The purpose of this study was to develop theoretical insight on the concepts of trust and diversity climate and to empirically test for any possible relationships between these two concepts within a tertiary institution. For the purpose of this study trust was defined as the willingness of a party to be vulnerable to the actions of another party based on the expectation that the other will perform a particular action important to the trustor, irrespective of the ability to monitor or control that other party. Diversity climate was defined as the employees‟ perceptions of the policies and practices that communicate the extent to which fostering diversity and eliminating discrimination is a priority in the organisation. The study took on a quantitative approach and the questionnaire used in the study was a combination of three previously validated instruments. Trust was measured through a combination of the organizational trust inventory and the behavioural trust inventory. The dimensions used to measure trust, included, propensity towards trust, ability, benevolence, integrity, trust, reliance based trust and disclosure based trust. The diversity climate was measured through a diversity climate assessment instrument that consisted of nine items. The results indicate that the employees agree that the organization is committed towards diversity management and eliminating discrimination. A correlation analysis between the dimensions of trust and diversity climate revealed that all of the trust dimensions, except for the propensity towards trust have some sort of relationship with diversity climate. The results further indicated that the group of employees that only have an education up to Matric/Grade 12 indicated a higher propensity towards trust than compared to the group that has either a diploma or a post graduate degree. Propensity towards trust and disclosure based trust dimensions revealed the only noticeable differences between the Black and White groups. There was no practical significance within the diversity climate construct for the gender, education, ethnic, employment status or level of employment groups and this should be regarded as a positive result for the institution. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Resistant behaviour is a serious reality in South African primary schools. South Africa’s teachers strive to be agents of positive change amidst the multiple challenges they and their learners encounter, yet they admittedly experience daily frustration at addressing resistant behaviour. Considering the harsh external realities which many learners encounter, resistant behaviour cannot be expected to disappear at the introduction of specific techniques. The research consequently aimed to examine and describe Grade 5 teachers’ perceptions of resistance with the objective of improving teacher-learner relationships. A phenomenological paradigm structured this qualitative study to determine how grade 5 teachers perceive resistance through their direct experiences. The research involved focus group discussions and interviews. Fourteen teachers participated, representing three private and three public schools in Gauteng. Selection criteria included: a recognised teaching qualification, teaching experience of minimum two years, currently teaching Grade 5 learners, a commitment to teach demonstrated through course attendance and enhancement of the school’s curriculum, and the ability to speak English. During each focus group discussion, one introductory question was asked: “Please share your perceptions of resistant behaviour shown by children in your Grade 5 classes”. Additional funnelling and probing questions were utilized. Prior to data gathering, one participant per school was requested to volunteer to participate in an individual interview, in addition to the focus group discussion. During the interview, two introductory questions were asked: “How did you experience the focus group discussion pertaining to teacher perceptions of the resistant behaviour displayed by children in Grade 5?” and “What is your view of the conclusion/s reached during the discussion?” These questions were followed by funnelling questions. Content analysis was used with Interpretative phenomenological analysis to understand meanings ascribed to coded texts. Emerging findings were depicted visually to identify data patterns as part of thematic analysis until themes crystallised. Amongst findings understood from a causal, contextual and developmental perspective, unique findings emerged revealing that a relationship exists between teachers’ perceptions of resistant behaviour and the school ethos, that resistance can reveal creativity and divergent thinking processes, and that considering resistant behaviour from a future-minded perspective can enable teachers to see resistant behaviour as indicative of underlying skills needed by society, if developed as strengths. The findings support international research with one marked exception: that the examples provided in the literature affect the resistant learner personally, whereas the examples provided by the participants affect the other learners, teachers and the school itself. The findings contribute meaningfully to the debate regarding how to manage school resistance. The researcher recommends further studies be carried out to determine if the findings are reflective of most Grade 5 teachers. If so, it is advised that the findings be shared so that teachers become aware of alternate ways to interpret resistance and possibly to enhance their professional development by reformulating their current thought processes around resistance. The researcher recommends that the relationship between school ethos and resistant behaviour be explored to assist teachers in contextualising their management of resistance. / MA (Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Thesis (doctoral)--University of Göteborg, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references.

