D.Litt et Phil. / For over a decade, from the late 1970's to October 1992, a war raged in Mozambique that resulted in what has been described as, one of the "most terrible genocides in the history of Africa". Over 4 million people were displaced during this war. Conservative estimates put the number of Mozambicans who sought refuge in South Africa at 250 000. This study examines the trauma created by the war, and its psycho-social outcomes, from the perspective of women refugees who came to settle in villages in the Nkomazi region of Mpumalanga province, in South Africa. Posttraumatic stress disorder, the concept which dominates research in the field of trauma studies, was based on research with male war veterans in western industrial societies. Recently a body of work has emerged which questions the validity of applying posttraumatic stress disorder to contexts of massive social conflict, and its utility in cross cultural contexts. This body of work suggests that an understanding of extreme trauma and its outcomes requires careful consideration of the social and cultural dimensions of trauma. The inclusion of a cultural formulation in the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorder, DSM-IV, reinforces a growing acknowledgement amongst mental health researchers of the influence of culture on mental health and disorder. The gaps in research on African women survivors of war and the lack of standardised assessment tools, makes this an exploratory study which uses qualitative research methods. Unstructured interviews were conducted with 30 Mozambican women refugees to explore their experiences and definitions of trauma, the psycho-social outcomes of the trauma, and coping and survival in the aftermath of the war. The magnitude of the trauma evident in the research findings called for a conceptual definition which reflects multiple risks and the interdependence of social and individual trauma. Thematic analysis and qualitative coding of the interview data revealed clinically well defined posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and locally specific discourses of suffering framed by cultural beliefs, social practices and historical experiences. Their testimony and observations in the field, revealed that the survivors demonstrated a capacity to survive and reconstruct their lives. Their coping strategies and survival tactics were fundamentally shaped by socio-historical experiences and the limits and possibilities contained in the recovery environment. The results of this study suggest an approach to examining the complex relationship between trauma and its consequences, which abstracts neither trauma nor its victims from cultural and social-historical contexts.

M.A. / White-collar crime has had a significant impact on the economy and the quality of life of all the citizens of this country. The emphasis in addressing this problem has traditionally been on the limitation of risk to commit white-collar crime as well ason the 'typical' characteristics of white-collar offenders. The aim of this study was to understand this phenomenon from a different perspective: the ecosystems that have an influence on the causation and maintenance of white-collar crime. To determine which ecosystems played a role the researcher interviewed white-collar criminals who had already been convicted, and were serving prison sentences in the Gauteng Province. They were from both sexes, different race groups, different ages and they had committed different types of white-collar crime. The following ecosystems and subsystems were identified as contributing to causation and maintenance of white-collar crime: the individual: behaviour, emotion and relationships (in general and specific relationships). The bank environment Opportunity, as an element of all the systems, was also identified as a contributing factor. The researcher also identified two patterns in which the ecosystems interact. Different white-collar crime processes are indicated through these patterns. The main difference between these patterns is that some people commit the crime because they consider it to be the best solution to problem situation whereas other people commit the crime only because the opportunity to do so, exists. Most of the findings in the interviews can be confirmed by existing literature although there were some findings for which literature can't indicate a direct relationship. Recommendations are aimed at addressing the dynamics between the ecosystems as identified by the respondents. The most important aspect to bear in mind is that people do not function in isolation and constantly influence each other. We are co-creators of our reality and can therefore influence our environment by what we contribute to it through interaction and dialogue.

