M.A. / The alarming increase of single parent families in South Africa is distressing. The rising divorce rate and the crisis surrounding divorce was the motivation for the researcher to undertake this study. Many children in South Africa are disadvantaged by the high divorce rate and much documented evidence proves the extensive sociological and psychological effects which this has on these children. Research has shown over and again that divorce is observed from a child's perspective as being stressful. (Wallerstein & Kelly, 1974) It has also been shown that many children are adversely affected by divorce. However the extent to which they are affected depends on various elements, such as age of the child, time since divorce, sex of the child and developmental stage of the child, to mention but a few. The goals of this study were formulated in a response to the need for the eventual development of a support program for adolescent girls experiencing the divorce of their parents. The aim of this study was to select a sample of adolescent girls and interview them by means of a semi-structured interview in order to hear their experiences of their parents' divorces. Research has shown that boys from divorced families are affected differently to girls from divorced families and hence the researcher chose to interview only females so as to exclude any extraneous variables. (Wallerstein & Blakeslee, 1989) The reason for choosing the stage of adolescence in particular is due to the fact that it represents a critical period in the establishment of the self-concept, due to all the changes that accompany adolescence. Adolescence is complicated if it is experienced without the security and care of a stable family structure and the support of both parents. The emotional stability of the single parent and their dealing with single parenthood influences the adolescent and his or her self-concept to a large extent. This study was undertaken within the framework of a qualitative study and qualitative methods of data collection were applied. The research design integrated exploratory, descriptive and evaluative methods. The phenomenon of divorce with specific reference to the effects it has on adolescents and aspects pertaining to the phenomena of coping with parental divorce, were identified and discussed.

The primary purpose of the study was the design and assessment of an intervention programme that seeks to help children cope with the crisis of divorce. The intervention was named the Kids in Divorce (KID) programme and is a short-term, developmentally appropriate intervention, consisting o f 10 sessions, aimed primarily at helping the pre-adolescent child. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether children receiving the intervention showed significant improvements in their emotional and attitudinal coping responses to divorce, as meausuredby the Family1 Story Test (FST) and the Kids in Divorce (KID) questionnaire (a self-designed measure). A pilot study was done on the KID questionnaire in order to, make the necessary changes, before using the questionnaire'for the study. 3 A total of 42 pupils, from schools in th | Eldoradopark 'coloured' community participated in the study. A pre and post test experimental-iBontrol research design was used in the study, The experimental and control groups consisted of 21 children \ each. \ . J r . Results of the study reflected significant improvements measures for the experimental group, which provides strong'cm pirical^nd^^.for'S'ie usefulness of a short-,erm, children cope with parental divorce.

This study focuses on the process of custody decision-making in a South African divorce context with the aim of critically examining the operation of the principle of the best interests of the child. A narrative approach is incorporated into Parker and Fairclough's discourse analytic approaches in the context of an instrumental case study. More specifically, the focus falls on moving beyond the understandings of custody embodied within the current psychological literature in order to examine the relationship between theory and practice and to view custody as a dynamic process at both a textual and analytical level. Concepts of dialoguing, context, audience and intertextuality together with a storied approach are central. Further, an attempt is made to provide a disruptive reading of the case through the use of notions of power, ideology and institutional practices embedded within the case and its broader contexts. The analysis demonstrates the need for decision-making to be viewed as a broader process situated across multiple professional, institutional and socio-political texts and contexts. Further, it is argued that in order for the process to uphold the principle of the child's best interests, specialised training must be supplemented with changes at the level of policy, aimed at moving toward a more inclusive, process-oriented approach to custody decision-making.

As the divorce rate consistently rises, the occurrence of single parent families are becoming increasingly prevalent. Despite the marked increase in single custodial parents, research on this population (and more importantly, into the positive aspects such as their subjective well-being) has been neglected. Over the past three decades, psychologists have shifted the emphasis of their research from examining demographic and pathogenic factors to a positive psychology framework focusing on personality and resilience. The general aim of this study was to explore and describe the subjective wellbeing, including satisfaction with life and general happiness, of divorced, single custodial parents. In addition, this study aimed to identify potential patterns among the aspects of subjective well-being investigated and aimed to explore the relationships between these patterns. Thirty-five participants were included for participation in this study by means of non-probability, purposive sampling. The research measures included a biographical questionnaire, the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and Affectometer-2 Scale (AFM-2). The data were analysed by the researcher and an independent statistician in terms of descriptive statistics and cluster analysis, or according to content analysis. This reflects a triangulation data collection and analysis method. Key findings included the following: The results of the SWLS indicated that the majority of participants reported being slightly dissatisfied with their lives. The results of the AFM-2 indicated that the participants generally had high levels of positive affect, and low levels of negative affect. However, the participants’ overall levels of happiness were still relatively low. A four cluster solution was obtained, with the clusters being significantly different from each other on all input variables. The first cluster experienced high levels of positive affect, low levels of negative affect, and high levels of overall happiness. The second cluster experienced predominantly slight dissatisfaction with their lives, high levels of positive affect, low levels of negative affect, and slightly low levels of overall happiness. The third cluster reported mostly dissatisfaction with their lives, low levels of positive affect, high levels of negative affect, and very low levels of overall happiness. The fourth cluster experienced predominantly slight satisfaction with xi life, slightly high levels of positive affect, neutral levels of negative affect, and low levels of overall happiness. It appeared that clusters containing participants who were satisfied with their jobs, were involved in a personal relationship and who participated in leisure activities, all experienced higher levels of subjective well-being. Overall, this study emphasises the value of and the need for South African research on the subjective wellbeing of divorced, single custodial parents.

