Beyond children's entertainment: Animation as social commentary

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Violent peace in Liberia. A Study of the Roles and Ambitions of Ex-combatants

Liberia emerged from 14 years of brutal civil conflict, demobilized and “reintegrated” large numbers of ex-combatants, but there are still concerns about ex-combatants’ re-engagement in violence. Yet, adequate knowledge and empirical evidence about this are still sketchy. Qualitative fieldwork among ex-combatants conducted in five locations in Monrovia from 2012-2013, suggests that ex-combatants are re-marginalized. This research presents excombatants’ current status, their re-marginalization, and factors indicative of their re-engagement in violence in post-conflict Liberia. The study contends that ex-combatants were apparently not satisfied with the outcome of the DDRR programme, as it failed to reintegrate them successfully. The study developed a four dimensional analytical framework that includes, (a) re-marginalization (b) re-criminalization (c) exploitation, and (d) economic insecurity, which are then applied to the outcome of the reintegration of ex-combatants in Liberia. On the basis of the data collected in fieldwork, the analytical framework reveals how these factors and dynamics interacted and facilitated the occurrence of violence. The study argues that an awareness of ex-combatants’ vulnerability and re-marginalization should put state actors in a position to better predict their violent inclinations. It further notes that ex-combatant re-engagement in violence is largely manifested at the political and economic levels and this has the potential to lead to a renewed conflict if not mitigated. This study by no means completes the tasks of research and analysis on violence and excombatants, but it outlines theoretical propositions and conclusions, which can hopefully spark further debate and collective efforts among researchers to push this field of study forward

Perceived Social Support, Perceived Stress as Correlates of Stress Symptomatology among University Students

The study sought to correlate Perceived Social Support and Perceived Stress with Stress symptomatology. 160 undergraduate students of drawn from a privately owned Nigerian university participated in the study. The participants ranged between 14 and 19 years in age (=16.26, SD = 1.68). The hypotheses were that significant correlations would be found between perceived stress and stress symptomatology, and between perceived social support and stress symptomatology. Perceived social support was measured using the Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale (Zimet, Dahlem, Zimet & Farley, 1988), perceived stress with Cohen Perceived Stress Scale, and stress symptomology with the SCL-90. Significant correlations (r = -.13, ρ< .05) was found between Perceived Social Support (PSS) and Stress symptomatology, and between Perceived Stress and Stress symptomatology (r = .39, p<.000). Males evinced a significantly higher mean stress compared to females. The findings are consistent with those of earlier studies that found negative associations between perceived social support and stress, as well as with the cognitive theory that perception of threat is actually related to the experience of threat. Key Words: stress symptomatology, perceived social support, perceived stress, cognitive, University students

Perencanaan strategis sistem informasi/ teknologi informasi pada Universitas Nusa Cendana

Pembangunan dan penerapan sistem informasi (SI)/teknologi informasi (TI) dalam menjalankan operasional bisnis pada institusi pendidikan tinggi terkadang hanya berdasarkan pada intuisi, tanpa didasari perencanaan strategis secara sistematis. Sehingga dalam penelitian ini bertujuan untuk membuat perencanaan strategis SI/TI yang baik dan sistematis, yang sejalan dengan rencana strategis institusi. Penelitian ini menggunakan beberapa metode analisis, yaitu Analisis PEST, Analisis Internal Eksternal, Analisis SWOT, Value Chain, dan Critcal Success Factors. Hasil dari penelitian ini adalah portofolio aplikasi perencanaan strategis yang mengacu pada Renstra Undana dan berdasarkan data yang diperoleh melalui metode analisis yang digunakan serta melibatkan beberapa komponen institusi yang berkompeten. Perencanaan strategis SI/TI ini diharapkan dapat diimplementasi secara menyeluruh dalam kurun waktu 3-5 tahun ke depan. ================================================================================================ Development and implementation of information systems (IS)/information technology (IT) in running business operations in institutions of higher education sometimes just based on intuition, not based on a systematic strategic planning. So in this study aims to create a strategic planning IS/IT are properly and systematically, which is in line with the institution's strategic plan. This study uses several methods of analysis, such as PEST Analysis, External Internal Analysis, SWOT Analysis, Value Chain, and Critcal Success Factors. Results from this study is strategic portfolio planning application which refers to the Strategic Plan Undana and based on data obtained through the methods of analysis used and involves several components of competent institutions. Strategic planning of IS/IT is expected to be implemented thoroughly within the next 3-5 years

The Effect of Alcohol Consumption on the Academic Performance of Undergraduate Students

Abstract: Most people know that academic performance generally refers to how well a student is accomplishing his or her tasks and studies, but there are numbers of factors that determine the level and quality of students’ academic performance. This study investigated the effect of alcohol consumption on the academic performance of undergraduate students. A survey research design was used. A pilot study was carried out with 30 students to validate and determine the psychometric properties of the questionnaires used in this study. Total of 200 respondents, 114 male and 86 females with ages ranging between 13 and 25 years participated in this study. Three hypotheses were tested using Pearson r, T-test, Anova, and simple regression analysis.The result revealed that there is a significant relationship between alcohol consumption and academic performance(R2=0.74,P<.O5), there is a significant difference in academic performance of students that drink alcohol and those that do not(R2=12.22,P<.05), there is a significant effect of alcohol consumption on academic performance(R2=4.474,P<.05). The study has recommendations. Keywords: Alcohol, Consumption, Academics, Performance, Undergraduate

AFRICAN CULTURAL MODEL IN PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND PSYCHOTHERAPY: A CASE OF PSEUDOEPILEPSY

