The role of personal protective factors in anchoring psychological resilience in adolescents with learning difficulties

In this article I report on a study that focused on the concept of resilience, in order to determine the nature of personal attributes in adolescents with learning difficulties, who were able to rebound from life's onslaughts, and to continue determinedly along the path of self-actualisation. The personal attributes impacting on the ability to surmount life's challenges were delineated by an empirical study focusing on 20 adolescents with learning difficulties', half of which had demonstrated resilience, whilst the other half appeared to have reneged on self-actualisation. The aim was to provide an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon of resilience, so that vulnerable adolescents might ultimately be therapeutically assisted to choose a more resilient attitude and behaviour. The results of the study delineated nine key personal attributes which anchored resilience and promoted self-actualisation, despite obstacle-ridden circumstances. South African Journal of Education Vol.24(4) 2004: 317-32

Educator perception of educators\' and learners\' HIV status with a view to wellness promotion

No Abstract Available South African Journal of Education Vol.25(1) 2005: 56-6

Does visual participatory research have resilience-promoting value? Teacher experiences of generating and interpreting drawings

I report on a phenomenological investigation into teacher experiences of generating and interpreting drawings during their participation in the Resilient Educators (REds) intervention. All 18 teacher participants came from rural communities challenged by HIV&AIDS. I reflect critically on the ambivalence in teacher experiences of drawings to highlight the complexity of employing drawings as visual method. Then, I interpret the teachers’ methodological experiences through the lens of social-ecological understandings of resilience in order to address the question ofhow drawings, as form of visual participatory methodology, may make a positive difference and nurture participant resilience. What the teachers’ experiences suggest is that drawings offer methodological opportunities for participants to make constructive meaning of adversity, to take action, to experience mastery, and to regulate emotion associated with adversity. All of the aforementioned are well documented pathways to resilience. I theorise, therefore, that researchers with a social conscience would be well advised to use drawings, albeit in competent and participatory ways, as this methodology potentiates participant resilience and positive change

Community-researcher liaisons: the Pathways to Resilience Project Advisory Panel

The Pathways to Resilience Project is an ongoing, community-based participatory research (CBPR) project. Its express focus is the exploration of how at-risk youths use formal services and/or informal, naturally occurring resources to beat the odds that have been stacked against them, with the intent of partnering with communities to promote youth resilience. As part of this exploration, project researchers partnered with representatives of participating communities, or advisory panels (AP). However, in literature documenting the worth of participatory methodologies in knowledge generation and social change, there is little mention of how partnerships with AP support communities build on existing knowledge to effect meaningful change. Therefore, the aim of this article is to report the instrumental case study of the AP to the South African Pathways to Resilience Project, between 2008 and the present, in order to foreground the research-informing, knowledge-generating, and practice-shaping value of collaboration with an AP. Simultaneously, this case showcases the complexity of AP-researcher partnerships in order to sensitise CBPR researchers to the need for reflexive, flexible cooperations if communities are to cogenerate and implement local knowledge in enabling ways.Keywords: advisory panel; collaboration; community; participatory; partnership; resilience; yout

Effects of pollution on adolescent mental health: a systematic review protocol.

BACKGROUND: Whilst there is little uncertainty about the deleterious impact of pollution on human and planetary health, pollution's impact on adolescent mental health is less well understood. This is particularly true for young people in underdeveloped and developing world contexts, about whom research is generally lacking. Furthermore, although adolescent resilience continues to be a research priority, little attention has been paid to adolescent pathways of resilience in the face or aftermath of pollution exposure. The objective of this study will be to examine the associations between pollution and mental health in 10- to 24-year-olds (i.e. adolescents). METHODS: We designed and registered a study protocol for a systematic review of studies which link pollution and mental health in adolescents. We will include observational studies (e.g. cohort, case-control, time series analyses) that assess the associations between exposure to any form of pollution and the mental health of 10- to 24-year-olds. The primary outcome will be symptoms associated with neurodevelopmental disorders; disruptive, impulse-control, and conduct disorders; depressive disorders; anxiety disorders; substance disorders; and schizophrenia. No secondary outcomes will be considered. Literature searches will be conducted in multiple electronic databases (from inception onwards), including PubMed, MEDLINE, SCOPUS, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsycINFO, SciELO, ERIC, and Africa-Wide. Two investigators will independently screen all citations, full-text articles, and abstract data. The methodological quality (or bias) of included studies will be appraised using appropriate tools. We will provide a narrative synthesis of the evidence. DISCUSSION: This systematic review will evaluate the evidence on the associations between pollution and the mental health of 10- to 24-year-olds. Our findings will be of potential interest to multiple audiences (including adolescent patients/clients, their families, caregivers, healthcare professionals, scientists, and policy makers) and could be used to develop prevention and intervention strategies as well as focus future research. Results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42020176664

Understanding and examining teacher resilience from multiple perspectives

In this chapter, I argue that differing conceptualisations of the construct of resilience shape and enrich the research questions and methodology used to examine it. In addition, the conceptual focus has implications for questions such as whose responsibility it is for the development of resilience. Research conducted within two Australian projects, Keeping Cool and BRiTE (Building Resilience in Teacher Education) is used as an illustration of the impact of a changing conceptual focus. For example, beginning with a psychological perspective led to an examination of risk and protective factors for individuals. More contextual approaches involved a comparison of countries. Recent systemic views support a model that encompasses both personal and contextual characteristics, as well as strategies used and outcomes achieved. It is argued that taking multiple perspectives in this programme of work has enabled the incorporation of a broad range of research methods and findings, and contributed to a deeper understanding of the construct of teacher resilience

E-commerce ethics and its impact on buyer repurchase intentions and loyalty: an empirical study of small and medium Egyptian businesses

The theoretical understanding of e-commerce has received much attention over the years; however, relatively little focus has been directed towards e-commerce ethics, especially the SMEs B2B e-commerce aspect. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to develop and empirically test a framework that explains the impact of SMEs B2B e-commerce ethics on buyer repurchase intentions and loyalty. Using SEM to analyse the data collected from a sample of SME e-commerce firms in Egypt, the results indicate that buyers’ perceptions of supplier ethics construct is composed of six dimensions (security, non-deception, fulfilment/reliability, service recovery, shared value, and communication) and strongly predictive of online buyer repurchase intentions and loyalty. Furthermore, our results also show that reliability/fulfilment and non-deception are the most effective relationship-building dimensions. In addition, relationship quality has a positive effect on buyer repurchase intentions and loyalty. The results offer important implications for B2B e-commerce and are likely to stimulate further research in the area of relationship marketing

COMPARISON OF HUMIDITY CHAMBER, MARISOURCE HATCHING-TRAY AND ZUGER GLASS FUNNEL INCUBATION SYSTEMS FOR BREEDING OF CYPRINUS-CARPIO (L) AND CLARIAS-GARIEPINUS (BURCHELL)

Humidity chamber, MariSource hatching-tray and ''Zuger'' glass funnel incubation systems were compared for hatching successes of both Cyprinus carpio and Clarias gariepinus fertilised eggs. The humidity chamber incubation system proved superior for C. carpio, whilst the MariSource hatching-tray system was better for C gariepinus. Fungal infections greatly influenced hatching results