A research report submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology In the faculty of Humanities at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg February 2016 / Literature on adoption and abandonment in South Africa is somewhat limited. As abandonment is a pressing issue in South Africa, it is important to grow the body of literature so that these children and their adoptive families can be given effective help and support. This study focused on the relationship between adoptive parents and their previously abandoned, adopted children. Emphasis was placed on exploring this relationship and capturing the narrative of these adoptive parents as they provided an account of their experiences in adopting an abandoned child. To help guide this exploration, this study looked at how the experience of being abandoned affects the relationship between the adoptive parent and their adopted child. The study then focused on how good enough parenting ameliorated these early adverse experiences and finally explored the type of help sought by adoptive parents to help their children. The research design employed for this study was qualitative in nature and semi-structured interviews were conducted with five adoptive mothers in Johannesburg. Thematic content analysis was used to obtain themes and interpret the data. The findings of this study revealed that the adopting of abandoned children was a challenging journey yet, given that these adoptive mothers have been good enough caregivers to their children, providing them with consistency and stability in care, they have inspired the birth of relationships that feel more secure. In addition, the findings pointed out that the tracking of the relationship between adoptive parents and the adopted child from pre-pubescent years into pubescent years is likely to reveal more about the relationship. / MT2017

Text in Afrikaans / Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Narratiewe navors:ing is gedoen om vas te stel watter rol geloof speel in die aanneemgesin. Onderhoudvoering met aanneemouers het die kernfaktor in die funksionering van die gesin as die aanvaarding of verwerping van die verskil tussen gesinne wat deur aanneming saamgestel is en gesinne wat deur geboorte saamgestel is, uitgewys. V erwerping strem verhoudinge binne die gesin, maak die gesin kwesbaar vir stres en vervreemding tussen ouer en kind. Aanvaarding, aan die antler kant, beteken dat die ouer die behoefte van sy kind om met sy natuurlike ouers in aanrak:ing te kom, erken. So 'n houding bring 'n verbetering in die ouer-kindverhouding mee en gevolglik ook in die vennoe om ontwikkelingskrisisse te hanteer. Geloofkan 'n rol speel om an.gs en selftwyfel by die aanneemouers as gevolg van die onnatuurlike samestelling van die gesin te besweer, sodat hulle die verskil aanvaar en sodoende 'n gesonder perspektief op gesinwees ontwikkel. / Narrative research was done in order to establish the role of faith in the adoptive family. In interviews with adoptive parents it was found that the crucial factor in the functioning of the family is the acceptance or rejection of the differences between families created by adoption and those created by childbirth. Rejection hampers relationships within the family and renders it vulnerable to stress and enstrangement between parent and child. Acceptance on the other hand means that the parent recognises the need of the child to connect with his birth parents. This latter attitude results in improved relationships between parent and child and in more effectiveness in coping with developmental crises. Faith can play a role to cl.ispell the anxciety and self-doubt of adoptive parents resulting from the unnatural constitution of their family, accept the differences and in that way may contribute to a healthier perspective on the family. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / M.Th.(Pastoral Theraphy)

Text in Afrikaans / Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Narratiewe navors:ing is gedoen om vas te stel watter rol geloof speel in die aanneemgesin. Onderhoudvoering met aanneemouers het die kernfaktor in die funksionering van die gesin as die aanvaarding of verwerping van die verskil tussen gesinne wat deur aanneming saamgestel is en gesinne wat deur geboorte saamgestel is, uitgewys. V erwerping strem verhoudinge binne die gesin, maak die gesin kwesbaar vir stres en vervreemding tussen ouer en kind. Aanvaarding, aan die antler kant, beteken dat die ouer die behoefte van sy kind om met sy natuurlike ouers in aanrak:ing te kom, erken. So 'n houding bring 'n verbetering in die ouer-kindverhouding mee en gevolglik ook in die vennoe om ontwikkelingskrisisse te hanteer. Geloofkan 'n rol speel om an.gs en selftwyfel by die aanneemouers as gevolg van die onnatuurlike samestelling van die gesin te besweer, sodat hulle die verskil aanvaar en sodoende 'n gesonder perspektief op gesinwees ontwikkel. / Narrative research was done in order to establish the role of faith in the adoptive family. In interviews with adoptive parents it was found that the crucial factor in the functioning of the family is the acceptance or rejection of the differences between families created by adoption and those created by childbirth. Rejection hampers relationships within the family and renders it vulnerable to stress and enstrangement between parent and child. Acceptance on the other hand means that the parent recognises the need of the child to connect with his birth parents. This latter attitude results in improved relationships between parent and child and in more effectiveness in coping with developmental crises. Faith can play a role to cl.ispell the anxciety and self-doubt of adoptive parents resulting from the unnatural constitution of their family, accept the differences and in that way may contribute to a healthier perspective on the family. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.Th.(Pastoral Theraphy)