The profession of psychology in South Africa has not always been regulated by a statutory body such as the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). Currently, the profession of psychology is regulated by the HPCSA and psychologists and the HPCSA find themselves in a lawful and interminable relationship. The HPCSA’s motto is to protect the public and to guide the profession, but it was questioned whether psychologists actually experience guidance from the HPCSA. In response to this problem, this study aimed to explore the subjective experiences of a group of South African psychologists regarding the HPCSA as well as the ethical code which serves as a guideline for the conduct of psychologists. This study made use of a sequential mixed method design, which comprised of a qualitative phase followed by a quantitative phase. All participants in this study were qualified psychologists. Seven participants took part in the qualitative phase and 74 participants took part in the quantitative phase. The data from the qualitative phase was grouped into broad categories and served as the basis for compiling a questionnaire for the quantitative phase. After collecting the completed questionnaires, the data was read into SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences), which was used for the statistical analysis of the data. The data was analysed by means of frequency distributions and mean scores. During the analysis of the data, six themes where identified: five regarding the HPCSA as the regulator of psychology and one regarding the ethical code that guides the conduct of psychologists. The themes include “guidance and mentorship”, “the HPCSA as a watchdog”, “the HPCSA’s motive”, “reverence that psychologists have for the HPCSA”, “the competence of the HPCSA” and “psychologists’ view on the ethical code”. The results indicated that an ambiguous relationship exists between this group of psychologists and the HPCSA, as these two entities seem to function separately. Generally, psychologists who took part in this research have a negative view towards the HPCSA, although they realise the necessity for the HPCSA as a regulating body for psychology. The recognition of this need is a platform for a workable relationship between psychologists and the HPCSA. The participants provided less detail and responded more neutral regarding their views on the ethical code, and it is concerning that quite a number of psychologists indicated that they did not know the code. This study concludes with recommendations for the HPCSA to be more approachable and to provide psychologists with more support. / Thesis (M.A. (Research Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

The profession of psychology in South Africa has not always been regulated by a statutory body such as the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). Currently, the profession of psychology is regulated by the HPCSA and psychologists and the HPCSA find themselves in a lawful and interminable relationship. The HPCSA’s motto is to protect the public and to guide the profession, but it was questioned whether psychologists actually experience guidance from the HPCSA. In response to this problem, this study aimed to explore the subjective experiences of a group of South African psychologists regarding the HPCSA as well as the ethical code which serves as a guideline for the conduct of psychologists. This study made use of a sequential mixed method design, which comprised of a qualitative phase followed by a quantitative phase. All participants in this study were qualified psychologists. Seven participants took part in the qualitative phase and 74 participants took part in the quantitative phase. The data from the qualitative phase was grouped into broad categories and served as the basis for compiling a questionnaire for the quantitative phase. After collecting the completed questionnaires, the data was read into SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences), which was used for the statistical analysis of the data. The data was analysed by means of frequency distributions and mean scores. During the analysis of the data, six themes where identified: five regarding the HPCSA as the regulator of psychology and one regarding the ethical code that guides the conduct of psychologists. The themes include “guidance and mentorship”, “the HPCSA as a watchdog”, “the HPCSA’s motive”, “reverence that psychologists have for the HPCSA”, “the competence of the HPCSA” and “psychologists’ view on the ethical code”. The results indicated that an ambiguous relationship exists between this group of psychologists and the HPCSA, as these two entities seem to function separately. Generally, psychologists who took part in this research have a negative view towards the HPCSA, although they realise the necessity for the HPCSA as a regulating body for psychology. The recognition of this need is a platform for a workable relationship between psychologists and the HPCSA. The participants provided less detail and responded