The transition from home to preschool is a very emotional and sometimes distressing period for both parent and child. The teacher plays a significant role, in that they are entrusted with the distressed and separation anxious child, and assist in helping both parent and child to adjust to the change. Research in the field of early childhood separation anxiety has suggested that, when the child has difficulty managing their anxiety, maladjustment can potentially predispose them to various other forms of pathology later in life. Thus, the potential implications of maladjustment simultaneously imply the importance of understanding and helping anxious and struggling preschoolers to adjust to developmental demands. This study qualitatively explored the perspectives and experiences of teachers, and how they have come to make sense of and respond to separation anxiety in children. Four private preschools in the Johannesburg area participated in the study and a sample of thirteen teachers were interviewed. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews which were audio-recorded. A thematic content analysis of the collected data revealed two core themes concerning teachers’ views on separation anxiety. The first theme addressed the ‘challenges encountered’ during the transitional period, which focused primarily on the presentation, impacts and predisposing factors of separation anxiety. The second major theme addressed ‘helpful qualities in the caregiver role’, which discussed useful qualities to be considered when engaging with a separation anxious child. Collectively, these findings presented an understanding of the various ways in which teachers make sense of and respond to separation anxiety during the transitional process. These qualitative insights also add to the existing body of literature, highlight areas for future research and attempt to offer thoughts on how separation anxiety can be managed, as to avoid further exacerbation and implications on later development.

Thesis (DSc (Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Fears are a normal part of development but excessive fears may interfere with daily functioning and may reflect serious anxiety problems. In order to determine whether fears are excessive or not, as well as to implement prevention programmes, an assessment instrument is needed that is socially and scientifically relevant to the context in which the child lives. Furthermore, normative data is necessary in order to understand the concept of fear. The primary aim of the study was to develop a measuring instrument that is scientifically and socially relevant within the South African context. This entailed a qualitative stage where semi-structured interviews were conducted with 40 middle childhood children attending four local primary schools in the Stellenbosch area. These interviews were transcribed and analysed for emerging themes. The emerging themes were then added to the existing Fear Survey Schedule for Children-Revised (FSSC-R). Reliability analyses were conducted on the data obtained by the adapted FSSC-R. Item-total correlations and exploration of the item construct resulted in 23 items being deleted. The remaining items on the scale demonstrated good internal consistency (α = 0,97). The factor structure of the remaining items was explored by means of principal factor analysis with varimax rotation. Various factor solutions were explored and the five-factor solution was found to be the best conceptual fit for the data. The five factors are: Factor I-Fear of Danger and Death, Factor II-Fear of the Unknown, Factor III-Worries, Factor IV-Fear of Animals, Factor V-Situational Fears. The adapted scale is a South African version of Ollendick’s FSSC-R and is referred to as the FSSC-SA. The secondary aim was to determine the content, number, level and pattern of fear of a selected group of middle childhood South African children, living in the Western Cape, based on the results of the South African Fear Survey Schedule for Children (FSSC-SA). This entailed a quantitative stage. The adapted FSSC-R was completed by 646 middle childhood children between the ages of 7 and 12 years, attending four primary schools in the Stellenbosch area in the Western Cape Province. The participants were also requested to complete a biographical questionnaire before they completed the adapted FSSC-R. Culture was defined with respect to the main representative cultural communities in the Stellenbosch area, namely black, coloured and white. The results of the South African fear instrument indicate that the most feared item for the South African children is ‘getting HIV’. The ten most common fears indicate that fears are to a certain extent universal but that some fears also reflect the context in which a child lives. Furthermore the added items also featured among the most fear eliciting items suggest that these items reflect the societal concerns, issues and fears of South African children. Black South African children displayed the highest number as well as level of fear, followed by the coloured South African children and then the white South African children. This was also applicable to the pattern of fear. Gender differences are apparent with respect to number, level and pattern of fears with girls consistently expressing more fears than boys. This applies to all cultural groups. In conclusion, implications of the present study’s results in the South African context as well as shortcomings and recommendations for future studies are discussed.

