Only men can initiate boys into men. Boys are prepared into men by men of integrity, for that reason, when a father is absent a male model has to be found. Lack of models is the number one enemy for our adolescent males in Zimbabwe today. The absence of adult role models means adolescent males are moulded by unsupervised, doubtful and inexperienced peers. In the past the bringing up of a child was a community responsibility. In the present day children are growing up as sheep without a male shepherd. The qualitative and quantitative research methods guided the process of this study. The study revealed that fathers are absent because they have migrated to other countries and that their absence has a negative impact on developing healthy adolescent males. Migration of fathers to the Diaspora could not be resisted by men because of the socioeconomic and political situation in Zimbabwe. Fathers have left the country for greener pastures. The exodus of fathers to the Diaspora has created a vacuum when it comes to mentoring and moulding of male children into adults. The study carried out with adolescent boys indicated that fathers in the Diaspora are engaged in some form of income generating activities. As a result, some of these men are able to provide material needs intended for their families back home. However, the absence of these fathers has made some children feel emotionally abandoned and betrayed, while others are disappointed by fathers who did not bid them farewell at the time they were living the country. There is another group that felt that the absence benefited them. The absence of fathers destroyed father – son relationships, generated anger, bitterness and lack of any future trust with fathers. When children are angered and bitterness resides in them, they would go against their father’s potential assistance. On the other hand, in the process of the study on the absent father, a Christian model of caring for an individual and community emerged. The church has been noted to be the only institution that would guide the society to value the job of caring for the people of God who are in needy situations. When the church cares for the adolescents it will be caring for itself as well as the body of Christ. The author considered the views from James fowler (1981) and Gerkin (1997) on the stages of faith development and the idea of seeing the church as a community of faith in order for this research to portray the community of faith as a Community of Love. This is because it is only by Christ’s love that people are forgiven by God through grace. In addition, it is through love that people are nurtured; miracles of spiritual and numerical growth are realised. Acts 2; bears witness of the power in love fellowships or communities. He states that in sharing the gospel of Christ in love fellowships each member becomes a part of Christ’s body that spreads the gospel. The love fellowships make the church to be more than a preaching or meeting point. It becomes a family where all members have the opportunity to share their experiences at fellowship and individual levels. People will not depend on one person for spiritual growth but on each other for spiritual nourishment. Gerkin was important throughout the research with his pastoral care approach of caring for an individual and the communities of a Christian story in addition to guiding the researcher to create a model for a caring community. Therefore, caring of boys whose fathers are absent requires both individual mentors and local communities to model them. The church has been found wanting by the boys in this study. Boys have indicated that the church was not aware of their pain. This shows that the church was unable to see the depressed and hear the silent voices in order to interpret their situation. This reveals that the church has some parts that need spiritual attention in order for the body of Christ to function optimally. Children will open their hearts in love fellowships in order to be healed, nurtured, sustained and guided through love. Faith will be expressed in a more mature and responsible way when all is done in love. Faith in this study is the act of love that guides individuals and communities to an expression of freedom and responsibility in trusting God’s presence in human situations. It aims at increasing love for one another and to God. For it is only through Christ’s love that healthy memories are created. Chapter one gives the background and context of the problem to the study. It reveals that the motivation to carry out the study emerged from the author’s journey with his father and interactions with young people as a youth pastor. Therefore the socio-economic and political situation in Zimbabwe created an environment for the study to be carried out. In addition, absences of mothers at church prompted him to consider carrying out a study on the: Absent fathers due to migrant work: Its traumatic impact on adolescent males in Zimbabwe. Many women went to collect money from their husbands who are in the Diaspora each month end . Chapters twodemonstrates how a qualitative and quantitative method of carrying of the research is helpful. Listening to stories of the adolescent males enriched the research process. Chapter three dealt with the stages of human development coined by Erik Erikson with the intention to give the reader an understanding regarding the worth of adolescence stage. Chapter four explains father and fatherhood, the role of a father and impact of absence towards the up bringing of adolescent male children. Adolescent males develop their masculinity from their fathers for this reason every child should have a male model in order for him to be a man. In chapter five the researcher engaged in dialogue with adolescent males. Chapter six gave the concluding thoughts and recommendations to the study. The church has been identified as central in guiding children at individual and group levels in this era. The church should be a component of the extended family that is unique but related to the family units without competing with it. Every son needs a biological father from whom he learns how to manage weakness and strengths in his life and act in response to the challenges of the global village. Therefore, a father ought to be a male person in Zimbabwe who fears God and loves his sons not an angel out of this planet. Finally every adolescent child needs Christian males to guide him for it is through Christ’s love that healthy male memories are created. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Practical Theology / Unrestricted

