Anxiety, in excess, has been found to have a crippling and often debilitating effect on both adults and children. It can affect all aspects of their lives and can lead to psychiatric disorders. This study was initiated by the researcher's observation that more children of all ages, referred to her private practice, were suffering from high levels of anxiety than in previous years. A literature study was conducted into the phenomenon, anxiety, in order to establish: * the different types of anxiety; * the different theories of anxiety; * the development of anxiety in young children; * the effect anxiety has on primary school children generally and specifically on their emotional, sexual, social, cognitive and moral development; * the symptom formation and psychosomatic illness caused by anxiety; * the disorders of childhood and adolescence caused by anxiety; and * the means of assessing and treating anxiety in primary school children. The researcher then assembled a battery of standardised tests to assess anxiety in primary school children and devised a therapy, namely Hypno-p1ay therapy, to treat anxiety in primary school children. An idiographic study was then conducted on six primary school children, identified as suffering from high levels of anxiety. These children were assessed on the battery of tests, designed specifically to analyse their different types of anxiety, namely state and trait; general and test; free-floating and manifest; overt and covert and normal and neurotic. These results were then interpreted holistically, viewing the child within his life-world and attempting to make meaning of his anxiety within this context. Three of these children were then given Hypno-playtherapy on a regular basis for 8-12 sessions and were thereafter reassessed on two questionnaires, to ascertain whether their anxiety levels had been reduced by the therapy. Other aspects, such as causes and symptoms of anxiety, were also reviewed. Findings in the empirical investigation appear to confirm that anxiety can be identified in primary school children by means of a psychometric assessment, consisting of a variety of tests and can be treated uccessfully by Hypno-play therapy. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Anxiety, in excess, has been found to have a crippling and often debilitating effect on both adults and children. It can affect all aspects of their lives and can lead to psychiatric disorders. This study was initiated by the researcher's observation that more children of all ages, referred to her private practice, were suffering from high levels of anxiety than in previous years. A literature study was conducted into the phenomenon, anxiety, in order to establish: * the different types of anxiety; * the different theories of anxiety; * the development of anxiety in young children; * the effect anxiety has on primary school children generally and specifically on their emotional, sexual, social, cognitive and moral development; * the symptom formation and psychosomatic illness caused by anxiety; * the disorders of childhood and adolescence caused by anxiety; and * the means of assessing and treating anxiety in primary school children. The researcher then assembled a battery of standardised tests to assess anxiety in primary school children and devised a therapy, namely Hypno-p1ay therapy, to treat anxiety in primary school children. An idiographic study was then conducted on six primary school children, identified as suffering from high levels of anxiety. These children were assessed on the battery of tests, designed specifically to analyse their different types of anxiety, namely state and trait; general and test; free-floating and manifest; overt and covert and normal and neurotic. These results were then interpreted holistically, viewing the child within his life-world and attempting to make meaning of his anxiety within this context. Three of these children were then given Hypno-playtherapy on a regular basis for 8-12 sessions and were thereafter reassessed on two questionnaires, to ascertain whether their anxiety levels had been reduced by the therapy. Other aspects, such as causes and symptoms of anxiety, were also reviewed. Findings in the empirical investigation appear to confirm that anxiety can be identified in primary school children by means of a psychometric assessment, consisting of a variety of tests and can be treated uccessfully by Hypno-play therapy. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Anxiety is one of the most pervasive childhood disorders, with a poor prognosis if left untreated. Traditional methods of treating anxiety have been less effective with young children. Based on theoretical assumptions regarding the potential effectiveness of child-centered play therapy (CCPT) as a treatment approach, I sought to explore the effects and mediating factors of CCPT on young children with symptoms of anxiety. Fifty-three participants between the ages of 6 to 8 years old were recruited from four elementary schools, including 36 males and 17 females. Of participants, 11 were African American, 24 were Caucasian, 10 were Hispanic/Latino, one was Asian, and seven were biracial. Twenty-five participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group receiving a mean of 15 sessions of individual CCPT, and 28 participants were assigned to an 8-session active control group. Five factorial analyses of variance (ANOVA) were conducted applying an alpha level of .05 for interpretation of statistical significance and Cohen’s d to assess practical significance. ANOVA results indicated a statistically significant interaction with a large effect size on Total Anxiety score of the Revised Children’s Manifest Anxiety Scale-2nd edition (p = .013, d = .715). Subscale ANOVA results indicated a statistically significant interaction effect with large effect size on the Worry subscale (p = .006, d = .795), no statistically significant interaction on the Defensiveness subscale (p = .710, d = .110), no statistically significant interaction but moderate effect size on the Physiological subscale (p = .076, d = .506), and no statistically significant interaction but moderate effect size on the Social Anxiety subscale (p = .162, d = .398). Statistically significant differences with large practical effects were found in total anxiety and worry, suggesting that children who received CCPT decreased their overall levels of anxiety and worry whereas children who were in the active control group increased their levels of anxiety and worry. When examining differences in relationships between groups, the CCPT group relationship scores were significantly higher than the control group relationship scores, as reported by counselors. Although the groups were different in their relationships, the relationship was not considered a statistical mediator of anxiety due to the lack of correlation between relationship scores and outcome. Overall, children seemed to benefit from CCPT, and it may be considered a viable treatment for children who are anxious. Due to the lack of mediation of relationship found in this study, further research is encouraged to consider other mediating and/or moderating effects when attempting to investigate the therapeutic relationship as a mediator.

