Text in English / As some criticism and hesitations have been expressed with regard to the implementation of provocation in psychotherapy, this study aimed to explore the experiences of clients and a therapist who participated in provocative psychotherapy. In order to do this, a concise theoretical description of the nature of provocative psychotherapy was provided along the lines of the work of Frank Farrelly and Maurizio Andolfi. Participants' experiences of provocation in psychotherapy were consequently presented by means of three case studies. A description of the experience of provocation in psychotherapy was co-created through the identifying of certain themes underlying of the three client groups' and the therapist's descriptions of their experiences. This was done by employing a qualitative research methodology to describe the experiences of clients and a therapist who participated in provocative individual-, couple- and family psychotherapy. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

Custody disputes have traditionally been considered a legal matter. More recent trends have seen the recognition of divorce and custody as both legal and psychological events. This necessitated the involvement of professionals of the helping services in custody recommendations. Such a multidisciplinary approach is currently taken by the Office of the Family Advocate, Pretoria, in disputed custody matters. It is suggested that the way in which the problem of custody is currently defined, is on a pragmatic level, and does not include a higher-order awareness as implied by an ecosystemic epistemology. Such an awareness denotes self-reflexivity, and calls for a more aesthetic emphasis. The dialectic between aesthetics and pragmatics is maintained by means of a descriptive look at the various systems involved in a disputed custody case. Adopting an ecosystemic epistemology is recommended, through the metaphor of mediation, as a further evolution of an already changing process. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

Text in Afrikaans / In this study a description of the development of meaningful alternative constructions has been provided. The development of meaningful alternative descriptions of a painful situation within which people find themselves could create the possibility of movement taking place. · The development of alternative descriptions was discussed by means of the following components of a therapeutic conversation: The therapist uses the different punctuations of the family in their description of the problem and takes complementary descriptions into consideration. (Punctuation/complementation.) In the description of alternative realities the therapist uses a language that creates hope for change. (Reframing.) The therapist listens to the family with respect and endeavours to hear the family's themes, to understand and to use them. (Language.) The therapist, by asking questions of which the answers facilitate further questions, accepts the responsibility to facilitate discussions that encourage participation in the therapeutic process. (Participation/questions leading to further questions.) The discussion was based on a constructivist approach. A case history was described to illustrate how meaningful alternative descriptions were developed in a therapeutic conversation. / In hierdie studie is 'n beskrywing van die ontwikkeling van betekenisvolle alternatiewe konstruksies gegee. Die ontwikkeling van alternatiewe beskrywings vir 'n pynlike situasie waarin mense hulle bevind kan die moontlikheid skep dat beweging plaasvind. Die ontwikkeling van alternatiewe beskrywings word bespreek aan die hand van die volgende vier komponente van 'n terapeutiese gesprek: Die terapeut gebruik die verskillende punktuasies van die gesin in hulle beskrywing van die probleem en neem komplementerende beskrywings in ag. (Punktuasielkomplementering.) In die beskrywing van alternatiewe realiteite gebruik die terapeut 'n taal wat die hoop op verandering skep. (Herformulering.) Die terapeut luister met respek na die gesin, en poog om die gesin se temas aan te hoor, te verstaan en te gebruik. (Taal.) Die terapeut neem, deur vrae te vra waarvan die antwoorde tot verdere vrae aanleiding gee, die verantwoordelikheid op hom om gesprekvoering te fasiliteer wat deelname aan die terapeutiese proses aanmoedig. (Deelname/vrae wat aanleiding gee tot verdere vrae.) Die bespreking is gebaseer op 'n konstruktivistiese benadering. 'n Gevallestudie word beskryf om te illustreer hoe betekenisvolle alternatiewe beskrywings in 'n terapeutiese gesprek ontwikkel is. / M.A. (Social Work)

Family Therapy training programmes have recently come to appreciate the importance of addressing the personal growth of the trainee-therapist, in addition to the traditional focus on skill development. Suggestions in the available literature on how this "person-of-the-therapist" issue could best be addressed, represent almost exclusively the ideas of authorities (authors, clinicians and trainers) in the field of systemic therapy. Constructivist thought endorsed by the UNISA training programme, encourages and values different viewpoints. According to this view, students and faculty co-construct the training process. The aim of this study is therefore to present the voice of the trainee. Several training contexts, the essential qualities of the different supervisory relationships and difficulties encountered, are explored from the trainee's perspective. It is hoped that this "inside story" about the author's experiences on her journey toward becoming a psychotherapist, will engender sensitivity for and a deeper understanding of the complexity involved in training the person of the therapist. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

