The aim of this research was to make recommendations how parents and educators can select and use audio-visual media for supporting learners with behavioural problems (LBP). A literature study was conducted on behavioural problems and on the use of audio-visual media to address these. Thereafter an empirical investigation was done by means of a case study design. A purposive sample was chosen from Grades 10 and 12 learners in Pietermaritzburg. Websites were also selected for addressing a variety of topics. The most important findings were that audio-visual media can be selected by means of five criteria related to content accuracy and appropriateness, diversity and quality. The findings indicate that visual media can stimulate cognitive skills (including problem solving and critical thinking) and reflection about the acceptance of responsibility, positive attitudes and respect for authority, among others. It is concluded that audio-visual media can be used by educators to support LBP. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Specialisation in Psychology of Education)

The purpose of this study was to examine the methods that social workers and other professionals use in their work with children and youth with ADHD and behavioural problems. Seven professionals from different practices and backgrounds where interviewed about their methods and their understanding of the underlying psychosocial mechanisms of behavioural problems in children and youth with ADHD. Results showed a wide variety of methods used across the field. Interviewees pointed out the importance of flexible and individually adaptable approaches and methods, including forms of cognitive training but also pharmacological aspects. Interviewees agreed on most points regarding the underlying psychosocial mechanisms revolving around childrens academic and social difficulties and processes of negative identity-shaping. The findings indicate that time of diagnosis and parent’s and teacher’s understanding of ADHD plays an important role in the development of behavioural problems, and that a variety of different methodological approaches to intervention seem to have good results. / Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka vilka metoder socialarbetare och andra professionella använder sig av i arbetet med barn och ungdomar med ADHD och problemskapande beteenden. Sju professionella med olika bakgrund intervjuades kring sina metoder och sin förståelse av de psykosociala mekanismerna som finns latenta och driver fram utvecklingen av problemskapande beteende hos barn och ungdomar med ADHD. Resultaten visade att variationen mellan olika arbetsmetoder är stor. Bland annat förekom olika former av kognitiv träning och medicinering. De flesta intervjupersoner påpekade vikten av ett flexibelt och individanpassat angreppssätt. Det rådde ett stort samförstånd mellan intervjupersonerna angående de psykosociala mekanismerna, där de flesta förklaringar kretsade kring barnens akademiska och sociala svårigheter, och processer av negativt identitetsskapande. Studiens slutsatser var att tidpunkten för diagnostisering och föräldrars och lärares förståelse av ADHD spelar en viktig roll i utvecklandet av problemskapande beteenden, och att en mångfald av olika ansatser till intervention har god effekt.

Callous and Unemotional (CU) traits are a relatively recent addition to the existing body of research examining the development of severe behavioural problems in children, and antisocial behaviour in adults. Children who are high in CU traits display shallow emotions, manipulate other children, lie easily, and demonstrate very little remorse or guilt. Additionally, they are more likely to engage in more severe forms of antisocial behaviour, more often, and from a younger age than their peers. Research has found that CU traits moderate the well-established relationship between parenting and conduct problems. That is, children who are high in CU traits seem to display levels of behaviour problems that are unrelated to the quality or type of parenting they receive. This has serious implications when one considers that the most effective psychosocial treatments available for behavioural disorders are based upon improving parenting, and would therefore require significant modification for children high in CU traits. In addition, the research exploring the moderating role of CU traits in the relationship between parenting and conduct problems has not taken a developmental perspective and considered different ages of children. Finally, existing research has not considered the reciprocal relationship that CU traits have upon parenting behaviour, or the direct relationship between parenting and CU traits. The present study has addressed these limitations by utilizing an accelerated longitudinal methodology. The present study recruited 449 grades one, three and five children from six public primary schools. Questionnaires assessing conduct problems, CU traits, and parenting styles were administered to their parents for completion. Additionally, teacher report was also sought on a number of key variables to ensure validity. One year later, all of these children and their families were re-approached to assess the extent to which each of these variables had changed over time. One year later 233 (51.89%) of the original sample completed the same measures allowing examination of the change in these variables over time. Given the relatively short time period, it was expected that one of the best predictors of any of the key variables at time 2, would be baseline scores measured at time 1. For this reason, hierarchical regression was used to control for temporal stability, as well as demographic factors. Additionally, the hypothesis that a different pattern of relationships would emerge for children of different ages was tested by examining the moderating effect of age upon all predictive relationships. This was done by entering the product of age and the predictor variable(s) as the final step of the regression analyses, and then conducting simple slopes analysis on all significant predictive interactions. Three distinct findings emerged from these analyses. Firstly, age moderates the effect of CU traits on the relationship between parenting styles and conduct problems. Behaviour problems in younger children are better predicted by parenting behaviours and by CU traits than in older children. Secondly, both CU traits and conduct problems were predictive of worsening parental behaviour. Once again, this was particularly evident in younger children. Finally, inconsistent parenting, and corporal punishment were found to be predictive of CU traits. These findings are discussed from a developmental perspective in the context of Bronfenbrenner's (1979) ecological model.

