M.Ed. (Educational Psychology) / The study is qualitative and entitled “Exploring how Masekitlane can be used as a narrative therapeutic tool with children in grade four". It focuses on investigating the indigenous game Masekitlane as a narrative therapeutic tool with children in grade 4, at a South African primary school. This tool seems to be relevant since South Africa is a multilingual and multicultural society and there is a need for indigenous therapeutic tools for children experiencing emotional difficulties at school. Kekae-Moletsane (2008) used Masekitlane as a therapeutic tool; Odendaal (2009) used it as an assessment tool and Modikoe (2010) supported the findings of Kekae-Moletsane and Odendaal. The game can be played by distressed children or children who are excited.The participants for the study were children who were referred in our unit (Inclusion & Special Schools) and were purposefully selected with the help of their educators. The participants were experiencing learning barriers but interaction with them revealed they were showing symptoms of emotional problems. Other participants in the study included two educators - the participant’s class educators and three family members of the participants. The theoretical approach adopted in the study was based on constructivism. Techniques from White and Epston's (1990) narrative therapy approach were used during the course of the interventions. Data were collected through interviews, open-ended questionnaires, observations and field notes. Analysis of the data was done through content analysis and the two major themes which emerged were narratives around the preparation of food and narratives about interactions in the family.. The findings from the study were that the use of Masekitlane as a therapeutic tool during narrative therapy allowed the participants to reflect their experiences with ease on urgent and less urgent issues, their past experiences and how they could use these to cope in future. Masekitlane can be used to obtain information about the context in which the children live, about their relationships and socialisation with family members in a way which enables the children not to be burdened by the intervention.

Despite South African forensic psychiatric institutions operating well over capacity, the urgent need for rehabilitation guidelines is neglected through lack of research in this area. This is further compounded by the constrained financial and professional resources available to the sector. The Fort England Hospital Buddy Programme (FEHBP) is a voluntary social and activity-based initiative involving 2 hourly visits between students and male forensic psychiatric patient volunteers. Through the use of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (Smith, 1996), the participants’ experience of the programme was further contextualised within their lives pre and post admission. While further exploration through research is required, it appeared that within institutional confines the FEHBP acted in a substitutionary and surrogacy capacity, as a space for the development of social competence. While participants appeared to experience a sense of protectiveness from the programme, the limitations and restrictions are acknowledged as an increased number and variety of social network links would be required for a more sustainable sense of subjective wellbeing to develop. The FEHBP demonstrates the use of non-professional (community involved) interventions within a forensic psychiatric context.

Thesis (MSc (Computer Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this thesis is to develop a generic 3D virtual environment development platform for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) therapy tools. The potential of using computerised therapy tools for ASD therapy is well known. However, the development of such tools is expensive and time-consuming, and is language and culture speci c. This work intends to alleviate these problems. The design of the platform is based on known game engine designs, but adapted for the requirements of ASD therapy tools. It supports standard features such as 3D rendering, animation and audio output. Speci c features, aimed at ASD therapy tools and educational games, included in our engine are: replays, data capturing, remote monitoring over a network and language localisation. We also implemented an input hardware abstraction layer to allow support for non-standard input peripherals in the future, without modifying existing game implementations. Furthermore, to separate the development of games and tools from the engine, we include wrapper libraries in our engine for Lua and Java. We successfully developed our engine and implemented a number of prototype therapy tools and educational games. These implementations confirmed that the engine works as expected. Some of these programs are currently in use at a local primary school. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie tesis is om 'n 3D virtuele omgewing en ontwikkelingsplatform vir outistiese spektrum versteuring (OSV) terapiemiddels te ontwikkel. Die gebruik van rekenaargebaseerde terapiemiddels vir OSV terapie is bekend. Om sulke terapiemiddels te ontwikkel is egter duur, tydrowend en is dikwels gerig op spesi eke taal- en kultuurgroepe. Hierdie werk het dit ten doel om hierdie probleme te bowe te kom. Die ontwerp van die platform is gebaseer op die ontwerp van bekende videospeletjie-enjins, maar is aangepas vir die benodigdhede van OSV terapiemiddels. Dit ondersteun standaard funksionaliteit soos 3D uitbeelding, animasie en klank. Ons platform sluit in spesi eke funksionaliteit, wat gerig is op OSV terapiemiddels en opvoedkundige speletjies, naamlik: kykweer, datavaslegging, afstandswaarneming oor 'n netwerk en taal-lokalisering. Verder is 'n abstrakte koppelvlak vir toevoerapparatuur ontwikkel, wat dit moontlik maak om in die toekoms nie-standaard toevoerapparatuur te ondersteun, sonder om bestaande speletjies se implementasies aan te pas. Verder, om die ontwikkeling van speletjies en terapiemiddels te skei van die enjin, is koppelvlakke ontwikkel wat dit moontlik maak om die enjin in Lua en Java te gebruik.

