Fok, Sui Yan Maggie. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2013. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 49-57). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts also in Chinese.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2015 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Introduction: In the last two decades there has been an increase in the numbers of visually impaired students accessing universities in South Africa. However, very few studies have documented the experiences of these students. Through the lens of a phenomenological understanding of disability, this study thus aimed to capture the lived experiences of visual impairment, as recounted by participants from two universities in the Western Cape, South Africa. Methods: Data were collected and analysed according to the principles of the interpretative phenomenological approach. I conducted semi-structured, in-depth individual interviews with 23 participants, and 13 students participated in focus group sessions. Results: The analysis yielded important findings. First, participants described the challenges related to the transition from school, namely: orientating themselves to the new physical environment; making new friends; and deciding whether they wanted to disclose impairment. This transition was sometimes closely tied to introspection and a new sense of self. Mainstream versus special schooling experiences seemed to shape this transition and their experiences in higher education to a degree. Second, participants discussed complex social interactions with nondisabled peers, in which the latter reportedly offered help, and avoided or stared at participants, leaving them feeling “not seen”. In response, visually impaired students often denied impairment and concealed their emotional pain. Third, within the learning environment, the participants were sometimes confronted with unwilling lecturers, a lack of communication amongst important role-players, late course material and/or headaches and muscle tension from the effort of reading with limited sight. The students recounted that they commonly self-advocated and took the responsibility upon themselves to get special accommodations. There were also many positive accounts of supportive lecturers and disability units who did more than was required of them. Discussion: Overall, these findings showed that the experiences of students did not seem to differ according to the institution they attended. Their visual category and/or secondary schooling seemed to have played a more significant role where their experiences differed. The findings also revealed that, in addition to the typical demands of university studies, the participants also took a lot of responsibility upon themselves to manage their studies and their physical and social environment. Participants seemed resilient and innovative, yet the effort sometimes drained their energy and left them frustrated. Despite valuable steps towards inclusion, these visually impaired students were still not fully included on tertiary campuses. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Inleiding: Die aantal visiueel gestremde studente in Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite het oor die afgelope twee dekades toegeneem. Die ervarings van hierdie studente is egter deur baie min studies gedokumenteer. Die studie het dus gepoog om, deur middel van 'n fenomenologiese begrip van gestremdheid, die deurleefde ervarings van visiuele gestremdheid, soos vertel deur deelnemers van twee universiteite in die Wes-Kaap, Suid-Afrika, vas te lê. Metodes: Die insameling en analise van data is uitgevoer volgens die beginsels van die intertavistiess fenomenologiese benadering. Ek het semi-gestruktureerde, in-diepte, individuele onderhoude met 23 deelnemers gevoer en 13 studente het aan fokusgroep sessies deelgeneem. Resultate: Die analise het tot belangrike bevindinge aanleiding gegee. Die deelnemers het eerstens die oorgang vanaf skool en die verbandhoudende uitdagings beskryf, naamlik, om hulself te orienteer tot die nuwe fisiese omgewing, om nuwe vriendskappe te smee en om te besluit of hulle hul gestremdheid bekend wou maak. Hierdie oorgang het soms nou saamgehang met self-ondersoek en „n nuwe begrip van hulself. Dit blyk ook dat hoofstroom of spesiale onderwys tot „n mate die oorgang en algehele ervarings op universiteit gevorm het. Tweedens, het die deelnemers komplekse sosiale interaksie met nie-gestremde eweknieë bespreek. Volgens die deelnemers, word hul dikwels deur nie-gestremde studente aangestaar, vermy of gehelp, wat eersgenoemdd dikwels “onsigbaar” laat voel het. In reaksie hierop het die visiueel gestremde studente dikwels hul gestremdheid, asook hul emosionele pyn, ontken en verbloem. Derdens, was deelnemers soms gekonfronteer met onwillige dosente, kommunikasiegapings tussen kern rolspelers, laat kursusmateriaal en/of hoofpyne en spierspanning weens die inspanning van lees met beperkte visie. Die studente het vertel dat hulle oor die algemeen self-voorspraak doen en die verantwoordelikheid op hulself neem om spesiale aanpassings te verkry. Daar was ook heelwat positiewe kommentaar aangaande ondersteunende dosente en gestremdseenhede wat dikwels meer gedoen het as wat van hulle vereis was. Bespreking: In die algeheel gesien, blyk dit nie dat die ervarings van studente verskil na gelang van tersiêre instansie nie. Dit wil voorkom dat visuele kategorie en/of sekondêre onderrig „n groter rol in die verskille tussen studente gespeel het. Die bevindings dui ook daarop dat, afgesien van die tipiese vereistes van tersiëre studies, die deelnemers baie van die verantwoordelikheid moes dra om hul studies en die sosiale en fisiese omgewing te bestuur. Alhoewel deelnemers veerkragtig en innoverend blyk te wees, het die inspanning hulle dikwels gedreineer en gefrustreerd gelaat. Ten spyte van waardevolle vordering ten opsigte van insluiting, was hierdie visueel gestremde studente steeds nie ten volle ingesluit op tersiëre kampusse nie.

