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Barnard, Amy Grace. "Lesbians' experiences of depression: Linking experience to social discourse." Diss., The University of Arizona, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/280674.
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Depression is being diagnosed worldwide at rapidly increasing rates. The World Health Organization has identified depression as the second leading cause of disability worldwide. Women are diagnosed with depression at twice the rate of men. Although much research has been conducted on depression in women, there is very little research on depression in lesbians. The impact of living within a heteronormative society upon lesbians' experiences of depression is unknown. The purpose of this study was to explore lesbians' subjective experiences of depression. Critical ethnographic methods were used to study the ways that lesbians construct their experiences of depression. Twelve self-identified lesbians participated in up to three in-depth interviews conducted over an eight month period. Social constructionism and critical theories underpinned the study's methodology. Thematic analysis led to a schema of themes, domains, and categories that described the participants' experiences. The analysis found no commonalities across the narratives linking being a lesbian with experiences of depression. However, many patterns did emerge describing the ways that the participants construct their experiences of depression. Four themes were identified: Being depressed: Describing the experience, The roots of depression: Emotional dissonance, Managing depression: Desire for relief, and Explaining depression: Needing to know why . The dominant discourses of depression forwarded by psychiatry and psychology have penetrated the popular culture and shaped the participants' understandings of their feelings of depression. These discourses assist in the maintenance of social hegemonies. Further analysis of the study themes led to the discovery that experiences of depression are class-mediated, with study outliers offering glimpses into alternative class-based constructions of depression. The participants shared a number of constructs in formulations of their sexuality. Lesbian identity and radical-cultural feminist discourses underpinned the participants' narratives of identity. Class privilege was identified as significant in these women's abilities to comfortably negotiate their marginalized sexuality within a heteronormative society. Implications of the study for nursing practice, education and research include the formulation of new understandings of lesbianism and sexuality. Findings indicate future depression research must explore of the ways social class influences experiences and perceptions of depression.
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Sandher, Kevin. "Students' social experiences through inventing games." Thesis, University of British Columbia, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/48518.
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Although small group work is often used as a pedagogical tool in physical education (PE), little is known about factors that affect the social experiences of the students, as reported from their own perspective as they work in a small group setting. The purpose of this research was to enable a number of grade eight male students to share their lived social experiences as they engaged in an Inventing Games (IG) unit. This study was framed within a wider study, conducted by the principal investigator (Dr. Joy Butler), and initiated under the auspices of a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council grant in 2009. The goal of the larger project was to investigate how IG, an educational program in Physical Education (PE), can support the development and awareness of principles of ethical actions as they become manifest in situated and collaborative learning contexts (Butler, Hopper & Davis, 2009). My study focused on one group within my PE class. The students in the focus group shared their social experiences through journals and interviews over the course of an eight-session unit. I used a phenomenological approach to analyze the data and in the process I identified four themes: (a) inclusion within the decision-making process, (b) acknowledging ideas, (c) student-selected team selection process, and (d) relating the IG experience to “real- life.” These four themes became apparent through a process of applying a complexity thinking lens to examine the ways in which the focus group could be understood in terms of a complex adaptive system, and to identify the ways in which the conditions of complex emergence were established to allow for emergent learning within the group. This study has had an impact on my teaching practice and, in turn, could have implications for the wider PE community. For example, on the basis of valuable insights gained from the students in the focus group, I have achieved a better understanding overall of the social experiences of students as they engage in PE, and am consequently better equipped to look out for hidden negative social experiences that can occur in small group settings.Education, Faculty of
Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of
Graduate
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Barrett, Helen. "Childminding experiences and early social development." Thesis, Birkbeck (University of London), 1992. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.265868.
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Prescott, A. "Anomalous experiences, trauma and social support." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 2007. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/1446275/.
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It has become widely recognised that the traditional view of psychosis as a dichotomous entity is inadequate. This review aims to consider research in the context of a continuum model of psychosis, and to ask what determines whether anomalous or psychotic experiences lead to some individuals requiring care from mental health services and others not. Quantitative and qualitative differences in psychotic experiences and distress have been found that may help to answer this important question. There is evidence that appraisals may mediate development of psychosis and need for care. How these appraisals are formed is explored. Trauma has been implicated in the development of psychosis and maladaptive appraisals but the evidence is controversial. Social support and understanding is also considered and may be protective against the transition to psychosis and development of delusions. There is a need for further research to look at whether and how anomalous experiences and maladaptive appraisals are associated with traumatic early and current life events and social environment.
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Myers, William Osborne V. "Daily Control: Immigrant Experiences with Social Control." Kent State University / OhioLINK, 2021. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent161866874718439.
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Millar, Ewen Cameron. "The social construction of near-death experiences." Thesis, University of Stirling, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/1893/26825.
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In this thesis I argue that the category Near-Death Experience (NDE) emerged in the late-twentieth century, and is structured by the discourses of 'Medicine' and 'Science', and the wider discursive factors of the 'Spiritual Marketplace'. Within NDE literature, the experiences of people coming out of their bodies in Operating Theatres, and then travelling to other realms, are considered to have parallels in the accounts of mystics, shamans, and religious visionaries of other cultures and other times. Against this, I argue that the category of the NDE does not "articulate the same field of discourse" (Foucault, 1969:24-25) as these other religious accounts. NDE researchers sift through these accounts in search of a common thread, but miss the wider social fabric of the religious narratives they seek to excavate, as well as the discursive location that structures their own research. In order to reposition this debate within its own history of ideas, I argue that the category "NDE" is itself dependent on the Operating Theatre for its emergence and initial appeal, and it is the Operating Theatre that makes the discourse of NDEs possible. Within the last 120 years, there have been many attempts to intersect science with anomalous experiences on the fringes of human consciousness: Psychical Research categorised deathbed visions in a wider schemata that was interested in how the fringes of the subconscious mind might yield evidence of another reality; contemporary Parapsychology looked at third-person accounts of deathbed visions recounted to Nurses and Doctors across the globe. Neither of these iscourses had the crossover into the wider 'public sphere' that Raymond Moody's book Life After Life (1975) did, a book that recounts first-person accounts of normal people, caught in extreme medical emergencies, who come out of their bodies, witness the medical teams' attempt to resuscitate them, visit a heavenly realm, and return to tell people about it. What is unique about the NDE is not the vision of a world after death, but the context in which this vision occurs. In Chapter 2 I explore that context by arguing that Psychical Researchers' investigation of mediums, apparitions, and deathbed visions sought to prove that posthumous existence of the Other (that is, one's relatives or friends who had passed on to the other side), and indirectly the Self. (Conversely, NDE research, seeks to prove the existence of the Self, and indirectly, the Other.) In Chapter 3 I examine how Medicine and the Modern Hospice Movement shaped the conditions of emergence of the category 'NDE'. The removal of 'death' from the public sphere into the private sphere of the West meant that death became something exotic. The idea that death was a defeat for modern medicine lead to the emergence of the modern Hospice movement, which opened up a space for the visions of those close to death to be recounted in the public sphere. The recounting of such experiences encapsulates a narrative that includes the Surgeon's intervention, the technology used in the Operating Theatre, and of the everyday man or woman talking about their visions, all of which gives these experiences a cultural currency that sets them apart from other religious and/or New Age accounts. In chapter 4 I recognise that, for these experiences to have an appeal, they must have a market to appeal to. Thus, I examine the 'Spiritual Marketplace', and argue that the NDE researchers fundamentally misread the appeal of their life after death accounts. NDE researchers felt that they had uncovered publicly verifiable evidence for life after death, which they expected to shake the foundations of Western society. Instead, these accounts were read as a curio in the privacy of the spiritual consumer's home, an interesting account that suggested death might not be the end of existence, but little else. When their vision of a spiritual revolution failed to materialise, the founders of the NDE movement fell into a bitter war about the precise signification of the category NDE, thus giving an indication of the fundamental indeterminacy of the category. In chapter 5 I explore how NDE research intersects with the discourse of "Science". I therefore examine the construction of science, the function of science, and the limits of science in NDE literature. I begin by examining how the narratives of science permeate NDE literature, and how all sides implicitly reinforce a binary of Science/Religion that emphasises the former as objective and neutral, and the latter as irrational belief. I then argue that, ultimately, NDEs happen at the very limits of human experience in a realm far outside of what can be answered by direct scientific observation; the debate tells us more about the different metaphysical presumptions present than it does about whether or not science can answer the question 'is there life after death?" In chapter 6 I argue that, in the discourse surrounding NDEs, death and mysticism become entwined as the 'exotic other'. I therefore examine how the categories 'death' and 'mysticism' are themselves both bound up in a particular web of signification. The NDE secures its own identity against an understanding of death born in clinical medicine and, latterly, Freudian psychoanalysis: death becomes a point, after which there is an unknown. Similarly, the NDE inherits an understanding of Mysticism that can be traced back to William James. Nevertheless, the understanding of 'death' throughout history is not fixed but fluid, depending on a myriad of cultural and social discourses. Similarly, the modern psychological definition of 'mysticism' as an ineffable, subjective experience is extremely narrow in comparison to the accounts of mystics in the Middle Ages. When the understanding of these two categories changes, the emphasis upon securing 'evidence' for life after death evaporates. This point is missed in contemporary NDE research that assumes that its own desire to find evidence of life after death is reflective of a universal need for humans to believe in religion: whilst NDE researchers believe that they have finally uncovered a window on to another world, I have argued that this is, in fact, a mirror of their own particular predilections and desires.