Text in English / This study explored the lived experiences of black African men who grew up in absent-father homes. A phenomenological approach and qualitative exploratory design were used. The research participants were recruited in the Pretoria, South Africa through purposive sampling. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to analyse the information. The findings of this study indicate the following: the participants experienced various challenges in growing up in absent father homes. These included financial challenges, feelings of rejection, lack of guidance and protection. They had to rely on their single mothers for provision as well as the extended family and the community for support. These men were self-reliant, persevered and worked hard to achieve their goals in life. Resilience also played a role in making them thrive. They in turn wanted to be good fathers and husbands to their wives and children. Further research on resilient men who grew up in absent-father homes is recommended. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

This study examines the experiences of young adult women raised in non-resident father households in Tlokwe Local Municipality, North West. Focus groups and face-to-face interviews were conducted with 34 young women between the ages 18-25. Five important, nuanced themes emerged, these are: a) fathers who are physically present but emotionally absent, b) fathers who are physically present but uninvolved, c) fathers who are physically absent but involved, d) fathers who are physically present and involved and e) fathers who are absent and uninvolved. Non-resident fatherhood remains a challenge in the Tlokwe Municipality, most of the participants had never met their biological fathers. The study revealed the frustration young women feel towards their mothers and maternal grandparents for caring more about maintenance than they do about a healthy father-daughter relationship. The study further revealed a deep-seated need for close proximity and an involved type of fathering among the young women. / Sociology / M.A. (Sociology)

No description available.

Text in Afrikaans with summaries in Afrikaans and English / The child in his middle childhood years are confronted with physical, emotional, psychological and intellectual demands. The support from his parents enables him to make changes by using them as male and female role models. With a physically absent father the child has to face his absence and learn to handle it. The aim of this study was to investigate the child in the middle childhood’s experience of a physically absent father. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with thirteen respondents within the middle childhood years with the aim to explore their perceptions, experiences and how they manage with a physically absent father. The data collected during the empirical study was analyzed and compared with existing literature as a control mechanism. The study was completed with conclusions and recommendations that could be of value during an intervention with children in the middle childhood years experiencing a physically absent father. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Spelterapie)

The study investigated adolescent boys who experienced behavioural problems at school and the possible causes for these phenomena. It was evident that the adolescent boys who experienced behavioural problems were found to lack emotional connections with others due to their fathers’ absence and lack of positive attachment. A total of 403 adolescent boys from various schools in the Tshwane districts were used in the sample group. This quantitative study employed the use of a quantitative questionnaire as a means of data collection that included qualitative open-ended question as a method to enrich the quantitative data and obtain insight into the life world functioning and experience of the participants. The primary aim of the research study was to determine the emotional relationship between fathers and sons within the sample group. Secondly, the study sought to investigate how this emotional relationship affects the adolescent boy’s self-concept, resilience and motivational aspects in his daily functioning. The approach to quantitative data analysis was by means of descriptive statistical analysis. The findings revealed that emotionally absent fathers indeed impact negatively on the adolescent boys’ resilience and motivational aspects of their functioning and that a father’s absence has a significant influence on the behaviours of adolescent boys in relation to motivation and resilience. However, the research results also revealed that an emotionally absent father does not significantly affect the self–concept of an adolescent boy. Finally, an intervention programme was developed to assist and guide fathers and adolescent boys to improve their relationship with one another. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Text in English / Teenage pregnancy is a growing social concern in Namibia. In 2013, 19% of teenagers fell pregnant (MoHSS, 2014). Implications are enormous including economic, social and health issues. Attachment between parents and children is important in child development and enduring through life. The study aims to examine whether attachment styles of single parents increase the risk of teenage pregnancy in their daughters. The research used a quantitative method with a sample of 100 teenage girls in Windhoek, Namibia, completing the IPPA and Questionnaire to measure attachment and biographical data. Results analysis in this study suggests that teenagers from two-parents families are more likely to be securely attached (65%) and less likely to get pregnant as teenagers. On the other hand teenagers from single parent families are more likely to be insecurely attached (44%) and are more likely to get pregnant as teenagers. Thus, the attachment style predicted teenage pregnancy, particularly in single parent families where insecure attachment was more prominent. Recommendations for future research and for the government and other stake holders were provided. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Text in Afrikaans with summaries in Afrikaans and English / The child in his middle childhood years are confronted with physical, emotional, psychological and intellectual demands. The support from his parents enables him to make changes by using them as male and female role models. With a physically absent father the child has to face his absence and learn to handle it. The aim of this study was to investigate the child in the middle childhood’s experience of a physically absent father. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with thirteen respondents within the middle childhood years with the aim to explore their perceptions, experiences and how they manage with a physically absent father. The data collected during the empirical study was analyzed and compared with existing literature as a control mechanism. The study was completed with conclusions and recommendations that could be of value during an intervention with children in the middle childhood years experiencing a physically absent father. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Spelterapie)

