D.Ed. (Educational Psychology) / Children do not exist in isolation of their families and communities. Grief and loss therefore affect them on multiple levels, depending on their personal, social, communal, cultural and economic circumstances. The loss of one or both parents to AIDS in South Africa renders orphaned children and adolescents vulnerable. In addition their grief experiences are influenced by the personal, cultural and communal factors which determine how their feelings of grief and loss are understood and expressed. In certain contexts and cultures, their stories of grief and loss remain unheard and unacknowledged. In many instances, these stories are tucked away in the open spaces and silences of their thoughts and expressions. The purpose of this inquiry is to explore, through creative expressive arts in therapy, the stories of grief of adolescents orphaned by AIDS living in a South African children’s home. This critical ethnographic study describes how a qualitative arts based research method was used to integrate creative expressive arts modalities into therapy sessions as a method of data collection for the study. As such, the critical ethnographic design was employed in order to give attention to the cultural context of the 16 adolescent participants and how this context influenced their sharing of their grief experiences, following the loss of one or both parents to AIDS. This was done in order to answer the research question: ‘What is the story of grief as experienced by the adolescents orphaned by AIDS living in a South African children’s home, as explored through creative expressive arts in therapy?’ In light of this, the research aim of the study was to give an ethnographic account of grief as experienced by adolescents orphaned by AIDS living in a South African children’s home, as explored through creative expressive arts in therapy. Group therapy sessions using creative expressive arts facilitated the development of various data sets which were analysed by means of discourse analysis, in order to derive common themes relating to their stories of grief and loss. The adolescents storied their thoughts and feelings about grief in therapy, through creative expressive arts modalities, demonstrating how their bereavement is impacted by the personal, cultural and social context of the South African children’s home in which they live. The findings and practical implications of this qualitative, critical ethnography provide insight into the grief experienced by South African adolescents orphaned by AIDS. This research endeavour will also expose some of the underlying assumptions about grief of adolescents who have lost one or both parents to AIDS. The study will also indicate how their v life circumstances and grief experiences are subject to elements of power, control and even religious orientation in their culture and community. In order to give voice to the grief experiences of children and adolescents as forgotten mourners, recommendations advocate further research be conducted on the grief experiences of adolescents orphaned by AIDS in South Africa. This can be done in the form of in-depth case studies or larger studies which make use of one or more creative expressive arts modalities in therapy.

M.Ed. (Educational Psychology) / Adolescent-headed households are a rapidly growing form of family both nationally and internationally, due to increased death rates caused by HIV/AIDS, migration of labourers from rural to urban areas, and the weakened state of traditional family safety nets in taking up care. This raises responsibilities of orphaned children, with extended families no longer able to cope due to strained socio-economic circumstances. As a result, older siblings become caregivers to the younger siblings, and have to assume the role of parenting their siblings, ensuring that they are well taken care of financially, emotionally and otherwise. Resilience is needed to rise above adversity and to stand firm despite all the obstacles. This study was conducted to explore how creative expressive arts can explore the resilience of adolescents in adolescent-headed households. Creative expressive arts are a source of healing for people who may experience amongst other things emotional barriers as well as an inability to express feelings. Arts in therapy are also of exceptional value when used with people with learning difficulties. This study was based on a socio-cultural framework by Lev Vygotsky as a framework for the research with critical discussion of relevant literature on resilience, adolescent-headed households and their development, mild to moderate intellectual impairment as well as creative expressive arts. A qualitative research approach was chosen to understand the research topic from the perspective of the participants. For the purpose of the study, the interpretivist paradigm was chosen, which focused on how people create meaning out of their lives and experiences. A phenomenological design was employed and research participants included five adolescents from a school that catered for learners with mild intellectual impairments. The participants were purposefully selected. Data collection methods included semi-structured focus group interviews, artefacts and participant observation. As a method of data analysis, the Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to identify themes that emerged, namely: “externalising their contextual stories”, “voicing” and “connecting with belief systems”. The study concludes with possible contributions, limitations and recommendations for future research.

Text in Afrikaans / In the performing arts (music, dance and drama) affective factors do not only play a role during the performance of a work, but are present from the moment when a work is selected up to the completion of the performance. In order to analyse the continuous presence of affective factors in the performing arts, a literature study was undertaken in which the affective requirements of music, dance and drama works in different style periods were identified. The affective implications of adolescent development in a performing arts context were also researched. The most important affective factors which can influence the arts learner seem to be motivation, stress, anxiety and self-concept. A questionnaire was developed to measure these factors in a music, dance and drama context. An empirical investigation was carried out involving 297 learners. With the data obtained from the empirical investigation the reliability and validity of the questionnaire could be determined. Norms were also developed for the questionnaire. Hypotheses on the role of affective factors in the performing arts were tested statistically. The hypotheses dealt with the underlying relationship between the different affective factors, the role of affective factors in the different performing arts, the development of affective factors during the secondary school years, the relationship between affective factors and achievement in an art field as well as the role of other variables such as gender, social relations and home circumstances. Recommendations were made to teachers, parents and learners. The recommendations are aimed at the enhancement of motivation and self-concept as well as the reduction of anxiety and stress. / Teacher Education / D.Ed.

Text in Afrikaans / In the performing arts (music, dance and drama) affective factors do not only play a role during the performance of a work, but are present from the moment when a work is selected up to the completion of the performance. In order to analyse the continuous presence of affective factors in the performing arts, a literature study was undertaken in which the affective requirements of music, dance and drama works in different style periods were identified. The affective implications of adolescent development in a performing arts context were also researched. The most important affective factors which can influence the arts learner seem to be motivation, stress, anxiety and self-concept. A questionnaire was developed to measure these factors in a music, dance and drama context. An empirical investigation was carried out involving 297 learners. With the data obtained from the empirical investigation the reliability and validity of the questionnaire could be determined. Norms were also developed for the questionnaire. Hypotheses on the role of affective factors in the performing arts were tested statistically. The hypotheses dealt with the underlying relationship between the different affective factors, the role of affective factors in the different performing arts, the development of affective factors during the secondary school years, the relationship between affective factors and achievement in an art field as well as the role of other variables such as gender, social relations and home circumstances. Recommendations were made to teachers, parents and learners. The recommendations are aimed at the enhancement of motivation and self-concept as well as the reduction of anxiety and stress. / Teacher Education / D.Ed.