The use of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to address psychological distress experienced by caregivers: a randomised controlled feasibility trial

Background: An extensive research literature has documented the impact of caring for an individual with acquired brain injury (ABI) on caregivers and family members, including role adjustment, psychological distress, social isolation, family tension and coping with the cognitive and behavioural difficulties of the injured person. Given these findings it is important this population have access to services and supports. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an intervention that helps individuals to accept difficult experiences and commit to behaviour that is consistent with their values. Research into the effectiveness of ACT to support caregivers is at a preliminary stage. Aim: To investigate the feasibility of using ACT to reduce psychological distress and increase psychological flexibility in ABI caregivers. A secondary aim was to gain an understanding of the experience of caregivers in this context and how this can inform the development and delivery of interventions for this population. Method: Phase one was a randomised controlled feasibility trial of an ACT intervention for use with ABI caregivers. The parameters of this study were formulated around the PICO (population, intervention, control, and outcome) framework. Eighteen carers were recruited and randomised to ACT or an enhanced treatment as usual (ETAU) group. ACT was implemented over 3 sessions; and ETAU was implemented over 2 sessions. The General Health Questionnaire, Valuing Questionnaire, Acceptance and Action Questionnaire, Experiential Avoidance of Caregiving Questionnaire and the Flexibility of Responses to Self-Critical Thoughts Scale were administered to both groups at baseline and following the final session. Phase two used a retrospective qualitative design that involved conducting semi-structured interviews with four participants from phase one. Results: ACT and control participants were successfully recruited. Positive feedback was obtained from ACT participants suggesting that the intervention was acceptable. There were no significant differences between the ACT and ETAU groups on outcome measures. However, there were challenges retaining participants and the overall attrition rate was high (44.44%). Therefore a number of participants did not complete the full complement of sessions, which may have impacted on this result. Qualitative results illustrated the challenges this population face including significant adjustments in their life, the emotional impact of having a loved one with a brain injury and trying to adapt to the changes in the injured person. In addition, findings elucidated the types of support that this population would find helpful and the barriers to accessing same. Conclusions: Findings from this study highlight factors that will help the development of this intervention further for a caring population. Recommendations for future implementation include completing some preparatory work with carers before beginning the intervention, consideration of a larger sample and wider recruitment strategy from local services, barriers to attending interventions and the possibility of holding groups in local venues.

Sports sponsorship as a channel for brand engagement on social media

The purpose of this Mater’s Thesis was to examine how sports sponsorship can be used as a channel for brand engagement on social media. All these three concepts have been researched previously, however, up until now they have been studied separately. Therefore, the aim was also to investigate the interrelations between these three concepts, as there is a lack of academic base on the matter. The theory of the research was based on existing academic researches of social media, brand engagement and sports sponsorship. The empirical part of the research was conducted by utilizing quantitative research method. An online questionnaire was published on Facebook pages of two Liiga ice hockey teams. In the end the total sample consisted of 322 viable respondents. The collected data was analyzed by using statistical analysis software, SPSS. The findings of the empirical research reveal that information, enjoyment, personal identity, social interaction and compensation motivate consumers to engage with brands on social media. However, the behavior of consumers is more passive than active brand engagement. Personal identity and compensation serve as motivational reasons for brand engagement on both active and passive level, while the rest are only passive brand engagement. Besides motivation there are other variables that affect consumers. Support for the team reflects to brand engagement, which is passive brand engagement. The visibility of the brand during the event is linked to both active and passive brand engagement. Prior information of sports team and event and frequency of attendance can be linked only to active brand engagement. On the other hand, congruence between the team and brand reflects only to passive brand engagement.

Entre Nós : entrevista a Ariane Brand e Eduarda Alves

Emissões - Entre Nós

Prosument Behaviour In Brand Creating

A brand remains a considerable source of the competitive advantage. One of the elements contributing to its power is image. The information revolution and globalization make it necessary to search for new means of differentiating brands. One of them is engaging consumers in the brand creation process. In light of the development of the Web 2.0, prosumers – active consumers functioning both as consumers and partly as producers – can have a meaningful influence on the image of brands. Their activities can entail both positive as well as negative effects.

