent an ostracism (or control) condition, and some were randomly assigned to make social or temporal comparisons. In Studies 1 and 2, I manipulated ostracism by having participants recall an ostracism event in their lives; in Study 3, ostracism was manipulated with Cyberball. In Study 1, participants either wrote about a time things were worse (downward temporal comparison) or better for them (upward temporal comparison), whereas, in Studies 2 and 3, participants either wrote about someone else doing worse (downward social comparison) or better than them (upward social comparison). All studies measured psychological need satisfaction, positive affect, and satisfaction with life. Though Study 1 produced null results, in Studies 2 and 3, downward social comparisons increased need satisfaction compared to upward social comparisons and increased positive affect and satisfaction with life in Study 3. Results suggest downward social comparisons may have positive consequences for wellbeing.</p>

This study maps research concerning person environment interrelationships with health and wellbeing outcomes. The purpose of this study is to provide insights into the inter-relationship between the built environment (BE) and human health and wellbeing as it is conveyed in research literature. It particularly focuses on literature that connects built environment, emotions, feelings, mind and body. This thesis therefore provides a review of relevant literature on the physical environment, with a focus on person environment (PE) relationship that may influence the person's psychological and physiological systems consequently affecting health and wellbeing. Specifically, psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) is used to identify dimensions of the BE which are significant for this study. The understanding of PE interrelationships to health outcomes is achieved by undertaking a transdisciplinary outlook. To conceptualise the 'person' as a whole and the workings of the mind and human system PNI has been recognised as a main platform. PNI is the study of mind-body relationships (Evans, et al, 2000), providing a scientific framework which captures the understanding of the inter-relationship of the mind to the neuroendocrine systems and the immune systems with the aim of understanding the influence of the mind on eliciting as well as preventing illnesses. The work was motivated by the need for better understanding of the human interaction/transaction in an interior environment and their consequences on health. An exploration of literature from both the environmental and health fields provided a knowledge base upon which to develop an understanding of the interrelationship. Research has demonstrated a link between the BE and wellbeing, however, this is limited in its application and/or scope. For example, over the past years there has been an increasing amount of research showing the possible influence of the environment in reducing stress (Sommer & Oslen, 1980; Kaplan, 1983; O'Neill, 1991; Wapner & Demick, 2000; Parsons & Tassinary, 2002, Frumkin, 2006). In addition, there is growing evidence that indicates there is a relationship between BE and health including the psychological and physiological systems, in healthcare environments (Ulrich & Zimring, 2004). However, while there is ample research in the areas of environmental stressors and other determinants of the environment in contributing to health, less research has been undertaken in studying the impact of the environment on health (Evans& McCoy, 1998). The potential of the environment in contributing to the mental wellbeing of a person and how this could affect the physical health therefore needs further investigation (Solomon, 1996). The methodology followed was Coopers (1998) 'research synthesis' and the tool to sort the domains and PE interrelationships was adapted from White's (1989) 'space adjacency analysis'. The scope of this study was limited to explorations of literature that inquired into PE relationships that fit into the primarily established 'integrative systems model'; a parameter that enabled categorisation of the literature into the areas that related to the PNI framework. The findings illustrate that the person is interrelated to the environment in several ways and can be interpreted and explained in terms of various dimensions such as the psychological, physical, social, and spatial dimensions. Furthermore, empirical research indicates that the environment impacts on a person's health and wellbeing through psychological and physiological systems. PNI acknowledges the interrelationship of the mind and body systems contributing to an integrative systems model of human health and wellbeing. As an outcome, the study has produced an analysis method and a navigation map of the various literature domains related to PE interrelationships in terms of health and wellbeing. This has been facilitated by the development of, a 'PE integrative systems model'. Apart from demonstrating the need for transdisciplinary research and contributing to research methodology, the study also adds to the current design knowledge base providing BE professionals and creators with a better understanding of the health outcomes from PE interrelationships.