Text in English / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / M.Th. (Practical Theology, with specialisation in Pastoral Therapy)

Text in Afrikaans / Gesinne met aangenome kinders bevind hulself in 'n eiesoortige gesinsituasie. Die situasie stel verskeie eise aan die ouers asook aan die kinders in die gesin. Bo en behalwe die universele gesinsuitdagings, moet bulle ook die uitdagings uniek aan die aannemingsituasie bemeester. Gesinne met aangenome kinders bevind hulself soms in moeilike situasies en benodig dan ondersteuning. Daarom is daar in hierdie studie besluit om ondersoek in te stel na die effek van gesinsterapie in gesinne met aangenome kinders. Die doel was om vas te stel in watter mate gesinne met aangenome kinders gehelp kan word om probleme te oorkom met gesinsterapie as terapeutiese intervensie. Die navorsing is gedoen aan die hand van 'n kwalitatiewe ontwerp waar data hoofsaaklik ingesamel is deur vraelyste, observasie en onderhoudvoering. Daar is tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat gesinsterapie effektief gebruik kan word om hulp te verleen aan die gesin met aangenome kinders. Daar word as 'n span aan die probleme gewerk aangesien gesamentlike doelwitstelling-plaasvind en dit dien ook as 'n belangrike saambindende faktor van die gesinslede. AI die gesinslede se probleme kon gelyktydig aangespreek word in plaas van op 'n individuele basis. / Families with adopted children find themselves in a situation with unique demands made on them as a family as well as on an individual level as a parent or a child. They have to master the universal family challenges as well as the challenges of the family with adopted children. These families often find themselves in complex situations, which are difficult to handle and thus need the necessary support. The reason for this study was therefore to investigate the effect of family therapy in families with adopted children. The aim was to find out how effective a family with adopted children could be helped to solve the problems experienced with family therapy as therapeutic intervention. A qualitative analysis was conducted and data was gathered primarily through questionnaires, observation and interviewing. The results of the research led to the conclusion that family therapy was indeed an effective therapeutic intervention as far as families with adopted children were concerned. It provided the family to work together as a team and created unity. All the family members' problems could also be addressed at once instead of individually. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Voorligting)

This study aims to show that the adoption of the cybernetic perspective is appropriate in dealing with relationship problems of interacting and communicating individuals since it authenticates the inclusion of the therapist in the therapeutic system, and thus the creation of a reality by all involved, and not just the therapist alone. The constructivist view of the world and the systemic theoretical assumptions are recognized as the required framework for the adopted cybernetic approach. The consideration of the stability/change nature of change is acknowledged as forming the most essential aspects of the change that system require. Thus addressing both stability of what clients need to maintain of themselves, as well as what they want to change is important. The action research methodology used in this research ensured a focus on the actions of the therapist/social worker while facilitating a therapeutic process with a family. Therefore attention could be given to areas requiring change through the planning, acting and reflecting steps throughout the process. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Science (Mental Health))

