Thesis (D. Min.)--Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Charlotte, NC, 2002. / Abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 117-123).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2004. / Supervisors: Larry Browning and Rajiv Rimal. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (D. Min.)--Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Charlotte, NC, 2002. / Abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 117-123).

This study explores the childhood experiences and transitions to adulthood of 39 Romanian care leavers and adoptees, born around 1989 - 1990. In the past, Romania's children in care became known to the world as 'the Romanian orphans' and some of them have been subjects to neurodevelopmental research studies focusing on the setbacks posed by institutionalisation in early life. This research project takes a different angle by: • Using life history approach and therefore capturing the participants' in-depth accounts of how they recall their childhoods and the challenges they encountered in their transition to independent life; • Exploring four different types of placements and how they affect transition to independent life, from a user's perspective. The fact that Romania undertook reform of the child protection system within the timespan of this generation of children provided a research opportunity to collect the users' views on different types of placement that belonged to the unreformed system of the 1990s (large residential care and intercountry adoption) and the new types of placement (small group homes and foster care). For comparison purposes, I also included domestic adoption, a type of placement that was less controversial than the others at the time reforms were being introduced. Thus, the types of placement that are analysed through the research participants' accounts are: • Residential care (institutions and small group homes); • Foster Care; • Domestic Adoption; • Intercountry adoption. The study addressed two research questions: 1. How do Romanian born young people who grew up in care understand and narrate their experiences in different types of placement? 2. What narratives of agency are constructed by Romanian-born adults who grew up in different types of placement when they describe their transition to adulthood? By taking an interpretive stance, this study brings in the academic arena the voices of care leavers and adoptees. By using narrative analysis and focussing on the concept of dignity by employing identity theories, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Capabilities Approach, the study makes an important contribution to knowledge, with implications for further research, policy and practice. While interventions in child protection are influenced in each country by cultural, political and socio-legal factors, understanding the basic needs of children who are not raised by their birth families is important across different child protection systems. Therefore, the relevance of the research findings is not limited to Romania.

Children heart diseases can be divided into congenital and acquired heart defects. The acquired heart defects can be further divided into acquired heart defects, heart rhythm disorders, including hypertension, inflammatory heart diseases and heart failure. Children heart diseases can occur at any age, even if it is a congenital heart defect that is less severe. The diploma thesis should bring nurses closer to the problems of nursing care of children with heart diseases hospitalized at the ICU. The goal of this thesis was to find out the specifics of nursing care of children with heart diseases who are hospitalized at the ICU and to find out the most common nursing diagnoses according to NANDA II taxonomy, and their treatment in case of children with heart diseases who are hospitalized at the ICU. During the realization of the research part, a qualitative research survey was used using semi-structured interviews with the nurses involved in the observation. And a summarization that provides a more comprehensive view of the composition of children with heart diseases hospitalized at the ICU. The interviews were conducted with the nurses at the children's ICU, where the participant observation took place as well. In the research section the most common nursing interventions in case of these children were described and how much they differ from interventions in case of children with other illnesses that are also hospitalized at the ICU. Further, we have also found out the most common nursing diagnoses of children with heart diseases hospitalized at the ICU.

