Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this thesis. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Orthopaedic Surgery / unrestricted

The sexual offences that are committed by adolescents lately are of a great concern, particularly in the Mafikeng area. The record shows that adolescents are arrested daily for committing criminal offences. Despite the measures that are taken by the government in developing the young people to be the generation that would be tomorrow’s future leaders, others turn to not taking the opportunity with both hands but rather engaging in criminal activities. The office record also shows that adolescents’ cases that are assessed by the Probation officers in Mafikeng are mostly of sexual offences. In every assessment the child offender is expected to be accompanied by the parent/s. In most instances the parent/s indicates to be not aware of what influences the child to act against the law by committing a sexual offence. The role of the family is to provide care, support and guidance towards the child. It becomes difficult for the Probation officers to assist the child in such case if the parent/s does not know the causal factor of his/her child’s negative act, since they are seen to be the child’s primary care giver. In South Africa sexual offence is seen to be serious offence before the court of law that falls under schedule 3 offences. The research was conducted among the adolescents who were found to have committed sexual offences in Mafikeng area. The aim of the research was to gain information on factors that contribute to adolescents to commit sexual crimes. The objective for this research was to explore the factors that contribute to adolescents committing a sexual crime and formulate recommendations for social workers and parents/guardians in preventing adolescents from committing sexual crimes in the Mafikeng area. An empirical study was conducted using a qualitative approach. A self-administered schedule was used to evaluate the factors that contribute to adolescents committing sexual crimes by means of interviews with each adolescent who has been found to have committed sexual offences. It is evident from the data collected from the research that the main factors that influence adolescents to commit sexual offences in Mafikeng are substance abuse, failure to attend school and lack of parental supervision. It takes a village to raise a child, from these findings it is clear that an integrated service approach has to be adopted in addressing the challenge, i.e. parents should start to play their role in providing care and support for their children. There has to be good relationships between the community and government departments as well as NGO’s in dealing with moral decay. / MSW (Forensic Practice), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Drug dependence is a reality in South Africa, and adolescents are often admitted to treatment centres for rehabilitation. However, it seems that adolescents admitted to treatment centres sometime show resistance, which may lead to the underutilisation of the therapeutic programme. In addition, social workers in the drug dependence field do not have sufficient knowledge to handle the resistance shown by the adolescent drug dependant during therapeutic intervention. The researcher is not aware of any current strategies to identify and utilise resistance. The purpose of this study is to formulate a handling strategy for social workers, which will enable them to identify and utilise the resistance that adolescent drug dependants manifest during the therapeutic intervention in order to allow adolescents to make optimal use of their treatment programmes. To achieve this goal, the Design and Development Model of Rothman and Thomas were used in the intervention research. This study made use of qualitative research in order to work in an exploratory and descriptive way. During Phase 1, i.e. the problem analysis and project planning phase, data was collected through semi-structured interviews conducted with five social workers. These interviews were transcribed and analysed using Creswell’s data analysis spiral. Data has also been collected during Phase 2, which consists of data collection and synthesis by utilising existing sources of information, studying natural examples and identifying the functional elements of successful models. During Phase 3, which is the design phase, an observation system has been designed in the form of a questionnaire aimed at identifying resistance in adolescent drug dependants and at determining procedures for the intervention. A prototype handling strategy was development during Phase 4 (early design and development). This strategy may help social workers working in the field of drug dependence to identify and utilise resistance that appears in adolescent drug dependants during therapeutic intervention. / MSW, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The sexual offences that are committed by adolescents lately are of a great concern, particularly in the Mafikeng