13 | P a g e SUMMARY In South Africa’s rapidly changing social and cultural context, where family dynamics and relationships are changing just as quickly, it is essential to discover which factors contribute to successful relationships that persist over time. Previous research has utilised the Investment Model Scale (Rusbult, 1980) in order to understand commitment processes and the constructs satisfaction, quality of alternatives and investment have been identified as key determinants of commitment in romantic contexts. In the present study however I investigated the primary research question, “How can commitment be measured in the context of family relationships?” Data collection took place through the Family Commitment Scale (which was adapted from the Investment Model Scale) and a new meaningfulness scale was added in an attempt to explore whether meaningfulness would be a better predictor of family commitment than satisfaction, quality of alternatives and investment. The statistical analyses were conducted with the purpose of examining the research question and hypotheses. The findings of the present study contribute to commitment literature by underlining the utility of the Invest Model Scale in nonromantic contexts and providing an instrument which can reliably measure family commitment. Meaningfulness is also highlighted as a motivational feature behind family commitment processes. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

The present exploratory study examines family conflict style as a correlate of commitment to the family of origin in a one-stage random cluster sample of 200 university students between the ages of 18 and 25. The hypothesis rests on the theoretical assumption that family climate factors, such as conflict, influences commitment to the family of origin. I argue that family conflict style (adaptive or maladaptive) is associated with the level of commitment to the family of origin. Surveys are utilised to collect data in the present study which includes two scales, namely the Family Conflict Style Scale (FCS) and the Family Commitment Scale (FC). The Family Commitment Scale (FC) is an adaptation of Rusbult’s (1998) Investment Model Commitment scale and the Family Conflict Scale (FCS) is a new scale that was constructed for the purpose of the present study, derived from Gottman’s (1993) definitions of couple conflict styles, in order to examine conflict styles within a family and to examine the correlations to see whether family conflict style can be associated with commitment. The Family Resilience Framework (Walsh, 2003) and the Marital Spillover Hypothesis (Gerard, Krishnakumar & Buehler, 2009) guides the present study in better understanding how the constructs marital conflict style and commitment can also be viewed as systemic variables influencing the entire family. Results revealed that all correlations between conflict styles and commitment to the family of origin were found to be significant at the -.01 level. Findings support the value in exploring family conflict style in relation to commitment to the family of origin and, for the current sample, suggest that a more adaptive conflict style positively relates to the level of commitment whereas a maladaptive conflict style negatively relates to the level of commitment to the family of origin. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / lk2014 / Educational Psychology / MEd / Unrestricted

The study aimed at investigating the role played by ABET programmes in the development of rural black women in the Omusati Region. The study was to determine whether the ABET programmes that are provided in the area are offering relevant education that helps the women of the area in their development. The research findings indicated that the ABET programmes offered are not providing the relevant skills needed to develop the women participants. The programmes that are offered concentrate on literacy and numeracy, and it seem not to be very effective in making a difference to the women's lives. Women needs skills that can help them generate income to improve their living conditions. The study, in summary, established that the programmes offered by the ABET centres would be more effective if skills training is included to uplift and improve the lives of the participants on a social, economical as well as educational level. / Agriculture, Animal Health and Human Ecology / M. Tech. (Human Resource Development)

The study aimed at investigating the role played by ABET programmes in the development of rural black women in the Omusati Region. The study was to determine whether the ABET programmes that are provided in the area are offering relevant education that helps the women of the area in their development. The research findings indicated that the ABET programmes offered are not providing the relevant skills needed to develop the women participants. The programmes that are offered concentrate on literacy and numeracy, and it seem not to be very effective in making a difference to the women's lives. Women needs skills that can help them generate income to improve their living conditions. The study, in summary, established that the programmes offered by the ABET centres would be more effective if skills training is included to uplift and improve the lives of the participants on a social, economical as well as educational level. / Agriculture, Animal Health and Human Ecology / M. Tech. (Human Resource Development)