Included in the challenges possibly faced by those with dyslexia, is the acquisition of literacy skills. Despite 21st century advancements made in technology, literacy skills remain central to education and day-to-day living. Therefore, it is essential to meet the learning needs of those with dyslexia, as failure herein could impact negatively on their lived experiences and on the attainment of their needs. The main aim of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore, and describe the first-hand lifelong experiences of adults living with dyslexia. The study utilised the theoretical and conceptual frameworks of Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Following a multistage procedure, a criterion-based sampling strategy was used to select study participants, comprising of eight South African adults between the ages of 18 and 40, who were formally diagnosed with dyslexia. Data collection included semi-structured one-on-one in-depth interviews and the researcher’s reflective journal. Data analysis, following the principles of phenomenology, resulted in the formation of five themes. Findings reveal that dyslexia is viewed positively by adults diagnosed with it, and used as a driving force to succeed and obtain set goals. Various professionals were consulted with the aim of obtaining a diagnosis; however, obtaining a diagnosis and hence an explanation for their learning challenges, was a stressful experience for both the participants and their parents. Families provide much assistance with school work, although all participants revealed negative schooling experiences caused by schools not acknowledging dyslexia and not meeting their specific learning needs. Although living with dyslexia presents challenges, coping mechanisms are in place for overcoming anticipated challenges. Whilst self-confidence is not negatively affected, dyslexia appears to negatively affect the self-esteem of some. This study found that the dyslexia label is preferred to that of having additional learning needs, as the dyslexia label is viewed as referring to specific challenges and not to entire learning abilities. Finally, this study hopes to provide a deeper understanding of the experiences of those living with dyslexia and fill the existing gap in South African literature. / Psychology / Ph. D. (Psychology)

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2015 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT : In 2010, young people aged 15–24 years accounted for 42% of new HIV infections globally. In 2009, about five million (10%) of the total South African population was estimated to be aged 15–19 years. Current South African national sero-prevalence data estimate the prevalence of HIV to be 5.6% and 0.7% among adolescent girls and boys aged 15–19 years, respectively. HIV infections are mainly transmitted via sexual transmission. Adolescent sexuality is multi-faceted and influenced at multiple levels. In preparing to enroll adolescents in future biomedical HIV prevention trials, particularly prophylactic HIV vaccine trials, it is critical to provide counseling services appropriate to their needs. At the time of writing, there was no developed psychosocial intervention in South Africa for use among adolescent vaccine trial participants. Thus, the aim of the present study is to adapt and pilot-test a psychosocial intervention, namely, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) risk reduction counseling intervention of Project Respect, an intervention tasked at being developmentally and contextually appropriate among potential adolescent participants in HIV biomedical trials in the future. To achieve this overall aim, I qualitatively explored adolescent sexuality and risk factors for HIV among a diverse sample of participants aged 16–18 from Soweto. Thereafter, I developed a composite HIV risk scale in order to measure the variance in HIV risk among the sample of adolescents studied. The study followed a two-phased, mixed method research design and was informed by ecological systems theory and integrative model of behavioral prediction. The aim of Phase 1, split into phases 1a and b, was to conduct focus group discussions (FGDs) and to undertake a cross-sectional survey, respectively, to determine psychological (for example, self-esteem and depression), behavioral (specifically, sexual behavior) and social (specifically, social