A research report submitted to the Faculty of Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Masters of Arts, (Clinical Psychology) Johannesburg, 1995. / In recent years there has been great interest in studying the energy-restrictive eating disorders within sociocultural contexts. Patterns of change in the incidence and prevalence of these disorders appear to reflect social processes involving gender issues and shared cultural values around the female body, South African society is experiencing rapid sociocultural changes, and this raises questions about disordered eating and values our own society. This study investigated body figure preferences and attitudes and behaviours related to eating and body weight. The sample consisted of 125 White pupils and 61 Black pupils in three high schools in urban and periurban areas of Gauteng, South Africa. The schools represent different socioeconomic Environments. One is a private school and one is state school with partial provincial subsidy in an affluent suburb, and one is a community school which is subsidised mainly by donor funding and serves a periurban Community. Black and White pupils reported similar body ideals and levels of discrepancy between their reported actual body figures and their ideal figures, but Black pupils showed significantly greater tolerance of different body figures. both thin and fat. Despite this increased tolerance. However, their scores on the Eating Disorders Inventory were similar to those of the White pupils and exceeded White pupils on perfectionism and maturity fears measures, Amongst Black pupils in the three schools. EDI scores were similar but State school pupils showed more body dissatisfaction and Community school pupils showed more perfectionism; and maturity fear, This suggests that pupils in more disadvantaged school environments are weight-concerned and could still be at risk of disordered eating, the finding is contrary to expectations that private school pupils would show the most disordered eating and weight concern. EDI scores were closely related to body figure preferences, and especially to real-ideal discrepancy which was shown to be a simple but effective measure, A high-scoring subgroup was isolated and this was found to include 14 Black pupils and 22 White pupils, The findings have implications for preventive efforts and for further research, / GR2017

D.Ed. / The child constitutes his world by experiencing the content of life in a particular society. This content is included in the school curriculum as learning content after careful selection on the basis of its intrinsic value for education. Owing to the fact that the child attains adulthood by internalizing content, it is of the utmost importance that the pupil be motivated in such a manner by the content of the teaching-learning situation, that he learns because he wants to learn. When the selected content is presented to the child as a factual statement and not as a problem which concerns him, it may be experienced as an answer to a question which was never put. \~hen the child does not experience the content which is presented to him as a real life problem with which he can identify, the result is often meaningless learning by rote in order to avoid punishment, to pass a test, or to win the favour of a teacher. The interdependent nature of teaching and learning has made it possible for the researcher to show empirically how teacher strategies, focusing on the learning content as an object of wonder, relate to a willingness on the part of the pupil to learn in a meaningful way. It was also shown that the absence of teacher behaviour, concentrating on the learning content as an object of wonder, is associated with the absence of an inquiring attitude in pupils. In categories 2, 4 and 6 below, the contingency of the learning content is accentuated, whereas...

The AIM of the study from which the empirical data were obtained for this thesis, was the collection of basic demographic information and selected health related data from a group of adolescents at high-school in Cape Town. 1.2 The OBJECTIVES were Description of the demographic features of the pupils in Standards 8, 9 and 10 at a specific co-educational high school in Cape Town; Determination of the prevalence of smoking, and the attitudes to, and knowledge of the health risks of smoking; Determination of the prevalence of alcohol use, and the attitudes to, and knowledge of the health risks of consuming alcohol; Determination of the prevalence of habit-forming drug use, and the attitudes to, and knowledge of the health risks of using drugs; Determination of the sexual experience of the pupils, attitudes to and knowledge of the health risks of sexual activity, and knowledge of contraception and venereal disease; Examination of whether the above habits correlated within individuals i.e. whether those who smoked were more likely to use drugs or be sexually active, and vice versa.