The purpose of the present investigation was to explore the relationship of the adolescent experience of parental death to the variables of identity formation, adjustment, and coping. The inclusion of adolescents who had experienced parental divorce and those who had not experienced either loss condition allowed for group comparisons.

Text in Afrikaans / The death of a parent is one of the most meaningful experiences in life. When the child in mourning is not given a proper chance to grieve, there could be complications later in life. In this study scrapbooking, as a tool in Gestalt group work, was utilised to assist three pre-adolescents after the death of a parent. The goal of this research was to determine whether scrapbooking could be successfully used with in the grieving stages after the death of a parent. The social caracter of scrapbooking makes this relevant to the pre-adolescent stage as the need to socialize is of great importance. From the results of this study, scrapbooking can be recommended to therapists to be used as a tool in assisting children during the grieving process. / Die dood van cn ouer blyk een van die mees betekenisvolle gebeure in die mens se lewe te wees. Wanneer die kind in ruil nie die geleentheid gegun word om op haar eie tyd en manier te rou nie, kan latere komplikasies na vore tree. In hierdie studie is scrapbooking as hulpmiddel in Gestalt-groepwerk met drie vroee adolessente benut om van hulp te wees na die afsterwe van 'n ouer. Die doel van die navorsing was om te bepaal of scrapbooking wel suksesvol op die wyse in die rou-proses gebruik kan word. Die sosiale komponent van scrapbooking behels die saamwees en saamwerk aan 'n scrapboek met 'n gemeenskaplike tema. Aangesien vroee adolessensie 'n ontwikkelingstadium is waar die sosiale komponent belangrik is, is die navorser van mening dat scrapbooking juis om die rede sal kan werk om verligting te bied na die afsterwe van 'n ouer. Scrapbooking word aanbeveel om tot hulp te wees om die rouproses te vergemaklik. / Social Work / MDIAC (Play Therapy)

South Africa is one of the countries most affected by HIV/AIDS, and the impact on children living in affected households and communit ies is significant. The loss of a parent or caregiver due to an AIDS. related illness has le ft many children orphaned. Understandings of bereavement. particularly amongst African adolescents. and adults’ responses to orphans’ psychological and emotional d ifficulties, remains under.developed. This paper explored adolescents’ experiences of par ental AIDS.related illness and bereavement. Ten adolescents participated in this s tudy. Qualitative methods such as observation, individual interviews and a focus grou p were the means of data collection. Key findings of the study were that: adolescents we re profoundly affected by the death of their parents with some showing signs of great anxi ety in relation to their future; were in need of emotional and material support; and were af fected by the intense stigma associated with HIV/AIDS which resulted in secrecy and shame. This study suggests that if we listen to the voices of children, we will learn about thei r emotional, psychological, developmental, and behavioural needs, which in turn will inform interventions working with vulnerable and orphaned children. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2009.

Text in Afrikaans / The death of a parent is one of the most meaningful experiences in life. When the child in mourning is not given a proper chance to grieve, there could be complications later in life. In this study scrapbooking, as a tool in Gestalt group work, was utilised to assist three pre-adolescents after the death of a parent. The goal of this research was to determine whether scrapbooking could be successfully used with in the grieving stages after the death of a parent. The social caracter of scrapbooking makes this relevant to the pre-adolescent stage as the need to socialize is of great importance. From the results of this study, scrapbooking can be recommended to therapists to be used as a tool in assisting children during the grieving process. / Die dood van cn ouer blyk een van die mees betekenisvolle gebeure in die mens se lewe te wees. Wanneer die kind in ruil nie die geleentheid gegun word om op haar eie tyd en manier te rou nie, kan latere komplikasies na vore tree. In hierdie studie is scrapbooking as hulpmiddel in Gestalt-groepwerk met drie vroee adolessente benut om van hulp te wees na die afsterwe van 'n ouer. Die doel van die navorsing was om te bepaal of scrapbooking wel suksesvol op die wyse in die rou-proses gebruik kan word. Die sosiale komponent van scrapbooking behels die saamwees en saamwerk aan 'n scrapboek met 'n gemeenskaplike tema. Aangesien vroee adolessensie 'n ontwikkelingstadium is waar die sosiale komponent belangrik is, is die navorser van mening dat scrapbooking juis om die rede sal kan werk om verligting te bied na die afsterwe van 'n ouer. Scrapbooking word aanbeveel om tot hulp te wees om die rouproses te vergemaklik. / Social Work / MDIAC (Play Therapy)