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Gabrielsson, Andree. "The Changing Social Experience in World of Warcraft : Social Affordances in World of Warcraft and their impact on the Social Gaming Experience." Thesis, Högskolan i Skövde, Institutionen för informationsteknologi, 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:his:diva-16499.
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Design philosophies in MMOs seem to have seen a shift in recent years. What used to be designs for social dependencies and challenging content seems to have become designs for social independence and casual play. This has not gone by unnoticed by communities of players that have gradually increased in size, hoping to find regression in design philosophies for their favorite games. This study combines the social component of Yee’s (2006) model for motivations for online play with Bradner’s (2001) concept of social affordances, and quantitative surveys with qualitative interviews in order to examine how the social player experience in World of Warcraft has changed in relation to changes made to the game. Some of the findings are that the incentives and necessity for socializing with strangers in the game has generally diminished as a consequence of changes made in the game that focus on practical efficiency. External factors that seems to have played a role in these results are age, technological contexts and life contexts of the respondents.
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Nyereyemhuka, Christie Tamuka. "Measuring progress towards developmental social welfare: social worker perceptions and experiences." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/8003.
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The introduction of a new policy and approach to South Africa’s welfare system saw a shift in focus and advancement made towards, the redress of past socio-economic imbalances which was brought on by apartheid laws and legislations which deliberately discriminated against South Africa’s majority groups. Within this new welfare system, came the introduction of The White Paper for Social Development (1997) which advances Developmental Social Welfare as the new approach to social welfare in South Africa.The body of literature around this approach focuses on transformation of welfare services since the adaptation of the new developmental welfare policy in 1997. Amongst scholars there is consensus on the need to continuously explore and to make an analysis of the transformation process advocated by this new approach. Interests in recent times suggest the need to bench mark the transformation process against a set of indicators. This and the study of available literature resulted in this qualitative, exploratory-descriptive and contextual research study with the following goal: To contribute to the proposed evaluation of the implementation of the developmental social welfare approach by measuring progress towards developmental social welfare through social workers’ perceptions and experiences. On the backdrop of the research goal a qualitative research approach was used. A purposive sampling method was used to draw participants from two Non-governmental organisations in Pretoria. Data was collected by means of two focus group interviews and two individual interviews which were tape recorded for data analysis. All the interviews were transcribed verbatim. Data analysis was done using Tesch’s model for data analysis and the findings were displayed in the form of themes subthemes and categories. Data verification occurred in reference to Guba’s model for trustworthiness. The researcher then drew conclusions from this analysis of data and used literature control to discuss the findings. Through these processes this research presents findings in relation to social workers perceptions of the concept of developmental social welfare, their perception on the implementation progress of the developmental social welfare approach, perceptions on Indicators of developmental social work and social welfare and in relation to the principles of the proposed framework by Patel and Hochfeld (2008).
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Wojnar, Danuta Maria. "Miscarriage experiences of lesbian birth and social mothers /." Thesis, Connect to this title online; UW restricted, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/1773/7273.
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Fedor, Megan C. "Social class differences in shared book reading experiences." Click here for download, 2007. http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1338886711&sid=1&Fmt=2&clientId=3260&RQT=309&VName=PQD.
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Ward, N. "Social exclusion and mental well being : lesbian experiences." Thesis, University of Birmingham, 2006. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.509298.
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Foster, Lucy Jane. "Social and psychological experiences of obese young people." Thesis, University of Bristol, 2004. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.402362.
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Rehim, Shrehan. "Exploring young people's experiences on Social Networking Sites." Thesis, University of East London, 2017. http://roar.uel.ac.uk/6724/.
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Online Social Networking Sites (SNS) are a ubiquitous platform for communication and have been considered as one of the most significant changes to how young people interact today. Whilst SNS bring many opportunities, they have also been used as a tool for harassment and abuse online. The term ‘cyberbullying’, is most widely used to describe this phenomenon. A growing body of research demonstrates that cyberbullying has the potential to detrimentally impact young people’s wellbeing. However, this impact is not universal as not all young people describe being negatively affected by cyberbullying. In spite of this, little is known about what mediates the impact of cyberbullying and how resilience is maintained in the face of such challenges. The aim of this study was to qualitatively explore young people’s constructions of negative experiences on SNS and understand the influences and processes mediating such experiences. Fourteen participants (16-18 years old) with previous negative experiences on SNS took part in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were analysed using grounded theory methodology. One core category was constructed: ‘(Re)building self-concept and protective shielding’. It captures the process of making sense of, responding to and resisting the effects of a negative experience online involving complex inter-relationships between the online, individual, social and political context. Central to the findings was participant’s experience of an attack on their self-concept. From being targeted online, participants described harnessing control and responding in several ways (such as using technical strategies, confiding in trusted relationships, re-focusing on meaningful activities and roles) to buffer against the negative impact and (re)build their self-concept. Through this process they gained awareness and took control over their self-narrative which facilitated the development of a protective buffer against future attacks. Limitations of these findings and their implications for future research and practice are considered.
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Neild, Jill. "Drug users : community, social exclusion and gendered experiences." Thesis, University of Central Lancashire, 2006. http://clok.uclan.ac.uk/21914/.
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Those who use heroin and other Class A drugs have been labelled by successive governments since the 1980s as the `enemy within'. Problem drug users, it is claimed, threaten the social cohesion of local communities and put the lives of honest citizens at risk. Anti-drug campaigns have rallied the nation to wage a `war' against drugs, but some commentators have argued that this is actually a war against drug users. British drug policy, it is argued, acts to legitimise and reinforce discrimination, stigmatisation, marginalisation and the social exclusion of Class A drug users, particularly female drug users. This research sought to investigate the social exclusion of heroin users within a high crime area of North East Lancashire. To achieve this aim a survey was undertaken in the area, which in addition to asking the non drug-using residents how they dealt with living in a high crime area, sought to understand their opinions of and behaviour towards those residents believed to be using heroin. The findings of the survey indicated many residents felt their quality of life had seriously been affected by the high amount of crime committed within the area and the majority of these residents claimed the drug-using residents were responsible for this crime. Responses given during the completion of the survey strongly suggested that most non drug-using residents had strong feelings of animosity towards those residents believed to be using Class A drugs and this was confirmed by the negative responses the non drug-using residents gave when discussing the drug-using residents. An understanding of the social existence of those using illicit substances was also sought and this was gained through an ethnographic study of male and female heroin users resident within the area. The findings of the ethnographic research were that drug use was a gendered activity and while both male and female heroin users suffered from discrimination, marginalisation and social exclusion, female heroin users were more `demonised' than male heroin users. This study concludes by making recommendations for changes in policy which, in addition to addressing the deprivation experienced in high crime areas, could also address the discrimination and stigmatisation drug users, especially female drug users, experience. These may also afford drug users the opportunity to overcome social exclusion and return from the margins of society.
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Drewry, Julie Anne. "High School Dropout Experiences: A Social Capital Perspective." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/26260.
