Background: Specific language impaired (SLI) children are at risk of emotionalbehavioural difficulties yet few studies have examined the part played by language Method: Cognitive-linguistic skills required by typically developing and SLI children to understand emotional ambivalence were investigated in three related studies using Donaldson and Westerman's 1986 methodology. This American study required children to answer questions related to stories evoking emotional ambivalence: The Puppy Story (love/anger); The Kitten Story (sad/happy). First study results replicated American findings on British subjects. The second study identified 5 cognitive-linguistic devices used by 32 typically developing children (7 - 11 years) when resolving two different types of ambiguity: emotional ambivalence and linguistic ambiguity (The Puppy Story/The Twins Story): mental role play (subjects answered questions in the character of the story protagonist), mime, metaphor, personal experience, folk psychology. Responses were analysed for expressive language performance/discourse errors. Differences were interpreted as differences in the cognitive demands of the tasks. Results: Children used different cognitive-linguistic devices resolving the two types of ambiguity. Girls became more specific in their use of cognitive-linguistic devices when answering questions relating to emotions. Children found linguistic ambiguity easier than emotional ambivalence to resolve showing that it was the emotional content not the ambiguity which created the difference in cognitive and linguistic stress. The third study compared 4 SLI children's responses to ambivalent emotion (Puppy Story) with those of the typically developing children. The Kitten Story was presented with pictures to support language skills. Results: SLI children's responses were less mature and atypical compared to language normal children's ability to understand ambivalent emotion and use cognitive-linguistic devices. The use of pictures did not help the children. Conclusions: Mental role play represents the gradual internalisation of empathy required for understanding emotional ambivalence which was lacking from the SLI children's data. Atypical metaphor use reflected the SLI children's inability to conceptualise the confusion inherent in contradictory emotions.

Although fear is an integral part of normal human functioning, it is important to obtain knowledge of children’s normative fear and defence mechanism in order for parents and caregivers to understand and contribute towards mediating potentially stressful experiences of children in their care. This combined qualitative and quantitative study aimed to identify a dominant defence mechanism for children in their middle childhood in dealing with fear. In order to reach the aim of this study a conceptual framework was done exploring terms central to this study including: development in middle childhood, fear, coping mechanisms and defence mechanisms. Miller and Dollard’s learning theory as a theoretical perspective was applied to the study. Interviews were conducted with eleven children in the southern suburbs of Cape Town. The data was analyzed and several findings were identified and explored. Implications, limitations as well as suggestions are part of the concluding chapter of the report. / Sociology / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

Although fear is an integral part of normal human functioning, it is important to obtain knowledge of children’s normative fear and defence mechanism in order for parents and caregivers to understand and contribute towards mediating potentially stressful experiences of children in their care. This combined qualitative and quantitative study aimed to identify a dominant defence mechanism for children in their middle childhood in dealing with fear. In order to reach the aim of this study a conceptual framework was done exploring terms central to this study including: development in middle childhood, fear, coping mechanisms and defence mechanisms. Miller and Dollard’s learning theory as a theoretical perspective was applied to the study. Interviews were conducted with eleven children in the southern suburbs of Cape Town. The data was analyzed and several findings were identified and explored. Implications, limitations as well as suggestions are part of the concluding chapter of the report. / Sociology / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

Although aggression as social phenomenon is widely researched, this research study aimed to illuminate the importance of early identification of excessively aggressive children specifically. The aim was to explore and gain an in-depth understanding of excessive aggressive behaviour during the preschool years. A qualitative research methodology was employed consisting of a parent interview, observations of the research participant and numerous play sessions consisting of various activities including free drawings; ‘Draw-a-Person ‘, a family drawing; the ‘Children’s Apperception Test’, and free play activities. The study explored various factors possibly leading to the onset and continuation of excessive aggressive behaviour. It seems clear that no single factor is responsible for the display of excessive aggression, but rather, multiple factors contribute to the problem of aggression as a whole. Play therapy is suggested as an effective method in the assessment and counselling of excessive aggressive behaviour in preschool children / Psychology / M.Sc. (Psychology)

