The aim of this study was to explore and describe the psychosocial problems perceived (their phenomenological field) by children in middle childhood, living in shelters in the Cape Metropolitan Area. The psychosocial problems included poor self regulation as a result of disturbances in the contact cycle, restrictions in shelters negatively impacting the holistic sense of self, barriers hindering relationships with significant others and the continuation of violence into the participants‟ broader field. The experience of multiple losses and persistence of violent behavior within and without the shelter context was a thread that ran through this study. Current literature provided an overview of the theoretical underpinnings of this study which included the key tenets of Gestalt therapy theory, core Gestalt principles, the child living in a shelter and development in middle childhood. A qualitative research approach with a case study of ten children from three shelters was implemented. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

Text in Afrikaans / Satanisme het ‘n destruktiewe effek op die ontwikkeling en welsyn van die adolessent en beïnvloed alle vlakke van sy of haar ontwikkeling. Sataniste gebruik verskeie wyses om adolessente te lok, onder andere ‘n fokus op individue se behoeftes aan lewensmiddele soos geld en aanvaarding, Tydens hierdie studie is die gebrek aan riglyne vir spelterapeute in die hantering van adolessente wat in Satanisme betrokke is, as navorsingsprobleem geïdentifiseer. In die lig van die navorsingsprobleem is die doel van die studie geformuleer, naamlik om riglyne te formuleer waarvolgens spelterapeute die probleem van adolessente wat by Satanisme betrokke is te hanteer. Ten einde die doel te bereik, het die navorser inliging ingesamel aan die hand van kwalitatiewe prosesse, gebaseer op die basis van bewys gebondenheid Satanism has a destructive effect on the development and wellbeing of the adolescent and is known to influence all levels of his or her development. Satanists use a variety of forms of entrapment and their focus on the individual’s need of worldly goods, wealth and acceptance makes the adolescent easy prey. During this study the lack of guidelines, for play therapists who became involved in the handling of adolescents entrapped in Satanism, was identified as the research problem. Bearing in mind the research problem, the aim of this study had thus been formulated, namely to formulate guidelines according to which play therapists will be enabled to address the problem of adolescents entrapped in Satanism. To fulfill this aim, the researcher had gathered information by means of qualitative processes, based on evidence. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

Text in Afrikaans / This study is about the provision of a prototype court preparation programme for the primary school child that had been sexually assaulted. The programme is developed from a Gestalt approach. Literature regarding several existing court preparation programmes was studied and compared in order to identify certain themes for the child's preparation. Knowledge regarding the court, procedures and the functions of the various role players was conveyed to the child with emphasis on the child's role as witness. The research strategy utilised in the study was that of the intervention research and specifically the D&D-model that comprises six phases. The study incorporates the first three phases plus the first step of the fourth phase. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were utilised to establish which themes could be addressed to support the child towards being a credible witness. These themes are summarised in the court preparation programme and are addressed from the Gestalt approach. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Spelterapie)

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)