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The purpose of this study was to record and analyze students' experiences with dropping out of high school within a social capital framework. Discussing the stories of high school dropouts provided valuable information related to the root causes of dropout behaviors in a social capital context. This information can be used to develop programs designed to increase social capital in schools, families, and communities, which can contribute to a decrease in dropout behaviors.
This phenomenological study took a narratological research approach that focused on collecting the lived experiences of high school dropouts within a social capital framework. The context of this study was a high school in an urban school division in Southwestern Virginia. The participants were five high school dropouts who speak English as a primary language and were a part of the general education population at the high school. Triangulation of data sources included field notes, interviews with the participants, and archival documents. A three-iteration code mapping procedure was used for data analysis to provide an audit trail.
Narrative descriptions of the life histories of each participant were written. The overarching themes resulting from the analysis across the narratives were that none of the students had relationships with members of their families or communities who had the capacity to assist them in their endeavors to complete school; students had the desire to complete school or obtain a GED, but did not have a relationship with any person outside of the school setting who was persistent with encouragement and knowledge; and the students had access to social capital, but did not understand how to use it effectively. Results and conclusions are included in two articles, one written for publication in Sociology of Education, and the other written for publication in Professional School Counseling.Ph. D.
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Whitney, Martha L. "The social support experiences of women with endometriosis." Thesis, This resource online, 1995. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-12172008-063429/.
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Gordon, Karen Elizabeth. "Registered Sex Offenders: Social Disorganization and Lived Experiences." Diss., The University of Arizona, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/316772.
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Using data from the Arizona public sex offender registry (SOR) and interview data from 30 registered sex offenders (RSOs), two probation officers, and one homeless shelter worker, this study addresses RSO housing experiences by placing RSOs at the center of the analysis. First, using a framework of social disorganization, I find RSOs are moderately segregated according to the index of dissimilarity, and tend to reside in areas characterized by lower than average median income and higher than average housing vacancies. The presence of RSOs is another indicator of social disorganization for these neighborhoods. Second, I identify issues faced by RSOs as they search for housing and the strategies they use to obtain housing. Commonly used strategies are being upfront and honest, using the assistance of friends and family members, and finding housing through private owners. Third, I assess the extent to which the RSO label operates to deter interactions or serves as the basis of harassment. Findings indicate that the RSO label can limit interactions between RSOs and others living near them. It also motivates avoidance particularly among those living in areas of low and moderate social disorganization. Many RSOs or their co-habitants have also experienced harassment due to the RSO label. These findings are problematic in terms of RSO reintegration. Lastly, I explore RSO assessments of the SOR. Many RSOs indicate concern over whether the SOR makes all RSOs appear the same. I offer a social process model in which I consider the process of labeling, stereotyping, and discrimination along with the potential for those who are stigmatized to seek out a basis to stigmatize others or distance themselves from others they perceive of as worthy of separation. I conclude by offering policy implications that are focused on the needs of communities and RSO reintegration issues.
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Dalton, Aja Susanne. "Cycling experiences : exploring social influence and gender perspectives." Thesis, University of the West of England, Bristol, 2016. http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/27227/.
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Whilst a significant gender gap in bicycle usage in the UK has been apparent for some time, the reasons why women are cycling less than men has not been comprehensively studied. Similarly, whilst we know that people influence each other's travel choices, social influence and cycling have been little studied. This qualitative research added to knowledge of this important health and transport policy area by providing new data on women's and men's experiences of cycling in two UK cities; Bristol and Cardiff. A reflexive sociological perspective, which combined influences from both critical realism and feminism, informed the research and shaped the research design and the data production and analysis. A total of 49 discussions were conducted with females and males who currently cycle, using a novel two-stage methodology, involving 42 semi-structured interviews and 7 linked social reference focus groups (SRFGs), with social contacts of the initial interviewee. This method was designed in order to detect social influence on (inward) and from (outward) research participants. The data were analysed using thematic analysis and presented using five key themes; affective barriers, affective enablers, instrumental barriers, instrumental enablers, and gendered aspects of the cycling experience. Key differences were identified around aggression and competitiveness in cycling, gendered norms on clothing and appearance and the continuation of gendered social roles. However, a large degree of commonality between men and women was also present, especially around the desire for a safer and more attractive cycling experience. Social influence was explored using 'social maps', which participants made to describe their key social influences related to cycling. Social influence was gendered, with women more likely to encourage other women, and men other men. Participants also portrayed their influence as largely positive, with no or few negative social influences, although instrumental influencers were sometimes viewed as negative. The research highlighted the need to encourage women to cycle by both providing better for their infrastructural needs, but also to recognise the often different ways in which they might approach cycling in policy initiatives. Further research could explore ways in which this could be achieved, and also provide a comparative analysis of men's and women's cycling experience between a UK location and a high-cycling country location, such as the Netherlands, Denmark or Germany.
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Hemy, Melanie. "Persisting in Field Education: Social Work Student Experiences." Thesis, Griffith University, 2021. http://hdl.handle.net/10072/405205.
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Field education is a core component within social work education and vital to enable students to integrate their learning and professional practice. In addition to the challenges associated with undertaking tertiary studies, many also have to balance this new role of ‘student’ with other roles and responsibilities. Undertaking field placement can therefore present as a barrier to their persistence. This research was designed to address gaps in knowledge about the experience of social work students and strategies they adopt in order to persist with field education.
To explore these issues further, 16 Master of Social Work students were recruited to participate in two semi-structured, in-depth interviews. In contrast to other field education research, student perspectives were sought at two different points in placement. The research explored their experience focussing on what students perceived as being helpful or as hindering their field education.
The methodological framework adopted was founded on an understanding of social constructivism that acknowledges the socially constructed nature of knowledge and the existence of multiple realities. This approach matched the exploratory nature of the study. Consideration of Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory in the research design and analysis, contributed to the development of a Framework that took the perspective of student persistence from within a sociocultural context of social work field education. These two perspectives, combined with the influence of narrative research theory, enabled a research design that has deepened an appreciation of the experience of persistence in field education to be exposed and meanings to be understood.
The results of the research revealed new knowledge about the breadth of factors that influence students’ field education and how they persist. The study concluded that students engage in a finely balanced and complex process to manage the competing roles, responsibilities, and other influential factors within their environment. Furthermore, the thesis concludes that there are aspects of the field education context and the wider environment that are significant to persistence, but over which students have little control. The findings have long term implications for social work field education which need addressing through research and change.Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School of Health Sci & Soc Wrk
Griffith Health
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White, Vicky. "Seeing through state social work : women social workers' experiences in statutory settings." Thesis, University of Warwick, 2000. http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/2990/.
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The thesis begins with a review of the feminist social work literature, setting out four key issues: the immersion of women social workers in feminist social workidentity, the creation of egalitarian relationships with women-service users, the goal of empowerment and the neglect of the statutory context. Research questions are generated in the process of discussing these themes, with a view to beginning to redress the paucity of empirical research in this area. The state is then explored as crucial to developing an understanding of the characteristics and the operation of social work. The advent of managerialism in state social work is presented as the locus in which women social workers' experiences arc grounded and practice possibilities are constructed. The thesis moves on to consider the mainslreaming of gender in the reform of social work education undertaken by CCETSW. These developments in social work education are seen as consistent with trends in state social work more generally. The methods used in the case study are introduced and the data this case study produced are discussed in relation to: women social workers' identities, identifications and stances; egalitarian relationships and empowerment; and managerialism. The thesis concludes by summarising its findings and drawing out their implications for future research and practice based on accommodations between women social workers and state social work.
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Amaya, Mariam, and Lindholm Markus Seppälä. "Experiences of international social work graduates entering the labor market." Thesis, Högskolan i Gävle, Socialt arbete, 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-34158.
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The aim of the study is to explore the experiences of international social work graduates when looking for employment in the field of social work in Sweden after graduation. Because the aim of the study is to study the experiences a graduate face when entering the labor market, we have deemed that a qualitative method with semi structured interviews to collect data would be best suited for our research. The selection will be chosen from international social work graduates who studied in Sweden. The intention is to focus on both graduates with 210 study points and graduates with 180 study points. 4 participants together. The empirical data was analyzed with the mind of using the theory of capital by Pierre Bourdieu. This theory; the theory of capital is seen as an empirically orientated concept, that has been one of the most widely used concepts in international sociology and on the intersection of sociology and educational studies. The authors have put the findings in three (3) categories: Background, labor market and further improvement. These themes were found to be a commonality with the graduates interviewed. This study found that it can be hard to acquire employment nationally, with an international social work degree.
