The researcher found little information in literature reviewed about how Gestalt Play Therapy is being used in the treatment of visually impaired children. The aim of the study was to expand knowledge regarding this issue. A basic qualitative research study of an exploratory and descriptive nature was undertaken to describe how this therapy may be used in the treatment of such children. A representative sample was drawn from the population, consisting of gestalt play therapists who previously provided assistance to these children, using a purposive non-probability method. Data collection took place through the execution of semi-structured telephone interviews. Collected data was analysed using the Thematic Content Analysis to search for related themes (in line with the objectives of the study) in transcribed interviews. The general conclusion drawn from the empirical data was that gestalt play therapy can be used to good effect in the treatment of visually impaired children. / Die navorser het gevind dat daar weinig inligting in die literatuur beskikbaar is oor hoe gestaltspelterapie in die hulpverlening aan visueel gestremde kinders benut kan word. Die doel van die navorsingstudie was dus om kennis uit te brei rakende die benutting van gestaltspelterapie in die hulpverlening aan visueel gestremde kinders. 'n Basiese kwalitatiewe navorsingstudie met 'n verkennende en beskrywende aard is onderneem om te beskryf hoe gestaltspelterapie benut word met betrekking tot visueel gestremde kinders. 'n Verteenwoordigende steekproef is getrek, volgens 'n doelgerigte nie-waarskynlikheidsmetode, vanuit die populasie bestaande uit gestaltspelterapeute wat al van tevore hulp aan visueel gestremde kinders verleen het. Data-insameling het plaasgevind deur middel van semi-gestruktureerde telefoniese onderhoude. Die versamelde data is volgens die Tematiese Inhoudsanalise ontleed deur verbandhoudende temas (ooreenkomstig die doel van die studie) in getranskribeerde onderhoude te soek. Die algemene gevolgtrekking wat vanuit die empiriese bevindinge gemaak kan word, is dat gestaltspelterapie wel in die hulpverlening aan visueel gestremde kinders benut kan word. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Play Therapy)

The changed appearance as a result of burns for a child in middle childhood years has several implications in terms of its physical, emotional, and social development. It seems that the burnt child in middle childhood years can benefit from therapeutic assistance, and specifically, empowerment. As far as the researcher could determine, Gestalt play therapy has not yet been utilized for this purpose nor has there been research done in connection to this. For the purpose of this study, the value of the Gestalt play therapy process, as described by Oaklander, in empowering the burn victim in the middle childhood years is explored and described. Consultations with experts as well as a literature review was undertaken in order to obtain background information about the Gestalt play therapy process, with specific reference to the empowerment aspect as well as the implications of the burn wounds and burn marks on the burn victim in the middle childhood years. The literature studied produced a theoretical framework within which this study was performed. Following the literature review, an empirical investigation into Gestalt play therapy was used, with the focus on empowerment. A qualitative study was conducted with a single case study as data collection method. For the duration of the empirical study, 17 therapeutic sessions were conducted with the participant, within the framework of qualitative research investigation. Data collected was described, analysed, and verified through a literature study. This study came to the conclusion that the Gestalt play therapy process is valuable in the empowerment of a burn victim in middle childhood years. It was particularly the therapeutic relationship and the elements that focused on the strengthening of the self, which was valuable in empowering the participant. The information is described in an article according to the guidelines for the Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk journal entitled: “Empowerment of a burn victim through the Gestalt play therapy process”. Various elements are discussed respectively as used in the case study to empower the child. Section A provides an introduction and explanation of the study, which includes the rationale and problem statement for the study and research methodology. The article that followed, is discussed in Section B. Conclusions and recommendations that arose from this study are discussed in Section C. Section D contains the compiled bibliography, and appendices are in Section E. / Thesis (MA (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