support, parent-adolescent communication) contexts that placed adolescents at risk for HIV infection. Phase 1a was qualitative, with data collected via nine FGDs: three involved parents of adolescents, four involved adolescents aged 16–18 years and two counselors. Nine key themes related to adolescent sexuality and risks for HIV acquisition were identified, namely: (1) dating during adolescence; (2) adolescent girls dating older men; (3) condom use amongst adolescents; (4) teenage pregnancies; (5) views about homosexuality; (6) parent-adolescent communication about sexual health; (7) the role of the media; (8) discipline and perceived government influence; and (9) group sex events. Phase 1b was quantitative and the data were collected via a cross-sectional survey to investigate the variance of risk for HIV. For Phase 1b, the sample consisted of 506 adolescents with a mean age of 17 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 16–18). More than half the participants were female (59%, n = 298). I used a three-step hierarchical multiple regression model to investigate the variance in risk for HIV. In step 3, the only significant predictors were “ever threatened to have sex” and “ever forced to have sex”, the combination of which explained 14% (R2 = 0.14; F (12, 236) = 3.14, p = 0.00). Depression and parentadolescent communication were added to steps 2 and 3, respectively, with both variables insignificant in these models. In Phase 2, I adapted and pilot tested the CDC risk reduction counseling intervention. The intervention was intended to be developmentally and contextually appropriate among adolescents from Soweto aged 16–18 years, viewed as potential participants in future HIV biomedical trials. Participants in Phase 2 were aged 16–18 years; the sample was mainly female (52%, n = 11) and most (91%, n = 19) were secondary school learners in grades 8 to 12. Participants provided feedback about their experiences of the adapted counseling intervention through in-depth interviews. I identified three main themes in this regard, namely: benefits of HIV testing services, reasons for seeking counseling and HIV testing services, and participants’ evaluation of the study visits and counseling sessions. The adapted CDC risk reduction counseling intervention was found to be acceptable with favorable outcomes for those adolescents who participated in the piloting phase. This study adds to the literature on risks for HIV among adolescents in Soweto, South Africa, by considering multiple levels of influence. Reaching a more complete understanding of ecological factors contributing to sexual risk behaviors among adolescents in the pilot-study enabled the development of a tailored counseling intervention. The findings showed the adapted CDC risk reduction counseling intervention to be feasible and acceptable among adolescents likely to be participants and eligible to participate in future HIV biomedical prevention trials. Thus, this study provides a much needed risk reduction counseling intervention that can be used among adolescents, an age group likely to participate in future HIV vaccine prevention research. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : In 2010 het jongmense tussen die ouderdomme van 15 en 24 jaar 42% van nuwe MIV-infeksies wêreldwyd uitgemaak. In 2009 was omtrent 5 miljoen mense (10%) van die Suid-Afrikaanse bevolking tussen 15 en 19 jaar oud. Volgens data oor die huidige Suid-Afrikaanse nasionale sero-voorkoms, word die voorkoms van MIV onderskeidelik op 5.6% en 0.7% onder tienermeisies en -seuns tussen die ouderdomme van 15 tot 19 jaar beraam. MIV-infeksies word hoofsaaklik deur seks oorgedra. Adolessente seksualiteit het baie fasette en word op verskeie vlakke beïnvloed. Ter voorbereiding van die werwing van adolessente vir toekomstige biomediese proewe, veral proewe oor profilaktiese MIVentstowwe, is dit van kritiese belang dat beradingsdienste verskaf word wat geskik is vir hul behoeftes. Op die tydstip wat hierdie tesis geskryf is, het daar nog geen psigososiale intervensie in Suid-Afrika bestaan vir gebruik onder adolessente deelnemers aan entstofproewe nie. Daarom is die doel van hierdie studie om ʼn psigososiale intervensie ‒ die Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) se Projek Respek, ʼn beradingsintervensie vir die vermindering van risiko ‒ aan te pas en met ʼn loodsprojek te toets. Hierdie intervensie is geskik