This thesis deals with the specifics of subjectively perceived well-being of early and mid adolescents (11 - 15 years) who are curretly living in Czech foster homes. The purpose of this study is to describe whether their life satisfaction differ from those, who are growing up with biological parents. If so, in what aspects and why. The theoretical part focuses on various concepts of well-being, current institutional care situation in the Czech Republic, its benefits and risks, the developmental period of early and mid adolescence with its outstanding characteristics. In addition, the newest studies related to the topic are covered. The practical part includes mixed approaches (both quantitative and qualitative) through the KIDSCREEN- 52 questionnaire and suplemental anamnestic questionnaire. In total 53 children from 8 different foster homes filled out both questionnaires. The research results show, that life satisfaction of children in institutional care is in three domains (moods and emotions, school environment, social acceptance and bullying) lower in comparison with children who are living with their families. No significant differences were found in the remaining seven domains. Children from foster homes are satisfied with both biological parents and professional carers. They tend to idealise...

Subjektyvių seksualumo išgyvenimų paauglystėje analizė nėra dažna tema psichologinių tyrimų lauke. Tačiau tai nereiškia, kad turėtume sutikti su paplitusia, tačiau mokslinę žiūrą ribojančia perspektyva, seksualumą tapatinančia tik su seksualine elgsena. Šioje disertacijoje atsisakoma išankstinių nuostatų paauglių seksualumą vertinti tik kaip problematišką ir rizikingą reiškinį. Kaip heteroseksualios mergaitės išgyvena savo seksualumą viduriniosios paauglystės laikotarpiu (14-17m.)? Kaip jų seksualumas atsiskleidžia kasdienybėje? Atsakymams atrasti šiame tyrime pasitelkta kokybinio tęstinio tyrimo strategija ir interpretacinės fenomenologinės analizės metodas. 9 tyrimo dalyvių interviu medžiaga atskleidė, jog 14 -15 m. amžiuje seksualumo patirtis galima struktūruoti kaip keturias metatemas: fizinio seksualumo atpažinimą; seksualios Aš fragmentiškumą; seksualumo patyrimą kaip santykio Aš-priešingos lyties KITAS, dalį; buvimo seksualia, bet ne „pasileidusia“: naujo tapatumo paieškas. Disertacijoje formuluojama žvilgsnio situacijos koncepcija, aiškinanti seksualios Aš įsisąmoninimą. Pristatomas nuoseklus buvimą ir tapsmą seksualia paaugle iliustruojantis atvejis. / The experience of sexuality in adolescence is not a frequent research object in the field of psychological inquiry. However, it does not mean that we must accept the narrow identification of sexuality with the sexual behavior. The discourse of this thesis denies the prejudices to see adolescent sexuality as the problematic and risky phenomenon only. How the girls undergo their experience of sexuality in mid-adolescence (age 14-17)? The novel strategy of the developmental longitudinal qualitative research and the method of interpretative phenomenological analysis were selected to answer this question. The findings of nine girls (age of 14-15) interview revealed that sexual experience can be structured as four meta-themes: a) recognition of physical sexuality; b) a fragmented sexual Self; c) sexual experience as a part of intersubjective relation between SELF and the opposite sex OTHER; d) a dilemma of being sexual, but not „promiscuous“: search for a new identity. The material provides new data on the first conscious sexual experiences, conceptualized as a gaze situation. The processes of being and becoming a sexual person are uncovered through the coherent case study.

During the growth spurt (GS) which forms part of the mid-adolescence period of boys (13-17 years), considerable changes take place in the body composition of boys. It is therefore an unstable period where imbalances in body proportions (muscle mass, fat mass, neurological development) occur, that might have an effect on sport performance. It is also accompanied by changes in physical and motor fitness. The study firstly aimed to determine anthropometric growth changes in stature, arm span, mass, sitting height and sitting height ratio during mid-adolescence over a period of three years. The study secondly aimed to investigate the developmental changes in physical fitness (muscle strength, aerobic endurance) and motor fitness abilities (speed, agility, hand- eye coordination, explosive power) during the mid-adolescence phase of boys and finally to investigate possible relationships between anthropometric and physical and motor fitness abilities over the course of three years. A convenience sample consisting of all the grade 8 learners (n=182) of a quintile 5 high school in Potchefstroom in the North-West province of South Africa was selected to participate in a longitudinal growth research project over a three year period. Only the boys, with a mean age of 13.58 years in grade 8, of whom 95.4 % were white, 2.3% black and 2.3% colored boys, were part of the study. In 2010, 87 boys had complete measurements, while the final group in 2012 with completed follow-up measurements, were 73 boys. The physical and motor fitness components were measured according to the Australian Sport Search Program consisting of 10 tests (4 anthropometrical tests, 5 motor fitness tests, 1 physical fitness test). The cricket ball throwing test was added as an additional test. The anthropometrical measurements were made using the protocol of ISAK, while sitting height was measured according to the Canadian Sports for Life protocol. Sitting height ratio was calculated according to the formula (sitting height/stature x 100). The data was processed by “Statistica for Windows” Statsoft-computer program package. Descriptive statistics that included means (M), standard deviations (SD) and minimum and maximum values were used. A repeated measures over time analysis of variance (ANOVA) with a Bonferonni adjustment was done to analyze the differences over a period of 3 years within the group for all variables, where p<0.05 indicates a statistically significant difference. A partial correlation analysis was used to determine correlations between variables. Practical significance of correlations was determined according to Cohen’s d-value (0.1=small, 0.3=medium, 0.5=large). The results showed that during mid-adolescence in the period 13.58-14.58 years, boys grow considerably in stature, body mass, arm span and sitting height with accompanying improvement in motor and physical fitness abilities while sitting height ratio showed the greatest increase from 14.58-15.57 years. Stature, mass and arm span showed a parallel development up to 15 years after which further development leveled off, while mass increase showed no leveling off. Speed, agility, coordination and isometric-dynamic shoulder strength (basketball throw) also showed the biggest and significant improvement from 13.58-15.57 years, while explosive leg power and upper body arm and shoulder strength (vertical jump, cricket ball throw) showed the biggest and significant improvements during the period from 14.58 to 15.57 years. Significant correlations up to r=0.74; p<0.05, were found between changes in physical and motor fitness abilities and anthropometric variables, although the correlations become smaller over the 3-year period. Hand-eye coordination showed no correlation with any anthropometrical changes, while upper body strength correlated with all the anthropometrical measurements except sitting height ratio throughout the three years. It was concluded that the most accelerated growth and development took place from 13.58- 15.57 years in boys when they are in their first high school year and which falls within the mid-adolescent period (13-15 years). Furthermore, clear relationships were found between anthropometric, motor- and physical fitness variables. This knowledge of the rate of growth and motor fitness development and the relationships between these variables during the midadolescence period can provide a better understanding of changes that boys underwent during the mid-adolescent period, and can help monitoring the level of physical maturity in adolescents in order to develop training, competition and rehabilitation programs according to their developmental and not their chronological age. This cannot only prevent injuries, but also prevent early burnout in sport. / MA (Sport Science), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

