Bibliography: leaves 151-161. / There is substantial evidence to indicate that South Africa is facing the prospect of a large number of children, now and in the future, who will be orphaned as a result of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. In all likelihood, these children would have experienced psychological trauma through the illness and death of people close to them, and the social isolation that accompanies HIV-infection and AIDS-related illness and death. The ideal would be for as many of these children as possible to experience some type of family life in which to grow and mature into responsible adults. The aim of the present study was to explore a range of factors that might influence prospective carers' decisions to care for children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. These include features of prospective carers; features of the orphaned child; and forms of assistance that may be required. By means of a postal survey, the present study explored existing adoptive and foster parents' (N=17S) willingness to care for an HIV/AIDS orphan. Results show that close to 69% of respondents indicated a willingness to care for an HIV/AIDS orphan. Although some differences were noted depending on the HIV status of the child and whether the respondent was an adoptive or foster parent, on the whole they also indicated a preferred willingness to care for an HIV-negative female child, up to the age of 6 years old, of the same culture and from the same family as themselves, and without surviving relatives or siblings. Free medical care and schooling for the child were the suggested forms of assistance required. The Theory of Planned Behaviour (Ajzen, 1991), explored in the present study, did predict intentions to care for either an HIV-negative or HIV-positive orphan. However, certain components of the models did not have good predictive ability calling into question the usefulness of the model as a means to explain and predict intention to care for an HIV/AIDS orphan. Implications of the study provide recommendations for persons involved with children orphaned by HIV/AIDS.

Bibliography: leaves 134-148. / An exploratory investigation into the capabilities of hypertext as an educational medium was conducted. To this purpose, a model was advanced in an attempt to provide a theoretical foundation for the explication of hypertext navigation and disorientation in terms of relevant user characteristics. 75 2nd year psychology students from the University of Cape Town participated in a study in order to investigate the claim that the motivational theory of goal orientation has the greatest utility in accounting for the exploitation of links within a hypertext, a necessary precondition for the development of mental models which incorporate both the conceptual and structural elements required for effective learning from, and the reduction of disorientation within, this medium. The results obtained, although compromised, provide some support for this argument. The paper concludes with a discussion of the methodological limitations of the study, as well as possible directions for future research.

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 65-81). / The present study aimed to understand the severe acts of violence committed by six boys from the Western Cape farming community. The six boys, aged between 8 and 13 years, were the primary participants. They were all children of farm workers. Individuals who were either connected to them as well as those who were informed about their community were also interviewed. Those connected to them included their mothers, teachers, a farm owner, a social worker, and a health worker. Those not directly related to the boys but informed about their community were: another farm owner, an educational psychologist, a school life skills programme manager, and researcher in the area of occupational health of farm workers.

Bibliography: leaves 136-145. / This study examined the relationship between stress and coping in a sample of women simultaneously occupying the roles of wife, mother and paid employee. The sample comprised 95 subjects recruited through medical practices. Quantitative and qualitative data was collected by means of self report questionnaires. Quantitative measures included the recent version of the Perceived Stress Questionnaire (Levenstein, Prantera, Varvo, Scribano, Berta, Luzi & Andreoli, 1992), the Reward and Concern Scales developed by Baruch & Barnett ( 1986) as a measure of role quality, the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (Carver, Scheier & Weintraub, 1989) and the Mastery Scale (Pearlin & Schooler, 1978). A measure of social support was developed for this study. Qualitative data was collected via 7 open ended questions. Responses were analysed for frequency of reference to emergent themes. · Stress ·constituted the dependant variable and role quality, coping, control and social - support the ~ndependent variables. Correlational and Anova analyses were performed to test for relationships between stress and the demographic variables. No significant relationships were found. Subjects who had complained of stress or been diagnosed as stressed by their doctors were classified as highly stressed, whereas those who had neither complained nor been so diagnosed were classified as low stressed. A t-test analysis revealed significant differences between the two groups. However, 42% of those women who had neither complained nor been diagnosed as stressed recorded stress levels above the mean. The most usual manifestations of stress revealed a cluster of factors related to time pressure and overload. Further t-test analyses were conducted to test for differences in stress levels between subjects scoring low in role quality, coping abilities, control and social support, compared with those scoring high on these variables. Poor role quality was .associated with a significantly higher stress level.

