Thesis (MSc (Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / Learners in historical disadvantaged communities in South Africa are not taught enough about, or prepared for careers and are career immature. The study tests the effect of career counseling programs on the career maturity of these learners. A career-counselling program was presented as an intervention to grade 10 learners from a school in a historically disadvantaged community. Career maturity was measured before and after the intervention by using the Career Development Questionnaire. The programme incorporated aspects of knowledge of one self, knowledge of careers, the integration of these two aspects and career planning. The differences between the pretest and posttest scores were analysed to determine if the intervention was successful in improving career maturity. Eighty-one subjects were used in the study, 46 making up the experimental group and 35 subjects used as control group. The experimental group received the intervention, while the control group continued going to school counselling classes which did not include any career guidance. Subjects in the experimental group completed Meyer-interest questionnaires and questionnaires on values and abilities. They also completed an additional questionnaire which was drawn up by the researcher. The results showed that there was no difference between the pretest and posttest scores. A pilot study was conducted to determine whether an individual approach to career counselling would have a better effect on these learners. Five learners were tested in a similar way, but the intervention they received was presented individually. Results showed an increase, although insignificant, in the career maturity scores of the subjects. The conclusion that was drawn is that an individual approach to career counseling may be the solution to the low career maturity among learners from historical disadvantaged communities, and that this kind of approach should be incorporated into the school counseling syllabus. Further research should be done in this area.

On t.p.: Degree of Master of Arts (Clinical Psychology) / Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2003 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Community psychology in South Africa has been defined in antithesis to more traditional psychotherapies such as psychoanalysis. It has been necessary, in the formative stage of community psychology, to be clear about what it is not, in terms of establishing a progressive psychology that meets an urgent need. So too, psychoanalysis started out needing to be very clear about how it differed from previous practices, and what its aims were. Over the last hundred years psychoanalytic thought has, however, undergone tremendous development. Perhaps it could be said that its transmutation into a South African psychology is still underway. Community psychology has been critiqued for its lack of theory, and few extended analyses of community psychology interventions exist. By contrast, psychoanalysis offers detailed theoretical accounts and case studies. It is proposed that both paradigms could benefit from an exchange of ideas. There is a common misperception that community psychology focuses on external problems, while psychodynamic therapy focuses solely on the intrapsychic. While this is not wholly true, it could be said that children are conceptualised very differently by these two perspectives, and that this has had implications for treatment. Recently, however, several South African practitioners have begun to introduce psychodynamic thought into community interventions in enriching ways. They are beginning to conclude that community psychology has necessarily been unable to utilise a depth psychology approach, for a variety of legitimate reasons, but that this is the next step in meeting the huge challenges of community work. This study provides a discussion of the contributions of psychoanalysis to an understanding of child development, as well as an examination of the ways in which community psychology has conceptualised and worked with children. Empirical examples of the treatment of South African children will be followed by a case study in which psychodynamic thought was combined with a community-style intervention. The authors conclude that the link between internal and external worlds is a complex one, especially in work with children. The internal and external seem, in effect, to be indivisible, and any intervention hoping to be effective splits these two worlds to its own detriment. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Gemeenskapsielkunde in Suid-Afrika word dikwels gedefineer in teenstelling met meer tradisionele benaderings soos die psigoanalise. In die vormingsjare van gemeenskapsielkunde was dit noodsaaklik om dit helder te definieer. Hierdie noodsaak het ontstaan weens die ontwikkeling van 'n vooruitgaande sielkunde wat 'n dringende behoefte nakom. Op 'n soortgelyke manier moes psigoanalise in die onstaansjare ook presies wees oor hoe dit verskil van vorige benaderings en oor sy doelwitte. Oor die afgelope honderd jaar het psigoanalitiese denke egter geweldig ontwikkel. Daar sou beweer kon word dat die posisie in 'n Suid-Afrikaanse sielkunde nog steeds onderweg is. Gemeenskapsielkunde is al gekritiseer oor sy gebrek aan teorie en daar bestaan min uitgebreide teoretiese verslae oor gemeenskapsintervensies. In teenstelling hiermee bied psigoanalise breedvoerige berigte en gevallestudies aan. Dit word voorgestel dat beide benaderings sou kon baat vind by die gemeenskaplike toepassing van idees. Daar bestaan 'n algemene wanopvatting dat gemeenskapsielkunde op eksterne probleme fokus, terwyl psigodinamiese terapie uitsluitend op die interne ingesteld is. Terwyl dit nie heeltemal waar is nie, sou daar ook aangevoer kon word dat kinders baie verskillend gekonsepsualiseer word binne hierdie twee perspektiewe. Dit hou implikasies vir behandeling in. Onlangs het verskeie Suid- Afrikaanse praktisyne egter psigodinamiese denke verrykend begin aanwend in gemeenskapsintervensies. Daar is tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat gemeenskapswerk in die verlede noodgedwonge nie 'n psigodinamiese benadering kon benut nie weens 'n verskeidenheid van voor-die-hand-liggende redes. Die enorme uitdagings van gemeenskapswerk word in die vooruitsig gestel. Hierdie artikel verskaf 'n bespreking van psigoanalise se bydrae tot 'n begrip van kinderontwikkeling, asook 'n ondersoek na die wyse waarop gemeenskapsielkunde oor kinders dink en met hulle werk. Voorbeelde van die behandeling van Suid-Afrikaanse kinders word gevolg deur 'n gevallestudie, waarin psigodinamiese denke gebruik word in 'n gemeenskapsintervensie. Daar word aangevoer dat die skakeling tussen interne en eksterne wêrelde 'n komplekse een is veral in werk met kinders. Die interne en die eksterne blyk om in effek onskeibaar te wees en enige intervensie wat hoop om effektief te wees, verdeel hierdie twee wêrelde tot sy nadeel.

