The aim of this study was to develop a Gestalt programme for parents of toddlers to empower them to contribute to the optimal development of their toddlers. Intervention research (Thomas & Rothman) as phase model was used as method for this study. During the first phase the managers or heads of three day-care centres were used to gain access to parents of toddlers. Parents were asked to complete a questionnaire with the objective to explore their attitude towards aspects such as communication with their toddlers, emotions of their toddlers and their disciplinary style. The questionnaire was also used to determine their needs with regard to the education of their toddlers. During the second phase a literature study was undertaken to explore the development of the toddler and the dynamics of the Gestalt approach. The Gestalt approach was used as cornerstone for the programme because of its holistic approach to the interaction between persons and the environment on all levels. This study concludes at Phase 4 by designing a prototype Gestalt programme for parents of toddlers. / Social Work / M. Diac (Play Therapy)

The aim of this study was to develop a Gestalt programme for parents of toddlers to empower them to contribute to the optimal development of their toddlers. Intervention research (Thomas & Rothman) as phase model was used as method for this study. During the first phase the managers or heads of three day-care centres were used to gain access to parents of toddlers. Parents were asked to complete a questionnaire with the objective to explore their attitude towards aspects such as communication with their toddlers, emotions of their toddlers and their disciplinary style. The questionnaire was also used to determine their needs with regard to the education of their toddlers. During the second phase a literature study was undertaken to explore the development of the toddler and the dynamics of the Gestalt approach. The Gestalt approach was used as cornerstone for the programme because of its holistic approach to the interaction between persons and the environment on all levels. This study concludes at Phase 4 by designing a prototype Gestalt programme for parents of toddlers. / Social Work / M. Diac (Play Therapy)

The aim of the study was to determine how Gestalt play therapy may be used in the therapeutic treatment of children in middle childhood who stutter. Stuttering is a problem that touches the lives of many people and is associated with great interpersonal distress. Stuttering is especially difficult for children in middle childhood, a time dominated by the school experience. Gestalt play therapy creates a child-friendly environment, in which the child can share information in a safe manner through the use of play therapeutic techniques. Literature was reviewed according to relevant topics, semi-structured interviews were conducted with three respondents, the data obtained was qualitatively analysed and research findings were discussed. The researcher concludes that Gestalt play therapy can be used to good effect with children who stutter, as it allows them to work through their emotions, and therefore, encourages them to communicate more freely within the therapeutic environment. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

Children who have sensory integration disorders face many physical, social and emotional challenges. Unusual emotional and behavioural reactions to sensory stimuli are often displayed. These children are referred to professionals including Gestalt play therapists, although formal training in sensory integration is limited to the scope of occupational therapy. Gestalt play therapists routinely utilize sensory rich activities during therapy. This study sought to explore and describe how Gestalt play therapists establish sensory contact with children who have sensory integration disorders. A combined qualitative and quantitative approach was utilized. A questionnaire and semi-structured interviews were used to gain rich descriptive data. Participants felt that the therapeutic process with these children was markedly different than with other children. Participants who were aware of their own sensory difficulties demonstrated an increased ability to accommodate these children in therapy. A need for increased knowledge and/ or training in sensory integration was strongly expressed. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

The aim of the study was to determine how Gestalt play therapy may be used in the therapeutic treatment of children in middle childhood who stutter. Stuttering is a problem that touches the lives of many people and is associated with great interpersonal distress. Stuttering is especially difficult for children in middle childhood, a time dominated by the school experience. Gestalt play therapy creates a child-friendly environment, in which the child can share information in a safe manner through the use of play therapeutic techniques. Literature was reviewed according to relevant topics, semi-structured interviews were conducted with three respondents, the data obtained was qualitatively analysed and research findings were discussed. The researcher concludes that Gestalt play therapy can be used to good effect with children who stutter, as it allows them to work through their emotions, and therefore, encourages them to communicate more freely within the therapeutic environment. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

Children who have sensory integration disorders face many physical, social and emotional challenges. Unusual emotional and behavioural reactions to sensory stimuli are often displayed. These children are referred to professionals including Gestalt play therapists, although formal training in sensory integration is limited to the scope of occupational therapy. Gestalt play therapists routinely utilize sensory rich activities during therapy. This study sought to explore and describe how Gestalt play therapists establish sensory contact with children who have sensory integration disorders. A combined qualitative and quantitative approach was utilized. A questionnaire and semi-structured interviews were used to gain rich descriptive data. Participants felt that the therapeutic process with these children was markedly different than with other children. Participants who were aware of their own sensory difficulties demonstrated an increased ability to accommodate these children in therapy. A need for increased knowledge and/ or training in sensory integration was strongly expressed. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