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Bracewell, Kelly Anne. "Teenagers' experiences of domestic violence refuges." Thesis, University of Central Lancashire, 2017. http://clok.uclan.ac.uk/20513/.
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Refuges have been central to UK domestic violence service provision since the 1970s. Early studies focused on the needs of adult women but increasingly, children and teenagers have also become the business of refuges. Much of the existing research regarding users’ experiences of refuges has, however, failed to distinguish the needs of teenagers (aged 13 to 18 years) from those of adult women and younger children. This study aims to redress this balance by examining the current service response provided by refuges for teenagers. Teenagers aged 16 and 17 are now incorporated within the Government definition of domestic violence and abuse in England and Wales (Home Office, 2013). This policy shift requires refuges to ensure appropriate provision for under-18s. The research investigates how teenagers experience refuges and whether refuge provision responds effectively to the needs and rights of teenagers. The findings can be used to inform policy and service development. This study is influenced by elements of feminist theory and the sociology of childhood which prioritise subjective understandings of experience and children’s agency. Data collection took place in refuges across the North West, East and West Midlands of England. It involved telephone interviews with 25 members of staff and face to face repeat interviews using participatory methods with 20 teenagers, resulting in 89 interviews. Originality resides in the detailed exploration of teenagers’ experiences across the length of their refuge stay and, in some cases, into their new homes. Interviews revealed an absence of educational, emotional and social support throughout the period of a teenager’s stay, and the picture was similar upon resettlement from the refuge. Difficulties experienced by teenagers during their refuge residence related to specific features of adolescence; refuges’ focus on safety and protectionism was particularly problematic for adolescent development. Refuge life was found to have severe negative effects on teenagers’ education. This study found that refuges are currently missing opportunities to reduce harm and promote prevention of future domestic violence and abuse by building teenagers’ resilience. This thesis argues for attitudinal change as well as relevant resources. The research highlights the shortcomings of refuges and links them to conceptions of victimhood in refuge policy and the changing nature and reduction of services. These conditions are restricting refuges’ ability to respect, protect and meet the rights of teenagers. This thesis advocates for teenagers to have greater visibility and recognition as service users in their own right.
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Aravena, Nina Dilcia Kelly, Benites Reymin Enrique Peregrino, Acuña Milagros Gabriela Sihue, and Ramírez Lila Zadith Yupanqui. "Sharing experiences." Bachelor's thesis, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas (UPC), 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/10757/625522.
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El presente proyecto trata del analizar la factibilidad económica y financiera para el establecimiento de una empresa dedicada a la prestación de talleres para como: baile, canto, Pilates y cocina. Dicho proyecto será evaluado, considerando una proyección de 5 años. El nombre del proyecto es SHARING EXPERIENCES o Compartiendo Experiencias, porque desde el primer momento buscamos la integración de los participantes, integrándoles a un nuevo grupo social, que les permita incrementar su círculo social a la par de lograr el bienestar emocional. El proyecto está dirigido especialmente a profesionales o propietarios de empresas entre una edad de 35 y 55 años, del NSE B, que estén conscientes que sufren periodos de stress y que deseen eliminarlos a través de actividades sociales y recreativas. Nuestra estrategia empresarial será de diferenciación al ofrecer un servicio que cuente con instructores altamente capacitados, una web amigable que permita ser una red social de nuestros clientes y brinde seguridad para sus transacciones, además de contar con un sistema de gestión eficiente que nos permita entregar nuestro servicio de manera fiable, consistente y segura.The present project tries to analyze the economic and financial feasibility for the establishment of a company dedicated to the provision of workshops for such as: dance, singing, pilates and cooking. Said project will be evaluated, considering a projection of 5 years. The name of the project is COMPARTIENDO EXPERIENCIAS or Sharing Experiences, because from the first moment we look for the integration of the participants, integrating them to a new social group, which allows them to increase their social circle while achieving emotional well-being. The project is aimed especially at professionals or owners of companies between 35 and 55 years of age, of the NSE B, who are aware that they suffer periods of stress and wish to eliminate them through social and recreational activities. Our business strategy will be differentiated by offering a service that has highly trained instructors, a friendly web that allows being a social network of our customers and provides security for their transactions, as well as having an efficient management system that allows us to deliver our service in a reliable, consistent and safe way.
Trabajo de investigación
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Söderberg, Veronica. "Privilege and Power : Swedish Social Workers’ Understandings, Experiences, Reflections, and Emotions." Thesis, Umeå universitet, Institutionen för socialt arbete, 2021. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-184873.
Full textAbstract:
Social workers are able to both promote social justice as well as exercise social control, however, the topics of privilege and power are rarely discussed regarding how it is experienced and perceived by social workers. The purpose of this thesis was to deepen the understanding of Swedish social workers, their experience and reflections regarding their own privileges and power. To achieve this, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight Swedish social workers and thematic analysis was applied to the data with a framework of social constructionism. The analysis resulted in five themes: the vagueness of privilege; the ambiguity of power; reflection is a priority, but not concerning privilege and power; multifaceted experiences and emotions; and leveling the playing field. Findings indicate that social workers experience privilege and power in a variety of ways which impact and affect their daily practice. By suggesting that privilege and power are contextual and complex concepts, the study recognizes that there are no identical experiences. The findings also reveal that privilege and power can subliminally be present in the various experiences. While the participants sometimes did not identify them as such, their reports brought the presence of privilege and power in their practice to light.Socionomer har möjlighet att både arbeta för social rättvisa och utöva kontroll, emellertid diskuteras sällan privilegier och makt gällande hur de upplevs av socionomer. Syftet med denna uppsats var att fördjupa förståelsen för svenska socionomer och deras erfarenheter och reflektioner avseende deras privilegier och makt. För att uppnå detta genomfördes semistrukturerade intervjuer med åtta svenska socionomer, tematisk analys tillämpades på informationen med ett teoretiskt perspektiv i social konstruktion. Analysen resulterade i fem teman: privilegiernas vaghet; maktens tvetydighet; reflektion är en prioritet, men inte gäller privilegier och makt; mångfacetterade upplevelser och känslor; samt utjämnande av spelplanen. Resultaten indikerar att socionomer upplever privilegier och makt på flera sätt som påverkar deras dagliga arbete. Genom att föreslå att privilegier och makt är kontextuella och komplexa står studien för att det inte finns några identiska upplevelser. Resultaten tyder också på att privilegier och makt undermedvetet vara närvarande i de olika upplevelserna och fastän deltagarna ibland inte identifierade dem som sådana, så avslöjade deras berättelser närvaron av privilegier och makt i arbetet.
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Maundeni, Tapologo. "Children's experiences of divorce in Botswana." Thesis, University of Glasgow, 2000. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/1026/.
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This study explores children and mothers' perceptions of children's experiences of divorce in Botswana. To illuminate this complex topic, the study draws on two main overlapping theoretical perspectives. These are the social constructionist approach and the sociology of childhood approach. The concept of resilience as well as some concepts of feminist theory, social network theory and family stress theory were also used in the study. A few children believed their experiences had long-term effects on them. These were mainly children who experienced multiple stressors. For example, they perceived: their relations with mothers (who were their custodial parents) as negative, their relations with fathers were not close, they believed they experienced severe economic declines, they changed neighbourhoods and schools many times, witnessed and / or were victims of parental violence either for many years prior to the separation or continued to be exposed to violence even after the legal divorce. This study has explored an issue that remains largely unexplored in developing countries. Some of its findings are similar in broad terms to those of studies that have been conducted in developed countries, but they manifest themselves differently. For example, women in this study stayed in unhappy marriages for many years partly because of lack of services for them, customary laws that make divorce more difficult for women than for men, cultural expectations that require women to persevere in order to preserve their marriages and fear of stigma as well as economic hardships. Therefore when violence occurred, its impact on their children can be much more severe compared to their counterparts in developed countries. Findings of this study are also manifested differently from those of studies from developed countries in relation to children's experiences of economic hardship during the post-divorce period. Studies from both developing and developed countries attest to the low family income in maternal custody families following divorce. However, children in developing countries such as Botswana experience more severe economic hardships than their counterparts in developed countries because welfare programmes in the countries are less generous and the criteria used to determine eligibility exclude able-bodied unemployed mothers. The major policy implications arising from this study that need close attention therefore are: the need to improve the economic circumstances of children, the need to reduce if not eliminate children's exposure to parental violence, as well as the need to educate parents about how they can help their children to cope with the divorce process.