The changed appearance as a result of burns for a child in middle childhood years has several implications in terms of its physical, emotional, and social development. It seems that the burnt child in middle childhood years can benefit from therapeutic assistance, and specifically, empowerment. As far as the researcher could determine, Gestalt play therapy has not yet been utilized for this purpose nor has there been research done in connection to this. For the purpose of this study, the value of the Gestalt play therapy process, as described by Oaklander, in empowering the burn victim in the middle childhood years is explored and described. Consultations with experts as well as a literature review was undertaken in order to obtain background information about the Gestalt play therapy process, with specific reference to the empowerment aspect as well as the implications of the burn wounds and burn marks on the burn victim in the middle childhood years. The literature studied produced a theoretical framework within which this study was performed. Following the literature review, an empirical investigation into Gestalt play therapy was used, with the focus on empowerment. A qualitative study was conducted with a single case study as data collection method. For the duration of the empirical study, 17 therapeutic sessions were conducted with the participant, within the framework of qualitative research investigation. Data collected was described, analysed, and verified through a literature study. This study came to the conclusion that the Gestalt play therapy process is valuable in the empowerment of a burn victim in middle childhood years. It was particularly the therapeutic relationship and the elements that focused on the strengthening of the self, which was valuable in empowering the participant. The information is described in an article according to the guidelines for the Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk journal entitled: “Empowerment of a burn victim through the Gestalt play therapy process”. Various elements are discussed respectively as used in the case study to empower the child. Section A provides an introduction and explanation of the study, which includes the rationale and problem statement for the study and research methodology. The article that followed, is discussed in Section B. Conclusions and recommendations that arose from this study are discussed in Section C. Section D contains the compiled bibliography, and appendices are in Section E. / Thesis (MA (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

The researcher found little information in literature reviewed about how Gestalt Play Therapy is being used in the treatment of visually impaired children. The aim of the study was to expand knowledge regarding this issue. A basic qualitative research study of an exploratory and descriptive nature was undertaken to describe how this therapy may be used in the treatment of such children. A representative sample was drawn from the population, consisting of gestalt play therapists who previously provided assistance to these children, using a purposive non-probability method. Data collection took place through the execution of semi-structured telephone interviews. Collected data was analysed using the Thematic Content Analysis to search for related themes (in line with the objectives of the study) in transcribed interviews. The general conclusion drawn from the empirical data was that gestalt play therapy can be used to good effect in the treatment of visually impaired children. / Die navorser het gevind dat daar weinig inligting in die literatuur beskikbaar is oor hoe gestaltspelterapie in die hulpverlening aan visueel gestremde kinders benut kan word. Die doel van die navorsingstudie was dus om kennis uit te brei rakende die benutting van gestaltspelterapie in die hulpverlening aan visueel gestremde kinders. 'n Basiese kwalitatiewe navorsingstudie met 'n verkennende en beskrywende aard is onderneem om te beskryf hoe gestaltspelterapie benut word met betrekking tot visueel gestremde kinders. 'n Verteenwoordigende steekproef is getrek, volgens 'n doelgerigte nie-waarskynlikheidsmetode, vanuit die populasie bestaande uit gestaltspelterapeute wat al van tevore hulp aan visueel gestremde kinders verleen het. Data-insameling het plaasgevind deur middel van semi-gestruktureerde telefoniese onderhoude. Die versamelde data is volgens die Tematiese Inhoudsanalise ontleed deur verbandhoudende temas (ooreenkomstig die doel van die studie) in getranskribeerde onderhoude te soek. Die algemene gevolgtrekking wat vanuit die empiriese bevindinge gemaak kan word, is dat gestaltspelterapie wel in die hulpverlening aan visueel gestremde kinders benut kan word. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Play Therapy)

Traditional remedial intervention programmes address academic and perceptual deficits but not emotional needs. Existing literature suggests that most children with learning disabilities have concomitant emotional, behavioural and social difficulties; however an apparent lack of consensus regarding the types of emotional and behavioural difficulties faced by these children exists especially amongst teachers, parents and professionals in the field of learning disabilities. The aim of this study was to discover which emotions might emerge during Gestalt play therapy sessions with children receiving remedial intervention. Three respondents from three different remedial programmes participated in the study. Data was gathered from the therapeutic sessions as well as from unstructured interviews with parents, teachers and professionals in the field of learning disabilities. Recommendations are made as to how Gestalt play therapy could be implemented as an additional support for children receiving remedial intervention. / Tradisionele remediërings-programme spreek slegs akademiese en perseptuele tekortkominge aan en nie emosionele behoeftes nie. Bestaande literatuur dui daarop dat die meeste kinders met leerprobleme gepaardgaande emosionele, gedrags- en sosiale probleme ervaar. Daar is egter 'n gebrek aan konsensus tussen onderwysers, ouers en professionele persone op die gebied van leerprobleme, oor die tipe emosionele en gedragsprobleme waarmee hierdie leerders te kampe het. Die doel van hierdie studie was om vas te stel watter emosies tevoorskyn mag kom, tydens Gestalt-speel-terapie-sessies met leerders wat remediëringsonderrig ontvang. Drie respondente van drie verskillende remediërende programme het aan die studie deelgeneem. Data is ingesamel van terapeutiese sessies, sowel as van ongestruktureerde onderhoude met ouers, onderwysers en professionele persone in die veld van leerprobleme. Die bevindings van die studie blyk in ooreenstemming te wees met bestaande literatuur, naamlik dat kinders met leerprobleme bykomende emosionele en sosiale probleme ondervind. Aanbevelings is gemaak oor hoe Gestalt spelterapie geïmplementeer kan word as 'n addisionele ondersteuning vir kinders wat remediërende intervensie ontvang. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