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / ADHD is a well-known disorder affecting approximately 8% of children in South Africa. Despite years of research and development re the disorder, it seems that parents and teachers sometimes do not have the ability to handle a child with ADHD. Since a lot of the information is contradictory, confusion exists among parents and teachers who act as the support system of the child with ADHD. ADHD is a serious and destructive disorder and can influence the child’s social functioning negatively. Due to continuous failure, the child with ADHD has a low self-esteem. These aspects are the point of reference for the aim of this study, namely the development and implementation of a Gestalt therapeutic intervention plan aimed at the empowerment of the child with ADHD in the middle childhood years, his supporting systems and the evaluation of the impact thereof. The empirical data was gathered by a process of intervention research. A combination of the qualitative and quantitative approach was used. During the use of the qualitative method, a quasi-experimental one-group-pretest-posttest design was utilized. During the qualitative phase, the phenomenological perspective was used. An in-depth literature study was done in respect of ADHD, the theoretic basis of ADHD, the child with ADHD in the middle childhood years and the ADHD from a Gestalt therapeutic perspective. This literature study was the starting point for the development of the comprehensive holistic intervention plan. The intervention plan consists of three programmes: Firstly an empowering program of six sessions aimed at the child in the middle childhood years with ADHD – attention was given to emotional awareness and the dealing with unfinished business. Secondly an empowering programme aimed at the parents consisting of four parental guidance sessions, and thirdly an empowerment programme aimed at the teachers, consisting of two workshops. / AandagTekortHiperaktiwiteitsVersteuring (ATHV) is 'n welbekende versteuring wat ongeveer 8% van SuidAfrikaanse kinders be'invloed. Ten spyte van jarelange navorsing en die verbetering van begrip vir die versteuring, blyk dit dat ouers en onderwysers steeds nie altyd oor die vermoe beskik om 'n kind met A THV te hanteer nie. Aangesien daar baie teenstrydige inligting beskikbaar is, word verwarring geskep by ouers en onderwysers, wat as die kind met A THV se steunstelsels moet dien. A THV is 'n ernstige en verwoestende versteuring en kan die kind se maatskaplike funksionering negatief be'invloed. As gevolg van voortdurende mislukking het die kind met ATHV dikwels 'n lae selfwaarde. Hierdie aspekte het as uitgangspunt gedien vir die doel van die ondersoek, naamlik die ontwikkeling en implementering van 'n Gestaltterapeutiese intervensieplan gerig op die bemagtiging van sowel die kind met A THV in die middelkinderjare, asook sy steunstelsels, en om die impak daarvan te evalueer. Tydens die ondersoek is 'n proses van intervensienavorsing gevolg wat 'n gekombineerde kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe navorsingsmetode is. In die benutting van die kwalitatiewe metode is 'n kwasie-eksperimentele een-groep-voortoets-natoetsstrategie benut. By die kwalitatiewe metode is vanuit die fenomenologiese perspektief gewerk. 'n Diepgaande literatuurstudie is gedoen ten opsigte van ATHV, die teoretiese begronding van ATHV, die kind met ATHV in die middelkinderjare en ATHV vanuit 'n Gestaltterapieperspektief. Hierdie literatuurstudie het as basis vir die ontwikkeling van 'n omvattende holistiese intervensieplan gedien. Die intervensieplan bestaan uit drie programme. Eerstens 'n bemagtigingsprogram van ses sessies gerig op die kind met A THV in die middelkinderjare waar die klem geplaas is op emosionele bewuswording en die hantering van onvoltooidhede. Tweedens 'n bemagtigingsprogram gerig op die ouers tydens vier ouerleidingsessies. Derdens 'n bemagtigingsprogram gerig op die onderwysers bestaande uit twee werkwinkels. Gestaltterapie het nie slegs as teoretiese verwysingsraamwerk tydens die ondersoek gedien nie, maar Gestaltterapeutiesemetodes is ook benut tydens die implementering van die intervensieplan. Resultate vanuit die empiriese gegewens dui aan dat die ouers en onderwysers se kennis ten opsigte van ATHV verbeter het, want hulle het hanteringstrategiee aangeleer en begin toepas, en daar was beter begrip tussen die skool en die ouers waarby die kinders gebaat het. Die kinders se selfwaarde is ook verhoog en hulle maatskaplike funksionering het verbeter. / Social Work / D. Diac. (Play Therapy)

The aim of this study was to explore and describe the psychosocial problems perceived (their phenomenological field) by children in middle childhood, living in shelters in the Cape Metropolitan Area. The psychosocial problems included poor self regulation as a result of disturbances in the contact cycle, restrictions in shelters negatively impacting the holistic sense of self, barriers hindering relationships with significant others and the continuation of violence into the participants‟ broader field. The experience of multiple losses and persistence of violent behavior within and without the shelter context was a thread that ran through this study. Current literature provided an overview of the theoretical underpinnings of this study which included the key tenets of Gestalt therapy theory, core Gestalt principles, the child living in a shelter and development in middle childhood. A qualitative research approach with a case study of ten children from three shelters was implemented. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

Text in Afrikaans / Satanisme het ‘n destruktiewe effek op die ontwikkeling en welsyn van die adolessent en beïnvloed alle vlakke van sy of haar ontwikkeling. Sataniste gebruik verskeie wyses om adolessente te lok, onder andere ‘n fokus op individue se behoeftes aan lewensmiddele soos geld en aanvaarding, Tydens hierdie studie is die gebrek aan riglyne vir spelterapeute in die hantering van adolessente wat in Satanisme betrokke is, as navorsingsprobleem geïdentifiseer. In die lig van die navorsingsprobleem is die doel van die studie geformuleer, naamlik om riglyne te formuleer waarvolgens spelterapeute die probleem van adolessente wat by Satanisme betrokke is te hanteer. Ten einde die doel te bereik, het die navorser inliging ingesamel aan die hand van kwalitatiewe prosesse, gebaseer op die basis van bewys gebondenheid Satanism has a destructive effect on the development and wellbeing of the adolescent and is known to influence all levels of his or her development. Satanists use a variety of forms of entrapment and their focus on the individual’s need of worldly goods, wealth and acceptance makes the adolescent easy prey. During this study the lack of guidelines, for play therapists who became involved in the handling of adolescents entrapped in Satanism, was identified as the research problem. Bearing in mind the research problem, the aim of this study had thus been formulated, namely to formulate guidelines according to which play therapists will be enabled to address the problem of adolescents entrapped in Satanism. To fulfill this aim, the researcher had gathered information by means of qualitative processes, based on evidence. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