Learning and memory seem to be particularly vulnerable to the effects of heavy prenatal alcohol exposure. Previous research has, however, been limited to the study of retrospective memory (i.e., episodic or declarative memory) in children with a history of prenatal alcohol exposure. Recently, memory researchers have turned their attention to the study of prospective memory (PM), or the ability to realize and act on delayed intentions, in clinical populations. There are no published studies exploring PM in FASD, however. Prospective remembering is reliant on declarative memory as well as intact executive functioning, both of which are known to be impaired in FASD. The current study aimed, therefore, to investigate event-based PM functioning in a longitudinal cohort of children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure. It also aimed to investigate whether the relation between prenatal alcohol exposure and prospective memory was influenced by IQ, executive functioning, or retrospective memory.

One in three South African women will be raped in her lifetime; the gravity of this issue makes investigating factors influencing rape perpetration a crucial endeavour. Drawing on a feminist post-structuralist framework, this study is based on the assumption that how masculinity is constructed in a given context may influence some men's sexually aggressive behaviour within that context. Six focus group sessions, each consisting of between four and six male university students (with a total of 30 participants) were held, in which the reasons for why some men rape in South Africa were discussed. Focusing on constructions of masculinity and heterosex, the data was analysed using discourse analysis based on the Foucauldian notion of discourse. The data was divided into three main sections, namely 'the Discourse of the Male Sexual Drive', 'Heterosex', and 'Masculinity as Power'. Consistent with previous literature, within the data the male sexual drive was constructed as being largely out of men's control, with men depicted as not being culpable for raping when they do not have access to consensual sex; when the victim is wearing revealing clothing; or when the victim is drunk. Heterosex was also constructed as having considerably different meaning for males and females, with a clear presence of the 'sexual double standard', in which men are praised for having sex whereas women are denigrated and seen as morally lacking. The rules of heterosexual conduct were also constructed as being mediated by culture, in ways in which it was argued ignore the individual rights and responsibilities of the victims and perpetrators of sexual violence. Having power was further constructed as the principle feature of masculinity, with rape being a means of attaining power. Therefore, men without access to power in other areas (primarily poor and/or black men) were depicted as being the most likely to rape. Rape was also seen as a response to women's empowerment, as well as a mechanism through which women that are "too proud" can be humbled, and was thereby constructed as a tool through which male power over women is maintained. It is argued that some of the constructions within the data are problematic in that they support racist, classist and patriarchal ideologies; often place the blame for rape entirely onto women, whose rights are at times ignored; and remove culpability from the perpetrators of rape. The findings of this study therefore demonstrate the importance of challenging accepted rape myths and underlying assumptions about masculinity and heterosex in order to address the issue of rape in South Africa

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 92-109). / Background and Objective: First-year university students face many challenges during the transition to university. Some of these relate to their background and socio-demographic characteristics and others have to do with the characteristics of the universities they attend. South African first-year students may face even more challenges adjusting to university, which are linked to the country's Apartheid history. This study aimed to explore relationships between mental health, socioeconomic status and subjective social status in first-year students at four South African universities. In particular, the aims were to explore the role of subjective social status and resilience in predicting the adjustment, mental health and general health of first year university students. Method: Participants in the study (n=336) were South African first-year students who were enrolled in first year psychology courses at four universities. Two of the universities were historically advantaged, and two were historically disadvantaged. Data collection took the form an online survey as well as the distribution of printed questionnaires. A demographic questionnaire was used in addition to questionnaires, which measured students' quality of adjustment, mental health, general health, subjective social status, alcohol use and illicit substance use and resilience (Connor- Davidson Resiliency Scale). Results: A series of hierarchical regression analyses indicated that place of residence was an significant predictor of the quality of their adjustment to university (R 2 =.11). Results of the multiple regression analyses also indicated that resilience was a significant predictor of mental health (R 2 = .22) and a significant predictor of general health (R2 = .11) in the sample of first-year students. Conclusion: These findings highlight the importance resilience can play in predicting students' mental and general health during the transition to university. It also highlights the fact that universities should take the opportunity to provide adequate support programmes and create social networks to make the transition to university easier for students who may be at risk for poor adjustment and poor mental health and general health. In particular university residences, which provide a living environment that encourages academic and social interaction and provide a supportive atmosphere, can make the transition to university smoother for first years. 4

