Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ball State University, 2009. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Nov. 12, 2009). "July 16, 2008." Includes bibliographical references (p. 143-152).

Thesis (D. Psych.)--Victoria University (Melbourne, Vic.), 2007.

Access to abstract permanently restricted to Ball State community only / Access to thesis permanently restricted to Ball State community only / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

Thesis (M. Ed.(Opvoedkundige sielkunde))-University of Pretoria, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

[Truncated abstract]The overall aim of the research reported in this thesis was to develop and validate an instrument that would identify children among the general population at risk of self-harm. To achieve this, four separate yet interrelated studies were conducted. Study One, which sought to explore the risk factors of self-harm in children comprised a series of focus interviews with three paediatricians and 24 mothers of children who had self-harmed or who had verbalized self-harm ideation. The findings revealed that prior to the onset of self-harming or self-harm ideation these children reportedly manifested other problem behaviours that prompted their mothers to seek specialist advice from a paediatrician. The majority of these problem behaviours were characteristic of externalizing problems, either in the form of conduct problems, aggressive behaviours or impulsiveness. Conversely, some problem behaviours were characteristic of internalizing problems such as anxiety and depression. These findings provided valuable information which in addition to the current literature created the conceptual framework for the subsequent studies. Study Two incorporated the information obtained from Study One, along with that obtained from a review of existing instruments that measure self-harm or suicide, to develop a new instrument specifically designed to assess the risk of children in the general population developing self-harming behaviours. Initially, 159 items were generated and using the extant knowledge regarding the risk factors of self-harm as a guide, the items were categorized into risk factors of anxiety, depression, low self- ii worth, social difficulty, social withdrawal, helplessness, hopelessness, atypical cognition, emotional lability, impulsivity, self-harming ideation and self-harm. ... Study Four comprised four interrelated investigations, the purposes of which were to (i) examine the prevalence rates of self-harming ideation and self-harm among young school aged children in the general population; (ii) investigate differences of risk of self-harm between the referred group and community comparison group; (iii) examine the relationship between impulsivity and risk of self-harm in these children and, (iv) examine the relationship between executive function and risk of self-harm among these children. The results from these investigations revealed that approximately 3.5% of children aged between 6 to12 years in the general population manifest self-harming ideations and approximately 2.5% actually self-harm. No significant age or gender differences were found. Children that presented with a higher level of risk of self-harm also presented with a complex array of internalizing and externalizing problem behaviours. Furthermore, children who displayed significantly higher levels of hyperactive-impulsive symptomatology scored higher on the SHRAC instrument, as did the children who had higher levels of executive functioning impairment. The findings are discussed and interpreted in line with the current research literature and are used to make suggestions for future research.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Western Australia, 2007.

Thesis (MEdPsych (Educational Psychology)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / The study investigated the effect of using projective narratives and drawings that depict diminished fear, on the anxiety levels of a group of children living in children’s homes, by means of a mixed methodology. The sample consisted of 30 middle childhood children (mean age = 9.60 years, SD = 1.13) from three children’s homes in the Western Cape. Drawings were used to elicit content of fear or anxiety (anxiety evoking drawing/bangmaaktekening) and proposed coping (anxiety lessening drawing/bangwegvattekening). After completing the anxiety provoking drawing, participants in the experimental group were asked to tell a story to other children with a similar fear to lessen/take that fear away (projective narrative). The Spence Childhood Anxiety Scale (SCAS) was completed after each drawing, and drawings evaluated through the use of anxiety scales, to measure changes in anxiety levels according to the concept of triangulation. The categories ghosts, snakes, and people were found to be the most prevalent content of fear from anxiety provoking drawings, and undifferentiated fears were also common within this population. Control of anxiety from anxiety lessening drawings indicated a definite prevalence of emotion focused (secondary) coping strategies, specifically religious solace. The content of projective narratives echoed this finding, although proposed solutions were more differentiated. Ownership of projections also occurred. The experimental effect was not significant, although mean anxiety levels were considerably lower in the drawings in comparison with that of the SCAS. Drawings are thus seen as an effective, nonthreatening technique to study anxiety phenomena. A comparison of the mean item scores of the SCAS subscales indicated that symptoms of separation anxiety, generalised anxiety disorder, and obsessivecompulsive anxiety disorder were prevalent among this group of children in children’s homes. A clear distinction was found between markers of state- and trait-anxiety through the qualitative analysis of the drawings, with anxiety lessening drawings showing definite diminished state-anxiety, although more established markers of trait-anxiety did not necessarily change. There are also indications that transference of activated negative emotional stimuli occurred on an unconscious level between the two drawings. Introducing the combination of projective narratives in the intervention stage of the study appeared to facilitate learning or the experience of observed positive affect in anxiety lessened drawings. Future research would benefit from including a normative group to establish more clear markers of state- and trait-anxiety in drawings, and by the use of a bigger sample to investigate factor loadings of the SCAS among children in children’s homes. The high prevalence of anxiety symptoms in this population emphasises their status as a vulnerable population, and the need for possible group intervention – specifically the psycho-education of effective coping strategies for anxiety.

