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South Africa has been going through severe social changes over the past two decades. In light of these changes the present study aimed to understand adolescents’ expectations of their personal future. Based on the Theory of Possible Selves (Markus & Nurius, 1986) the present research addressed the overall question whether adolescents’ personal future plans incorporate the views they share about the present and the future of their social context. Social context was not only limited to factors such as gender, ethnicity and school environment, but also included both the daily lived experiences of inequality, as is the case in South Africa, and the projected social context of the future. A total of 631 pupils from four Gauteng high schools took part in this cross sectional study. The results support the hypotheses especially within the possible selves’ domain of academic achievement. The interrelatedness between possible selves and shared beliefs about the future of South Africa could, however, not be demonstrated. / Grow Your Own Timber Programme of the University of South Africa / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology (Research Consultation))

The aim of the research was to determine the influence of adapted sport on the identity formation of adolescents with a mobility impairment. An empirical investigation was carried out to investigate the relationship between certain variables, such as social relationships and affective constructs, and the identity formation of adolescents with a mobility impairment as information emerged from the literature study. A sample of 140 adolescents with a mobility impairment was drawn using purposive sampling. An instrument to measure the identity formation of adolescents with a mobility impairment was compiled. The data, which were obtained from the implementation of the instrument, were analysed using qualitative content analysis techniques. The major findings of the study revealed that there was no significant difference in the identity of adolescents with a mobility impairment who participated in sport, compared with the identity of adolescents with a mobility impairment who did not participate in sport. There was however, a significant positive correlation between social relationships with friends and parents, and the identity formation of adolescents with a mobility impairment. There was also a positive correlation between affective variables and the identity formation of adolescents with a mobility impairment. The two positive affective constructs with the highest correlation were trustfulness and gregariousness. The negative construct with the highest correlation was depression. Based on the findings, conclusions were drawn and recommendations were made. The relationship of adolescents with their friends and parents, together with the health of adolescents, explained the largest proportion of the variance in the identity formation of adolescents with a mobility impairment, namely 42%. The remaining 58% of the variance in the identity formation has not been significantly explained as yet. The implications for parents and educators are clearly explained. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed.

D.Cur. / The purpose of this study was to generate an interpersonal communication skills approach for adolescents. Through this approach adolescents will be given an opportunity to formulate new stories on their interpersonal communication skills in the form of stories about constructive communication skills. This will enable adolescents to maintain their important interpersonal relationships. Adolescence is a period characterised by the occurance of many adjustments and changes. Continually higher demands are made from adolescents in terms of career choices, the choice of friends, release from parents and parental homes, development of autonomy and the successful completion of the adolescent developmental phase. The climate of reconciliation in the post apartheid South Africa pressurise adolescents even more. Sources of support is consequently of great importance to adolescents during this phase of change. Sources of support for example the families of adolescents, members of the community and especially the peer group plays a significant role. interpersonal relationships with the aforementioned groups of persons and individuals must be maintained in order to ensure continued support during and in order to successfully complete the developmental phase of adolesence. This requires constructive interpersonal communication skills. It is however evident that adolescents do not posess all of the required constructive communication skills which would enable them to maintain these important interpersonal relationships. The abovementioned lead to the following questions which were addressed in phase one, -two and -three of this research: Over which interpersonal communication skills do adolescents posess? Which specific interpersonal communication skills needs to be addressed in the interpersonal communication skills approach in order to maximise adolescent's ability to communicate interpersonally with a view to improve, maintain and restore their mental health? Which guidelines can be given for the operationalising of the interpersonal communication skills approach for adolescents? A qualitative, investigative, descriptive and contextual design was followed. The research was conducted in three phases with a pre-phase which preceeded phase one of the research. A topical scenario to be utilised in the course of the research was established in the pre-phase of the research through group interviews with adolescents. In phase one of the research role play was conducted and written dialogue was obtained based on the scenarios identified in the pre-phase. An interpersonal communication skills approach was generated in phase two of the research. In phase three of the research certain guidelines were described for the operationalising of the approach. The researcher concluded from the results obtained in phase one of the research that the interpersonal communication of adolescents included in this research were characterised by an entanglement within four repetative circular interpersonalcommunication patterns. These four repetative circular interpersonal communication patterns are initiated and maintained by certain feelings, thoughts and behaviour. The four repetative circular interpersonal communication patterns are the following: Recurrent circular interpersonal patterns of defocusing and externalizing the topic under discussion; Recurrent circular interpersonal patterns of struggling for power between the adolescent and the other conversationist; Recurrent circular interpersonal patterns of not listening to the other conversationist; and Recurrent circular interpersonal patterns of not focusing on feelings while conversating.