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Sime, Caroline Ann. "Men’s experiences of having breast cancer : a comparison with women’s experiences." Thesis, University of Glasgow, 2012. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/3232/.
Full textAbstract:
Background: In the UK, men with breast cancer account for1% of all new cases of breast cancer with only 341 men receiving this diagnosis throughout the UK in 2008 (Cancer Research, 2010b). There is a lack of research on all aspects of men with breast cancer in large part due to the rarity of the disease. However it is the psychosocial effects of receiving a breast cancer diagnosis, and the subsequent support available to men, that has in particular been ignored. To date, no study compares men’s and women’s experiences of having breast cancer. Furthermore, breast cancer is arguably at the most extreme ‘female’ end of a spectrum of illnesses that men can experience, and is likely to pose particular challenges for men’s identities, which may have profound implications for their use of health services, attitudes to treatment and living beyond their cancer diagnosis. The aim of this study therefore is to compare men’s and women’s experiences of having breast cancer and what effect, if any, having a ‘female’ cancer has on a man’s identity. Methods: The data on men’s experiences of breast cancer derive from interviews with 19 men with breast cancer in which semi-structured questions and prompts explored: what prompted them to seek help for their breast symptom; their own reactions to having breast cancer; the reactions of family, friends, colleagues and health professionals; their experience of treatment; the embodied effects of treatment and living beyond their breast cancer diagnosis. These data were collected using the methods employed by researchers at the Health Experiences Research Group in Oxford, see www.healthtalkonline.org, so that a) they could contribute towards a new module on men’s experiences of breast cancer, and b) they could be compared with existing interviews on women’s experiences of breast cancer. The transcripts of 23 interviews with women who had breast cancer were made available for secondary analysis. The interviews with men with breast cancer were undertaken in such a way that direct comparison was possible. Analysis of both collections was undertaken using the framework approach to compare the men’s and women’s experiences of having breast cancer. Findings: The findings demonstrated both similarities and differences between men’s and women’s experiences of having breast cancer. First, the help-seeking practices of the men and women were found to be similar. The men were largely ignorant that men could get breast cancer, but this did not prevent some from attending their doctor. In turn, knowing that women can get breast cancer did not ensure women sought help for their breast symptom straight away. Help-seeking was found to be a complex process for both men and women that shared some push/pull elements that influenced their help-seeking. The disclosure practices of the men and women were found to be similar and changed over time. Men used ‘strategic announcing’ to educate other men of the risk of breast cancer in men. The women in this study changed their disclosure behaviour to either protect their families from their illness, or themselves from negative encounters with people. The men also described feeling they had to disclose their illness when treatment side effects made them look ill, whereas some women described using aids such as wigs and prostheses to conceal changes in their appearance. Contrasting experiences of healthcare were reported by men and women. The women were often given a treatment choice, could access information at different points throughout their treatment and had a variety of support networks. In contrast, the men were given few choices in their treatment, little or female-specific information, and reported limited sources of support. The men recounted negative experiences in the clinic and ward setting. They were mistaken as supporters not as the patient, experienced suspicion from female patients and were not given adequate resources to manage their treatment. In contrast, most women had positive experiences during their treatment and felt supported within the healthcare environment. There was some evidence to suggest the effect on their closest relationships was similar for men and women with breast cancer. Most married men and women suggested their relationships had remained good and in some cases improved, adapting to physical changes and expressing their affection in other ways. The wives of men with breast cancer played a key role during their experiences of help-seeking, disclosure, offering support and retrieving information. Most of the men in this study appeared to successfully renegotiate their masculine identities to incorporate their breast cancer experiences. Some men felt their new role was to educate and ‘spread the word’ that men can, and do, develop breast cancer. A renegotiated traditional male stereotype was constructed including traditionally female characteristics to present an identity that enabled the men to cope with negative experiences within their communities and the healthcare setting. Conclusions: There are similarities in the experiences of men and women with breast cancer. However, a lack of awareness men can develop breast cancer and the rarity of the disease has led to the development of female specific services and treatment. Greater social awareness and gender-sensitive healthcare is necessary to improve the experiences of men with breast cancer.
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Mthombeni, Sithembile. "Motivating factors of social entrepreneurs : the experiences of social entrepreneurs based in Gauteng." Diss., University of Pretoria, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/52265.
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Social entrepreneurs, by deploying simple but creative solutions to seemingly complex problems, are catalysts of transformational change. The innovations inherent in their initiatives have wide-ranging and beneficial impacts on society. These have particular application in the South African context, which is characterised by unemployment, poverty, HIV/AIDS, and lack of access to sufficient levels of healthcare and education. The innovations thus engendered are not only scalable and easy replicated, they also have relevance in the enhancing of mainstream commercial business models. Given that social entrepreneurs' activities commonly result in public utility, it is germane to understand the underlying motivations that inform their decision to engage with the field.
The social entrepreneur approaches problems differently, he reframes what others see as challenges into opportunities to serve the unmet needs of the vulnerable in society. Thus it is useful to theorise about what motivates him to act. An exploratory, qualitative study was undertaken to gain insight into the inner workings of the psychological motivations driving these individuals to engage with social entrepreneurship. Semi-structured depth interviews were conducted with both social and commercial entrepreneurs, as well as with an expert in entrepreneurship. Through, context analysis utilising computer-aided software Atlas.ti
The findings revealed a unique blend of motivations that inform individuals engagement with social entrepreneurship. Prosocial motivations, altruistic intentions and compassion, were found to be insufficient to induce individuals to engage with social entrepreneurship. The changemaker orientation as well as the desire to innovate and alignment to purpose were presented as core to the motivations of social entrepreneurs. Points of difference were established with commercial entrepreneurs. The study makes a useful contribution to the theory with regards to motivations underlying social entrepreneurial action. An understanding of these motivators not only informs the public sector, policymakers and practitioners, but also aids business s efforts to strengthen the field.Mini Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2015.
pa2016
Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)
MBA
Unrestricted
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Blücker, Bäckström Viktor, and Victor Peolsson. "Social Identity in Social Media : A Qualitative study on Upper Secondary Students Experiences in Social Media." Thesis, Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för psykologi (PSY), 2014. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-40510.
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Syftet med föreliggande studie var att undersöka hur gymnasieelever upplever sociala medier utifrån Tajfels (1974) Social identity theory (SIT) samt vilka negativa och positiva aspekter gymnasieelever upplever med sociala medier. Med hjälp av en kvalitativ intervjumetod utgör svaren från tolv gymnasieelever i södra Sverige empirin för studiens resultat. Tidigare forskning har visat att responsen av andra medlemmar på sociala medier spelar stor roll för ungdomars psykiska välbefinnande. Resultatet visade att anledningen till informanternas användning av sociala medier till stor del berodde på att andra i deras umgängeskrets var aktiva, att informanterna upplevde kränkningar som ett oacceptabelt, men vanligt förekommande, beteende på sociala medier. Allt material bearbetades utifrån Burnards (1991) innehållsanalys där författarna utifrån empirins basala koder konstruerade följande huvudteman/underteman: kommunikation/anonymitet, etik/olämpligt beteende och tillhörighet/gruppidentitet. I diskussionsavsnittet diskuterade författarna resultatet med utgångspunkt utifrån den tidigare forskningen samt SIT. Här diskuterades bland annat att både tidigare forskning samt föreliggande resultat har funnit att individer upplevde en trygghet i att diskutera ämnen av mer kontroversiell karaktär bakom en skärm.
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Foreman, Dayle E. "Evolutionary Journeys: International Practice Experiences of Australian Social Workers." Thesis, Griffith University, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/10072/391520.