The research deals with the empowerment of adolescent victims of family violence. The purpose of the study was to give an account of the therapeutic intervention process of two case studies, by means of a descriptive, qualitative type of research. This research was executed via semi-structured interviews by the researcher. The population in the study was limited to adolescent victims between the age of twelve to eighteen years, who are victims of family violence. The sample in this study was two respondents. The children are students at a high school in Roodepoort. After completion of the empiric study it was concluded that the adolescent who is exposed to family violence, is empowered if a therapeutic process - like the one suggested by Oaklander (1994:289) which applies gestalt play therapeutic techniques - is followed. As clearly shown in the literature, the researcher came to the conclusion that family violence has a destructive effect on the adolescent and that he can be empowered by gestalt play therapy. OPSOMMING Die navorsing handel oor die bemagtiging van adolessente slagoffers van gesinsgeweld. Die doel van die studie was om deur middel van 'n beskrywende, kwalitatiewe tipe navorsing die terapeutiese intervensieproses van twee gevallestudies te beskryf. Hierdie navorsing het met behulp van semi-gestruktureerde onderhoudvoering geskied. Die populasie in die studie was begrens tot adolessente slagoffers tussen die ouderdom twaalf tot agtien jaar wat slagoffers van gesinsgeweld is. Die steekproef in hierdie studie was twee respondente. Die kinders is verbonde aan 'n hoërskool te Roodepoort. Daar is na afloop van die empiriese studie tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat indien 'n terapeutiese proses - soos wat deur Oaklander (1994:289) voorgestel word met die benutting van gestaltspelterapeutiese tegnieke - deurloop word, die adolessent wat aan gesinsgeweld blootgestel word, bemagtig word. Soos ook uit die literatuur duidelik blyk, het die navorser die afleiding gemaak dat gesinsgeweld vernietigend op die adolessent inwerk en dat hy deur gestaltspelterapie bemagtig kan word. / Social work / MDIAC (PLAY THERAPY)

The aim of the research study was to explore resilience in refugee children, using a Gestalt approach to play therapy. The hypothesis, was that a Gestalt approach to play therapy could promote resilience in Refugee children. A literature review was conducted. This revealed that unaccompanied refugee children were unique because they need to deal with trauma, loss and change while having to adjust to living in a new country and many have to learn to speak a new language. The research method was a multiple case study and an intervention research model was used to implement the research. Schoeman's Working Model was used as the Gestalt play therapy approach. Attributes of resilient children were used to measure the results. The researcher concluded that play therapy with a Gestalt approach may promote resilience in refugee children because it increases the numbers of protective factors in a child's life. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Seksuele misbruik is 'n brutale vorm van kindermishandeling wat kommerwekkende afmetings in Suid-Afrika aanneem. Hierdie traumatiese gebeurtenis het emosioneel 'n geweldige negatiewe impak op die kinderslagoffer. Hierdie studie is gerig deur die uitgangspunt dat terapeute, deur middel van Gestaltspelterapie, hierdie kinderslagoffers moet lei in die hantering van hierdie trauma en die gevolge daarvan. Die gebrek aan riglyne vir die terapeut om die seksueel misbruikte kind in die middelkinderjare te hanteer is as navorsingsprobleem geformuleer. Die doel van die studie was dus om vanuit 'n Gestaltspelterapeutiese benadering riglyne vir terapeute daar te stel in die hantering van die seksueel misbruikte kind in die middelkinderjare ten einde die kind te bemagtig. Om hierdie doel te bereik, is die navorsingsproses deur kwalitatiewe navorsing gerig en individuele gevallestudies voltooi deur die terapeutiese proses met drie kinderslagoffers te deurloop. Die data wat bekom is kon deur middel van data-analise en literatuurkontrole aangewend word om riglyne saam te stel. Daar is dus in die doel van die ondersoek geslaag, naamlik die daarstelling van riglyne vir die hantering van die seksueel misbruikte kind in die middelkinderjare. / Sexual abuse is a brutal form of child abuse that has reached exasperating proportions in South Africa. This traumatic event has an enormously negative emotional impact on the child victim. This study is directed by the premise that therapists', by means of Gestalt play therapy, should guide these victimized children in dealing with this trauma and its consequences. The research problem for the study was formulated as the lack of guidelines for the therapist to deal with the sexually abused child in middle childhood. The aim of the study was to provide therapists' with guidelines designed from the approach of Gestalt play therapy for dealing with and empowering the sexually abused child in middle childhood. In order to achieve this goal, qualitative research was employed, while individual case studies were carried out by applying the therapeutic process to three victimized children. The data obtained was analyzed, checked against existing literature, and used to compile the guidelines. Thus, the goal of the research was achieved, namely to provide guidelines for dealing with the sexually abused child in middle childhood. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)