M.A. (Clinical psychology) / A plethora of psychological research on the topic of divorce exists. The impact of parental divorce on the children, however, is much disputed in this literature. The present study‟s aim was to attempt to clarify this dilemma by describing the unique experiences of four adolescent males whose parents divorced when they were at a very young age. A qualitative research design was followed. Data was collected in the form of face-to-face interviews or „conversations‟ with the four respondents. Verbatim transcriptions of these conversations were then explored systematically from the hermeneutic tradition in order to understand the distinctive experiences of these four boys, from the time of their parents‟ divorce to the present. The findings from this exploration are in the form of various themes that were extrapolated from the transcriptions and clarified with reference to the existing findings in the literature. In addition, consistent with the hermeneutic tradition, co-construction of meaning was enhanced by the symbolic use of selected paintings. In summary, this study offers a description of four adolescent males‟ personal experiences of their parents‟ divorce, with the supplementary use of imagery and art in order to further enrich their subjective and often poignant narratives.

No description available.

Using the Offer Self-Image Questionnaire this study attempted to determine what differences exist between 58 male adolescents in foster care and their peers in the normal population and to establish if there are specific characteristics of the adolescent's background or foster care experience that are related to specific domains of self-image. Characteristics from foster care history included number of placements and length of time at the current placement. The individual background characteristics included were race, educational achievement and age. Foster care youth had lower family self-image and emotional health and higher social self-image when compared to the normative popUlation. When compared separately to the normative population, white youth had higher than normal moral self-image and sexual attitudes and lower scores on family relations and emotional health. Black youth had higher social self-image scores. Lower scores on several domains of self-image were associated with being younger, being white, having lower academic achievement, having more placements, and staying at the current placement for a longer period of time. The implications of these findings for foster care placement decisions are discussed. / Ph. D.

Thesis (MEdPsych)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The issue of masculinity is complex, and many theories on how gender is constructed exist. The central premise of this study is that gender construction is the result of dynamic social interaction and, as such, a post-structuralist paradigm is ascribed to. The concept of multiple masculinities exists to explain the influences different contexts have on how masculine ideas are constructed. This is not a passive process and individuals are considered active creators of their own identity. However, research demonstrates that not all masculinities are equal. Hegemonic masculinity maintains its leading dominant position status through using strategies of power and dominance to maintain the pinnacle position of status in the hierarchy of masculinities. The purpose of this study is to listen to the narratives of pre-adolescent boys about masculinity. Post-structuralist and social constructivist ideas that meaning is fluid and open to change, is influenced by culture and the individual meanings that people make. This understanding provides the theoretical framework for this qualitative study. Through a narrative-inquiry design, meaning was made of the individual experiences of six boys within the context of a single-sex preparatory school. The narratives of these participants, purposively selected, were obtained using the data-collecting methods of interviews, a focus group and the construction of a collage. The analysed data was presented both in the form of the narratives of the participants and through a thematic analysis. The findings indicate that within this private, single-sex preparatory school context, multiple constructions of masculinity are formed, and they all appear to be constructed in relation to hegemonic notions of masculinity. It was found that fathers play an important role in the way in which boys construct their masculine identity. However, their peers and the school context also play a significant role. Further, the findings revealed that although hegemonic notions of masculinity in this context had a powerful impact on these participants’ construction of masculinity, there are indications some are challenging overt expressions of hegemonic masculinity and, as such, hold more complex, transitional constructs of masculine identity. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die kwessie rondom manlikheid is kompleks en daar bestaan baie teorieë oor hoe geslag gebou word. Die sentrale uitgangspunt van hierdie studie is dat die konstruksie van geslag ‘n resultaat van dinamiese sosiale interaksie is en dus aan 'n post-strukturalistiese paradigma toegeskryf word. As sodanig bestaan die konsep van verskeie vorme van manlikheid om te verduidelik hoe verskillende kontekste manlike idees beïnvloed. Dit is nie 'n passiewe proses nie. Individue word as aktiewe skeppers van hulle eie identiteit beskou. Navorsing toon egter dat nie alle vorme van manlikheid gelyk is nie. Hegemoniese manlikheid hou 'n dominante posisie in stand deur die gebruik van strategieë van mag en oorheersing; die hoogsteposisie van status in die hiërargie van manlikheid word dus gestaaf. Die doel van hierdie studie is om na die narratiewe van pre-adolessente seuns oor manlikheid te luister. Post-strukturalistiese en sosiale konstruktivistiese idees wat aandui dat bedoelings vloeibaar en veranderbaar is, afhangende van kultuur en die betekenis wat deur 'n individu daaraan geheg word, voorsien dus 'n teoretiese raamwerk vir hierdie kwalitatiewe studie. Deur die gebruik van ‘n narratiewe ondersoek-ontwerp, is die betekenis van die individuele ervaringe van ses seuns in die konteks van 'n enkel-geslag voorbereidende skool geevalueer. Die verhale van hierdie deelnemers, wat doelgerig geselekteer is, is verkry deur gebruik te maak van onderhoude, 'n fokus groep en die konstruksie van 'n collage as data insamelingsmetodes. Die geanaliseerde data is beide in die vorm van verhale van die deelnemers sowel as 'n tematiese analise aangebied. Die bevindinge dui daarop dat binne hierdie private, enkel-geslag voorbereidende skoolkonteks, verskeie konstruksies van manlikheid gevorm word en het telkens beblyk in verhouding tot hegemoniese idees oor manlikheid gebou te word. Daar is bevind dat vaders 'n belangrike rol speel in die wyse waarop seuns hul manlike identiteit konstrueer. Eweknieë en die skoolkonteks speel egter ook 'n belangrike rol in die konstruksie van geslag. Die bevindinge het verder aan die lig gebring dat, alhoewel hegemoniese idees oor manlikheid in hierdie konteks 'n kragtige uitwerking op hierdie deelnemers se konstruksie van manlikheid het, daar aanduidings is dat sommige van die deelnemers openlike uitdrukkings van hegemoniese manlikheid uitdaag en sodoende meer komplekse oorgang-konstrukte van manlike identiteit het.