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Evolutionary journeys: International practice experiences of Australian social
workers
Research aims
Social work is an international profession. Built on the foundations of social justice, human rights, and guided by evidence-based ethical practice, social work works with people and communities in many jurisdictions and organisational roles. As social work developed as a professional project in major Western countries, social workers sought to engage with the developing world where people faced many problems – poverty, wars, oppression, natural disasters, lack of education options and major health problems. The desire of Western social work to reach out and embark on international projects has been a contested project and the topic of social work research and scholarship. Yet little is known about what those social workers engaging in international practice, actually experience. What were their motivations? How did they prepare for the work? What were the challenges and what guided their practice during the period of international work?
This research explores the experiences of Australian social work practitioners who have worked in international practice contexts. It specifically seeks to determine:
What are the practice experiences of Australian social workers, working internationally? What ‘guides’ Australian social workers’ practice, in an international context, predominately Asian, Pacific, Middle Eastern and African countries?
The aim of the research is to examine how Australian social workers understand and can ‘better understand’ the nature of their international practice. As more social workers embark on working in social development, (South), there is an increasing need to understand the nature of that practice for western trained social workers (North), as they become immersed in totally different contexts. Questions of accountability, ethical practice, and the dilemmas of working cross culturally, arise. This research aims to build upon our current knowledge about Australian social work practitioners working in these international contexts.
Adopting a constructionist theoretical approach and based on Trevithick’s framework for knowledge use in practice, the exploratory qualitative study was undertaken using semi structured interviews with 17 Australian qualified social workers. The study identified several influences on participants’ motivations for entry into international practice, how prepared they were for the work and what they looked for to guide their practice. Participants drew on a range of knowledge sources and were significantly guided by personal and professional values. The study found that international
practice is a highly complex and difficult context and requires preparation, extensive practice experience, content/context knowledge and professional insight.
Implications for social work education, practitioner preparation and support and the general running of international programs are discussed and a new conceptual model for international practice proposed.Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School of Human Serv & Soc Wrk
Griffith Health
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Wu, Kai. "Migrants in Nanjing personal experiences and social process (China) /." Related electronic resource: Current Research at SU : database of SU dissertations, recent titles available full text, 2005. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/syr/main.
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Tietz, Maggie J. "Effects of Social Influence in Transformational Christian Worship Experiences." Scholarship @ Claremont, 2012. http://scholarship.claremont.edu/scripps_theses/39.
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There exists a severe deficit of studies exploring the psychological aspects of Christian worship experiences despite worship’s importance in Christianity and in many people’s lives. Transformational worship experiences can have lasting effects on one’s outlook and psychological functioning (Chou, 2008; Cutler, 1976; Ellison & George, 1994; Fife, Adegoke, McCoy, & Brewer, 2011; Salsman, Brown, Brechting, & Carlson, 2005), yet very few studies have investigated these experiences. The current study sought to explore the effects of group size and style of worship on participants’ feelings of deindividuation and focus on others within the congregation. Seventy-six middle aged adults from a range of ethnicities and denominations took part in an interview that included measures of religious support, social support, style of worship service, and a number of free-response questions about a transformational worship experience in the participant’s past. It was predicted that a more ceremonial worship style and that higher scores in religious and social support would be associated with less focus on specific others, that a more ceremonial worship style would be associated with more religious and social support, and that, depending on the level of religious and social support, the relationship between ceremonial style and focus on other would vary. Except for a significant positive correlation between ceremonial worship style and religious support, the proposed hypotheses were not supported.
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Kadel, Fallon. "Experiences with social services among homeless LGBTQ young adults." Honors in the Major Thesis, University of Central Florida, 2012. http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ETH/id/571.
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My findings imply that homeless LGBTQ young adults are very limited in where they can go to find LGBTQ-accepting services. Even though all the shelters that were interviewed claimed they did not discriminate against LGBTQ persons, they do not provide and are not affiliated with services or programs that are considered to be LGBTQ- accepting. Based on the research, shelters would rather have clients conform to their pre-existing structure rather than the shelters conforming to the specific needs of the clients.; The goal of this research is to explore what programs and services are being provided at various homeless shelters in the South Florida area that would appeal to homeless clients who self-identify as a member of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer/questioning (LGBTQ) community, if staff and faculty are trained on how to better address LGBTQ specific issues, how often staff receive LGBTQ sensitivity training, what demographic information is being recorded upon client intake and whether or not homeless LGBTQ young adults would feel safe using their facility when receiving social services. Data for this research was collected through brief, confidential telephone interviews with staff members at twenty-five various social service providers throughout the Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade Counties of South Florida. Short interviews were also conducted with two major LGBTQ advocacy groups in Broward and Miami-Dade County. As a result of completing my research, I have found that no shelters in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade County provide programs or services that are identified as LGBTQ-friendly. There are a few shelters that are affiliated with the local LGBTQ advocacy groups and will refer LGBTQ clients to these groups for services. Training on cultural diversity is required of all staff members of each social service provider, however in these cultural diversity training sessions, LGBTQ issues are just reviewed and not the main focus of the sessions. In addition to a lack of direct focus on LGBTQ specific issues, these training sessions are infrequent. This research also shows that social services are taking into account demographic information such as race and sex but not really focusing on sexual orientation or gender identity, leaving us with a severe lack of data on where this specific population is going to receive social services.B.A.
Bachelors
Sciences
Sociology
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Doran, Patricia. "Social support along the cancer pathway : older people's experiences." Thesis, University of Manchester, 2018. https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/social-support-along-the-cancer-pathway-older-peoples-experiences(5da65511-b60f-4923-ba81-7e6e2f635ab2).html.
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Cancer is predominately a disease of the older population and the recent changes in the cancer field, as a result of ageing, have been rapid and remarkable. Soon as many as one in two people will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their life. Social support has been shown to have a positive effect on experiences of older people with cancer, however how social support creates a positive effect is still not clearly understood. To address this gap in knowledge, this PhD research explored older people's experiences of social support along the cancer pathway. How social support could influence firstly treatment inequality experienced by older people with cancer, and secondly the quality of life of cancer survivors, was the primary focus of the research. The complexity of the topic, that is the interplay between cancer, older people, and social support, led to integrating qualitative and quantitative methods in a mixed methods design. The first phase of the research involved analysing stories from older people who had used advocacy services to gain support. Thematic analysis methods were applied to cancer narratives to gain a better understanding of the relationship between social support and treatment decisions made by older people with cancer. An exploratory sequential design was followed and the second phase of the research was directed by the findings from the qualitative research. Bivariate and multivariate regression analysis was carried out using data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing to gain greater understanding of the relationship between social support and quality of life of older people living with and beyond cancer. The qualitative findings highlighted emotional support needs relating to coping and loneliness. Although advocates were able to help in practical ways it was the emotional support provided though the act of being there that had the greatest impact. Most people reported high social support and had good quality of life (although cancer survivors on average had slightly lower quality of life compared to people without cancer). However, those who reported having low support or no support reported much poorer quality of life. The relationship was similar for both cancer survivors and older people without cancer. The findings potentially reflect complex situations (such as being a carer or not in stable accommodation) that can be adversely affected by also living with cancer. Interventions that increase social support, particularly through the act of 'being there' are likely to improve quality of life for older people living with cancer.
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Hansen, Jeremy Thomas. "Social media habits and experiences of higher education administrators." Thesis, California State University, Long Beach, 2016. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10133977.
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This qualitative research study examined higher education administrators experience with social media as it pertains to their profession and work. As social media use among students and the general public continues to grow, this new technology has found its way into universities in administrators’ professional and private lives. The relatively young age of social media as a technology has raised many questions for administrators about how to adapt and adopt it as a tool to ultimately improve the student experience at colleges. In this qualitative study, eight administrators at California State University, Long Beach were interviewed to explore their views, concerns, and challenges related to social media. Findings from this study show that administrators had privacy concerns utilizing social media and faced challenges navigating the dual relationships that could form on social media platforms. Administrators see the need for social media competency training that can increase the effective use of social media on a college campus. The results of this study clearly call for universities to assist administrators with adopting and adapting to new technologies, and for further research to be done on how student-teacher relationships are changing due to social media. Implications include social media use by administrators improving the universities relationship with the community, as well as developing online privacy training sessions for administrators.
