Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The research explores Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) as a possible therapeutic technique in interventions dealing with trauma. The study focuses specifically on the adolescent phase. A distinction is made between developmental trauma and single-incident trauma and its impact on development. An attempt is made to acquire a deeper insight into adolescents’ experience of trauma. The purpose of the adolescent phase is the development of a sound identity. The challenges and the impact of traumatic experiences on the development of the adolescent on the road to adulthood are examined more closely. The symptoms of trauma and specifically the effect of trauma on the adolescent are highlighted. The study adopted an interpretivist paradigm. A qualitative design with multiple case studies was selected for the research. The research included five cases. The study was limited to adolescents who ranged in age from 13-19 years in an Afrikaans school in Johannesburg. Intake discussions were held with the parents. Intake discussions in accordance with the EMDR approach were held with the participants. Each participant attended 4 sessions. Various themes were identified in each interview, but two main themes emerged: the emotions of the adolescents regarding the trauma they experienced; the influence of trauma on the self-concept of the participants; that led to a deeper grasp of the participants’ experiences. An insight was gained into the influence that traumatic experiences had on the lives of the participants as well as the influence of these experiences on their families, school and social contexts. The main findings indicate that EMDR as a therapeutic technique does have the potential to provide support to adolescents who have been exposed to single-incident or developmental trauma. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die navorsing handel daaroor om Oogbeweging Desensitisasie en Herprosessering (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) (EMDR) as terapeutiese tegniek te eksploreer as moontlike intervensie vir trauma. Die studie fokus spesifiek op die adolessente fase. Daar sal onderskei word tussen ontwikkelingstrauma en ʼn enkele traumatiese ervaring en die impak daarvan op ontwikkeling. Daar is gepoog om ʼn verdieping van insig met betrekking to die adolessent in sy ervaring van trauma ter verkry. Die adolessente fase het ten doel tot die ontwikkeling van ʼn gesonde identitieit. Die uitdagings en die impak van traumatiese ervarings op die die ontwikkeling van die adolessent op sy pad na volwassenheid word van naderby bekyk. Die simptome van trauma en spesifiek die effek van trauma op die adolessent word uitgelig. Die studie was vanuit die interpretivistiese paradigma onderneem. ʼn Kwalitatiewe navorsingsontwerp met meervoudige gevallestudies was geselekteer. Vyf gevallestudies is in die navorsing ingesluit. Die studie was beperk tot adolessente wat wissel tussen die ouderdom van 13-19 jaar wat verbonde is aan ʼn Afrikaanse skool in Johannesburg. Invoergesprekke is met die ouers gehou. Invoergesprekke volgens die EMDR benadering is met die deelnemers afgelê. Daar is 4 EMDR sessies aan elke deelnemer gebied. Verskeie temas is in elke onderhoud geïdentifiseer. Daar het twee hooftemas na vore gekom: die emosies van die adolessente ten opsigte van die trauma wat hulle beleef het, die invloed wat trauma op die self-konsep van die deelnemers uitgeoefen het wat ondersteun het tot ʼn diepe begryping van die deelnemers se ervarings. Insig is verkry in watter invloed traumatiese ervarings op die lewe van die deelnemers gehad het asook die invloed daarvan op hul gesinne, skool en sosiale konteks. Die hoof-bevindinge dui daarop dat EMDR as terapeutiese tegniek wel oor die potensiaal beskik in die ondersteuning aan adolessente wat aan ʼn enkel-insident of ontwikkelingstrauma blootgestel is.

The purpose of this study was to compare pre- and post-treatment differences in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in male adolescents with conduct disorder. The Children's PTSD Inventory and the PTSD Reaction Index were used to diagnose PTSD and determine trauma type (Type I single trauma or Type II recurring trauma). Pre- and post-treatment measures included the PTSD Reaction Index, the Children's Depression Inventory, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory, the Dissociative Experiences Scale, and the Youth Self-Report. The six-week, biweekly group treatment included education, exposure, and cognitive elements. Primary hypotheses that the abused group would statistically differ from the non-abused group in terms of pre- and post-treatment levels of avoidance, dissociation, anger/aggression, self-destructiveness, social problems, and overall levels of PTSD symptoms, were not confirmed. Overall, group therapy participants experienced statistically significant decreases in PTSD symptoms over the course of therapy. Results are discussed in light of clinical implications, recommended cautions given the lack of a robust control group, and directions for future research.