Risk behaviour amongst adolescents represents a major public health challenge in South Africa particularly when considering the statistics on sexually active youth, adolescent pregnancies, smoking, drinking and drug abuse amongst the youth. Although various reasons can be given to explain this phenomenon, the parent–adolescent relationship has proven to be a huge factor in the prevention of risk behaviour. However, even though the importance of such a relationship has been proven, risk behaviour amongst adolescents still persists. This study specifically looks at the dialogical parent–adolescent relationship and how adolescents who engage in risk behaviour are affected by the relationship and how it can prevent risk behaviour. The content of section A explains the orientation towards the research, the problem rationale and the goals and objectives of the study. The researcher followed a qualitative approach as she tried to obtain an understanding of adolescent risk behaviour and how the nature of the dialogical parent–adolescent relationship could prevent such risk behaviour. Semi–structured interviews were conducted with five girls and three boys who lived in Pretoria, as well as with their parents. The adolescents were between the ages of 14 and 17 and all engaged in risk behaviour. In section B a literature study is given with a brief outline of the methodology that was used. Specific focus falls on the findings of the study. Section C contains the summary, evaluation and conclusions of the overall study. This research was done in order to make recommendations to parents of adolescents who engage in risk behaviour as a possible way to prevent it. This study highlighted how unprepared and uninformed parents were in terms of their parental skills and the needs of their adolescent children. The study also highlighted the need of the adolescents to be validated, and the lack of understanding and warmth in the manner that their parents relate to them. Adolescents still need parental guidance and a sense of belonging. The very poor relationships that exist between parents and adolescents strengthened the researcher’s hypothesis that the adolescents get involved in a range of dubious activities and their parents’ ineffectiveness to intervene and assist their adolescents through these challenging times, may lead to risk behaviour. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Risk behaviour amongst adolescents represents a major public health challenge in South Africa particularly when considering the statistics on sexually active youth, adolescent pregnancies, smoking, drinking and drug abuse amongst the youth. Although various reasons can be given to explain this phenomenon, the parent–adolescent relationship has proven to be a huge factor in the prevention of risk behaviour. However, even though the importance of such a relationship has been proven, risk behaviour amongst adolescents still persists. This study specifically looks at the dialogical parent–adolescent relationship and how adolescents who engage in risk behaviour are affected by the relationship and how it can prevent risk behaviour. The content of section A explains the orientation towards the research, the problem rationale and the goals and objectives of the study. The researcher followed a qualitative approach as she tried to obtain an understanding of adolescent risk behaviour and how the nature of the dialogical parent–adolescent relationship could prevent such risk behaviour. Semi–structured interviews were conducted with five girls and three boys who lived in Pretoria, as well as with their parents. The adolescents were between the ages of 14 and 17 and all engaged in risk behaviour. In section B a literature study is given with a brief outline of the methodology that was used. Specific focus falls on the findings of the study. Section C contains the summary, evaluation and conclusions of the overall study. This research was done in order to make recommendations to parents of adolescents who engage in risk behaviour as a possible way to prevent it. This study highlighted how unprepared and uninformed parents were in terms of their parental skills and the needs of their adolescent children. The study also highlighted the need of the adolescents to be validated, and the lack of understanding and warmth in the manner that their parents relate to them. Adolescents still need parental guidance and a sense of belonging. The very poor relationships that exist between parents and adolescents strengthened the researcher’s hypothesis that the adolescents get involved in a range of dubious activities and their parents’ ineffectiveness to intervene and assist their adolescents through these challenging times, may lead to risk behaviour. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Stockholm University, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references.

