No abstract available / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2008.

This study‟s primary motivation is the domestic and gender based violence (DGBV) that takes place particularly in Christian families and homes. Besides personal encounter that brought awareness that DGBV is for real in Christian homes, it is also affirmed by the scholars and researchers on DGBV. The study has established from the existing literature that DGBV is indeed an indisputable actuality in Christian families that leaves women with psychological, physical and emotional scars that are hard to heal. Some women are even fatally wounded by DGBV incidents. This makes it imperative for the church to revisit its church teachings particularly about marital relationships. The Anglican Communion locally and globally has taken initiatives against this violence. For instance, the Anglican Church in Southern Africa (ACSA) has raised its concerns about this violence through the prophetic voices of its leadership and a number of initiatives in different Anglican dioceses. This demonstrates that ACSA is committed to the attempts of curbing the escalating DGBV. It is for this reason that the Premarital and Marriage Coaching Program (PMCP) is investigated for its relevance in addressing DGBV during its premarital and marriage counselling sessions. This is an Anglican document developed in 2012 in the context of DGBV that has become a pestilence in democratic South Africa which raises a need for its contextual relevance. It is thus vital that its marital teachings meant for “the happily ever after” metaphorically referred to as the bed of roses, premarital sessions should conscientise the couples that the roses have thorns too. The theoretical framework of this study has been coined from the body of knowledge of African Women Theologians and is called Feminist theory of triangulation. As a lens, this theory has helped this study to demonstrate that DGBV cannot be addressed with the exclusion of gender disparity issues which have cogently turned out to be the fundamental course of DGBV. The study has also clearly indicated that without cultural and biblical hermeneutics it would be impossible to address gender sensitive biblical texts and cultural norms, particularly those that elevate men‟s superiority over women in marriage. Regrettably, the PMCP has not attempted any of these hermeneutics, yet it uses some of the scriptures that are highly contested in their interpretation in the marriage context which renders it an accomplice to the repression of women in marriage. Hierarchists might find the PMCP user friendly because it maintains the status quo and does not challenge culture, religious beliefs and gender roles that are life denying to women. On the other hand Egalitarians, whose agenda is equality which was God‟s original purpose for human creation according to Gen. 1:26-27, might be relatively upset with the document. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Humanities in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the subject Social Wok at the University of the Witwatersrand May 1991. / The declining seate of marriage in modern society is a phenomenon acknowledged by professionals and laymen alike. One of the major efforts to counter this state of events was made by the marriage enrichment movement. It focuses on helping healthy marriages consolidate their positive qualities and strengthen their weaknesses, thus achieving greater marital satisfaction for the participants in courses. [Abbreviated Abstract. Open document to view full version] / MT2017

This study was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of the microcounseling training model for the improvement of marital communication. The purposes of this study were (a) to assess the effects of microcounseling on the communication between married couples; (b) to determine whether the teaching of skills using microcounseling can have specific behavioral effects on the actions of individuals in training; (c) to assess whether this change has effects on sharing behavior of couples; (d) to determine whether skill training has any effect on marital adjustment of couples; and (e) to examine changes in meaning that training may cause. Based on statistical results it was concluded the microcounseling does not result in significant changes in marital communication. Neither does microcounseling bring about significant changes in marital adjustment or primary communication. Eleven of the semantic differential items did change significantly. It was nevertheless concluded that these changes were not enough to support the conclusion that great changes in meaning had occurred. It was concluded that from a time-cost standpoint, microcounseling is not an efficient way to train married couples' communication.

The high incidence of divorce and marital breakdown in South Africa warrants attention and organised prevention. There is no correlation between this high divorce rate and existing facilities or utilisation of these facilities. For the past fifteen years the writer has been involved in training of Marriage Guidance Counsellors and treatment of marital couples in distress. During this time limited facilities, the inability of some couples to utilise existing facilities and the resultant family disruption has become evident. In an effort to assess the most important needs of couples in distress and the ability of consultants in the helping professions to assist these couples this research was initiated. Previous findings that sexual dissatisfaction is one of the main reasons of marital breakdown has been confirmed as well as the fact that it is often a mere symptom of various difficulties and poor marital communication. It was also found that different needs regarding sex education and sex therapy exist in our multicultural society and that thorough recognition of these specific needs is required to offer meaningful assistance. Following this multicultural evaluative investigation which included a multi-disciplinary enquiry, data was summarised and a tentative training programme suggested. Final conclusions are not provided. Qualitative data to assist the practitioner has been summarised and a continuous feedback loop of evaluation and improved programme planning initiated in accordance with the requirements of illuminative action research. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Durban-Westville, 1984.

The purposes of this study were (1) to determine the immediate effects, if any, on marital adjustment of a marital enrichment program entitled Marital Skills Training. Program (MSTP); (2) to determine the residual effects, if any, on marital adjustment after MSTP had been terminated; and (3) to determine the differences, if any, in the effect on marital adjustment of an on-going group and extended session group using MSTP. Measures of marital communication and marital adjustment served as the dependent variables while the MSTP training served as the independent variable. Instruments used for data collection were the Marital Adjustment Test (Short Form), the Primary Communication Inventory, and the Semantic Differential. The study concluded that teaching marital communication skills in a conjoint couples' group in an on-going setting is an effective way to increase marital adjustment. However, the passage of time appears to be a necessary factor in integrating MSTP into behaviors which affect marital adjustment since the significant increase did not appear until five weeks following training and was found to exist only in the On-going training group.

The problem of this study was the negative or positive effects of a partially structured Christian marriage enrichment weekend upon marital communication, marital adjustment, and purpose in life. The results indicated that on all four tests both groups improved significantly over a two-month period but not over a one-week period. The general conclusions to be drawn are two-fold. First, a partially structured Christian marriage enrichment weekend, namely Enjoying Marriage, will probably help a couple improve in communication, adjustment, and purpose in life. Second, only on adjustment and purpose in life can one say that such improvement is based specifically upon the content of the weekend. The reason for this is that a weekend retreat group who received no treatment on marriage also improved in communication and on one specific type of marital adjustment as measured by the Polyfactor Sentence Completion Survey.

This thesis examines the effect of group programme for clients of marriage counselling, who are going / have gone through a divorce, or disintegration of cohabitation (or possibly through other difficult situations connected with marriage, partnership, family …). The first - theoretical- part consists of a summary of the relevant literature related to the topic focusing on stages of divorce. The second part involves a qualitative analysis of eleven interviews with clients - attendants of two cycles of the programme and an analysis of a focus group. The analysis of the interviews has resulted in an individual reflexion of the effects of the programme and an attempt on formulation of efficient strategies of the help during the divorce process with focus on restoration of social integration during the restructuring stage after the divorce. The obtained results show that the clients consider the programme efficient and helpful during adaptation to divorce/disintegration of cohabitation in terms of changing their perspective on the course of their marriage/ partnership and their divorce/break up crisis. Key words Divorce, Group Work, Marriage Counseling

This study was done to explore how modern Pastoral Care and Counselling models could be in dialogue with some valuable Xhosa traditional practices in the urbanised context around Umtata in the Eastern Cape. The intention is to provide a marriage enrichment programme to the congregants of the Methodist Church in this region. This has been offered in response to increase in the rate of divorce, separation and emotional distress experienced by many couples in the area. Chapter one offers the methodological framework for the entire theoretical and practical study. The second chapter explores various concepts of the family systems theory with particular focus on Murray Bowen's systems theory. This should bring forth a clear understanding of behavioural patterns which manifest in marriage when the system loses equilibrium. Grounded in the family systems theory is the concept of normal family processes. The third chapter looks into the understanding of normal family processes as brought across by various American authors. The chapter takes the interpretation further by looking into normal family processes in the original Xhosa cultural communities. The reason for the exercise is to bring awareness about what is normal before one can address what is abnormal. This is for widening the horizons so that what is culturally normal should not be labelled as abnormal. The fourth chapter prepares groundwork for the establishment of intervention and counselling strategies specifically within the Xhosa communities around Umtata. This chapter is field work done through interviews so as to gain an awareness about what the people of this region presently think, feel and say about marriage and family life experiences. The fifth chapter looks into the minister's uniqueness in marriage enrichment in comparison with his or her colleagues in medical, social work and family therapy or psychotherapy fields. A theological exploration is dealt with in the sixth chapter with a view to contend with biblical principles applicable to marriage. Chapter seven discusses a training model for a lay team of twelve members to promote the concept of the priesthood of all believers. The views of authors like Switzer, Clinebell, Colilns, Herbert Otto and others are consulted and opened to dialogue with Xhosa Traditional practices offered by oral sources. Chapter eight focuses on premarital education. Within this eduGative counselling, a hand-out on marriage contracts is prepared in both English and the vernacular language. Interdisciplinary work has been included through the engagement of resource personnel from the medical, financial and legal fields. Chapter nine actually presents the Marriage Enrichment Programme in a workshop form. Within the programme, theoretical and practical work is done in contextual bible study, communication and conflict resolution exercises as well as conscietisation about valuable Xhosa traditional marriage practices. The contextual model on marriage enrichment is offered to a group of forty-four congregants. The evaluation forms provide a positive result of this marriage enrichment model. The results express a need to address marital problems in our communities. This does give support to the Hypothesis that was tested. Modern pastoral care and counselling models can be adapted to traditional context with positive results. Lay involvement promotes maximum participation of the People of God in care giving. However, further results will be achieved with more workshops or retreats. More effectiveness will also come with the training of more lay teams. This demands large sampling in lay training, more interviewing and more involvement of the rural community elders for more information on traditional practices. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2000

The increasing demand for couples therapy and its present low success rate led to the question whether Glasser's reality therapy, with its innovative approach, could possibly be of value to couples therapy in South Africa. Glasser emphasizes the importance of healthy personal relationships, freedom of choice and responsibility. In therapy he focuses on the fact that each person has control of what he/she does and thinks and that he/she should take responsibility for it. On the basis of a limited qualitative study, it was found that, with certain reservations, this therapy could make a valuable contribution to the success of couples therapy. Professional persons should be encouraged to apply reality theory in couples therapy, training institutions should train their students in this regard and more comprehensive and in-depth research should be undertaken to determine its value in larger and more representative groups. / Educational Studies / M. Ed.