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The first objective of the study was to explore whether a correlation exists between anxiety symptoms and stressful life events within a sample of marginalised South African youths. The second objective was to examine the psychometric properties and cross-cultural validation of the Dominic-R when administered within the aforementioned sample. The participants consisted of a sample of 185 children aged between 10- and 15- years. Children completed three self-report questionnaires, namely the Dominic-R, the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale (SCAS), and a modified version of the Major Life Events Checklist (MLEC-M). Results indicated that albeit rather weak, significant positive correlations were nonetheless obtained between the total Dominic-R and SCAS scores, and stressful life events experienced. Furthermore, the psychometric properties of both the Dominic-R and the SCAS were moderate (convergent validity) to acceptable (internal consistency) for the sample. The implications of these results provide tentative evidence for the utilisation of the Dominic-R within South African samples. The limitations and recommendations for future research are discussed / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die eerste doelwit van die studie was om vas te stel of daar ‘n korrelasie bestaan tussen angssimptome en stresvolle lewensgebeure binne ‘n steekproef van gemarginaliseerde Suid-Afrikaanse jeugdiges. Die tweede was om ondersoek in te stel na die psigometriese eienskappe en kruiskulturele validering van die Dominic-R soos toegepas op voorafgenoemde steekproef. Die deelnemers het bestaan uit ‘n steekproef van 185 kinders tussen 10 en 15 jaar oud. Die kinders moes drie selfverslagvraelyste invul, naamlik die Dominic-R, die Spencekinderangsskaal (Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale – SCAS) en die aangepaste weergawe van die Kontrolelys vir Belangrike Lewensgebeure (Major Life Events Checklist – MLECM). Alhoewel redelik swak, het resultate tog getoon dat daar ‘n beduidend positiewe korrelasie was tussen die algehele Dominic-R- en SCAS-tellings. Verder was die psigometriese eienskappe van beide die Dominic-R en die SCAS gemiddeld (konvergente geldigheid) tot aanvaarbaar (interne konsekwentheid) vir die steekproef. Hierdie resultate bewys tentatief dat die Dominic-R bruikbaar is binne Suid-Afrikaanse steekproewe. Die beperkings van die studie en aanbevelings vir verdere navorsing word bespreek.

South Africa has been going through severe social changes over the past two decades. In light of these changes the present study aimed to understand adolescents’ expectations of their personal future. Based on the Theory of Possible Selves (Markus & Nurius, 1986) the present research addressed the overall question whether adolescents’ personal future plans incorporate the views they share about the present and the future of their social context. Social context was not only limited to factors such as gender, ethnicity and school environment, but also included both the daily lived experiences of inequality, as is the case in South Africa, and the projected social context of the future. A total of 631 pupils from four Gauteng high schools took part in this cross sectional study. The results support the hypotheses especially within the possible selves’ domain of academic achievement. The interrelatedness between possible selves and shared beliefs about the future of South Africa could, however, not be demonstrated. / Grow Your Own Timber Programme of the University of South Africa / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology (Research Consultation))

Afrikaans text / Die vlak van morele ontwikkeling van wit A:frikaanssprekende, wit Engelssprekende, swart Sotbosprekende, swart Xhosasprekende en swart Zoeloesprekende adolessente seuns en meisies in vroee, middel- en laatadolessensie (12-19 jaar) in Suid-Afrika is afsonderlik, tussenkultureel en vir geslagsverskille asook ouderdomsverskille ondersoek. Moontlike verbande tussen genoemde groepe se vlak van morele ontwikkeling, stedelike/plattelandse woonomgewing, vlak: van identiteitsontwikkeling en lokus van kontrole-orientasie is ondersoek vir kultuur- en geslagsverskille. Wit en swart adolessente redeneer nie in dieselfde mate op die verskillende stadia van morele ontwikkeling nie en bulle openbaar oak verskillende morele ontwikkelingspatrone. Swart adolessente funksioneer betekenisvol meer as wit adolessente op laer stadia van morele redenering terwyl wit adolessente betekenisvol meer as swart adolessente op boer stadia van morele redenering funksioneer. Wit adolessente toon 'n morele ontwikkelings­ patroon ooreenkomstig Westerse waardes en norme wat ooreenstem met Kohlberg se teorie. Swart adolessente toon 'n andersoortige morele ontwikkelingpatroon wat nie ooreenstem met Kohlberg se teorie nie. Met betrekking tot die wit adolessente groep bereik meisies betekenisvolle boer stadia van morele ontwikkeling as seuns. Wat swart adolessente seuns en meisies betreis geen betekenisvolle geslagsverskille ten opsigte van vlak van morele redenering gevind nie. Morele ontwikkeling verloop ooreenkomstig ouderdom in stadia volgens 'n spesifieke patroon. Jonger adolessente funksioneer in 'n grater mate op laer stadia van morele redenering as ouer adolessente terwyl ouer adolessente meer tekens van boer stadia van morele redenering as jonger adolessente toon. Verskille in die morele ontwikkeling van adolessente seuns wat uit 'n stedelike omgewing kom en die wat op die platteland woon bet nie voorgekom nie. Stedelike adolessente meisies funksioneer in 'n grater mate as plattelandse adolessente meisies op boer vlakke van morele ontwikkeling. Ten opsigte van wit adolessente het 'n betekenisvolle verband tussen vlak van morele ontwikkeling en vlak van identiteitsontwikkeling voorgekom. By swart adolessente is sodanige verband nie gevind nie. Geen