Text in Afrikaans, abstract in Afrikaans and English / Die studie handel oor die probleme wat veranderende werksomstandighede vir die werker en sy gesin veroorsaak. In 'n tydvak waar die wereld van werk dramaties verander, toon baie mense onkundigheid oor wat die veranderende wereld van werk impliseer. Hierdie veranderende wereld van werk vereis dat die werker groter verantwoordelikheid sal neem vir sy/haar eie loopbaantoekoms en -sekuriteit. 'n Loopbaan waar vaste ure, 'n vaste salaris, 'n pensioenfonds en ander byvoordele vanselfsprekend is, is in die veranderende wereld van werk nie meer die norm nie. Mense is nie voorbereid op veranderende werksomstandighede nie en ervaar verskeie probleme soos stres, 'n verswakte selfbeeld, depressie en 'n gevoel van magteloosheid. Die meeste mense wat blootgestel word aan veranderende werksomstandighede ervaar toekomsskok en hunker na die ou bedeling waar dinge seker en voorspelbaar was. Omdat persona blootgestel aan veranderende werksomstandighede nie voldoende op verandering voorberei word nie, ervaar hulle en hul gesinne probleme. Hulle probeer dikwels om so vinnig moontlik van die pyn en angstigheid wat met die verandering gepaard gaan, te ontsnap en neem daarom dikwels ondeurdagte besluite en voortydige aksies. Dit het dikwels mislukking tot gevolg wat verreikende ekonomiese en psigologiese implikasies mag inhou. Die begeleidingsprogram vir die studie is daarom ontwerp met die doel om aan gesinne wat blootgestel word aan veranderende werksomstandighede die nodige insig in die veranderende wereld van werk te gee, en om aan hulle die nodige vaardighede te gee om die probleme wat veranderinge meebring, te kan hanteer. Die persone en hulle gesinne word bemagtig deurdat aan hulle die begrip "portefeulje -werk" met die uitgangspunt dat almal altyd oor sekere bemarkbare vaardighede beskik, en daarom tegnies nooit werkloos hoef te wees nie, bekendgestel word. Daar word gepoog dat hulle hierdie konsep sal internaliseer en dat hulle daarom 'n paradigmaskuif sal maak sodat hulle meer op hulself en hulle eie vaardighede aangewese is as op eksterne faktore in die wereld van werk. Uit die terugvoergesprekke met die proefpersone aan die begin van die groepsessies en die vraelyste wat hulle voltooi het, blyk dit dat hulle gebaat het by die bywoning van die groepsessies. / This study deals with the problems experienced by a person and his/her family when faced with changing work circumstances. In a time where the world of work is undergoing dramatic changes, many people lack knowledge about the implications of the changing world of work. This changing world of work requires that the worker will take greater responsibility for his own career future and career security. A career where fixed work hours, a fixed salary, a pension fund and other benefits are a given, is no longer the norm in the changing world of work. People are not prepared to deal with changing work circumstances. They experience a variety of problems like stress, a poor self image and depression. Most people who are facing changing work circumstances experience future shock and long for the old times when things were certain and predictable. Persons and their families who are facing changing work circumstances are not sufficiently prepared for the changes. They often try to escape the pain and anxiety which accompany the changes by making quick decisions and by taking premature actions. This often leads to failure and has serious economic and psychological implications. The counselling programme for this study is thus designed with the purpose to give the families who are faced with changing work circumstances the necessary insight in the changing world of work, and to equip them with the necessary skills to deal with the problems which accompany the changes. The persons and their families are also empowered by introducing them to the concept "portfolio work". The implications of portfolio work is that people always have some marketable skills, and by marketing themselves and their skills they should technically never be unemployed. It is attempted to help the participants to internalise these concepts in order to make a paradigm shift so that they will be more self reliant and less dependent on employers in the world of work. From feedback with participants in the investigation at the beginning of the group sessions, and the questionnaires they completed, it seems that they have benefited from attending the group sessions. / Psychology of Education / Ph. D. (Sielkundige Opvoedkunde)