Text in Afrikaans / During pre-adolescence, whilst the transition from primary to high school normally takes place, the child faces drastic physical and emotional changes. Emotional intelligence is important in order to answer to demands in this stage and can be addressed and enhanced. Self-awareness (ability to identify own emotions, relate to others, being aware of personal strengths and weaknesses) is not addressed sufficiently. The research problem has been the use of a gestalt therapeutic process to address self-awareness during this stage, and the goal of the study, to explore the value of such a process. Qualitative research directed the process, which included literature studies, interviews with parents of respondents and eight gestalt therapeutic sessions with four pre-adolescents. Various gestalt play therapeutic techniques and -activities have been utilized. The processing and integration of the results of the empirical study, made it possible to explore and note what the value of a gestalt therapeutic process is on self-awareness in the pre-adolescent. Therefore the goal of the study has been successfully reached. / Die vroee adolessent ondergaan ingrypende en drastiese fisiese veranderinge en emosionele skommelinge. Dit is ook in hierdie tydsgleuf dat hy van laer- na hoerskool vorder. Belangrike keuses moet gemaak word te midde van groter druk vanaf die portuurgroep en 'n strewe na outonomie en onafhanklikheid van ouers. Dit is 'n ontwikkelingstadium tussen kindwees en volwassenheid. Ten einde aan die eise te voldoen, is emosionele intelligensie van kardinale belang. Emosionele intelligensie kan aangeleer en verbeter word en hou verband met die kind se aanwending van sy selfbewussyn om onder andere sy eie emosies korrek waar te neem, oor te dra en kennis oor persoonlike swaken sterk punte te bekom. Die studie is gerig deur die uitgangspunt dat selfbewussyn wat die heel basiese komponent van emosionele intelligensie is, nie voldoende by die vroee adolessent aangespreek word om hom toe te rus vir die eise tydens die oorgangsfase vanaf laer- na hoerskool nie. Die benutting van 'n gestaltspelterapeutiese proses om selfbewussyn by die vroee adolessent aan te spreek is as die navorsingsprobleem geformuleer. Die doel van die studie was dus om die benuttingswaarde van 'n gestaltspelterapeutiese proses om die selfbewussyn by die vroee adolessent aan te spreek, te verken en te beskryf. Ten einde in hierdie doel te kon slaag, is die navorsingsproses deur middel van kwalitatiewe navorsing gerig. Die volgende doelwitte is geformuleer, naamlik : Eerstens om 'n literatuurstudie te doen oor die vroee adolessent, selfbewussyn as basiese komponent van emosionele intelligensie en die benuttingsmoontlikhede van die gestaltspelterapeutiese benadering om selfbewussyn by die vroee adolessent aan te spreek .. Tweedens is semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met die ouer(s) as respondente gevoer met behulp van 'n selfontwerpte vraelys. Derdens is vier gevallestudies waargeneem tydens agt onderhoudsituasies elk, om die selfbewussyn van die vroee adolessent aan te spreek. Verskeie gestaltspelterapeutiese vorme-, tegnieke en -aktiwiteite is vir die proses benut. Vanuit die prosessering en integrering van die bevindinge wat tydens die empiriese ondersoek verkry is, kon die data vir praktiese doeleindes toegepas word en is die benutting van 'n gestaltspelterapeutiese proses om die vroee adolessent se selfbewussyn aan te spreek, verken en beskryf. Daar is dus in die doel van die ondersoek geslaag, naamlik die verkenning en beskrywing van die benuttingswaarde van 'n gestaltspelterapeutiese proses ten einde selfbewussyn by die vroee adolessent aan te spreek. / Social work / M. Diac. (Spelterapie)

