Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The present study chiefly aimed to explore, identify and clarify the role that familial capabilities, characteristics and resources (collectively referred to as resilience factors) play in cushioning the impact of relocation on the family unit and assisting the family to recover from this crisis. The study emanates from the salutogenic paradigm, focusing on resilience, rather than mere pathology. The main theoretical basis of this investigation resides in the Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment and Adaptation (McCubbin & Thompson, 1991). The study claims distinction in terms of its amalgamation of a combined cross-sectional survey research design and qualitative analysis in identifying and describing the critical familial resilience factors. Self-report questionnaires were completed by either a parent (husband or wife) or by both a parent and an adolescent child as representatives of the family. A total of sixty-eight families completed the questionnaires, including an open-ended question. The results identified (i) traits and abilities of individual family members, (ii) the family system’s internal resources and support, (iii) familial integration and stability, (iv) the family unit’s utilisation of their internal strengths and durability to manage problems outside of their boundaries, (v) social support, as well as (vi) a passive appraisal coping style amidst the crisis, as important resilience-enhancing resources. It is hoped that this information could be used to develop more effective, culture-bound therapeutic intervention programmes that may prevent problems, foster family resilience and affirm the reparative potential of families. In so doing, South African families in need may be supported, strengthened and empowered. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie ondersoek is gefokus op die identifikasie en beskrywing van gesinsvermoëns, eienskappe en hulpbronne (waarna gesamentlik verwys word as veerkragtigheidsfaktore) wat meewerk om die impak van hervestiging op die gesinseenheid te demp en bystand te lewer aan die gesin om van hierdie krisis te herstel. Die studie is gedoen vanuit die salutogeniese paradigma en plaas klem op veerkragtigheid, eerder as op patologie. McCubbin en Thompson (1991) se “Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment and Adaptation” is benut as teoretiese basis. ’n Dwarssnit opname-navorsingsontwerp is gebruik om kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe data te versamel en te ontleed in die identifisering en beskrywing van kritiese gesinsveerkragtigheidsfaktore. Selfrapporteringsvraelyste is voltooi deur òf ’n ouer (man of vrou) òf ’n ouer en adolessente kind, as verteenwoordigers van die gesin. Verteenwoordigers van 68 gesinne het vraelyste sowel as ‘n oop vraag voltooi. Die resultate dui op (i) trekke en vermoëns van individuele gesinslede, (ii) die gesinsisteem se interne hulpbronne en ondersteuning, (iii) gesinsintegrasie en stabiliteit, (iv) die gesinseenheid se benutting van hul interne sterkpunte en duursaamheid om probleme buite die gesinsgrense te hanteer, (v) sosiale ondersteuning, sowel as (vi) ’n passiewe waarderingshanteringstyl temidde van die krisis, as belangrike veerkragtigheidskenmerke. Hierdie bevindinge kan gebruik word om meer effektiewe, kultuurgebonde terapeutiese intervensieprogramme te ontwikkel, wat probleme voorkom, gesinsveerkragtigheid fasiliteer en die herstellende potensiaal van gesinne bevestig. Op dié manier, kan gesinne wat hulle moet hervestig, ondersteun, versterk en bemagtig word.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Affirming or positive family communication is an important aspect in helping families and individuals protect themselves against various life challenges (Greeff & Du Toit, 2009; Greeff & Van der Merwe, 2004; Norman, 2000). According to Barnes and Olson (1985), affirming family communication plays an important role in an adolescent’s development. The present study aimed to determine the relationship between affirming family communication and family functioning. The relationships between family functioning and the quality of communication between the adolescent and the father and mother respectively were also investigated. Then, as the main focus of the present study, affirming family communication was explored qualitatively from the perspective of the adolescents. A quantitative survey research design was combined with an exploratory, qualitative design. The quantitative data was collected with self-report questionnaires, while the qualitative data was gathered by recording a discussion of affirming family communication in focus groups. The participants were first-year Psychology students of the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa. A total of 83 females and 17 males took part in the quantitative component of the present study (N = 100). Fourteen of these 100 students also took part in the focus group discussions. Pearson correlation coefficients revealed a significant positive correlation between affirming family communication and family functioning. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was found between family functioning and openness in communication between the adolescent and the mother and father respectively. The results of the multiple regression analysis revealed that openness in communication with the mother, affirming family communication and problems in communication with the father were important predictors of family functioning. Three core categories (with sub-categories) emerged from the content analysis of the focus group discussions on affirming family communication. These core categories were verbal affirming communication, non-verbal affirming communication and functional affirming communication. The findings of the present study highlight the importance of affirming family communication, especially in families with adolescent children, while also providing a description of affirming family communication from the adolescents’ perspectives. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Bevestigende of positiewe gesinskommunikasie is ’n belangrike aspek wat gesinne en individue in staat stel om hulself teen verskeie lewensuitdagings te beskerm (Greeff & Du Toit, 2009; Greeff & Van der Merwe, 2004; Norman, 2000). Volgens Barnes and Olson (1985) speel bevestigende gesinskommunikasie ’n belangrike rol in die ontwikkeling van ’n adolessent. Hierdie studie het gepoog om die verhouding tussen bevestigende gesinskommunikasie en gesinsfunksionering te bepaal. Die verhoudings tussen gesinsfunksionering en die kwaliteit van kommunikasie tussen die adolessent en elk van die ouers is ook ondersoek. Laastens is bevestigende gesinskommunikasie, as die hoof fokus van hierdie ondersoek, op ’n kwalitatiewe wyse vanaf die adolessent se perspektief ondersoek. ’n Kwantitatiewe opname-navorsingsontwerp is gekombineer met ’n eksploratiewe, kwalitatiewe ontwerp. Die kwantitatiewe data is met behulp van selfrapporteringsvraelyste ingesamel en die kwalitatiewe data is ingesamel deur ’n opname te maak van ’n bespreking van bevestigende gesinskommunikasie in fokusgroepe. Die deelnemers was eerstejaar Sielkunde-studente van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch in Suid-Afrika. ’n Totaal van 83 vroue en 17 mans het aan die kwantitatiewe komponent van die ondersoek deelgeneem (N = 100). Veertien van hierdie 100 studente het ook aan die fokusgroepbesprekings deelgeneem. Pearson korrelasiekoëffisiënte toon hoogs beduidende korrelasies tussen bevestigende gesinskommunikasie en gesinsfunksionering. Verder is daar ook hoogs beduidende korrelasies gevind tussen gesinsfunksionering en openheid in kommunikasie tussen die adolessent en die ma en pa onderskeidelik. Die resultate van die meervoudige regressieontledings het getoon dat openheid in kommunikasie met die ma, bevestigende gesinskommunikasie en probleme in kommunikasie met die pa belangrike voorspellers was van gesinsfunksionering. Op grond van die fokusgroepbesprekings oor bevestigende gesinskommunikasie het drie kernkategorieë (met subtemas) deur ’n inhoudsanalise na vore gekom. Hierdie kernkategorieë is verbale bevestigende kommunikasie, nie-verbale bevestigende kommunikasie en funksionele bevestigende kommunikasie. Die bevindinge van hierdie ondersoek beklemtoon die belangrikheid van bevestigende gesinskommunikasie, veral in gesinne met adolessente kinders, terwyl dit ook ’n beskrywing bied van bevestigende gesinskommunikasie vanuit die perspektief van adolessente.

Thesis (MA (Dept. of Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / The current study was aimed at expanding on and understanding the adaptation and adjustment mechanisms used by families in the wake of heart-related trauma, as a means of providing information that reveals and supports the family's own abilities, capabilities and resilience. The theoretical framework of this study was the Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment and Adaptation (McCubbin & Thompson, 1991). The focus of this study is on the existing and new resources (including social support), the situation appraisal (including the family schema) and the problem solving and coping aspects of the family. This focus represents the paradigmatic shift from a pathological view of a family to a salutogenic view. Family resilience factors were collected through the self-report questionnaires and an open ended questionnaire, which were completed by the family member who experienced the heart-related trauma. Results indicated that family time and routines appeared to be a key process for mediating family adaptation, as well as parent-child togetherness and family chores. Affirming communication was identified as a key resilience enhancing factor. Communication that is inflammatory (incendiary communication) was found to have a negative effect on adaptation. Further key processes identified as influencing family adaptation were social support, family hardiness and reframing of problem situations. The identification of key processes that mediate recovery can serve as a valuable guide in the South African context for intervention and prevention, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of families and cardiovascular disease.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Afknouery is ’n algemene verskynsel onder laerskoolkinders. Alhoewel afknouery dikwels as ’n normale deel van die grootwordproses beskou word, dui verskeie ondersoeke op die negatiewe sosiale, sielkundige en fisiese gevolge wat daarmee gepaard gaan. Wanneer ’n kind geboelie word, raak dit noodwendig die hele gesin. Elke gesin het egter unieke eienskappe of maniere om krisisse (soos afknouery) te hanteer en daarby aan te pas. Gesinsveerkragtigheid verwys na die gesin se vermoë om weerstand te bied teen, en te herstel na, ontwrigtende lewensuitdagings. Die doel van hierdie ondersoek was om vas te stel watter gesinskenmerke geassosieer kan word met goeie aanpassing van gesinne waarvan ’n kind geboelie word. Die studiepopulasie was gesinne met laerskoolkinders wat vir ses maande of langer geboelie is in die voorafgaande drie jaar, en