The phenomenon of interracial couples who are also parents is on the increase in South Africa, since one in every four marriages is interracial. An empirical study was undertaken to conduct applied, exploratory, descriptive, evidence-based research to describe the perspectives of interracial parents as related to Gestalt Theory, parenting challenges and strategies towards a sense of self and cultural identity of their children. A qualitative approach utilizing an open ended questionnaire and semi-structured interviews with six interracial parent couples was transcribed and analysed. The study concluded that interracial parent couples’, in respect of dealing with societal-non-acceptance of themselves and their “mixed” children, utilize several strategies including avoidance and focusing on the positive; that certain aspects play a vital role in the formation of their children’s sense of self and cultural identity such as religion or faith and both parental identities.The implication of this research is that despite the challenges there are no marked effects on their children’s identity and that interracial parenting strategies must be sound. / Social Work / M.A. Diac. (Play Therapy)

This research intended to explore and describe a self-injuring adolescent girl‘s experiences of using graphic symbolic analogue drawings as an alternative coping skill for emotional expression and a creative adjustment with regard to her problems. This study investigated concepts/themes from literature, regarding the phenomenon of self-injuring in adolescents; and explored theoretical aspects of the use of art/analogue drawing as part of a Gestalt therapeutic process. Data was collected by means of semi-structured interviews before and after the therapeutic drawing interventions, by observation and feedback from the participant. Data was analysed and interpreted against the background of the participant‘s problems, focusing on themes described in literature and experiential moments of awareness/reframing. Conclusions and recommendations are made; indicating shortcomings as well. This research may contribute to the knowledge base with regard to drawing techniques as alternative therapeutic intervention and also the value thereof for finding of immediate emotional release for patients. / Hierdie navorsing het beoog om ‗n selfbeserende adolessente meisie se ervaring van die gebruik van grafiese, simboliese analogiese-tekeninge as hanteringsvaardigheid vir uitdrukking van emosionele probleme en alternatiewe kreatiewe aanpassingstegniek te ondersoek en te beskryf. Die studie het konsepte/temas oor die fenomeen van selfbeserende gedrag by adolessente in die literatuur; asook teoretiese aspekte in die gebruik van kuns/analogiese-tekeninge as deel van ‗n Gestaltterapeutiese proses ondersoek. Data is versamel by wyse van semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude voor en na die tekenintervensies, deur observasies en ook terugvoer vanaf die deelnemer. Data is geanaliseer en geïnterpreteer teen die agtergrond van die deelnemer se persoonlike probleme met die fokus op temas in die literatuur en momente van eksperiële bewuswording en herformulering. Gevolgtrekkinge en aanbevelings is gemaak; insluitend tekortkominge in die studie. Die navorsing mag bydra tot die bestaande kennisbasis met betrekking tot teken-tegnieke as alternatiewe intervensies en ook die waarde daarvan vir onmiddellike emosionele verligting vir pasiënte. / Social Science / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

South Africa is currently experiencing rapid social change with socio-economic deprivation, influencing the future orientation of adolescents. Research indicates that a lack of future expectations affects present behaviour−diminishing the possibility of socialisation and productivity in adulthood. The objective of this study is to assess the future perceptions of indigent adolescents. The Gestalt paradigm provided the framework for defining the study. This empirical study uses a mixed methodology design combining both the quantitative and the qualitative approaches. A crosssectional survey provided the groundwork in terms of ascertaining the degree of awareness in respect of the future orientation of indigent, urban adolescents whilst a qualitative, semi-structured, one-on-one interview provided an in-depth contextualisation of the problem. The empirical study demonstrated that, although socio-economic deprivations and pervasive social issues do influence the future orientation of adolescents in South Africa, these influences have not eradicated the indigent adolescents’ motivational striving toward a positive and productive future. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

The phenomenon of interracial couples who are also parents is on the increase in South Africa, since one in every four marriages is interracial. An empirical study was undertaken to conduct applied, exploratory, descriptive, evidence-based research to describe the perspectives of interracial parents as related to Gestalt Theory, parenting challenges and strategies towards a sense of self and cultural identity of their children. A qualitative approach utilizing an open ended questionnaire and semi-structured interviews with six interracial parent couples was transcribed and analysed. The study concluded that interracial parent couples’, in respect of dealing with societal-non-acceptance of themselves and their “mixed” children, utilize several strategies including avoidance and focusing on the positive; that certain aspects play a vital role in the formation of their children’s sense of self and cultural identity such as religion or faith and both parental identities.The implication of this research is that despite the challenges there are no marked effects on their children’s identity and that interracial parenting strategies must be sound. / Social Work / M.A. Diac. (Play Therapy)

