Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT : The present research set out to explore parents‟ perceptions of therapeutic horseback riding as an activity for their children with multiple disabilities. It was designed to explore their vicarious experiences of the activity as well as their perceptions of their children‟s experiences of the activity. In order to achieve this, a semi-structured interview was set up with 12 parents whose children participate in therapeutic horseback riding at the South African Riding for the Disabled Association (SARDA) in Constantia, Cape Town. The children ranged in age from 6-17 years and had a range of disabilities including physical and intellectual disabilities. Upon completion of the interviews, the data was transcribed by the researcher and analysed using thematic analysis. Following thematic analysis, three themes emerged: the effects of therapeutic horseback riding on the children, parents‟ personal experiences of therapeutic horseback riding and SARDA, and parents‟ perceived reasons for the improvements in their children. These results are supported by results in existing literature. The results however also address a gap in the existing literature regarding parents‟ perceptions of therapeutic horseback riding and their children‟s experiences of the activity. Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Die huidige navorsing het ten doel om ouers se persepsie ten opsigte van terapeutiese perdry as aktiwiteit vir hul kinders met verskillende vorms van gestremdheid te ondersoek. Daar is gepoog om sowel die ouers as die kinders se ondervinding van die aktiwiteit te bepaal. Ten einde die doelwit te bereik is semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude gereël met twaalf ouers wie se kinders aan die terapeutiese perdry by die South African Riding for the Disabled Association (SARDA) in Constantia, Kaapstad deelneem. Die kinders se ouderdomme het gewissel tussen 6 en 17 jaar en hulle het 'n verskeidenheid van gestremdhede gehad wat beide fisiese en intellektuele gestremdhede ingesluit het. Na afhandeling van die onderhoude, is die data opgeteken deur die navorser en verwerk deur gebruik te maak van tematiese analise. Uit die tematiese analise het die volgende drie patrone duidelik geword: Die effek van terapeutiese perdry op die kinders, ouers se persoonlike ondervinding van terapeutiese perdry en SARDA en ouers se persepsie van die redes vir verbetering in hul kinders. Hierdie resultate word ondersteun deur bestaande literatuur. Die resultate vul ook „n gaping in bestaande literatuur aan ten opsigte van die ouers se persepsie van terapeutiese perdry en ook ouers en hul kinders se ervaring van die aktiwiteit.

Introduktion: Fysisk aktivitet har positiva effekter både på den psykiska och fysiska hälsan och är en friskfaktor till många folksjukdomar. Covid-19-pandemin kan genom restriktioner och nedstängningar ha påverkat den fysiska aktiviteten hos barn negativt och ökat risken för långvariga stillasittande beteenden. Syfte: Syftet med den här studien är att studera föräldrars och målsmäns uppfattning om deras barns fysiska aktivitet givet Covid-19-pandemin, i två kommuner. Metod: Studien är en empirisk studie som genomförts via en enkätundersökning. Studiepopulationen är föräldrar och målsmän till barn som går i åttondeklass på en skola i två olika kommuner. Skolorna valdes genom ett bekvämlighetsurval. Enkäten utformades i EU Surveys. En pilotenkät skickades först ut innan den riktiga enkäten, som sedan skickades ut till 213 föräldrars och målsmäns mailadresser. Resultat: Totalt svarade 67 föräldrar och målsmän inom två kommuner i Sverige på enkäten vilket gav studien en svarsfrekvens på 31 procent. Majoriteten av föräldrar och målsmän anser att deras barns fysiska aktivitet har påverkats under Covid-19-pandemin. De mest påverkande faktorerna, enligt föräldrars och målsmäns uppfattning, var nedstängningsåtgärder, försiktighet samt tillgänglighet till fysiska aktiviteter, inklusive sport. Majoriteten av respondenterna uppfattar att skolan inte bidragit till den fysiska aktiviteten samt att deras barn är mer stillasittande idag jämfört med innan Covid-19-pandemin. Slutsats: Föräldrars och målsmäns uppfattning i de två kommunerna är att deras barns fysiska aktivitet har påverkats givet Covid-19-pandemin. Studien pekar på ett behov av policyer för att prioritera barns fysiska aktivitet givet Covid-19-pandemin. Ytterligare forskning behövs för att utforska vilka effekter pandemin har på den fysiska aktiviteten hos barn. / Introduction: Physical activity has positive effects on both mental and physical health and is a protective factor for many common diseases. The Covid-19 pandemic may have, through restrictions and closures, negatively affected the physical activity of young people and thereby increased the risk of prolonged sedentary behaviour. Aim: The aim of this study is to study parents’ and guardians’ perceptions of their children's physical activity given the Covid-19 pandemic, in two municipalities. Method: This is an empiric study conducted via a survey. The study population is parents and guardians of children in eighth grade at a school in two different municipalities. The schools were chosen through a convenience selection. The survey was hosted in EU Surveys. A pilot test was conducted, and then the final survey was then emailed to 213 parents and guardians. Results: A total of 67 parents and guardians in two study locations in Sweden responded to the survey for a response rate of 31%. Most parents and guardians believe that their children's physical activity was affected during the Covid-19 pandemic. Contributing factors, as described by parents and guardians, were school closure measures, fear of infection and accessibility of physical activities, including sports. The majority of the respondents perceive that the school has not supported physical activity and that their children are more sedentary today compared to before the Covid-19 pandemic. Conclusion: Parents and guardians in both study locations state that their children's physical activity has been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic The study indicates a need for policies to prioritise children’s physical activity following the Covid-19 pandemic. Further research is needed to explore the effects the pandemic has on the physical activity among children.