Examines the prevalence of depression among delinquent adolescent boys placed in a residential placement facility located in Yucaipa, California and managed by Trinity Children and Family Services, a non-profit organization. The Beck Depression Inventory was administered to 54 randomly selected boys (ages 12-18) of different ethnic backgrounds. Independent variables included length of time in the group home, the level of support from the family and the number of visitations the client received from family or other support systems. Results indicated that (1) White adolescents experience the highest levels of depression, (2) there was no difference in regards to depression in relation to age, and (3) that time in placement and the amount of family involvement had an impact on the level of depression of the adolescent.

The present study investigated the social adjustment (deviance), peer acceptance and academically related ability of pre-adolescent creative boys in a unique homogeneous school setting. More specifically, the study attempted to deal with the following questions: 1. What types of social deviance are characteristic of children at varying levels of creativity? 2. Is creativity more evident in children demonstrating certain socially deviant characteristics? 3. How much social acceptance is there of children demonstrating varying levels of social deviance and varying levels of creative ability? 4. What relationships exist "between creativity and intellectual ability, academic achievement and social behavior?

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) was one of the most widely used psychological tests administered to adolescents. The MMPI-A is a revised version of the MMPI that was developed specifically for adolescents. The purpose of this study is to establish clinical correlates for the MMPI-A standard scale codetypes.

M.A. / The study aims to determine whether statistically significant differences exist between boys with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and boys without ADHD with regard to hemispheric language lateralization and the laterality of various modalities (handedness, eyedness and footedness). According to the literature, a possible connection exists between abnormal lateralization patterns and various developmental disorders (Corballis, 1983; Geschwind & Behan, 1982; Hiscock, 1988, McFarland, 1981; Turkewitz, 1988). Lateralization in the current study refers to hemispheric language specialisation, hand dominance, foot dominance and eye dominance. In most people these functions are lateralized to the one side of the body by the age of seven (Kalat, 1995; Kolb & Whishaw, 1996). They typically manifest a dominant left hemisphere for language and a right-sided dominance for handedness, footedness and eyedness. The result is a dominant left hemisphere, due to the left side of the brain controlling the right side of the body. Some children however manifest insufficient or poor lateralization of these functions. For purposes of this study, it would imply that the functions of language specialisation, handedness, footedness and eyedness are not all lateralized to one side of the body. A possible connection between this poor or insufficient lateralization and ADHD might exist. According to the DSM IV (1997) the essential feature of ADHD is a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity that is more frequent and severe than is typically observed in individuals at a comparable level of development. Some of these symptoms causing impairment must have been present before age seven, although many individuals are only diagnosed after the symptoms have been present for a number of years. Impairment resulting from the symptoms should be present in at least two settings, for example, at school and at home. Clear evidence must exist of interference with developmentally appropriate social, academic, or occupational functioning. An empirical study was conducted in order to compare the hemispheric language specialisation, handedness, eyedness and footedness of the various subjects. The subjects consisted of 20 ADHD boys (8 -12 years) who met the criteria of the DSM IV and 20 Non-ADHD boys (8-12 years) without any learning problems. Various interference variables were controlled in the selection of the subjects (see section 5.2.3) Kimura's dichotic listening technique was used to measure hemispheric language specialisation and the Harris-test for Lateral Dominance was used to measure handedness, eyedness and footedness. Wilks's lambda, Pearson's chi-quadrant and Student's t-tests were used during statistical analysis of data. Results indicated statistically significant differences between ADHD boys and non-ADHD boys with regard to hemispheric language specialisation, handedness and footedness. Overall, the results indicated that the ADHD boys are not as strongly lateralized as the non-ADHD boys. The non-ADHD boys showed a stronger left hemispheric language specialisation, right hand dominance and right foot dominance. No statistical differences were recorded with regard to eyedness. The current study provides possible theoretical support for the theory that a connection exists between poor or insufficient lateralization patterns and children with ADHD. However, the study only focused on white boys between the ages of 8-12 years. Further studies involving different age groups, cultures and gender are recommended.