This research project is located in the context of Aboriginal health and education, and in particular, emotional and social wellbeing, recognising the critical need for effective mental health services and resilient, well-trained workers in the field of mental health.Mental health is understood to include a broad spectrum of conditions with extreme and chronic mental illness at one end and resilience or wellbeing at the other – the socalled ‘soft end’ of the social health spectrum. While recognising that the lines of demarcation between one category and another are grey, my thesis addresses the problems at the latter end of the spectrum: problems of excessive pain; the grief and despair caused by dispossession, loss of place, family and identity; and the deep frustration, humiliation and anger that results in family violence and child sexual abuse, intergenerational substance abuse, neglect and poor physical health. It is my position that very many Aboriginal people who need to make changes in their lives in order to feel well and functional in the world are not suffering from a Western disease but from the transgenerational consequences of colonisation. In recognition of the notion that Aboriginal wellbeing is everybody’s business, this PhD research project represents my response to these consequences.While popular assumptions are made about the relevance of art to Aboriginal health and many Aboriginal people testify to the fact that their engagement with art (writing, drama, dance, music and visual art etc.) has brought about significant change in their lives, there is no available research in Australia that supports the development of an arts-based approach to learning/therapy/wellbeing that has, for reasons that are well understood, the potential to suit the needs of Aboriginal people.Addressing this gap in the research, I inquire into an experiential, arts-based, emotionfocused, narrative-orientated, constructivist approach to healing in the tradition of humanistic psychology, which emphasises the importance of an emancipatory, clientcentred processes that facilitates the development of awareness, creativity, clarity of expression and critical reflection. The position I take breaks with the traditions of the biomedical model and conforms to the now widely held view that psychology and counselling treatment programs for Aboriginal people must address the whole person, emotionally/spiritually, mentally and physically, responding to the individual in his/her sociopolitical and historical context. Expressive arts therapy, the multi-modal approach to healing explored in this thesis, lays claim to these intentions.In this project, I locate myself as the researcher/practitioner whose life-stance is expressive of the phenomenological principles of experiential learning and reflexivity. Accordingly, I have drawn on a number of closely related research methodologies all of which, I argue, are consistent with phenomenology and Indigenous, participatory research practices: critical action research, art-based research and phenomenological research methodology. These modes of inquiry are linked through principles that value subjective experience and allow for a diversity of ways of knowing. Embracing an expanded field of ways of knowing respectful of Indigenous epistemologies is at the core of the arts-based therapy program under investigation.Expressive arts therapy, in this research project, was delivered in two modes: one was a series of nine full-day group workshops conducted over an academic semester; the other was a series of ten intensive individual therapy sessions with three participants conducted over the period of a year. The participants or ‘co-researchers’ were drawn from the College of Indigenous Australian Peoples and the Education and Art departments at Southern Cross University. Three mature-age Aboriginal students who had engaged in the Masters of Indigenous Studies program emerged as the core participants who, having contributed to the development stage of the project, followed the program through the group workshops to the final interviews at the end of the series of individual sessions.This thesis is, in part, an illustrated narrative of the in-depth work the core participants did with me in both the context of the group and individually. It invites the active participation of the reader. Insights into the nature and impact of expressive arts therapy are offered through a focus on the lived experience of the three core participants, their reflections on the program and their observations of the changes they made in their lives. An important parameter that I set, determined that the ultimate voices of authority were to be those of the participants. I was not at liberty to look for meanings that went beyond their experience and understanding.I argue that the experiences of expressive arts therapy re-presented in this thesis demonstrate that expressive arts therapy is in principle consistent with current approaches to Aboriginal psychology and counselling currently recommended by Aboriginal professionals and spokespeople in the field of Aboriginal health. Furthermore this body of work demonstrates that expressive arts therapy is a culturally appropriate intervention grounded in a creative process that has the potential to facilitate healing and change in the lives of people suffering from the long-term consequences of damaging childhoods.It is my hope that this approach to healing will be further researched and developed and, with culturally appropriate terms of reference, adapted to a wide variety of existing community services – rightfully, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander practitioners working for the wellbeing of their own people.