This study examined the efficacy of a multimodal intervention with conduct disordered boys in the middle primary years. The intervention consisted of a behavioural classroom program; a small group, social skills program; and a behavioural parenting program Resource implications of this model were also evaluated. A review of the current literature on conduct disorders showed that these children account for less than 5% of the population, but they have a strong impact on families, teachers, peers, schools and the wider community. About 50% of children with severe, early behavioural problems will continue with these problems, not only throughout their adult lives, but into the next generation. Early intervention appears to offer our best hope of altering this trajectory. Interventions with this population have been largely unsuccessful. At the present time the most promising intervention is behavioural parent training programs. Combining these with child focused social skills programs, and behavioural programs in the school setting, increases their efficacy. This study used a single subject experimental design to examine the effects of this program on four boys with behavioural difficulties. Continuous measures were taken with parent, and teacher daily record charts, and classroom observations. Pre, post and followup measures were taken with the Child Behaviour Checklist. The results of the study were mixed. Some subjects, according to some respondents, improved in home and school behaviours. All three subjects, for whom there was followup data, had improved. The classroom, and parenting programs appeared to be associated with positive changes in child behaviour, the small group was associated with more disruptive behaviour at school.

Syftet med studien var att studera hur sällskapsdjur kan påverka demenssjukas beteendeproblem och vara ett komplement till medicinsk behandling med lugnande läkemedel hos patienter med demens.Studien genomfördes som en systematisklitteraturstudie. Metoden författarna använde sig av var att de valde ut 9 stycken vetenskapliga artiklar från år 1999-2009 som hittats i olika databaser och referenslistor. Artiklarna analyserades genom att texten delades upp i de olika kategorierna lugnade effekt/oro, aggression, kontakt/beröring och läkemedelsanvändande. Resultatet visade att beteendeproblemen som aggression och oro, i flera av studierna blev bättre i sällskapsdjurs närvaro, men bara under den tiden som deltagarna fick animal assisted therapy (AAT). När deltagarna blev utan AAT försämrades deras beteendeproblem igen. Olika slags typer av sällskapsdjur användes vid behandling med AAT. Hunden visades vara det sällskapsdjur som användes mest. Slutsatsen blev att de flesta studierna visade på en positiv effekt på närheten av ett sällskapsdjur inom demensvården. Alla studier kunde inte visa på en signifikant skillnad men vårdpersonals upplevelse var att de demenssjuka hade en tendens till förbättrande av sina beteendeproblem.

TITLE: Education of pupils with behavioural problems at secondary schools AUTHOR: Adriana Drbalová DEPARTMENT: Department of Special Education SUPERVISOR: PhDr. Zbyněk Němec, Ph.D. ABSTRACT: The thesis is focused on children behavioural problems at secondary schools in the context of Czech education system. The thesis aim is to find out about education, upbringing and integration process of these troubled children. In the theoretic part it will be explained the terms - behavioural problem and its most frequent symptoms at secondary school, a troubled pupil, types of secondary schools, that will be related to this work and causes of behavioural problem at this age. The empirical part will be realized by conversations at five different secondary schools in the Czech Republic. It will be used the method of quality. The conversations will be taken place with methodists of prevention, psychologists or teachers of the troubled pupils. The empirical part will be implemented with the aid of qualitative interviewing -semi-structured interview. The interview will be taped and written down. Afterwards I will make interwees answers necessary for survey. KEYWORDS: Troubled pupil, secondary schools, behavioural problems prevention

