The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore preschool teachers’ beliefs and practices on... more The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore preschool teachers’ beliefs and practices on developmentally appropriate practices. The study sites are a mix of public and private preschools that are located in Gondar City, Ethiopia. From these study sites, six participants were purposively selected. Date data were collected through in-depth interviews. Audio-recorded in-depth interviews were transcribed verbatim. Then the Amharic transcript was then translated into the English language and made ready for further thematic analysis. The results indicated a discrepancy between preschool teachers’ beliefs and their actual classroom practices of DAP. The participants reported strong beliefs about the importance of DAP for children’s development and learning. However, they did not follow the DAP guides when teaching children. The preschool teachers attributed this discrepancy to external factors such as shortage of inputs, large class size, lack of parental support and administrative problems. Therefore, the Ministry of Education, policy makers, teacher training colleges and school administrators should design strategies that enable preschool teachers to practice their strong beliefs in implementing DAP in the classroom.
Background Cardiovascular disease is a major contributor to high mortality in Ethiopia. Hospital ... more Background Cardiovascular disease is a major contributor to high mortality in Ethiopia. Hospital organizational culture affects patient outcomes including mortality rates for patients with cardiovascular disease. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess organizational culture and determine barriers to change in the Cardiac Unit of University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. Methods We used a mixed methods approach with a sequential explanatory design. We collected data through a survey adapted from a validated instrument measuring organizational culture (n = 78) and in-depth interviews (n = 10) with key informants from different specialty areas. We analyzed the quantitative data using descriptive statistics and the qualitative data through a constant comparative method of thematic analysis. We integrated the data during the interpretation phase to generate a comprehensive understanding of the culture within the Cardiac Unit. Results The quantitative results in...
Introduction: Mental illness is a non-communicable disease that is increasingly contributing to t... more Introduction: Mental illness is a non-communicable disease that is increasingly contributing to the global burden of diseases and disability. It affects a person’s feelings, thinking, behavior, and daily life functioning. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore perceived causes of mental illness, techniques for identifying mental illness, and treatment methods used by traditional healers in the Berta community. Methods: The study employed a qualitative research method. Data were collected using semi-structured in-depth interviews with seven traditional healers who were selected purposefully. We used thematic analysis to present and analyze the data. Results: The findings of this study indicated that witchcraft, supernatural power, hereditary, substance use, and food poising as the main perceived causes of mental illness among traditional healers in the Berta community. The traditional healers identify mental illness using different techniques such as patient observation...
The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore preschool teachers’ beliefs and practices on... more The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore preschool teachers’ beliefs and practices on developmentally appropriate practices. The study sites are a mix of public and private preschools that are located in Gondar City, Ethiopia. From these study sites, six participants were purposively selected. Date data were collected through in-depth interviews. Audio-recorded in-depth interviews were transcribed verbatim. Then the Amharic transcript was then translated into the English language and made ready for further thematic analysis. The results indicated a discrepancy between preschool teachers’ beliefs and their actual classroom practices of DAP. The participants reported strong beliefs about the importance of DAP for children’s development and learning. However, they did not follow the DAP guides when teaching children. The preschool teachers attributed this discrepancy to external factors such as shortage of inputs, large class size, lack of parental support and administrativ...
Additional file 1. Questionnaire used to collect quantitative data. Interview guide used to colle... more Additional file 1. Questionnaire used to collect quantitative data. Interview guide used to collect qualitative data.
Introduction- The purpose of this study was to investigate prosocial behavior and identity status... more Introduction- The purpose of this study was to investigate prosocial behavior and identity status of adolescent students in Secondary and Preparatory School. Methods- A self report questionnaire was used to collect date from 137 adolescent students using simple random sampling. Quantitative analyses (both descriptive and inferential statistical) were used to analyze the obtained data. Results- The study shows that most students did not achieve their identity. As compared to male students, female students participated more in overall prosocial behavior. More specifically, female students reported higher involvement in emotional, altruism, anonymous and public prosocial behaviors. There was significant mean difference in prosocial behaviors involvements among students categorized under foreclosure, moratorium, and diffusion and achievement identity statuses. Identity foreclosed students reported highest involvement in emotional, dire, compliant, and public prosocial behaviors. Besides...