This research intended to explore and describe a self-injuring adolescent girl‘s experiences of using graphic symbolic analogue drawings as an alternative coping skill for emotional expression and a creative adjustment with regard to her problems. This study investigated concepts/themes from literature, regarding the phenomenon of self-injuring in adolescents; and explored theoretical aspects of the use of art/analogue drawing as part of a Gestalt therapeutic process. Data was collected by means of semi-structured interviews before and after the therapeutic drawing interventions, by observation and feedback from the participant. Data was analysed and interpreted against the background of the participant‘s problems, focusing on themes described in literature and experiential moments of awareness/reframing. Conclusions and recommendations are made; indicating shortcomings as well. This research may contribute to the knowledge base with regard to drawing techniques as alternative therapeutic intervention and also the value thereof for finding of immediate emotional release for patients. / Hierdie navorsing het beoog om ‗n selfbeserende adolessente meisie se ervaring van die gebruik van grafiese, simboliese analogiese-tekeninge as hanteringsvaardigheid vir uitdrukking van emosionele probleme en alternatiewe kreatiewe aanpassingstegniek te ondersoek en te beskryf. Die studie het konsepte/temas oor die fenomeen van selfbeserende gedrag by adolessente in die literatuur; asook teoretiese aspekte in die gebruik van kuns/analogiese-tekeninge as deel van ‗n Gestaltterapeutiese proses ondersoek. Data is versamel by wyse van semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude voor en na die tekenintervensies, deur observasies en ook terugvoer vanaf die deelnemer. Data is geanaliseer en geïnterpreteer teen die agtergrond van die deelnemer se persoonlike probleme met die fokus op temas in die literatuur en momente van eksperiële bewuswording en herformulering. Gevolgtrekkinge en aanbevelings is gemaak; insluitend tekortkominge in die studie. Die navorsing mag bydra tot die bestaande kennisbasis met betrekking tot teken-tegnieke as alternatiewe intervensies en ook die waarde daarvan vir onmiddellike emosionele verligting vir pasiënte. / Social Science / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

South Africa is currently experiencing rapid social change with socio-economic deprivation, influencing the future orientation of adolescents. Research indicates that a lack of future expectations affects present behaviour−diminishing the possibility of socialisation and productivity in adulthood. The objective of this study is to assess the future perceptions of indigent adolescents. The Gestalt paradigm provided the framework for defining the study. This empirical study uses a mixed methodology design combining both the quantitative and the qualitative approaches. A crosssectional survey provided the groundwork in terms of ascertaining the degree of awareness in respect of the future orientation of indigent, urban adolescents whilst a qualitative, semi-structured, one-on-one interview provided an in-depth contextualisation of the problem. The empirical study demonstrated that, although socio-economic deprivations and pervasive social issues do influence the future orientation of adolescents in South Africa, these influences have not eradicated the indigent adolescents’ motivational striving toward a positive and productive future. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

Text in Afrikaans / The researchers' own interaction with the community caused her to recognize that the safety of pre-schoolers and toddlers in high risk areas are being jeopardised because sexual education is not applied soon enough. The aim of this research study was to determine the needs of role-players in the high risk area in terms of community education regarding the safety of pre-schoolers. A quantitative approach was followed, which focussed on applied research and the exploratory and descriptive objectives of the research in order to facilitate a better understanding of the research phenomenon and to understand the specifics of the situation. The Randomised Cross-sectional Survey design was implemented. The analysed findings were presented graphically and interpreted in order to reach conclusions and present the recommendations of the study. The general conclusion based upon the empirical findings of the study is that there is a great need for community education regarding the safety of pre-schoolers in the high-risk area, Danville. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

The aim of the qualitative study was to explore the phenomenon of social networking and the possible influences it could have on adolescents‟ way of interacting socially. The study was conducted from a gestalt perspective and also incorporated aspects of developmental theory. Learners (12-18 years old) from a high school in the northern suburbs of Cape Town participated in semi-structured interviews voluntarily. Parents and teachers also participated in the study by forming part of focus groups. The study indicated that although social networking is a beneficial social tool for adolescents, it could become an obstacle during social interaction which is not mediated through an electronic or mobile network. From the study it can be concluded that social networking is a positive social tool, which could become dangerous for adolescents‟ social interaction abilities when used inappropriately. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

Text in Afrikaans / The researchers' own interaction with the community caused her to recognize that the safety of pre-schoolers and toddlers in high risk areas are being jeopardised because sexual education is not applied soon enough. The aim of this research study was to determine the needs of role-players in the high risk area in terms of community education regarding the safety of pre-schoolers. A quantitative approach was followed, which focussed on applied research and the exploratory and descriptive objectives of the research in order to facilitate a better understanding of the research phenomenon and to understand the specifics of the situation. The Randomised Cross-sectional Survey design was implemented. The analysed findings were presented graphically and interpreted in order to reach conclusions and present the recommendations of the study. The general conclusion based upon the empirical findings of the study is that there is a great need for community education regarding the safety of pre-schoolers in the high-risk area, Danville. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

The aim of the qualitative study was to explore the phenomenon of social networking and the possible influences it could have on adolescents‟ way of interacting socially. The study was conducted from a gestalt perspective and also incorporated aspects of developmental theory. Learners (12-18 years old) from a high school in the northern suburbs of Cape Town participated in semi-structured interviews voluntarily. Parents and teachers also participated in the study by forming part of focus groups. The study indicated that although social networking is a beneficial social tool for adolescents, it could become an obstacle during social interaction which is not mediated through an electronic or mobile network. From the study it can be concluded that social networking is a positive social tool, which could become dangerous for adolescents‟ social interaction abilities when used inappropriately. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)