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has become the disorder of the nineties. The name has been bandied about by experts, teachers, parents, lay people and specifically the media, however, when a child or children are diagnosed with this disorder, parents, and in particular for this study, mothers, are left feeling confused, frightened and uncertain. The method of treatment is the specific study of this research. Ritalin is the most popular form of treatment utilised for the alleviation of symptoms, yet mothers are afraid they are drugging their children or taking the easy way out. Constant media hype and ignorance exacerbate the mother’s experiences and they are left in a quandary of which course to follow. The purpose of this research was to investigate if mothers share similar experiences when administering Ritalin for the treatment of symptoms of ADHD. Literature indicates enormous controversy surrounding this disorder and in particular the treatment methods recommended to alleviate symptoms. There are two strongly opposed camps regarding the negativity or positivity toward utilising this schedule 7 drug. Media publicity intensifies the individual’s uncertainty of administering this drug and suggests bad parenting as the reason mothers resort to Ritalin. The goal of this study is to highlight the mother’s experiences and to become aware of their feelings and isolation when being advised that their child or children have ADHD. The lack of awareness and the uncertainty of which course to follow seems to have profound affects and cause mothers to have negative experiences. The purpose of this research is to see if mothers share similar experiences regarding the administering of Ritalin as a treatment method for ADHD. The researcher is hopeful that the outcome of this small study will assist experts, counselors and lay people to empathize and recognize the mother’s plight in this regard, and consequently for them not to feel as troubled and unaided without this knowledge. Finally, she expects that the research may help mothers to be aware that they are not alone with their predicament and sense of apprehension and uncertainty regarding the administering of a drug like Ritalin to assist in alleviating the symptoms presented. / Dissertation (MA (Counselling Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Psychology / unrestricted

Yes / Pain is underdetected and undertreated in people with dementia. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of pain in people with dementia admitted to general hospitals and explore the association between pain and behavioural and psychiatric symptoms of dementia (BPSD). We conducted a longitudinal cohort study of 230 people, aged above 70, with dementia and unplanned medical admissions to 2 UK hospitals. Participants were assessed at baseline and every 4 days for self-reported pain (yes/no question and FACES scale) and observed pain (Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia scale [PAINAD]) at movement and at rest, for agitation (Cohen–Mansfield Agitating Inventory [CMAI]) and BPSD (Behavioural Pathology in Alzheimer Disease Scale [BEHAVE-AD]). On admission, 27% of participants self-reported pain rising to 39% on at least 1 occasion during admission. Half of them were able to complete the FACES scale, this proportion decreasing with more severe dementia. Using the PAINAD, 19% had pain at rest and 57% had pain on movement on at least 1 occasion (in 16%, this was persistent throughout the admission). In controlled analyses, pain was not associated with CMAI scores but was strongly associated with total BEHAVE-AD scores, both when pain was assessed on movement (b 5 0.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] 5 0.07- 0.32, P 5 0.002) and at rest (b 5 0.41, 95% CI 5 0.14-0.69, P 5 0.003). The association was the strongest for aggression and anxiety. Pain was common in people with dementia admitted to the acute hospital and associated with BPSD. Improved pain management may reduce distressing behaviours and improve the quality of hospital care for people with dementia.

