M.A. / Die doel van hierdie studie was tweeledig van aard. Die eerste doelstelling was om 'n behoeftebepaling te doen ten einde vas te stel wat die pasiente se algemene behoeftes is ten opsigte van narkose. Die tweede doelstelling was om 'n streshanteringsprogram te ontwikkel, toe te pas op toepaslike proefpersone, en te evalueer aan die hand van vier afhanklike veranderlikes, naamlik angsvlak, pynvlak, irrasionele kognisies en lokus van kontrole. Hierdie streshanteringsprogram is ontwikkel om prakties uitvoerbaar en pasi ntvriendelik gerig te wees sodat die effektiwiteit. vir toekomstige volgehoue gebruik getoets kon word.

D.Litt. et Phil. / Endometriosis is among the most common gynaecological maladies affecting women's reproductive health and is also known to be associated with infertility. The pathogenesis of endometriosis is however not well understood. Altered immunity has been indicated in the pathophysiology of this puzzling disease. Over the last decade or more the research evidence suggesting that stress might play a role in the pathogenesis of various illnesses has grown significantly. According to certain tenets of psychoneuroimmunology, behaviour and cognitive therapy, by changing an individual's reaction to stress and increasing the ability to cope with stress, thereby altering immune function, may have an effect on the proliferation of a specific illness, in the case of this study, endometriosis. Various behaviour patterns used by individuals to deal with personal and environmental stressors, have been identified. The incessant struggle to overcome real and imagined obstacles imposed by events, time and the actions of other people typifies the Type A behaviour pattern. The aims of this study were to detemine, whether there were, in a randomly chosen group of patients with endometriosis, persons with high indices of Type A behaviour; to determine whether the modification of Type A behaviour in these patients had a positive effect on their biopsychosocial functioning and finally, whether the modification of Type A behaviour had a positive effect on these patients' endometriosis-related infertility. Endometriosis patients being treated at an infertility clinic were invited to participate in the study. Forty-two subjects were recruited. A psychometric test battery was administered to all the participants. Based on the results of the Videotaped Structured Interview, the subjects were equally divided into three groups: a low index Type A group, a high index Type A group and a middle group. Experimental groups 1 and 2 received counseling aimed at reducing Type A behaviour, using the revised version of the SARCPP, which was originally used with coronary heart disease patients. The test battery was again administered after the intervention. It was found that a subset of endometriosis patients did show higher indices of Type A behaviour. Furthermore an intervention that was found to be successful in reducing the Type A behaviour intensity and frequency in subjects with coronary heart disease was also found to be similarly successful in a subset of women with endometriosis. The most significant finding was the increase in pregnancies among the group of subjects who had been exposed to the treatment. Type A behaviour modification was indeed found to be effective in the treatment of infertility in couples where the female experienced endometriosis-related infertility.

M.A. / The prospective and observed changes in South-Africa, with respect to the mobilisation of human skills, bring unique challenges to the fore where the career development of the individual is concerned. Scheepers (1996) and Quinn (1994) state that psycho-educational programmes can be implemented to foster the successful transfer of career development skills. A number of career development programmes were therefore designed and developed. However, the necessity of further development and extension of such programmes are crucial and in accordance with the experienced rapid changes of the target group's needs. In the light of the above mentioned statements, a study was conducted to evaluate the impact of an existing career development programme, by using standard programme development requirements. A further objective of the study was to make an existing programme more goal orientated and user friendly, by ensuring a more effective transfer of the skills contained in the programme. The method used was the developmental research model as introduced by Rothman and Thomas (1994). The choice of this model presents various advantages to the researcher, through the generation of both qualitative and quantitative results. The quantitative measure instruments that were used in this study are the Career Development Questionnaire of Langley and the Career information Questionnaire of Heidema. The qualitative evaluation made by direct observation and also the feedback of the tests. It was endeavoured to establish a theoretical foundation for the identified problem by using the theories of important career development researchers. The structural-interactive model of Holland was mainly focused upon in this regard. A career workbook, namely the SNUG was presented at various intervals to a group RAUCALL students during this research. Three groups were chosen at random and this ensured the progressive development of the programme. The first group was introduced to the original SNUG and owing to observation certain useful amendments were made to the presentation. This tentative improvements were presented to the second group whereafter further amendments were brought forth. The third and last group were exposed to the resultant improved SNUG. The focus of the improvements that were implemented fell on the visual changes and was not based on the contents. Statistical significant differences between the three groups in terms of the five sub tests of the Career Development Questionnaire were reported and no significant differences with reference to the results of the Career Information Questionnaire were noted. However the scores still refer to inefficient career development skills when a realistic career decision is to be made. A correlation between the third sub test of the Career Development Questionnaire namely Career Information and the Career Information Questionnaire of Heidema was noted.