The main objective of this study is to construct a profile on the child with Fetal alcohol syndrome that can assist individuals working with these children. The focus of the study is the recognition of the emotional needs of the child with Fetal alcohol syndrome. Most studies done previously suggest that children with Fetal alcohol syndrome show behaviour similar to children with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. Although a child with Fetal alcohol syndrome shows the same characteristics as a child with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, the manifestation of their emotional needs differ. The Child with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder does not necessarily show symptoms of cognitive developmental delay where the child with Fetal alcohol syndrome show symptoms of cognitive developmental delays. A Gestalt play therapy model has been used to show that through play therapy the child with Fetal alcohol syndrome can be guided to emotional awareness. These techniques are easy to use and applicable in class situations where the childcare worker, teachers or counselor work with the child with Fetal alcohol syndrome. The empirical research was done by means of quantitative research with was done by using the Conner symptom checklist to determine if the child with Fetal alcohol syndrome is hyperactive and impulsive and qualitative research with was done by means of participating observation Gestalt play therapy with the child with Fetal alcohol syndrome. The results show that the child with Fetal alcohol syndrome is hyperactive, impulsive and inattentional. These guidelines provided in the study will help the teacher and the child with Fetal alcohol syndrome cope better in the classroom environment and the child will learn how to cope with his emotional behaviours. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

The main objective of this study is to construct a profile on the child with Fetal alcohol syndrome that can assist individuals working with these children. The focus of the study is the recognition of the emotional needs of the child with Fetal alcohol syndrome. Most studies done previously suggest that children with Fetal alcohol syndrome show behaviour similar to children with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. Although a child with Fetal alcohol syndrome shows the same characteristics as a child with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, the manifestation of their emotional needs differ. The Child with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder does not necessarily show symptoms of cognitive developmental delay where the child with Fetal alcohol syndrome show symptoms of cognitive developmental delays. A Gestalt play therapy model has been used to show that through play therapy the child with Fetal alcohol syndrome can be guided to emotional awareness. These techniques are easy to use and applicable in class situations where the childcare worker, teachers or counselor work with the child with Fetal alcohol syndrome. The empirical research was done by means of quantitative research with was done by using the Conner symptom checklist to determine if the child with Fetal alcohol syndrome is hyperactive and impulsive and qualitative research with was done by means of participating observation Gestalt play therapy with the child with Fetal alcohol syndrome. The results show that the child with Fetal alcohol syndrome is hyperactive, impulsive and inattentional. These guidelines provided in the study will help the teacher and the child with Fetal alcohol syndrome cope better in the classroom environment and the child will learn how to cope with his emotional behaviours. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