more neutral regarding their views on the ethical code, and it is concerning that quite a number of psychologists indicated that they did not know the code. This study concludes with recommendations for the HPCSA to be more approachable and to provide psychologists with more support. / Thesis (M.A. (Research Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Die begin van die nuwe millennium word gekenmerk deur radikale vooruitgang op tegnologiese gebied, paradigmatiese verskuiwings in natuur- en geesteswetenskappe, toenemende onsekerheid oor wat die ware aard van die mens is en hoe die een mens die ander verantwoordbaar kan help met die oplossing van probleme en herstel van menswaardigheid deur middel van opvoedkundige sielkundige ondersteuning. Navorsing is ondemeem om 'n beeld te verkry van wat 'n verantwoordbare opvoedkundige sielkundige praktyk met besondere verwysing na pedoterapie, kan wees. 'n Literatuurstudie is gedoen aangaande grondeise van 'n verantwoordbare opvoedkundige sielkundige praktyk in historieskomtemporere konteks. 'n Verdere literatuurstudie is gedoen aangaande 'n verantwoordelike en verantwoordbare pedoterapeutiese praktyk in opvoedings- en medemenslikheidsperspektief. 'n Teoretiese fundering van pedoterapie is gedoen, waarin daar, onder andere, klem geplaas is op 'n ontleding van die begrip en idee pedoterapie, pedoterapeutiese verhoudinge, diagnostisering, vorme van pedoterapie en die aard enrol van 'n mensbeeld in die opvoedkundige sielkundige praktyk. 'n Soektog na kategoriee waarmee 'n verantwoordbare Sielkundige Opvoedkundige wetenskap en opvoedkundige sielkundige praktyk beskryf kan word, is ondemeem. Daarna is kriteria vir die evaluering van pedoterapeutiese arbeid geformuleer. Die oorsprong vir en die waarde van 'n universele etiese kode vir terapeute is teen die agtergrond van 'n mensbeeld bespreek. Aan die hand van 'n empiriese ondersoek is daar bepaal wat die stand van opvoedkundige sielkundige teorie en praktyk teenswoordig sou wees. Hierdie empiriese ondersoek is met idiografiese onderhoude uitgevoer, waama idiogramme saamgestel is. Met die empiriese ondersoek is daar gepoog om 'n beeld te verkry van hoe vertroud hedendaagse praktisyns met teoretiese grondslae en die waarde van 'n ontologiese mensbeeld, die waarde van evalueringskriteria en die stand van die Sielkundige Opvoedkunde se toepassingsmoontlikhede vir die pedoterapeutiese praktyk is of nie is nie. Deelnemende opvoedkundige sielkundige praktisyns se praktyksbenadering in etiese en praktiese konteks is verkry asook bulle oordele van, onder meer, heersende voorskrifte en voorstelle ter bevordering van die opvoedkundige sielkundige praktyk. 'n Aantal aanbevelings is gemaak op grond van die bevindinge vanuit die totale studie. 'n Aanloop tot die daarstelling van 'n etiese kode vir opvoedkundige sielkundiges is gemaak. / The beginning of the new millennium is characterized by radical technological progress, paradigm shifts in natural and human sciences, increasing uncertainty about the real nature of the human being and how one person can assist another in an accountable way with solving problems in order to restore human dignity through educational psychological assistance. Research is carried out to determine what an accountable educational psychological practice, with special reference to pedotherapy, should entail. A literature study regarding basic requirements of an accountable educational psychological practice in historical and contemporary perspective is included. A further literature study is executed concerning an accountable pedotherapeutic practice. A theoretical grounding of pedotherapy is included in the literature study and specific attention is given to an analysis of the concepts and ideas of pedotherapy. pedotherapeutic relationships, the diagnostic approach and forms of pedotherapy. The nature and role of a view of human kind in educational psychological practice is also discussed. Categories describing an accountable science of Psychology of Education and its practice are presented. Subsequent criteria for the evaluation of pedotherapeutic endeavour are formulated. Origins for and the value of a universal code of ethics for pedotherapists are discussed against the background of a view of human kind. By means of an empirical investigation it is determined what the current status of Psychology of Education in theory and practice is. This investigation is conducted by means of idiographic interviews and afterwards idiogrammes are compiled to determine to what extent practitioners are conversant with theoretical foundations and an ontological view of human kind, the value of evaluation criteria and the possibilities presented by the insights of Psychology of Education and how practitioners approach their practice in ethical stance. Also the views of practitioners on current prescriptions and their suggestions for improving educational psychological practice are obtained. A number of recommendations is presented in the light of findings from the entire study. A trial run for the formulation of an ethical code for educational psychologists is presented. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Sielkundige Opvoedkunde)