Text in Afrikaans / During pre-adolescence, whilst the transition from primary to high school normally takes place, the child faces drastic physical and emotional changes. Emotional intelligence is important in order to answer to demands in this stage and can be addressed and enhanced. Self-awareness (ability to identify own emotions, relate to others, being aware of personal strengths and weaknesses) is not addressed sufficiently. The research problem has been the use of a gestalt therapeutic process to address self-awareness during this stage, and the goal of the study, to explore the value of such a process. Qualitative research directed the process, which included literature studies, interviews with parents of respondents and eight gestalt therapeutic sessions with four pre-adolescents. Various gestalt play therapeutic techniques and -activities have been utilized. The processing and integration of the results of the empirical study, made it possible to explore and note what the value of a gestalt therapeutic process is on self-awareness in the pre-adolescent. Therefore the goal of the study has been successfully reached. / Die vroee adolessent ondergaan ingrypende en drastiese fisiese veranderinge en emosionele skommelinge. Dit is ook in hierdie tydsgleuf dat hy van laer- na hoerskool vorder. Belangrike keuses moet gemaak word te midde van groter druk vanaf die portuurgroep en 'n strewe na outonomie en onafhanklikheid van ouers. Dit is 'n ontwikkelingstadium tussen kindwees en volwassenheid. Ten einde aan die eise te voldoen, is emosionele intelligensie van kardinale belang. Emosionele intelligensie kan aangeleer en verbeter word en hou verband met die kind se aanwending van sy selfbewussyn om onder andere sy eie emosies korrek waar te neem, oor te dra en kennis oor persoonlike swaken sterk punte te bekom. Die studie is gerig deur die uitgangspunt dat selfbewussyn wat die heel basiese komponent van emosionele intelligensie is, nie voldoende by die vroee adolessent aangespreek word om hom toe te rus vir die eise tydens die oorgangsfase vanaf laer- na hoerskool nie. Die benutting van 'n gestaltspelterapeutiese proses om selfbewussyn by die vroee adolessent aan te spreek is as die navorsingsprobleem geformuleer. Die doel van die studie was dus om die benuttingswaarde van 'n gestaltspelterapeutiese proses om die selfbewussyn by die vroee adolessent aan te spreek, te verken en te beskryf. Ten einde in hierdie doel te kon slaag, is die navorsingsproses deur middel van kwalitatiewe navorsing gerig. Die volgende doelwitte is geformuleer, naamlik : Eerstens om 'n literatuurstudie te doen oor die vroee adolessent, selfbewussyn as basiese komponent van emosionele intelligensie en die benuttingsmoontlikhede van die gestaltspelterapeutiese benadering om selfbewussyn by die vroee adolessent aan te spreek .. Tweedens is semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met die ouer(s) as respondente gevoer met behulp van 'n selfontwerpte vraelys. Derdens is vier gevallestudies waargeneem tydens agt onderhoudsituasies elk, om die selfbewussyn van die vroee adolessent aan te spreek. Verskeie gestaltspelterapeutiese vorme-, tegnieke en -aktiwiteite is vir die proses benut. Vanuit die prosessering en integrering van die bevindinge wat tydens die empiriese ondersoek verkry is, kon die data vir praktiese doeleindes toegepas word en is die benutting van 'n gestaltspelterapeutiese proses om die vroee adolessent se selfbewussyn aan te spreek, verken en beskryf. Daar is dus in die doel van die ondersoek geslaag, naamlik die verkenning en beskrywing van die benuttingswaarde van 'n gestaltspelterapeutiese proses ten einde selfbewussyn by die vroee adolessent aan te spreek. / Social work / M. Diac. (Spelterapie)

Traditional remedial intervention programmes address academic and perceptual deficits but not emotional needs. Existing literature suggests that most children with learning disabilities have concomitant emotional, behavioural and social difficulties; however an apparent lack of consensus regarding the types of emotional and behavioural difficulties faced by these children exists especially amongst teachers, parents and professionals in the field of learning disabilities. The aim of this study was to discover which emotions might emerge during Gestalt play therapy sessions with children receiving remedial intervention. Three respondents from three different remedial programmes participated in the study. Data was gathered from the therapeutic sessions as well as from unstructured interviews with parents, teachers and professionals in the field of learning disabilities. Recommendations are made as to how Gestalt play therapy could be implemented as an additional support for children receiving remedial intervention. / Tradisionele remediërings-programme spreek slegs akademiese en perseptuele tekortkominge aan en nie emosionele behoeftes nie. Bestaande literatuur dui daarop dat die meeste kinders met leerprobleme gepaardgaande emosionele, gedrags- en sosiale probleme ervaar. Daar is egter 'n gebrek aan konsensus tussen onderwysers, ouers en professionele persone op die gebied van leerprobleme, oor die tipe emosionele en gedragsprobleme waarmee hierdie leerders te kampe het. Die doel van hierdie studie was om vas te stel watter emosies tevoorskyn mag kom, tydens Gestalt-speel-terapie-sessies met leerders wat remediëringsonderrig ontvang. Drie respondente van drie verskillende remediërende programme het aan die studie deelgeneem. Data is ingesamel van terapeutiese sessies, sowel as van ongestruktureerde onderhoude met ouers, onderwysers en professionele persone in die veld van leerprobleme. Die bevindings van die studie blyk in ooreenstemming te wees met bestaande literatuur, naamlik dat kinders met leerprobleme bykomende emosionele en sosiale probleme ondervind. Aanbevelings is gemaak oor hoe Gestalt spelterapie geïmplementeer kan word as 'n addisionele ondersteuning vir kinders wat remediërende intervensie ontvang. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