verband tussen vlak van morele ontwikkeling en lokus van kontrole-orientasie vir wit en swart adolessente in Suid-Afrika is aangetoon nie. Die bevindings is verklaar aan die hand van verskillende tipes sosialisering, sosiokulturele faktore, kultuur-historiese aspekte en adolessente se ontwikkelingkenmerke. / The level of moral development of white Afrikaans speaking, white English speaking, black Sotho speaking, black Xhosa speaking and black Zulu speaking adolescent boys and girls in early, middle and late adolescence {12-19 years) in South Africa was investigated separately, cross-culturally and with regard to gender differences and age differences. Possible relationships between level of moral development and urban/country living environments, level of identity development and locus of control orientation for the above­ mentioned groups were also investigated for cultural and gender differences. White and black adolescents do not reason to the same extent at different stages of moral development and they exhibit different moral developmental patterns. Black adolescents function significantly more than white adolescents at lower stages of moral reasoning while white adolescents function significantly more than black adolescents at higher stages of moral reasoning. White adolescents reveal a moral developmental pattern in line with Western values and norms which corresponds with Kohlberg's theory. Black adolescents reveal a different moral developmental pattern which does not correspond with Kohlberg's theory. With regard to the white adolescent group, girls reach significantly higher stages of moral development than boys. With regard to black adolescent boys and girls, no significant gender differences in level of moral reasoning were found. Moral development takes place in accordance with age in stages according to a specific pattern. Younger adolescents function more at lower moral reasoning stages than older adolescents while older adolescents display more signs of higher moral reasoning stages than younger adolescents. No differences in the moral development of adolescent boys who come from urban environments and those from country districts were found. Girls from urban environments function significantly more than girls from country districts at higher levels of moral development. A significant relationship was found between level of moral development and level of identity development for white adolesceJJtS. No such relationship was found for black adolescents. No relationship between level of moral development and locus of control orientation for white and black adolescents in South Africa was found. The findings were considered in relation to different types of socialisation, socio-cultural factors, culture-historical aspects and adolescent developmental characteristics. / Psychology / D.Litt. et Phil. (Sielkunde)

Text in Afrikaans / Die doel van opvoeding is om die kind tot volwassenheid te lei. 'n Volwasse persoon is iemand wat homself ken, 'n inherente sin virwaardes navolg, sedelik selfstandige besluite kan neem en verantwoordelikheid kan aanvaar. Groepdruk belemmer die verwerwing van bogenoemde eienskappe by die adolessent en bemoeilik gevolglik sy opvoeding. Daarom stel opvoedkundiges toenemend meer in groepdruk as fenomeen belang. Die doeI van die ondersoek was om 'n meetinstrument te ontwikkel waarmee adolessente geidentifiseer kan word wat groepdruk moeilik hanteer. Daarbenewens was dit oak die doel om die belangrikste veranderlikes wat verband hou met groepdruk te identifiseer. 'n Literatuurstudie is onderneem met die doel om die fenomeen groepdruk te analiseer, ondersoek in te stel na die meetbaarheid van groepdruk en vas te stel watter faktore met groepdruk verband hou. 'n Meetinstrument is ontwikkel met die doel om groepdruk te meet (betroubaarheidskoeffisient : 0,86). 'n Empiriese ondersoek is uitgevoerwaarby 452 hoerskool adolessente (234 seuns en 228 dogters) betrek is. Benewens groepdruk is verskeie veranderlikes soos verhouding met ouers, verhouding met maats, selfbeeld, waardes, intelligensie en persoonlikheid ook gemeet. Biografiese gegewens soos geslag, ouderdom, demerietes, buitemuurse aktiwiteite en posisie in gesin is ingesluit. Uit die empiriese ondersoek blyk dit dat : • groepdruk 'n afname toon en verander vanaf graad 8 na graad 12; • selfbeeld, ouderdom, populariteit en verhouding met maats as die vernaamste veranderlikes wat met groepdruk verband hou, beskou kan word. Die implikasies van die bevindinge in die literatuurstudie en in die empiriese ondersoek is bespreek met die doel om ouers en onderwysers met riglyne te voorsien wat hulle kan aanwend om adolessente minder kwesbaar vir groepdruk te maak. / The aim of education is to guide the child towards adulthood. An adult is expected to know himself, follow an inherent sense of values, make moral decisions independently and accept responsibility. Group pressure hampers the attainment of the above characteristics during adolescence and therefore makes education problematic. For this reason educationists are taking a growing interest in group pressure as a phenomenon. The aim of this study was to develop a measuring instrument to identify adolescents who find it difficult to deal with group pressure. In addition it was also the aim to determine the most important variables which relate to group pressure. A literature study was undertaken in order to analyse group pressure as a phenomenon, to