Camping has been identified as a resource for educational, therapeutic, and recreational growth. The purpose of this study was to determine the psychosocial effects of a therapeutic camping experience with first time campers with spina bifida. In this study with four first time campers with spina bifida, three areas related to the camp experience were observed and measured: recreation participation, fun/pleasure, and self esteem. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used, including the Coopersmith Self Esteem Inventory, the Recreation Participation and Fun Inventory, participant and non-participant observations, interviews, and a counselor questionnaire. The measurements of self esteem, recreation participation, and fun/pleasure were taken at three intervals, before camp, during camp and three weeks following the camp experience. The four camper case studies demonstrated that each camper experienced his/her own unique first time camp experiences.

Since the multicultural movement, disability theorists have called to understand disability as a marginalized and socially constructed identity (Olkin, 2002). The current study aimed to adopt this approach with individuals diagnosed with learning disabilities (LD) to assess the psychological ramifications of LD stigma and discrimination. Previous work has begun to explore the links between LD discrimination and psychological health (Geiger & Brewster, 2018); however, the role of mediating variables remains unexplored. The current study applied Minority Stress Theory (Meyer, 1995, 2003) with a national sample of 227 adults with LDs to assess the potential mediating roles LD-specific minority stressors have on the relationship between LD discrimination and psychological distress grounded in the integrative mediation framework (Hatzenbuehler, 2009). Through bivariate correlations and structural equation modeling, the study examined relations between five variables: one distal stressor (i.e., LD discrimination), and three proximal stressors (i.e., expectations of LD stigma, internalized LD stigma, concealment of LD identity) with mental health outcomes (i.e., psychological distress). Results provide support for the adaptation of minority stress theory with adult LD populations through model fit, in addition to support from hypothesized bivariate correlations between variables of interest. Findings indicate partial support for direct effects, with LD discrimination demonstrating the most robust effect on psychological distress and all three proximal stressors. In terms of mediating variables, findings do not support the three hypothesized indirect effects of proximal stressors. Clinical, theoretical, and research implications and future directions are explored.

The present study was an effort to empirically subtype children's learning disabilities. A review of the literature was presented with a focus on current and historical subtypingattempts. A cluster analysis was performed on 1144 school-age learning disabled children who had completed extensive neuropsychologica1, intellectual, and achievement measures. Four interpretable clusters emerged which were seen as (1) Verbal-Sequential-Arithmetic Deficits, (2) Motor Speed and Cognitive Flexibility Deficits, (3) Mixed Language/Perceptual Deficits, and a (4) No Deficit Subtype. Not only did these clusters indicate unique profiles for each subtype across the sample, but developmental differences were also apparent between all four clusters. The current investigation suggested the utility of an empirical-neuropsychological approach to subtyping children's learning disabilities, while also portraying the importance of neurodevelopnental considerations of subtypes. Future directions in research were discussed. / Department of Educational Psychology

