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There is a growing body of literature that recognises the increasingly complex challenges faced by health social workers (HSWs) in their workplaces, due to the nature of the social work profession. To date, however, there has been limited research concerning work-related stress in the context of social work within health communities in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, this study aims to fill a gap in the existing literature in the domain of social work field by focusing on the Saudi HSWs' experiences in the workplace. This study attempts to explore the incidence of work-related stress in public hospitals in Saudi Arabia (Makkah and Jeddah cities) from the perspective of HSWs. The specific objective is to identify those factors contributing to stress in the workplace, as well as the strategies that HSWs employ to overcome stress, and the influence of HSWs' demographic background on work-related stress. The methodological approach taken in this study utilises Constructivist Grounded Theory Methodology (CGTM), with two phases for data collection (semi-structured interviews followed by a survey). The data obtained from HSWs suggests various factors are associated with the dominance of a conservative culture within the Saudi society, as well as other factors linked to gender. Moreover, the HSWs identified various strategies related to their spiritual beliefs and personal skills, in addition to the emotional and instrumental support as well as central supervision they receive. The findings also indicted a notable difference based on gender and length of fieldwork experience, in terms of both work-related stress factors and coping strategies. Based on these findings, a working framework for health social work practice in public hospitals in SA has been suggested in an attempt to enhance our understanding of those aspects that might contribute to work-related stress among HSWs within Saudi hospitals. It is anticipated that the outcomes presented in this research will make a specific contribution to the literature by focusing on the experience of work-related stress from HSWs' viewpoint, increasing understanding of health and social work practices within the Saudi context.

Resilience is both difficult to define and to conceptualise. Although no universal definition exists, conceptually the view that it is the ability to adapt well in the face of adversity or significant stress, and return to normal function or even stronger afterwards, would be widely accepted. Despite the importance of resilience within the medical workforce, little is known about it in UK medical doctors, medical students and individuals applying to study medicine at university. This thesis comprises a number of studies that provide quantitative and qualitative information on resilience, in combination with coping mechanisms and professional quality of life, among these groups. The thesis begins with two systematic reviews. These systematic reviews of published literature on resilience specifically investigate factors that have been shown to influence resilience levels in doctors and medical students. Following this, a mixed methodology national study of resilience, stress, burnout and coping in medical staff across the UK is described. Quantitative analysis of scores from validated psychological instruments is presented. These data were collected using an online survey advertised to UK doctors by Royal Colleges and other medical organisations in 2018. The same validated psychological measures were used to study these factors in medical students in years 1-5 at Queen's University Belfast in 2019 and a group of individuals contemplating studying medicine at university in 2020. A qualitative analysis of responses to a free text question is presented. This open-ended response question concluded the online surveys and asked respondents to identify time points where their resilience was insufficient to cope with demands. Finally, comparisons are made between respondent doctors' and medical students' resilience, burnout, stress and coping and factors that have been identified as influencing these psychological variables, and conclusions are drawn about the implications of this body of research for practice, policy and research.

This thesis examines how people respond to the possibility of violence on a daily basis. It is based on eight months of fieldwork in the periphery of Paloxpan (not a real name), in the state of Veracruz in central east Mexico. Rather than presenting an exhaustive list of the coping strategies of the veracruzanos (inhabitants of Veracruz), its purpose is to explore their everyday experiences of insecurity as a possibility and as a process, rather than any as a function of a particular event. To this end, this research engages with the mundane activities of the unprivileged who are exposed to everyday violence related to criminal activities. This study main interest is twofold, in that it investigates how people navigate a context of violence and communicate within it. Early on in the fieldwork, the unknown aspect of living daily with potential violence connected these two main threads. I wondered how people got on with managing their local context of everyday uncertainty, understood by this research as a subjective and temporal possibility (here: potentiality) rather than the certainty that violence would occur. By people I refer here to the inhabitants of Paloxpan: firstly, those identified as economically less privileged, living in the urban-rural periphery; secondly, those exposed to the risk of being targeted by violence, derived from the type of professional activity in which they were engaged. Given that most of the formal channels of communication (such as local media) were at the time of this study operating under the control of the state government, people used alternative ways to inform themselves about daily insecurities. Their creative approach emerged from their essential, everyday persistence. I have chosen to include the ambiguities and non-obvious aspects of living alongside everyday violence, as the uncertain was an important feature of everyday life in Paloxpan. Following extensive research in the field, this study slowly unfolds around silences and invisibilities, and the resulting forms in which people persist, within and despite adverse conditions. In this, I wonder how multiple silences speak on the one hand, and how people negotiate a spectrum of invisibilities which can be protecting or endangering, on the other. In my interpretation, their responses turn into the central category of persistence which this research identifies, and which includes continuity and insists on survival, thereby embracing traces of hope.