M.A. / All transitional stages have their moments of crises, but there is no stage so complicated and confusing as the adolescence. Not surprisingly, many researchers refer to this stage as a period of storm and stress. Many studies conducted on young people and violence have concentrated on their psychological, emotional, and physical development. Hence, the psychosocial development did not receive much attention from the psychological fraternity. Therefore, the aim of this study is three fold: (1) to investigate how political violence affects the psychosocial development of adolescents.(2) to investigate how political violence affects their outlook on life, and (3) how do they view the youth=s role in political struggle. The qualitative research method was used in this study. The process of inquiry involves interviews. Individual face-to-face interviews were conducted with 30 research participants. The process of analysis involved thematic content analysis. Generally, the results of the study indicate that exposure to political violence has negative effects on the psychosocial development of the adolescents. Many of them experience psychosocial problems in some areas of their development, while very few show signs of psychosocial resilience in other areas and function well despite exposure to political adversity. In conclusion, these adolescents are neither shattered by exposure to political violence to be considered Apsychosocially dysfunctional@, nor they are resilient enough to be considered Auntouched@ by these experiences. Furthermore, the results of the study indicate that the effects of political violence are relative rather than absolute and are bound to change with circumstances.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Georgia State University, 2007. / Title from file title page. Gregory J. Jurkovic, Gabriel P. Kuperminc, committee co-chairs; Lisa Armistead, Sarah Cook, committee members. Electronic text (117 p.) : digital, PDF file. Description based on contents viewed June 6, 2008. Includes bibliographical references (p. 72-83).

In this study a research is done on the pastoral counselling given to pre-adolescent secondary victims of trauma and crime in the age group (11-13 years). Certain concepts will be discussed which will be used as a framework for this study. The nature and effect of trauma on the pre-adolessent will be addressed pastoral-theologically. Theories that will be investigated as appropriate on the counselling of the pre-adolessent is narrative theory, Biblical counselling and Stone's crisis counselling. The manner in which assistance will be given through pastors and counsellors to the traumatised pre-adolescent will be investigated and discussed. The application of certain therapies like narrative therapy, children's drawings, and family drawings, children's drawings as projection-technique and children's drawings as diagnostic aid as well as the interpretation thereof will be explained according to a case study. The shortcomings of some of these approaches will be highlighted and application thereof will also be highlighted. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology)

Thesis (PhD (Psychiatry))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / Many gaps remain in our current state of knowledge about the epidemiology, phenomenology, neurobiology, and psychopharmacology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children and adolescents. Empirical evidence, particularly in non-Western settings, is sparse and there is little convergent understanding of the interrelationship of epidemiological factors, PTSD symptom expression, full and partial syndromes, disorders comorbid with PTSD, and pharmacotherapeutic interventions. Clinicians are faced with the difficult task of treating this often complicated and debilitating disorder in youth in the absence of data from well-controlled clinical trials. The studies detailed here are a point of departure for understanding the confluence that exists between epidemiological, phenomenological, and pharmacotherapeutic aspects of adolescent PTSD. Two studies were conducted to investigate the prevalence and effects of violence exposure and PTSD, clinical and functional correlates of full and partial syndromes, and associated gender differences in school and clinic samples, respectively. Two preliminary open-label trials assessed the efficacy and safety of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) in adolescents with at least moderate severity PTSD. The results indicate that (i) partial PTSD is a common nosological entity in adolescents, (ii) gender-related differences in PTSD, even if not manifest in differences in prevalence (i.e., in the rates of trauma exposure and full and partial PTSD), may well manifest in symptom expression (i.e., higher symptom burden in girls), associated morbidity, and functional impairment, and (iii) SSRIs may be effective in treating core PTSD symptoms in this age group. While not yet demonstrated, the partial subtype may have similar biological underpinnings to full PTSD in adolescents and may benefit from similar pharmacotherapeutic interventions. This is an area deserving of further investigation. Controlled SSRI data are needed to establish if these should be agents of choice for paediatric PTSD.