M.Cur. / The nursing service manager is accountable for the managerial outputs of the nursing service, being quality nursing care, cost effectiveness and quality nursing staff management. These managerial responsibilities will influence the overall management efficiency of the health delivery system. There is a need for a more scientific basis of staffing in South African critical care units. Various methods are used to determine staffing needs, but the most accurate and acceptable method being used is the patient classification system. The success of a critical care patient classification system is based upon the accurate determination of the ideal nurse-patient ratio. Ideal nursepatient ratio depends on matching the competency of the critical care nurse to the severity of the critical care patient's illness. Internationally and nationally very few guidelines describe the competency requirements that the critical care nurse should have to function effectively in the critical care unit. To maintain a high standard of quality nursing care, the critical care nurse should be assigned to a critical care patient according to her competency level. The aim of this study was to describe a scientific patient classification system for critical care patients according to which workload and nursing requirements can be ascertained. Secondly, to describe guidelines for the competency requirements of a registered critical care nurse assigned to nurse the different categories of critical care patients categorised by the patient classification system as prescribed. The aim of the study is justified by means of an exploratory, descriptive, contextual research design. A critical care patient classification system has been developed and validated by a group of critical care nursing experts using a structured two phase research method. The statistical validity of each item of the critical care patient classification system was determined by means of a content validity index. All the items of the critical care patient classification system were rated as valid and therefore the critical care patient classification system as a whole has been accepted as valid. The reliability of the critical care patient classification system was tested by means of a pilot study in two selected research units. It was determined that the inter-rater reliability was within the 95 per cent confidence interval, that the system could discriminate between different critical care patients and nurse-patient ratios were effectively determined by the system. Critical care nurse competency requirements were identified by critical care nursing experts by means of a focus group interview. The results obtained from the focus group interview were verified by a literature control and peer group review. Guidelines for the competency requirements of the critical care nurse were compiled. The critical care patient classification system developed will equip the critical care manager with a scientific instrument to assign personnel to critical care units. The critical care patient classification system will furthermore assist the critical care unit manager in the daily utilisation of valuable human resources, in that critical care nurses with the appropriate level of expertise can be assigned to each patient, thus facilitating quality critical care nursing.

M.A. / The young offender's criminal behaviour exerts enormous damage to the social and economical aspects of the country. Exploring the identity construction of young offenders, the decisions and choices they make in breaking into strangers' houses, stealing and hijacking other people's cars, is the focus of this study. Attention will also be focused on exploring how the criminal "career" affects and is affected by their identity construction. It is also the purpose of this study to explore what could be attracting the young offender to embark on a criminal expedition, in spite of the consequences of such activities, which appear to be uninviting and uncomfortable. The study comes about as a result of the misery and 6 trauma experienced by victims of the young offender's criminal activities (Clifford, 1974). People spend a lot of money improving the security systems in their properties with the purpose of barring the offenders from entering their premises, or taking the cars away from them. This, however, does not seem to work most of the time as it has in some cases contributed to the offenders also improving their skills on how to commit crime. There is increased surveillance in department stores, insurance premiums are high and there is an increase in the cost of goods and services. It seems that as crime escalates, more young people are sent to prison. Society also feels that prison is the best option for the young offender. Others would like the death sentence to be imposed to deal with the crime problem. At the moment, prisons are overcrowded with young people, who will be released in a few years' time. The question is whether, at the time of their release will they be able to be reintegrated back to society. What kind of people are we expecting them to be when they become adults? What role will they play in the functioning of the community? Probably the community needs to be informed about what happens in prison, for there is a general assumption that prison is a rehabilitative institution. It is seen as a place where we get rid of troublemakers, who on their release have become good citizens with a brighter future. People perceive a prison as a place that rehabilitates offenders and helps reintegrate them back into society. Whether the prison pursues and achieves this purpose needs to be seen. However, the high rate of recidivism leaves much to be desired. Cronje'et al. (1976) in their study found that a large number of young offenders became recidivists or recidivism can be traced back to juvenile offences

M.A. (Clinical Psychology) / The context of psychotherapy groups determine which factors are experienced as therapeutic. The nature of inpatient setting, the brief duration of the groups. and the concurrent nature of therapy were hypothesised as having a possible effect on which factors are perceived as therapeutic. For this particular study the added effect of substance dependency was taken into account. Each of these factors were discussed in a detailed review of the literature. The model of research used in the study was the attitudinal survey with the means of a questionnaire. The patients rank-ordered the relative importance of the various treatment experiences offered by Phoenix House. The primary research data was obtained by means of Yalom's (1985) therapeutic statement questionnaire. well validated in terms of reliability and validity. The statements have previously been used in a forced Q-sort method. In this study it was decided to leave it open as more factors may be rated as therapeutic than those achieved in a Q-sort. Time and expediency were also factors taken into account in using the questionnaire rating in an unforced manner. Open ended questions were used to obtain descriptive data regarding the helpfulness of group psychotherapy and their perceptions of concurrent therapy. A nonprobability sampling procedure was used. The present study addressed the following questions: 1. How do inpatients dependent upon substances perceive. in relation to other treatment methods, their group psychotherapy experiences? 2. Which aspects of the inpatient group psychotherapy experiences. as reflected in the therapeutic factors. seemto be perceived as most and least useful to people dependent upon substances? 3. How do the inpatients perceive their concurrent individual and group psychotherapy? 4. Do high and low valuers of inpatient group psychotherapy value different therapeutic factors?