Orthodox Jewish adolescents develop and mature within a very structured environment. The aim of this study was to explore adolescent psychosocial identity development within Orthodox Jewish education. The secondary focus was the nature of the religious identity acquired through religious education, specifically Jewish Orthodox education. The literature study explored adolescent identity and development (within Erikson's framework), religious orientation and Orthodox Jewish education. The qualitative research was conducted empirically, in the form of a case study of seven adolescents from a single-sex Orthodox school based in Johannesburg. The themes that emerged from the empirical study are as follows: the community; Orthodox Judaism; education; parents, family and peers; adolescent and religious identity. The study indicated that the participants' identity development is dominated by their religious psychosocial world that paradoxically provides the structure that supports and complicates their identity development. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Guidance and Counseling)

The comprehensive evidence presented by a number of researchers established that the nature of the classroom environment has a potent influence on students' academic, social and psychological development. This thesis set out to advance the idea that taxonomy of relevant optimum conditions for identity development can serve to illuminate thinking and research on the impact of the classroom environment on identity development in adolescence. A systems approach was used. The subjects were Grade 11 pupils of a high school in Gauteng. They completed questionnaires in paragraph format, and case studies were conducted with five students. Questions relating to their classroom environments were asked. The unit of study was primarily the classroom, but since the classroom is part of the larger school system, aspects of the school environment were explored as well. Positive and negative elements in the classroom environment, that enhance or hamper identity development, were identified. Recommendations were made to improve the classroom environment in order to create an environment that is conducive to identity development, and ultimately, academic achievement. / Psychology / D.Litt et Phil (Psychology)

The study investigated adolescent boys who experienced behavioural problems at school and the possible causes for these phenomena. It was evident that the adolescent boys who experienced behavioural problems were found to lack emotional connections with others due to their fathers’ absence and lack of positive attachment. A total of 403 adolescent boys from various schools in the Tshwane districts were used in the sample group. This quantitative study employed the use of a quantitative questionnaire as a means of data collection that included qualitative open-ended question as a method to enrich the quantitative data and obtain insight into the life world functioning and experience of the participants. The primary aim of the research study was to determine the emotional relationship between fathers and sons within the sample group. Secondly, the study sought to investigate how this emotional relationship affects the adolescent boy’s self-concept, resilience and motivational aspects in his daily functioning. The approach to quantitative data analysis was by means of descriptive statistical analysis. The findings revealed that emotionally absent fathers indeed impact negatively on the adolescent boys’ resilience and motivational aspects of their functioning and that a father’s absence has a significant influence on the behaviours of adolescent boys in relation to motivation and resilience. However, the research results also revealed that an emotionally absent father does not significantly affect the self–concept of an adolescent boy. Finally, an intervention programme was developed to assist and guide fathers and adolescent boys to improve their relationship with one another. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

The study assessed the Emotional Intelligence/Ubuntu understanding in sixteen learners aged 11-14 from both the Low SES and High SES levels, which includes the peri- urban/disadvantaged/informal settlements and the urban/privileged areas. The research motivated towards the conception that an inclusive Eurocentric and African approach towards education could benefit South African adolescent learners emotionally, socially and academically. Notwithstanding, providing an Emotional Intelligence framework that includes tenets of the African Philosophical paradigm of Ubuntu could enable adolescent learners to feel more empowered when confronting their socio- economic challenges. Hence, the purpose of this study was to ascertain whether the lack of formal EI/Ubuntu skills training in schools leaves learners without the competences to surmount the many challenges adolescents face during the turbulent phase of early adolescence. The aim of this study was to assess the levels of EI in a sample of adolescents from both SES levels. Qualitative methods were used in order to ascertain the impact of Western and Ubuntu epistemologies/worldviews on the adolescent learners’ Emotional Intelligence. This study also sought to determine the impact of education and role models on this sample of adolescent learners' EI/Ubuntu levels. This research also investigated how the merged EI/Ubuntu concepts can be incorporated into a life skills programme aimed at enhancing EI/Ubuntu in South African adolescent learners. In this study both quantitative and qualitative data were collected using the convergent parallel mixed method study and the paradigms that informed the study includes pragmatism, interpretivism, positivism and post-positivism. The objectives of this study includes identifying the emotional needs and EI status of adolescent learners and to investigate to what extent these are being met in the current educational system in South Africa. The research noted the contextual factors that influence EI in adolescent learners. The research explored how adolescents align their behaviour with the values and virtues of EI and Ubuntu. The following tools were used to accomplish the aforementioned objectives; a short introduction to Ubuntu, the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire - Adolescent Short Form (TEIQue-ASF) questionnaire was utilised to obtain a measure of the individual learner’s EI. A biographical questionnaire was given to all learners in order to establish what contextual factors impact on EI/Ubuntu consciousness. An Ubuntu style 10-item questionnaire to obtain insight into individual learners’ conceptualisation of EI. A short paragraph of approximately 300 words allowed for the narrative of each learner to be explored and a 22-item semi-structured parent/teacher interview from both SES groups. Role-playing scenarios were enacted to assess the depth of EI through the identification and understanding that took place between the players and draw a person diagrams (DAP) were utilised and assessed for EI aspects such as self-esteem, levels of confidence and awareness of self. The most pertinent aspects that were revealed by this study was that Low SES learners, especially those that lived in corrugated housing felt a sense of helplessness, fear and social alienation when challenged by their extreme living conditions. The study also revealed that the High SES group struggled at forming meaningful relationships and felt panicked and stressed regarding their academic responsibilities and outcomes. Hence as both groups struggled socially, they relied on technology and Western materialism to fill the void. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Orthodox Jewish adolescents develop and mature within a very structured environment. The aim of this study was to explore adolescent psychosocial identity development within Orthodox Jewish education. The secondary focus was the nature of the religious identity acquired through religious education, specifically Jewish Orthodox education. The literature study explored adolescent identity and development (within Erikson's framework), religious orientation and Orthodox Jewish education. The qualitative research was conducted empirically, in the form of a case study of seven adolescents from a single-sex Orthodox school based in Johannesburg. The themes that emerged from the empirical study are as follows: the community; Orthodox Judaism; education; parents, family and peers; adolescent and religious identity. The study indicated that the participants' identity development is dominated by their religious psychosocial world that paradoxically provides the structure that supports and complicates their identity development. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Guidance and Counseling)

The comprehensive evidence presented by a number of researchers established that the nature of the classroom environment has a potent influence on students' academic, social and psychological development. This thesis set out to advance the idea that taxonomy of relevant optimum conditions for identity development can serve to illuminate thinking and research on the impact of the classroom environment on identity development in adolescence. A systems approach was used. The subjects were Grade 11 pupils of a high school in Gauteng. They completed questionnaires in paragraph format, and case studies were conducted with five students. Questions relating to their classroom environments were asked. The unit of study was primarily the classroom, but since the classroom is part of the larger school system, aspects of the school environment were explored as well. Positive and negative elements in the classroom environment, that enhance or hamper identity development, were identified. Recommendations were made to improve the classroom environment in order to create an environment that is conducive to identity development, and ultimately, academic achievement. / Psychology / D.Litt et Phil (Psychology)