Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2006. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file viewed on (May 1, 2007) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Text in Afrikaans / In hierdie studie word die invloed van subtiele ouerlike verwerping op die leefwereld van die adolessent aangespreek. Subtiele ouerlike verwerping manifesteer nie net in die afwesigheid van liefde en warmte in die ouer-kind verhouding nie, maar vind ook neerslag in fisiese-, emosionele- en opvoedingsverwaarlosing. Uit die literatuurstudie blyk dit dat ouerlike houdings, wat in hul opvoedingstyl weerspieel word, bepalend is vir die adolessent se belewing van aanvaarding of verwerping. Oorsake van ouerlike verwerping setel in ouers se agtergrond, hul huidige omstandighede en die kind self. In die empiriese ondersoek is die leefwereld van die adolessent wat ouerlike verwerping beleef, verken. Volgens die resultate blyk dit dat hierdie adolessente se relasies problematies is, dat hulle 'n lae selfbeeld het en dat hulle gevoelens van angs en minderwaardigheid beleef. / This study addresses the influence of subtle parental rejection on the life world of adolescents. Subtle parental rejection manifests not only in the lack of warmth and love in the parent-child relationship but also in physical, emotional and educational neglect. From the literature study it is evident that, parental rejection which is reflected in their educational style will determine whether a child experiences rejection or acceptance. Causes of parental rejection reside in the background of parents, their existing circumstances and also in the rejected child itself. The empirical study investigates the life world of adolescents who experience subtle parental rejection. According to the results it seems that these adolescents experience problematic relationships, they have a low self-image and also experience feelings of anxiety and a sense of inferiority. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Sielkundige Opvoedkunde)

This research examines what facilitates and hinders the adjustment of adolescent international students attending public secondary school in Vancouver, British Columbia. The purpose of this study is to determine a set of categories that can be used by school personnel to, better assist newly arriving international students in their adjustment process. The critical incident technique developed by Flanagan (1954) is used for this research to discover what events facilitate and hinder the adjustment of these international students. Twenty-one secondary students, ages fifteen to eighteen, are interviewed from three different public schools in the Vancouver School District. From the interviews, a total of 352 critical incidents are used to develop seventeen categories which answer the question: What facilitates and hinders adolescent international student adjustment? To test for reliability and validity, four tests are carried out in order to establish the soundness and comprehensiveness of the categories including independent rater agreement, comprehensiveness of categories, participation rate, and expert validation. The results show that adolescent international student adjustment can be facilitated or hindered in the following ways: receiving encouragement or support, receiving advice or information, receiving help, appreciating others, being accepted, making friends, having fun, participating in activities, learning English, communicating effectively, speaking own language, performing well academically, experiencing less demand at school, making decisions, impressed with environment, experiencing dilemmas, and experiencing local annoyances. Portraits of adjustment and maladjustment are given as well as case studies in order to highlight the categorization system in both a general and specific way. The findings of this study contribute to the body of knowledge regarding international student adjustment because of its use of an adolescent, rather than adult, international student population. This research is also very practical in that it can be useful as a basis for individual and group counselling, various school-based and district programs, and general support and information for school personnel and newly arriving international students. Ideas for further research using this subject population are also suggested. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

One criticism of previous work in the field of adolescent development has been the paucity of research examining the unique and combined contributions of different developmental contexts on adolescents' functioning. In an attempt to address this issue, the current study examined adolescents' perceptions of autonomy and relatedness within parent, peer, and school contexts in relation to school functioning and psychological adjustment. Adolescents (N = 478) in Grades 8, 9, and 11 completed self-report questionnaires assessing feelings about their relationships with parents and peers, and perceptions of school. Teachers completed ratings of adolescents' strengths and competencies. Academic achievement was assessed using end of year school grades. Results revealed several significant gender and grade differences. Whereas girls reported greater deidealization of their parents and peers, and higher quality of attachment to peers than did boys, boys- reported being less dependent on their peers than did girls. Overall, adolescents in grade nine were more dependent on their peers and reported more trust and communication in their peer relationships than did adolescents in grade eight. Correlational results indicated that school functioning was positively associated with school autonomy, parental attachment, peer attachment and school belonging, and that problems in psychological adjustment were negatively associated with peer autonomy, school autonomy, parental attachment, peer attachment, school belonging, and positively associated with parental autonomy. Results of the multiple regression analyses indicated that autonomy and relatedness variables accounted for significant amounts of variance in GPA, teacher-rated school competencies, internalizing problems, and externalizing problems. Analyses also revealed variables which uniquely predicted areas of functioning across contexts and gender. This cross-sectional study provides new theoretical insights regarding relations of autonomy and relatedness to school functioning and psychological adjustment during adolescence across multiple contexts. The findings contribute to a more thorough understanding of the dimensions of autonomy and relatedness that may have important implications for educators and parents of adolescents for improving educational practice and for promoting school success and positive adjustment. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

