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.

Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of PhD in Community Psychology in the Department of Psychology, University of Zululand, 2007. / This study evaluates two psychosocial support intervention programmes for vulnerable children. Psychosocial support intervention programmes are geared towards strengthening of participation, intergration and cooperation between members of the community. The present study follows upon recommendations by Killian (2003) that more research needed to be done on the effectiveness of psychosocial intervention programmes on vulnerable children. It falls within the framework of a person-centred approach towards primary prevention. This research thesis aimed to explore the community volunteers' experiences on the impact and effectiveness of the psychosocial intervention programmes on vulnerable children. Twenty four community volunteers were interviewed for this research. Qualitative measures were utilized for data collection purposes. A standardized interview schedule, comprising four open-ended questions was used to elicit in-depth responses from the research participants. To test the appropriateness of the research questions, a pilot study was conducted on eight participants who had been sensitized on this programme and also formed part of the bigger research process. Data was analyzed using qualitative measures to elicit in-depth responses from the research participants. Based on the themes that emerged from the analyzed data, the evaluation process of these two intervention programmes yielded positive results, in terms of effectiveness and impact on the lives of vulnerable children in the communities. The thematic analysis of the collected interview data showed significantly that all the research participants appreciated the skills offered and learned from participating in the programme. They reported increased confidence in dealing with various psychosocial challenges faced by vulnerable children in their communities. A common theme that emerged in the present study both in the individual and group interviews, was the community volunteer's renewed sense of community participation, belonging and empowerment. From the research participants' responses, this study has managed to meet the aims and objectives of the training programme, to make people rich in their understanding of children who face adversity and difficult circumstances in their lives. Providing community members with a sensitization programme offering psychosocial support to vulnerable children, then becomes a sustainable, empowering and ongoing process for children affected by HIV/AIDS, poverty and violence. The main findings suggest that the community intervention programme offering psychosocial support for vulnerable children is effective and has had a positive impact on the community volunteers. In terms of values of the community psychology model, this evaluation is meaningful since it shows that community volunteers benefited from participating in this programme in an empowering way, while gaining valuable skills and disseminating knowledge to vulnerable children in their communities. This thesis offers suggestions for future research on vulnerable children with more emphasis on community poverty alleviation strategies. Finally, it concludes that community oriented programmes offering psychosocial support to children affected by HIV/AIDS, poverty and violence are appropriate and ideal interventions to reduce vulnerability and increase resilience. / National Research Foundation

South Africa is grappling with the AIDS pandemic that increases the numbers of vulnerable orphans, whose resilience is threatened. Little is known about the processes that enable resilience among these orphans. This qualitative study explored the roots of resilience among 23 AIDS-orphans. The Draw-and-write technique was used to collect data. The participants were asked to make drawings of what enabled them to cope resiliently and to write short narratives explaining their drawings. The drawings were grouped according to the dominant themes. A content analysis of the drawings and narratives was done. Eight themes relating to the roots of resilience among the participants emerged, namely, the participants had active support systems, participants received religious and/or spiritual support, participants had access to social services, books and school attendance changed the participants’ lives, having access to safe a home enhanced resilience, receiving inspiration, having a positive self-image and personal dreams, and physical activity was used to achieve catharsis. These findings have implications for theory and practice / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

South Africa is grappling with the AIDS pandemic that increases the numbers of vulnerable orphans, whose resilience is threatened. Little is known about the processes that enable resilience among these orphans. This qualitative study explored the roots of resilience among 23 AIDS-orphans. The Draw-and-write technique was used to collect data. The participants were asked to make drawings of what enabled them to cope resiliently and to write short narratives explaining their drawings. The drawings were grouped according to the dominant themes. A content analysis of the drawings and narratives was done. Eight themes relating to the roots of resilience among the participants emerged, namely, the participants had active support systems, participants received religious and/or spiritual support, participants had access to social services, books and school attendance changed the participants’ lives, having access to safe a home enhanced resilience, receiving inspiration, having a positive self-image and personal dreams, and physical activity was used to achieve catharsis. These findings have implications for theory and practice / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