Thesis (MEdPsych)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The increase in violence in our society has a huge impact on learning in some schools. Learners become more and more disruptive and educators experience schools as an unsafe environment. This causes an impediment to learning and teaching. Even educators who have a wealth of experience find it difficult to control and discipline learners in a constructive and positive way. Because of their lack of knowledge and skills, many educators shift their responsibility to teach social skills to the parent whom they believe should actually be responsible for the discipline of their children. The realization that academic achievement and discipline goes hand in hand has compelled educationists and psychologists to address disciplinary problems. Educators are also aware that parents and the education department expect all learners to receive quality education. A definite need has, therefore, arisen to support educators to deal with the youth at risk, disruptive learners, those who are at risk of dropping out, and those who are being expelled or suspended. The purpose of this research is, therefore, to develop guidelines and strategies for educators to deal with disruptive behaviour in the classroom. Many strategies have been developed In the past to address disruptive behaviour. Despite implementing these strategies, disruptive behaviour is on the increase. The research revealed that the failure of these strategies can be attributed to their punitiveness and the emphasis that was placed on control and compliance. These strategies also have failed, because it did not teach the learners insight in their selfdefeating behaviour and how it impacts on themselves and others. The Life Space Crisis Intervention (LSCI) strategy was developed to support educators to teach these learners self-control' skills by teaching them to gain insight in their destructive behaviour. According to the LSCI model the behaviour of learners can be grouped according to the six central issues: • Displacement of Conflict • Lack of Social Skills • Peer Manipulation and Vulnerability to Peer Influence • Anti-social Behaviour without Guilt • Irrational Beliefs • Impulsivity with Guilt. The LSCI Model was structured in such a way to give educators a clear guideline how to support disruptive learners and youth at risk. Although educators were given a clear cognitive map to apply the LSCI strategy, research revealed that they were not very successful in teaching learners the necessary skills to apply self-control and to become resilient. To apply the LSCI model successfully, it is crucial for educators to acquire the appropriate skills to teach learners to gain insight in their self-defeating behaviour and to apply self-control. The assumption can be made that educators do not only need guidelines, but they also need the necessary skills to teach learners to apply self-control. They also need to know what specific strategies are needed to support a learner that exhibit a specific central issue. The researcher attempted to develop strategies and guidelines for educators to deal with the following central issues: • Peer Manipulation and Vulnerability to Influence • Impulsivity with guilt and • Anti-social behaviour without Guilt This research attempted to draw upon the vanous literature, and where necessary developed strategies to support educators by looking at what skills educators need to support disruptive learners and what strategies can be implemented to teach these learners insight in their self-defeating behaviour. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die toename in geweld in ons samelwing het 'n groot impak op leer in ons skole. Leerders raak al hoe meer ontwrigtend en opvoeders ervaar skole as onveilig. Selfs opvoeders wat jare ervaring het vind dit moeilik om leerders op 'n konstruktiewe en positiewe manier te beheer en te dissiplineer. Omdat hulle die kennis en vaardighede ontbreek, skuif baie opvoeders hul verantwoordelikheid om leerders sosiale vaardighede te onderrig na die ouers. Hulle glo dat ouers verantwoordelik is vir die dissiplinering van hul kinders en nie die skool nie. Omdat opvoeders en sielkundiges besef dat akademiese prestasie en dissipline hand aan hand gaan, het dit hulle genoop om dissiplinêre probleme wat ervaar word aan te spreek. Opvoeders is ook bewus van die feit dat ouers en die onderwys departement verwag dat alle leerders kwaliteit opvoeding en onderwys moet ontvang. 'n Behoefte het dus ontstaan om opvoeders te ondersteun in die hantering van risiko leerders, gedragsmoeilike leerders, diegene wat moontlik mag uitval op skool en diegene wat uitgeset of geskors word. Die doel van hierdie navorsing is dus om riglyne en strategieë vir opvoeders te ontwikkelom ontwrigtende gedrag in die klaskamer te hanteer. In die verlede is verskeie strategieë ontwikkelom ontwrigtende gedrag aan te spreek. Alhoewel hierdie strategieë geïmplementeer word, neem ontwrigtende gedrag in die klaskamer toe. Navorsing het bewys dat die mislukking van hierdie strategieë toegeskryf kan word aan die feit dat dit te ingestel was op straf, beheer en onderworpenheid. Die feit dat hierdie strategieë gefaal het, kan ook toegeskryf word aan die feit dat dit leerders nie insig in hul destruktiewe gedrag en watter invloed dit op hulself en ander het, geleer het nie. Die "Life Space Crisis Intervention" (LSCI) strategie was ontwikkelom opvoeders te help om leerders seltbeheersingsvaardighede aan te leer deur vir hulle insig te gee in hul destruktiewe gedrag. Volgens die LSCI model kan leerders se gedrag in ses sentrale gedragspatrone gegroepeer word: • Verplasing van konflik • Gebrek aan sosiale vaardighede • Portuur manupilasie en weerloosheid aan portuur invloede • Anti-sosiale gedrag sonder skuldgevoelens • Irrasionele denke • Impulsiwiteit met skuldgevoelens Die LSCI model is op so 'n manier gestruktureer dat dit opvoeders duidelike riglyne bied hoe om gedragsmoeilike en hoe risiko leerders te ondersteun. Alhoewelopvoeders 'n duidelike kognitiewe raamwerk gegee IS om die LSCI strategie toe te pas, het navorsing getoon dat hulle me baie suksesvol was om leerders seltbeheersingsvaardighede aan te leer om hul meer weerbaar te maak nie. Dit is noodsaaklik dat opvoeders toepaslike vaardighede bekom om hierdie leerders insig in hul destruktiewe gedrag te leer, sodat hulle die nodige seltbeheersing kan toepas. Daar kan van die veronderstelling uit gegaan word dat opvoeders nie net die nodige riglyne benodig nie, maar dat hulle ook die nodige vaardighede benodig om leerders te leer hoe om seltbeheersing toe te pas. Dit is ook belangrik dat hulle moet weet watter spesifieke strategieë nodig is om ondersteuning te bied aan 'n leerder wat 'n spesifieke gedragspatroon openbaar. In hierdie navorsing sal daar gepoog word om strategieë en riglyne vir opvoeders te ontwikkelom die onderstaande sentrale aspekte te hanteer: • Portuur manupilasie en weerloosheid aan portuur invloede • Anti-sosiale gedrag sonder skuldgevoelens • Impulsiwiteit met skuldgevoelens Die navorsing poog om deur literatuurverkenning na bestaande strategieë te kyk, en waar nodig, strategieë te ontwikkel wat opvoeders sal help om leerders wat ontwrigtend is, te ondersteun. Daar salook gekyk word na watter vaardighede opvoeders nodig het en watter strategieë kan geïmplementeer word om hierdie leerders insig in hul destruktiewe gedrag te gee.