D.Ed. / Apartheid and underdevelopment have shaped the educational system in South Africa. Previously South African public schools have been segregated according to race and separate education systems had been instituted for the four main population groups since the early foundations of educations. Racially mixed schools were prohibited. With the transformation of South Africa to a democratic country, where the African National Congress came to power in 1994, many changes took place. One of these was fundamental changes to the educational system with the admittance of learners of all races to previously racially segregated schools. Many parents from townships welcomed the opportunity to have their children attend schools in urban areas to expose them to education that they perceive to be of a higher standard than that in township schools. This movement of learners from all ethnic groups to English medium schools has necessitated some changes in these schools to accommodate the unique characteristics of learners from diverse cultural, linguistic and socio-economic backgrounds. It is important to note that these learners bring to the classroom languages and cultures previously underrepresented. Learners who come from different cultural or linguistic backgrounds are often seen as environmentally deprived simply because of their “being different” from the dominant culture. These learners begin their schooling with certain lags that may be due to the fact that they have a limited understanding of the language of instruction. These communication difficulties are exacerbated when the learner is confronted with a foreign culture that may cause anxiety and frustration as well as insecurity. This, in turn, becomes the educator’s problem, because learning is impeded under such circumstances. Grade eight learners in transition from township schools may also have added difficulties on account of their required adjustment to changes linked to their developmental phase, namely adolescence. The aim of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of LEP grade eight learners in transition from township schools to English multicultural schools in order to develop an intervention programme for educators and educational psychologists with regard of support for these learners. The research was conducted from the qualitative paradigm. It included a literature review, individual and focus group interviews with learner, their educators and their parents, essays by LEP learners and observation of these learners. A purposive sample of ten learners from each six English medium secondary schools in Gauteng was selected. Data analysis was deductive. Categories of meaning included the following: scholastic performance, emotional factors, behavioural factors, sociological factors, cultural factors, environmental factors, educator attitudes and, finally, transition and adjustment. The three groups of respondents agreed to a large extent on the experiences of LEP learners. An intervention programme, based on the findings of the study, was developed for educators and educational psychologists to render support for LEP learners in order to facilitate their learning and adjustment in multicultural schools. The principal areas of the programme aimed at providing and inclusive, inviting educational approach that will enable learners to feel included and valued in the school, while improving their learning and adjustment. / Prof. J. Pillay

This study examined associations between conflict affect, resolution, and relationship impact in adolescent conflicts with mothers and friends. Participants included 231 adolescents who were on average 14 years of age. Over three consecutive days, participants completed a diary study in which they reported and described conflicts with mothers and friends. Path analyses were used to examine direct and indirect associations from negative affect and resolution to relationship impact contrasting disagreements with mothers and disagreements with friends. Moderator analyses examined whether patterns of association differed by gender or conflict topic. Findings revealed that lower levels of negative affect and higher levels of compromise were associated with improved relations for both adolescent conflicts with mothers and friends. Mediation analyses indicated that negative affect largely accounted for the association between compromise and relationship impact. There was no difference between mother-adolescent and friend-adolescent relationships in the strength of these associations. Gender and conflict topic did not moderate these associations. These findings are consistent with a larger body of research on marital relationships, which suggests that negative affect plays a key role in predicting relationship outcomes. Specifically, it appears that regardless of the amount of compromise, it is the expression of anger that determines whether a conflict improves or worsens a relationship. / bu Gwen R. Pursell. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2009. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2009. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 2005. / Title from title page screen, viewed on April 22, 2007. Dissertation Committee: Gary L. Creasey (chair), Jeanne A. Howard, Susan L. Smith, Adena B. Meyers, Alvin E. House. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 141-154) and abstract. Also available in print.

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio University, June, 2006. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references (p. 88-96)

The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file. Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on January 22, 2010). Thesis advisor: Dr. Amanda J. Rose. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 72-95).