vir die ontwikkelings- en kontekstuele vlak van adolessente deelnemers aan toekomstige MIV- biomediese proewe. Ten einde hierdie oorkoepelende doelwit te bereik, het ek adolessente seksualiteit en die risikofaktore vir MIV onder ʼn diverse steekproef deelnemers tussen die ouderdomme van 16 en 18 jaar van Soweto kwalitatief ondersoek. Daarna het ek ʼn saamgestelde MIV-risikoskaal ontwikkel om die variansie van MIV-risiko onder die groep adolessente te meet. Die studie se navorsingsontwerp het uit twee fases en gemengde metodes bestaan, en is gebaseer op ekologiesestelsel-teorie en die integrerende gedragsvoorspellingsmodel. Die doel van fase 1, wat in fases 1a en 1b verdeel is, was om onderskeidelik fokusgroepbesprekings te hou en om ʼn deursnitopname te doen om die sielkundige kontekste (byvoorbeeld elemente van selfbeeld en depressie), gedragskontekste (spesifiek seksuele gedrag) en sosiale kontekste (spesifiek sosiale ondersteuning en ouer-adolessent-kommunikasie) te bepaal waarin adolessente die risiko loop om MIV-infeksie op te doen. Fase 1a was kwalitatief en data is deur middel van nege fokusgroepbesprekings ingesamel: drie met die ouers van adolessente, vier met adolessente tussen 16 en 18 jaar oud en twee met beraders. Nege sleuteltemas is geïdentifiseer wat verband hou met adolessente seksualiteit en risiko’s om MIV op te doen: (1) verhoudings tydens adolessensie, (2) tienermeisies wat verhoudings met ouer mans het, (3) die gebruik van kondome onder adolessente, (4) tienerswangerskappe, (5) sienings oor homoseksualiteit, (6) ouer-adolessent-kommunikasie oor seksuele gesondheid, (7) die rol van die media, (8) dissipline en die ervaarde regeringsinvloed en (9) groepseksgeleenthede. Fase 1b was kwantitatief en data is deur middel van ’n deursnitopname ingesamel om die variansie van risiko vir MIV te ondersoek. Vir Fase 1b het die steekproef bestaan uit 506 adolessente met ’n gemiddelde ouderdom van 17 jaar (interkwartielwydte [IKW]: 16–18). Meer as die helfte van die deelnemers was vroulik (59%, n = 298). Ek het ’n hiërargiese meervoudige regressiemodel met drie stappe gebruik om die variansie van risiko vir MIV te ondersoek. Die enigste beduidende voorspellers in stap 3 was “ooit gedreig om seks te hê” en “ooit geforseer om seks te hê”. Die kombinasie hiervan het 14% (R2 = 0.14; F (12, 236) = 3.14, p = 0.00) verklaar. Depressie en oueradolessent- kommunikasie is onderskeidelik in stappe 2 en 3 bygevoeg, en albei veranderlikes was onbeduidend in hierdie modelle. In Fase 2 het ek die CDC se intervensie vir die verlaging van risiko aangepas en met ’n loodsprojek getoets. Die intervensie was bedoel om geskik te wees vir die ontwikkelings- en kontekstuele vlakke van 16- tot 18-jarige adolessente van Soweto wat beskou is as potensiële deelnemers aan toekomstige MIV- biomediese proewe. Deelnemers in Fase 2 was 16 tot 18 jaar oud, die steekproef was hoofsaaklik vroulik (52%, n = 11) en die meeste van die deelnemers (91%, n = 19) was in grade 8 tot 12 op hoërskool. Deelnemers het tydens indringende onderhoude terugvoering oor hulle ervarings van die aangepaste beradingsintervensie verskaf. Ek het drie hooftemas in hierdie verband geïdentifiseer, wat die volgende insluit: voordele van MIV-toetsingsdienste, redes waarom berading en MIV-toetsingsdienste verlang word, en die deelnemers se evaluering van die studiebesoeke en beradingsessies. Daar is bevind dat die aangepaste beradingsintervensie van die CDC aanvaarbaar was en gunstige uitkomste gelewer het vir die adolessente wat aan die loodsfase deelgeneem het. Hierdie studie dra by tot die literatuur oor MIV-risiko’s vir adolessente in Soweto, Suid-Afrika, deur meervoudige invloedsvlakke te oorweeg. Die feit dat ’n meer volledige begrip tydens die loodsondersoek verkry is van die interaksie van die ekologiese faktore wat tot seksuele risikogedrag onder adolessente bydra, het die ontwikkeling van ʼn doelgemaakte intervensie deur berading moontlik gemaak. Die bevindings het getoon dat die aangepaste beradingsintervensie van die CDC lewensvatbaar en aanvaarbaar is vir gebruik onder adolessente wat waarskynlik geskikte deelnemers aan toekomstige biomediese proewe oor MIV-voorkoming kan wees. Hierdie studie verskaf dus ʼn noodsaaklike beradingsintervensie om die MIV-risiko onder adolessente ‒ ʼn ouderdomsgroep wat waarskynlik aan toekomstige biomediese navorsing oor MIV-voorkoming sal deelneem ‒ te verminder.