published_or_final_version / abstract / Sociology / Master / Master of Philosophy

This study is limited to the mathematics performance of two intact groups of culturally deprived kindergarten students, mostly blacks, with a few whites and Mexican-Americans, who were enrolled at Robert E. Lee Elementary School (Denton, Texas) for the entire school year of 1970-1971. The purposes of the study are to compare the effectiveness of two methods of teaching mathematics to culturally disadvantaged children and to check for interaction of treatments when these children are classified by sex.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the use of a supplementary reader series oriented to the experience of children from homes in lower socioeconomic circumstances. The areas investigated in this study include reading achievement, attitude toward reading and the child's perception of his environment.

The problem of this study was the effect of social mobility of teachers on the anxiety and academic progress of lower socioeconomic boys in spelling and arithmetic skills.

Research points out the many complex problems of the disadvantaged child. The purpose of establishing many preschool programs throughout this country has been to seek the most effective ways of educating the culturally deprived and to utilize the standardized measurements to assess various programs. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the intellectual functioning and sensory-motor abilities of the disadvantaged child at the preschool level, to determine his growth in these areas during his participation in the program, and to determine whether or not four different teaching models are instrumental in bringing about intellectual and sensory-motor improvements.

No description available.

RESEARCH REPORT SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND, IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY DATE: MARCH, 1994 / Numerous research reports cover the need for educational programmes that address the social, intellectual, emotional and creative aspects of the development of gifted disadvantaged children (Rosenbaum, 1989), This study focuses on assessing. the effectiveness of an enrichment programme designed to enhance the self-concept of both identified 'talented' students and their 'average' peers. The term 'talented' was chosen in an attempt to move away from 'gifted' with its limited definition and biased connotations. Both the talented and average groups of children were participated in an enrichment programme which challenged their performance, attitudes and interpersonal skills. Various aspects of the programme were evaluated: the extent to which such a programme can achieve its objectives; identifying the programme's strengths and weaknesses and; developing a realistic, alternative course of action fOr curriculum modification. Support was found for the belief that the self-concept of all children can be enhanced from an enrichment programme. Although the identified children initially functioned at higher levels on all the scales the individual results differed, On the Renzulli Rating Scale all children were seen to benefit, with greater improvements in the 'average' group, equalizing the two groups.Polt-test results of the Renzulli Rating Scale - measuring task commitment, creativity and motivation - and the Torrance measure of creativity indicated that both groups benefited significantly from the enrichment programme. On the scale of self-awareness the iden1tified group showed greater benefits. It was concluded that a multi-dimensional approach to assessing and understanding children's abilities is useful and recommended. In addition, talent must be understood as a dynamic concept that exists in varying degrees in different individuals and one that is capable of change at any stage of development. Evaluation of this programme can provide educators with an incentive and opportunity for planning developing and improving educational programmes that have a broader range of emphasis than the current school curriculum. The relevance of this study for educators and possible directions for future research are discussed.