Os efeitos das reclamações online na lealdade dos consumidores: um estudo experimental

In an environment of constant change, technological developments, market competition and more informed consumers, the search for a lasting relationship through the conquest of loyalty has become the objective of companies. However, several authors suggest that this loyalty can be affected by negative comments available on the internet. Therefore, this dissertation has as objective to examine if the complaints are available on the internet impact the loyalty to a brand of mobile phone. The research used as the basis the Expanded NCSB model suggest by Johnson et al. (2001), studying five prominent drives of loyalty: image/brand reputation, affective commitment, calculative commitment, perceived value and trust, beyond the satisfaction construct as moderator variable. The research method adopted was the experimental design which included 285 undergraduate students, with the trial which included 285 undergraduate students, with the field study of the mobile industry, specifically, the brands of cell phones. The research approach was quantitative and methods were descriptive statistics, factor analysis, cluster analysis, linear regression and non-parametric test of Wilcoxon for data analysis. Of the 16 hypothesis stemmed from the research model proposed, 12 were confirmed. The results showed that the complaint available on the internet, here represented by the available on the site Reclame Aqui, may impact consumer perceptions about brand loyalty, as well as its antecedents, being that these complaints can affect all the consumers, regardless of historical satisfaction with the brand. It also noted the positive relationship between the independent variables trust, image/brand reputation, perceived value, affective commitment and calculative commitment and the dependent variable - loyalty, even when considering the data obtained after exposure to the complaint. However, no unanimous conclusion that the relationship between these variables was strongest in the group with satisfactory experience. At the first moment of the research, the trust was the most important variable for the formation of loyalty. However, after exposure to treatment, the image/brand reputation, was more relevant. Contributions of the study, limitations and recommendations for future researches are approached in the present investigation

The importance of organizational commitment to knowledge management

In recent years, Knowledge Management (KM) has assumed great importance in the literature on business and management. However, we still have so little understanding of the human issues in KM processes. Thus, this research aims to contribute to analysing the importance of Organizational Commitment (OC) to KM. First, we used the Cardoso (2003) Knowledge Management Questionnaire (QGC) that embraces all organizational activities around knowledge processes and distinguishes four dimensions of KM. Secondly we applied the Quijano, Masip, Navarro and Aubert (1997) questionnaire (ASH-ICI) that distinguishes two types of commitment (personal and instrumental) into four dimensions. These two questionnaires were applied with 300 employees in the Portuguese industrial ceramics sector. Through multiple regression analysis we found that levels of organizational commitment are statistically important to KM dimensions. Furthermore, our analysis indicates that personal commitment is more important than need commitment. These results are discussed and Organizational Behaviour specialists and Work and Organizational psychologists are challenged to assume more responsibility and an active role in KM studies and practices and to explore human issues in this field.

Therapeutic commitment for general nurses in dealing with mental health problems of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Blantyre, Malawi

Introduction Therapeutic commitment of general nurses influences their provision of mental health care to clients. It is the general nurses’ predisposition for working therapeutically with clients who have mental health problems (MHPs). In Malawi, general nurses are the majority of health care professionals who care for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and they are expected to deal with the mental health problems of these patients. The provision of mental health care to PLWHA is vital because apart from the physical illnesses associated with the virus, these people are also affected by mental health problems. However, most general nurses, feel neither confident nor competent when dealing with the mental health problems of their clients in Malawi. This may negatively influence their therapeutic commitment in dealing with mental health problems of PLWHA. However, therapeutic commitment of general nurses in providing mental health care to PLWHA in Malawi remains unknown. Materials and Methods The study used a quantitative descriptive survey design. a convenient sample comprising of 136 general nurses was used and data was collected using Mental Health Problems Perception Questionnaire. Permission to use the tool in this study was granted by Prof. Lauder. Ethical approval to conduct the study was granted by Ethics Committees at University of KwaZulu Natal and University of Malawi. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 15.0. Results The study findings revealed that there is a linear relationship between general nurses’ levels of knowledge and skills and their therapeutic commitment (r=.40, n=136, p<.05) to provide mental health care of PLWHA. Conclusion This study suggests general nurses’ levels of therapeutic commitment in dealing with MHPs of PLWHA vary and their levels of knowledge and skill to deal with MHPs influence their willingness to provide mental health care to PLWHA.

Abordagem multimetodológica do impacto da mentoria e relações de ajuda no processo informal de employee branding: o efeito de marca de empregado

