Thesis (doctoral)--La Salle University, 2003. / ProQuest dissertations and theses ; AAT 3108287. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 40-52).

This study examined the nature and prevalence of ego strength among early adolescent learners in grade nine attending an independent school. An in-depth literature review was conducted in order to explore the role and theories of ego development. Thereafter, theories and key aspects of various dimensions of adolescent development were highlighted. The empirical investigation included both quantitative and qualitative research methodology. A questionnaire was administered to one hundred and ten grade nine learners in order to obtain a broad measure of the respondents' ego and superego strength. Thereafter, two learners were selected in order to explore their experiential life worlds. The findings of the empirical investigation were compared with information that emerged from the literature study. The study was concluded by offering recommendations to parents, educators and professionals working in the field of psychology of education in empowering them in addressing the phenomenon of ego development among early adolescent learners. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

The deseg regation of schools in the post-1994 era in South Africa has led to an exodus of African children from township schools to multicultural suburban and inner city schools. This migration places African children in a multicultural school environment where the dynamics pose challenges for coping and adaptation if these children are to succeed academically. The challenge is even greater for adolescents who are also wrestling with critical developmental issues of adolescence in their quest for identity development and consolidation. Goleman (1995: 34) asserts that in order to succeed in any aspect of living, an individual requires emotional intelligence. Likewise, African adolescents who attend school in multicultural environments need to be emotionally literate to cope successfully and to adapt to the demands of the new schooling environment. In the light of this assertion, this study aimed to determine the extent to which emotional intelligence mediates the identity development of African adolescents in multicultural schools. The five domains of emotional intelligence investigated in this respect were: self-awareness, self-regulation, self-motivation, empathy and effective relationships. Six schools were selected for the empirical investigation: three from the townships and three from the suburbs. 226 African adolescents from suburban and 240 from township schools participated: a total of 466 participants. The findings revealed that self-awareness, empathy and effective relationships play stronger mediating roles in the identity development of African adolescents in township schools while self-regulation plays a stronger mediating role for African adolescents in suburban multicultural schools. The two groups did not, however, differ significantly regarding the mediating role of self-regulation in their identity development. Further mediating roles of emotional intelligence to the identity development of African adolescents were investigated according to gender, stage of adolescence and a preferred language for learning and teaching. Finally, a model was proposed for developing empathy among African adolescents who attend schools in suburbs. / (D.Ed. (Psychology of Education))

The research was undertaken to determine the way in which the Black adolescent forms a pupil identity. Special attention was focussed on the various relationships formed by th~ Black adolescent within and outside the school environment. Literature indicates that pupil-identity is one of a variety of identities formed. Once a positive pupil-identity is established, the adolescent is in a position to actualise himself adequately. The empirical research was undertaken by administering a questionnaire to 555 Black secondary school pupils. The questionnaire comprised four categories namely, the adolescent's relationship with the self, parents, peer-group and the school. It was found that each of the four categories showed a significant positive correlation with pupil-identity formation. As this research project could not cover all aspects of the Black adolescent, recommendations for future research have been made. / Psychology of Education / M.Ed. (Psychology of Education)

M.A. (Industrial Sociology) / Identity construction amongst the youth is a vital process as it shapes who they are and what they want to be. Rapid social change contributes a great deal to the ways people create and shape their identities. This study focuses on youth identity construction in South Africa, specifically among young people at The Zone, a shopping mall in Rosebank, Johannesburg. In South Africa much research has been done on youths mainly focusing on delinquency. There is thus a knowledge gap with regard to youth identity and the positive aspects of life. This study, therefore, aims to shed light on the positive aspects of identity construction among the youth. Previous studies on youth identity construction have shown that youth identities are constructed in a world where popular culture dominates people’s existence. The construction of youth identity at The Zone is examined by focusing on music, fashion and technology as the main elements of popular culture. The theoretical framework of this study is derived mainly from scholarly work on identity formation, popular culture and youth culture at The Zone. For this study, both quantitative and qualitative research methods were used in which the following data gathering processes were applied: focus groups, semi-structured face-toface interviews, and questionnaires. The findings of the study show that identity construction amongst the youth is done through their interaction with one another as well as the images, styles and entertainment that form part of popular culture. Democratic South Africa has opened doors of choices for young people. Within certain constraints, they are able to do what they like, become who they like and explore their identities. The findings show that even though they come from different backgrounds, their aspirations to be hip and sophisticated, as dictated by popular culture, are similar.