This qualitative dissertation delves into the therapeutic potential of Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) as an intervention for individuals coping with trauma and related mental health challenges. Drawing from a diverse sample of participants with varying gender identities, age groups, and D&D experience levels, this study employs a grounded theory approach to unravel the intricate interplay between D&D engagement and mental health outcomes. The study identifies several key implications, including the importance of creating inclusive therapeutic spaces, the lifespan relevance of D&D interventions, the potential for tailored interventions addressing relationship dynamics, and the accessibility of D&D as a therapeutic tool. Delimitations highlight the contextual specificity, limited generalizability, sample characteristics, subjective perceptions, therapeutic emphasis, temporal constraints, and cultural considerations inherent to this research.

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to understand what resilience factors, if any, contribute to the reversal of adverse reactions to intergenerational trauma, in Native Americans. The study will attempt to use the data collected to determine an implementation of support that will build a scaffolding of resilience that can benefit Native American Children. The theory guiding this study is the resiliency theory, which conceptualizes positive variables that guide behaviors in individuals who have been exposed to historical trauma and experienced, Adverse Childhood Effects (ACEs) (Zimmerman, 2013). Using an exploratory qualitative design, this study worked to gather data from the Lower Elwha community, a Native American Tribe along the coast of Washington State. There has been a growing interest in the study of Adverse Childhood Effects (ACEs), and the part that resiliency plays in individual outcomes. However, these studies have not been applied to the Native American population and have not accounted for historical generational trauma. For this study to represent Native American peoples as a larger population, we considered the differences in how the S’Klallam tribal members viewed trauma and the severity of their experience. Data was collected from three S'Klallam tribal bands along the coast of Washington state. These bands consist of the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe, James Town tribe, and the Port Gamble tribe. The collection process included in-depth interviews using Conceptual Mapping Task (CMT).

The COVID-19 pandemic is an ongoing stressor. One way people adapt to stressors is through the deployment of coping and defense mechanisms. Initially thought to be the same process, coping and defense mechanisms are theoretically unique variables affecting stress outcomes (Cramer, 2008; Kramer, 2010). Practically speaking, defenses and coping have been assessed through several measures and statistical approaches, including regression analysis (Vally et al., 2020), longitudinal analysis (Diehl et al., 2014), and factor analysis (Maricutoiu & Crasovan, 2016). The study sought to assess differences between coping and defenses through adjustment to the COVID-19 pandemic while also assessing how rumination and social support may mediate/moderate relationships. We utilized a sample of 695 participants over the age of 18. Using descriptives, correlations, multiple regressions, and moderation analysis using the Hayes PROCESS macro, results from the study confirm that coping and defense mechanisms are statistically significant, unique variables affecting both psychological and functional impact of COVID-19. Coping and defense use increased with COVID-19 impact regardless of type. COVID-19 distress increased with psychological impact, functional impact, and exposure to COVID-19. The discrepancy between psychological impact and functional impact was not predicted but suggests the effects of COVID-19 are more complex than expected. There are patterns of specific defense and coping activation that predict psychological impact, functional impact, and rumination. This study found evidence that rumination partially mediates the relationship between COVID-19 psychological impact and overall defensiveness, Emotion-Focused coping, and Avoidance coping. This study concludes that coping and defenses are two unique variables with varying patterns of activation through COVID-19 Distress, psychological impact, functional impact, exposure, presence of rumination, and to a smaller degree, rumination. Both coping and defenses should be assessed in future research on adjustment to COVID-19.

Providing palliative care can be both challenging and rewarding. It involves emotionally demanding work and yet research shows that burnout is lower than in other fields of healthcare. Spontaneous expressions of gratitude from patients and family members are not uncommon and are highly valued. This study explored the experience of Spanish palliative professionals who received expressions of gratitude from their patients and families. A phenomenological approach was used to better understand the role of receiving gratitude in participants¿ lives. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and a phenomenological approach to analysis was undertaken using macro-thematic and micro-thematic reflection. Two team members independently engaged in this reflection with an inductive approach. The analysis was shared and discussed at periodic meetings to identify the key themes and sub-themes of the gratitude experience. Ten palliative professionals were interviewed. Participants engaged in a process of recognizing, internalizing and treasuring the expressions of gratitude which they then used for reflection and growth. These expressions were a powerful and deeply meaningful resource that the palliative professionals revisited over time. Receiving expressions of gratitude invited a stronger sense of the value of one¿s self and one¿s work that was motivational and protective, particularly during challenging times.

