Research has been done on the influence of gestalt play therapy on adolescents in divorce situations. The purpose of the study was the use of gestalt play therapy with adolescents in divorce situations, in order to determine its effect on the period of mourning. Four adolescents in divorce situations were selected by means of purposeful test sampling in the Magisterial District of Bloemfontein. Each adolescent was assisted by means of eight gestalt play therapy sessions to accept the divorce of his parents. By using various forms of play in the therapy sessions, each adolescent’s period of mourning could be addressed. The exploratory research model has been used which does not require the formulation of a hypothesis. The researcher however recommended that the following hypothesis be tested for future study: “If the adolescent in a divorce situation is subjected to gestalt play therapy his acceptance of the divorce of his parents and the period of mourning could be shortened”. / Dissertation (MA (Social Work))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Social Work / unrestricted

Using a stress and coping framework, this study examines the role of religious coping in the divorce adjustment process. This study utilizes three waves of data from a longitudinal study of divorcing mothers with young children. The primary analyses examine the role of religiosity in the divorce appraisal process, as well as the influence of both positive and negative religious coping on divorce appraisal, depression, and changes in religiosity. The study also explores how changes in divorce appraisal and religiosity influence change in depression over time. The results indicate that higher rates of negative religious coping are linked to more negative divorce appraisal, higher levels of depression, and declines in religiosity. In contrast, positive religious coping is associated with increases in religiosity over time. Additionally, findings show that changes in divorce appraisal predict changes in depression, but this relationship is moderated by one’s level of religiosity. / text