This research project is located in the context of Aboriginal health and education, and in particular, emotional and social wellbeing, recognising the critical need for effective mental health services and resilient, well-trained workers in the field of mental health.Mental health is understood to include a broad spectrum of conditions with extreme and chronic mental illness at one end and resilience or wellbeing at the other – the socalled ‘soft end’ of the social health spectrum. While recognising that the lines of demarcation between one category and another are grey, my thesis addresses the problems at the latter end of the spectrum: problems of excessive pain; the grief and despair caused by dispossession, loss of place, family and identity; and the deep frustration, humiliation and anger that results in family violence and child sexual abuse, intergenerational substance abuse, neglect and poor physical health. It is my position that very many Aboriginal people who need to make changes in their lives in order to feel well and functional in the world are not suffering from a Western disease but from the transgenerational consequences of colonisation. In recognition of the notion that Aboriginal wellbeing is everybody’s business, this PhD research project represents my response to these consequences.While popular assumptions are made about the relevance of art to Aboriginal health and many Aboriginal people testify to the fact that their engagement with art (writing, drama, dance, music and visual art etc.) has brought about significant change in their lives, there is no available research in Australia that supports the development of an arts-based approach to learning/therapy/wellbeing that has, for reasons that are well understood, the potential to suit the needs of Aboriginal people.Addressing this gap in the research, I inquire into an experiential, arts-based, emotionfocused, narrative-orientated, constructivist approach to healing in the tradition of humanistic psychology, which emphasises the importance of an emancipatory, clientcentred processes that facilitates the development of awareness, creativity, clarity of expression and critical reflection. The position I take breaks with the traditions of the biomedical model and conforms to the now widely held view that psychology and counselling treatment programs for Aboriginal people must address the whole person, emotionally/spiritually, mentally and physically, responding to the individual in his/her sociopolitical and historical context. Expressive arts therapy, the multi-modal approach to healing explored in this thesis, lays claim to these intentions.In this project, I locate myself as the researcher/practitioner whose life-stance is expressive of the phenomenological principles of experiential learning and reflexivity. Accordingly, I have drawn on a number of closely related research methodologies all of which, I argue, are consistent with phenomenology and Indigenous, participatory research practices: critical action research, art-based research and phenomenological research methodology. These modes of inquiry are linked through principles that value subjective experience and allow for a diversity of ways of knowing. Embracing an expanded field of ways of knowing respectful of Indigenous epistemologies is at the core of the arts-based therapy program under investigation.Expressive arts therapy, in this research project, was delivered in two modes: one was a series of nine full-day group workshops conducted over an academic semester; the other was a series of ten intensive individual therapy sessions with three participants conducted over the period of a year. The participants or ‘co-researchers’ were drawn from the College of Indigenous Australian Peoples and the Education and Art departments at Southern Cross University. Three mature-age Aboriginal students who had engaged in the Masters of Indigenous Studies program emerged as the core participants who, having contributed to the development stage of the project, followed the program through the group workshops to the final interviews at the end of the series of individual sessions.This thesis is, in part, an illustrated narrative of the in-depth work the core participants did with me in both the context of the group and individually. It invites the active participation of the reader. Insights into the nature and impact of expressive arts therapy are offered through a focus on the lived experience of the three core participants, their reflections on the program and their observations of the changes they made in their lives. An important parameter that I set, determined that the ultimate voices of authority were to be those of the participants. I was not at liberty to look for meanings that went beyond their experience and understanding.I argue that the experiences of expressive arts therapy re-presented in this thesis demonstrate that expressive arts therapy is in principle consistent with current approaches to Aboriginal psychology and counselling currently recommended by Aboriginal professionals and spokespeople in the field of Aboriginal health. Furthermore this body of work demonstrates that expressive arts therapy is a culturally appropriate intervention grounded in a creative process that has the potential to facilitate healing and change in the lives of people suffering from the long-term consequences of damaging childhoods.It is my hope that this approach to healing will be further researched and developed and, with culturally appropriate terms of reference, adapted to a wide variety of existing community services – rightfully, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander practitioners working for the wellbeing of their own people.

No description available.