Introduction: The main purpose of this study was to assess risky sexual behaviors among adolescen... more Introduction: The main purpose of this study was to assess risky sexual behaviors among adolescent students in some selected secondary and preparatory schools in North Gondar. Methods: Four hundred seventy four adolescent students were selected from four high Schools through simple random sampling technique. Data were collected using questionnaire. Quantitative analyses were used to analyze the obtained data. Results: The results revealed that some students (23percent) have ever had sexual intercourse experiences. The average age at the onset of sex was found to be 18. Peer group pressure was the main motivating forces that made students to engage in sexual activities followed by self initiation and pornographic films. Some students admitted that they had multiple sexual partners which would increase sexual and reproductive heath problems. Only few students reported that they always used condom during sexual intercourses with their regular partners. Nevertheless, more than half of adolescent students always used birth control methods when having sex with their regular partner. It was also found that some students had been engaged in casual sex which may lead to risk of sexual and reproductive health problems. The most worrisome finding is that there were some students who have ever had paid sex with prostitutes and not all of them always used condoms. In addition, some students had sex after heavy alcohol drinking and most of them never or inconsistently used condoms. Moreover, some female students had experienced unplanned pregnancy and almost all committed abortion as a solution to it. Conclusion- Therefore, Educators, Psychologists and Health professionals should help adolescents to practice safe sex through providing information and skill building in order to advance knowledge and skill of correct and consistent use of condom and birth control methods. And sex education shall be part of the curriculum. The present study examined only risky sexual behavior of adolescent students and thereby broader and detail investigation should be conducted. Key Words: Risky, Sexual Behavior, Adolescents, Students, High School.
Traditional healers of the Berta community play important roles in the prevention, diagnosis, and... more Traditional healers of the Berta community play important roles in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of patients who are with mental illness. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceived causes of mental illness and their treatment methods used by the Berta community traditional healers. To achieve the intended objectives, seven well known traditional healers were selected using snowball sampling technique from the total Berta community. Data were collected using in-depth semi-structured one-to-one interviews, and they were analyzed by applying content analysis method. The findings of the study revealed that traditional healers of the Berta community detected mental illnesses through a detailed follow-up of a person’s behaviors/actions and his/her daily life activities. According to these traditional healers, curse/witchcraft, harsh social condition, hereditary, substance use,and food poising are considered as the main causes of mental illness. To treat mental i...
Background Organizational justice is the first virtue in social institutions (J Manage 16:399-432... more Background Organizational justice is the first virtue in social institutions (J Manage 16:399-432, 1990). It is one of the most determinant factors for an effective utilization of human resources and an essential predictor of organizational success (J Manag Dev 28:457-477, 2009). Employees who perceive fairness are more likely happy with their job and less likely leave their organization (Int J Bus Manage 4:145-154, 2009). Perceived injustice, on the other hand, diminishes motivation of workers to accomplish their duties (Int J Bus Manage 4:145-154, 2009; J Educ Sci Univ Tabriz 2:27-34, 2009). Ethiopia has given emphasis to the expansion of health institutions and increasing the number of health professionals. Despite this, little emphasis has been given the human resource aspect of the health sector. Therefore, this study aims to investigate organizational justice perceptions and turnover intentions among healthcare workers in Amhara region. Methods One hundred ninety seven healthc...
Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research
Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore indigenous conflict resolution mechanisms for res... more Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore indigenous conflict resolution mechanisms for resolving ethnic-based conflicts between the Awi and Gumuz communities in Ethiopia. Design/methodology/approach This study followed a qualitative research approach and it has a case study design that is appropriate to collect in-depth information about indigenous mechanisms of resolving conflicts that arise between Awi and Gumuz ethnic groups. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and document review. Findings The results revealed that the Awi and Gumuz ethnic groups resolve conflict through the elder council or shimigilina. This indigenous mechanism conflict resolution mechanism is well recognized, accepted and respected both by the Awi and Gumuz ethnic groups. Shimiglina has different phases and rituals which are finally concluded by kale-mehala (oath) or promising not to take revenge and harm. The Awi and Gumuz ethnic groups view shimigilina as a vital and effective conflict re...