The current study examines correctional officer coping mechanisms and whether they impact the likelihood of an officer developing PTSD symptoms. Additionally, research questions focus on whether problem-focused or emotion-focused coping mechanisms moderate the relationship between exposure to trauma and PTSD symptoms. The data for the current dissertation comes from a larger National Institute of Justice grant determined to examine mindfulness as an intervention for correctional officer PTSD within Kentucky Department of Corrections. Approximately 245 officers from seven adult institutions participated in the study and completed a lengthy survey. Main variables for the current analysis include two dependent variables, both of which measure PTSD symptoms. Key independent variables come from a coping assessment, the Violence, Injury, and Death Exposure Scale (VIDES), and controls such as age, gender, marital status, security level, correctional experience, and rank are also included. Results indicated that there were multiple problem- and emotion-focused coping mechanisms directly related to PTSD symptoms among officers. Analyses revealed only one coping mechanism, denial, significantly moderated the relationship between exposure to trauma and PTSD symptoms as reported in one PTSD assessment. Implications and directions for future research are also discussed.

Sibling relationships have been proven to be influential to the well-being of emerging adults. However, the diversity of individuals, particularly in regard to siblings of individuals with disabilities, has rarely been examined. Therefore, the current study explored the association among sibling relationships, coping, and well-being of emerging adults who have non-disabled siblings or autistic siblings. A single online survey was distributed to people between 18-25 who have non-disabled siblings or autistic siblings. The results found that siblings of autistic individuals reported significantly less sibling warmth, less gratitude, and more emotion suppression than siblings of a non-disabled brother or sister. In addition, optimism, gratitude, and emotion suppression were mediators that affected how sibling warmth related to individual’s distress. Furthermore, optimism and gratitude could be mediators that influenced the relationship between sibling warmth and individual’s resilience. In conclusion, the current study proposed that the difference of coping styles may be the underlying mechanism of worse well-being of siblings, and more perceived sibling warmth may be a buffer for ASD-Sibs’ resilience and coping.

International students face challenges as they endeavor to study abroad ranging from host government policies to the host country’s attitudes vis-à-vis foreign students and immigration. In some instances, they also face obstacles leaving their country of origin. The United States is the largest destination country with 24% of all international students worldwide, followed by the United Kingdom, Australia, France, and Germany. In the United States, international students make up about 6% of all college students. They make significant contributions to the United States economy and bring several benefits, particularly to federal and state governments. They contribute to the federal government’s net income through the payment of SEVIS fees, visa processing fees, tuition, and income taxes, among others. They also contribute cultural benefits and intellectual gains. While settling and adjusting into their host society, international students may experience culture shock, language barriers, neo-racism, financial stress, visa problems, and other social challenges. Despite these challenges, the number of international students coming to the United States continues to increase. The purpose of this study was to investigate the challenges that international students encounter as they adjust to their new environment. This study focused on international students at West Virginia University and their perceptions of how West Virginia University assists them in meeting their challenges. In addition, this study also evaluated coping mechanisms that these students utilized to adjust to their new environment. This was done through a survey of international students where they were asked to identify resources and coping mechanisms they used to adjust. The three research questions that guided the study are; 1. What are the adjustment challenges facing international students at West Virginia University? 2. What are the students’ perceptions of West Virginia University’s role in addressing the adjustment challenges? 3. What coping mechanisms or adaption strategies do international students use to survive the adjustment challenges in West Virginia University? The instrument used for this study was a modified version of the Michigan International Students Problem Inventory (MISPI) developed by Porter and Haller in 1962. An online questionnaire was administered using Qualtrics to survey all international students at West Virginia University (WVU). Descriptive (mean and standard deviation) and inferential (t-test, One Factor ANOVA, and Chi square) statistical methods were used to analyze the data. The results revealed that social /personal problems (treatment received at social functions, being accepted in social groups, insufficient personal- social counseling), English language problems (understanding, writing, and speaking English), transportation problems, health insurance problems, and orientation service problems (attitude of some students towards international students, attitude of some U.S. citizens to skin color, relationship between faculty and students) were the key challenges of international students at West Virginia University. The findings also revealed that international students often face racism, discrimination and relationship difficulties between faculty and other students. It is recommended from this study that faculty members should be friendly and make students feel welcome. They should also continue to inspire, encourage, and offer guidance to students and let the students know that they are willing to assist them in articulating their ideas. International students should feel able to make new friends and interact with other students without feeling intimidated or embarrassed by their foreign accents. Host institutions should not only provide services to students but ensure that international students are aware of them so they can access those services as they adjust to their new environment. English language workshops and writing seminars should be organized to help address language difficulties. The Office of Diversity & Inclusion should conduct research to identify the particular needs of international students and offer solutions or services that address these needs. It is finally recommended that West Virginia University should offer training and continuous orientation to faculty and staff on peculiar learning and thinking styles of international students, and efforts should be made to address racism and discrimination.