analyse the measurability of group pressure and to determine which factors relate to group pressure. An instrument was developed to measure group pressure (reliability coefficient: 0,86). An empiricalinvestigation was carried out involving 452 high school adolescents (234 boys and 228 girls). In addition to group pressure, several variables were measured such as the individual's relationship with parents and friends, his self-concept, values, intelligence and personality. Biographical information such as gender, age, number of demerits, extra mural activities and birth order was collated. From the empirical investigation it seems that • group pressure shows a decline from Grade 8 to 12; • self concept, age, popularity and relationship with friends can be considered the most important variables relating to group pressure. The implications of the findings in the literature study and empirical investigation were discussed with the aim to provide parents and teachers with guidelines which they can apply to make adolescents less vulnerable to group pressure. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Sielkundige Opvoedkunde)

A research report submitted to the School of Social Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the field of Demography and Population Studies for the year 2015 / Introduction: Early sexual debut remains a public health concern, and it continues to gather interest among researchers. In part interest is driven by the unchanging age at sexual debut and even though the age of sexual debut remains unchanged, the rate of early sexual debut keeps rising in many developing countries (Pettifor et al, 2009). Approximately 60% of young people in South Africa report to have had sexual intercourse by the time they are 16 years old (Peltzer, 2006). Furthermore early sexual debut has been identified as an indicator of risky sexual behaviour; as it exacerbates the individuals exposure to sexually transmitted diseases especially HIV, which is most prevalent among the youth in the ages 15-24 years old (Mchunu, 2012). Similarly, violence also remains a public health concern as it endangers the development of young people. Approximately 3.5 million people report injuries caused by violence every year, and violence accounts for 30% of mortality (Norman et al, 2010). A prevalent feature of violence is the dual role of young men as victims and as perpetrators of violence (Seedat et al, 2009). In some areas of South Africa homicide deaths of males outnumber those of females at a rate of 7 males to 1 female death (Seedat et al, 2009). Furthermore other reported consequences of violence among the youth are mental health problems, injuries and a negative education outcome among young people in South Africa. Young people are future leaders and parents of South Africa and it is therefore important to have a study that will examine the association between two factors that have been deemed as risk factors for the development of young people. The general objective of this study is to examine the association between violence and early sexual debut among youth in South Africa. The first specific objective of the study is to identify the level of early sexual debut among youth in South Africa, while the second specific objective of the study is to examine the association between violence and early sexual debut controlling for socio-economic and demographic variables. Methodology: Data was obtained from the National HIV communication survey with a sample of 1 873,956 females and 932,397 males. who are in their youth (15-24 years old). Data was managed using the STATA 12 and was analysed in a way that answers the objectives of the study. For descriptive analysis, frequency tables and graphs were used. A chi-square test was conducted, to test for an association between violence and early sexual debut and for multivariate analysis the study employed a multinomial logistic model / GR2017

Due to the rapid onset of westernization, there is a remarkable change in the life styles and the family structure of the black South African population in favour of smaller and economically manageable families. There is also an increase in political as well as family violence in black communities. children, adolescents and young adults are subject to these rapid changes. Family structures and life styles are also affected by these changes. The present study seeks to investigate the relationship between family structures and styles of coping with stressful life events. Hypotheses concerning this relationship are that adolescents from nuclear and extended family structures differ in handling stressful life events. Questions relating to family relations, stressful life events and ways of coping.were administered to 100 standard. 9 and ' 1 0 students, of which 80 were females and 20 were males. The level of stress was assessed by Moos' "Family Environment Scale" and coping efforts were assessed by Folkman and Lazarus' s "Ways of Coping Checklist". All these instruments were translated into zulu to avoid second language problems. A statistical analysis of the results was undertaken. The results did not show significant differences between coping styles of adolescent members of the two family structures. There were, however, some overlaps between the nuclear and the extended family structures concerning the way stressful life events were perceived. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1996.