This study explored teachers' perceptions of intelligence of 11th-grade Black male students and how students themselves perceived their own intelligence in light of Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligence. Qualitative research methods were used to gain novel understanding of the students' and teachers' feelings, and perceptions as outlined in the research questions. Two versions of ecological systems theory provided the underpinnings for the framework of this study: 1) Brönfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory, and 2) Spencer's PVEST (Phenomenological Variant of Ecological Systems Theory) model, which is an adaptation of the ecology model to Black students in the United States. In a large urban school district in the Southeast section of the United States, twenty-six students completed an online survey of Gardner's Multiple Intelligences. Seven Black male students were selected and interviewed along with ten of their teachers. The study found that despite the negative stereotypes toward Black males by society, the Black male students in this study interpreted intelligence to be multifaceted and perceived themselves as intelligent Black males. The teachers of the Black male students perceived them as intelligent and also interpreted intelligence to be multifaceted. The Black male students were resilient in debunking the idea that Black males were not considered intelligent in a society where negative Black male stereotypes abound.

The purpose of this study was to predict the family resources that influence positive family-to-work spillover for women who are engaged in parent, partner, and paid employee roles. While much research examines the construct of work-family conflict, little examines the positive benefits for women participating in multiple roles. A conceptual framework for the study was obtained from Voydanoffs (2002) work applying ecological systems theory to the work-family interface. Several factors were hypothesized to predict positive family-to-work spillover for multiple role women, including: spousal support; perceived fairness in the division of housework and childcare; relative share of childcare and housework; and paid assistance with housework.<p>Data for this study was collected in a survey designed for a larger assessment of work, family, gender, and health in the Saskatoon area. The current study utilized data collected from women who met the following criteria: 1) spoke fluent English; 2) fell between the ages of 25 - 54 years; 3) were employed full-time or part-time; and 4) were the parent of at least one child under the age of 20 years. The dependent variable was a measure of positive family-to-work spillover. Independent variables included: spousal support; perceived fairness of the division of childcare; perceived fairness of the division of housework; relative of share of housework for respondents compared to ones partner; and paid assistance with housework. Control variables included income, presence of preschool children, number of children, educational attainment, and hours of paid employment. A sequential multiple regression was performed to predict positive family-to-work spillover from the independent variables. The final regression model predicting positive family-to-work spillover included three independent variables: 1) spousal support; 2) the perception of division of childcare as unfair to ones partner; and 3) relative share of housework for the respondent. Implications and limitations of these findings are discussed.

The purpose of this study was to predict the family resources that influence positive family-to-work spillover for women who are engaged in parent, partner, and paid employee roles. While much research examines the construct of work-family conflict, little examines the positive benefits for women participating in multiple roles. A conceptual framework for the study was obtained from Voydanoffs (2002) work applying ecological systems theory to the work-family interface. Several factors were hypothesized to predict positive family-to-work spillover for multiple role women, including: spousal support; perceived fairness in the division of housework and childcare; relative share of childcare and housework; and paid assistance with housework.<p>Data for this study was collected in a survey designed for a larger assessment of work, family, gender, and health in the Saskatoon area. The current study utilized data collected from women who met the following criteria: 1) spoke fluent English; 2) fell between the ages of 25 - 54 years; 3) were employed full-time or part-time; and 4) were the parent of at least one child under the age of 20 years. The dependent variable was a measure of positive family-to-work spillover. Independent variables included: spousal support; perceived fairness of the division of childcare; perceived fairness of the division of housework; relative of share of housework for respondents compared to ones partner; and paid assistance with housework. Control variables included income, presence of preschool children, number of children, educational attainment, and hours of paid employment. A sequential multiple regression was performed to predict positive family-to-work spillover from the independent variables. The final regression model predicting positive family-to-work spillover included three independent variables: 1) spousal support; 2) the perception of division of childcare as unfair to ones partner; and 3) relative share of housework for the respondent. Implications and limitations of these findings are discussed.