There is a lack of research on the resilience experiences of non-binary survivors (NBS) of intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual assault. The primary aim of this study is to highlight the resilience experiences of NBS from their own knowledge, experiences and perceptions related to exploring identities, experiences with trauma, coping mechanisms and social support. NBS (N = 5) participated in an in-depth semi-structured interview. Data was analyzed using Atlas.ti, a qualitative data analysis software. The findings highlight the resilience experiences of NBS and the need for affirming spaces as non-binary people and as survivors. Implications for social workers, agencies, support services, policy change and future research are discussed. An affirming space focusing on resilience is highly recommended to bridge the gap between service systems and NBS and to help NBS find new ways of healing.

Childhood sexual abuse is widely condemned by society and religion (Roesler & Wind, 1994; McCallum, 2001). Nevertheless, it is estimated that approximately one in three girls and one in six boys are sexually abused by the time they turn 18 years old (Stauffer and Deblinger, 1996). This trauma affects the victim as well as other members of the family including the non-offending parent(s). However, services are often provided only to the victimized child, which overlooks the needs of the non-offending parents. The existing body of research into the stressors experienced by non-offending parents typically is focused on non-offending parents of all cultural backgrounds, this despite that fact that much psychological research has determined the need to apply culturally sensitive techniques when working with minorities as a result of differences in values, beliefs, and language barriers (Alaggia, 2001; Antshel, 2002). Thus, it is important to understand if Latino/a non-offending parents whose children have experienced sexual abuse are receiving adequate support themselves and so they can adequately attend to the needs of their child and family. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, this study aims to examine the challenges faced and coping mechanisms used by Latino/a non-offending parents and to assess the effectiveness of the services they are provided. This Dissertation is available in Open Access at AURA: Antioch University Repository and Archive, http://aura.antioch.edu and OhioLink ETD Center, http://www.ohiolink.edu/etd

The goal of this project was to compare how international and domestic students at the University of Michigan-Flint perceive stress and the coping mechanisms they use. The motivation behind conducting the present study was to explore -- both domestic and international students' concerns and challenges they may deem as stressful. An additional aim was to investigate the main stressors identified by international and domestic students. The findings in this project may provide more information about the levels of stress students from the University of Michigan-Flint campus report experiencing. This would be valuable to know whether both international and domestic students who experience high amounts of stress seek help often from counseling services when encountered with stressful situations.

The current study sought to identify the unique needs of typically developing children living in a household with a brother or sister with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Previous research in the area has focused on the use of sibling support groups when assisting typically developing siblings in coping with having a brother or sister with Autism Spectrum Disorder. While sibling support groups have been the most prominent method discussed in assisting siblings, the current research identifies coping mechanisms utilized in assisting typically developing siblings, as well as what forms of support have been most beneficial in assisting the typical siblings. Finally, research sought to identify what the parents' felt key factors were in maintaining and strengthening positive relationships between siblings when one child has a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The purpose of this study explored the use of humor as a coping mechanism in the adult-daughter caregiver of older parents who are coping with chronic illnesses. Specifically, the aims of this study were to understand how the adult daughter sandwiched between caring for her chronically ill parent and her young dependent children uses humor to cope with caregiver stress as well as the ways in which they view humor as an effective means of coping in general. A qualitative approach was used to identify inherent concepts and to allow for an in-depth understanding of each participant's personal experience as a caregiver to a chronically ill parent. This study was guided by phenomenology, which afforded the researcher the opportunity to understand the lived experiences of each of the caregivers from their own perspective and in their own words.