Thesis (MEdPsych (Educational Psychology)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / The study investigated the effect of using projective narratives and drawings that depict diminished fear, on the anxiety levels of a group of children living in children’s homes, by means of a mixed methodology. The sample consisted of 30 middle childhood children (mean age = 9.60 years, SD = 1.13) from three children’s homes in the Western Cape. Drawings were used to elicit content of fear or anxiety (anxiety evoking drawing/bangmaaktekening) and proposed coping (anxiety lessening drawing/bangwegvattekening). After completing the anxiety provoking drawing, participants in the experimental group were asked to tell a story to other children with a similar fear to lessen/take that fear away (projective narrative). The Spence Childhood Anxiety Scale (SCAS) was completed after each drawing, and drawings evaluated through the use of anxiety scales, to measure changes in anxiety levels according to the concept of triangulation. The categories ghosts, snakes, and people were found to be the most prevalent content of fear from anxiety provoking drawings, and undifferentiated fears were also common within this population. Control of anxiety from anxiety lessening drawings indicated a definite prevalence of emotion focused (secondary) coping strategies, specifically religious solace. The content of projective narratives echoed this finding, although proposed solutions were more differentiated. Ownership of projections also occurred. The experimental effect was not significant, although mean anxiety levels were considerably lower in the drawings in comparison with that of the SCAS. Drawings are thus seen as an effective, nonthreatening technique to study anxiety phenomena. A comparison of the mean item scores of the SCAS subscales indicated that symptoms of separation anxiety, generalised anxiety disorder, and obsessivecompulsive anxiety disorder were prevalent among this group of children in children’s homes. A clear distinction was found between markers of state- and trait-anxiety through the qualitative analysis of the drawings, with anxiety lessening drawings showing definite diminished state-anxiety, although more established markers of trait-anxiety did not necessarily change. There are also indications that transference of activated negative emotional stimuli occurred on an unconscious level between the two drawings. Introducing the combination of projective narratives in the intervention stage of the study appeared to facilitate learning or the experience of observed positive affect in anxiety lessened drawings. Future research would benefit from including a normative group to establish more clear markers of state- and trait-anxiety in drawings, and by the use of a bigger sample to investigate factor loadings of the SCAS among children in children’s homes. The high prevalence of anxiety symptoms in this population emphasises their status as a vulnerable population, and the need for possible group intervention – specifically the psycho-education of effective coping strategies for anxiety.

Text in Afrikaans / Skeidingsangs is 'n angsversteuring by kinders weens die onvermoe om van die moeder te skei. Skeidingsangs is by die meeste jong kinders 'n realiteit wanneer hulle van hul moeders geskei word. Die intensiteit van die angservaring van die kind by skeiding word meestal onderskat. Skeidingsangs manifesteer by skooltoetrede. Dit is die kind se eerste formele toetrede tot die leefwereld waar eise aan horn gestel word. Skeidingsangs het 'n negatiewe invloed op die kind se totale leefwereld, sy relasies, skolastiese funksionering en sosiale verhoudinge. Vir die doel van hierdie navorsing word daar gefokus op die junior-primere leerling (Sub A tot Standerd een). Daar is geen differensiasie ten opsigte van geslag nie. 'n Diagnoseringslys, die idiografiese navorsings- en diagnoseringsmodel en pedoterapieprogram (Jacobs: 1980, 1981) is gebruik vir diagnose en terapie van skeidingsangs. Die effektiwiteit en bruikbaarheid van die terapeutiese tegnieke en riglyne vir die ko-terapeute is empiries getoets vanuit 'n sielkundig opvoedkundige perspektief. / Separation anxiety is an anxiety disorder in children as a result of their inability to separate from their mothers. The intensity of the anxiety experience in the child is generally underestimated. Separation anxiety manifests itself when the child enters school. This experience presents in the child's formal entry into the field of experience where personal individual demands are made. Separation anxiety presents a negative influence on the total field of experience, his relations to it, encompassing scholastic functioning and social relationships. The research is focused on the junior primary pupil (Sub A up to Stan de rd 1). There is no differentiation regarding sex. A list of diagnosis, the idiographic research and diagnostic model, and the pedotherapy programme (Jacobs: 1980, · 1981) are all used, to diagnose separation anxiety and for the treatment of this condition. The effectiveness and usefulness of these therapeutic techniques and guidelines for the co-therapists were empirically tested from a psychological educational point of view. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Voorligting)