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.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Childhood fears and anxiety are considered to be common and part of typical child development. In some cases, however, these fears can be regarded as a serious psychiatric problem which may have a major influence on children‘s functioning. Anxiety disorders are classified as the most common psychiatric disorders among adults and children in the international as well as the South African context. Although research on anxiety in adults and older children has received much attention, research regarding anxiety among young children has been neglected. Anxiety symptoms in young children often go unnoticed and therefore these children are not referred for treatment in time, causing the anxiety to have a major impact on their lives. In order to reduce the possible effect of anxiety on children‘s lives, children who are vulnerable to the development of anxiety have to be identified at a young age so that early intervention and prevention programmes can be implemented. Behavioural inhibition or shyness in early childhood has been identified as a risk factor for the development of anxiety symptoms. These symptoms may persist into adolescence and adulthood if not addressed timeously. The association between anxiety and behavioural inhibition has been widely researched internationally. However, as far as could be ascertained, no studies in this regard have been conducted within the South African context. With this in mind, the present study aimed to explore the relationship between anxiety symptoms and behavioural inhibition in a sample of young South African children. A cross-sectional research design was employed and data were collected quantitatively. The data for the research were obtained from parents and teachers who reported on the anxiety symptoms and behavioural inhibition in a group of 107 young South African children, divided into two age groups—2- to 3-year-olds and 4- to 6-year-olds—by means of two questionnaires, the Revised Preschool Anxiety Scale (PAS-R) and the Behavioral Inhibition Questionnaire (BIQ). Results of the PAS-R and BIQ scores indicated that there was a positive relationship between anxiety symptoms and behavioural inhibition in young South African children, as reported by both the parents and the teachers. Teacher reports, more so than parent reports indicated a strong relationship between anxiety symptoms and behavioural inhibition. No significant gender differences were found with regard to either anxiety symptoms or behavioural inhibition. Parent reports did not indicate significant age differences regarding anxiety symptoms but teacher reports did. Teachers reported the older group of 4- to 6-year-old children to have higher scores on the Generalized anxiety subscale than the younger group of 2- to 3-year-olds. Lastly, no significant age differences were found with regard to behavioural inhibition according to either the parents or the teachers. In conclusion, this study makes an important contribution to the current literature and also for future studies that would be conducted in this regard. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Angs en vrese tydens die kinderjare word beskou as algemeen en deel van enige kind se ontwikkeling. In sommige gevalle kan hierdie vrese egter ʼn psigiatriese probleem wees wat ʼn groot invloed op ʼn kind se funksionering kan hê. Angsversteurings word geklassifiseer as die mees algemene psigiatriese versteurings onder volwassenes en kinders, sowel internasionaal as in Suid-Afrika. Navorsing oor angssimptome by volwassenes en ouer kinders is meer algemeen en het reeds heelwat aandag geniet, maar wêreldwyd is weinig navorsing in verband met angs onder jonger kinders gedoen. Omdat angssimptome by jong kinders dikwels nie raakgesien word nie, word hulle ook nie betyds verwys vir behandeling nie en dan kan die angssimptome ʼn groot impak op die lewens van hierdie kinders hê. Om die effek van angs op kinders se lewens te verminder, is dit noodsaaklik om kinders wat vatbaar is vir die ontwikkeling van angssimptome reeds op ʼn jong ouderdom te identifiseer sodat vroeë intervensie kan plaasvind en voorkomingsprogramme geïmplimenteer kan word. Daar is bevind dat gedragsinhibisie of skaamheid in die vroeë kinderjare ʼn risikofaktor vir die ontwikkeling van angssimptome kan wees wat dan kan voortduur tot adolessensie en selfs tot in volwassenheid as dit nie betyds