Text in English / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.Th. (Practical Theology, with specialisation in Pastoral Therapy)

M.A. (Social Work) / Divorce mediation is at this stage accessible mainly to those people married in terms of " the common law. One of the main reasons for this is that social workers lack the knowledge and skills needed to mediate custody during the dissolution of the customary marriage. This explorative-descriptive study aims to develop guidelines for social workers that can be used in resolving custody disputes between parties married in terms of the customary law. A qualitative approach using an inductive strategy was followed to achieve this aim. The research question was formulated as "what guidelines do social workers need to mediate custody during the dissolution of the customary memeqe": A literature review, focusing on the customary marriage and the dissolution of the customary marriage as well as the structure and process of divorce mediation, was firstly undertaken. Secondly a questionnaire was drawn up as part of the pre-test and completed by eight social workers working as family counsellors at the different Offices of the Family Advocate in the Republic of South Africa. The aim of this pre-test was to determine whether social workers are familiar 'with mediating custody during the dissolution of the customary marriage as well as to assess their needs in terms of knowledge and skills pertaining to the research problem. From the results of the pre-test as well as the literature study an unstructured interview schedule was compiled and used to guide a focus group interview with four respondents familiar with the principles of the customary union and the dissolution of the customary union. The purpose of the focus group interview was to identify guidelines social workers can use when mediating custody during the dissolution of the customary union. After having compared the results of the focus group interview with the relevant literature certain conclusions were drawn and recommendations made. In conclusion to this study guidelines were designed to be used by social workers when mediation custody during the dissolution of the customary marriage.

This study focused on the experiences of professionals in drafting and implementing parenting plans with high-conflict separating and divorcing families in the South African context. The primary aim of the study was to explore the participants’ personal and professional experiences through an in-depth and sensitive inquiry. The data was collected from five participants using face-to-face, semi-structured interviews. The interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. The results of this study indicate that professionals experience various challenges when working with high-conflict separating and divorcing families. The participants also shared their perceptions regarding parenting plans. Further research on the challenges specific to drafting and implementing parenting plans with high-conflict separating and divorcing families in the South African context is recommended / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

This study focused on the experiences of professionals in drafting and implementing parenting plans with high-conflict separating and divorcing families in the South African context. The primary aim of the study was to explore the participants’ personal and professional experiences through an in-depth and sensitive inquiry. The data was collected from five participants using face-to-face, semi-structured interviews. The interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. The results of this study indicate that professionals experience various challenges when working with high-conflict separating and divorcing families. The participants also shared their perceptions regarding parenting plans. Further research on the challenges specific to drafting and implementing parenting plans with high-conflict separating and divorcing families in the South African context is recommended / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

Disputes concerning care and contact arrangements for the minor children of divorcing couples present special challenges for professionals in the legal and psychological professions. Care and contact (custody) disputes, which are complex undertakings, are a point of debate in the professional arena in South Africa. Clinical psychologists are often included in the professional cohort that assists the high court, as the upper guardian of minor children, in the decision making process regarding contested care arrangements of children. This field is further challenged by the lack of training programmes and practice guidelines, the intense adversarial nature of disputes and litigation processes, as well as the increase in board complaints levelled against psychologists at the Health Professions Council of South Africa. These challenges contribute to the reluctance of psychologists to become involved in care and contact matters. This study therefore aimed first to explore the current practices and contributions of clinical psychologists in care and contact disputes in South Africa, and second to evaluate the procedures used by clinical psychologists to inform their recommendations to the court. In such matters, clinical psychologists adhere to the best interest of the child (BIC) principle. The final aim of the study was to identify and propose guidelines for a model of better practice. The study was guided by a Constructivist Epistemology and a Social Constructionist paradigmatic framework. A qualitative research approach was employed. Data were collected through face- to-face interviews with clinical psychologists and advocates and were analysed using Thematic Network Analysis of Attride-Stirling. The findings, which indicated that that the practices of psychologists are plenteous, revealed significant shortfalls in current practices. In addition, the findings designated that creating a universal model for care and contact evaluations to fit with the legal professions’ empiricist tendency poses a paradigmatic dilemma and a practical challenge. A position of observer-dependence and a reflective position on the part of the psychologist is instead indicated. / Psychology / Ph. D. (Psychology)

