Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / The purpose of the current study was to investigate the impact of emotionality on the memory of children with an autism spectrum disorder. Although emotional events enhance memory in adults and children without an autism spectrum disorder, there are different memory patterns among individuals on the autism spectrum. Specifically, individuals with autism may show a decreased advantage in memory for emotional content and may have deficits in memory for information that is not presented visually. Currently, however, there are no studies that look at how emotional content affects memory specifically in children with autism. In the current study, children with and without autism were presented with stimuli contrasting emotional and neutral content using one of two modalities, auditory and visual, and then completed memory recognition tasks for the stimuli. Results indicate that children with an autism spectrum disorder did not demonstrate enhanced memory for emotional information. Rather, they were equally able to remember emotional and neutral stimuli. Additionally, individuals on the spectrum demonstrated better memory for visual stimuli compared to their neurotypical peers. These results support the notion that individuals with an autism spectrum disorder may learn and remember material differently than those without the disorder and that educators need to acknowledge these differences as children with autism spectrum disorders continue to be integrated into classroom settings.

This study has examined the effectiveness of a neuropsychologically based learning programme aimed at enhancing the seJt:.actualisation of learners. The aim of the programme is to create awareness of one's unique purpose in life. The need for motivation, commitment and determination must he realised. llolistic thinking is an important concept throughout the programme, in that it is aimed at unlocking latent potential through the encouragement of lateral thinking. The awareness of underlying potential enhances the realisation of each Ieamer's uniqueness and individual contributions to society, and facilitates awareness of the need to accept responsibility for one's own future. 'Ibis failure to fully utilise the potential of the brain has implications for education. A teacher who is made aware ofthe huge untapped storage ofhuman brain potential could be trained to disclose a learner's unused abilities, through adjusted education, thus infonning learners of the intrinsic abilities oftheir brains. / Educational studies / M.Ed.

People's psychological experience of their body can impact on their lives. Some theories hold that the media creates an impossible physical ideal. The demands of trying to achieve this ideal may lead to normative discontent and psychopathology. Girls are experiencing this pressure at a younger age and the onset of puberty can exacerbate this experience. The present study used case studies and thematic content analysis to explore the issue of body image in twelve preadolescent girls. The research found that hair and the ability of the body to do need to be encompassed in the definition of body image. While the participants appeared to have a positive perception of their body, there also appeared to be negative feelings. This suggested that the participants experienced confusion and ambiguous feelings about their body. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

During her theoretical training as an educational psychologist, the researcher was intrigued and fascinated by the expositions on the functioning of the self. With this study she pursued her goal to gain a clearer understanding of the formation and development of the self in a child, with the focus on the child in middle childhood (6 -12 years). In this study, she mainly focused on understanding the connection between the three crucial components of the self, self-concept and self-esteem. Her passion for art inspired her to be inventive and apply artistic creative methods of drawing, painting and clay human modelling as projective means to access the child’s unconscious mind, revealing pivotal experiences and emotions, revealing how the child relates to his or her self. According to this qualitative arts-based research study, the DAP (Draw a Person) and variations of PAP (Paint a Person) and CAP (Create a Person) with the use of appropriate DAP, PAP and CAP questionnaires, seem relevant therapeutic projective measures to assist in educational psychology in exploring the child’s self. / Further Teacher Education / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

The purpose of this study is to investigate the perceptions street children have about the most important referents in their life worlds and to propose guidelines to their helpers on the most appropriate intervention. The street children's perceptions of their families, schools, society, peers and themselves were examined through a literature study on the phenomenon of street children and their intervention and, an empirical study consisting of a questionnaire survey and case studies. It was found that the street children generally perceived themselves and these referents negatively, which can be related to experiences of severe physical, emotional and social deprivation. These perceptions influence their involvement with all referents in their lives negatively, as their main tendencies in response to problematic situations are flight, avoidance and withdrawal. Guidelines given to their schools, social-and care-workers, and educational psychologists focused on inter- and intra-personal areas of development. / Psychology of Education / M.Ed. (Guidance and Counseling)

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.

Play activities in kindergartens are the key method for general development of a child between tree and six years of age. In personality-orientated education the free, induced and didactic play is the starting point for the development of children's prosocial behaviour and perception. In the theoretical part the meanings of the play types are explained with regards to age specifications focusing on the development of children's prosocial behaviour and perception. The practical part verifies the possibilities of plays with prosocial targets and their influence on prosocial behaviour and perception of children in selected classed. It surveys typical problem situations which arise while playing and shows the models of their solution.

This study has examined the effectiveness of a neuropsychologically based learning programme aimed at enhancing the seJt:.actualisation of learners. The aim of the programme is to create awareness of one's unique purpose in life. The need for motivation, commitment and determination must he realised. llolistic thinking is an important concept throughout the programme, in that it is aimed at unlocking latent potential through the encouragement of lateral thinking. The awareness of underlying potential enhances the realisation of each Ieamer's uniqueness and individual contributions to society, and facilitates awareness of the need to accept responsibility for one's own future. 'Ibis failure to fully utilise the potential of the brain has implications for education. A teacher who is made aware ofthe huge untapped storage ofhuman brain potential could be trained to disclose a learner's unused abilities, through adjusted education, thus infonning learners of the intrinsic abilities oftheir brains. / Educational studies / M.Ed.

People's psychological experience of their body can impact on their lives. Some theories hold that the media creates an impossible physical ideal. The demands of trying to achieve this ideal may lead to normative discontent and psychopathology. Girls are experiencing this pressure at a younger age and the onset of puberty can exacerbate this experience. The present study used case studies and thematic content analysis to explore the issue of body image in twelve preadolescent girls. The research found that hair and the ability of the body to do need to be encompassed in the definition of body image. While the participants appeared to have a positive perception of their body, there also appeared to be negative feelings. This suggested that the participants experienced confusion and ambiguous feelings about their body. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

The purpose of this study is to investigate the perceptions street children have about the most important referents in their life worlds and to propose guidelines to their helpers on the most appropriate intervention. The street children's perceptions of their families, schools, society, peers and themselves were examined through a literature study on the phenomenon of street children and their intervention and, an empirical study consisting of a questionnaire survey and case studies. It was found that the street children generally perceived themselves and these referents negatively, which can be related to experiences of severe physical, emotional and social deprivation. These perceptions influence their involvement with all referents in their lives negatively, as their main tendencies in response to problematic situations are flight, avoidance and withdrawal. Guidelines given to their schools, social-and care-workers, and educational psychologists focused on inter- and intra-personal areas of development. / Psychology of Education / M.Ed. (Guidance and Counseling)