Stress is a problem in today's world and adolescents are not exempt from suffering its ill effects. Currently no stress management courses are offered as part of the formal guidance programme in high schools or in the community. This pilot study is an attempt to construct a stress management course based on the concepts of Transactional Analysis. The course was implemented with a multi-racial, standard eight group of nine boys and girls. The course was evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively. The quantitative measures proved to be inappropriate to this study and did not render any useful information. The study found that the scholars expressed that they had changed in their handling of their daily stressors as a result of the course. Personal growth had also taken place. The findings of this research are discussed in terms of the important implications they have for school guidance programmes.

This study was undertaken to determine the effect of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), in general, and one of its manifestations, growth retardation, in particular, on the self-image of adolescents. The conceptualization of adolescent self-image as described by D. Offer (1981) was the basis for the study's framework. The psychological, social, sexual, familial and coping selves, further classified into 11 separate content areas, comprised the adolescent self-image. A descriptive-comparative design was used to describe the self-image of adolescents with IBD and to compare the similarities and differences in self-image among the IBD adolescents with and without growth retardation and their healthy peers. A convenience sampling method was used to obtain 24 IBD subjects between the ages of 12 and 20, eleven of whom had growth retardation. A normative sample of adolescents (N = 1385) was used by permission of D. Offer for purposes of comparison with the IBD subjects. Data were gathered using the Offer Self-image Questionnaire for adolescents. The adolescents with IBD did not differ remarkably from the norm in their perceptions of self although a tendency among the females to have concerns about their body image and sexual maturation was demonstrated. The IBD subgroup without growth retardation reported self-image perceptions that were superior to the norm and the growth retarded subgroup in almost every category. The IBD subgroup with growth retardation reported a disturbed self-image in a number of areas. The males revealed disturbances primarily in body image and secondarily in emotional harmony, and adaptability to stress in the immediate environment, family relations, and sexual maturation. The females revealed self-image disturbances in sexual maturation and body image. The findings of the study suggest that growth retardation in the IBD adolescent may have a negative effect on self-image. The findings may demonstrate a more notable and broader effect of growth retardation on self-image in the males with IBD than in the females. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Nursing, School of / Graduate

The psychosocial adjustment of nine adolescents with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) was described by two standard psychologic tests; Piers-Harris Self-Concept Scale and Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control. Life Events were recorded to evaluate the effect of stress at the time of testing. The mean self-concept scores were higher (p = .009) for the ESRD adolescents than the normative sample. However, the individual's scores did not differ significantly. The Life Events were comparable to the healthy population for age. The family members were assessd on the Family Assessment Measure (FAM) to assess the influence of family functioning on adolescent psychosocial adjustment. The standardized FAM scores were comparable to a normative sample. Cluster analysis of the ESRD adolescents revealed three groups differing significantly on: self-concept, locus of control, FAM self-rating and number of years from diagnosis to dialysis. Significant differences were maintained across the family members on FAM General Scale and FAM Self-Rating Scale. The adequate psychosocial adjustment of the adolescents with ESRD is consistent with recent studies suggesting that chronically ill children and adolescents do not differ from healthy children. However, the results also suggest that within the study group, a number of individuals may be experiencing problems of adjustment. / 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