Text in Afrikaans / Skeidingsangs is 'n angsversteuring by kinders weens die onvermoe om van die moeder te skei. Skeidingsangs is by die meeste jong kinders 'n realiteit wanneer hulle van hul moeders geskei word. Die intensiteit van die angservaring van die kind by skeiding word meestal onderskat. Skeidingsangs manifesteer by skooltoetrede. Dit is die kind se eerste formele toetrede tot die leefwereld waar eise aan horn gestel word. Skeidingsangs het 'n negatiewe invloed op die kind se totale leefwereld, sy relasies, skolastiese funksionering en sosiale verhoudinge. Vir die doel van hierdie navorsing word daar gefokus op die junior-primere leerling (Sub A tot Standerd een). Daar is geen differensiasie ten opsigte van geslag nie. 'n Diagnoseringslys, die idiografiese navorsings- en diagnoseringsmodel en pedoterapieprogram (Jacobs: 1980, 1981) is gebruik vir diagnose en terapie van skeidingsangs. Die effektiwiteit en bruikbaarheid van die terapeutiese tegnieke en riglyne vir die ko-terapeute is empiries getoets vanuit 'n sielkundig opvoedkundige perspektief. / Separation anxiety is an anxiety disorder in children as a result of their inability to separate from their mothers. The intensity of the anxiety experience in the child is generally underestimated. Separation anxiety manifests itself when the child enters school. This experience presents in the child's formal entry into the field of experience where personal individual demands are made. Separation anxiety presents a negative influence on the total field of experience, his relations to it, encompassing scholastic functioning and social relationships. The research is focused on the junior primary pupil (Sub A up to Stan de rd 1). There is no differentiation regarding sex. A list of diagnosis, the idiographic research and diagnostic model, and the pedotherapy programme (Jacobs: 1980, · 1981) are all used, to diagnose separation anxiety and for the treatment of this condition. The effectiveness and usefulness of these therapeutic techniques and guidelines for the co-therapists were empirically tested from a psychological educational point of view. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Voorligting)

In this study the technique of role reversal for the treatment of performance anxiety, experienced by learners in the school environment, was investigated. Performance anxiety sometimes presents as part of a larger pattern of social phobia and negatively impacts on an individual’s tasks performance due to the fear of negative evaluation. My qualitative study involved a collective, instrumental case study. Role reversal was implemented as part of a group-therapeutic intervention which continued for approximately three months, and involved participants acting as peer tutors. Data analysis focused on the participant’s personal experiences of the technique as well as therapeutic gains and the usefulness of the technique from a school-based counsellor’s perspective. The research findings revealed that although the helping role held certain challenges for the participants, it seemed to generally impact positively on their social and academic confidence and functioning. Additionally their levels of performance anxiety appeared to decrease. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

In this study the technique of role reversal for the treatment of performance anxiety, experienced by learners in the school environment, was investigated. Performance anxiety sometimes presents as part of a larger pattern of social phobia and negatively impacts on an individual’s tasks performance due to the fear of negative evaluation. My qualitative study involved a collective, instrumental case study. Role reversal was implemented as part of a group-therapeutic intervention which continued for approximately three months, and involved participants acting as peer tutors. Data analysis focused on the participant’s personal experiences of the technique as well as therapeutic gains and the usefulness of the technique from a school-based counsellor’s perspective. The research findings revealed that although the helping role held certain challenges for the participants, it seemed to generally impact positively on their social and academic confidence and functioning. Additionally their levels of performance anxiety appeared to decrease. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)