Thesis (M.Ed. (Voorligting))--Universiteit van Suid-Afrika, 2002.

Divorce has become so prevalent in our present day society, that it is regarded as one of the most sressful and complex mental health crises facing children today. As parents are often under tremendous stress during the time of divorce, they may be incapable of provding the support and guidance children need. The purpose of this study is to present a group counselling intervention programme to assist children of divorce and to create a supportive group atmosphere in which children can share divorce-related feelings, clarify common misconceptions and reduce feelings of isolation. Findings of this study indicate that the acquisition of problem-solving communication and anger control skills help to reduce feelings of depression and anxiety, improve the self-concept and ultimately promote post-divorce adjustment. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

Text in English with abstracts in English and Sesotho / Chemical substance abuse remains a major global health and social problem in a South African context. Social workers are one of the professionals who provide social welfare services to adolescents abusing chemical substances. However, social workers are not prepared enough in terms of training and workshops to provide drug dependency treatment to adolescents abusing chemical substances. This study therefore contributes to an emerging body of literature on chemical substance abuse, as there is a lack of information within the Department of Social Development in Lepelle Nkumpi Municipality of Limpopo concerning social workers’ preparedness, experiences and challenges in rendering services to adolescents abusing chemical substances. Furthermore, the study will generate new information that will assist the Department of Social Development to make necessary changes to social welfare services rendered to adolescents abusing chemical substances, and consideration will be given when drafting a framework for treating chemical substance abuse. A qualitative approach was adopted to explore, describe and contextualise social workers’ preparedness, experiences and challenges experienced during their work. Participants were selected using a non-probability technique of purposive sampling. As a data collection method, in-depth, one on one semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven social workers working with adolescents abusing chemical substances. Data was analysed using Tesch’s eight steps and verified using Guba and Lincoln’s model to test the trustworthiness of the data. Ethical considerations adhered to throughout this study were informed consent, right to privacy, avoidance of deception, debriefing of participants and management of information. Findings of the study confirmed that there are no clear guidelines in rendering social welfare services to adolescents abusing chemical substances by social workers. The study further revealed that social workers’ training is generic in nature, therefore they are not well trained to render services to adolescents abusing chemical substances. They therefore lack resources and support to adequately execute social welfare services to adolescents abusing chemical substances. Lack of services for adolescents was also identified as a burning issue. Furthermore, treatment and prevention of chemical substance abuse is overlooked. Based on the research findings, recommendations pertaining to social work practice, social work training and education, social welfare policy, and further research were put forward. / Tshomisho ya diokobatsi e dula e le taba e kgolo ya hloba boroko ka ga lefapa la maphelo le tsa setshaba le lefase ka bophara ga mmogo le Africa Borwa. Badirela-leago ke ba bangwe ba ditsibe bao ba fanago ka ditirelo go baswa bao ba shomishago diokobatsi. Badirela-leago ga se ba lokishetswe go lekanenego ge go etla go ditaba tsa dithuto le tsebo go baswa bao ba shomishago diokobatsi. Thuto ye e tlaleletsa go hlahlo ya tshedimusho yeo elego gona ka diokobatsi, ka ge go hloka tsebo e feleletsego go lekolla gore badirela-leago ba e tukisheditse go tsona,le tseo ba hlakanego le tsona le mathata ao ba gahlanago le ona ge ba shomishana le baswa bao ba shomishago diokobatsi, ka lefapa la kgoro ya badirela-leago ya Masepala wa Lepelle-Nkumpi Limpopo. Go isha pele, thuto ye e tlo utulla tshedimusho e mpsha yeo e tlo thushango ba lefapa la kgoro ya badirelaleago go dira di phetogo tse bohlokwa tsa go amana le ditirelo tsa baswa bao ba shomishago diokobatsi. Tsebo e tletsego e shomishetswe go hlahloba, go hlalosa le go latela maemo a badirela leago ka maikemishetso, tsebo yeo banago le yona le mathata ao ba hlakanago le ona ge ba efa ditirelo go baswa bao ba shomishago diokobatsi. Ba tsea karolo mo thutong ye ba kgethilwe ka go shomisha mokgwa wo osa tsebiwego gore go tlo kgethwa bomang, gola gona le morero wa gore go tlo kgethiwa bjang. Tsenelelo ya poledishano gare ga ba tsea karolo ka o tee ka o tee le Monyakishishi, e swerwe bjalo ka mokgwa wa go kgobokantsha tshedimusho le ba direla-leago ba shupa, bao ba filwego ditirelo go baswa ba go shomisha diokobatsi. Go sekwasekwa ga ditshedimusho gotswa go ba tsea karolo go shomishitswe go tswa go Tesch’s dikgato tse seswai (Creswell, 2009:186) tsaba tsa netefatswa gotswa go tshomisho ya Guba and Lincoln’s model (1991:215-222). Melao ya Boitswaro e naganetswe ka mo thutong ye ka go latelela tumelelo ya tsebo, ditokelo tsa sephiri, go efoga go foraforetswa ka maaka, le go fana ka dikeletso le tsamaisho ya ditshedimusho gotswa go ba tsea karolo. / Social Work / M.A.(S.S.) (Social Work)