There have been calls for Africanizing of psychology in Africa based on the peculiarity of African culture. The proponents of Africentric psychology believe that personality theories derived from Western psychology do not consider Africa's uniqueness. Furthermore, African practitioners have cast doubt on the efficacy of Western psychotherapy techniques for Africans. Both views seem justified considering the interdependence of Self and culture. We note, however, that African scholars and practitioners have done little overtime to develop alternative models that may genuinely be called African. An inspection of the literature indicates that some examples branded 'African' are still shrouded in mystery, unknown to science, and useless. In this paper, we demonstrate that Western theories of personality indeed exclude the African dimension. We also illustrated the objective integration of African models into psychotherapy and showed its effectiveness

Age, Gender, Religiousity and Family Factors on Sexual Attitude and Behaviour of University of Ibadan Undergraduate Students

This study was on age, gender, religiosity and family factors on the sexual attitudes and behavior of University of Ibadan students. A sample of 360 respondents 182 males and 178 females participated in the study. Using a questionnaire, four hypotheses were tested using repression and Analysis of variance (ANOVA). It was found that age, gender religiosity, family type, parental care/protection and maternal career/protection jointly predicted, sexual depression (R2 =.084, <05), sexual preoccupation negatively (β=0.419,p< 0.5) maternal protection independently predicted sexual preoccupation negatively (β=-121, p<.05) family type jointly predicted sexual depression positively f(2,357)=5.298,p<.05) The study had some limitation. is was recommended that religious institution should brace up to their duty that parent be include in drawing up intervention program me aimed at reducing per-marital sex

Sleep Pattern and Academic Performance of Undergraduate Students

There have been studies that demonstrate the impact of sleep on both implicit and explicit memory. Of particular interest is that sleep has been shown to aid memory consolidation. This holds some implication for students, most of whom sleep for considerably very little amount of time, whereas they require sufficient amount of sleep to consolidate memory for material learned during the day. This study was therefore designed to investigate the possible impact of sleep on the academic achievement of undergraduate students. The study participants were 300 undergraduate students drawn from about twenty Department of a private university in Nigeria. 152 of the participants were female and the rest were male. The School Sleep Survey Habit Scale previously validated in Nigeria by one of the authors (IDO) was used to measure sleep habit, while academic performance was measured as self-reported grade. The result of Analysis of variance using SPSS XX showed a significant effect of Sleepiness on Academic Performance F (8, 211)=3.73, P<.01, and on Cumulative Grade Point Average, F (4, 190) = 3.82, P<.005. The study also showed that stimulant intake significantly impacted on Sleep habit. It was concluded that to enhance student's academic achievement counseling centres should endeavour to include sleep in their orientation programme for students. Besides, it would be necessary not to cram up the programme in such a manner that would rob the students of adequate rest and sleep

Harmony-Disharmony Scale: Development and Initial Factorial Validation

The Harmony Restoration Theory (HRTheory) propounded by Ebigbo (1995, 2001a) is an African psychodiagnostic theory of health. It is a theory of harmony-disharmony, psychopathology, psychotherapy and a useful attempt to account for the aetiology of psychopathology in the African. Central to the theory is the notion that psychopathology arises from the disharmony in the cosmos of an individual. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a measuring scale, harmonydisharmony scale (HD Scale), for determining the areas of the cosmos which an individual needs harmony restoration before the initiation of harmony restoration therapy. Method - Based on the harmony restoration theory of health and Harmony restoration therapy, 120 items with 40 items per subscale were generated focusing on the three aspects of an individual‟s cosmos viz: endocosmos, mesocosmos and exocosmos needing harmony restoration. The outcome, a 120 likert-type scale, was administered to a cross-section of University undergraduates. The 258 responses obtained from the respondents (124 males and 128 females) aged 16 to 29 years (21.02 ± 4.083, mean ± s.d.) were subjected to factor analysis. Results - The data was examined to assess the suitability for factor analysis and was found suitable with good R-matrix, Bartlett‟s test of Sphericity and Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) sample sufficiency. A 3-factor model emerged from the result of the factor analysis with 59 pure and valid items loading on factor 1, 23 items loading on factor 2 and 16 items loading on factor 3. The factors retained their original theoretical names viz: endocosmos, mesocosmos and exocosmos. Conclusion - The finding of this study is consistent with the harmony restoration theory on the African personality consisting of three components. Suggestions on ways to advance this area of research were made and a short version of the harmonydisharmony scale was proposed

Influence of Religiosity on Turnover Intention: Empirical Evidence from Selected Employees in Lagos and Ogun States

This study examined the influence of employees’ religiosity on their turnover intentions. The ex-post facto research design and the convenient sampling technique were employed in this study. A hundred and forty-nine (149) employees in Lagos and Ogun States of Nigeria were sampled as the study participants. The participants were between the ages of 18 and 56 years; with forty-three percent (43%) as males and fifty-seven percent (57%) as females. Three hypotheses were raised and tested. The result revealed a significant negative relationship between intrinsic religiosity and turnover intention (r= -.233, p<0.01) and a significant positive relationship between extrinsic religiosity and turnover intention (r=.256, p<0.01). Although the result revealed that intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity jointly influenced turnover intentions ( = .118, F (2,123) = 8.250, p<.01), intrinsic religiosity dimension was found to contribute negatively to employees’ turnover intentions (β= -.233 p<.01) while extrinsic religiosity was found to contribute positively to turnover intentions (β= .253, p<0.01). This study concluded that religiosity influences employees’ turnover intentions; it further asserts that intrinsically religious employees would experience reduced turnover intention, while extrinsically religious employees would experience increased turnover intentions. To this end, it was recommended that intrinsic religiosity should be encouraged in the work milieu within the limits of acceptable work ethics