M.Ed. (Philosophy of Education) / The central aim of the study was to make an analysis of the values and value-orientations of girls committed to a child-care school in order to understand better their thought processes and behaviour. It was necessary to focus on values and value orientations as these are indicative of what is important to the girls and can be regarded as underlying motives for human behaviour. The motivation for this study lies in the fact that committal is a sensitive and often problematic situation. Children in ordinary schools are committed to child-care schools, and committed children in chid care schools are transferred to reform schools. The most important grounds for committal are need of care and unacceptable behaviour, hence the importance of examining values and value-orientations as underlying motives for behaviour. The primary expectation when committing a child to a child-care school is that the child will be guided towards a positive behaviour change. This study revealed that the value-orientation of an individual is subject to influence and that behaviour changes can be brought about through purposeful coaching of values. Bearing in mind the purposeful influencing of the value orientation of the committed pupil, it is essential that the educator should take special note of the various aspects of the committal, the living conditions, values and value-orientation of these learners. In this respect the most important aspects described in the study are: * an analysis and description of the grounds for committal and the legal stipulations applicable in cases of need of care. * The identifying of a hierarchy of fifteen main type values which can be regarded as possible determinants in assessing the behaviour of girls. * The identifying of characteristics which are typical of the lifestyle of committed girls, and which have an influence on their values, value-orientation and behaviour. With reference to the above aspects of the investigation the following are important findings: * Generally, the girls are committed on grounds of being in need of care for unacceptable behaviour. 'In need of care' refers to material inadequacies and a poor socio-economic existence. The 'unacceptable behaviour' which motivated most committals were serious disobedience, contact with undesirable friends, truancy, petty thieving, chronic absence from home and absconding from home. * With regard to the hierarchy of values it was discovered during the investigation that the values most affected were economic, relationship related, life- and personal values. Those least affected were moral, intellectual, physical and authoritative. The hierarchy of values is indicative of what is important to committed girls and affects their behaviour. * The characteristics of the lifestyle of most of the committed girls were: large families (more than five children) broken families (step parents) age at committal: 13/14 years home language: Afrikaans church attendance of parents: fairly good. Living conditions have an effect on value-orientation and contributes to behaviour on the grounds of which committal takes place.

The purpose of the research was to use life mapping during the intervention period in order to enhance the self-knowledge of the children in their mid-childhood years, in a children’s home. In order to reach this goal, the life mapping- and the gestalt play- therapeutic processes had been combined with, art and creativity included in the process. The study is quantitative and a standardised measuring instrument had been used for the pre-test and posttest, according to the single-system design. The hypothesis was tested by way of statistical analysis, by comparing data obtained from the pre-test and posttest. The child in a children’s home does not always know who he/she is. Because of possible trauma experienced before admission to the children’s home, self-knowledge could not be developed from within or from input obtained out of the social environment. Sometimes, a child in a children’s home, does not know why he/she was admitted. It is necessary for the child to know where he/she came from, where he/she is at present and where is he/she is going. The framework of life mapping integrates these concepts. By compiling a life map, a child obtains self-knowledge. When he/she had formed a perception of who and what he/she is and what he/she wants to achieve, the child can start working on self-fulfillment. With self-knowledge and a good perception of his/her life, the child develops a self concept, which usually contains an element of self-evaluation. The child can start leading an own life, make own choices, take responsibility for his/her own life and becomes independent, notwithstanding the circumstances of origin. The purpose is to bring back balance and a sense of self into the life of the child, which are also the purposes emphasised by both life mapping and gestalt play therapy. The literature study includes both the behaviour and emotions of the child in a children’s home. The influence on the life of the child had been investigated. Objective one was to build on the knowledge base on life mapping and gestalt play therapy processes. The processes were compared and integrated in this study. Life mapping as a concept, is known since the early 20th century, but was not applied in therapy, often. The developmental phase of a child in mid-childhood, in a children’s home had been studied. The developmental tasks in the mid-childhood are varied and is a progression of tasks from the previous phases. The synthesis, according to Erikson, during this phase, is capability. Industry versus inferiority could be seen as the “crisis” of this developmental phase. The child starts having the concept of the true self, versus the ideal self and he/she compares him/herself with others. Objective two was intervention by way of life mapping, together with the gestalt principles. This proved to have been very successful with observing the research results. Aspects of the whole life of every respondent had been included into the life maps. The fact that the life had been looked at in totality is in accordance with the gestalt concept of gestalt therapy. The respondents started owning their own personality traits and began to experiencing their uniqueness. It was thus enhancement of self-knowledge that took place. All the objectives of the study had been reached. The study resulted in an 80 percent significant change in the average self-knowledge of the respondents. / Dissertation (MSD Play Therapy(Social Work))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

M.A. (Psychology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Please read the abstract in the section, 00front, of this document / Dissertation (MA(MW))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

Magister Scientiae Dentium - MSc(Dent) / The aim of this study was to compare the oral health status between well and malnourished children under five years old attending Mother and Child Health clinic in Queen Elizabeth II Hospital in Maseru, Lesotho. / South Africa