Alkoholmisbruik is tans n sosiale kwessie in Suid–Afrika, asook in die res van die wêreld. Die kind in sy middelkinderjare lewensfase se belewenis van sy alkoholmisbruik–gesin kom in verskillende ontwikkelingsterreine na vore, in sy daaglikse interaksie met sy gesin asook in sy wyer skakeling . Alhoewel hy homself gedurende hierdie fase in n losmakingsproses om onafhanklikheid bevind, bly sy gesin steeds vir hom n bron van sekuriteit, hulp en ondersteuning. Vir die navorsingsmetodologie is die proses in tabelformaat weergegee met behulp van n onderverdeling in vier fases. Tydens die eerste fase, die aanvanklike beplanning en probleem–formulering, het hoofsaaklik drie aspekte aandag geniet, naamlik die navorsingsonderwerp, probleem–formulering en die doel met die nodige doelwitte. Die doel van die kwalitatiewe studie wat vanuit die probleem–formulering voortgespruit het, was om plattelandse kinders in die middelkinderjare se belewenis van alkoholmisbruik in hul gesinne waarvan hul deel vorm, te beskryf. Tydens die formele beplanning in die tweede fase is die inligting deur middel van triangulering ingesamel en is op die navorsingsbenadering en –strategieë gefokus. Vanuit verskillende bronne is inligting verken om die plattelandse kind in die middelkinderjare lewensfase wat deel vorm van die alkoholmisbruik–gesin se belewenisse, te beskryf. n Literatuurstudie het die samestelling en uiteensetting moontlik gemaak vir n profielstudie vanuit n paradigmatiese perspektief van die kind. In die derde fase is aandag gegee aan die empiriese ondersoek waartydens triangulering praktykgerig voortgesit is met behulp van sinsvoltooing met vyf kinderrespondente, voltooiing van n selfontwerpte vraelys wat opgevolg is met semi–gestruktureerde onderhoude met vyf ouers en vyf onderwysers. Gedurende die vierde fase het die interpretering en integrering van die bevindinge gerealiseer. Die gevolgtrekkings waartoe gekom is, is veral geleë in die leemte op nasionale vlak en op die platteland ten opsigte van spesifiek die kind se belewenis van sy alkoholmisbruik–gesin asook sy omgewing. Dit het ook duidelik geword dat daar aandag gegee moet word aan alkoholmisbruik as verskynsel en die alkoholmisbruikte–huweliksverhouding en dat onkunde bestaan ten opsigte van ouerskap en die belewenis van die kind as betrokkene by sy alkoholmisbruik–gesin. Om hierdie redes word aanbeveel dat daar gefokus moet word op die kind se proses, maar ook dat ouers, onderwysers en maatskaplike werkers wat deel vorm van die ondersteuningsnetwerk vir hierdie kinders, die nodige kennis en insig deur middel van opleidingsprogramme behoort te ontvang. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Alkoholmisbruik is tans n sosiale kwessie in Suid–Afrika, asook in die res van die wêreld. Die kind in sy middelkinderjare lewensfase se belewenis van sy alkoholmisbruik–gesin kom in verskillende ontwikkelingsterreine na vore, in sy daaglikse interaksie met sy gesin asook in sy wyer skakeling . Alhoewel hy homself gedurende hierdie fase in n losmakingsproses om onafhanklikheid bevind, bly sy gesin steeds vir hom n bron van sekuriteit, hulp en ondersteuning. Vir die navorsingsmetodologie is die proses in tabelformaat weergegee met behulp van n onderverdeling in vier fases. Tydens die eerste fase, die aanvanklike beplanning en probleem–formulering, het hoofsaaklik drie aspekte aandag geniet, naamlik die navorsingsonderwerp, probleem–formulering en die doel met die nodige doelwitte. Die doel van die kwalitatiewe studie wat vanuit die probleem–formulering voortgespruit het, was om plattelandse kinders in die middelkinderjare se belewenis van alkoholmisbruik in hul gesinne waarvan hul deel vorm, te beskryf. Tydens die formele beplanning in die tweede fase is die inligting deur middel van triangulering ingesamel en is op die navorsingsbenadering en –strategieë gefokus. Vanuit verskillende bronne is inligting verken om die plattelandse kind in die middelkinderjare lewensfase wat deel vorm van die alkoholmisbruik–gesin se belewenisse, te beskryf. n Literatuurstudie het die samestelling en uiteensetting moontlik gemaak vir n profielstudie vanuit n paradigmatiese perspektief van die kind. In die derde fase is aandag gegee aan die empiriese ondersoek waartydens triangulering praktykgerig voortgesit is met behulp van sinsvoltooing met vyf kinderrespondente, voltooiing van n selfontwerpte vraelys wat opgevolg is met semi–gestruktureerde onderhoude met vyf ouers en vyf onderwysers. Gedurende die vierde fase het die interpretering en integrering van die bevindinge gerealiseer. Die gevolgtrekkings waartoe gekom is, is veral geleë in die leemte op nasionale vlak en op die platteland ten opsigte van spesifiek die kind se belewenis van sy alkoholmisbruik–gesin asook sy omgewing. Dit het ook duidelik geword dat daar aandag gegee moet word aan alkoholmisbruik as verskynsel en die alkoholmisbruikte–huweliksverhouding en dat onkunde bestaan ten opsigte van ouerskap en die belewenis van die kind as betrokkene by sy alkoholmisbruik–gesin. Om hierdie redes word aanbeveel dat daar gefokus moet word op die kind se proses, maar ook dat ouers, onderwysers en maatskaplike werkers wat deel vorm van die ondersteuningsnetwerk vir hierdie kinders, die nodige kennis en insig deur middel van opleidingsprogramme behoort te ontvang. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