area. The record shows that adolescents are arrested daily for committing criminal offences. Despite the measures that are taken by the government in developing the young people to be the generation that would be tomorrow’s future leaders, others turn to not taking the opportunity with both hands but rather engaging in criminal activities. The office record also shows that adolescents’ cases that are assessed by the Probation officers in Mafikeng are mostly of sexual offences. In every assessment the child offender is expected to be accompanied by the parent/s. In most instances the parent/s indicates to be not aware of what influences the child to act against the law by committing a sexual offence. The role of the family is to provide care, support and guidance towards the child. It becomes difficult for the Probation officers to assist the child in such case if the parent/s does not know the causal factor of his/her child’s negative act, since they are seen to be the child’s primary care giver. In South Africa sexual offence is seen to be serious offence before the court of law that falls under schedule 3 offences. The research was conducted among the adolescents who were found to have committed sexual offences in Mafikeng area. The aim of the research was to gain information on factors that contribute to adolescents to commit sexual crimes. The objective for this research was to explore the factors that contribute to adolescents committing a sexual crime and formulate recommendations for social workers and parents/guardians in preventing adolescents from committing sexual crimes in the Mafikeng area. An empirical study was conducted using a qualitative approach. A self-administered schedule was used to evaluate the factors that contribute to adolescents committing sexual crimes by means of interviews with each adolescent who has been found to have committed sexual offences. It is evident from the data collected from the research that the main factors that influence adolescents to commit sexual offences in Mafikeng are substance abuse, failure to attend school and lack of parental supervision. It takes a village to raise a child, from these findings it is clear that an integrated service approach has to be adopted in addressing the challenge, i.e. parents should start to play their role in providing care and support for their children. There has to be good relationships between the community and government departments as well as NGO’s in dealing with moral decay. / MSW (Forensic Practice), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Drug dependence is a reality in South Africa, and adolescents are often admitted to treatment centres for rehabilitation. However, it seems that adolescents admitted to treatment centres sometime show resistance, which may lead to the underutilisation of the therapeutic programme. In addition, social workers in the drug dependence field do not have sufficient knowledge to handle the resistance shown by the adolescent drug dependant during therapeutic intervention. The researcher is not aware of any current strategies to identify and utilise resistance. The purpose of this study is to formulate a handling strategy for social workers, which will enable them to identify and utilise the resistance that adolescent drug dependants manifest during the therapeutic intervention in order to allow adolescents to make optimal use of their treatment programmes. To achieve this goal, the Design and Development Model of Rothman and Thomas were used in the intervention research. This study made use of qualitative research in order to work in an exploratory and descriptive way. During Phase 1, i.e. the problem analysis and project planning phase, data was collected through semi-structured interviews conducted with five social workers. These interviews were transcribed and analysed using Creswell’s data analysis spiral. Data has also been collected during Phase 2, which consists of data collection and synthesis by utilising existing sources of information, studying natural examples and identifying the functional elements of successful models. During Phase 3, which is the design phase, an observation system has been designed in the form of a questionnaire aimed at identifying resistance in adolescent drug dependants and at determining procedures for the intervention. A prototype handling strategy was development during Phase 4 (early design and development). This strategy may help social workers working in the field of drug dependence to identify and utilise resistance that appears in adolescent drug dependants during therapeutic intervention. / MSW, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Bibliography / Thesis (MEdPsych (Educational Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie was onderneem om insig te bekom oor hoёrskool leerders met 'n liggaamlike gestremdheid se ervaringe. Kwalitatiewe navorsing is gedoen ten einde begrip en insig te ontwikkel omtrent die kernaspekte ter bevordering van effektiewe insluiting van adolessente met 'n liggaamlike