wat in die Suid-Kaap woon. Ma’s het as verteenwoordigers van hul gesinne opgetree en namens die gesinne aan die ondersoek deelgeneem. Agt-en-veertig verteenwoordigers van gesinne het elk sewe selfvoltooiingsvraelyste asook ’n biografiese vraelys met twee oop einde-vrae voltooi. Die resultate van die kwalitatiewe data het getoon dat gesinne veral deur die afknouery geraak is deurdat die kinders wat geboelie is, negatiewe emosies soos hartseer ervaar het. Die meeste gesinne het die afknouery hanteer deur met ’n onderwyser, skoolhoof of die beheerliggaam te gaan praat, of deur raad te gee aan die kind wat geboelie is. Die resultate van die kwantitatiewe data, wat met behulp van korrelasies en regressie-ontledings verkry is, het die volgende gesinsveerkragtigheidskenmerke geïdentifiseer: die kwaliteit van gesinskommunikasie, positiewe kommunikasiepatrone wat omgee en ondersteuning oordra, standvastigheid en duursaamheid van die gesinseenheid, die gesin se gevoel van interne sterk punte, betroubaarheid en die vermoë om saam te werk, die gesin se pogings om vernuwend en aktief te wees, om nuwe dinge te probeer en om te leer, die mate waartoe die gesin roetines gebruik en handhaaf, die gesin se klem op die vasstelling van voorspelbare kommunikasie tussen ouer en kind, die gesin se klem op die vasstelling van voorspelbare roetines om ’n kind se gevoel van selfbestuur en orde te bevorder, asook die gesin se klem op saamwees. Die bevindinge van hierdie ondersoek vul ’n leemte in die literatuur oor gesinne waarvan ’n kind geboelie word. Dit kan nuttig aangewend word in die beplanning en ontwikkeling van intervensies om hierdie gesinne te versterk en meer veerkragtig te maak. Die geïdentifiseerde gesinskenmerke laat ook die moontlikheid oop vir verdere navorsing om hierdie kenmerke in meer besonderhede te ondersoek en te beskryf. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Bullying is a common phenomenon among primary school children. Although bullying is often seen as a relatively normal part of growing up, various studies have indicated its negative social, psychological and physical effects. When a child is bullied, the matter inevitably concerns the whole family. However, every family has unique characteristics or ways of handling and adapting to a crisis (such as bullying). Family resilience refers to the family’s ability to withstand and rebound from disruptive life challenges. The goal of this study was to determine which family characteristics can be associated with positive adaptation in families of which a child had been bullied. The study population consisted of families with primary school children that had been bullied for six months or longer over the past three years, and reside in the Southern Cape. Mothers acted as representatives and participated in the study on behalf of their families. Forty eight family representatives each completed seven self-completing questionnaires as well as a biographical questionnaire containing two open ended questions. Results from the qualitative data, which was analysed using content analysis, showed that families were affected by the bullying, especially in the sense that the children that were bullied experienced negative emotions such as sadness. Most of the families coped with the bulling by talking to a teacher, principal or governing body, or by giving advice to the child that had been bullied. Results from the quantitative data, which was analysed using correlations and regression analyses, indicated positive correlations between family adaptation and quality of family communication, positive communication patterns that convey caring and support, fortitude and durability of the family unit, the family’s sense of internal strengths, dependability and the ability to work together, the family’s efforts to be innovative and active, to experience new things and to learn, the degree to which families use and maintain routines, the family’s emphasis on establishing predictable communication between parent and child, the family’s emphasis on establishing predictable routines to promote a child’s sense of autonomy and order, as well as the family’s emphasis on togetherness. The findings of the study fill a gap in the literature about families in which a child has been bullied. The findings can be utilised in the planning and developing of interventions to strengthen these families and to make them more resilient. The identified family characteristics also leave the possibility of further research to investigate and describe these characteristics in greater detail.

A descriptive study was conducted to examine the relationship between family support and elder well-being of a group of ambulatory elders living in the community. Information regarding the elder parent's reporting of the overall support received by adult children and its affect on well-being was sought. Forty five female subjects, aged 65 to 91 years, participated in this study. The subjects completed a questionnaire which included the Demographic Questionnaire, Family Support Exchange Questionnaire, Family APGAR, and Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale. The sample population was homogeneous and no significant correlations were demonstrated between quantity or quality measures of family support and elder well-being. The study findings were consistent with previous studies in that elder parents generally live in close proximity to at least one adult child and have frequent contact with them. Elderly parents were satisfied with the support they received from children and would confide in their children.