This study was undertaken as a qualitative needs assessment of emotional support to the adolescent with a terminally ill parent. Five participants in their adolescent life phase (14 to 18 years) with a terminally ill parent, participated in the study. Individual unstructured interviews were conducted with each participant, in order to assess their need for emotional support. With the consent of the parents and adolescents, the interviews were video-recorded and transcribed. Eight recurring themes were selected from the case studies and verified with the existing literature. The result of the study is the assessment of the need for emotional support to the adolescent with a terminally ill parent. / Social Work / M. Diac (Play Therapy)(Social Work)

This study was undertaken as a qualitative needs assessment of emotional support to the adolescent with a terminally ill parent. Five participants in their adolescent life phase (14 to 18 years) with a terminally ill parent, participated in the study. Individual unstructured interviews were conducted with each participant, in order to assess their need for emotional support. With the consent of the parents and adolescents, the interviews were video-recorded and transcribed. Eight recurring themes were selected from the case studies and verified with the existing literature. The result of the study is the assessment of the need for emotional support to the adolescent with a terminally ill parent. / Social Work / M. Diac (Play Therapy)(Social Work)

In the experience of being a play therapist and social worker, the researcher became aware of the breakdown of adolescent foster placements. Although there are many causal factors of adolescent foster care breakdown, it was the treatment and sustaining of these placements that the researcher was interested in. The utilization of dyadic brief Gestalt play therapy aims to support the relationship between the carer and adolescent in order to sustain and stabilize the foster placement. The empirical study includes data collection and analysis. The data was gathered through observations and field notes from unstructured interviews, in this case the dyadic therapeutic process with the adolescent and carer. The data was then analyzed, and eleven outcomes were discussed: the building of a therapeutic relationship, the process of dialogue, the gaining of awareness, contact, resistance, the internal working model, polarities, working in the here and now, the utilization of Gestalt experiments and Gestalt play therapeutic techniques. In addition, the implications of the brief Gestalt therapeutic model were identified. These themes are discussed fully in the final chapter encompassing conclusions and recommendations.This study found that it was possible to work effectively with the adolescent and carer in a dyadic brief Gestalt therapeutic way utilizing play therapy techniques. Recommendations regarding the conclusions were made in relation to the outcomes of this study. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Play therapy)

Text in German, summaries in German and English / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 190-197) / In dieser Forschungsarbeit wird untersucht, ob und inwieweit transgenerationale Übertragungsprozesse als Folge von psychischen Traumata, welche Vertriebene in und nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg erlebten, heute noch bei Nachfahren in der Kriegsenkelgeneration eine Rolle spielen. Dabei wird unter anderem untersucht, wie sich das Ereignis der Vertreibung mit Blick auf psychische Traumata konkret auswirkte und zu welchen, auch heute noch spürbaren, Symptomen es geführt hat. Auf Grund der Symptome wurden in einer empirischen Untersuchung fünf sogenannte Kriegsenkel interviewt, um zu erfahren, wie Betroffene die Auswirkungen dieser Symptome im Alltag beschreiben und welche Rolle dabei geistliche Erfahrungen spielen. Die Ergebnisse dieser Interviews führen zum Abgleich der Thesen und sollen schlussendlich helfen, praktische Konsequenzen für die Seelsorgearbeit zu ziehen und eine Hilfestellung in der Problemdiagnose zu geben. / This thesis explores if and how transgenerational transfer processes which are a consequence of mental traumata of displaced people in and after World War II still play a role in the lives of their descendants in the generation of the “grandchildren of war”. For one thing it looks at how the event of forced displacement specifically has had an impact on mental traumata and which symptoms have resulted, that are still perceptible today. Based on the symptoms five of the so called “grandchildren of war” have been interviewed in an empirical survey, in order to find out how those affected describe the effects of these symptoms on their everyday lives and which is the role of spiritual experiences. The findings of these interviews are compared to the theses and finally, should help to draw practical conclusions for councelling and offer help to diagnose problems. / Practical Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology)