Summaries in Afrikaans and English / A primary school child finds him or herself in the middle childhood years and it is considered to be a rich phase of life, since children have already reached important milestones. These children have the ability not only to act with empathy but also to maintain independent behaviour. As a result of the development in the cognitive and moral stage of development, these children can also distinguish between right and wrong and they show insight that social rules can be changed. As a result of this development, it is believed that this child will accept learners with different skills more confidently when the required awareness is provided. One group of learners with special skills, which I focused on during this research, are those who have been deformed by burn wounds. Statistics show that a growing number of children in South Africa are deformed by burn wounds. As a result of the changing policy on inclusive education, these children cannot be denied into the mainstream education system because of deformity or disability anymore. It is therefore believed that an increasing number of deformed or disabled children will be entering the mainstream education system. Information is gathered through various methods by using triangulation. The literature study, semi-structured interviews with children as well as teachers for experimental subjects, who completed an incomplete sentence test and open questions, added valuable information. Research indicated that children in this phase of life are indeed equipped with certain life skills, which place them in a privileged position to handle interaction with the deformed child, if they receive the required awareness. The information also indicated that the gestalt approach could be used as theoretical perspective for the compilation of the guideline. This approach recognises that play is the child's natural communication medium but also recognises that awareness is created through means of experimentation. To my knowledge, there is no program or guideline from the gestalt approach that enables education staff to address children's awareness in respect of their inherent skills in the middle childhood years. The researcher made a breakthrough in the integration of the gestalt approach with the education environment by constructing a practical guideline from the gestalt approach for education staff. Education staff should, however, receive training with regards to the gestalt approach in order to use this guideline effectively. / Laerskoolkind bevind hom- of haarself in die middelkinderjare en dit word as ryk lewensfase beskou, aangesien kinders reeds belangrike mylpale bereik het. Hierdie kinders beskik oor die vermoe om nie slegs empaties op te tree nie, maar om ook selfstandige gedrag te handhaaf. As gevolg van die ontwikkeling in die kognitiewe en morele ontwikkelingsterrein, kan hulle ook tussen reg en verkeerd onderskei en toon hulle insig dat sosiale reels verander kan word. As gevolg van hierdie ontwikkeling word daar verwag dat hierdie kind met die nodige bewusmaking, leerders wat oor verskillende bekwaamhede beskik, met meer selfvertroue sal kan aanvaar. Een groep leerders, waarop daar tydens hierdie navorsing gefokus sal word, wat oor spesiale bekwaamheid beskik, is diegene wat deur brandwonde geskend is. Statistieke toon dat toenemende aantal kinders jaarliks in Suid-Afrika, weens brandwonde geskend word. As gevolg van die veranderende beleid op insluitende onderwys, kan kinders weens geskend- of gestremdheid nie meer tot die hoofstroomonderwysstelsel geweier word nie. Die verwagting is dus dat toenemende aantal geskende of gestremde kinders die hoofstroomonderwysstelsel sal betree. Inligting is deur verskeie metodes ingesamel deur die benutting van triangulering. Die literatuurstudie, semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met kinders asook onderwysers as proefpersone wat 'n onvoltooide sinnetoets en oop vrae voltooi het, het bruikbare inligting tot gevolg gehad. Daar is gevind dat kinders in hierdie lewensfase wei oor bepaalde lewensvaardighede beskik, wat hulle in 'n bevoorregte posisie plaas om, indien hulle die nodige bewusmaking ontvang, interaksie met die geskende kind sal kan behartig. Die inligting het verder ook daarop gedui dat die gestaltspelbenadering as teoretiese perspektief vir die samestelling van die riglyn benut kan word. Hierdie benadering erken dat spel die kind se natuurlike kommunikasiemedium is, maar ook dat bewuswording geskied deur middel van eksperimentasie. Sover bekend is daar geen program of riglyn vanuit die gestaltbenadering, wat opvoedkundige personeel in staat stel om kinders in die middelkinderjare se bewustheid ten opsigte van hulle inherente vaardighede aan te spreek nie. Die navorser het 'n deurbraak in die integrering van die gestaltbenadering met die opvoedkundige omgewing gemaak deurdat 'n praktiese riglyn vanuit die gestaltspelbenadering vir opvoedkundige personeel saamgestel is. Opvoedkundige personeel behoort egter opleiding met betrekking tot die gestaltspelbenadering te ontvang ten einde hierdie riglyn effektief te kan benut. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

This study identifies the need for intercultural business communication competence and contends that a course in this field is of particular relevance to South African organisations. The aim of this study is to identify, through needs analysis, the specific intercultural business communication requirements of lscor managers with regard to Japan. The requirements are identified in such a way that they may be used as the criteria for an intercultural business communication course. Quantitative and qualitative research methods were used in the study. The results of the research indicate that managers generally lack knowledge of various communication aspects relating to Japan. Participants also indicated a high degree of culture shock in terms of specific intercultural factors. The findings of the study form the content topics around which a course in intercultural business communication may be developed. The relative value of the topics to specific managers is also identified. / Communication Science / M.A. (Communication)

A adolescência é um período de vulnerabilidade para comportamentos de risco. Devido às mudanças físicas e psicológicas da puberdade, a necessidade de experimentar o novo e início do comportamento sexual, o adolescente está mais vulnerável a aquisição de comportamentos como fumar, beber e ter comportamento sexual desprotegido. Para promover a saúde e aumentar a competência psicossocial dos adolescentes, a Organização Mundial de Saúde preconiza o Ensino de Habilidades de Vida. Este programa consiste no ensino de dez habilidades (emocionais, cognitivas e sociais) que aumentam a capacidade dos jovens adotarem comportamentos positivos e adaptativos no cotidiano. São elas: autoconhecimento, lidar com emoções e estresse, comunicação eficaz, relacionamento interpessoal, empatia, pensamento crítico, pensamento criativo, tomada de decisão e resolução de problemas. A literatura aponta que o conjunto dessas habilidades promove a saúde dos adolescentes e previne comportamentos de risco. Este estudo tem o objetivo é avaliar os efeitos do programa Ensino de Habilidades de Vida entre adolescentes vinculados a instituições profissionalizantes, sobre os comportamentos de risco e o locus de controle. Participaram 45 adolescentes de duas instituições no município de Ribeirão Preto, com 24 e 21 participantes em cada uma delas. A faixa etária situava-se entre 14 e 17 anos e 11 meses, a população era predominantemente do sexo masculino e a maioria estudante. Formaram-se oito grupos, quatro por instituição, durante os anos de 2003 e 2004, com média de seis participantes cada. Foram realizados 16 encontros, com freqüência semanal e duração de uma hora e meia em uma, e uma hora na outra instituição. Para avaliar a intervenção, no 4º e 15º encontros foram aplicados dois questionários, um sobre comportamentos de risco para a saúde e a escala de Locus de Controle de Levenson. No 16º encontro, foi realizada uma entrevista em grupo. Do 5º ao 14º encontros foram desenvolvidas as habilidades de vida, uma por encontro. A metodologia utilizada foi interativa e participativa, através de jogos, dramatizações e discussões. As variáveis dependentes eram: comportamentos de risco para o tabaco, álcool, drogas ilícitas, sexo desprotegido, locus de controle e o relato dos participantes sobre os efeitos do programa no cotidiano. Os resultados quantitativos, em ambas as instituições, não demonstraram diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre pré e pós intervenção nos dois instrumentos. A prevalência de uso na vida para o beber e fumar apresentaram-se acima da média nacional. Diminuíram os episódios de beber excessivo e aumentaram as respostas sobre o beber moderado, de 1 a 2 doses por ocasião. Os resultados qualitativos demonstraram que as habilidades de vida relacionadas ao autocontrole ajudam diante de situações de estresse na família, com amigos, na escola e com parceiros. Com relação aos comportamentos de risco, as habilidades mais frequentemente associadas foram tomada de decisão e pensamento crítico. Conclui-se que a aprendizagem cognitiva sobre como utilizar as habilidades de vida pode facilitar respostas mais ajustadas em situações futuras. Nos relatos observa-se mudanças de comportamento como pausar antes de agir, refletir antes de decidir, ouvir com atenção e adotar comportamentos saudáveis para lidar com o estresse. / Adolescence is a period of vulnerabilities for risk behaviors. Because of the physical and psychological changes in puberty, the need to seek novelties and the beginning of sexual behavior, the adolescent is left more vulnerable to begin behaviors like smoking, drinking and having unprotected sex. To promote health and increase the adolescent psychosocial competence, the World Health Organization recommends a program of Life Skills Training. This program consists of ten skills (emotional, cognitive and social) that increase the ability of the youth to adopt positive and adaptive behaviors when confronted with quotidian situations. They are: self-knowledge, dealing with emotions and with stress, effective communication, interpersonal relationships, empathy, critical thought, creative thought, taking decisions and problem resolutions. The literature shows that this group of skills promotes health among adolescents and prevents risk behaviors. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of a program of Life Skills Training on risk behavior and Locus of Control among adolescents who attend a professionalizing institution. Forty five adolescents from two institutions in the city of Ribeirão Preto participated in this study, the institutions having 24 and 21 participants respectively. Their ages were between 14 and 17 and 11 months, the population was mostly masculine and the majority was students. They were divided into 8 groups, 4 from each institution, during the years 2003 and 2004, with the mean of 6 participants per group. Sixteen meetings were held, one per week, with durations of one and half hours at one institution and one hour at the other. To evaluate the intervention, at the 4th and 15th meeting two questionnaires were used, one about risk behavior for health and the other a scale of Locus of Control from Levenson. At the 16th meeting a group interview was conducted. Between the 5th and the 14th meeting the Life Skills were developed at the rate of one per meeting. The methodology used was interactive and participative, using games, role-plays and discussions. The dependent variables were: risk behavior for tobacco use, alcohol use, illicit drugs, unprotected sex, Locus of Control and the report of the participants about the effects of the program in their quotidian. The quantitative outcomes, in both institutions, didnt show statistical significant difference between pre and post intervention for any of the instruments. The prevalence of life use for drinking and smoking were above the national mean. Episodes of excessive drinking decreased while responses to moderate drinking increased, about 1 to 2 per occasion. The qualitative results showed that the Life Skills related to self control helped when confronted with stress situations within the family, between friends, in the school and between partners. With relation to risk behaviors, the skills more associated were decision making and critical thought. It was concluded that cognitive learning about how to use the life skills can facilitate responses more adjusted in future situations. In the reports it is possible to observe changes in behaviors such as pausing before acting, reflecting before deciding, an increase in attention span and the adopting of healthy behavior in dealing with stress.

M.A. / Young adults who are entering the world of work are facing increasing challenges, resulting in elevated levels of employment uncertainty and anxiety. Many of these challenges are due to the continuously changing work environment, which is buffeted by the socio-political and economic climate - both in and outside South Africa. Other challenges could be related to factors such as lack of confidence, decision making difficulties, dissatisfaction with career choice and difficulties with social networking. As a result of such challenges young adults may perceive career barriers that would have an impact on their career development. These challenges could be influenced by an individual’s personality traits. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the career barriers most perceived by young adults. The study also aimed to assess whether any relationship exists between personality traits and perceived career barriers. The sample consisted of 193 participants from two universities in South Africa. Each participant completed a biographical data questionnaire, the Basic Traits Inventory- Short Form and the Career Barriers Inventory-Revised. The three highest standardised mean scores for the perceived career barrier scales were Racial Discrimination (M = 4.90), Dissatisfaction with Career (M = 4.56) and Sex Discrimination (M = 4.49). Examination of the individual personality traits in relation to perceived career barriers was done through the use of Pearson’s product-moment correlations. Extroversion yielded statistically significant negative correlations with the following perceived career barriers: Decision–Making Difficulties (r = -0.241; p < 0.01) and Inadequate Preparation (r = -0.149; p < 0.05). Conscientiousness showed a statistically significant positive relationship with Sex Discrimination (r = 0.274; p < 0.01). The results also indicated a statistically significant positive correlation between Agreeableness and Job Market Constraints (r = 0.166; p < 0.05). This study has implications for career guidance counsellors in their endeavours to provide a comprehensive service to young adults who have difficulties overcoming perceived career barriers.

M.Ed. (Educational Psychology) / The purpose ofthis study is to understand and describe the experiences ofthe demands that Life-orientation, in practice, place on the educator. These experiences relate to the skills, knowledge, attitudes, values and method of instruction. This study is descriptive and a qualitative research strategy was employed. A case study was used as a research method. A literature study ofLife-orientation, the demands that the subject place on educators and Invitational Education as a possible method of instruction were described. An interview with a focus group consisting of five educators in Life-orientation from High School X was done. A class presentation ofthese five educators was observed. The data collected were analysed and categories and themes identified. The themes or subjects identified were the following: the importance ofthe doctrine of Life-orientation, focus on the learner, atmosphere in the classroom and the educational and instructional demands Life-orientation place on the educator. These themes were linked to theory and findings and conclusions were made. The following findings were made: the themes identified allude to the four assumptions and four elements of Invitational Education. It became apparent that educators implicitly acted in a professionally and personally inviting manner towards themselves and the learners in teaching Life-orientation. It can be concluded that Invitational Education may be a possible workable model used in the teaching of Life-orientation according to an outcomes-based education model and it may aid the educators to adhere to the demands of Life-orientation.

The first cases of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) were reported in 1981 and in 1983 the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) was identified. Today, over 40 million individuals globally are living with HIV/AIDS. As there is currently no cure for the disease, it is projected to reach pandemic proportions in the 21st century. In South Africa at the end of 2006, over 5.3 million individuals were living with HIV/AIDS, with affluent and educated South Africans showing the highest HIVprevalence growth rate. The HIV prevalence amongst 15 to 24 year old South Africans is 10.4 percent. It has become vital that youth receive education about HIV/AIDS as early as possible, to ensure that they do not contract the virus. Psycho-education seeks to teach psychological knowledge and skills to individuals. This is also known as life skills teaching. The National Departments of Health and Education have developed a life skills programme for schools. This programme aims to, amongst others; educate young people about HIV/AIDS. The effectiveness of this programme will be assessed in two schools in the Port Elizabeth area. In this exploratory descriptive, triangulation research study, a quasiexperimental, one group pre- and post-test design was used to assess the effectiveness of the life skills programme amongst 211 Grade nine middle to upper socio-economic group learners. Four focus groups were conducted after the programme to explore the learner’s attitudes and perceptions of HIV/AIDS and their experiences of the programme. Tesch’s model of content analysis and Guba’s model of trustworthiness were used to analyse the data obtained from the focus groups.

This study examines how the implementation of CAPS Life Skills curriculum training (as a recontextualising process) is engaging teachers in environmental education. The research was centred on training manuals for Life Skills (Official Recontextualisation Field) and their use in CAPS training at district level in two Eastern Cape sites of recontextualisation (Professional Recontextualisation Field). During the training, teachers developed lesson plans that were reviewed and group interviews were conducted on the training process and its outcomes. The manuals, training process, lesson plans and interview transcripts were analysed for evidence of environmental education, notably content, teaching and learning methods and assessment strategies. Bernstein’s (1990) framework of the pedagogic device underpins this study. Here the concept of the relay is key for tracking the "relay” of the content, teaching and learning methods and assessment strategies through the processes of recontextualisation into the lesson plans for the field of production. During the process of de-location and relocation, gaps are created and this study sought to track and probe patterns of omissions that took place during the relay process in two cases of training. The review of the in-service training course process of recontextualisation and its cascading approach exposed challenges of omission as it became clear that at each level of the recontextualisation process, gaps were apparent. The study highlighted how the 3-5 day workshop process reviewed was not a robust model for professional development. It was not effective and changes in the mode of delivery and processes of support that reach into curriculum practice in the context of the school are recommended. The study concludes that there is a need for continuous professional development as teachers need ongoing support especially for a "new” curriculum like CAPS that is content driven.

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Thesis (PhD (Educational Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

This thesis is an evaluation of two coping skills programs and their effects on inmates' mental health status. The original computer coping skills program designed for the general population was modified to address the specific needs of an incarcerated population.This thesis evaluated the differences in the mental health status of the two treatment groups compared with the control group and with each other to assess the effectiveness of the two programs. The results of this study showed substantial improvement in the mental health status for the two treatment groups. There are indications from this study that specialty software designed specifically for inmates may result in lower levels of depression than non-tailored software.

The project is concerned with the effectiveness of the Independent Living Program (ILP) in assessing the effectiveness of preparing youth for emancipation from the foster care system. Specifically, the project focused on ILP participants' preparedness to live independently as determined by: education, housing, employment/career, and money management skills attained.