gestremdheid tot die hoofstroomskool. Die narratiewe ondersoek as ontwerp was gepas juis omdat so 'n ontwerp kreatiewe ruimte laat vir die deelnemers om die betekenis wat hulle aan hul lewenservarings heg, te verwoord. Die deelnemers is die geleentheid gebied om in hul eie woorde en op hul eie manier hul storie te vertel van hoe hulle met 'n gestremdheid hoёrskool ervaar. Die primêre metodes van ondersoek was semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude, een fokusgroeponderhoud en die skep van kollages. Die deelnemers is huidiglik in die adolessensie fase wat hulle op dieselfde emosionele en fisieke ontwikkelingsvlak as hul portuur plaas. Die verskil word gemanifesteer in hoe die adolessente met liggaamlike gestremdhede hulself sien en hoe die reaksies van hulle portuurgroep oor hulle gestremdhede hulle selfbeeld beïnvloed. Beter insig in die realiteit van hul ervarings, hulle gevoelens en uitdagings kan beter ondersteuning aan dié adolessente moontlik maak. Die proses van data-analise het vyf temas opgelewer, naamlik: skoolkeuse, sosiale lewe, ondersteuning, reaksies op gestremdhede en uitdagings. Die kernaspekte hieraan verbonde berus hoofsaaklik op die houdings en sieninge van die hele skoolgemeenskap, die aanspreek van die uitdagings, die benutting van spesifieke onderwys- en onderrigstrategieё ter bevordering van insluiting en die erkenning van die waarde wat die insluiting van adolessente met liggaamlike gestremdhede tot hoofstroom-onderwys toevoeg. Die bevindinge dui daarop dat, alhoewel die reaksies op hul gestremdheid meesal negatief is, word die adolessente deur die positiwiteit van 'n minderheid aangemoedig om uitdagings te oorbrug. Negatiewe ervarings sluit in strukturele uitdagings, gevoelens van hartseer, eensaamheid, uitsluiting, verwerping, frustrasie, onvergenoegheid, angstigheid en geїrriteerdheid. Positiewe ervarings sluit in vaardighede, bekwaamheid, talente, interafhanklikheid, volhoubare ondersteuning en vriendskappe sowel as geleenthede vir interaksie met hulle portuurgroep, veral die van die teenoorgestelde geslag. Die studie het ook leemtes uitgewys in terme van die onvermoё van die onderwysowerheid om hulle insluiting in die hoofstroom te fasiliteer by wyse van infrastruktuur sowel as bewusmakingsveldtogte en die daarstelling van programme om adolessente met 'n liggaamlike gestremdheid te ondersteun. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study was undertaken to acquire insight into the experiences of high school learners with a physical disability. Qualitative research methods were used to develop understanding and insight with regard to core aspects which promotes effective inclusion of adolescents with a physical disability into mainstream. The narrative approach as research design was appropriate especially as this research design allows the participants greater creativity to express in words the meaning of their lived experiences. The participants were offered the opportunity to tell their stories in their own words and in their own way of how they experience high school with a disability. The primary methods of research were semi-structured interviews, one focus group interview and the creation of collages. The participants are currently in the phase of adolescence which places them on the same level of emotional and physical development as their peers. The difference manifests itself in the way that adolescents with a physical disability see themselves and how the reactions of their peers towards their disabilities influence their self-image. Enhanced insight into the reality of the experiences, feelings and challenges of adolescents with disabilities can lead to improved support. The process of data analysis has yielded five themes, namely: school selection, social life, support, reactions towards disabilities and challenges. Important aspects related to these themes are based mainly on the attitudes and views of the whole school community; the way in which challenges are addressed; the utilization of specific education and teaching strategies to improve inclusion and the acknowledgement of the value of inclusion that adolescents with physical disabilities add to mainstream education. The findings indicated that, although the reactions towards their disability are mostly negative, these adolescents are being driven to overcome their challenges through the positivity of a minority. Negative experiences include: structural challenges, feelings of sadness, loneliness, exclusion, rejection, frustration, not being good enough, anxiety and irritability. Positive experiences include: skills, competencies, talents, interdependency, sustainable support and friendships, as well as opportunities for interaction with their peers especially those of the opposite sex. The study also indicated shortcomings in terms of the inability of the education authority to facilitate their inclusion into mainstream with regard to infrastructure, as well as awareness campaigns and the introduction of programmes to support adolescents with a physical disability.