M.A. / The aim of this research is to ascertain the unique character of late-adolescence in order to strengthen the counselling and ministry of late-adolescents. The first aim was to ascertain the particular problems of identity development and psychosocial adjustment of late-adolescents. The research concentrates on different aspects of development such as cognition, sexuality, self-actualisation and commitments. In order to comprehend the complexity of late-adolescents, the following aspects should be taken into account: identity, body-image, intimacy, careerchoice, personal values and philosophy of life. A literature study was done to draw a comparison between the developmental theory of Erik H Erikson and the classical and more contemporary views on these concepts. Erikson described eight life stages in human development. The research focuses on the first six stages which culminates in achievement of intimacy and identity. The research showed that six concepts, trust, autonomy, initiative, industry, identity and intimacy, are intertwined in the development of a healthy personality. This information need to be used in the counselling and ministry process. The second aim was to measure the psychological adjustment of late-adolescents by means of two questionaires: the EPSI-scale. (Eriksonian Psychological Stage Inventory) and the Erikson-scale. The questionaires were structured to measure the six major concepts of Erikon's theory. The lack of correlation between the EPSI and Eriksonian scales opens the door to research on a questionaire which can measure the Eriksonian concepts of psychosocial development. The following methods were used in the processing of the results of the questionaires: Student T-test for small groups and the Spearman correlational coefficient. The variables that were tested were sex, age and ethnicity. There were no statistical significant differences among the scores of the three ethnical groups. This leads to the conclusion that Erikson's theory is applicable to the South African adolescent population. Identity and psychosocial adjustment are major concepts in the development of lateadolescents and could be regarded as a relevant field of study.

M.Ed. / Depression of adolescents is often misunderstood or misjudged. Depression is an universal disorder worldwide and there are more than 300 million people who are suffering from it (Star, 11 April 1999). Approximately nine percent of all children experience symptoms of depression. It increases from twenty two to forty percent among adolescents (Offord, 1987:10). On any given point of time there are as much as one out of every thirty three children and as many as one out of every eight adolescents suffering from clinical depression (Dubuque, 1998:64). Unfortunately depression has become part of our society and we shall have to learn how to handle it in order to render assistance to people who are suffering from this disorder. It is a shocking fact that more and more adolescents are trying to commit suicide. This is one of the findings that came to light in September 1999 during a Symposium of the South African Council for Child and Family Care. The following question arises: what is the experience of adolescent girls who are in a place of caring and who are suffering from depression and which guidelines could be provided to psychological educationists to accompany girls and to promote their mental health?A qualitative, describing and conceptual design was used to collect data and describe the adolescent girl in a place of caring and who is suffering from depression. The research took place in two phases. In Phase One in depth phenomenological interviews were conducted. In Phase Two logical inference was used to generate guidelines to psychological educationists to provide accompaniment to adolescent girls who are in places of care and who are suffering from depression.From the research it appeared that the following themes continuously came to the front amongst girls who are in places of care and who are suffering from depression: • need of acceptance and fear of loneliness; • a lack of hope and purpose in life; and • psychological coping mechanisms as a way of handling situations. The following sub-themes of adolescent girls who are in places of care and who are suffering from depression are identified: • a negative self concept; • poor self acceptance; • poor interpersonal relationships; • fear which is related to the girls' own helplessness and inability to escape from situations; and • defence mechanisms: rationalisation to make depression more acceptable; and suppression to suppress emotions in this way. From the research certain needs were identified by adolescent girls who are in places of care and who are suffering from depression: • the need of acceptance and the need of the addressing the fear of loneliness; • the addressing of feelings of lack of hope and purpose in life; and • the need of healthy coping mechanisms as a way in which situations could be handled. Guidelines to psychological educationists for the accompaniment of adolescent girls who are in places of care and who are suffering from depression are set out as follows: • guidelines to address the need of acceptance and the fear for loneliness; • guidelines to address the lack of hope and purpose in life; and • guidelines to develop healthy coping mechanisms.

Thesis (M.A. (Psychology)) ---University of Limpopo, 2017 / The aim of this study was to determine the notions of manhood by adolescent African boys in Ngove Village, Limpopo Province. The study sought to describe what it means to be a man according to African boys in a rural community. The study also described critical routes through which African boys transit from boyhood to manhood. The qualitative method was used. The sample consisted of 10 participants from Ngove Village, and was selected through purposive sampling. Data was collected through individual semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. Data was analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA). Common themes around what it means to be a man were clearly delineated. Findings of this study suggest that manhood is a status that is earned when a male person possesses specific qualities that one’s community and culture consider to be in keeping with being a man. The findings of this study further suggested that from early childhood, African boys experience social pressure that compels them into channeling their behaviours into standards set by the community. Meanwhile it is maintained that the male gender is the primary element of manhood, it is strongly emphasised that the male person will need to display his manhood behaviourally.