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 108-121). / There is great need for an effective neurocognitive screening tool in South Africa. The outdated and diagnostically limited Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) is currently the only widespread form of cognitive screening. This and virtually all other neurocognitive tests widely used in South Mrica were developed in Europe and North America and are inappropriate for South Africa's population. The present study aided in the development and validation of the first theory-driven neurocognitive screening tool specifically designed for South Africans, focusing on the Language and Spatial Cognition sections of the battery. Two tests - the Naming Test and the 3-D Analysis Test - were both adapted and re-piloted before their insertion into the Neurocognitive Battery ahead of its validation.

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 138-147) / This study compares the effectiveness of two computerised composite construction systems - a holistic, recognition-based system named ID and a featural system that is utilized internationally, namely FACES. The comparison aimed to test whether ID produces better quality composites to FACES, and whether these composites could be improved with the aid of context reinstatement tehcniques, in particular guided memory. Participants (n=64) attended a staged event where they witnessed a female 'numerologist' for 20 minutes. Five weeks later they were asked to return to create a composite of the woman using either FACES or ID. Reconstructions were made in view, from memory after a South African Police interview or from memory after a guided memory interview. In addition, experts for each system constructed composites of each perpetrator. Studies have reported enhanced identification when multiple composites are combined to create a morpho. Hence, the guided memory composites for each perpetrator were morphed to create three ID and three FACES morphs. The complete set of 76 composites was then evaluated by 503 independent judges using matching and rating tasks. The study hypothesised that ID would perform better, but results suggest that the two systems performed equivalently. Results also suggest that the guided memory interview did not have the desired effect of significantly improving participants' memories of the perpetrator, and that contrary to expectations, the morphed composites performed extremely poorly and were rated the worst and identified the least. Related findings and ideas for future research are discussed.

Bibliography: leaves 186-199. / The idea for this dissertation emerged out of my interest in the identity of South Mrican women. A specific area of interest was which part of South Mrican women's identity was more salient- race or gender. Another specific area of interest, based on the proposition of social identity theory that different aspects of identity could be salient within different contexts, was which contexts, if any, would make gender identity more salient than race identity. (The was of interest particularly with regard to black women.) In an attempt to further explore the identity of South Mrican women, with particular reference to the above questions, Study 1 was conducted. Based on the literature (e.g. Davis, 1981; hooks, 1981, 1984 ), one expectation was that while gender might be more salient than race for white women, for black women, race would always be more salient than gender irrespective of context. A content-analysis of the focus group transcripts for Study 1 did not support this expectation. Both black and white women cited the issue of 'sexual violence against women', specifically rape, as the one factor that made the 'woman' aspect of their identity salient, and engendered a feeling of 'us' (women) versus ‘them' (men). In order to further investigate this result, a second study was conducted. In Study 2, a pretest post-test experimental control group design was used to examine the effect of the issue of 'sexual violence against women' on the gender identity of black, white and coloured women. Forty black women, 40 white women and 40 coloured women from the Western Cape participated in the study. Gender and race identity were explored using multidimensional scales, a social distance scale, a personality atttibutions measure, and an identity checklist. These measures were administered at both the pretest and the posttest. ‘Sexual violence against women' was operationalised as an article about rape which was presented to women in the experimental group while women in the control group received a neutral intervention. The hypothesis was that at the pretest, women (in particular black women) would perceive themselves as 'closer' to other members of their own race (including men) than to other women of different races. Thus race would be a more salient aspect of identity than gender. Based on the results of Study 1, it was further hypothesised that at the posttest women in the experimental group would perceive themselves as 'closer' to women of other races than to men of their own race.