M.A. / This study was conducted to ascertain whether there is a significant relationship between, parental pressure, stress levels and athletic performance in high school track and field athletes. The question can be asked whether parental pressure will result in increased stress levels in the athlete and therefore poorer performance? Sixty-six high school track and field athletes, between the ages of 13 and 18 years, were selected for the study. The athletes were taken from training groups and an Afrikaans high school to Provide a sample that included both elite and social athletes. The IPAT-Anxiety Scale, Sport Competition Anxiety Test (SCAT), SASOL junior tables and three self-designed questionnaires were used to determine the athletes' stress levels, amount of parental pressure and performance measurements. Significant relationships were found between parental pressure, increased stress levels and poorer performance. The more parental pressure experienced by the athlete the higher his stress levels and consequently the poorer his performance.

M.A. / HIV and AIDS are a growing problem with multiple implications on various fields in our society. It looks as if we are conscious only of the tip of the iceberg. This study commits itself to suggest alternatives other than medical support to ensure longevity in HIV and AIDS persons. From within a psychological framework certain psychological and social factors are identified that could possibly have an influence on immunology in the form of CD4 and CD8 counts. The results suggest that definite links exists between certain psychological factors and physical markers of immunology (CD4 and CD8 counts). A Factor analysis show that Social factors (measured with the FES scale) possibly lead to emotions that resort under psychological factors (Conflict, Course of illness and Independence). These factors unleash the need of self- expression. If this need to selfexpression are not relieved it leads to psychological factors (Anger, Depression and Tension). These factors have a marked short-term effect on CD4 count as well as a long-term effect on CD8 count. The result is a circular response comprising of psychological factors (Anger, Depression and Tension) that lead to feelings of avoidance and fatalism. In turn these factors lead to feelings of hopelessness resulting in a strengthening effect on another set of psychological factors (Conflict, Course of illness and Independence). OptimismNigor repeatedly played a leading role in the Course of illness, influencing the cognitive attitude of respondents. Initially 71 respondents took part in the study but comprehensive data over the sixmonth period could only be obtained for 40 respondents. The results suggest that a specific dynamic are concealed in the process between mind, body and illness and needs to be explored through further research. .

M.A. / Professional identity development of counselling psychologists in South-Africa occurs through seven (and possibly eight) phases of professional development. Phases of professional development are necessary when one attempts to establish optimal levels of professional identity development for counselling psychologists in terms of their experience and training. Using these phases, counselling psychologists may be compared in each development phase to ascertain his/her development or the lack thereof. The phases also serve as guidelines for both the training personnel and the counselling psychologist, enabling them to affect certain changes or modifications in order to optimise professional development for the counselling psychologist. The benefits of optimised development should not be underestimated. The objective of this comparative research study was to ascertain the extent of similarities found in the professional development phases, as postulated by Skovholt and Ronnestad (1995) and the results of the current research study. The eight phases are the conventional phase, transition to professional training phase, imitation of experts phase, conditional autonomy phase, exploration phase, integration phase, individuation phase and the integrity phase. The research strategy consists of a qualitative analysis of responses obtained from a structured interview. Analysis is made possible by way of a replication strategy together with the use of a matrix. The matrix consists of eight categories used by Skovholt and Ronnestad (1995) to describe the relevant developmental phase and to regulate the responses. After describing and allocating the responses according to the categories of the matrix, a storyline is derived by use of an iteration process. Themes become apparent which outline the developmental path across the eight proposed professional developmental phases. Both the categories and the themes are compared to those proposed by Skovholt and Ronnestad (1995). Great similarity was found. The differences and themes derived from this study can also be used as hypotheses for further research.