The influence of theoretically prominent family processes on late adolescent college student identity development was the focus of this study. The primary purpose was to test a model of adolescent identity development. This model proposed that family health variables would predict identity development, and that attachment and separation-individuation would each make unique and additive contributions to identity development. The second purpose was to identify instruments which discretely measured the family processes. The third purpose was to better understand family influences by measuring the processes of exploration and commitment. Participants were 150 male and 150 female college students, between the ages of 18 and 23, and from intact families. Questionnaires completed measured family functioning and identity development. Family functioning measures covered three domains (family health, attachment to parents, and separation-individuation) which formed the set of independent variables. The identity measures (ego identity status and identity process) comprised the dependent variables. A hierarchical regression design was employed where family health variables were entered first, followed by attachment variables, then separation-individuation variables. The results indicated mixed support of the model. First, the proposed model was statistically supported for females as all domains predicted identity achievement and diffusion. For males, only family health predicted identity achievement, and only separation-individuation predicted identity diffusion. Other important findings were that the attachment and separation-individuation domains both assessed forms of connectedness, suggesting only one domain. Thus, the separation-individuation component of the model was not supported. Second, similarity of attitudes consistently predicted identity achievement, diffusion, exploration, and commitment. Third, despite the use of rigorous criteria to obtain discrete scales representative of the theoretical constructs, overlap was discovered within and across domains. The roles of similarity of attitudes between adolescent and parent, and the family environments associated with identity achievement, diffusion, exploration, and commitment are discussed. In addition, methodological and measurement issues, limitations of the study, and implications for future research are examined.

Sixty-six people who had recently experienced the death of a parent or a spouse completed a questionnaire packet to assess their current grief symptomatology and some characteristics of the relationships within their family. Participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire 4-5 weeks after the death and then again six months later. The present study compared two competing models to explain whether the grief process affects the characteristics of relationships within the family system or that family characteristics affect the experienced grief symptoms.

This study seeks to explore longitudinally the changing behaviors and meanings of the symbols bound to family creation, size and unity in order to understand why and how they changed. The research method fuses historical facts collected from historical literature, the data from the participant’s interviews, and the ethnology of the American family made by David Schneider (1980), using symbolic anthropology as the guiding theoretical framework. The imposed gender differentiation, religious precepts, the shifting economic models, economic recessions, World War I and World War II, intellectual and technological developments, and the ideologies accompanying these events caused changes of human behavior and the redefinition of main cultural meanings of the symbols bound to family creation, size and unity. These resulted over time in a systematic shrinking of family creation and size and caused the re-conceptualizing of family unit. Yet, numbers of American family creation and size did not reach negative extremes, as they did in other developed nations. The resisting behavior emerges from the rich ethnic diversity in the nation that offers behavioral alternatives, the people’s trust their government and the American identity rooted on the founding ideals of the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2016. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Previous research demonstrates a marked increase in the occurrence of depression during adolescence, particularly for females. Research has found that this phenomenon is associated with the development of beliefs about the self, world, and future (known as the cognitive triad), which constitutes a potential cognitive vulnerability to depression. Research has also demonstrated that family characteristics, such as cohesion, communication, conflict, social/recreational activity, negative life events, and maternal depression are all related to depression and the development of a negative cognitive style. The purpose of the current study was to build upon previous literature on negative life events, family and cognitive correlates of depression in youth, and analyze specific cognitive-interpersonal pathways to depression for girls transitioning from childhood to adolescence. 194 girls ranging in age from 8 to 14 participated in the study, along with their mothers. Participants completed self-report measures of family environment, beliefs about the self, world, and future, and negative life events. Mothers completed a self-report measure of psychopathology. Participants also completed a diagnostic interview, which served as the primary measure of depressive symptoms. As found in similar studies and consistent with Beck’s theory of depression, daughter’s reports of cognitive triad predicted the severity of her depressive symptom severity. Moreover, the cognitive triad was found to be the mediating variable in the model; family variables affected daughter’s beliefs, which then affected depressive symptom severity. Specifically, girls who endorsed higher family conflict and lower social/recreational activity reported a more negative cognitive triad and subsequently higher levels of depression. Additionally, negative life events significantly affected cognitive triad and indirectly affected depressive symptoms via cognitive triad. Also, the interaction of negative life events and cognitive triad significantly affected depression. Further results indicated that the self subscale of the cognitive triad is a particularly important factor in this model of depression. Contrary to what was expected, mother’s reports of depressive symptoms did not predict daughter’s cognitive triad or depressive symptoms. Implications of these results, limitations, and recommendations for future research are provided. / text

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