Emotional abuse is a problem experienced worldwide, crossing all economic, educational, social and ethnic segments of all societies. Overtime, many empirical researchers concentrated on studying the occurrence and impact of physical abuse on women but neglected to study the effects of emotional abuse on the woman's physical and mental health. But with time, researchers began to realise that emotional abuse also had a great impact on the lives of women. Therefore, a detailed exploration of emotional abuse between intimate adult partners has only recently emerged in the literature. Though it is difficult to separate emotional abuse from other forms of abuse, many women in our research who were provided with a definition of emotional abuse identified and confirmed that they have been emotionally abused in their past or are being abused in their current intimate relationships. This research project focused mainly on women who suffered and have survived the wounds of emotional abuse in intimate relationships. Group work is aimed at the growth and development of the individual. This study reports on an in-depth analysis of the arrangements and formulation of the structure of support groups, and the effectiveness of the functioning of these groups. Participants who joined the support groups in this research, were women who have undergone therapeutic intervention and are/or were engaged in a healing process that involved reintegration, implementation and maintenance of therapeutic goals. Support groups do provide a place where people can share their experiences in a safe environment, and where they can symbolise their experiences and consequently make them more acceptable to the self. It has been concluded in this research that support groups were effective in giving members the opportunity of helping each other to heal from the wounds of emotional abuse by being supportive, giving feedback, making helpful suggestions and providing useful information necessary for their growth and development. Therefore, participants who joined the support groups agreed that they have benefited by receiving the encouragement and support from one another, which contributed towards their process of healing emotionally, and in turn, caused them to change from being helpless victims to survivors of emotional abuse. / Sociology / D. Phil (Sociology)

From a feminist theology of praxis the appreciative inquiry used in this research reflected on the constituting role the living of values by facilitators play in transforming the lives of children who suffer the effects of poverty, neglect and abuse. The concretisation or the living of values within the school community linked with the theme of solidarity with the marginalised. The facilitators' solidarity with children as "concrete others" became ways of doing participatory ethics. As part of a postmodern paradigm, a social constructionist discourse made it possible for therapist-researcher and participants to view the facilitators' work and the research itself as part of a relational process. Appreciative inquiry invited a reflective stance towards action, relating and personal knowledge. The research also reflected on poststructuralist theory and practice, and the power of imagination and language to re-describe of the work of facilitators. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology, with specialisation in Pastoral Therapy)

This study investigated the effect of cross-cultural differences on conflict episodes in a multicultural organisation in South Africa. The sample consisted of seven people, who represented six cultures. The phenomenological method of inquiry was used. Following the data collection process, the researcher identified the sources of conflict, then determined the qualities of leadership which aid in minimizing conflict. The five conflict management strategies were discussed, with further exploration into the use of confrontation and mediation. The researcher believes that the framework for describing conflict management strategies may need to be expanded as cross-cultural interaction is better understood. Finally, the study explored the positive and negative outcomes of conflict. Although many conflicts are costly to an organisation, some conflicts may assist people in cross-cultural understanding. Because diversity is becoming a more pressing issue in the 21st century, most people and organisations are facing the need to effectively communicate cross-culturally. The researcher recommends a three stage diversity training programme, which begins with new employees, then includes all employees and, finally, becomes an ongoing learning process in the organisation. / Education management / M.Ed.(Management)

