Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Pyschological'

Heroin abuse is devastating to both the individual abusers and society. Owing to its ability to elicit rapid feelings of euphoria and transcendent relaxation, coupled with adverse withdrawal effects, it is one of the most addictive illicit drugs of abuse. The severe and persistent socio-economic detriment caused by heroin abuse signifies an urgent need for understanding how this substance affects abusers. Currently, scientific research into the biopsychosocial functioning of heroin abusers is limited. This thesis presents a series of three studies that sought to contribute to our understanding of how biopsychosocial functioning may be influenced by the abuse of heroin. This thesis contains three studies that drew on a large-scale data collection process, involving the collection of neurobiological, psychosocial, molecular, and neurocognitive measures in both abstinent heroin abusers and matched healthy controls. Study One aimed to identify the neurobiological deficits in relation to heroin abuse. It was revealed that heroin abuse was associated with widespread brain structural atrophy, and such atrophy was more profound with a more severe heroin abuse profile. Study Two aimed to identify the neurobiological substrates of the heroin abusers’ personality traits. It was revealed that the heroin abusers’ pathological sensation seeking trait was underpinned by structural integrity of the midbrain and the functional connectivity between the midbrain and the prefrontal cortex. Furthermore, the dorsolateral and ventromedial prefrontal cortices were connected in differential ways with the midbrain in relation to heroin abusers’ sensation seeking tendency. Finally, Study Three aimed to examine an untested hypothesis that the abuse of heroin accelerates the aging process. It was revealed that heroin abusers had a significantly low telomerase activity level, which reflected acceleration of cellular aging. Moreover, heroin use and telomerase activity interacted to impact on brain structures and functional networks that are closely linked with aging. These brain functional networks were found to correlate with behavioural performance in the respective cognitive domains, further supporting the behavioural relevance of these abnormal brain networks. Altogether, these findings have yielded a convergence of understanding of the detrimental effects of heroin use on its abusers. Theoretically, the current findings support the neurobiological models that assign the prefrontal cortex as the core neuropathology of drug addiction, and also recognize the importance of investigating into brain regions that have incidentally but frequently been found to be influenced by the abuse of heroin. Clinically, the current findings suggest new directions for the assessment, conceptualization and interventions for people affected by drug addiction. These implications pave the way for studies that seek to further understand and remediate the biopsychosocial sabotage caused by substance abuse.
published_or_final_version
Psychology
Doctoral
Doctor of Philosophy

Caring for a child with disabilities and special needs can be a challenging and arduous responsibility. Many parents are unprepared to cope with such event and encounter problems with their own health and psychological well- being. Conversely, when parents and families are empowered with appropriate tools and techniques they can overcome these difficult circumstances through the use of health coping strategies. This study will examine the use of coping strategies and the impact on parent’s psychological health. The literature review in this study will discuss coping practices, and the adverse affects on parent’s emotional welfare. The research was conducted with eight parents who participated in an audio-recording, face-to-face interview with open-ended questions. The data of this study was collected and examined by utilizing qualitative methods. Interview data was transcribed into written form to explore and identify common themes. Researcher used a qualitative approach to understand participant’s experiences. The study discovered four common themes: 1. Social support systems, 2. Family Dynamics, 3. Spirituality, and 4. Positive Thinking. The findings of this study may increase awareness and understanding of healthy coping strategies utilized by parents of children with special needs and how it may impact their psychological well-being. The research also addressed the limitations of the study, the significance of the study for social work and the future recommendations for the social work profession and future research.

The current research aims to identify the variables that influence turnover intentions. In particular, this research explored the concept of turnover intentions by investigating the mediating effects of job satisfaction and psychological capital amongst a sample of 70 employees involved in the tourism industry. The study highlights that employees within the tourism industry within the Western Cape were the most satisfied with work content, and the least satisfied with leadership / supervision. The results emanating from the current study indicate that there is a strong, inverse relationship between job satisfaction and turnover intention amongst tourism employees in the Western Cape. Furthermore, the study revealed that a statistically significant, inverse relationship exists between psychological capital and turnover intention. Multiple regression analysis revealed these variables significantly explained the variance in turnover intention.