The enduring, mythical and antisemitic figure of Ahasuerus is central to the unraveling and reframing of post-Shoah Jewish identity in Rabinovici’s novel Suche nach M for it serves as the mythological color palette from which Rabinovici draws his characters and, to extend that metaphor, how the Jews have been immortalized in European culture. There is no escape in Suche nach M. When painting the Jew, both Jews and non-Jews can only use brush strokes of color from the Christian-created palette of the mythic, wandering Jew, Ahasuerus, who is stained in the blood of deicide, emasculated, treacherous, and evil. He is the constitutional “Other.” By deploying Urie Bronfenbrenner’s (Bio) Ecological Systems Theory, the Mythic Jew and the Ikhud (“Fusion”) Models that represent an evolving psychosocial environment combined with personal reflection, this thesis explores how Suche nach M invokes yet critiques the process of Jewish male identity formation in postwar Austria. / Graduate

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:46:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 1991.pdf: 2090923 bytes, checksum: 268a7956e70405ff540aed35df776b8a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-03-31 / Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos / Admission at the elementary school is an important moment in the process of education. Literature has shown that to guide the family in this process, using resources from the family environment, may be fundamental in preventing school problems. In that context, this work implemented and evaluated a proposal of intervention in the form of a Programa Psicopedagógico de Orientação a Pais (PPOP) - Psychopedagogical Program of Parents Orientation -, for the parents and relatives responsible for children with learning disabilities included in the early years of elementary grades of regular public school and were attended by the itinerant service of special education, in order to provide strategies for monitoring and stimulation of their children in that stage of education. The study was developed as the ethical aspects of researches that involve human beings. The first stage of the research (Program s elaboration) tested the PPOP and the instruments in an experimental situation, whose analysis showed that the Program was able to be implemented on a larger scale and was satisfactory as the form and content, from the reports of the participants. The used instruments also were sensitive to the demand for collection. On the second stage, the implementation of the Program, participated in this research eleven parents of students who were on the early years at public elementary school and their respective children, which composed two groups experimental and control). It is relevant to mention that the content approached in the program is based on the book Como ajudar seu filho na escola ( How to help your child in school ). Besides the PPOP, the instruments used to collect data were: Home Environment Resources Scale - HERS, Roadmap, interviews with parents, Brazil s Criterion of Economic Classification, School Achievement Test, Roadmap " Situations and the Evaluation Questionnaire Course. The evaluation of the program found the effectiveness of it, from the assessment of all the steps and comparison of results of pre - and post-tests. The results allowed to assert the need for continuation of activities of that nature. The results allowed to assert the need for continuation of activities of that nature. The results showed: a) interest of mothers receive support in situations where information about the "do not know how to deal with the child" b) an increase in the repertoire of mothers of educational practices appropriate c) implementation of positive strategies on a daily basis with the children in the short term; d) the relevance of programs of this nature with parents of children with learning disability. In future studies it is suggested investment in training of ducators to use the POPP and development of strategies that extend the benefits of the program to more families. / O ingresso no Ensino Fundamental constitui um momento importante no processo de escolarização. A literatura tem revelado que orientar