M.A. / According to the Report on Marriage and Divorce (Department of Internal Affairs 1981: report no. 07/02/15), 17 065 cases of divorce were recorded among the white population of South Africa in the above mentioned year. A total of 22 167 minor children were involved. Statistics therefore indicate that many children today find themselves in broken homes, where the full responsibility of child rearing rests on single parents. Single parents who, because of internal and external factors are not always fully capable of accepting and answering to this responsibility. Problems are usually vaguely associated with single parent families. This study was intended to clarify the specific educational problems of the single parent family. With the aid of six socio-pedagogic categories a deeper perspective into the single parent situation was gained. The research covered a theoretical study of the relevant literature and the formulation of a number of criteria to evaluate the quality of educative support rendered to the toddler in the home, as primary educational situation. From these criteria a structured questionnaire was formulated, by means of which the views of 21 single parent mothers residing in Alberton, Boksburg and Germiston were ascertained ...

Thesis (M.A. (Clinical psychology) --University of Limpopo, 2011 / The purpose of this study was to describe the influence of family resilience on teenagers’ adaptation following parental divorce. Quantitative and qualitative, descriptive research was conducted to determine if there was a relationship between family resilience and teenagers’ adaptation. Data collection was done using structured questionnaires. Affected teenagers, n=60 and their families (n=60), were sampled using a screening tool at three schools in Capricorn district in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. Data was collected using family resilience scales and coping scales: Ways of Coping (WCS). The data was analysed in line with ABCX-model to choose subscales that correlated significantly with adaptation scale of family resilience as potential resilience factors; and coping by avoidance, behavioral and cognitive strategies using (WCS). The study highlighted potential family resilience factors and specific ways of coping used by teenagers among families with teenagers following parental divorce. The findings have revealed that there are family characteristics which enable teenagers to cope following parental divorce. Teenagers who cope have been found to mostly use behavioural and cognitive strategies and less of avoidance strategies. Family resilience factors among the families of these teenagers were effective communication (Family Problem Solving and Communication-FPSC), family hardiness (Family Hardiness Index-FHI) and, the problem solving and behavioural strategies utilised by families in crisis situations (Family Crisis Oriented personal Evaluation Scales-F-COPES). Further research should focus on longitudinal and context-specific that tracks family and teenagers’ adaptation to stressful events as a process that unfolds over time and those that recognises bi-directional and, transactional influences among fa

Bibliotherapy has been used as a therapeutic technique to assist clients to deal with a range of different issues in group as well as individual contexts. In this study, bibliotherapy has been used as an intervention to help six pre-adolescent children in a group setting deal with bereavement following their parents’ divorce. A qualitative research design has been implemented in which an individual pre-therapy interview was conducted with each participant to determine their issues related to their parents’ divorces, coping strategies employed as well as level of English proficiency before an appropriate book was selected. After five group sessions in which bibliotherapy and associated activities were used, each participant was interviewed individually to determine the success of the use of bibliotherapy in this intervention. According to the results, bibliotherapy can be successful in a group context to help pre-adolescents deal with their parents’ divorce. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

LL.M. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

The global rise in divorce since the 1960s has brought into question the idealised view of the nuclear family which has for centuries been awarded special status in western societies and has been regarded as the primary social institution. According to contemporary research parental divorce has become a reality for every one in six children in South Africa. Until recently, little consideration had been given to how divorce affects black South African families, as it was considered to be an occurrence which only took place in white, mainly middle-class, families. The proportion of black South African couples divorcing has been increasing over the past decade, and in 2008 was said to contribute to 35% of all divorce in South Africa. Most research to date on the children of divorce has focused on young white children and adolescents and is largely concerned with those who have found parental divorce particularly difficult, and are manifesting adjustment and other behavioural problems. The research which has been done on the effects of parental divorce on young adults focuses mainly on clinical studies with middle-class families based either in the United States or in the United Kingdom. This research, using an experience-centred, life-story narrative approach, explores the stories which young black South African adult women between the ages of 18 and 25 tell, to give account to the ways in which recent parental divorce has affected their lives, views on family life, and what it has meant to them. The use of an experience-centred, life-story narrative approach allows for a process of rupture, acceptance and re-storying to be accounted for, as the participant’s narrative shifts from past, to present and the future. Five young black women from a South African university each participated in two narratively sequenced semi-structured interviews based on McAdams’ personal narratives protocol, which includes six core themes, namely: Key Events, Significant People, Stresses and Problems, Personal Meanings and Life-Lessons, Future Script, and Life Theme. Crossley’s narrative analysis was then used to identify emergent themes and images in each individual narrative, after which they were woven together into a coherent story linked to previous literature. This study found that divorce involves a highly complex transition and reconfiguration process perhaps not fully accounted for in the existing idea and images associated with it. Despite being young adult women who had moved away from home and were engaged in their own lives, it became apparent that parental divorce was still a difficult and complicated experience, but that it is possible to tell both pessimistic and optimistic stories of parental divorce and its consequences.

Bibliotherapy has been used as a therapeutic technique to assist clients to deal with a range of different issues in group as well as individual contexts. In this study, bibliotherapy has been used as an intervention to help six pre-adolescent children in a group setting deal with bereavement following their parents’ divorce. A qualitative research design has been implemented in which an individual pre-therapy interview was conducted with each participant to determine their issues related to their parents’ divorces, coping strategies employed as well as level of English proficiency before an appropriate book was selected. After five group sessions in which bibliotherapy and associated activities were used, each participant was interviewed individually to determine the success of the use of bibliotherapy in this intervention. According to the results, bibliotherapy can be successful in a group context to help pre-adolescents deal with their parents’ divorce. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)