The purpose of this study was to identify the psychological and social consequences experienced by homosexual men who learn that they have positive results on the HTLV-III antibody test, but who have not yet developed AIDS or ARC. Employing a census survey of the membership of three California homophile organizations (n=1905), 30 HTLV-III positives and 55 negatives completed a biographical questionnaire, the IPAT Anxiety Scale Questionnaire, the IPAT Depression Scale, and the Coping Strategies Inventory. Results indicate that HTLV-III positives show considerable disorganization after hearing test results, have clinically high levels of anxiety (n=10), and clinically high levels of depression (n=14). Positives were also quite guarded about sharing the results of their testing, and experienced negative effects in social (n=15) and occupational functioning (n=10), and reported pervasive changes in their sexual activity (n=30). Twelve subjects reported suicidal ideation after they heard the results of their testing, but only one subject reported a suicide attempt. The methodological imitations of the study were examined, with an emphasis on the limitations of survey method and difficulties with the follow-up procedures. Speculations to account for the reported behaviors, implications for counseling HTLV-III positives, and suggestions for future research with this population were also discussed.

Understanding safety factors in construction is critical to reducing accident frequency and severity. Grounded in the safety performance model, this study was conducted to examine the impact of psychological capital (PsyCap), which consists of the shared variance of hope, efficacy, resilience and optimism, and Past, Present, and Future thinking perspectives, on safety climate and performance. A nonexperimental quantitative design was used to determine whether PsyCap and thinking perspectives of construction project employees predicted safety performance and/or moderated the relationship between safety climate and performance across construction sites in different countries. 411 construction employees were recruited via a multistage and clustering strategy and took part in the study. The PsyCap Questionnaire, MindTime Profile Inventory, Group-Level Safety Climate Scale, and Safety Performance Measure were used to assess PsyCap, thinking perspectives, safety climate, and safety performance. Multiple regression was used to determine the effects of PsyCap and thinking perspectives on safety climate and safety performance. Results showed that Future and Present thinking predicted PsyCap as well as safety climate and safety performance in the construction industry. Further, safety performance accounted for variations in hope and efficacy, two PsyCap components. Findings might be used to influence thinking perspectives of team leaders in designing training, developing employees' efficacy levels, and preventing accidents and fatalities on construction sites.

Relationships among demographic, socioeconomic and person factors and Opioid Use Disorder diagnosis, treatment, and recidivism were explored. Data from a sample of 4,860 adults with substance use difficulties were analyzed. A program evaluation was conducted on Gateway Community Services to explore the use of Medication Assisted Treatments (MATs) and Psychosocial (PS) treatments to address Opioid Use Disorder. Using archival data, a chi-square analysis and independent sample t-test was performed. The results expressed that a relationship among race, type of substance use diagnosis, and treatment type and recidivism rate was found. While White/Non-Hispanics adults were more likely to use heroin than any other racial/ethnic backgrounds, gender differences were also found. Finally, frequency and duration of a combined treatment (PS + MAT) were negatively related to recidivism with no determination of previous prescription opioid use to be examined at this time. Keywords: medication assisted treatment, recidivism, psychosocial, opioid

In five multi-method studies this dissertation examined how context based morality may explain increased incidence of combat related psychological difficulties among US service personnel. We were particularly interested in the relationship between causing harm to others and moral self-perceptions and related emotional consequences. In studies 1 and 2 we found that our samples of Iraq and Afghan war veterans reported that a soldier would feel increased levels of guilt and shame and negative moral judgments of the self when they return home and reflect on incidents of harm that may have occurred during their deployments. These two studies were supported by three short experiments showing that different moral judgments of harm were made depending on whether the harm doing was interpersonal or intergroup. Interpersonal harm doing was judged more harshly than intergroup harm leading us to believe that while in combat harm doing had minimal consequences on the self-perceptions and emotions of a soldier and that when they returned home to civilian life where interpersonal moral standards are more prevalent their self-perceptions and emotional wellbeing was affected by their prior conduct.

A research project submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology through the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2016
Background Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a reality faced by many around the world. There has been much physiological study around factors associated with CKD, as well as many studies surrounding the psychosocial impacts of the disease, with relatively less attention given to neuropsychological effects the disease can have on sufferers. This paper investigates the cognitive impacts as well as psychological impacts simultaneously, impacting on sufferers of End Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD). Methods Sixteen medically stable patients aged (M = 40.56, SD = 12.52) years with ESKD, were investigated. Eight of the patients were evaluated before and after six months of successful kidney transplant, using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), which assessed immediate memory, visuospatial / constructional, language, and attention. They were also tested on a brief symptom inventory (BSI 18) to assess depression and anxiety in these patients. A further eight who remained on dialysis, and had not undergone renal transplant were evaluated in the same manner for comparative purposes. Results Between-group comparisons showed a statistically significant improvement in overall cognitive functioning, as well as in the specific cognitive domains of visuospatial / constructional, language and attention for participants who had undergone renal transplant surgery compared to their counterparts who had not. Results also found that there were no statistically significant differences between the levels of anxiety experienced between patients in the two groups. When assessing the differences in cognitive improvement within the transplant patient group before and after transplant, improvement in the delayed memory function of renal transplant patients post-transplant was found. Conclusion These data show improvements in delayed memory function of patients having undergone renal transplant therapy, while also highlighting a continued decline of overall cognitive functioning in patients remaining on hemodialysis therapy.
GR2017