Text in Afrikaans with a summary in Afrikaans and English / The motivation for this study was to use animal-assisted therapy to the advantage of the child with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. The purpose of this study was to describe the use of therapeutic horse riding in Gestalt therapy and its influence on the awareness levels of the child with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome that present with Attention deficit/Hyperactivity disorder. For the purpose of this study a quantitative research approach with a descriptive nature was used. Semi-structured interviews were used to compile information about a single child in a therapeutic milieu. This information was combined with information gathered from the literature to compile guidelines for the counsellor. In this study horse riding was effectively combined with Gestalt play therapy to enhance the awareness levels of the child with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. / Die motivering van hierdie ondersoek was om diergefasiliteerde terapie tot voordeel van die kind met Fetale Alkohol Sindroom te benut. Die doel van die studie was om die benutting van terapeutiese perdry in Gestaltspelterapie en die invloed daarvan op die bewustheidsvlakke van die kind met Fetale Alkohol Sindroom wat met Aandagafleibaarheid/hiperaktiwiteitsindroom presenteer te beskryf. Vir die doel van hierdie studie is kwalitatiewe navorsing met 'n beskrywende aard benut. Semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude is gebruik om inligting in te samel rakende 'n enkele kind in 'n terapeutiese milieu. Hierdie inligting is gekombineer met die inligting uit die literatuur ten einde riglyne vir die berader op te stel. In hierdie studie is perdry effektief by Gestaltspelterapie geintegreer om die kind met Fetale Alkohol Sindroom se bewustheidsvlakke te verhoog. / Practical Theology / M.Diac. (Play Therapy)

Text in Afrikaans with a summary in Afrikaans and English / The motivation for this study was to use animal-assisted therapy to the advantage of the child with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. The purpose of this study was to describe the use of therapeutic horse riding in Gestalt therapy and its influence on the awareness levels of the child with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome that present with Attention deficit/Hyperactivity disorder. For the purpose of this study a quantitative research approach with a descriptive nature was used. Semi-structured interviews were used to compile information about a single child in a therapeutic milieu. This information was combined with information gathered from the literature to compile guidelines for the counsellor. In this study horse riding was effectively combined with Gestalt play therapy to enhance the awareness levels of the child with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. / Die motivering van hierdie ondersoek was om diergefasiliteerde terapie tot voordeel van die kind met Fetale Alkohol Sindroom te benut. Die doel van die studie was om die benutting van terapeutiese perdry in Gestaltspelterapie en die invloed daarvan op die bewustheidsvlakke van die kind met Fetale Alkohol Sindroom wat met Aandagafleibaarheid/hiperaktiwiteitsindroom presenteer te beskryf. Vir die doel van hierdie studie is kwalitatiewe navorsing met 'n beskrywende aard benut. Semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude is gebruik om inligting in te samel rakende 'n enkele kind in 'n terapeutiese milieu. Hierdie inligting is gekombineer met die inligting uit die literatuur ten einde riglyne vir die berader op te stel. In hierdie studie is perdry effektief by Gestaltspelterapie geintegreer om die kind met Fetale Alkohol Sindroom se bewustheidsvlakke te verhoog. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.Diac. (Play Therapy)

The South African Justice System is a broader system that brings law and order to society. This law and order also includes the constitutional rights of the sexually abused children. A special court dealing with cases of children who are sexually abused is functioning throughout the country. The purpose of this study is to develop a framework for social workers working with children in these special courts. The problem identified is that in these courts no framework exists for social workers focusing on the guidance of the child through the processes of the Justice System. This includes the therapeutic guidance by means of brief or directive therapy. The research methodology for this study focused on developmental research by using the Intervention research model of Rothman and Thomas (1994). The phases implemented in the study were Problem analysis and project planning, information gathering and synthesis and design. Qualitative data was gathered by means of semi-structured interviews and integrated in phase two of the research report. A proto-type guideline was developed and needs to be evaluated in future research. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Play Therapy)

The South African Justice System is a broader system that brings law and order to society. This law and order also includes the constitutional rights of the sexually abused children. A special court dealing with cases of children who are sexually abused is functioning throughout the country. The purpose of this study is to develop a framework for social workers working with children in these special courts. The problem identified is that in these courts no framework exists for social workers focusing on the guidance of the child through the processes of the Justice System. This includes the therapeutic guidance by means of brief or directive therapy. The research methodology for this study focused on developmental research by using the Intervention research model of Rothman and Thomas (1994). The phases implemented in the study were Problem analysis and project planning, information gathering and synthesis and design. Qualitative data was gathered by means of semi-structured interviews and integrated in phase two of the research report. A proto-type guideline was developed and needs to be evaluated in future research. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Play Therapy)