Thesis (Ph.D.) --Murdoch University, 2002. / Thesis submitted to the Division of Health Sciences. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 183-215).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 1998. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 315-346). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of North Texas, August, 2008. / Title from title page display. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Psy. D.)--Wheaton College, 2007. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 40-47).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2006. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 86-92). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

M.Ed. / The socio-political climate in South-Africa has led to an increase in the number of children experiencing anxiety-related symptoms. Children are observant and notice how their parents react and discuss with other adults the violence and uncontrollable crime rate that exists in our society at present. Society generally views childhood as a naturally happy time, free of responsibilities and worries. But the implication that children are somehow protected from the emotional effects of traumatic events is not true. Children are, in fact, as susceptible to trauma as adults. Many children have experienced incredible trauma first hand and these traumatic events can have a negative effect on the child's self concept and future functioning. Mother problem arising from the insecurity of the socio-political climate is that parents tend to feel that they have to take greater safety precautions, thus children are lacking opportunities for developing independence. Other stress aspects are the changes in family structures. One out of every three children will experience divorce, and will have to cope with the stress of reconstituted families. Not only is there stress involved in the process of divorce, but prior to the divorce conditions within the home are unbearable tense and full of conflict. Children in the South - African townships are often left in the care of extended families due to the fact that their parents may be working far from where they live and go to school. Because of the complexities and breakdown of family life, these children are often forced to get on with their lives and growing up on their own, with no or little family support. It is clear that our children of today often find themselves in positions that they are not developmentally and emotionally equipped to handle, and the instinct of survival is often what they rely on. The South African society consists of a set of complex and often polarised systems, each with its own difficulties. The need for intervention and therapy is great, but the resources are limited. Psychotherapy with a professional play therapist is just not a viable solution for many children. Not only is there a limit to the professional resources available, but a lot of parents see it as a waste of time and the financial cost can be crippling. The situational access is another problem that needs to be addressed. Many children are simply not in a physical position to gain access to therapy. It becomes clear every day that in South Africa, the Western view of individualised and specialised play therapy for children is simply not feasible in many instances. The objective of this research project is to describe the therapeutic process in order to establish certain guidelines regarding therapy with traumatized toddlers. The efficiency of this process will also be discussed. The design of this research project compelled a qualitative research strategy, where the researcher in this study is also the therapist. A participating research process is thus of importance in this project. This research project looks at the process and the implications of short term therapy, especially Narrative Therapy with toddlers between the ages of four to seven years. The project describes the therapy process of co-constructing new and preferred narratives with three clients by challenging dominant discourses of violence, death , loss and trauma. The results of the therapeutic process as well as the shortages and recommendations conconclude this research project.

children

Child centered play therapy (CCPT) is a therapeutic intervention that provides the environment for children to work through and heal from difficult experiences through expression of play and therapeutic relationship. It has been demonstrated effective with multiple types of disruptive behaviors. I conducted single-case research to explore CCPT's influence on children who had four or more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and provided analysis of data collected from one assessment administered weekly and one assessment at pre-, mid-, and post-intervention: the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Trauma Symptoms Checklist for Young Children. The two participants (one 8-year-old White American male and one 9-year-old White American female) demonstrated significant improvement in total difficulties and prosocial behaviors. The study revealed potential therapeutic benefits for utilizing CCPT with children who had four or more ACEs. Encompassed in discussion of study results are implications for practice, suggestions for future research, and limitations.

Captive Still Life is the fictional story of Marcus Penikett, a seventeen year old celebrity trapped in a scary, suburbanite housing community called Morningside. Marcus Penikett will never escape the childhood incident at the Zoo that made him and the Penikett family famous —the infamous TIME cover of his bleeding face hangs outside of his room, forever documenting and haunting Marcus with the past. Now, Marcus is determined to leave the housing community of Morningside, Georgia to get away from his control freak mother Elise, his absent professor father Otto and a menagerie of other Morningside residents. This plan is complicated by his love for fellow neighbor Olivia, sexual relationship with the maid Sue and Morningside's uncanny 'power' to thwart Marcus' goals.

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is estimated to affect 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys before the age of 18 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2005). Despite the prevalence of sexual abuse and frequent negative outcomes for child victims as well as adult survivors, little is known about CSA from the perspective of the child. To date, the vast majority of research has targeted adults. Studies conducted on children are mostly quantitative and have explored the effectiveness of various treatment interventions. To address the gap in the research literature, the present study investigated the perspectives of children on sexual abuse through thematic analysis of trauma narratives, which were written by children as a therapeutic intervention and described life prior to, during, and following sexual abuse. Analysis of 21 trauma narratives selected through purposive sampling revealed one metatheme, which was titled Fear and Safety. Children's descriptions of past and current fears as well as concerns about their safety and the safety of others were evident throughout all sections of the narratives. Three themes also emerged from the analysis: (1) Memories of the Abuse, (2) The Disclosure and Subsequent Events, and (3) The Healing Journey. The first theme, Memories of the Abuse, included three subthemes: descriptions of the sexual abuse, details about the perpetrators, and children's thoughts and feelings about the abuse. The second theme, The Disclosure and Subsequent Events, included three subthemes: perceptions of the abuse disclosure, experiences during the investigation, and experiences with the justice system. The third theme, The Healing Journey, also resulted in three subthemes: experiences in counseling, how life had changed, and future hopes and dreams. The themes are discussed, and ramifications for prevention efforts, treatment of child victims of sexual abuse, and counselor preparation are iv explored. Additionally, implications of the present study for counselors and community members are delineated. Finally, recommendations are made for future research with child victims of sexual abuse.