Text in Afrikaans / Euro-centric (Western) therapeutic approaches in psychotherapy are criticized by several authors as being unsuitable in an African context. The reconciliation of the contrasting approach of world- and human views regarding individualism (Western) and collectivism (Africa) is being questioned. In this research a qualitative approach was used. The objectives were to explore, describe and to explain the use of gestalt play therapy with the adolescent who suffered trauma due to the loss of one or both parents, in a multicultural context. Case studies were done on three adolescents in eight therapeutic sessions of Gestalt play therapy. The finding and conclusion of this research showed that Gestalt play therapy could be used with the traumatised adolescent in a multicultural context. The child could be understood from a holistic point of view as the individual as well as a member of a cultural group. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study explores the needs of sibling-bereaved adolescents in high schools in the Western Cape, South Africa. A grounded theory approach was used to examine unexpected sibling bereavement with specific focus on participant perceptions and experiences regarding support provided by their high school. Interviews and focus groups were conducted with siblings who were in high school when their brother or sister died suddenly. An argument is developed for why high schools need insight into effective ways of supporting sibling-bereaved adolescents as they attempt to fit in and function at school. As this study was conducted in a multi-language environment, attention is given to the differing abilities of adolescents to articulate their bereavement experience. The effectiveness of focus groups with this population and the importance of providing psycho-education support during the interviewing process are emphasised. The scarcity of studies on adolescent bereavement in South Africa can be attributed to a combination of the emotional painfulness of the subject for adolescents and gatekeeping by school personnel and parents. Understandably, concerns about disclosure and fresh trauma/grief triggering may be given precedence over research. Themes grounded in the data uncovered a psychosocial journey involving disruption, transition and changed self. Bereaved siblings felt singled out as different from their peers when they return to school. Hence discreet acknowledgement and disclosure of the death is important to them. A key finding is that accomplishment plays a significant role in boosting the flagging morale of bereaved adolescents. Accomplishment aids their inviduation and stimulates them to regain interest in their own life goals. While individual teachers and other school personnel were considered helpful, there was an absence of a structured plan of support for bereaved adolescents in the schools examined. Attachment theory foregrounded an explanation of why the loss of a sibling during adolescence can have a lasting influence on the future of those left behind. Most adolescents in the study evidenced a desire for an on-going connection with their sibling who died while they simultaneously took on new roles to try and fill the void created by their death. Findings from this study are intended to provide richer insight into the complexity of adolescent sibling bereavement and may also serve to inform educational and health care interventions for bereaved learners in South Africa. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie verken die behoeftes van adolessente in hoërskole in die Wes-Kaap, Suid-Afrika, ná die verlies van ’n broer of suster. ’n Gegronde-teorie-benadering is gebruik om ondersoek in te stel na adolessente wat onverwags ’n broer of suster verloor het, met bepaalde klem op deelnemers se opvattings oor, en ervarings van, die steun wat hulle van hul onderskeie hoërskole ontvang het. Onderhoude en fokusgroepe is dus gehou met adolessente wat op hoërskool was toe hul broer of suster skielik gesterf het. Die studie beredeneer waarom hoërskole insig moet hê in die doeltreffende ondersteuning van adolessente wat ’n broer of suster aan die dood moes afstaan, namate hulle weer op skool probeer inpas en funksioneer. Aangesien hierdie studie in ’n meertalige omgewing uitgevoer is, word adolessente se wisselende vermoëns om hul ervaring van verlies te verwoord, in ag geneem. Die doeltreffendheid van fokusgroepe met hierdie populasie, sowel as die belang van psigo-opvoedkundige steun gedurende die onderhoudproses, word beklemtoon. Die seldsaamheid van Suid-Afrikaanse studies oor adolessente wat broers of susters verloor, kan toegeskryf word aan ’n kombinasie van die emosionele pyn wat die onderwerp by adolessente oproep, en skoolpersoneel en ouers wat adolessente teen sodanige navorsing beskerm. Uiteraard is dit te verstane dat kommer oor openbaarmaking en die vars trauma/hartseer wat dit kan ontlok, dikwels voorrang kry bo navorsing. Die temas wat in die data vasgelê was, bring ’n psigososiale reis van ontwrigting, oorgang en verandering van die self aan die lig. Adolessente wat broers of susters aan die dood moes afstaan, het met hul terugkeer skool toe uitgesonder en anders as hul portuur gevoel. Dus is oordeelkundige erkenning en openbaarmaking van die sterfgeval vir hulle belangrik. Een van die belangrikste bevindinge is dat prestasie ’n beduidende rol speel om die verswakte moreel van sodanige adolessente ’n hupstoot te gee. Prestasie help met hulle individuasie, en stimuleer hulle om opnuut in hul eie lewensdoelwitte belang te stel. Hoewel individuele onderwysers en ander skoolpersoneel as tegemoetkomend beskou is, was daar geen gestruktureerde ondersteuningsplan vir die adolessente in die betrokke skole nie. Die gehegtheidsteorie doen ’n verklaring aan die hand van waarom die verlies van ’n broer of suster gedurende adolessensie ’n blywende invloed kan hê op die toekoms van die kinders wat agterbly. Die meeste adolessente in die studie het ’n begeerte getoon na ’n voortgesette band met hul oorlede broer of suster, terwyl hu lle terselfdertyd nuwe rolle aanvaar het om die leemte van die oorledene te probeer vul. Bevindinge uit hierdie studie is bedoel om dieper insig te bied in die kompleksiteit van adolessente wat broers of susters verloor, en kan ook opvoedkundige en gesondheidsorgintervensies vir sodanige leerders in Suid-Afrika rig.