a família em tal processo, a partir de recursos do ambiente familiar, pode ser fundamental na prevenção de dificuldades escolares. Nesse contexto, a presente pesquisa teve por objetivo elaborar, implementar e avaliar uma proposta de intervenção na modalidade de um Programa Psicopedagógico de Orientação a Pais (PPOP), dirigido a pais e familiares responsáveis por crianças com dificuldades de aprendizagem, incluídas nos primeiros anos do Ensino Fundamental de escola pública regular e que eram atendidas pelo serviço itinerante de educação especial. Buscou-se prover estratégias para os pais acompanharem e estimularem seus filhos nessa etapa do ensino. O estudo foi desenvolvido conforme os aspectos éticos de pesquisas que envolvem seres humanos. Na primeira etapa da pesquisa elaboração do PPOP) testou-se o Programa e os instrumentos em situação experimental, cujas análises demonstraram que estes estavam aptos a serem implementados em maior escala, pois se mostraram satisfatórios quanto à forma e conteúdo. Na segunda etapa, (implementação do Programa), participaram da pesquisa onze pais de alunos do 1º ao 5º ano do Ensino Fundamental de escola pública regular de uma cidade de médio porte do interior do estado de São Paulo e seus respectivos filhos, os quais compuseram dois Grupos (experimental e controle). Cumpre destacar que o conteúdo abordado no Programa tem como base a obra Como ajudar seu filho na escola . Além do PPOP, os instrumentos utilizados para coleta de dados foram: Inventário de Recursos do Ambiente Familiar-(RAF), Roteiro de entrevista com os pais, Dados Pessoais e Critério de Classificação Econômica Brasil (CCEB), Teste de Desempenho Escolar (TDE), Roteiro de Entrevista Situações e Questionário de Avaliação do Programa. Para avaliar a eficácia do Programa foi realizada a avaliação de todas as etapas e ainda a comparação de resultados de pré e pós-testes. Os resultados evidenciaram: a) interesse das mães em receber suporte informativo acerca das situações onde não sabem como lidar com a criança ; b) um aumento no repertório das mães de práticas educativas adequadas; c) implementação de estratégias positivas no dia-a-dia com as crianças, a curto prazo; d) a pertinência de programas desta mesma natureza com pais de crianças com dificuldade de aprendizagem. Para futuros estudos sugere-se o investimento na formação de educadores para uso do POPP e o desenvolvimento de estratégias que estendam os benefícios do Programa para um número maior de famílias.

Many children in society live in families where one or both parents have drug-addiction prob- lems. Early life conditions for these children may result in a need of support, which may be a requirement for a more favourable psycho-social development. The study purpose was to in- vestigate social worker’s experience of work with children with drug addiction problems in their primary family, based on the criticism of social service assistance. The study was based on a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews. Six social workers in central Swe- den were interviewed about their experience of structural and individual preconditions and difficulties in the work. The study shows that the majority of the difficulties are experienced on the structural level within the organization while the majority of the preconditions are ex- perienced on the individual level. The structural difficulties are not experienced to affect the respondent’s own individual preconditions in their work and neither the feeling that they in their profession are able to do a good job. In addition, all the respondents feel that the support for the children and young people meet the current needs. / Många barn i samhället lever i familjer där en eller båda föräldrarna har en missbruksproble- matik. Uppväxtvillkoren för dessa barn kan resultera i ett behov av stödinsatser vilka kan vara en förutsättning för en mera gynnsam psykosocial utveckling. Studiens syfte var att undersöka socialsekreterares uppfattning av arbetet med barn som lever med missbruk i sin primärfamilj utifrån den kritik som riktats mot socialtjänstens stödinsatser. Undersökningen utgick från en kvalitativ ansats med semistrukturerade intervjuer . Sex socialsekreterare i Mellansverige in- tervjuades om upplevda strukturella och individuella möjligheter och svårigheter i arbetet. Studien påvisar att majoriteten av svårigheterna upplevs återfinnas på strukturell nivå inom organisationen medan majoriteten av möjligheter återfinns på individuell nivå. De strukturella svårigheterna upplevs inte påverka respondenternas egna individuella möjligheter eller upple- velsen av att de i sin yrkesroll kan utföra ett bra arbete. Dessutom framkom att samtliga re- spondenter upplever att stödet till barn och unga tillgodoser de aktuella behoven.