The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore preschool teachers’ beliefs and practices on... more The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore preschool teachers’ beliefs and practices on developmentally appropriate practices. The study sites are a mix of public and private preschools that are located in Gondar City, Ethiopia. From these study sites, six participants were purposively selected. Date data were collected through in-depth interviews. Audio-recorded in-depth interviews were transcribed verbatim. Then the Amharic transcript was then translated into the English language and made ready for further thematic analysis. The results indicated a discrepancy between preschool teachers’ beliefs and their actual classroom practices of DAP. The participants reported strong beliefs about the importance of DAP for children’s development and learning. However, they did not follow the DAP guides when teaching children. The preschool teachers attributed this discrepancy to external factors such as shortage of inputs, large class size, lack of parental support and administrative problems. Therefore, the Ministry of Education, policy makers, teacher training colleges and school administrators should design strategies that enable preschool teachers to practice their strong beliefs in implementing DAP in the classroom.
Background Cardiovascular disease is a major contributor to high mortality in Ethiopia. Hospital ... more Background Cardiovascular disease is a major contributor to high mortality in Ethiopia. Hospital organizational culture affects patient outcomes including mortality rates for patients with cardiovascular disease. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess organizational culture and determine barriers to change in the Cardiac Unit of University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. Methods We used a mixed methods approach with a sequential explanatory design. We collected data through a survey adapted from a validated instrument measuring organizational culture (n = 78) and in-depth interviews (n = 10) with key informants from different specialty areas. We analyzed the quantitative data using descriptive statistics and the qualitative data through a constant comparative method of thematic analysis. We integrated the data during the interpretation phase to generate a comprehensive understanding of the culture within the Cardiac Unit. Results The quantitative results in...
Introduction: Mental illness is a non-communicable disease that is increasingly contributing to t... more Introduction: Mental illness is a non-communicable disease that is increasingly contributing to the global burden of diseases and disability. It affects a person’s feelings, thinking, behavior, and daily life functioning. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore perceived causes of mental illness, techniques for identifying mental illness, and treatment methods used by traditional healers in the Berta community. Methods: The study employed a qualitative research method. Data were collected using semi-structured in-depth interviews with seven traditional healers who were selected purposefully. We used thematic analysis to present and analyze the data. Results: The findings of this study indicated that witchcraft, supernatural power, hereditary, substance use, and food poising as the main perceived causes of mental illness among traditional healers in the Berta community. The traditional healers identify mental illness using different techniques such as patient observation...
The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore preschool teachers’ beliefs and practices on... more The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore preschool teachers’ beliefs and practices on developmentally appropriate practices. The study sites are a mix of public and private preschools that are located in Gondar City, Ethiopia. From these study sites, six participants were purposively selected. Date data were collected through in-depth interviews. Audio-recorded in-depth interviews were transcribed verbatim. Then the Amharic transcript was then translated into the English language and made ready for further thematic analysis. The results indicated a discrepancy between preschool teachers’ beliefs and their actual classroom practices of DAP. The participants reported strong beliefs about the importance of DAP for children’s development and learning. However, they did not follow the DAP guides when teaching children. The preschool teachers attributed this discrepancy to external factors such as shortage of inputs, large class size, lack of parental support and administrativ...
Additional file 1. Questionnaire used to collect quantitative data. Interview guide used to colle... more Additional file 1. Questionnaire used to collect quantitative data. Interview guide used to collect qualitative data.
Introduction- The purpose of this study was to investigate prosocial behavior and identity status... more Introduction- The purpose of this study was to investigate prosocial behavior and identity status of adolescent students in Secondary and Preparatory School. Methods- A self report questionnaire was used to collect date from 137 adolescent students using simple random sampling. Quantitative analyses (both descriptive and inferential statistical) were used to analyze the obtained data. Results- The study shows that most students did not achieve their identity. As compared to male students, female students participated more in overall prosocial behavior. More specifically, female students reported higher involvement in emotional, altruism, anonymous and public prosocial behaviors. There was significant mean difference in prosocial behaviors involvements among students categorized under foreclosure, moratorium, and diffusion and achievement identity statuses. Identity foreclosed students reported highest involvement in emotional, dire, compliant, and public prosocial behaviors. Besides...