Text in Afrikaans / Euro-centric (Western) therapeutic approaches in psychotherapy are criticized by several authors as being unsuitable in an African context. The reconciliation of the contrasting approach of world- and human views regarding individualism (Western) and collectivism (Africa) is being questioned. In this research a qualitative approach was used. The objectives were to explore, describe and to explain the use of gestalt play therapy with the adolescent who suffered trauma due to the loss of one or both parents, in a multicultural context. Case studies were done on three adolescents in eight therapeutic sessions of Gestalt play therapy. The finding and conclusion of this research showed that Gestalt play therapy could be used with the traumatised adolescent in a multicultural context. The child could be understood from a holistic point of view as the individual as well as a member of a cultural group. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Any loss in an adolescent's life may lead to shattered dreams. Therapists, who work with adolescents who have experienced a loss must support and guide them to develop an awareness of their needs, impulses and dreams. Therapists must furthermore be aware of the factors that contributed to a turning point for the adolescents who managed to recreate their dreams. Adolescents' dreams are influenced by the current circumstances in South Africa, as well as their parents' perceptions and parenting styles. The loss of what could have been, after a loss, must also be addressed. The gestalt therapist establishes the process of awareness in the here-and-now. Furthermore, the adolescent must be guided to accept responsibility for his own choices and to purposeful create a new life dream. / Enige verlies in adolessente se lewens kan lei tot verbrokkelde lewensdrome. Terapeute wat werk met adolessente wat 'n verlies ervaar het, moet hul ondersteun en begelei sodat hulle bewustheid kan ontwikkel van hul behoeftes, drange en drome. Terapeute moet verder bewus wees van die faktore wat 'n keerpunt meegebring het by die adolessente wat wei hul drome kon herskep. Adolessente se lewensdrome word beinvloed deur die huidige omstandighede in Suid-Afrika, sowel as deur hul ouers se persepsies en ouerskapstyl. Die verlies aan dit wat kon wees, na afloop van 'n verlies moet dus ook aangespreek word. Die gestaltterapeut bewerkstellig die bewusmakingsproses in die hier-en-nou. Verder moet die adolessent gelei word om verantwoordelikheid te neem vir sy eie keuses en om doelbewus 'n nuwe lewensdroom te skep. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

This study was undertaken as a qualitative needs assessment of emotional support to the adolescent with a terminally ill parent. Five participants in their adolescent life phase (14 to 18 years) with a terminally ill parent, participated in the study. Individual unstructured interviews were conducted with each participant, in order to assess their need for emotional support. With the consent of the parents and adolescents, the interviews were video-recorded and transcribed. Eight recurring themes were selected from the case studies and verified with the existing literature. The result of the study is the assessment of the need for emotional support to the adolescent with a terminally ill parent. / Social Work / M. Diac (Play Therapy)(Social Work)

During the researcher's work with looked after children for the past four years, it became clear that adolescent placements were much more likely to break down than others. Although there is some literature about foster placement breakdowns, the researcher did not really get an answer as to the causes of adolescent placement breakdowns. This study therefore explores causal factors of adolescent placement breakdowns as seen by foster carers, adolescents and professionals. It is evident from this study that there are no easy answers. Although the adolescent, as much as any other child, craves to belong, to be listened to and be respected, it seems that it is not always possible for foster carers to put this into practice, given the challenging behaviour that adolescents often display. Recommendations are based on relevant literature and the empirical study, in the hope that it might be useful to those with an interest in this field. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Play Therapy)