O processo de employee branding tem demonstrado promover e reforçar o contrato psicológico entre os colaboradores e a organização, pelo incremento e potenciação do sentimento de comprometimento e lealdade do colaborador de acordo com Miles e Mangold. Esta investigação foca-se no estudo do impacto da mentoria e relações de ajuda no processo de employee branding, numa visão integrada da gestão de recursos humanos e do comportamento organizacional, com base nas relações de troca do marketing do relacionamento numa perspetiva da gestão por competências e foco nas Pessoas. Com a introdução da nova variável (mentoria e relações de ajuda) esta investigação, ao enriquecer e incrementar o processo de employee branding de Miles e Mangold proposto em 2004 e 2005, apresenta a construção de um instrumento de diagnóstico do inovador processo de Efeito de Marca de Empregado. A investigação decorreu em 30 organizações, com um total de 725 questionários, que permitiu a validação e fiabilidade do instrumento, bem como demonstra através de métodos estatísticos a influência das ações de mentoria e relações de ajuda e da atuação das relações interpessoais que promovem o processo employee branding. Se o processo de employee branding já incrementava os resultados organizacionais, com esta investigação, pode-se afirmar que o processo de Efeito de Marca de Empregado não só incrementa como também impulsiona a imagem de marca da organização pela atuação dinâmica e catalisadora das relações interpessoais dos seus colaboradores, dentro e fora da organização, com a introdução e promoção de ações mentoria e relações de ajuda entre chefias e chefiados; ABSTRACT: The employee branding process has shown as to promote and strengthen the psychological contract between employees and the organization, by increasing and maximizing the sense of employees’ commitment and loyalty, according with Miles and Mangold. This research focuses on the impact of mentoring and helping relationships in the employee branding process, in an integrated view of human resources management and organizational behavior, based on the exchange ratio of the relationship marketing in a perspective of management by competencies and people focused approach. With the introduction of the new variable (mentoring and helping relationships), this research enriches and enhances the Miles and Mangold employee branding process proposed in 2004 and 2005 and presents the construction of an diagnostic instrument for the innovative process of Employee Brand Effect. This research took place in 30 organizations with a total of 725 questionnaires, which allowed the validation and reliability of the instrument and the evidence through statistical methods of the influence of mentoring and helping relationships actions and of the interaction of interpersonal relationships promoting the employee branding process. If the employee branding process was already boosting organizational results with this research, it can be stated that the Employee Brand Effect process not only increases, but also boosts the organization’s brand image by the actuation of the dynamics of employees’ interpersonal relationships, inside and outside the organization, with the introduction and promotion of mentoring and helping relationships actions between leaders and followers.

The importance of relationship closeness expectations in brand-page communication in social networking sites

While there is extensive research regarding the way users in social networking sites (SNSs) connect and communicate with each other, literature on consumer-brand relationships in SNSs is scarce. This paper hypothesizes and tests the impact of varying the source of communication in Facebook brand pages on key characteristics of brand equity, examining whether this impact is conditioned by relationship closeness expectations. More specifically, two experiments assess how relationship closeness expectations vary according to brand category and brand affiliation and how the use of a spokes-character as the source of communication in brand pages versus communicating institutionally affects consumer’s attitudes towards two real-world brands. To measure these variables, structured questionnaires were conducted with three groups of undergraduate students. The results suggest that the appropriateness of opting for a more “informal” source of communication in brand pages such as a spokes-character varies depending on whether this is in(congruent) with existing relationship closeness expectations. Implications for researchers, brand and social media managers are presented.

How to develop the brand Monte da Ravasqueira in the Brazilian market

This paper studies the development of the brand Monte da Ravasqueira, in the Brazilian market. A brief industry analysis, together with the evaluation of microfactors, was undertaken in order to define a positioning statement, which would suit this specific brand. In addition, three strategic options were suggested in order to enter this market, followed by a marketing and communication plan. To conclude, a financial forecast was undertaken in order to examine the potential of the project.

Development of a brand and implementation of a promotional campaign for the products of Ria de Aveiro focus on brand identity and brand positioning

Directed internship

A marketing plan for Lightning Bolt

This project had as main goal to improve the perception of male surfers about the surf brand Lightning Bolt. It was proposed the creation of a collection of wetsuits as well as the “A Pure Source” Project to show the commitment of the brand with the surf community. To promote both several promotional activities are suggested such as the use of magazines, radio, banners and social media. To complement the distribution chain of the brand, a concept store and a mobile store are also recommended. With this project the brand will be able to double the number of current surfers that buy the brand in a profitable and effective way. The project is expected to generate a net profit of 91,294€ in year 1.

The impact of event sponsorship on children’s brand image and purchase intentions: The mediator effects of product involvement and brand familiarity

Field lab in marketing: Children consumer behaviour

Affecting Factors of Public Employees’ Ganizational Commitment

Purpose – The aim of this chapter is to shed some light on the antecedents of organizational commitment, the mediating role of job engagement and job satisfaction as determinants of organizational commitment within the public sector environment, and the effects that national cultural values may have on these relationships. Approach – This paper presents a review of the works that, from both theoretical and empirical points of view, explore the affecting factors of public employees’ organizational commitment in an international setting. Findings – A comprehensive model has been developed, detailing the expectations on the influence that these factors might have on public employees’ level of commitment, either as mediators or moderators. Research limitations/implications – The main limitation is the paper’s theoretical nature; the subsequent implication is a future empirical research that may prove or disprove these theoretical findings. In addition, there are some other possible mediating factors and antecedents which may be of interest for future researchers. Originality/value – This comprehensive review of the extant literature may provide academics and public managers with a deeper comprehension of how organizational commitment might be achieved, and why some practices may or may not be transferrable from one country to another.