Abstract in English, Afrikaans and Zulu / The general aim of the research was to investigate the components and nature of a psychosocial framework for conflict management in organisations. The research investigated the way in which such a framework manifests by exploring the relationship dynamics between the antecedents (leadership, organisational culture and employee voice), mediators (employee engagement and organisational trust), and outcome variables (conflict management – conflict types and interpersonal conflict handling styles), as moderated by socio-demographic factors (race, gender, age, qualification, job level, income level, tenure, employment status, trade union representation, trade union membership, sector, employee numbers, organisational size, employee engagement programme). The associations between individuals’ personal and organisational characteristics were further explored to determine significant differences between these variables. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted amongst a non-probability sample of adult workers who were employed in South African-based organisations (n = 556). Canonical correlation analysis, mediation modelling, and structural equation modelling were conducted to identify the core empirical components of the framework. A critical review of the interrelated dynamics of the framework components revealed that the mediating variables of employee engagement (job engagement and organisational engagement) and organisational trust (commitment, dependability, integrity) were vital in intensifying the direction and strength of the link between leadership behaviour, organisational culture, conflict types (task, relational, process and status conflict, group atmosphere and conflict resolution potential), and various interpersonal conflict handling styles (integrating, avoiding, dominating, obliging, compromising). Stepwise multiple regression revealed that number of employees, a formal employee engagement programme, and job level were the three most important socio-demographic variables to consider in a conflict management framework, followed by age. The hierarchical moderated regression analysis showed that age, union membership, job level, number of employees, and formal employee engagement programme were important moderating factors to consider in the framework. Tests for significant mean differences indicated significant dissimilarities in terms of the socio-demographic variables. Theoretically, the study advances the understanding of conflict management behaviour and its antecedents in the South African workplace. The empirically tested psychosocial framework informs workplace conflict management interventions from an employment relations perspective which may contribute to enhanced organisational performance. / Die algemene doel van die navorsing was om ondersoek in te stel na die komponente en aard van ʼn psigososiale raamwerk vir konflikbestuur in organisasies. Die navorsing het die manier waarop so ʼn raamwerk manifesteer, bestudeer – deur verkenning van die verhoudingsdinamika tussen die voorgangers (leierskap, organisasiekultuur en werknemer se stem), bemiddelaars (werknemerbetrokkenheid en vertroue in ʼn organisasie), en uitkomsveranderlikes (konflikbestuur – tipes konflik en hanteringstyle ten opsigte van interpersoonlike konflik), soos getemper deur sosiodemografiese faktore (ras, geslag, ouderdom, kwalifikasie, posvlak, inkomstevlak, ampsbekleding, aanstellingstatus, vakbondverteenwoordiging, vakbondlidmaatskap, sektor, werknemergetalle, organisasiegrootte, werknemerbetrokkenheidprogram). Die assosiasies tussen individue se persoonlike en organisasiegebonde eienskappe is verder bestudeer om betekenisvolle verskille tussen hierdie veranderlikes te bepaal. ʼn Kwantitatiewe deursnee-opname is gemaak onder ʼn nie-waarskynlikheidssteekproef van volwasse werkers in diens van Suid-Afrikaans-gebaseerde organisasies (n = 556). Kanoniese korrelasie-ontleding, bemiddelingsmodellering, en strukturele vergelykingsmodellering is gedoen om die kern- empiriese komponente van die raamwerk te identifiseer. ʼn Kritiese beskouing van die onderling verwante dinamika van die raamwerkkomponente het getoon dat die bemiddelende veranderlikes van werknemerbetrokkenheid (werksbetrokkenheid en organisasiebetrokkenheid) en vertroue in die organisasie (toewyding, betroubaarheid, integriteit) deurslaggewend was in die intensifisering van die rigting en sterkte van die skakel tussen leierskapsgedrag, organisasiekultuur, konfliktipes (taak-, relasionele, proses- en statuskonflik, groepatmosfeer en konflikoplossingspotensiaal), en verskillende hanteringstyle ten opsigte van interpersoonlike konflik (integrerend, vermydend, dominerend, inskiklik, kompromitterend). Stapsgewyse meervoudige regressie het getoon dat die aantal werknemers, ʼn formele werknemerbetrokkenheidsprogram, en posvlak die drie belangrikste sosiodemografiese veranderlikes was om mee rekenskap te hou in ʼn konflikbestuursraamwerk, gevolg deur ouderdom. Die hiërargiese gemodereerde regressie-ontleding het getoon dat ouderdom, vakbondlidmaatskap, posvlak, aantal werknemers, en formele werknemerbetrokkenheidsprogram belangrike modererende faktore was om in gedagte te hou in die raamwerk. Toetse vir noemenswaardige gemiddelde verskille het aansienlike ongelyksoortighede ten opsigte van die sosiodemografiese veranderlikes getoon. Teoreties bevorder die studie die begrip van konflikbestuursgedrag en die voorgangers daarvan in die Suid-Afrikaanse werkplek. Die empiries getoetste psigososiale raamwerk vorm konflikbestuursintervensies in die werkplek vanuit ʼn werksverhoudingeperspektief wat kan bydra tot verbeterde organisasieprestasie. / Inhloso jikelele yocwaningo kwaba ukuphenya izingxenye nemvelo yohlaka lwezengqondo lokuphathwa kokungqubuzana ezinhlanganweni. Ucwaningo luphenye indlela lapho uhlaka olunjalo lubonisa ngokuhlola amandla obudlelwano phakathi kwezinqumo (ubuholi, isiko lenhlangano nezwi lesisebenzi), abalamuli (ukuzibandakanya kwesisebenzi kanye nokwethembana kwenhlangano), kanye nemiphumela eguquguqukayo (ukuphathwa kokungqubuzana - izinhlobo zokungqubuzana nezindlela zokuphatha ukungqubuzana phakathi kwabantu), njengoba kuhlaziywe yizici zenhlayo yeningi labantu (uhlanga, ubulili, ubudala, imfanelo, izinga lomsebenzi, izinga lomholo, ukusebenzisa umhlaba, isimo somsebenzi, ukumelwa yinyunyana, ubulunga benyunyana, imboni, izinombolo zabasebenzi, ubungako benhlangano, uhlelo lokuzibandakanya kwesisebenzi). Ukuhlangana phakathi komuntu siqu kanye nezici zenhlangano kuphinde kwahlola umehluko omkhulu phakathi kwalokhu okuguquguqukayo. Inhlolovo esezingeni eliphansi yesigaba yenziwe phakathi kwesampula elula yabasebenzi abadala abebeqashwe ezinhlanganweni ezisekelwe zaseNingizimu Afrika (n = 556). Ukuhlaziya kokuxhumanisa kohlu lwezincwadi, ukulamula kwesifanekiso, kanye nesifanekiso sesakhiwo kwenziwa ukukhomba izingxenye ezisemqoka ezinokwehla kohlaka. Isibuyekezo esibucayi samandla ahambisana nezingxenye zohlaka siveze ukuthi ukulamula okuguqukayo kokuzibandakanya kwesisebenzi (ukuzibandakanya komsebenzi nokuzibandakanya kwenhlangano) kanye nokwethembana kwenhlangano (ukuzinikela, ukwethembeka, ubuqotho) kwakubalulekile ekwandiseni ukuqondiswa namandla oxhumano phakathi kokuziphatha kwabaholi, isiko lenhlangano, izinhlobo zokungqubuzana (umsebenzi, ezingubudlelwano, inqubo nesimo sokungqubuzana, isimo sokuzwana eqenjini kanye namandla okuxazulula ukungqubuzana), kanye nezindlela zokuphatha ukungqubuzana okuhlukahlukene phakathi kwabantu (ukuhlanganisa, ukugwema, ukubusa, ukubopha, ukuyekethisa). Ngokuhamba kwesinyathelo ekuhlehleni okuningi kwaveza ukuthi inani labasebenzi, uhlelo lokuzibandakanya olusemthethweni lwesisebenzi, kanye nezinga lomsebenzi kwakuyizinguqunguquko ezintathu ezibaluleke kakhulu zenhlalo yeningi abantu okufanele bazicabange ohlakeni lokuphathwa ukungqubuzana, kulandelwe ubudala. Ukuhlaziywa okuphezulu kokuhlehla kokuhlaziya kubonise ukuthi ubudala, ubulunga benyunyana, izinga lomsebenzi, inani lezisebenzi, kanye nohlelo lokuzibandakanya olusemthethweni lwesisebenzi kwakuyizici ezibalulekile zokulinganisa okufanele zicatshangwe ohlakeni. Uvivinyo lokwehlukahlukana lukhombise ukungafani okubalulekile ngokuya kweziguquguqukayo zenhlalo yeningi labantu. Ngokucatshangwayo isifundo sikhuthaza ukuqondisisa ukuphathwa kokungqubuzana kokuziphatha kanye nezinqumo zako endaweni yomsebenzi eNingizimu Afrika. Ukuhlolwa okunamandla kohlaka lwezengqondo lwazisa ukungenelela kokuphathwa kokungqubuzana endaweni yomsebenzi ngombono wobudlelwano emsebenzini okungaba nomthelela ekwenzeni ngcono ukusebenza kwenhlangano. / Human Resource Management / D. Phil. (Human Resource Management)