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Eze, Vincent, and Benard Kiarie. "Perceptions and Experiences of Social Integration among Adult Immigrants." Thesis, Högskolan i Gävle, Avdelningen för socialt arbete och psykologi, 2016. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-22561.
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A sense of social belonging is an important factor for integration. The different experiences that immigrants face towards social integration were of major interest to the authors. The authors conducted a qualitative study based on the experiences that immigrants went through as well as their perceptions of social integration. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four immigrants, ranging between 31- 42 years of age. The themes found during the analytic process were: Swedish language, social networks and information, identifying yourself and culture. The most important findings were that social workers and other persons in authorities were important for establishing contacts with native-born, as they introduced them to activities that led to interaction with native Swedish. Social activities, in particular, seemed to play an important role in establishing contact with native-born and creating a social network.
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Evans, R. E. "Police officers' experiences of social support after traumatic incidents." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 2012. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/1361008/.
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Overview This volume is in three sections. The literature review examines the evidence for social support mitigating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in emergency service personnel. Nineteen studies met the criteria for the review. A negative correlation between social support and PTSD symptoms was consistently reported, but the quality of evidence was variable. Further longitudinal research, and more sophisticated measurement of social support, is needed. The empirical paper reports on a qualitative study exploring police officers’ experiences of supportive and unsupportive interactions following potentially traumatic incidents. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 police officers; transcripts were analysed thematically. A range of supportive interactions were described. Ambivalence about the use of talking was common, especially in the work context. Formal sources of work-based support were viewed sceptically, with a preference for humour and indirect talk with colleagues. Outside work, partners were a central source of support, although concerns that others would not understand the nature of emergency work or required protection from it, acted to constrain these interactions. The critical appraisal reflects on the process of planning and executing the research presented in the empirical paper, with a focus on recruitment and the interviewing process. The intertwining effects of the researcher on the research, and vice versa, are considered, with reference to epistemological and personal reflexivity.
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Ngema, Vukile Msizi. "The experiences of social justice by learners in school." Diss., University of Pretoria, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/65453.
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This study is based on the assumption that the complexities associated with racial and cultural integration has impacted on the ways in which learners at urban secondary schools understand/interpret social justice. The research question, ‘How do adolescent learners give meaning to the concept of social justice in schools?’ which directs this study, is informed by this assumption. The purpose of the study, informed by this question, was to explore and describe the ways in which participating adolescent learners give meaning to and experience the concept of social justice at their schools. A qualitative research approach and a phenomenological research design were regarded as most appropriate to an exploration of learner experiences of social justice. Data was collected by means of focus group interviews: ten learners from one former Model C school in the Tshwane South District discussed and shared their views on social justice as a phenomenon at this school. Their views were subsequently transcribed, analysed and interpreted to determine the manner in which they experience and ascribe meaning to social justice at their ‘urban’ secondary school. Indications from this analysis are that adolescent learners at this school attach different meanings to the concept of social justice. A whole range of meanings were attributed to social justice: retribution, restoration, consideration, human rights, respect for authority, and human entitlement. Based on these findings, my recommendations in this regard are that educators should play a role in promoting, protecting and instilling human rights in schools.Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2017.
Humanities Education
MEd
Unrestricted
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Wyckoff, Donna Louise Galey. "Speaking about life experiences : personal narrativizing and social constructionism." The Ohio State University, 1994. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1285259040.
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Mallinson, Sarah Helen. "Perfectionism and youth sport experiences : a social-cognitive perspective." Thesis, University of Leeds, 2015. http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/12246/.
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Research has identified that perfectionism influences the way young people think, feel, and behave in sport. Typically, this research has focused on the separate effects of two main dimensions of perfectionism. The purpose of this thesis was to extend such research by testing the recently developed 2 × 2 model of perfectionism, which focuses on combinations (or subtypes) of the two main dimensions of perfectionism, in relation to the quality of young people’s sport experiences. The first of four studies suggested that the four subtypes of perfectionism from the 2 × 2 model are predictive of indicators of positive experiences in youth sport in a manner consistent with the model’s hypotheses. The second study suggested that the four subtypes are also predictive of indicators of negative experiences in youth sport but support for the model’s hypotheses was less consistent. The third study adopted qualitative research methods to explore the experiences of youth sport participants deemed prototypical of the four subtypes from their own perspective. The findings suggested that sport experiences differed considerably across the four subtypes and supported the model to varying degrees. The final study sought to understand where practitioners might be able to intervene and so examined the moderating role of perceptions of coaches and peers on the four subtypes in regards to young people’s sport experiences. The findings demonstrated that in a high coach task-involving climate all four subtypes experience lower friendship conflict, while in a high coach ego-involving climate three of the four subtypes experience less enjoyment. Collectively, these studies suggest that the 2 × 2 model of perfectionism is a useful framework for understanding the experiences of youth sport participants. To intervene at the level of the coach-created motivational climate may improve the sport experiences of young people who differ in combinations of perfectionism dimensions.
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Alrai, Mohammad Sarif. "#Like : what are adolescents' experiences of using social media?" Thesis, University of East London, 2015. http://roar.uel.ac.uk/4524/.
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Adolescent engagement with digital communication, especially social media, has risen in recent years. Given this, and a lack of psychological exploration of the topic, the current study set out to understand the experience of adolescents using social media. Six participants (three male and three female aged 14) shared their experiences through semi-structured interviews. They were all year 10 students in an Academy in southeast England. The resulting data was analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Eight group superordinate themes were identified. These highlighted a variety of positive and negative experiences. The themes were explored in relation to conceptual models and latent psychological factors that could be motivating mechanisms driving the use of social media. Comparisons made between these findings and existing literature demonstrated a need for more ‘bottom-up’ qualitative research to understand adolescent social media use. The findings highlighted a number of areas relating to professional practice with adolescents using social media. There is a particular need for dialogue between these social media users and the personal and professional networks of people who support them. Implications for practice are discussed.
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Brikkels, Melanie A. "Social and educational experiences of secondary school lesbian youth." Diss., University of Pretoria, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/45885.
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The study contributes to existing, but limited research on the social and academic experiences of lesbian learners in South African secondary schools. A lesbian refers to a woman who is sexually attracted to the same gender as herself. The purpose of this study was to obtain an in-depth understanding of the positive and negative experiences of lesbian youth in South African secondary schools.
A qualitative research approach guided by the interpretivist paradigm was followed, as the focus was on the meaning that the individual participants awarded to their experiences and their world. A case study research design was used as it is regarded as a process of in-depth inquiry that generates detailed descriptions of a single unit or bounded system.
The findings of this study are in line with existing literature on the experiences of lesbian learners in secondary schools. As in the literature this study indicated that the lesbian learners included in this study are subjected to negative social and academic experiences such as; homophobic verbal, sexual and emotional harassment and abuse, as well as school disengagement. Their positive experiences included a decrease in homophobic harassment and abuse, an increased sense of self worth and confidence, increased visibility, academic achievement and resilience and lower levels of absenteeism, truancy and school dropouts.
It was interesting to note that most of the heterosexual learners’ and teachers’ at the schools included in this study’s attitude towards the lesbian learners have changed for the better. Most of the heterosexual learners and teachers seemed to be supportive and accommodative of the lesbian learners even though they still found it difficult to accept their lesbian sexual orientation. Based on the outcome of this study, it is recommended that the learners and teachers at the schools included in this study, be sensitised and capacitated with regard to homosexuality, bisexuality and trans-sexuality.Mini-dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2014.
tm2015
Educational Psychology
MEd
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Stewart, Catherine. "Experiences and Expectations of Early Career Australian Social Workers." Thesis, Curtin University, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/86914.
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This nationwide mixed method study explored early career social work experiences of the first year of practice. Questionnaire data identified the scope of organisational support provided in government and non-government health settings. Qualitative information from semi-structured interviews provided insight into the ways in which the development of professional identity in the first year of practice and its relationship with professional capital holds implications for resilience in sustaining practice in the Australian health sector.