Text in Afrikaans with t.p. and summaries in Afrikaans and English / Limited research concerning a child's association between emotion and color is available, both in terms of the amount of research studies done as well as the generalization of the results for the purposes of the five year-old. This study's aim was to explore the individual, unique, symbolic meaning between the experiencing of emotion and color of the five year-old. Color was used as an expedient to facilitate the identification of emotion. The test sample consisted out of five, five year-old Afrikaans speaking children. The researcher developed a technique and used it to explore the above. The results of this study showed that the associations that five year-olds draw between emotions and color can't be generalized. The study further showed that color can be very helpful in the identification process of emotions when working with the five year-old child. The results of this study were compared to relevant previous research results and at the end the researcher made certain recommendations for further research concerning the subject. / Bestaande navorsing oor die assosiasie wat die kind vorm tussen emosie en kleur is beperk, beide in terme van die aantal navorsingstudies en in die veralgemeenbaarheid van die resultate ten opsigte van die vyfjarige kind. Hierdie studie het gepoog om die individuele, unieke, simboliese betekenis te ondersoek tussen die belewing van emosie en kleur by die vyfjarige kind. Dit het behels dat kleur as 'n hulpmiddel aangewend is, ten einde die identifisering van emosie te vergemaklik. Die steekproef het bestaan uit vyf, vyfjarige Afrikaans-sprekende kinders. 'n Tegniek, deur die navorser ontwikkel, is gebruik om die bogenoemde te ondersoek. Die resultate van hierdie studie het getoon dat kinders van vyfjarige ouderdom se assosiasies tussen emosies en kleur nie veralgemeen kan word nie. Die studie het verder getoon dat kleur 'n bruikbare hulpmiddel is in die identifisering van emosies by die vyfjarige kind. Die resultate van die studie is met vorige relevante navorsingsbevindinge vergelyk en bepaalde aanbevelings is gemaak vir toekomstige navorsing rakende hierdie onderwerp. / Psychology / M.Diac. (Play Therapy)

The aim of this study was to critically examine the role and function of emotions in primary school children's meaningful learning. Emotions that are commonly experienced by primary school children were identified and an indication was given of how they relate to meaningful learning. Factors that affect both emotions and meaningful learning were also discussed. In an empirical investigation that was undertaken, it was found that emotions influence meaningful learning of primary school children either positively or negatively. The following emotions pointed to both positive and negative significant correlations with regard to meaningful learning: anger, aggression, anxiety, fear, love, joy and affection. Factors like family size, gender and the environment (life world of primary school children) also influence meaningful learning. / Psychology of Education / M.Ed.(Psychology of Education)

Text in Afrikaans with t.p. and summaries in Afrikaans and English / Limited research concerning a child's association between emotion and color is available, both in terms of the amount of research studies done as well as the generalization of the results for the purposes of the five year-old. This study's aim was to explore the individual, unique, symbolic meaning between the experiencing of emotion and color of the five year-old. Color was used as an expedient to facilitate the identification of emotion. The test sample consisted out of five, five year-old Afrikaans speaking children. The researcher developed a technique and used it to explore the above. The results of this study showed that the associations that five year-olds draw between emotions and color can't be generalized. The study further showed that color can be very helpful in the identification process of emotions when working with the five year-old child. The results of this study were compared to relevant previous research results and at the end the researcher made certain recommendations for further research concerning the subject. / Bestaande navorsing oor die assosiasie wat die kind vorm tussen emosie en kleur is beperk, beide in terme van die aantal navorsingstudies en in die veralgemeenbaarheid van die resultate ten opsigte van die vyfjarige kind. Hierdie studie het gepoog om die individuele, unieke, simboliese betekenis te ondersoek tussen die belewing van emosie en kleur by die vyfjarige kind. Dit het behels dat kleur as 'n hulpmiddel aangewend is, ten einde die identifisering van emosie te vergemaklik. Die steekproef het bestaan uit vyf, vyfjarige Afrikaans-sprekende kinders. 'n Tegniek, deur die navorser ontwikkel, is gebruik om die bogenoemde te ondersoek. Die resultate van hierdie studie het getoon dat kinders van vyfjarige ouderdom se assosiasies tussen emosies en kleur nie veralgemeen kan word nie. Die studie het verder getoon dat kleur 'n bruikbare hulpmiddel is in die identifisering van emosies by die vyfjarige kind. Die resultate van die studie is met vorige relevante navorsingsbevindinge vergelyk en bepaalde aanbevelings is gemaak vir toekomstige navorsing rakende hierdie onderwerp. / Psychology / M.Diac. (Play Therapy)

The aim of this study was to critically examine the role and function of emotions in primary school children's meaningful learning. Emotions that are commonly experienced by primary school children were identified and an indication was given of how they relate to meaningful learning. Factors that affect both emotions and meaningful learning were also discussed. In an empirical investigation that was undertaken, it was found that emotions influence meaningful learning of primary school children either positively or negatively. The following emotions pointed to both positive and negative significant correlations with regard to meaningful learning: anger, aggression, anxiety, fear, love, joy and affection. Factors like family size, gender and the environment (life world of primary school children) also influence meaningful learning. / Psychology of Education / M.Ed.(Psychology of Education)

Although aggression as social phenomenon is widely researched, this research study aimed to illuminate the importance of early identification of excessively aggressive children specifically. The aim was to explore and gain an in-depth understanding of excessive aggressive behaviour during the preschool years. A qualitative research methodology was employed consisting of a parent interview, observations of the research participant and numerous play sessions consisting of various activities including free drawings; ‘Draw-a-Person ‘, a family drawing; the ‘Children’s Apperception Test’, and free play activities. The study explored various factors possibly leading to the onset and continuation of excessive aggressive behaviour. It seems clear that no single factor is responsible for the display of excessive aggression, but rather, multiple factors contribute to the problem of aggression as a whole. Play therapy is suggested as an effective method in the assessment and counselling of excessive aggressive behaviour in preschool children / Psychology / M.Sc. (Psychology)