Summaries in Afrikaans and Engish / The aim of this research was to explore the emotional experience of grade 7 learners in a gang afflicted area. The researcher further investigated how the learners experience this gang violence and how they give meaning to it The researcher also examined the possible ways in which the educational psychologist could assist these learners in actualising their full potential. A literature study of relevant sources has been undertaken to establish the theoretical context of the gang related problem. Two groups of 8 grade 7 learners were used as respondents in the empirical study. The qualitative research method has been used and the researcher made use of focus groups and interviews as measuring instruments. The results of the empirical study have shown that learners experience gang violence negatively when they are exposed to it on a regular basis and that it impacts negatively on their performance at school. / Die doel van hierdie ondersoek was om die emosionele belewing van graad 7-leerders in 'n bendegeteisterde gebied te ondersoek. Daar is ook ondersoek ingestel na die belewing van leerders van die bendegeweld en op watter wyse hulle daaraan betekenis gee. Voorts is daar ook gekyk na moontlike hulpverlening aan hierdie bendegeteisterde leerders deur die opvoedkundige sieikundige ten einde die leerders te help om hulle volle potensiaal te verwesenlik. 'n Literatuurstudie van relevante kontemporere bronne is onderneem om die teoretiese konteks van die bendeprobleem te bepaal. Vir die empiriese ondersoek is daar twee groepe van 8 leerders elk uit 'n graad 7-klas as respondente gebruik. Die kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetode is gebruik en daar is spesifiek gefokus op fokusgroepe en die voer van onderhoude. Die resultate uit die empiriese ondersoek het getoon dat leerders die gereele blootstelling aan bendegeweid negatief beleef en dat dit negatief op hulle skoolwerk impakteer. / Psychology of Education / M.Ed. (Specialisation in Guidance and Counselling)

Summaries in Afrikaans and Engish / The aim of this research was to explore the emotional experience of grade 7 learners in a gang afflicted area. The researcher further investigated how the learners experience this gang violence and how they give meaning to it The researcher also examined the possible ways in which the educational psychologist could assist these learners in actualising their full potential. A literature study of relevant sources has been undertaken to establish the theoretical context of the gang related problem. Two groups of 8 grade 7 learners were used as respondents in the empirical study. The qualitative research method has been used and the researcher made use of focus groups and interviews as measuring instruments. The results of the empirical study have shown that learners experience gang violence negatively when they are exposed to it on a regular basis and that it impacts negatively on their performance at school. / Die doel van hierdie ondersoek was om die emosionele belewing van graad 7-leerders in 'n bendegeteisterde gebied te ondersoek. Daar is ook ondersoek ingestel na die belewing van leerders van die bendegeweld en op watter wyse hulle daaraan betekenis gee. Voorts is daar ook gekyk na moontlike hulpverlening aan hierdie bendegeteisterde leerders deur die opvoedkundige sieikundige ten einde die leerders te help om hulle volle potensiaal te verwesenlik. 'n Literatuurstudie van relevante kontemporere bronne is onderneem om die teoretiese konteks van die bendeprobleem te bepaal. Vir die empiriese ondersoek is daar twee groepe van 8 leerders elk uit 'n graad 7-klas as respondente gebruik. Die kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetode is gebruik en daar is spesifiek gefokus op fokusgroepe en die voer van onderhoude. Die resultate uit die empiriese ondersoek het getoon dat leerders die gereele blootstelling aan bendegeweid negatief beleef en dat dit negatief op hulle skoolwerk impakteer. / Psychology of Education / M.Ed. (Specialisation in Guidance and Counselling)