The researcher is of the opinion that parents find it difficult to handle an adolescent with an intellectual disability and to cope effectively with the challenges that emerge. The adolescent with an intellectual disability can be described as a complex development phase and presents specific challenges that demands more than that of an adolescent without an intellectual disability. The purpose of the research study was to address the needs of parents of adolescents with intellectual disabilities. A qualitative research approach was used to achieve an in-depth and integrated view of the social world of the participants (Fouché & Delport, 2011b:64). During the research study, 22 participants were identified through an accidental sample and contributed to the research study. Data was collected during five focus group interviews with the help of a semi-structured interview framework. During the research study, all ethical aspects were applied. The data obtained during the research study was thematically analyzed. During the study the following themes were identified: * Theme 1 Lack of knowledge and understanding of intellectual disability. * Theme 2 Social- and behavioural implications of an intellectual disability. * Theme 3 The influence of the adolescent‟s intellectual disability on parents and/or teachers. * Theme 4 Resources. The research study has shown that access to relevant information of intellectual disability for parents and teachers are limited and that intellectual disability can be regarded as a very complex psychological disorder. Parents and teachers of such children experience positive and negative emotions in terms of the adolescent‟s disorder. Lack of parental involvement and financial resources inhibit the guidance of the adolescent with an intellectual disability. Parents and teachers recognize that they need additional resources that will guide them in terms of the child‟s intellectual disability. During the research study six resources were identified namely: training, skills, community support, professional services, educational opportunities, and future - and job opportunities. / MSW (Child Protection), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The aim of this study was to investigate and describe the description of negative peer pressure by grade nine learners. The study took place within the context of adolescence, which is often described as a phase where negative peer pressure plays a significant role in the lives of adolescents. A literature study on the topic showed that peer pressure is a complex phenomenon that is experienced by all adolescents at some point. Literature also indicated that the voice of adolescents regarding their own unique and subjective description of negative peer pressure has not been recorded often enough. It became evident that especially grade nine learners are vulnerable to negative peer pressure. This grade or age group forms part of the middle adolescent phase, which is especially characterised by the forming of an own identity. The forming of an own identity is influenced by the different develop-mental tasks that are associated with adolescence, namely their emotional, cognitive, moral and social development. During this developmental phase the membership of a peer group becomes increasingly important and exclusion from the group is feared. This fear often leads to conforming to negative group norms and behaviour. From this context, the study is necessary. The researcher has undertaken a qualitative, phenomenological study, during which unstructured interviews were conducted with twelve grade nine learners from public high schools in the Drakenstein area of the Boland, Western Cape. These interviews were transcribed and the data analysed so that specific themes concerning negative peer pressure could be identified. From these empirical findings it was evident that the mutual relationships of the participants as well as the dynamics and norms within their respective groups, impacted severely on their description of negative peer pressure. Group formation in the middle adolescent years seems to be a complex process. It appears as if the smaller, more intimate group of friends can protect adolescents against negative peer pressure on the one hand, but can also exert pressure on group members to partake in negative activities. Therefore smaller groups often change as members move in and out of the group to find a group where they feel at home. According to the participants, conforming to negative behaviour and norms takes place more readily in the bigger or wider and more diverse peer group. Within these bigger groups it is easier for individuals to lose their identity, and therefore adolescents that are still in search of a personal identity and value system, give in to negative pressure and behaviour easier. A wide range of causes are named for this giving in to pressure, but according to the participants, their need for acceptance and recognition by the peer group as well as the accompanying fear of exclusion are the most important causes. From the study it was further evident that the relationships that adolescents find themselves in, play a deciding role in their description of negative peer pressure. The participants indicated that their relationship with their parents, their peer group, as well as the relationship with themselves, all influence their ability to handle negative peer pressure. From these findings the description of participants of negative peer pressure is explained in full. Suggestions are made to better equip parents, teachers and other professional people who work with adolescents in order to support and advise grade nine learners more successfully in their handling of negative peer pressure. / Thesis (MA (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