During the growth spurt (GS) which forms part of the mid-adolescence period of boys (13-17 years), considerable changes take place in the body composition of boys. It is therefore an unstable period where imbalances in body proportions (muscle mass, fat mass, neurological development) occur, that might have an effect on sport performance. It is also accompanied by changes in physical and motor fitness. The study firstly aimed to determine anthropometric growth changes in stature, arm span, mass, sitting height and sitting height ratio during mid-adolescence over a period of three years. The study secondly aimed to investigate the developmental changes in physical fitness (muscle strength, aerobic endurance) and motor fitness abilities (speed, agility, hand- eye coordination, explosive power) during the mid-adolescence phase of boys and finally to investigate possible relationships between anthropometric and physical and motor fitness abilities over the course of three years. A convenience sample consisting of all the grade 8 learners (n=182) of a quintile 5 high school in Potchefstroom in the North-West province of South Africa was selected to participate in a longitudinal growth research project over a three year period. Only the boys, with a mean age of 13.58 years in grade 8, of whom 95.4 % were white, 2.3% black and 2.3% colored boys, were part of the study. In 2010, 87 boys had complete measurements, while the final group in 2012 with completed follow-up measurements, were 73 boys. The physical and motor fitness components were measured according to the Australian Sport Search Program consisting of 10 tests (4 anthropometrical tests, 5 motor fitness tests, 1 physical fitness test). The cricket ball throwing test was added as an additional test. The anthropometrical measurements were made using the protocol of ISAK, while sitting height was measured according to the Canadian Sports for Life protocol. Sitting height ratio was calculated according to the formula (sitting height/stature x 100). The data was processed by “Statistica for Windows” Statsoft-computer program package. Descriptive statistics that included means (M), standard deviations (SD) and minimum and maximum values were used. A repeated measures over time analysis of variance (ANOVA) with a Bonferonni adjustment was done to analyze the differences over a period of 3 years within the group for all variables, where p<0.05 indicates a statistically significant difference. A partial correlation analysis was used to determine correlations between variables. Practical significance of correlations was determined according to Cohen’s d-value (0.1=small, 0.3=medium, 0.5=large). The results showed that during mid-adolescence in the period 13.58-14.58 years, boys grow considerably in stature, body mass, arm span and sitting height with accompanying improvement in motor and physical fitness abilities while sitting height ratio showed the greatest increase from 14.58-15.57 years. Stature, mass and arm span showed a parallel development up to 15 years after which further development leveled off, while mass increase showed no leveling off. Speed, agility, coordination and isometric-dynamic shoulder strength (basketball throw) also showed the biggest and significant improvement from 13.58-15.57 years, while explosive leg power and upper body arm and shoulder strength (vertical jump, cricket ball throw) showed the biggest and significant improvements during the period from 14.58 to 15.57 years. Significant correlations up to r=0.74; p<0.05, were found between changes in physical and motor fitness abilities and anthropometric variables, although the correlations become smaller over the 3-year period. Hand-eye coordination showed no correlation with any anthropometrical changes, while upper body strength correlated with all the anthropometrical measurements except sitting height ratio throughout the three years. It was concluded that the most accelerated growth and development took place from 13.58- 15.57 years in boys when they are in their first high school year and which falls within the mid-adolescent period (13-15 years). Furthermore, clear relationships were found between anthropometric, motor- and physical fitness variables. This knowledge of the rate of growth and motor fitness development and the relationships between these variables during the midadolescence period can provide a better understanding of changes that boys underwent during the mid-adolescent period, and can help monitoring the level of physical maturity in adolescents in order to develop training, competition and rehabilitation programs according to their developmental and not their chronological age. This cannot only prevent injuries, but also prevent early burnout in sport. / MA (Sport Science), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014