Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is characterised by symptoms of hyperactivity, impulsivity and attentional difficulties. Originally thought to be a condition of childhood, ADHD has now been recognised in adults. One of the main theoretical explanations of ADHD is related to deficits in Executive Functioning (EF). The state of current knowledge regarding the relationship between EF and ADHD was reviewed. Findings suggest that adults with ADHD are likely to exhibit deficits in EF mainly related to response inhibition, set-shifting or working memory. Deficits in EF as shown on neuropsychological tests may help to identify people who are at risk of under achieving in various life domains such as education or occupation. Tests of EF which are more ecologically valid may be more sensitive to EF dysfunction than traditional measures. The experience of having adult ADHD and preferences for support were explored using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Four super- ordinate themes emerged from five interviews: ‘Process of adapting to ADHD’, ‘Social Appraisal’, ‘Self-regulation’ and ‘Coping’. Participants described an adjustment process which impacted on their identity and the impact on self-perception was evident. ADHD was not understood well by others and some participants experienced stigma and bullying. A range of coping strategies were identified and clinical implications and limitations of the study were discussed. Finally, a commentary and reflexive analysis of the research process was offered and factors influential to the research were discussed.

This thesis addressed the bystander intervention gap in the workplace bullying literature. Bystanders are employees, other than the bully or target, who are present when bullying occurs. They are well placed to intervene but often they do not. Previous research suggested that increased bystander intervention may lead to a reduction in workplace bullying. Although suggestions for bystander intervention in workplace bullying were found in the literature none had been implemented or measured. As field research this thesis addressed a real-world problem. The participating employees were from a large, mainland UK organisation where workplace verbal bullying had been identified as a problem. Therefore a strategy for bystander intervention in workplace verbal bullying was designed, implemented and measured. The new Responsible Intervention Decision Strategy (RIDS)model combined existing theories on the bystanders’ decision process and responsibility to support bystander intervention. This quantitative study developed and validated a new 15 item Responsible Bystander Intervention in Verbal Bullying (RBI-VB) metric. The concise metric was incorporated into a practical, single-page survey to test the RIDS model in the field. Shop-floor employees participated in pre and post-intervention surveys (N = 1501) and one of four conditions. The RBI-VB metric demonstrated that responsible bystander intervention was positively correlated to bystander willingness to intervene in workplace verbal bullying. This could be increased with RIDS-based training or the in-house campaign; and was positively correlated to self-reported bystander intervention. The study is limited as it took place within a single UK organisation. However, the findings demonstrated the efficacy of the RIDS model and the practical application of the RBI-VB metric for baseline measurements, monitoring and to assess bystander intervention programmes. Willingness to intervene can be increased and this relates to actual intervention but most bystander intervention was carried out by previous targets of workplace verbal bullying. The implications are discussed.

Ireland has a comprehensive yet complex, statutory framework for the resolution of employment disputes. Various bodies offer conciliation, mediation, arbitration and regulation, however the processes are taking too long. The focus of this dissertation is on another form of dispute resolution – collaborative law and its suitability to the resolution of Irish employment disputes. The overarching question of this research is: Can a dispute resolution model based on collaborative practice be a useful addition to alternative dispute resolution in Irish employment law? A review of ADR and employment literature provides a context for this research. The first phase of the primary research consisted of a survey of collaborative practitioners in Ireland to identify the current usage and success of collaborative law and whaThis paper begins with a systematic review of the literature that looks at particular approaches and models to support girls aged 11-16 overcome the adverse effects of bullying. This revealed that girls seem to have less effective problem solving abilities in dealing with bullying. In addition, the review identified some potential criteria for group work, for example the age range, as it appeared that interventions were more effective with year 7 pupils (aged 11-12). The implications of the review for further research were considered and this informed an empirical study. A bridging document is presented in this paper between the systematic review and empirical study. This is to provide a rationale for the research and the links to the systematic review. In addition, it provides the underpinning epistemological position that guided the research, in particular the methodological and analytical approaches. The empirical study presented in this paper explored the benefits of a client centred approach to group work for girls, with a particular focus on ‘friendship’. This was considered within the context of the Targeting Mental Health in Schools (TAMHS) project (DfE, DCSF, 2008) where early intervention was considered as being crucial. The group work was facilitated by the author and supported by school staff. Structured ‘change’ interviews were used at pre, post and follow up stages in order to gather the participant’s views on the group work. Data was also gathered at these stages using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (Goodman, 1999). A thematic analysis was carried out on the pre and post interviews. This resulted in 3 main themes for each data set. The ‘change pathway’ for each participant was considered. The potential implications for future research in this field and practice as an Educational Psychologist are considered. Key words: Bullying, friendship, intervention, group work.
ether practitioners felt collaborative law was suitable for the resolution of Irish employment disputes. The second phase entailed depth interviews with key employment stakeholders to verify the findings from phase A. Analysis of the findings indicate that collaborative law could be a successful method of dispute resolution and that practitioners feel it is an appropriate method of dispute resolution for employment disputes.