Infant care is an essential part of the healthcare industry and an aspect of healthcare where the multi-disciplinary teams work closely together. Within this collaboration of teams, the term "infant wellbeing" is frequently used. Yet even though wellbeing on its own is a multi-faceted concept, when pertaining to the infant, this concept can become very complex and difficult to understand and apply. Dictionary definitions of wellbeing emphasize a state of being healthy, happy or prosperous. However, despite its common-sense appeal, it was found that the term wellbeing is not a particularly well- defined outcome, especially in reference to the infant. Despite the fact that scrutiny of the literature indicated that the term "infant wellbeing" is used by different members of the multi-disciplinary team, a clear concise universal definition for healthcare settings and professionals is missing from published literature. In fact, no recorded definition for the concept was to be found. Consequently, the aim of this study was to develop an operational definition for the concept "infant wellbeing" that can be used congruently between different members of the multi-disciplinary team. This is done by means of a concept analysis as described by Walker and Avant (2014). The findings revealed that the infant consists of certain dimensions which all play a role in the infant's wellbeing. Equally the infant also functions within a certain system or domain which also affects the wellbeing of the infant. These aspects are discussed in detail. By having a specific general description of infant wellbeing, nurses and other members of the multi-disciplinary team will have a common understanding of what the concept entails which also assists in the development of standardized language within the healthcare profession. / MCur, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

This research focuses on exploring foster girls’ perceptions of respect in relationships in a Child and Youth Care Centre (CYCC) context. The study was undertaken within the paradigm of positive psychology. Relational well-being is of key importance for all adolescents from all cultures and contexts. Respect is viewed as a dynamic aspect of relational functioning. However, when adolescent foster girls do not experience respectful interactions with CYCC caregivers, health workers and with peers, their healthy development could be seriously affected. There is a scarcity of information available on foster girls’ perceptions of respect, with particular reference to the dynamics of respect within a CYCC context. Therefore, the study endeavours to highlight the importance of a bottom-up approach by investigating foster girls’ perceptions of respect. The qualitative study was conducted by using a phenomenological design. For the purpose, aim and coverage of this empirical study a homogenous sample was selected. Twenty female occupants from a South African CYCC were selected, with ages ranging from 12 to 16 years. The participants were all African adolescents, and the study was carried out on the CYCC premises. This homogenous sample allowed detailed investigation of social processes in this context. Data was collected by means of a world café technique where all twenty participants took part to tap into their collective wisdom. Individual interviews were also used and six participants were selected from the original group. All requirements regarding ethical concerns were followed in the research process. Thematic analyses were undertaken after the group and individual sessions. The findings are presented as four main themes, namely relating and respectful interacting (relationships), the role of emotions, resilience and the role of gender. It has been determined that respectful interacting promotes positive support and encouragement during bad times, as well as sharing concerns and ideas with peers and positive role-models. The role of fluctuating emotions – both positive and negative ─ emerged as being of major importance in the girls’ lives. These included pride, belonging, trust (or lack thereof), happiness, hopelessness, aggression / anger and a sense of shame and disappointment with failures. The theme of resilience covered effective coping and how the girls resist languishing and strive to better themselves despite their adverse circumstances. The final theme is that of gender role, which addresses the various forms of differentiation, especially in the treatment of girls and boys. Recommendations are given in order to ameliorate the girls’ lives and to shape future research that could explore the instruction of life skills in order to develop self-esteem, interpersonal relationships (showing respect for one another), a sense of worth and tolerance within a CYCC context purposefully. A possible limitation of this study could be the various Western models of well-being that were studied by the researcher while the participants came from various African cultural backgrounds with different perspectives on Ubuntu. The specific context of foster girls is, therefore, of crucial importance to their wellness, seeing that the context could harbour enabling or limiting conditions for these adolescents. / MSc (Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Infant care is an essential part of the healthcare industry and an aspect of healthcare where the multi-disciplinary teams work closely together. Within this collaboration of teams, the term "infant wellbeing" is frequently used. Yet even though wellbeing on its own is a multi-faceted concept, when pertaining to the infant, this concept can become very complex and difficult to understand and apply. Dictionary definitions of wellbeing emphasize a state of being healthy, happy or prosperous. However, despite its common-sense appeal, it was found that the term wellbeing is not a particularly well- defined outcome, especially in reference to the infant. Despite the fact that scrutiny of the literature indicated that the term "infant wellbeing" is used by different members of the multi-disciplinary team, a clear concise universal definition for healthcare settings and professionals is missing from published literature. In