Thesis (MTh) -- Stellenbosch University, 1995. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis is an attempt to present a prop~r modd and methodology of pastoral care &mu counselling of children. Chapter I starts with the concept of childhood and traces the history of child care and examines the present situation of pastoral care and counselling. The importance and necessity of pastoral care and counselling of children is emphasized. Chapter 2 locates pastoral care and counselling of children under the umbrella of Practical Theolob'Y· It proposes an interdisciplinary model and argues th<:t pastoral care is a theological issue. In chapter 3 the ancient Israelite society is examined 11s an example of a therapeutic environment for growing children. Her.~ the family provided a social structure through which children experienced a strong sense of belonging, security, love and self-identity. In the family circle God's covenantal love was conveyed by means of storyte.lling. Children have their own world and language which differ in many ways from the adult world. Chapter 4 explores the personal world and language of children and gives an exposition of the different developmental stages between the ages of six and twelve. Chapter 5 deals with the world of children, the family and the immediate environment of growing children. Healing in pastoral care is exercised through faith care. The research proposes the storytelling method as a most effective vehicle to convey God's love to the child. Chapier six explains the necessity for a storytelling technique through which the horizon of the child's environment merges with the horizon of God's unfailing love and grace. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die navorsing is daarop gerig om die pastoraat llewus te maak van die eiesoortige behoeftes van die kind onder twaalf jaar binne die beraadproses. Die voorveronderstelling waarmee gewerk word, is dat die kind deur die kerk wel via die kategese bereik word, maar dan op 'n meer kognitiewe leervlak. Gevolglik word daar nie erns gemaak met die meer indjviduele en emosionele behoeftes van kinders in 'n krisis binne hut gesinsverband nie. Die eerste hoofstuk is 'n bespreking van die geskiedenis van sorg aan die kleiner kind en ·n ontleding van die huidige benwdsituasie in pastorale sorg. Die tweede hoofstuk bied 'n metodologiese raamwerk teen die agtergroml van die karakter van praktiese teologie en 'n interdissiplinere benadering. Die derde hoofstuk is 'n poging om vas te stel wat die posisie van die kind in die vroee lsraelitiese gemeenskap was. Die navorsing stel vas dat die sorg van God gerealiseer was via die verbondsliefde sons wat dit in die familie tot uitdrukking gekom het. Dit is hier waar die verhaal of storie van God se bemoeienis met sy volk oorvertel is. Die vierde hoofstuk konsentreer op die eiesoortige wereld van taal, simbole en kommunikasie gedurende die verskillende ontwikkelingsfases van die kind. Hoofstuk vyf bied 'n bespreking van die sosiale omgewing en gesinsverband van die kind. Die laaste hoofstuk is 'n toespitsing van pastoraat a an die kleiner kind rnet behulp van die metode van storievertelling. Dit is die taak van die pastoraat om 'n horisonversmelting tussen die storie van die kind en die storie van God se verbondsliefde te laat plaasvind. Op hierdie wyse word die geloof van die kind ontwikkel en verkry die metode van storievertelling 'n pastorale dimensie.

This study was designed to determine the effectiveness of filial therapy training in: (a) increasing immigrant Korean parents' empathic behavior with their children; (b) increasing immigrant Korean parents' acceptance level toward their children; and (c) reducing immigrant Korean parents' stress related to parenting.The experimental group, consisting of 17 immigrant Korean parents in the United States, received 10 weekly 2-hour filial therapy training sessions and participated in weekly 30-minute play sessions with one of their children. The control group, consisting of 15 immigrant Korean parents in the United States, received no treatment during the ten weeks. All the parents were videotaped playing with their child before and after the training as a means of measuring change in empathic behavior. The two written self-report instruments completed for pretesting and posttesting purposes were the Porter Parental Acceptance Scale and the Parenting Stress Index. Analyses of covariance revealed that the immigrant Korean parents in the experimental group had significant changes in 10 of 12 hypotheses, including (a) a significant increase in their level of empathic interactions with their children; (b) a significant increase in their attitude of acceptance toward their children; and (c) a significant reduction in their level of stress related to parenting. This study supports the use of filial therapy for promoting the parent-child relationship in immigrant Korean families in the United States. Filial therapy helps immigrant Korean parents to be therapeutic agents for their children. It helps them regain their own power as parents and restore positive relationships with their children.

Dissertation / The impact of stranger rape on the victim and those close to the victim is widely researched. However, little data is available on couples’ experiences of stranger rape and their relationships in the aftermath of such trauma. The researcher aimed to explore and gain an in-depth understanding of the unique experiences and relationship dynamics of couples dealing with stranger rape in order to enhance what is known about these couples. A qualitative research methodology was employed which consisted of conducting unstructured in-depth interviews with each of the three participant couples as well as obtaining individual written reflections from each participant. The study explicated unique descriptions of each couple’s experience of stranger rape, illuminated the interconnectedness and recursiveness between the rape and the couples’ relational and system dynamics and identified possible systemic effects at play in these couples’ relationships in the aftermath of such trauma. Key terms: stranger rape, couples, post-traumatic stress disorder, relational dynamics, systems, family systems theory, qualitative research, hermeneutics, social constructionism, postmodernism / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)