published_or_final_version / Psychology / Master / Master of Philosophy

M.Ed. / Riglyne kan ontwerp en beskryfword vir opvoedkundige sielkundiges om die ouers van serebraalgestremde kinders te help om die opvoedingsverhouding tussen die ouers en die betrokke kinders te probeer herstel, indien die behoeftes en verwagtings van 'n ouerbegeleidingsprogram van die ouers van hulle serebraal-gestremde kinders verken en beskryf word. Verder kan die aspekte wat opvoedkundige sielkundiges as suksesvol beskou in hulle begeleiding van ouers van serebraalgestremde kinders ook verken en beskryf word. Navorsing oor die behoeftes van ouers van serebraal-gestremde kinders, die ouers se vewagtings van 'n ouerbegeleidingsprogram, asook die bepaling van riglyne vir die opvoedkundige sielkundige om hierdie ouers te help om die opvoedingsverhouding te probeer herstel, kan as 'n integrale deel van die opvoedkundig-sielkundige paradigma gesien word. Van Niekerk (1986:43) onderskei die volgende aspekte as deel van die opvoedkundige sielkundige se terrein, nl. Die gee van voorkomende begelleiding aan ouers en onderwysers ten aansien van die opvoeding, onderwys en ontwikkeling van die kind as persoon. Intervensie, veral ten aansien van die kind en vroee volwassene wie se persoonsvoltrekking probleme openbaar, met die oog op harmoniering van die disharmoniese en die opheffing van sodanige probleme. Hierdie probleme kan in 'n uiteenlopende verskeidenheid simptome manifesteer, wat as verhoudingsprobleme, gesinsprobleme, skoolprobleme, gedragsprobleme, leerprobleme, waaronder onderprestasie, spesifieke leergeremdhede; beroepskennis- en keuseprobleme geopenbaar word. â ienslewering aan onderwysdepartemente se skoolklinieke en hulpdienste, skole vir buitengewone onderwys; in privaatpraktyke of ander instansies waar by lid is van 'n interdissiplinere en transprofessionele span. Die samestelling van 'n begeleidingsprogram vir ouers van serebraal-gestremde kinders behoort betrekking te he op al hierdie aspekte. Eerstens kan so 'n program gesien word as voorkomemde begeleiding aan die ouers en onderwysers van serebraal-gestremde kinders. Ouers van leerlinge in skole vir buitengewone onderwys kan so 'n begeleidingsprogram, wat aangebied word deur die opvoedkundige sielkundige by die skool, volg as deel van 'n orientasieprogram. Onderwysers kan op hierdie wyse bewus gemaak word van die dinamiek in 'n gesin met 'n serebraal-gestremde kind.

M.Cur. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.A. / Conduct disorder is one of the most frequently diagnosed childhood disorders. The prevalence of this disorder has increased over the past few decades, which has ramifications for many facets of society, such as with families, justice systems, institutions involved with the rehabilitation of these children, and society as a whole. Conduct disorder has been found to be stable over time, and is therefore often associated with problems later in life such as violent crime, alcoholism, marital discord, and antisocial personality disorder. There have been many theories advanced for the aetiology of conduct disorder, but it is generally a bio-psychosocial model, rather than a single theory that receives the most attention when considering the development of this disorder. Included within such a model are variables such as a genetic component, neuropsychological factor, comorbid factor, socio-economic element, and a social learning component, that are involved with the development and maintenance of conduct disorder. One of the most consistently researched aspects involved within such models proposed for the aetiology of conduct disorder has been the role that certain parental styles have in the development of conduct disorder. Parental styles and the home environment have been consistently found to be a precursor of conduct disorder in foreign studies, however there is a lack of research within a South African context in this area. In order to establish whether there are specific styles of parenting related to conduct disorder in a South African sample, two measuring instruments were utilised, which were the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) and the Family Environment Scale (FES). The PBI and FES were administered to two groups of adolescents (n=80): one group of males (n=40) diagnosed with conduct disorder, and one group of males (n=40) without a diagnosis of conduct disorder. These instruments were used in order to establish if there were any differences in the perceived style of parenting between the two groups. The study yielded results that are similar to those found in foreign based studies. It was found with the South African sample, that a parenting style characterised by a low amount of care on the part of the mother, and overprotection on the part of the father was found within the conduct disorder group. Together these form a Parenting style of `affectionless control'. These parents were found to exert a high amount of control over their children, have a low expressiveness of emotions and feelings, have a low involvement with their children, and were poor at supervising and monitoring their children. These results indicate that parental styles could be a precursor of conduct disorder within a South African context. The implications of these results are discussed as well as the limitations of the study. Recommendations for future research and possible applications of the results are delineated.