Many people may have become increasingly concerned about the risks associated with vaccines. At the same time, there is a lack of qualitative research on the impact of various vaccinations schedules on individuals' physio-psychological health. In addition, "mandatory" versus "nonmandatory, but recommended" vaccines are still under debate in some Western countries. The purpose of this ethnographic study was to provide an in-depth understanding of the beliefs, experiences, and perceptions of adolescents, parents, and health care providers regarding different vaccination schedules. The health belief model was used as the theoretical framework. The sample consisted of adolescents and parents from different vaccination backgrounds, as well as of healthcare providers who were involved with vaccination schedules (N=72). Purposeful sampling strategy was applied and individual interviews were conducted. All interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim, and the obtained data were analyzed thematically. According to the results of the study, participants' perceptions on vaccination were generally positive, and a mandatory vaccination schedule was mostly recommended. Adolescents who received mandatory vaccination reported that this scheme was appropriate against several diseases. Further, health care members indicated that vaccination side effects were mainly emotional, and they suggested that public health agencies should disseminate more scientifically-sound information on the benefits and risks of vaccination. The findings of this study may be used as the basis for the formulation of an effective public health policy to adopt a nationally-and internationally-accepted vaccination schedule.

Parental involvement (PI) in three socio-economic disparate primary schools in Ile-Ife in Nigeria was investigated in the study. The study explored the effect of socio-economic status on PI using three schools representing the Lower socioeconomic status (LSES), Middle socio-economic status (MSES) and Higher socioeconomic status (HSES). The study reported how parents of three different income groups practice and perceive PI and how teachers perceive PI at the schools and what their expectations are regarding PI. The data used for empirical investigation was drawn from 15 parents and 15 teachers at each of the three schools. The parents were selected using convenience sampling and were individually interviewed while teachers are selected by purposeful random sampling and data was collected using focus group interviews and survey questionnaires. Results shows that parents’ available time, interest, level of education, social capital, parent-teacher contact and socio-economic status (SES) affected PI of which time, SES and interest were the most important factors affecting PI. PI is evidenced in all SES groups as joint cooperation between parents and teachers in support of children’s scholastic pursuit. The study suggests that, contrary to conventional opinion, parents of LSES generally have high educational goals for their children and evidence noteworthy PI practices. PI should be strengthened by building on existing positive endeavors and addressing areas of PI which are lagging behind. Strategies to strengthen these endeavors are recommended in conclusion of the study. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)