This study has looked at the temporal and multidimensional self in high-ability African American males attending a specialized school for high-ability youth. Interviews were conducted with 9 students. Results provided details about the hoped-for and feared selves the young men envisioned as well as the strategies these youth utilized to realize and avoid these possibilities for their future. The interviews also demonstrated the impact of family, the specialized school’s culture, their neighborhoods, and racism on the possibilities the young men envisioned for themselves. Interrelationships between the attempt to attain possible selves, academic self-concept, socioeconomic status, race, and year in school were assessed via a path model with data from 253 high-ability male students attending the specialized school. The nature of the relationships amongst the variables revealed that older students better able to attain or avoid possible selves had higher academic self-concepts. Higher academic self-concepts resulted in higher grades and SAT scores. / Department of Educational Psychology

Thesis (MEdPsych)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The social construction of masculinity is a complex process, one which cannot be divorced from the immediate environment and culture of boys. The aim of this study was to understand the construction of male identity in young primary school boys, who grew up in a context where few positive male role models might be, and where society might play a bigger role in shaping their identities. I focused on boys between the ages of ten and thirteen. The participants were from a poor socio-economic coloured community in the Western Cape and were purposively selected. A qualitative research methodology was used and data was selected by means of semi-structured interviews, focus-group interviews, collages and photographs. The findings showed that the type of masculinity these boys aspire to is admirable. However, they are caught within a context where there is a lack of physical space, an absence of facilities, a high unemployment rate and are surrounded by community disorganisation. The boys are confronted with many male examples in their community who are not providing for their families, and they see substances such as alcohol and drugs being abused daily by adult members of their community. Despite a constant presence of a mother, there is a lack of meaningful relationships with their fathers. They cannot easily identify positive role models within their community and do not have the ability to search for such traits in others. The themes arising from the data presented a contrast between the experiences of the participants and the kind of men they seek to be. There are very few men in their community who could help them to achieve their ideals and who could provide them with guidance or support. In the absence of suitable male role models to emulate, these boys are likely to comply with a model of masculinity that demonstrates dominance and power through violence and abuse. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die sosiale konstruksie van manlikheid is 'n komplekse proses, een wat nie van die onmiddellike omgewing en kultuur van die seuns geskei kan word nie. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die konstruksie van manlike identiteit in jong laerskoolseuns, wat grootgeword het in 'n konteks waar min positiewe manlike rolmodelle kan wees, en waar die gemeenskap 'n groter rol kan speel in die vorming van hul identiteit, te verstaan. Ek fokus op seuns tussen die ouderdomme van tien en dertien jaar oud. Die deelnemers was van 'n lae - sosio-ekonomiese bruin gemeenskap in die Wes-Kaap en is doelbewus gekies. ‘n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodologie is gebruik en data is deur middel van semi- gestruktureerde onderhoude, fokusgroep-onderhoude, collages en fotos ingesamel. Die bevindinge het getoon dat die tipe manlikheid wat hierdie seuns nastreef, prysenswaardig is. Hulle is egter vasgevang in 'n konteks gekenmerk deur 'n gebrek aan fisiese ruimte, 'n afwesigheid van fasiliteite, 'n hoë werkloosheidsyfer en gemeenskaplike wanorde. Die seuns word gekonfronteer met baie voorbeelde van mans in hul gemeenskap wat nie voorsiening maak vir hul families nie, en hulle world op 'n daaglikse basis bloogestel aan volwassenes wat alkohol en dwelms misbruik. Hoewel daar 'n konstante teenwoordigheid van 'n ma is, is daar is 'n gebrek aan 'n sinvolle verhouding met hul vaders. Hulle kan nie maklik positiewe rolmodelle identifiseer binne hul gemeenskap nie, en het nie die vermoë om te soek vir soortgelyke eienskappe in ander nie. Die temas wat voortgespruit het uit die data was in kontras met die ervarings van die deelnemers en die tipe man waarna hulle streef om te wees. Daar is geen mans in hul gemeenskap wat hulle kan help om hul ideale te bereik en wat hulle kan voorsien met leiding of ondersteuning nie. In die afwesigheid van geskikte manlike rolmodelle om na te boots, kan hierdie seuns geneig wees om 'n model van manlikheid wat oorheersing en mag deur geweld en mishandeling na te streef.