Thesis (M.Soc.Sc. Psychology)--University of Waikato, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 75-80) Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (D. Ed.)--University of Oregon, 2006. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 111-116). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

Thesis (Ed. S.)--Miami University, Dept. of Educational Psychology, 2007. / Title from first page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 51-53).

Thesis (M.Ed.)--Bowling Green State University, 2007. / Document formatted into pages; contains vii, 80 p. Includes bibliographical references.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of an aerobic training program on the aerobic fitness and blood lipid profiles of 24 premenarcheal (PREM) and 41 postmenarcheal (POSTM) volunteers. A second intent was to test for differences in the responsiveness of the two maturity groups to the program. Subjects in each maturity level were assigned to a control (C) or training (T) group. Training consisted of 30 min continous cycling at 75% max heart rate, three times per week for 12 weeks. All subjects were tested before the training, at week 6 and at the end of week 12. Anthropometric measurements, ventilatory threshold (VT), VO2 max and anaerobic capacity (AC), measured as total work performed during a 30 s Wingate test, were determined for all subjects at each test period. Serum total triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density (LDL-C), very low density (VLDL-C), and high density (HDL-C) lipoprotein cholesterols as well as subfractions HDL2 and HDL3 were measured pre and post training. Analysis of variance with repeated measures revealed that both PREM groups increased their VO2 max (p $<$.001), however the increase in PREM-T exceeded that of PREM-C (p $<$.01). A training effect for VO$\sb2$ max was also observed in the POSTM-T compared to POSTM-C subjects (p $<$.001) and this increase was similar to that of PREM-T. No changes in serum TG, TC, LDL, VLDL, or HDL were reported for any group. HDL2 values decreased in all groups (p $<$.001), with larger change occurring in the PREM subjects (p $<$.001). Although an increase in HDL3 was observed for all groups (p $<$.001), the increase in PREM was greater than in POSTM (p $<$.01). No training effect was found in either HDL subfraction. It was concluded that VO2 max was equally sensitive to the endurance training in both PREM and POSTM subjects. It was also suggested that, in young females, VT and AC may not be as responsive to endurance training as VO2 max. The lack of a training effect on the blood lipids and lipoproteins may be attributed to the normal concentrations in the subjects prior to the study. It is also possible that 12 weeks were insufficient to produce changes in the blood lipid profiles of the subjects. / Graduate

D.Litt. et Phil. / The psychological impact of childhood sexual abuse has been widely researched. Despite the numerous negative effects cited in the literature, few studies have focused on the treatment of children within this population group. Furthermore, a minority of research has investigated the efficacy of group therapy and art therapy as a treatment approach with these children, and even fewer studies have focused on the combination of group art therapy. Evident is particularly the lack of control groups consisting of sexually abused children with which to compare results and utilise as an indicator of treatment effect. The most prevalent symptoms found among sexually abused children seem to include depression and anxiety. Although fewer studies have focused on variables such as sexual trauma and self-esteem, these symptoms also seem common. Children between the age of 7 and 13 years seem to experience the most negative consequences associated with sexual abuse, and seem to be particularly susceptible to the development of emotional, behavioural, cognitive, and social difficulties. The purpose of the present study was to design a group art therapy intervention aimed at reducing depression, anxiety, sexual trauma, and low self-esteem, and to evaluate the success rate of the programme using the Solomon four-group design. The Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children and the Human Figure Drawing were used as measures for assessing symptom change both within and between the four groups. A sample of 25 sexually abused girls, aged 8 to 11 years was recruited using a purposive sampling technique. Criteria for selection further involved having the ability to speak English and living with a non-offending caretaker. For practical reasons groups were selected from children’s homes in the Gauteng area. The sample consisted of four groups, namely two experimental groups and two control groups, whereby the experimental groups received the treatment and the control groups did not. The first experimental group and the first control group were assessed prior to and after termination of the therapy. The purpose was to measure the degree of change as a result of the intervention. The control groups were provided with the therapy after the post-test had been administered. Results indicate that the experimental group improved significantly compared to the control groups with regard to anxiety, depression and sexual trauma. Furthermore, in the absence of the intervention the control group demonstrated deterioration between the pre- and post-test. The study indicates a high success rate using the group art therapy intervention. It is anticipated that the value of this study may further enhance the quality of future research on this topic.

This study aimed to construct, and implement an in-school "art expression" based programme designed to aid in mitigation of psychological stress, behavioural difficulties, and self-negativity frequently experienced by marginalised children. It was developed for application within schools that cater for children exposed to neglect and/or abuse resulting from poverty in South Africa. This programme outline was developed and implemented through intensive exploration and review of previously effective art therapy, art expressive methods and techniques in similar contexts, together with the knowledge and experience of a qualified art therapist and educational psychologist. Data was collected through open-ended informal qualitative interviews, observations, and photographs of artworks produced during sessions. These were then analysed in conjunction, using the content analysis method, visual interpretive measures and thematic analysis. This enquiry documented the process of art creation through "art expression", and its ability to ameliorate psychological difficulties affecting marginalised children in South Africa. Following the establishment of trust between the researchers and the participants, the results found that the use of different art modalities demonstrated predominantly positive results in varying degrees. It is hoped that this study can be used to further practical interventions of this nature in comparable milieus in South Africa.

No description available.

No description available.

This thesis argued that Physical Education is marginalised in the South African primary school education sector. Through this marginalisation, Physical Education has been reduced from having full subject status, to being only one of the components of one of the primary school learning areas, namely, Life Orientation. Simultaneously, Physical Education finds itself in a situation in which it is generally being taught by a class teacher and no longer by a specialist Physical Education teacher. Possible reasons for this marginalisation are expressed, however, the argument that Physical Education is an imperative in the holistic development of the child, is also espoused. This thesis critically examined the route that South African primary school education is taking and focused on the issues of holistic education and development, Outcomes-based Education and Life Orientation.