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Thiel, Sarah-Kristin. "Serendipitous road trips: Enhancing tourists’ experiences through social interaction." Thesis, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat Munchen, 2014. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/90806/1/Serendipitous%20road%20trips_SKT_Final.pdf.
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Driving can be a lonely activity. While there has been a lot of research and technical inventions concerning car-to-car communication and passenger entertainment, there is still little work concerning connecting drivers. Whereas tourism is very much a social activity, drive tourists have few options to communicate with fellow travellers. The proposed project is placed at the intersection of tourism and driving and aims to enhance the trip experience during driving through social interaction. This thesis explores how a mobile application that allows instant messaging between travellers sharing similar context can add to road trip experiences.
To inform the design of such an application, the project adopted the principle of the user-centred design process. User needs were assessed by running an ideation workshop and a field trip. Findings of both studies have shown that tourists have different preferences and diverse attitudes towards contacting new people. Yet all participants stressed the value of social recommendations. Based on those results and a later expert review, three prototype versions of the system were created. A prototyping session with potential end users highlighted the most important features including the possibility to view user profiles, choose between text and audio input and receive up-to-date information.
An implemented version of the prototype was evaluated in an exploratory study to identify usability related problems in an actual use case scenario as well as to find implementation bugs. The outcomes of this research are relevant for the design of future mobile tourist guides that leverage from benefits of social recommendations.
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Ti, Jimmy Ting Hui. "Influencing public transport passenger experiences via mobile social services." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2016. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/99722/1/Jimmy%20Ting%20Hui_Ti_Thesis.pdf.
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Many public transport passengers avoid social interactions and 'cocoon' themselves with music, books, and more recently, smartphones during their journey. Social norms and the transient nature of commuting turn public transport into a socially passive and isolating environment. This PhD aimed to improve the social experience of passengers through the design and development of PaX---a passenger-centric mobile social network.
This thesis discusses the process and outcomes of designing, developing and evaluating PaX, through three studies and two design iterations. The research showed promising results for passenger-centric social networks to enhance passenger experiences and facilitate a socially active community.
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Grövnes, Alexander. "Designing expressive typing experiences." Thesis, Malmö universitet, Fakulteten för kultur och samhälle (KS), 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-21937.
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The expressive nature of typing has been mostly neglected in research. The possibilities of our full expressive selves are not included in typing experiences.The aim of this thesis is to explore the expressive qualities and experiences of typing and open up new opportunities and possibilities for interaction designers. To fulfil this aim, the qualities of typing itself as a medium are investigated, as well as how handwriting can be used as inspiration and guidance to investigate the potential expressive qualities of typing.The result of this investigation showed how typing possesses personal, behavioral and emotional expressions. Additionally, the investigation lead to the discovery of how typing possesses impressionable experiences. These impressions changed the feeling while typing, could make the user write in a particular way and be used as an expressive tool to another person.
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Nurek, Judy. "Single, divorced mothers experiences of child raising." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/3818.
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Lo, Rocky. "Lived Experiences of Hmong Refugees in America." ScholarWorks, 2019. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/7163.
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Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Hmong refugees immigrated to the United States and have since experienced cultural differences that challenged their traditional way of living. The research problem for this study was Hmong refugees' lived experiences in America because their experience was unknown and unexplored. Addressing this research problem was significant because it provided insight into their experiences and its impact on acculturation as well as distinct cultural experiences not acknowledged or noticeable with monolithic studies. The purpose of this study was to explore Hmong refugees' lived experiences in America using Grove and Torbion's theory of sojourners as the theoretical framework to address research questions, what are the cultural experiences of Hmong refugees living in America? and how have acculturated challenges constructed Hmong refugees lived experiences? A qualitative phenomenological design with semi-structured interviews was employed to explore 8 refugees' lived experiences and coded using Giorgi's 5-step data analysis. Participants reported cultural as well as gender specific experiences that resulted in dissonance, adaptation, loss of ethnic practices, collective to independent lifestyle preferences and its impact on each participant's acculturative approach or cognitive and behavioral adjustments toward American culture. Based on these findings, possible implications for social change include researching ethnic groups separately in order to acknowledge distinct lived experiences related to specific cultural factors as well as healthy and effective methods of integrating immigrants into dominant cultural societies.
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Knudsen, Else Marie. "The experiences of Canadian children of prisoners." Thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London), 2016. http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/3501/.
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Long hidden from academic scrutiny, children of prisoners have recently become the subjects of much academic study, through a variety of disciplines and methods. However many issues within this topic remain under-examined. This study aimed to explore two such issues: the self-reported experiences of children of prisoners, and children in the Canadian context. This thesis analyses the results of qualitative interviews with children aged 6-17 who currently have a parent in prison (N=22). Employing a ‘sociology of childhood’ framework, this project seeks to centre the voice of children themselves, privileging their own views and meaning-making. These data are supplemented with other findings to provide context to children’s narratives, including: interviews with these children’s caregivers in the community (N=12); interviews with a variety of key informants; observations gathered during extensive recruitment efforts with families of prisoners; and reviews of existing policy documents and service provision specific to parental incarceration. The thesis begins with a review of the existing literature, followed by a description of the methods used in the present study. The analysis then begins in Chapter 4 with a discussion of the context of these children’s lives, with a particular focus on poverty. Moving to the data from children themselves, Chapters 5 and 6 explore children’s inner lives and immediate relationships, specifically their emotions about parental incarceration and relationships with their parents. Chapters 7 and 8 pull back to reveal children’s interactions with their communities, and Chapter 9 widens the lens further to explore their experiences within the social policy context. Through a variety of empirical findings and by telling the story of parental incarceration in Canada from a critical and child-centred perspective, this thesis contributes to the scholarly understanding of parental incarceration.
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Francis, Toshi M. "The Lived Experience of Caribbean Women and Their Experiences as Senior-Level Leaders| A Phenomenological Study." Thesis, Capella University, 2017. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10271908.
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Leadership inequity and gender inequality continue to be a concern in society. While women move forward to achieve greater gender equality, a particular group of women, African Americans and Caribbeans, continue to experience significant challenges in the areas of leadership and gender equality in an organizational setting. For this dissertation research, the focus is on Caribbean women. The purpose of the study is to examine the lived experiences of Caribbean women in senior-level leadership positions. This researcher used Husserl’s transcendental phenomenology approach to gain an understanding of each woman’s individual experience as a Caribbean woman in her leadership position. The participants in the study were 10 Caribbean women in senior level leadership positions. The data were gathered using a conversational format and open-ended questions to help participants express their feelings on a deeper level. To analyze the data, a line-by-line approach was implemented to determine themes within the collected data. The results were that some of the Caribbean women faced challenges when making attempts to climb the leadership ladder. Those who faced challenges blamed the challenges they faced on the lack of support from family members, management, and their inability to find mentoring and networking services. They became frustrated with these challenges. Leadership theories—charismatic leadership theory, transformational leadership theory, transactional leadership theory and social identity theory—were used to guide the data analysis and findings of the study. Each participant reflected on an aspect of leadership and its application to themselves. The participants gained insight into how their social identities may have had an impact on their understanding of themselves in their leadership positions.
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Prince, Inge. "A phenominological study of young adults' experiences of facebook." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021116.
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Social networking sites are a recent phenomenon and have experienced tremendous growth in popularity especially among young people. Social networking sites are changing the way individuals communicate with each other and the world. Social networking sites (SNS) provide users with a unique computer-mediated environment where individuals are able to disclose their thoughts, feelings, and experiences within their own social network. The present study aims to explore the experiences of young adults regarding Facebook. A transcendental phenomenological approach was used to elicit the essence of the experiences of the participants. Theoretical sampling ensured relevant participants were selected through haphazard sampling procedures. Data was collected through the use of biographical questionnaires and individual, semi-structured interviews. The data was processed according to the four phenomenological principles epoche, phenomenological reduction, imaginative variation and synthesis using Tesch’s eight steps. Lincoln and Guba’s model was used to assess the trustworthiness of the data obtained. The participants described their experiences of Facebook by highlighting how they use Facebook as a communication tool which assists them in their relationship maintenance with others. Participants use self-presentation on Facebook to manage how they are perceived. The participants experience Facebook as having many privacy risks. They indicated that Facebook has addictive qualities and facilitates cyber stalking behaviour.