Text in Afrikaans / Approximately 50 percent of all marriages end up in divorce according to estimates. Thirty percent of divorcees enter into wedlock again within one year from being divorced, thereby creating a reconstructed family. The child in the late middle childhood years experiences some unique challenges during the reconstruction of the family due to influences such as the parent-child relationship, parenting styles and the start of puberty. The purpose of this qualitative study is to determine the child's psychological experience within the reconstructed family and to provide guidelines to parents (and co-therapists) on how to deal with children during the reconstruction process. The qualitative method of research was applied as it is a more informal research procedure and the boundaries of the study subject are reasonably wide and undefined. The method provides an adaptable strategy regarding problem formulation and data collection, which allow semi-structured interviews, observations and field notes, and enable the researcher to obtain first hand knowledge and understanding of the problem. / Social Work / M. Diac.(Play Therapy)

Text in Afrikaans / Hierdie studie het ten doel gehad om die effek van gesinsgeweld op die Suid-Afrikaanse kind te bepaal. Die Opvoedkundig-Sielkundige Relasieteorie is gebruik in die identifisering van die effek van gesinsgeweld op die kind. Die volgende is in die studie bevind: Die geweldsvraelys kan gebruik word om die effek van gesinsgeweld by die kind te identifiseer en ook as hulpmiddel dien vir die terapeut in die verband. Die Opvoedkundig-Sielkundige Relasieteorie kan gebruik word om die effek van gesinsgeweld by die kind te identifiseer. Kinders wat geaffekteer word deur gesinsgeweld toon sterker deursettingsvermoe en wilskrag ten einde 'n sukses te maak van hulle toekoms en om nie in dieselfde omstandighede te beland nie. Seuns en dogters se emosionele ervarings toon weinig verskille. Relasie met ouers in gesinsverband word negatief be"invloed, terwyl relasie buite gesinsverband positief voorkom. Kinders wat geaffekteer word deur gesinsgeweld kan gehelp word, al is dit om die kind te verwyder uit die omgewing asook met terapie, gesinsterapie, ensovoorts. / The study was conducted to determine the effect of family violence on South-African children. The Education-Psychological Relation theory was used to identify these effects. In the literature, the following was concentrated on: The questionnaire can determine the effects of family violence on a child and assist a psychologist in this regard. Education-Psychological Relation theory can determine the effects of family violence on a child. Children affected by family violence show a stronger determination and willpower to succeed in their future and not to stay in similar situations. The emotional experiences of boys and girls show little difference. Relationships with parents are negatively affected, but relationships outside the family circle tend to be positive, Finally, children affected by family violence can be helped, albeit to remove the child from the enviroment and to use psychological therapy, family therapy, ectera. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

This study examines the relationship between adolescent depressive symptomology and substance abuse. From a literature study six hypotheses were developed. A quantitative empirical study, undertaken in a South African high school, investigated the level of adolescent depressiVe symptomology and substance abuse, as well as the relationship between the two. The influence of various moderator variables was also examined. In line with most international studies, the relationship between adolescent depressive symptomotogy and substance abuse was found to be significant. This research has shown that adolescent depressive symptomology is significantly and positively correlated with earlier age at onset of substance abuse as well as frequency of usage. There appear to be gender differences in the way adolescents deal with their depression in terms of substance abuse. In addition, risk factors for depression and substance abuse were confirmed. Recommendations have been made based on these results / Educational Studies / M.Ed.

Contraceptives are available free of charge throughout South Africa. Nevertheless the number of requests for termination of pregnancy (TOP) services continues to increase. This research investigated challenges preventing women from using contraceptives effectively. Structured interviews were conducted with 47 women who requested TOP services. Gender and financial issues posed challenges for some women to access contraceptives as well as their reported inability to access contraceptives. Most (85,5%) of the respondents used contraceptives. They discontinued using contraceptives because they experienced side-effects, necessitating them to request TOPs. Knowledge about, access to, nor the actual use of contraceptive enabled these women to prevent unwanted pregnancies. More effective counselling about the side-effects of contraceptives and enhanced accessibility of contraceptives during weekends and lunch breaks could enable more women to prevent unwanted pregnancies and reduce the number of requests for TOPs in the Gert Sibande District (Mpumalanga). / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)