Text in Afrikaans, abstract in Afrikaans and English / Die studie handel oor die probleme wat veranderende werksomstandighede vir die werker en sy gesin veroorsaak. In 'n tydvak waar die wereld van werk dramaties verander, toon baie mense onkundigheid oor wat die veranderende wereld van werk impliseer. Hierdie veranderende wereld van werk vereis dat die werker groter verantwoordelikheid sal neem vir sy/haar eie loopbaantoekoms en -sekuriteit. 'n Loopbaan waar vaste ure, 'n vaste salaris, 'n pensioenfonds en ander byvoordele vanselfsprekend is, is in die veranderende wereld van werk nie meer die norm nie. Mense is nie voorbereid op veranderende werksomstandighede nie en ervaar verskeie probleme soos stres, 'n verswakte selfbeeld, depressie en 'n gevoel van magteloosheid. Die meeste mense wat blootgestel word aan veranderende werksomstandighede ervaar toekomsskok en hunker na die ou bedeling waar dinge seker en voorspelbaar was. Omdat persona blootgestel aan veranderende werksomstandighede nie voldoende op verandering voorberei word nie, ervaar hulle en hul gesinne probleme. Hulle probeer dikwels om so vinnig moontlik van die pyn en angstigheid wat met die verandering gepaard gaan, te ontsnap en neem daarom dikwels ondeurdagte besluite en voortydige aksies. Dit het dikwels mislukking tot gevolg wat verreikende ekonomiese en psigologiese implikasies mag inhou. Die begeleidingsprogram vir die studie is daarom ontwerp met die doel om aan gesinne wat blootgestel word aan veranderende werksomstandighede die nodige insig in die veranderende wereld van werk te gee, en om aan hulle die nodige vaardighede te gee om die probleme wat veranderinge meebring, te kan hanteer. Die persone en hulle gesinne word bemagtig deurdat aan hulle die begrip "portefeulje -werk" met die uitgangspunt dat almal altyd oor sekere bemarkbare vaardighede beskik, en daarom tegnies nooit werkloos hoef te wees nie, bekendgestel word. Daar word gepoog dat hulle hierdie konsep sal internaliseer en dat hulle daarom 'n paradigmaskuif sal maak sodat hulle meer op hulself en hulle eie vaardighede aangewese is as op eksterne faktore in die wereld van werk. Uit die terugvoergesprekke met die proefpersone aan die begin van die groepsessies en die vraelyste wat hulle voltooi het, blyk dit dat hulle gebaat het by die bywoning van die groepsessies. / This study deals with the problems experienced by a person and his/her family when faced with changing work circumstances. In a time where the world of work is undergoing dramatic changes, many people lack knowledge about the implications of the changing world of work. This changing world of work requires that the worker will take greater responsibility for his own career future and career security. A career where fixed work hours, a fixed salary, a pension fund and other benefits are a given, is no longer the norm in the changing world of work. People are not prepared to deal with changing work circumstances. They experience a variety of problems like stress, a poor self image and depression. Most people who are facing changing work circumstances experience future shock and long for the old times when things were certain and predictable. Persons and their families who are facing changing work circumstances are not sufficiently prepared for the changes. They often try to escape the pain and anxiety which accompany the changes by making quick decisions and by taking premature actions. This often leads to failure and has serious economic and psychological implications. The counselling programme for this study is thus designed with the purpose to give the families who are faced with changing work circumstances the necessary insight in the changing world of work, and to equip them with the necessary skills to deal with the problems which accompany the changes. The persons and their families are also empowered by introducing them to the concept "portfolio work". The implications of portfolio work is that people always have some marketable skills, and by marketing themselves and their skills they should technically never be unemployed. It is attempted to help the participants to internalise these concepts in order to make a paradigm shift so that they will be more self reliant and less dependent on employers in the world of work. From feedback with participants in the investigation at the beginning of the group sessions, and the questionnaires they completed, it seems that they have benefited from attending the group sessions. / Psychology of Education / Ph. D. (Sielkundige Opvoedkunde)

This study explored the experiences of members of an OCD support group, utilising a qualitative design, social constructionist approach, and a systemic framework. Participants were obtained through purposive sampling; data was collected via faceto- face semi-structured interviews with four participants. It emerged that these participants attended two OCD support groups (initial support group and sub-support group). The participants’ experiences were analysed using thematic analysis. Major findings: the participants’ motivation to attend both support groups was to reduce their OCD symptoms and improve functioning. The initial support group was a professional-led psychoeducational support group while the sub-support group was a self-help psychotherapeutic group. The groups also complemented each other with information from the initial support group being implemented in the sub-support group. The participants reported to have benefitted from participation in both support groups as their OCD symptoms reduced and their daily functioning improved. Recommendations for future research were discussed. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

