M.Phil. (Psychology) / The aim of this study is to examine the influence that the parent-child relationship has over development of the adolescent. This isdone through the theoretical concept of individuation. The basic assumption of this study is that it is not only the adolescent that undergoes certain developmental changes during individuation, but that the relationship context wherein he finds himself, also changes. Furthermore, the adolescent and his context influence one another mutually. Individuation does not just pose certain demands on the adolescent, but also on the parent-adolescent relationship as well as the family system. It is also evident that family functioning has an important influence over the type and quality of the parent-adolescent relationship. Therefore the dynamic interaction between family functioning, the characteristics of the parent-adolescent relationship, and the personality development of the adolescent is being examined according to developmental theories as well as the family system approach. In order to examine the relation between the personality characteristics of the adolescent and the characteristics of the parent-adolescent relationship, a single conceptual model is used in which the common theoretical traits that occur in both the developmental and systems approach, is integrated. Various types of parent-adolescent interaction is therefore identified according to this integrated theoretical model, whereupon the relation between this types of parent-adolescent interactions and specified personality traits of the adolescent can be examined.

D.Ed. (Educational Psychology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Cur. / The increasing use of intoxicating substances worldwide has made societies shift deeper into the culture of substance abuse. The situation in South Africa is likely to be the same. Unfortunately, the scourge of substance abuse affects family life by causing family disruptions which lead to various social pathologies of our time. There is considerable literature supporting the stressful life experienced by adolescents living in neglectful, violent, conflict- and fight-orientated environments caused by the abuse of substances by parents. This study was carried out for the purpose of investigating the life-world of adolescents living in substance-influenced homes. The study is qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual in approach and it, therefore, became necessary to use phenomenological semi-structured interviews with the adolescents whose parents abuse substances. The sample consisted of eight high school adolescents living in three rural villages of Lomayaneng, Motsoseng and Seweding in Mafikeng. Before the interview, trust was built through written permission to the principals of the schools concerned and the parents of these children to conduct the research. At the same time, the adolescents were informed of what the research concerns before the main interview. Data was analysed utilizing Giorgi's and Tesch's methods. Trustworthiness was, amongst others, ensured throughout the study by applying Guba's approach, including the services of an independent coder. The findings of the study indicated that adolescents whose parents abuse substances live a stressful life and suffer much shame, neglect, despair and trauma because their aspirations, for example, education, emotional/spiritual, physical and social, are frustrated since their home life is dysfunctional. Two main themes were identified: Disrupted family life related to abuse of substances and stressful life related to frustrated aspirations; and their consequences were found to be that these adolescents use ineffective coping mechanisms, for example over-responsibility for all family members and failure to seek professional help with a view to coer the defects in their families. Guidelines for psychiatric nurses were built around these themes with the aim of assisting adolescents who are faced with similar situations to promote, maintain and restore their mental health as an integral part of health.