Introduction: The main purpose of this study was to assess risky sexual behaviors among adolescen... more Introduction: The main purpose of this study was to assess risky sexual behaviors among adolescent students in some selected secondary and preparatory schools in North Gondar. Methods: Four hundred seventy four adolescent students were selected from four high Schools through simple random sampling technique. Data were collected using questionnaire. Quantitative analyses were used to analyze the obtained data. Results: The results revealed that some students (23percent) have ever had sexual intercourse experiences. The average age at the onset of sex was found to be 18. Peer group pressure was the main motivating forces that made students to engage in sexual activities followed by self initiation and pornographic films. Some students admitted that they had multiple sexual partners which would increase sexual and reproductive heath problems. Only few students reported that they always used condom during sexual intercourses with their regular partners. Nevertheless, more than half of adolescent students always used birth control methods when having sex with their regular partner. It was also found that some students had been engaged in casual sex which may lead to risk of sexual and reproductive health problems. The most worrisome finding is that there were some students who have ever had paid sex with prostitutes and not all of them always used condoms. In addition, some students had sex after heavy alcohol drinking and most of them never or inconsistently used condoms. Moreover, some female students had experienced unplanned pregnancy and almost all committed abortion as a solution to it. Conclusion- Therefore, Educators, Psychologists and Health professionals should help adolescents to practice safe sex through providing information and skill building in order to advance knowledge and skill of correct and consistent use of condom and birth control methods. And sex education shall be part of the curriculum. The present study examined only risky sexual behavior of adolescent students and thereby broader and detail investigation should be conducted. Key Words: Risky, Sexual Behavior, Adolescents, Students, High School.
Traditional healers of the Berta community play important roles in the prevention, diagnosis, and... more Traditional healers of the Berta community play important roles in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of patients who are with mental illness. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceived causes of mental illness and their treatment methods used by the Berta community traditional healers. To achieve the intended objectives, seven well known traditional healers were selected using snowball sampling technique from the total Berta community. Data were collected using in-depth semi-structured one-to-one interviews, and they were analyzed by applying content analysis method. The findings of the study revealed that traditional healers of the Berta community detected mental illnesses through a detailed follow-up of a person’s behaviors/actions and his/her daily life activities. According to these traditional healers, curse/witchcraft, harsh social condition, hereditary, substance use,and food poising are considered as the main causes of mental illness. To treat mental i...
Background Organizational justice is the first virtue in social institutions (J Manage 16:399-432... more Background Organizational justice is the first virtue in social institutions (J Manage 16:399-432, 1990). It is one of the most determinant factors for an effective utilization of human resources and an essential predictor of organizational success (J Manag Dev 28:457-477, 2009). Employees who perceive fairness are more likely happy with their job and less likely leave their organization (Int J Bus Manage 4:145-154, 2009). Perceived injustice, on the other hand, diminishes motivation of workers to accomplish their duties (Int J Bus Manage 4:145-154, 2009; J Educ Sci Univ Tabriz 2:27-34, 2009). Ethiopia has given emphasis to the expansion of health institutions and increasing the number of health professionals. Despite this, little emphasis has been given the human resource aspect of the health sector. Therefore, this study aims to investigate organizational justice perceptions and turnover intentions among healthcare workers in Amhara region. Methods One hundred ninety seven healthc...
Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research
Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore indigenous conflict resolution mechanisms for res... more Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore indigenous conflict resolution mechanisms for resolving ethnic-based conflicts between the Awi and Gumuz communities in Ethiopia. Design/methodology/approach This study followed a qualitative research approach and it has a case study design that is appropriate to collect in-depth information about indigenous mechanisms of resolving conflicts that arise between Awi and Gumuz ethnic groups. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and document review. Findings The results revealed that the Awi and Gumuz ethnic groups resolve conflict through the elder council or shimigilina. This indigenous mechanism conflict resolution mechanism is well recognized, accepted and respected both by the Awi and Gumuz ethnic groups. Shimiglina has different phases and rituals which are finally concluded by kale-mehala (oath) or promising not to take revenge and harm. The Awi and Gumuz ethnic groups view shimigilina as a vital and effective conflict re...
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