D.Diac. (Play Therapy) / Teachers in South Africa experience strain and tension, unique to their specific work description, which is evident in the career-related stress symptoms experienced by the individual teachers, the high rate of absenteeism amongst teachers, as well as the high attrition rate. Although factors causing teacher-stress, and the consequences thereof, have been extensively researched, a limited number of empirical evaluations of the effectiveness and accessibility of stress-management programmes have been conducted. Due to the holistic nature of Gestalt therapy, its emphasis on the here-and-now and the Gestalt principles of awareness, dialogue and process, a Gestalt therapeutic process model was developed to empower teachers to regain homeostasis. The aim and objectives of the research were the design, development, presentation and evaluation of a Gestalt therapeutic process model for teachers suffering from career-related stress, in their quest to regain homeostasis. The model was developed to be implemented within the school environment by a trained member of the school management team. The process of intervention research was used for the research study. A functional Gestalt therapeutic programme, based on the theoretical Gestalt therapeutic model, was developed and presented to ten teachers, selected through purposive sampling, and again to five different teachers, selected through theoretical sampling. The teachers identified were representative regarding age, gender, race and years in education. Triangulation was used and qualitative and quantitative data were collected simultaneously. The hypothesis stated for the research was that if teachers, suffering from career-related stress, were exposed to a Gestalt therapeutic model, they would regain homeostasis. Both the qualitative and quantitative data supported the hypothesis. The effect of the variables on each other was compared to confirm the reliability, applicability and neutrality of the research data. At the end of the three month research period the teachers who were exposed to the said model experienced less stress-related symptoms, as well as growth towards maturity and self-support, which would ultimately result in the regaining of homeostasis. A further objective of the research was to determine the feasibility of a trained school management team member implementing the Gestalt therapeutic process model at school. The qualitative data collected, indicated the feasibility thereof on condition that the school management team member did receive the necessary Gestalt therapeutic training. / Social Work

Through literature and personal experience it became apparent that cerebral palsy is a condition that poses physical challenges to the everyday lives of children diagnosed with this condition. Negative feedback from society and significant others in the lives of these children may lead to an emotional imbalance in these children. Although various models for addressing emotional issues in children with cerebral palsy exist, their needs within a therapeutic setting are not addressed. The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of the Schoeman model in therapy with the child with cerebral palsy. The Schoeman model is a therapeutic model that is based on the Gestalt philosophy and is used in conjunction with Gestalt play therapy. Through applying the different aspects of this model the study sheds light on the usefulness of the Schoeman model in therapy with the child diagnosed with cerebral palsy. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Spelterapie)

This study takes the form of intervention research in which parental guidelines to enhance emotional intelligence among children in middle childhood are developed from a Gestalt perspective. The researcher makes use of Rothman and Thomas’ (1994) Design and Development model and therefore follows phases of problem analysis and project planning, information gathering and synthesis, design, and early development in order to facilitate the research process. Guidelines deal with needs highlighted by parents (with children in middle childhood) who participated in the empirical enquiry. The researcher draws upon literature relating to emotional intelligence and parenting, Gestalt philosophy, and functional elements of relevant, existing programmes in the pursuit of addressing identified concerns. Phases of evaluation and advanced development, and dissemination are not addressed within the limited scope of this project. The possibility of exploring these final two phases of the design and development model therefore provides opportunity for future work. / Play Therapy / Thesis (M. Diac. (Play Therapy))

The goal of the study was to determine whether there would be a significant improvement in preschool children’s emotional intelligence when a Gestalt intervention programme was implemented. The research was conducted according to the quantitative approach with a pre-test/post-test design. The Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scales (2nd edition) was completed and returned by a sample of 30 parents (N=30) from a crèche in the Gauteng area. The Joseph Picture Self-Concept Scale was used to test a sample of 30 preschool children (N=30) from the same crèche. The representative sample of preschoolers aged 3 to 5 years was divided into an experimental (n=15) and control (n=15) group. A Gestalt play therapy intervention programme, the Wise child programme, was conducted with the experimental group. The results indicated that there was a significant improvement of the preschool children’s emotional intelligence in terms of intra- and interpersonal skills after the implementation of a Gestalt intervention programme. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)