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Die begin van die nuwe millennium word gekenmerk deur radikale vooruitgang op tegnologiese gebied, paradigmatiese verskuiwings in natuur- en geesteswetenskappe, toenemende onsekerheid oor wat die ware aard van die mens is en hoe die een mens die ander verantwoordbaar kan help met die oplossing van probleme en herstel van menswaardigheid deur middel van opvoedkundige sielkundige ondersteuning. Navorsing is ondemeem om 'n beeld te verkry van wat 'n verantwoordbare opvoedkundige sielkundige praktyk met besondere verwysing na pedoterapie, kan wees. 'n Literatuurstudie is gedoen aangaande grondeise van 'n verantwoordbare opvoedkundige sielkundige praktyk in historieskomtemporere konteks. 'n Verdere literatuurstudie is gedoen aangaande 'n verantwoordelike en verantwoordbare pedoterapeutiese praktyk in opvoedings- en medemenslikheidsperspektief. 'n Teoretiese fundering van pedoterapie is gedoen, waarin daar, onder andere, klem geplaas is op 'n ontleding van die begrip en idee pedoterapie, pedoterapeutiese verhoudinge, diagnostisering, vorme van pedoterapie en die aard enrol van 'n mensbeeld in die opvoedkundige sielkundige praktyk. 'n Soektog na kategoriee waarmee 'n verantwoordbare Sielkundige Opvoedkundige wetenskap en opvoedkundige sielkundige praktyk beskryf kan word, is ondemeem. Daarna is kriteria vir die evaluering van pedoterapeutiese arbeid geformuleer. Die oorsprong vir en die waarde van 'n universele etiese kode vir terapeute is teen die agtergrond van 'n mensbeeld bespreek. Aan die hand van 'n empiriese ondersoek is daar bepaal wat die stand van opvoedkundige sielkundige teorie en praktyk teenswoordig sou wees. Hierdie empiriese ondersoek is met idiografiese onderhoude uitgevoer, waama idiogramme saamgestel is. Met die empiriese ondersoek is daar gepoog om 'n beeld te verkry van hoe vertroud hedendaagse praktisyns met teoretiese grondslae en die waarde van 'n ontologiese mensbeeld, die waarde van evalueringskriteria en die stand van die Sielkundige Opvoedkunde se toepassingsmoontlikhede vir die pedoterapeutiese praktyk is of nie is nie. Deelnemende opvoedkundige sielkundige praktisyns se praktyksbenadering in etiese en praktiese konteks is verkry asook bulle oordele van, onder meer, heersende voorskrifte en voorstelle ter bevordering van die opvoedkundige sielkundige praktyk. 'n Aantal aanbevelings is gemaak op grond van die bevindinge vanuit die totale studie. 'n Aanloop tot die daarstelling van 'n etiese kode vir opvoedkundige sielkundiges is gemaak. / The beginning of the new millennium is characterized by radical technological progress, paradigm shifts in natural and human sciences, increasing uncertainty about the real nature of the human being and how one person can assist another in an accountable way with solving problems in order to restore human dignity through educational psychological assistance. Research is carried out to determine what an accountable educational psychological practice, with special reference to pedotherapy, should entail. A literature study regarding basic requirements of an accountable educational psychological practice in historical and contemporary perspective is included. A further literature study is executed concerning an accountable pedotherapeutic practice. A theoretical grounding of pedotherapy is included in the literature study and specific attention is given to an analysis of the concepts and ideas of pedotherapy. pedotherapeutic relationships, the diagnostic approach and forms of pedotherapy. The nature and role of a view of human kind in educational psychological practice is also discussed. Categories describing an accountable science of Psychology of Education and its practice are presented. Subsequent criteria for the evaluation of pedotherapeutic endeavour are formulated. Origins for and the value of a universal code of ethics for pedotherapists are discussed against the background of a view of human kind. By means of an empirical investigation it is determined what the current status of Psychology of Education in theory and practice is. This investigation is conducted by means of idiographic interviews and afterwards idiogrammes are compiled to determine to what extent practitioners are conversant with theoretical foundations and an ontological view of human kind, the value of evaluation criteria and the possibilities presented by the insights of Psychology of Education and how practitioners approach their practice in ethical stance. Also the views of practitioners on current prescriptions and their suggestions for improving educational psychological practice are obtained. A number of recommendations is presented in the light of findings from the entire study. A trial run for the formulation of an ethical code for educational psychologists is presented. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Sielkundige Opvoedkunde)