fact, no recorded definition for the concept was to be found. Consequently, the aim of this study was to develop an operational definition for the concept "infant wellbeing" that can be used congruently between different members of the multi-disciplinary team. This is done by means of a concept analysis as described by Walker and Avant (2014). The findings revealed that the infant consists of certain dimensions which all play a role in the infant's wellbeing. Equally the infant also functions within a certain system or domain which also affects the wellbeing of the infant. These aspects are discussed in detail. By having a specific general description of infant wellbeing, nurses and other members of the multi-disciplinary team will have a common understanding of what the concept entails which also assists in the development of standardized language within the healthcare profession. / MCur, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

This research focuses on exploring foster girls’ perceptions of respect in relationships in a Child and Youth Care Centre (CYCC) context. The study was undertaken within the paradigm of positive psychology. Relational well-being is of key importance for all adolescents from all cultures and contexts. Respect is viewed as a dynamic aspect of relational functioning. However, when adolescent foster girls do not experience respectful interactions with CYCC caregivers, health workers and with peers, their healthy development could be seriously affected. There is a scarcity of information available on foster girls’ perceptions of respect, with particular reference to the dynamics of respect within a CYCC context. Therefore, the study endeavours to highlight the importance of a bottom-up approach by investigating foster girls’ perceptions of respect. The qualitative study was conducted by using a phenomenological design. For the purpose, aim and coverage of this empirical study a homogenous sample was selected. Twenty female occupants from a South African CYCC were selected, with ages ranging from 12 to 16 years. The participants were all African adolescents, and the study was carried out on the CYCC premises. This homogenous sample allowed detailed investigation of social processes in this context. Data was collected by means of a world café technique where all twenty participants took part to tap into their collective wisdom. Individual interviews were also used and six participants were selected from the original group. All requirements regarding ethical concerns were followed in the research process. Thematic analyses were undertaken after the group and individual sessions. The findings are presented as four main themes, namely relating and respectful interacting (relationships), the role of emotions, resilience and the role of gender. It has been determined that respectful interacting promotes positive support and encouragement during bad times, as well as sharing concerns and ideas with peers and positive role-models. The role of fluctuating emotions – both positive and negative ─ emerged as being of major importance in the girls’ lives. These included pride, belonging, trust (or lack thereof), happiness, hopelessness, aggression / anger and a sense of shame and disappointment with failures. The theme of resilience covered effective coping and how the girls resist languishing and strive to better themselves despite their adverse circumstances. The final theme is that of gender role, which addresses the various forms of differentiation, especially in the treatment of girls and boys. Recommendations are given in order to ameliorate the girls’ lives and to shape future research that could explore the instruction of life skills in order to develop self-esteem, interpersonal relationships (showing respect for one another), a sense of worth and tolerance within a CYCC context purposefully. A possible limitation of this study could be the various Western models of well-being that were studied by the researcher while the participants came from various African cultural backgrounds with different perspectives on Ubuntu. The specific context of foster girls is, therefore, of crucial importance to their wellness, seeing that the context could harbour enabling or limiting conditions for these adolescents. / MSc (Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Interest in the concept of 'wellbeing' is gaining prominence among academic researchers, policy makers and planning bodies within the UK and internationally. This emerging agenda is often in the context of efforts to promote sustainable communities through environmental initiatives, such as community gardening, which aim to link communal activities with individualised lifestyle preferences and behaviours. This thesis explores the ways in which health, wellbeing and social development are intricately implicated in sustainable living initiatives, and how such initiatives can be applied to enhance health, wellbeing and social development at both individual and community levels through exposure to greenspace in the form of community gardens. This thesis takes an ethnographic approach into the study of community gardens in areas of social disadvantage in Plymouth. Findings provide empirical evidence showing that active participation in the community gardens result in health, wellbeing and social development impacts for individual participants directly involved within the garden. Findings at the community level were more mixed, providing insights into barriers to exclusion and inequalities in and across communities within the study area. The results of this thesis provide a greater appreciation of how sustainable living initiatives can provide social and economic opportunities which can promote health and wellbeing for individuals and communities and contribute towards sustainable design of urban areas with the use of green infrastructure. Stemming from these results is the call for increased collaboration between public health officials and spatial planners to incorporate and utilise green space community initiatives in urban areas to enable health and wellbeing impacts to become realised and sustained at an individual and community level.