The modern world is rapidly advancing towards a technological age where every aspect of people’s lives revolves around scientific innovations and consumerism. These advancements have allowed architects to traverse many boundaries and the design of buildings almost seems limitless. However, this has also caused a shift in architecture to focus on the visual aspects of buildings. Most human beings are born with the use of all of their senses and it is through this that we use, understand and appreciate the built environment. However, if a building fails to entice one’s sense of touch or even smell, then architecture has lost its true meaning; that of designing for people and not solely for consumerism. More often than not, children are also avid users of buildings and architecture, which has lost its essence of appealing to all of our senses, also loses its fascination to children as well. Early childhood is the stage in life where people use their senses to the fullest capacity and it is through the perception of our surroundings that we learn, form meanings and identities. This dissertation thus aims to understand how the built environment psychologically affects children and how also, children perceive their surroundings. With that in mind, the purpose of this dissertation is twofold. Firstly, it sets out to investigate aspects of architectural psychology/perception and its relation to children and secondly, it will seek to understand how physical disabilities such as blindness and mobility impairments impact upon the design of buildings. This will set the brief for the design of an Educational Facility for Physically Disabled children, where all of these characteristics will be considered. Through this study, specific characteristics of architectural psychology will be investigated. These include the following: understanding the human senses, sensory emotions and experiences, the effects of colour and light, legibility, wayfinding, place identity related to personal identity and thus critical regionalism and phenomenology. Lastly, the importance of creating sustainable environments and the importance of nature to children will also be looked into, as well as creating safety for children in any type of environment. This research will study the multi – faceted aspects that comprise architecture for the disabled. Therefore, the research will encompass both primary and secondary sources, including relevant precedent and case studies. This research will ultimately provide a design brief, which will inform the eventual outcome for the design of an Educational Facility for Physically Disabled Children.
Thesis (M.Arch.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

Dealing with the issue of buildings showing characteristics of sick building syndrome, could result in occupants suffering negative side effects. Healthy living is a primary need for society. Everyday pollution in society has led to these negative outcomes of physical and psychological well-being of space users. When investigating factors such as natural light, colour, fresh air, visual contact with water and nature or noise pollution, it is found that exposure to such natural elements positively influences human behaviour, health and productivity in a live, work and play environment. This dissertation is aimed at developing an understanding conducted under the hypothesis of how architectural environments, through the theory of environmental psychology: a study of the relationship between natural environments, affect human behaviour and well-being. A healthy environment requires regular contact with nature promoting physical and psychological benefits, crucial to an individual’s health and happiness. By reducing sick building syndrome, it could increase performance and improve overall health and well-being. Occupants of the chosen case studies completed questionnaires through distribution and structured interviews personally conducted, focusing on a qualitative method. Assessing and evaluating the aims, objectives and key questions and understanding of how Biophilic Architecture influences human behaviour and well-being was obtained. Case (Alexander Forbes and Nedbank Ridgeview) and precedents studies (Prisma Nürnberg and Khoo Teck Paut Hospital) were investigated through Edward, O. Wilsons’ Biophilia hypothesis theory of mans affiliation with nature and incorporating it into building forms, showing how architectural design can evoke human behaviour through natural design elements. Architectural design is about humanity’s ‘sense of place’ (concept of Genius Loci) in nature and where the natural environment fits into the physical environment. Biophilic designs’ sensory rich world affects human health, productivity, emotional, intellectual and spiritual well-being, as well as reducing stress levels and eases pain. Biophilic Architecture could be the solution through a link of natural and physical environments, positively influencing human behaviour and well-being. Futuristic sustainability should have the combination of biophilic design and low environmental impact, resulting in a restorative nature based design: a true result of a positive psychological environment, a ‘sense of place,’ people want to experience, that is healthy, nurturing, and delightful to its occupants, improving the experiential quality of architectural space.
Thesis (M.Arch.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013.