The research dealt with the influence that gestalt group therapy may have on the emotional development of deprived toddlers. The research consisted of a literature study and an empirical study. The literature study contains information on groupwork and emotional development of the toddler. The empirical research was conducted by involving six toddlers in a group. They were identified by means of purposive sampling. A pre-test was done with each child to determine their emotional development. After six group sessions of 30 minutes each, a post-test (using the same test as for the pre-test) was done with each child. The pre-test and post-test results were compared with each other. The content of each session were examined and also included in the findings. Empirical data revealed that gestalt group therapy can stimulate the emotional development of deprived toddlers. The conclusion can thus be made that gestalt group therapy can stimulate the emotional development of deprived toddlers. As a result of this study, conclusions and recommendations for future research were formulated. AFRIKAANS : Die ondersoek was daarop gerig om te bepaal of die benutting van gestaltgroepspelterapie die emosionele ontwikkeling van die gedepriveerde kleuter kan stimuleer. Die ondersoek het bestaan uit 'n literatuurstudie sowel as empiriese navorsing. Die literatuurstudie is gedoen ten opsigte van groepwerk en die kleuter se emosionele ontwikDie empiriese deel van die ondersoek is uitgevoer deur ses kleuters deur middel van doelgerigte steekproeftrekking by die groep in te sluit. 'n Voortoets om die emosionele ontwikkeling van die kleuters te bepaal, is gedoen. Daarna is ses gestaltgroepwerksessies van 30 minute elk uitgevoer. Dieselfde toets as wat vir die voortoets benut is, is weer aan die kleuters gegee en die resultate is met mekaar vergelyk. Die inligting uit die sessies is ook genoteer en benut. Uit die empiriese gegewens het dit geblyk dat daar wel emosionele ontwikkeling by die kleuters plaasgevind het. Die gevolgtrekking kan dus gemaak word dat gestaltgroepspelterapie benut kan word om gedepriveerde kleuters se emosionele ontwikkeling te stimuleer. Gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings vir toekomstige navorsing is na aanleiding van die studie geformuleer. keling. Copyright / Dissertation (MSW)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

Summary With the rise of the divorce rate and the decline of the nuclear family, boys are more frequently being deprived of a father-presence in their homes. The aim of this study was to qualitatively explore and describe boys' experiences of their relationships with their absent fathers. Three boys from different racial and cultural groups were chosen as case studies and worked with from a Gestalt Play Therapy Perspective. Data was gathered from the therapeutic sessions, as well as from semi structured interviews with the childcare workers of the boys. The findings of the study appear to concur with existing literature, namely that boys with absent fathers experience difficulties in the areas of emotional, social, cognitive and moral development. Recommendations are made as to how boys with absent fathers may best be supported. Opsomming Met die toename in egskeidings en die afname van nukleêre gesinne, word daar gevind dat seuns meer dikwels die teenwoordigheid van die vader in die huis ontneem word. Die doel van hierdie studie is `n kwalitatiewe ondersoek en beskrywing van seuns se ervaring van hulle verhouding met hulle afwesige vaders. Drie seuns van erskillende rasse- en kulturele groepe is gekies vir die gevallestudies en vanuit `n Gestalt Spelterapeutiese perspektief is met hulle gewerk. Data is versamel vanuit die terapeutiese sessies sowel as vanuit semigestruktureerde onderhoude met die seuns se kinderoppassers. Die bevindinge van die studie blyk ooreen te stem met bestaande literatuur, naamlik dat seuns met afwesige vaders probleme ondervind ten opsigte van emosionele, sosiale, kognitiewe en morele ontwikkeling. Aanbevelings word gemaak oor hoe om dié seuns ten beste te ondersteun. / SOCIAL WORK / MDIAC (PLAY THERAPY)