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The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS and its impact on their identity development. The qualitative research paradigm was chosen for the purpose of this study. In depth interviews were held with three young adults who lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS when they were young. Hermeneutics thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The study’s results identified different psychosocial issues associated with HIV/AIDS which were considered to be an influence in the lives of participants and their identity development. The results indicate that HIV/AIDS still has a strong and negative connotation which influenced the participants’ attitude and behaviour, including the development of their sense of identity. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS and its impact on their identity development. The qualitative research paradigm was chosen for the purpose of this study. In depth interviews were held with three young adults who lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS when they were young. Hermeneutics thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The study’s results identified different psychosocial issues associated with HIV/AIDS which were considered to be an influence in the lives of participants and their identity development. The results indicate that HIV/AIDS still has a strong and negative connotation which influenced the participants’ attitude and behaviour, including the development of their sense of identity. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

Thesis (MPhil (Industrial Psychology. Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / The study was about assessing the dropout rate of children who are heads of households at Mandela Village in Tshwane Municipality, Gauteng Province. Given the number of orphans who are escalating in each year as a result of HIV/AIDS pandemic especially in the Sub Saharan region, the author’s intention was to analyse what are the causes for these children to drop out from school, and what can be done to minimize the dropout rate of these children. All the participants were the children who are heads of households and residents of Mandela Village, East of Mamelodi Township, and Pretoria. Data was collected through in-depth interviews with thirty-one children who are heads of households, as well as with two educators in schools where these children are attending school or were attending school. This was followed by two focus groups with the same children. The intention of using the focus group was to investigate the issues raised during the interviews and to establish an understanding of how the children who are heads of households want to improve their own circumstances. The study findings observed that there were no strong linkages in assisting children who are heads of households between the Department of Social Development and Department of Education in the North Rand Region, Gauteng. Other findings were that the schools have no support programmes or teachers assigned to assist these children to cope with schoolwork. Due to multiplicity of responsibilities they are faced with, they are not copying with their studies.

The role of natural resources in the lives of rural children impacted by HIV/AIDS remains unexplored. This study highlights wild food use by rural children vulnerable to the impacts of HIV/AIDS as an important and regular activity that supplements their domestic diets. This work found that with an increase in vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, children rely more on wild foods. Through an 18 month project in the Eastern Cape, using a broad quantitative and qualitative school and non-school survey, individual interviews, food diaries, participant observation, interactive photography, and other participatory techniques, a total of 850 children's coping strategies and livelihoods were examined. The quality of children’s domestic diets was, on average, 60% lower than the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) guidelines. However, 62% of the children interviewed were supplementing their diets with wild foods, 30% having over half their diet supplemented with wild foods. Dietary diversity showed a 13% increase when wild food supplementation occurred. While traditionally rural children rely on reciprocal networks during times of crisis, we found that these networks were eroding from the pressures of HIV/AIDS. Begging, for some children, was replaced by wild food collection and a significantly larger proportion of children more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS relied on wild foods more than did less vulnerable children. Considering the heightened nutritional and energy needs of children, combined with the impact of HIV/AIDS on household food access, wild foods represent the last freely attainable food sources available to them. Hunting and collection of wild food is a group activity, which was found to have valuable psychosocial benefits. Commercialisation of wild foods was observed among 38% of the children, with significantly more vulnerable children selling wild foods. The use of wild foods by rural children also had positive influences on the preservation of indigenous ecological knowledge.

MA (Psychology) / Department of Psychology / The aim of the study was to explore the psycho-social experiences of children living with vertically transmitted HIV/AIDS in Messina Hospital, South Africa. The study utilised the qualitative approach, in particular the exploratory research design. The population of the study comprised both male and female children between the ages of 12-17 years, who are receiving care and support at Fountain of Hope Clinic in Messina Hospital. Non-probability sampling, in particular its sub-type, purposive sampling, was used to select the children who participated in the study. Eleven participants (11) were interviewed, and the sample size of the study was guided by data saturation during data collection. Semi-structured, open-ended face to face interviews were used to collect data. In order to analyse data, the researcher adopted thematic content analysis, following Tech’s eight steps of qualitative data analysis. Three main themes emerged from the raw data, namely living with HIV/AIDS infection; challenges of living with HIV/AIDS infection; and coping with HIV/AIDS. Sub-themes emerged from the main themes. Ethical considerations were observed and trustworthiness was ensured in the study. The study results were analysed and recommendations based on the results were formulated to enhance the experiences of children living with vertically transmitted HIV/AIDS. / NRF