Afrikaans text / Die vlak van morele ontwikkeling van wit A:frikaanssprekende, wit Engelssprekende, swart Sotbosprekende, swart Xhosasprekende en swart Zoeloesprekende adolessente seuns en meisies in vroee, middel- en laatadolessensie (12-19 jaar) in Suid-Afrika is afsonderlik, tussenkultureel en vir geslagsverskille asook ouderdomsverskille ondersoek. Moontlike verbande tussen genoemde groepe se vlak van morele ontwikkeling, stedelike/plattelandse woonomgewing, vlak: van identiteitsontwikkeling en lokus van kontrole-orientasie is ondersoek vir kultuur- en geslagsverskille. Wit en swart adolessente redeneer nie in dieselfde mate op die verskillende stadia van morele ontwikkeling nie en bulle openbaar oak verskillende morele ontwikkelingspatrone. Swart adolessente funksioneer betekenisvol meer as wit adolessente op laer stadia van morele redenering terwyl wit adolessente betekenisvol meer as swart adolessente op boer stadia van morele redenering funksioneer. Wit adolessente toon 'n morele ontwikkelings­ patroon ooreenkomstig Westerse waardes en norme wat ooreenstem met Kohlberg se teorie. Swart adolessente toon 'n andersoortige morele ontwikkelingpatroon wat nie ooreenstem met Kohlberg se teorie nie. Met betrekking tot die wit adolessente groep bereik meisies betekenisvolle boer stadia van morele ontwikkeling as seuns. Wat swart adolessente seuns en meisies betreis geen betekenisvolle geslagsverskille ten opsigte van vlak van morele redenering gevind nie. Morele ontwikkeling verloop ooreenkomstig ouderdom in stadia volgens 'n spesifieke patroon. Jonger adolessente funksioneer in 'n grater mate op laer stadia van morele redenering as ouer adolessente terwyl ouer adolessente meer tekens van boer stadia van morele redenering as jonger adolessente toon. Verskille in die morele ontwikkeling van adolessente seuns wat uit 'n stedelike omgewing kom en die wat op die platteland woon bet nie voorgekom nie. Stedelike adolessente meisies funksioneer in 'n grater mate as plattelandse adolessente meisies op boer vlakke van morele ontwikkeling. Ten opsigte van wit adolessente het 'n betekenisvolle verband tussen vlak van morele ontwikkeling en vlak van identiteitsontwikkeling voorgekom. By swart adolessente is sodanige verband nie gevind nie. Geen verband tussen vlak van morele ontwikkeling en lokus van kontrole-orientasie vir wit en swart adolessente in Suid-Afrika is aangetoon nie. Die bevindings is verklaar aan die hand van verskillende tipes sosialisering, sosiokulturele faktore, kultuur-historiese aspekte en adolessente se ontwikkelingkenmerke. / The level of moral development of white Afrikaans speaking, white English speaking, black Sotho speaking, black Xhosa speaking and black Zulu speaking adolescent boys and girls in early, middle and late adolescence {12-19 years) in South Africa was investigated separately, cross-culturally and with regard to gender differences and age differences. Possible relationships between level of moral development and urban/country living environments, level of identity development and locus of control orientation for the above­ mentioned groups were also investigated for cultural and gender differences. White and black adolescents do not reason to the same extent at different stages of moral development and they exhibit different moral developmental patterns. Black adolescents function significantly more than white adolescents at lower stages of moral reasoning while white adolescents function significantly more than black adolescents at higher stages of moral reasoning. White adolescents reveal a moral developmental pattern in line with Western values and norms which corresponds with Kohlberg's theory. Black adolescents reveal a different moral developmental pattern which does not correspond with Kohlberg's theory. With regard to the white adolescent group, girls reach significantly higher stages of moral development than boys. With regard to black adolescent boys and girls, no significant gender differences in level of moral reasoning were found. Moral development takes place in accordance with age in stages according to a specific pattern. Younger adolescents function more at lower moral reasoning stages than older adolescents while older adolescents display more signs of higher moral reasoning stages than younger adolescents. No differences in the moral development of adolescent boys who come from urban environments and those from country districts were found. Girls from urban environments function significantly more than girls from country districts at higher levels of moral development. A significant relationship was found between level of moral development and level of identity development for white adolesceJJtS. No such relationship was found for black adolescents. No relationship between level of moral development and locus of control orientation for white and black adolescents in South Africa was found. The findings were considered in relation to different types of socialisation, socio-cultural factors, culture-historical aspects and adolescent developmental characteristics. / Psychology / D.Litt. et Phil. (Sielkunde)