As stated in the Children’s Act 38 of 2005, learners with behavioural programmes are accommodated in child and youth centres (former industrial schools), and require professional and specialised support. These learners generally display challenging, unacceptable and anti-social behaviour, which must be addressed and handled by teachers and professional support staff. A holistic perspective is needed to meet these learners’ needs and in order to support learners with behavioural problems in child and youth centres, educational services, as well as medical, psychological and other support services must be available. These specialised support services are crucial in the efforts to address the behavioural problems of the learners. The aim of the support to learners with behavioural problems in child and youth centres is to improve the learning ability of the learners with behavioural problems, as well as to change their behavioural patterns in order for them to embrace opportunities in which they will be able to re-enter society successfully and live as well-adapted and functional individuals. Child and youth centres need to make interest groups aware of the challenges with which teachers and professional support staff are confronted on a daily basis in their efforts to support learners with behavioural problems. The aim of this study is to determine what the experiences are of the teachers and professional support staff with regard to the support to learners with behavioural problems in a child and youth centre. To reach the goal of this study, one research question was formulated: “What are the experiences of teachers and professional support staff with regard to the support of learners with behavioural problems in a child and youth centre?” A purposive sample was used, namely the teachers and professional support staff in a child and youth centre in the Ekurhuleni District, were chosen to participate in the research study. The teachers’ group includes the principal, the head of the department and teachers, while the professional support staff included an educational psychologist, a nurse, a social worker and a child and youth worker. The researcher used semi-structured individual interviews which were recorded with the consent of the participants. The recordings were transcribed, interpreted and refined to codes, themes, categories and subcategories. Ethical procedures were followed and approval of the Faculty of Educational Sciences’ Ethics Committee at the North-West University was obtained. Since qualitative studies, which investigates and describes the daily experiences of the teachers and professional support staff in supporting learners with behavioural problems in child and youth centres, are limited, a phenomenological approach, which included an interpretivist paradigm was used to investigate and describe the phenomenon. Meaningful factual conclusions related to the study’s findings, were identified, namely: learners with behavioural problems are provocative and several factors influence the support to the learners negatively; teachers and professional support staff experience uncertainty with regard to their respective responsibilities in the child and youth centre; verbal and physical attacks by the learners on the teachers and professional support staff; and lastly, positive experiences with regard to the support to the learners in a child and youth centre are few and far between. Conceptual findings are enlightened and supported by means of the radical behaviouristic theory, the cognitive social theory, the bio-ecological theory and the social capital theory. In conclusion of the phenomenological qualitative interpretivist study, the researcher offers valuable suggestions with regard to the support to learners with behavioural problems in a child and youth centre. / MEd (Learner Support), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

As stated in the Children’s Act 38 of 2005, learners with behavioural programmes are accommodated in child and youth centres (former industrial schools), and require professional and specialised support. These learners generally display challenging, unacceptable and anti-social behaviour, which must be addressed and handled by teachers and professional support staff. A holistic perspective is needed to meet these learners’ needs and in order to support learners with behavioural problems in child and youth centres, educational services, as well as medical, psychological and other support services must be available. These specialised support services are crucial in the efforts to address the behavioural problems of the learners. The aim of the support to learners with behavioural problems in child and youth centres is to improve the learning ability of the learners with behavioural problems, as well as to change their behavioural patterns in order for them to embrace opportunities in which they will be able to re-enter society successfully and live as well-adapted and functional individuals. Child and youth centres need to make interest groups aware of the challenges with which teachers and professional support staff are confronted on a daily basis in their efforts to support learners with behavioural problems. The aim of this study is to determine what the experiences are of the teachers and professional support staff with regard to the support to learners with behavioural problems in a child and youth centre. To reach the goal of this study, one research question was formulated: “What are the experiences of teachers and professional support staff with regard to the support of learners with behavioural problems in a child and youth centre?” A purposive sample was used, namely the teachers and professional support staff in a child and youth centre in the Ekurhuleni District, were chosen to participate in the research study. The teachers’ group includes the principal, the head of the department and teachers, while the professional support staff included an educational psychologist, a nurse, a social worker and a child and youth worker. The researcher used semi-structured individual interviews which were recorded with the consent of the participants. The recordings were transcribed, interpreted and refined to codes, themes, categories and subcategories. Ethical procedures were followed and approval of the Faculty of Educational Sciences’ Ethics Committee at the North-West University was obtained. Since qualitative studies, which investigates and describes the daily experiences of the teachers and professional support staff in supporting learners with behavioural problems in child and youth centres, are limited, a phenomenological approach, which included an interpretivist paradigm was used to investigate and describe the phenomenon. Meaningful factual conclusions related to the study’s findings, were identified, namely: learners with behavioural problems are provocative and several factors influence the support to the learners negatively; teachers and professional support staff experience uncertainty with regard to their respective responsibilities in the child and youth centre; verbal and physical attacks by the learners on the teachers and professional support staff; and lastly, positive experiences with regard to the support to the learners in a child and youth centre are few and far between. Conceptual findings are enlightened and supported by means of the radical behaviouristic theory, the cognitive social theory, the bio-ecological theory and the social capital theory. In conclusion of the phenomenological qualitative interpretivist study, the researcher offers valuable suggestions with regard to the support to learners with behavioural problems in a child and youth centre. / MEd (Learner Support), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015