M.A. / The goal of the present study was to investigate the relationship between trait anxiety, years of service and posttraumatic stress disorder in the South African Police Service. This study was regarded as important because posttraumatic stress can have a significant influence on the personal life and work-related performance of police officers. One hundred and twenty white, male police officers volunteered to participate in the study. A structural model of the relationships between trait anxiety, years of service and posttraumatic stress was postulated. The model specified that trait anxiety and years of service influence posttraumatic stress both individually and jointly. Trait anxiety is operationalised by means of the IPAT Anxiety Scale and posttraumatic stress disorder by means of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Interview Schedule. The fit of the postulated model with the observed data was investigated by means of structural equation modelling. The results indicated that the postulated model showed an acceptable fit with the observed data. The estimated parameters of the model indicated that the subscales of the IPAT Anxiety Scale and the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Interview Schedule are good indicators of their respective constructs. It was further shown that trait anxiety and years of service have a significant influence on posttraumatic stress disorder. The results support those of previous studies where it was shown that these variables can influence posttraumatic stress disorder. The present study emphasizes that trait anxiety may predispose police officers to the development of trait anxiety. The study also shows that if police officers are exposed to extended periods of traumatic experiences, they run the risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder.

M.A. (Psychology) / Anger, hostility and aggression have long been regarded as important factors in the etiology of essential hypertension and coronary heart disease. Fast changing lifestyles and cultural differences are among a few of the factors that create stress, 'disease', stress in addition to the development of the self-generation of stress by means of the type A behavioral pattern. Anger and aggression are components that apparently account for the largest amount of variance in the type A behavior pattern. These emotions are again associated with elevated systolic blood pressure levels. The aim of this study was therefore to determine whether hypertension was indeed associated with anger and aggression amongst urban as well as rural Blacks in South Africa. Seftel (1980) found a very high prevalence of hypertension in Johannesburg Blacks and Seedat (1978) found a similarly high prevalence in Durban Zulu, possibly lending support to the hypothesis that urbanization was associated with the development of the type A behavioural pattern, and thus causal to the development of hypertension. Two groups, one consisting of hypertensives, and the other of people with other cardiovascular diseases were subjected to the Anger-Expression Scale and the Grant Urban-Rural Scale. The result of the study provided support for the thesis while the hypothesis that stated that hypertension would indicate a higher urbanization supported. In essence the results of the study indicated that there was a definite correlation between elevated blood pressure levels among urban Black South Africans and the chronic suppression of anger and aggression, as well as the inability to express these emotions.

M.A. (Counselling Psychology) / This study is an examination of the context of the gay male individual with HIV illness. A psychosocial model is used to investigate the effects of HIV disease on the individual, his partner and the relationship. The model includes a discussion of variables which are related to adjustment to the disease." These include the special characteristics of HIV disease such as the stigma and the progressive nature of the disease. Furthermore the personality characteristics of the individual and the characteristics of his situation are examined. These factors together contribute to making HIV positive diagnosis a crisis for the individual in his context. A case study approach was used to research the subjective experiences of an HIV infected gay man and his partner. In depth interviews were conducted in order to obtain qualitative data on the individuals within the context of their relationship. The data obtained from the interviews supports the literature in many respects. Of special importance is the impact of an HIV positive diagnosis on intimacy in the relationship. Also important are the changes which occur in the sexual relationship as a result of fear of transmission of the HIV virus. Other important changes include adapting to the uncertainty of living with HIV disease and coping with the emotional reactions, which follow HIV diagnosis. The study highlights the importance of emotional support within the primary relationship as well as the role of friends and family in adjusting to HIV disease. The study also demonstrates the importance of effective communication in dealing with the various stresses associated with HIV disease. Lastly therapeutic interventions have been suggested for counselling the gay infected person and his partner in order to help them to cope with the crisis of HIV disease.

M.A. (Clinical Psychology) / In this project, the author explores, analyses and interprets the experiences of a group of students and teachers who worked together at a farm school for almost a year. Certain pertinent questions relating to the nature of therapy, training, research and community work are examined. The dominant view is that therapy and community work are different activities, requiring different sets of skills, for which different training is needed. Fundamental to this discussion is the issue of what is meant by community. The author proposes that community can be usefully conceptualised as the meaning people give to the evolving processes of their inter-connectedness, and their co-creation of ideas. Furthermore, these processes contain the potential for individuals to experience personal shifts that may be described variously as learning/growth/change/transformation. There is impetus for transformation at the interface between connectedness and disconnectedness. This renders unnecessary any differentiation between the process of training students for clinical and community work. Central to all training would be a person's ability to connect and utilise this connectedness, or its counterpart of disconnectedness, in a meaningful way. Essentially all interactions, including those in a training, therapy, research and community context, could then be viewed as a process of co-creation around people's sense of connectedness disconnectedness. The implications of all the above are that the processes of co-creation of community constitute fundamental elements of training, therapy, research and community work. The author uses an alternative research paradigm, subscribing to the principles of ecological inquiry, according to which research and intervention are inseparable.