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.Ed. (Multiculturalism and Education) / It appears that much research has been done in the past on parent education, but with the emphasis on the white community. As a result of the present movement in the RSA towards multicultural education, the need for parent education in all population and ethnic groups has been increased. This area of study has been grossly neglected up to now. Due to the problematic nature of the above-mentioned situation, this study is aimed at compiling guidelines for an education program for parents of behaviorally disturbed children in the multicultural school. An investigation into the characteristics of the behaviorally disturbed child was attempted by means of a study of literature. Existing parent education programs were also studied and evaluated. Insights derived from this study were then adapted to create a set of general and a set of specific guidelines for and education program for parents of behaviorally disturbed children in the multicultural school.

M.A. (Social Sciences) / Presently a fine balance between South Africa's politics and the industrial situation exists. The South African political focus was aimed at fulfilling the clamouring of America and Europe, and not tailored for the South Africa situation that asks for reciprocity. This immediate way of handling the South Africa political field, has resulted in the industry being at the receiving end of the country's political controversies. What we find in the industry is a total distortion of white male managers occupying 88.2% of all the middle and senior positions, whilst 75% of the South African population consist out of blacks. A very poor representation of African managers is thus visible in the industry that asks for change, reformation and renewal. These changes that are required, will have to take place within a limited accelerated time span, which might be revolutionary rather than evolutionary. Limited research has been done on coping during stressful situations (Feldman & Brett, 1983; Latack, 1986; Burke & Belcourt, 1974; Newton & Keenan, 1985 and Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). The research that had been implemented was taxonomic (Burke & Belcourt in Newton & Keenan, 1985:108). This scientific research is about the stress management and coping skills of Afrocentric and Eurocentric middle managers. These managers are employed by Eskom which implies a working milieu that has been exposed to reorganisation, structural changes and rationalisation. An important component of .this research, is that the Eurocentric middle managers are being compared with the Afrocentric middle managers regarding their work and life circumstances and coping skills one or two months before South Africa's very first democratic election that took place on the 27th April 1994. It was important to assess the climate within Eskom as an organisation regarding the white versus the black managers just before a third world democratisation.

M.Cur. (Psychiatric Nursing) / The objectives of this study were to describe group nursing therapy as a resource utilized by the psychiatric nurse as a way of facilitating the adolescent's mobilization of resources to cope with the violence in their everyday life and to describe guidelines for group nursing therapy to facilitate the promotion, maintenance and restoration of these adolescent's mental health. The situation of violence makes the adolescent susceptible to mental health problems. The adolescent perceive various degrees of violence in their homes, the community and at school. A combination of these violence related situations predisposes the adolescents to developing unhealthy ways of coping with the effects of violence. The number of adolescents referred to psychiatric community services has increased at an alarming rate. The main reasons for their referral was their poor scholastic performance; they were generally labelled as "a lost generation" and also as being mentally ill. The research was based on Nursing for the Whole Person Theory and the functional approach to nursing research was assumed. This implies that the goal of the research was aimed at improving the quality of patient care. The research design was descriptive and qualitative in nature, which was also contextual. The descriptive single case study method was utilized. Reliability was ensured by using as many steps as possible to operationalize the case study - and the research was conducted as if someone were always looking over the researcher's shoulder. Validity control measures were applied to counteract criticism by ensuring that a sufficient operational set of measures was developed and objective judgements were used to collect data by way of coding transcribed audiotaped material from all the sessions of the group nursing therapy...

M.Cur. / The entire country is currently in a process of reconstruction that inevitably lead to reconstruction within the health care system. The ANC (African National Congress) formulated a National Health Plan based on primary health care that is a practical expression of providing an effective and equitable health care to all inhabitants of the country. Recognising the need for transformation, a process was initiated by the African National Congress (ANC) to develop an overall National Health Plan based on the Primary Health Care approach (ANC, 1994: 7) . In the light of these present needs, the vision is to develop a strategy to empower our professional nurses that can effectively implement primary health care whilst operating within the limitations of the existing resources (Human Resource Committee for Health, 1994:5). The context of the study is applicable to the Northern Region of the North West Province. There are various courses available to empower professional nurses to primary health care, but for the purpose of the study is the Diploma Course in Clinical Nursing Science, Health Assessment, Treatment and Care described