The study investigated adolescent boys who experienced behavioural problems at school and the possible causes for these phenomena. It was evident that the adolescent boys who experienced behavioural problems were found to lack emotional connections with others due to their fathers’ absence and lack of positive attachment. A total of 403 adolescent boys from various schools in the Tshwane districts were used in the sample group. This quantitative study employed the use of a quantitative questionnaire as a means of data collection that included qualitative open-ended question as a method to enrich the quantitative data and obtain insight into the life world functioning and experience of the participants. The primary aim of the research study was to determine the emotional relationship between fathers and sons within the sample group. Secondly, the study sought to investigate how this emotional relationship affects the adolescent boy’s self-concept, resilience and motivational aspects in his daily functioning. The approach to quantitative data analysis was by means of descriptive statistical analysis. The findings revealed that emotionally absent fathers indeed impact negatively on the adolescent boys’ resilience and motivational aspects of their functioning and that a father’s absence has a significant influence on the behaviours of adolescent boys in relation to motivation and resilience. However, the research results also revealed that an emotionally absent father does not significantly affect the self–concept of an adolescent boy. Finally, an intervention programme was developed to assist and guide fathers and adolescent boys to improve their relationship with one another. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Summary With the rise of the divorce rate and the decline of the nuclear family, boys are more frequently being deprived of a father-presence in their homes. The aim of this study was to qualitatively explore and describe boys' experiences of their relationships with their absent fathers. Three boys from different racial and cultural groups were chosen as case studies and worked with from a Gestalt Play Therapy Perspective. Data was gathered from the therapeutic sessions, as well as from semi structured interviews with the childcare workers of the boys. The findings of the study appear to concur with existing literature, namely that boys with absent fathers experience difficulties in the areas of emotional, social, cognitive and moral development. Recommendations are made as to how boys with absent fathers may best be supported. Opsomming Met die toename in egskeidings en die afname van nukleêre gesinne, word daar gevind dat seuns meer dikwels die teenwoordigheid van die vader in die huis ontneem word. Die doel van hierdie studie is `n kwalitatiewe ondersoek en beskrywing van seuns se ervaring van hulle verhouding met hulle afwesige vaders. Drie seuns van erskillende rasse- en kulturele groepe is gekies vir die gevallestudies en vanuit `n Gestalt Spelterapeutiese perspektief is met hulle gewerk. Data is versamel vanuit die terapeutiese sessies sowel as vanuit semigestruktureerde onderhoude met die seuns se kinderoppassers. Die bevindinge van die studie blyk ooreen te stem met bestaande literatuur, naamlik dat seuns met afwesige vaders probleme ondervind ten opsigte van emosionele, sosiale, kognitiewe en morele ontwikkeling. Aanbevelings word gemaak oor hoe om dié seuns ten beste te ondersteun. / SOCIAL WORK / MDIAC (PLAY THERAPY)