The present study investigates the contribution of religious community involvement to adolescent development, including the processes of identity formation and moral development. Three key areas are explored: 1) the precursors of faith community membership; 2) the process by which a belief system is chosen; and 3) the ways in which religious belief is supported by a faith community once it is joined. Of specific interest are the ways in which religious community integration nurtures the evolution of religious belief, including through intergenerational support, religious peer groups, and a connection to the ritual and history of a faith tradition. In particular, the influence of peers is examined, both for its role in the initial establishment of a religious identity as well as its role in the maintenance and growth of religious belief. The current study utilizes a phenomenological approach to the qualitative data analysis of adolescent interviews with subjects ranging in age from 12-21 years, from Christian, Jewish, and Muslim faith communities, representing a religiously and ethnically diverse sample. The narratives of participants have been analyzed to allow for the distillation of themes across contexts. This phenomenological analytic framework allows for exploratory hypothesis generating on dimensions of developmental support derived from religious community.

"The literature on teaching and curriculum development for the past two decades has emphasized the importance of relating curriculum and teaching to the problems or concerns which are of significance to the pupils...As homemaking teacher in the Liberty County High School, the writer is anxious to make homemaking as effective as possible for the pupils in this school. Consistent with the principle stated above, the identification of the problems which are unique to these pupils is a first step in this task. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to identify the problems of youth in Liberty County as seen by the pupils enrolled in the Liberty County High School, and to explore their implications for the teaching of homemaking in that school. In many studies of this kind the researchers have administered either the Mooney Problems Check List or the S.R.A. Youth Inventory as a basis for identifying the problems of youth involved. The procedure followed in this study, however, included the development of a problems check list unique to this school. It was felt that this was necessary because of the nature of the school population itself, and because it was believed that in the Liberty County High School this procedure would be more effective in identifying the problems of concern to the pupils involved than having them simply check a standardized scale developed for use with large number of youth scattered throughout the country. In addition, the writer was anxious to get information concerning certain citizenship attitudes of the pupils, and their vocational and educational goals"--Introduction. / "August, 1958." / Typescript. / "Submitted to the Graduate Council of Florida State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Science." / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 29).

A comparison of Lower Grade and Higher Grade pupils with regard to intelligence, self-concept and adjustment. 29 Lower and 29 Higher grade pupils in Stds 8 and 9 at a Jewish community day school were compared with regard to their I Q scores, self-concepts and adjustment level. These variables were measured on the following tests: The NSAGT; the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale and the PHSF Relations Questionnaire. The data from the two groups were compared by means of a t-test for small samples and the results demonstrated a significant difference (p≤0,01) for I Q scores and for self-concept but did not reveal a significant difference on most of the 12 sub-scales of the PHSF Relations Questionnaire. As regards the latter, a significant difference (p<0,05) was obtained on the sub-scale Sociability - S for female pupils and a significant difference was obtained on sub-scales Self-Confidence (p≤0,01) and Formal Relations (p≤0,05) for male pupils. The significant difference in I Q scores can be partially understood in terms of the selection criteria for admission to the Lower Grade class. The significant difference in self-concept can be attributed to the difference on the Intellectual and School Status sub-category. The lack of significant differences on the other sub-scales suggest that factors other than academic achievement are important in terms of self-concept formation for example:- class structure; membership of peer groups; extra-mural activities and family relationships. The lack of significant difference between Lower and Higher Grade pupils in the area of ,adjustment can perhaps be explained in terms of the Lower Grade pupils' relatively high scores on other sub-categories of the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale i.e. it was only as regards intellectual status that the Lower Grade perceived themselves as less able.