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering / unrestricted

Aandagtekort-hiperaktiwiteitsversteuring (ATHV) is een van die deeglikste nagevorste opvoedkundig-sielkundige versteurings. Dit is ook een van die versteurings waarvan die voorkoms drasties vermeerder het oor die laaste drie dekades, met ʼn voorkoms by skoolkinders van 3 tot 17%. Dit kom ook by volwassenes voor. Stimulantmedikasie word algemeen in die behandeling van ATHV voorgeskryf. Ander algemene behandelingsmodaliteite sluit onder andere gedragsterapie, dieët aanpassings en arbeidsterapie in. Oefening as hulpmiddel in die bestuur van ATHV, word goed in die literatuur beskryf, maar word ten spyte hiervan nie algemeen voorgeskryf in die behandeling van ATHV nie. Die primêre doel van die studie was om die rol wat die biokinetikus as oefenkundige te speel het in die bestuur van ATHV, te ondersoek. Die hipotese was dat ATHV-pasiënte wat deelneem aan ʼn oefenprogram onder leiding van ʼn biokinetikus, ʼn verbetering sal toon in akademiese prestasie en gedrag. Die verband tussen ATHV-simptome, aërobiese fiksheid, soepelheid, liggaamsamestelling en balans is ook ondersoek. Deur middel van ʼn meervuldige gevallestudieontwerp is die rol van die biokinetikus in dié verband ondersoek. ʼn Gemengde benadering, met kwantitatiewe sowel as kwalitatiewe elemente, is gebruik ten einde ʼn ryk en omvattende studie te kon doen. Riglyne vir die assessering van ATHV-pasiënte, asook beste oefenpraktyke, is uit die literatuur afgelei. Vyf deelnemers het vir ʼn tydperk van twee tot drie skoolkwartale aan die studie deelgeneem. Die intervensie het bestaan uit ʼn oefenprogram van ongeveer 30 minute per dag, vyf dae per week. Al die deelnemers is vooraf, asook tydens en na die studie getoets aan die hand van die volgende: Liggaamsamestelling, aërobiese fiksheid, soepelheid en balans. Onderhoude met onderwyseresse en ouers, skoolrapporte en vraelyste is verder gebruik om inligting in te samel. Deelnemers het ook narratiewe verslae gelewer oor die belewenis van hulle deelname. Die resultate van hierdie studie het die hipotese ondersteun. Die deelnemers het verbeterings ten opsigte van akademiese prestasie en gedrag getoon. Hulle aërobiese kapasiteit, liggaamsamestelling, soepelheid en balans het ook verbeter en die verband tussen die onderskeie parameters en die ATHVsimptome van elke deelnemer, is aangetoon en individueel bespreek. ʼn Gedeelde sorgooreenkomsmodel is ontwikkel om die rol van die biokinetikus duidelik aan te dui. ʼn Evaluasieprotokol vir gebruik deur biokinetici is ontwikkel en riglyne vir programontwerp vir die ATHV-pasiënt is saamgestel. Die gevolgtrekking van die studie is dat die biokinetikus ʼn besliste rol te speel het in die bestuur van ATHV. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Biokinetics, Sport and Leisure Sciences / unrestricted

As stated in the Children’s Act 38 of 2005, learners with behavioural programmes are accommodated in child and youth centres (former industrial schools), and require professional and specialised support. These learners generally display challenging, unacceptable and anti-social behaviour, which must be addressed and handled by teachers and professional support staff. A holistic perspective is needed to meet these learners’ needs and in order to support learners with behavioural problems in child and youth centres, educational services, as well as medical, psychological and other support services must be available. These specialised support services are crucial in the efforts to address the behavioural problems of the learners. The aim of the support to learners with behavioural problems in child and youth centres is to improve the learning ability of the learners with behavioural problems, as well as to change their behavioural patterns in order for them to embrace opportunities in which they will be able to re-enter society successfully and live as well-adapted and functional individuals. Child and youth centres need to make interest groups aware of the challenges with which teachers and professional support staff are confronted on a daily basis in their efforts to support learners with behavioural problems. The aim of this study is to determine what the experiences are of the teachers and professional support staff with regard to the support to learners with behavioural problems in a child and youth centre. To reach the goal of this study, one research question was formulated: “What are the experiences of teachers and professional support staff with regard to the support of learners with behavioural problems in a child and youth centre?” A purposive sample was used, namely the teachers and professional support staff in a child and youth centre in the Ekurhuleni District, were chosen