A group of eight mothers of differently abled children undertook a research journey, reflecting on the sorrow and pain, as well as the hope and humour of our lives. Narrative pastoral practices guided our conversations, and prophetic and political challenges our actions to bring about change in our lived reality. Reflective and summarising letters after each group meeting played a central part In the research. The letters were structured to make visible the "taken-for-granted truths", which informed us about who and what we are. The alternative stories of preferred mothering practices that emerged during and between sessions were centralised in the letters. The group compiled letters of appeal to the faith community, doctors, nursing staff, therapists and teachers in order to make them more sensitive towards differently abled people and their families. / Practical Theology / M.Th. (Practical Theology)

Emotional abuse is a problem experienced worldwide, crossing all economic, educational, social and ethnic segments of all societies. Overtime, many empirical researchers concentrated on studying the occurrence and impact of physical abuse on women but neglected to study the effects of emotional abuse on the woman's physical and mental health. But with time, researchers began to realise that emotional abuse also had a great impact on the lives of women. Therefore, a detailed exploration of emotional abuse between intimate adult partners has only recently emerged in the literature. Though it is difficult to separate emotional abuse from other forms of abuse, many women in our research who were provided with a definition of emotional abuse identified and confirmed that they have been emotionally abused in their past or are being abused in their current intimate relationships. This research project focused mainly on women who suffered and have survived the wounds of emotional abuse in intimate relationships. Group work is aimed at the growth and development of the individual. This study reports on an in-depth analysis of the arrangements and formulation of the structure of support groups, and the effectiveness of the functioning of these groups. Participants who joined the support groups in this research, were women who have undergone therapeutic intervention and are/or were engaged in a healing process that involved reintegration, implementation and maintenance of therapeutic goals. Support groups do provide a place where people can share their experiences in a safe environment, and where they can symbolise their experiences and consequently make them more acceptable to the self. It has been concluded in this research that support groups were effective in giving members the opportunity of helping each other to heal from the wounds of emotional abuse by being supportive, giving feedback, making helpful suggestions and providing useful information necessary for their growth and development. Therefore, participants who joined the support groups agreed that they have benefited by receiving the encouragement and support from one another, which contributed towards their process of healing emotionally, and in turn, caused them to change from being helpless victims to survivors of emotional abuse. / Sociology / D. Phil (Sociology)

Emotional abuse is a problem experienced worldwide, crossing all economic, educational, social and ethnic segments of all societies. Overtime, many empirical researchers concentrated on studying the occurrence and impact of physical abuse on women but neglected to study the effects of emotional abuse on the woman's physical and mental health. But with time, researchers began to realise that emotional abuse also had a great impact on the lives of women. Therefore, a detailed exploration of emotional abuse between intimate adult partners has only recently emerged in the literature. Though it is difficult to separate emotional abuse from other forms of abuse, many women in our research who were provided with a definition of emotional abuse identified and confirmed that they have been emotionally abused in their past or are being abused in their current intimate relationships. This research project focused mainly on women who suffered and have survived the wounds of emotional abuse in intimate relationships. Group work is aimed at the growth and development of the individual. This study reports on an in-depth analysis of the arrangements and formulation of the structure of support groups, and the effectiveness of the functioning of these groups. Participants who joined the support groups in this research, were women who have undergone therapeutic intervention and are/or were engaged in a healing process that involved reintegration, implementation and maintenance of therapeutic goals. Support groups do provide a place where people can share their experiences in a safe environment, and where they can symbolise their experiences and consequently make them more acceptable to the self. It has been concluded in this research that support groups were effective in giving members the opportunity of helping each other to heal from the wounds of emotional abuse by being supportive, giving feedback, making helpful suggestions and providing useful information necessary for their growth and development. Therefore, participants who joined the support groups agreed that they have benefited by receiving the encouragement and support from one another, which contributed towards their process of healing emotionally, and in turn, caused them to change from being helpless victims to survivors of emotional abuse. / Sociology / D. Phil (Sociology)

A group of eight mothers of differently abled children undertook a research journey, reflecting on the sorrow and pain, as well as the hope and humour of our lives. Narrative pastoral practices guided our conversations, and prophetic and political challenges our actions to bring about change in our lived reality. Reflective and summarising letters after each group meeting played a central part In the research. The letters were structured to make visible the "taken-for-granted truths", which informed us about who and what we are. The alternative stories of preferred mothering practices that emerged during and between sessions were centralised in the letters. The group compiled letters of appeal to the faith community, doctors, nursing staff, therapists and teachers in order to make them more sensitive towards differently abled people and their families. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.Th. (Practical Theology)