The aim of this study was to investigate and describe the description of negative peer pressure by grade nine learners. The study took place within the context of adolescence, which is often described as a phase where negative peer pressure plays a significant role in the lives of adolescents. A literature study on the topic showed that peer pressure is a complex phenomenon that is experienced by all adolescents at some point. Literature also indicated that the voice of adolescents regarding their own unique and subjective description of negative peer pressure has not been recorded often enough. It became evident that especially grade nine learners are vulnerable to negative peer pressure. This grade or age group forms part of the middle adolescent phase, which is especially characterised by the forming of an own identity. The forming of an own identity is influenced by the different develop-mental tasks that are associated with adolescence, namely their emotional, cognitive, moral and social development. During this developmental phase the membership of a peer group becomes increasingly important and exclusion from the group is feared. This fear often leads to conforming to negative group norms and behaviour. From this context, the study is necessary. The researcher has undertaken a qualitative, phenomenological study, during which unstructured interviews were conducted with twelve grade nine learners from public high schools in the Drakenstein area of the Boland, Western Cape. These interviews were transcribed and the data analysed so that specific themes concerning negative peer pressure could be identified. From these empirical findings it was evident that the mutual relationships of the participants as well as the dynamics and norms within their respective groups, impacted severely on their description of negative peer pressure. Group formation in the middle adolescent years seems to be a complex process. It appears as if the smaller, more intimate group of friends can protect adolescents against negative peer pressure on the one hand, but can also exert pressure on group members to partake in negative activities. Therefore smaller groups often change as members move in and out of the group to find a group where they feel at home. According to the participants, conforming to negative behaviour and norms takes place more readily in the bigger or wider and more diverse peer group. Within these bigger groups it is easier for individuals to lose their identity, and therefore adolescents that are still in search of a personal identity and value system, give in to negative pressure and behaviour easier. A wide range of causes are named for this giving in to pressure, but according to the participants, their need for acceptance and recognition by the peer group as well as the accompanying fear of exclusion are the most important causes. From the study it was further evident that the relationships that adolescents find themselves in, play a deciding role in their description of negative peer pressure. The participants indicated that their relationship with their parents, their peer group, as well as the relationship with themselves, all influence their ability to handle negative peer pressure. From these findings the description of participants of negative peer pressure is explained in full. Suggestions are made to better equip parents, teachers and other professional people who work with adolescents in order to support and advise grade nine learners more successfully in their handling of negative peer pressure. / Thesis (PhD (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

The researcher is of the opinion that parents find it difficult to handle an adolescent with an intellectual disability and to cope effectively with the challenges that emerge. The adolescent with an intellectual disability can be described as a complex development phase and presents specific challenges that demands more than that of an adolescent without an intellectual disability. The purpose of the research study was to address the needs of parents of adolescents with intellectual disabilities. A qualitative research approach was used to achieve an in-depth and integrated view of the social world of the participants (Fouché & Delport, 2011b:64). During the research study, 22 participants were identified through an accidental sample and contributed to the research study. Data was collected during five focus group interviews with the help of a semi-structured interview framework. During the research study, all ethical aspects were applied. The data obtained during the research study was thematically analyzed. During the study the following themes were identified: * Theme 1 Lack of knowledge and understanding of intellectual disability. * Theme 2 Social- and behavioural implications of an intellectual disability. * Theme 3 The influence of the adolescent‟s intellectual disability on parents and/or teachers. * Theme 4 Resources. The research study has shown that access to relevant information of intellectual disability for parents and teachers are limited and that intellectual disability can be regarded as a very complex psychological disorder. Parents and teachers of such children experience positive and negative emotions in terms of the adolescent‟s disorder. Lack of parental involvement and financial resources inhibit the guidance of the adolescent with an intellectual disability. Parents and teachers recognize that they need additional resources that will guide them in terms of the child‟s intellectual disability. During the research study six resources were identified namely: training, skills, community support, professional services, educational opportunities, and future - and job opportunities. / MSW (Child Protection), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014