to participate in the research study. The teachers’ group includes the principal, the head of the department and teachers, while the professional support staff included an educational psychologist, a nurse, a social worker and a child and youth worker. The researcher used semi-structured individual interviews which were recorded with the consent of the participants. The recordings were transcribed, interpreted and refined to codes, themes, categories and subcategories. Ethical procedures were followed and approval of the Faculty of Educational Sciences’ Ethics Committee at the North-West University was obtained. Since qualitative studies, which investigates and describes the daily experiences of the teachers and professional support staff in supporting learners with behavioural problems in child and youth centres, are limited, a phenomenological approach, which included an interpretivist paradigm was used to investigate and describe the phenomenon. Meaningful factual conclusions related to the study’s findings, were identified, namely: learners with behavioural problems are provocative and several factors influence the support to the learners negatively; teachers and professional support staff experience uncertainty with regard to their respective responsibilities in the child and youth centre; verbal and physical attacks by the learners on the teachers and professional support staff; and lastly, positive experiences with regard to the support to the learners in a child and youth centre are few and far between. Conceptual findings are enlightened and supported by means of the radical behaviouristic theory, the cognitive social theory, the bio-ecological theory and the social capital theory. In conclusion of the phenomenological qualitative interpretivist study, the researcher offers valuable suggestions with regard to the support to learners with behavioural problems in a child and youth centre. / MEd (Learner Support), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The purpose of this study was to explore the factors that contribute to prosocial behaviour in maltreated adolescent females living in a children’s home in the Tshwane-metropole, Gauteng, South Africa. The age of the participants varied between 14 and 18 years. The study was approved by the Internal Research Panel and Faculty Board of the North-West University. Approval was also obtained from the children's home where the study was conducted. The researcher worked from a positive psychology paradigm which guided the researcher to focus on the participants' strengths and positive aspects which contributed to their display of prosocial behaviour. A literature study was conducted to provide the researcher with a clearer understanding of the meaning of the research problem. The literature study focused on the development of prosocial behaviour and adolescent development within the context of child maltreatment. The researcher utilised a qualitative research approach, which enabled her to describe and understand the participants' behaviour. As methodology, the researcher utilised an intrinsic case study design and participants were selected based on purposive sampling. Data collection relied on two semi-structured interviews per participant which provided the opportunity for participants to share their thoughts, feelings and perceptions. Thematic data analysis was performed, using Creswell’s spiral of data analysis. During data analysis, regarding the factors surrounding the prosocial behaviour of maltreated adolescent females living in residential care, two main contributing themes were identified, namely: * Internal factors * External factors Internal factors illuminate the importance of (1) a moral identity that guides behaviour according to internalised moral values; (2) an internal locus of control which attests to the participants’ view of themselves as active role-players and not mere victims of circumstances, and (3) cognitive skills demonstrated in the capacity to engage in critical thinking. External factors emphasise the importance of (1) attachment figures and positive role-models that model moral values and (2) a supportive, nurturing environment. Internal and external factors do not operate in isolation, but there is rather a definite interplay between these factors, such as attachment figures in the environment (external factor) who model moral values which the child incorporates into her identity in the attainment of a moral identity (internal factor). Strategies to broaden support networks for children should receive attention within the child welfare context, as they could, among other factors, promote positive outcomes for youth in residential care. / MA (Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014