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Access to abstract permanently restricted to Ball State community only / Access to thesis permanently restricted to Ball State community only / Department of Educational Psychology

Although previous research has been done on adolescents with learning difficulties or barriers to learning such as dyslexia and ADHD, no research has been done in South Africa on their self-perceptions of these difficulties. A phenomenological study was conducted through means of semi-structured, individual, face-to-face interviews. Self-perceptions that adolescents with dyslexia and ADHD form were explored. Selfperceptions are formed through comparisons with other learners and friends. Self-perceptions were left as an open-term in order to investigate the adolescents' own idiosyncratic interpretations of dyslexia and ADHD. From the interviews themes could be identified concerning their understanding of dyslexia and ADHD, feelings and cognitions associated with dyslexia and ADHD, the importance that significant others such as educators, parents and friends play, as well as the adolescents' way of coping with dyslexia and ADHD. Selfperceptions were both negative and positive and found to be influenced by factors such as age, type of support systems and sufficient coping strategies. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Guidance and Counseling)

Although previous research has been done on adolescents with learning difficulties or barriers to learning such as dyslexia and ADHD, no research has been done in South Africa on their self-perceptions of these difficulties. A phenomenological study was conducted through means of semi-structured, individual, face-to-face interviews. Self-perceptions that adolescents with dyslexia and ADHD form were explored. Selfperceptions are formed through comparisons with other learners and friends. Self-perceptions were left as an open-term in order to investigate the adolescents' own idiosyncratic interpretations of dyslexia and ADHD. From the interviews themes could be identified concerning their understanding of dyslexia and ADHD, feelings and cognitions associated with dyslexia and ADHD, the importance that significant others such as educators, parents and friends play, as well as the adolescents' way of coping with dyslexia and ADHD. Selfperceptions were both negative and positive and found to be influenced by factors such as age, type of support systems and sufficient coping strategies. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Guidance and Counseling)

Traditional remedial intervention programmes address academic and perceptual deficits but not emotional needs. Existing literature suggests that most children with learning disabilities have concomitant emotional, behavioural and social difficulties; however an apparent lack of consensus regarding the types of emotional and behavioural difficulties faced by these children exists especially amongst teachers, parents and professionals in the field of learning disabilities. The aim of this study was to discover which emotions might emerge during Gestalt play therapy sessions with children receiving remedial intervention. Three respondents from three different remedial programmes participated in the study. Data was gathered from the therapeutic sessions as well as from unstructured interviews with parents, teachers and professionals in the field of learning disabilities. Recommendations are made as to how Gestalt play therapy could be implemented as an additional support for children receiving remedial intervention. / Tradisionele remediërings-programme spreek slegs akademiese en perseptuele tekortkominge aan en nie emosionele behoeftes nie. Bestaande literatuur dui daarop dat die meeste kinders met leerprobleme gepaardgaande emosionele, gedrags- en sosiale probleme ervaar. Daar is egter 'n gebrek aan konsensus tussen onderwysers, ouers en professionele persone op die gebied van leerprobleme, oor die tipe emosionele en gedragsprobleme waarmee hierdie leerders te kampe het. Die doel van hierdie studie was om vas te stel watter emosies tevoorskyn mag kom, tydens Gestalt-speel-terapie-sessies met leerders wat remediëringsonderrig ontvang. Drie respondente van drie verskillende remediërende programme het aan die studie deelgeneem. Data is ingesamel van terapeutiese sessies, sowel as van ongestruktureerde onderhoude met ouers, onderwysers en professionele persone in die veld van leerprobleme. Die bevindings van die studie blyk in ooreenstemming te wees met bestaande literatuur, naamlik dat kinders met leerprobleme bykomende emosionele en sosiale probleme ondervind. Aanbevelings is gemaak oor hoe Gestalt spelterapie geïmplementeer kan word as 'n addisionele ondersteuning vir kinders wat remediërende intervensie ontvang. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)