Text in Afrikaans / Deur hierdie ondersoek is gepoog om aan te toon dat die inkkladmetode as uitvloeisel van die Rorschach, as projeksietegniek, gebruik kan word vir diagnose en terapie. Proj~ksie is 'n belangrike aspek in kinderterapie. Herhaalde gebruik van projeksietegnieke verminder die effektiwiteit daarvan. In haar werk met kinders van verskillende kulture, is gevind dat bulle instaat is om projeksies vanuit inkkladde te maak. Dit het aanleiding gegee tot huidige navorsing. Dit word aanvaar dat deur die gebruik van die inkkladmetode: * inligting wat versamel is deur ander projeksietegnieke, en wat moontlik verlore gegaan het, weer versamel kan word; * inligting aangaande psigiese struktuur van die kind vir diagnose en terapie versamel kan word. Bevindings word geverifieer deur die gebruik van bestaande projeksietegnieke. Twintig leerlinge is gebruik tydens die navorsing. Twee idiografiese studies en eksemplariese snitte is ingesluit. Dit is bevind dat die inkkladmetode as bykomende projeksietegniek effektief in kinderterapie en diagnose gebruik kan word. / This research is aimed at showing that the inkblot method with reference to the Rorschach method - as projective technique, can be applied for diagnosis and therapy. Projection is important in child therapy. Repetative use of projective techniques prejudices the effectivity thereof. In her work with children of different cultures, the researcher found that they were inclined to do projections from their inkblots. This resulted in the present research. Through the use of the inkblot method; * information which was gathered through the use of other projective techniques, and possibly lost, can be gained; * information regarding the psychological structure of the child for diagnosis and therapy, can be gathered. These findings were verified by means of including existing projective techniques. Twenty pupils were involved in two idiographic studies and illustrative examples. It was found that the inkblot method as additional projective technique can be used effectively in child therapy and diagnosis. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Spesialisering in Voorligting)

Text in Afrikaans / Deur hierdie ondersoek is gepoog om aan te toon dat die inkkladmetode as uitvloeisel van die Rorschach, as projeksietegniek, gebruik kan word vir diagnose en terapie. Proj~ksie is 'n belangrike aspek in kinderterapie. Herhaalde gebruik van projeksietegnieke verminder die effektiwiteit daarvan. In haar werk met kinders van verskillende kulture, is gevind dat bulle instaat is om projeksies vanuit inkkladde te maak. Dit het aanleiding gegee tot huidige navorsing. Dit word aanvaar dat deur die gebruik van die inkkladmetode: * inligting wat versamel is deur ander projeksietegnieke, en wat moontlik verlore gegaan het, weer versamel kan word; * inligting aangaande psigiese struktuur van die kind vir diagnose en terapie versamel kan word. Bevindings word geverifieer deur die gebruik van bestaande projeksietegnieke. Twintig leerlinge is gebruik tydens die navorsing. Twee idiografiese studies en eksemplariese snitte is ingesluit. Dit is bevind dat die inkkladmetode as bykomende projeksietegniek effektief in kinderterapie en diagnose gebruik kan word. / This research is aimed at showing that the inkblot method with reference to the Rorschach method - as projective technique, can be applied for diagnosis and therapy. Projection is important in child therapy. Repetative use of projective techniques prejudices the effectivity thereof. In her work with children of different cultures, the researcher found that they were inclined to do projections from their inkblots. This resulted in the present research. Through the use of the inkblot method; * information which was gathered through the use of other projective techniques, and possibly lost, can be gained; * information regarding the psychological structure of the child for diagnosis and therapy, can be gathered. These findings were verified by means of including existing projective techniques. Twenty pupils were involved in two idiographic studies and illustrative examples. It was found that the inkblot method as additional projective technique can be used effectively in child therapy and diagnosis. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Spesialisering in Voorligting)