There has been a surge in the rate of family homelessness across the world and in Australia, with the majority of these families being headed by women. The impact of homelessness and a transient lifestyle is multilayered and has implications for health and wellbeing in this population. However, not all homeless mothers experience the same psychosocial outcomes. In spite of the increased rate of family homelessness, our information regarding this most vulnerable subpopulation is scarce and mostly based on overseas studies which may not be relevant to our social and political environment. This research seeks to contribute to the knowledge surrounding the impacts of homelessness on women with accompanying children and the ways through which some mothers coped more effectively than others. Using a mixed methodology this study explored what the impacts of transient lifestyle are on mothers, what their patterns of coping and resilience are, how mothers with higher coping mechanisms view adversities in life, and the protective resources that seem to help these women to successfully negotiate life. A quantitative methodology was used to collect demographics and elicit sense of coherence (SOC) scores. The study comprised two phases. Phase one aimed to explore the impacts of homelessness at a number of levels through focus group discussions. Twelve focus groups were conducted with mothers living in temporary shelters and their service providers. The main theme of phase one guided the focus of phase two. During this second phase, data were collected from 30 homeless mothers with accompanying children through semistructured interviews. The main theoretical framework informing phase two was based on Antonovsky’s theory of salutogenesis and SOC. Despite the diverse experiences of the mothers, a set of interacting factors appeared central to positive coping outcomes. The knowledge gained through this thesis provides insight into the lives of homeless families and the ways through which some women gain strength against all odds. The findings could be used to inform policy and programs in order to enhance the health and wellbeing of this disadvantaged population.

In order to aid in the understanding of the personality components that contribute to the symptoms of depression, the learning process of persons labeled as depressed was examined. Twenty female subjects who were either receiving or being evaluated for psychotherapy participated in this study. Based on MMPI and DACL scores, 10 depressed and 10 nondepressed subjects were placed in avoidance learning situations. An active avoidance situation required making the correct button press to avoid a sounding buzzer; the absence of the button-pressing response constituted a passive avoidance situation, There was no significant difference between the two groups in learning across avoidance conditions, Depressives were found 'to be less persistent in responding than were nondepressives. Results were explained as supporting a learned helplessness model of depression.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between health attribution and the availability of organized internal resources and response style as measured by the Four Square of the Rorschach Inkblot Test. Forty-two subjects participated in this study. Six major hypotheses were explored in the study. None of the hypotheses was statistically significant. Several factors may have contributed to these results. The small sample size and the homogeneity of the sample limited the investigator's ability to interpret the results of the study. Statistically, health attribution may not be conceptually related to organized internal resources and response style since physical and emotional distress may require different coping mechanisms.

This study investigated older persons' perception of the negative impact of ill health, retirement, and widowhood in relation to the mobilization of relevant coping mechanisms. In addition, the relationship of coping mechanisms and dissatisfaction with current gender-role identity to seeking counseling was studied. A distributed questionnaire package provided demographic data as well as information pertaining to satisfaction in various areas of life, impact of live events, and coping style. Subjects were 54 males and 67 females aged 50 to 92. Safeguards were taken to ensure complete confidentiality and anonymity of response. Stepwise multiple regression (listwise deletion of data), multivariate and univariate analysis of variance and bivariate correlational analyses of the data were performed, suggesting that perception of negative impact of the events measured (ill health, widowhood, retirement) was related a) to employing numerous useful coping strategies, b) to low dyadic satisfaction, and c) to low life satisfaction. Analyses also suggested that variables which distinguished those in the sample who sought counseling were a) identity discrepancy (wherein Ideal exceeded Real) on the Masculine and Androgynous dimensions, b) employing fewer Coping with Health strategies, and c) employing more Coping with Retirement strategies. These variables also distinguished males who sought counseling, but only the variable Age, distinguished females, who sought counseling from those who do not.

In a three stage investigation the relationship between personality type and the use of learning as a coping device during the life transitions of adults was studied. Based on the assumption that a paper and pencil device could be constructed to achieve the same or nearly the same results that have been achieved through interviews with adult learners, the first two stages of this investigation involved the construction and validation of an instrument, the Adult Development Learning Inventory (ADLI), to measure the use of learning during life transitions of adults. The inventory has five subsections: a demographic profile, Life Events, Coping Strategies, Learning Activities, and Adulthood Tasks. Content validity of the ADLI was established through both the theory based in adult learning and developmental psychology and the panel of experts. Construct validation tools included principal component factor analysis and the Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA with age as the variable of discrimination. The instrument was capable of differentiating among age groups' perception of the tasks in the adult life cycle. For internal consistency, reliability estimates ranged from .83 to .94 for the subsections of the ADLI. Stage III of the investigation explored the relationship between the ADLI and personality as measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) which was based on the typology suggested by Carl Jung. The findings suggested only limited relationships between personality and the extent of learning activities. Specifically adults with the dominant function of Intuition can be categorized as high activity learners. The results of limited relationships between learning and personality type can perhaps be attributed to the fact that overwhelmingly (98%) these adult samples were involved in some type of learning not in spite of their life circumstances but because of them.