Relationships between acculturative stress, self esteem, and ethnic identity were studied with 2nd generation male and female Sikh adolescents in grade 8, 9, and 10. Students were given the Cawte Acculturative Stress Scale, Coopersmith Self Esteem Inventory, and the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure. Overall, 2nd generation Sikh students were found to have a high level of acculturative stress. Within the multiple regression analysis of Acculturative Stress scores on the Full scale and Subscale scores of Self Esteem, significant relationships were found for the Full scale score and the General Self Esteem score. A multiple regression analysis of Acculturative Stress and Full scale and Subscales of Ethnic Identity did not result in any significant relationships. A Stepwise Regression analysis included as the independent variables all the Full scale and Subscale scores for Self Esteem and Ethnic Identity. It resulted in only three independent variables with significant b weights, General Self Esteem, Social Self Esteem and Ethnic Behaviors, which combined accounted for 43% of the variance (r=.66). Gender differences were found with males having significantly higher scores on Acculturative Stress and lower scores on Affirmation/belonging and Social Self Esteem than females. The school that a student attended was found to be related to scores on Other Group Orientation, General Self Esteem, Home/peers Self Esteem,and Full scale Self Esteem. The ethnic label that a student subscribes is a good indicator of the scores on the Full Scale and Subscales of Ethnic Identity. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

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Previous studies highlighted the importance of parental support for development of mastery of control and depressive symptoms. These studies tended to examine one time wave and outcomes related to that period, forwarding an assumption parenting behaviours do not change as children age. Using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979-Children and Young Adults, this study filled the gap by examining children's supportive environment at three time points and determining how levels of support across these points impacted children's depression and mastery at 18 years of age. Relative stability of mothers' supportive parenting (i.e., encouragement of social maturity, warmth and affection, and physical punishment) at early childhood, middle childhood, and early adolescence was examined by Kendall's tau correlations. Encouragement of social maturity showed relative stability between early and middle childhood and middle childhood and early adolescence; warmth and affection showed relative stability between early and middle childhood, and physical punishment showed relative stability across all time points. Absolute stability was examined using hierarchical linear modelling and Wilcoxon signed-rank test. No instances were found. Latent class growth analysis identified different trajectories of supportive environment among participants and three groups were identified. Multiple regressions conducted to examine how different trajectories affect late adolescents' depression and mastery found children of mothers from the least supportive group had statistically significant higher level of depression and lower level of mastery of control at 18 years of age; children of mothers from the progressively and continuously supportive group had similarly positive results of depression and mastery.

Research has consistently shown that academic dishonesty has a detrimental impact on the learning process. Nevertheless, very little research explores "cheating" behaviors from students’ perspectives or the role that peer groups play in the proliferation or reduction of cheating cultures. Academic dishonesty has always been an important subject to study. Still, it is even more crucial today to explore this issue in Western contexts and Eastern countries such as Vietnam. This study seeks to fill the knowledge gap using a quantitative approach that draws on a sample of approximately 1,000 high school students in five provinces of Vietnam. I seek to understand three research questions: (1) How do Vietnamese high school students define "academic dishonesty”? (2) To what extent do personal and contextual factors influence the students' attitudes toward cheating; and (3) How does the difference between the definition of cheating and students’ attitudes affect students’ decisions to engage in cheating. The result of the Latent Class Analysis shows that Vietnamese students have very different perspectives on what is regarded as cheating in school. , In general, the definition of what it means as “cheating” is highly diverse. Student defined cheating differently depends on where it happens and who is involved, not just on the action itself. In the second research question, using different type of regression analysis and factor analysis, this study further finds that the student’s definition of cheating is the strongest among all the variables and is most likely to affect students’ reactions and attitudes about cheating. Other significant factors found included parental highest education level, leadership position in class, overall classroom achievement, and diligence culture affect students’ reactions. In the final research question, the study examines societal factors and finds that classroom climate also plays an essential role in explaining how students engage in cheating. Often, the class that values hard work over achievement has fewer students who confess to cheating, cheating frequently, and cheating in multiple subjects. In addition, a competitive culture that focuses on achievement can also affect and pressure students to cheat. This finding highlights the importance of studying dishonestly through the lens of sociology which goes further than the student’s values or “rebellious nature” that makes them cheat. While various research in the field has examined multiple factors related to student cheating, we need to understand the students' rationales for commit cheating to provide root-cause solutions and actionable steps to reduce cheating in schools. The dissertation concludes with recommendations for future research and policy recommendation at the national policy level and at the local school or classroom level.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education