aangespreek word nie. Die verband tussen angs en gedragsinhibisie is wyd nagevors in die internasionale konteks, maar sover as wat vasgestel kon word, is geen studies in hierdie verband in Suid-Afrika gedoen nie. Teen hierdie agtergrond is met die huidige studie gepoog om die verband tussen angssimptome en gedragsinhibisie by ʼn groep jong Suid Afrikaanse kinders te ondersoek. ʼn Deursnee-ontwerp is gebruik en data is kwantitatief ingesamel deurdat die ouers en onderwysers van die kinders twee vraelyste moes voltooi oor die angssimptome en gedragsinhibisies van die betrokke kinders. Die twee vraelyste wat vir die doel gebruik is, was die Voorskoolse Angsskaal (PAS-R) en die Gedragsinhibisie Vraelys (BIQ). Die groep het bestaan uit 107 Suid-Afrikaanse kinders wat in twee groepe verdeel is volgens hul ouderdomme, naamlik 2- tot 3-jariges en 4- to 6-jariges. Die resultate van die PAS-R en die BIQ het aangedui dat daar ʼn positiewe verband is tussen angssimptome en gedragsinhibisie by jong Suid-Afrikaanse kinders volgens die ouer- en onderwyserverslae. Tog het die verslae van die onderwysers ʼn sterker verband tussen angssimptome en gedragsinhibisie aangetoon as die van die ouers. Volgens beide ouer- en onderwyserverslae is geen beduidende geslagsverskille gevind met betrekking tot angssimptome en gedragsinhibisie nie. Daar is ook geen beduidende ouderdomsverskille gevind vir angssimptome volgens ouerverslae nie. Daar is egter ʼn beduidende oudersdomsverskil gevind ten opsigte van angssimptome volgens die onderwysers se verslae. Die onderwysers se verslae het getoon dat die ouer groep kinders, die 4- tot 6-jariges, hoër tellings op die subskaal Veralgemeende angs as die jonger kinders ervaar het. Volgens die verslae van beide die ouers en onderwysers was daar geen beduidende ouderdomsverskille ten opsigte van gedragsinhibisie nie. Ten slotte, hierdie studie maak 'n belangrike bydrae tot die huidige literatuur asook tot toekomstige studies wat uitgevoer sal word in hierdie verband.

Bibliography: leaves 149-178 / Anxiety Disorder is one of the most common disorders experienced by children and, if not managed, can extend into adulthood. Research has established a link between unintegrated primitive reflexes (UPR) and Learning Disorders. Learning Disorders are often co-morbid with symptoms of anxiety, however, the relationship between symptoms of anxiety and UPR have not been studied. This study aims to explore the relationship between the UPR and symptoms of anxiety in children between 10 – 13 years of age. No correlation was found between the total primitive reflex score and total symptoms of anxiety score; however, a significant relationship was found between symptoms of anxiety and the Moro, Plantar and Spinal Galant reflex. These UPR play an important role in balance. Research on balance dysfunction indicates a relationship with symptoms of anxiety. Prenatal maternal stress, common childhood illness and comorbidity with ADHD were also found to be factors in symptoms of anxiety in children. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Text in Afrikaans / The aim of this study was to compile a programme to prepare the child in a children's home for family re-unification. An extensive study of relevant literature was conducted and included works on subjects such as the middle childhood years, the child in the children's home, family re-unification, the Gestalt approach and Gestalt play techniques. An empirical study was undertaken with semi structured interviews with social workers and family re-unification workers. From these resources some themes were identified to be included in the programme. Conclusions and suggestions were made in the interest of the implementation of the programme. / Social Work / M.Diac.(Rigting: Spelterapie)

Text in Afrikaans / The aim of this study was to compile a programme to prepare the child in a children's home for family re-unification. An extensive study of relevant literature was conducted and included works on subjects such as the middle childhood years, the child in the children's home, family re-unification, the Gestalt approach and Gestalt play techniques. An empirical study was undertaken with semi structured interviews with social workers and family re-unification workers. From these resources some themes were identified to be included in the programme. Conclusions and suggestions were made in the interest of the implementation of the programme. / Social Work / M.Diac.(Rigting: Spelterapie)