The Baviaanskloof catchment is a semi-arid catchment located in the Cape Fold Mountains of South Africa. Little is known about the functioning of the complicated Baviaanskloof fluvial system and the role alluvial fans in the fluvial landscape. This thesis will contribute to field of geomorphology and, more specifically, to the field of fan morphometry by producing a standalone fan framework outlining methods to investigate the influence of external and internal control variables on alluvial fans. In this thesis, outcomes of the applied framework and case study are used to develop fan restoration guidelines for the Baviaanskloof Valley. The framework incorporates external and internal fan control variables at a valley-wide and local fan scale. External control variables include accommodation space, base-level change, and drainage basin inputs. Internal control variables include fan style, morphometry and fan channels. In order to apply the framework, fan morphometry data was required. This data was collected by creating a spatial plan of fans and basins in the valley. Outcomes of the applied framework include; an understanding of baselevel change on fans, relationships between fan basin characteristics and the fan surface and insight into fan channel processes. Results of the applied framework are investigated further using bivariate (correlation matrix) and multivariate (principle component analysis and regression analysis) analysis techniques. Significant relationships identified are: drainage basin area versus fan area, fan area and fan slope and drainage basin ruggedness and basin size. The primary outcomes of this thesis include an alluvial fan form-process framework, key considerations to be included in alluvial fan restoration projects and fan restoration guidelines. Contributions of this thesis to broader alluvial fan morphology science includes new insights into general fan literature by compiling a form-process alluvial fan classification framework to identify external and internal fan control variables and identify fan form. Additions have been made to Clarke’s (2010) evolutionary stages to describe stages 4 and 5 of fan evolution that has been adapted to describe fan evolution and differentiate between stages of mature fan evolution. This thesis has also contributed to the study of alluvial fans in South Africa, particularly in the Baviaanskloof Valley. The layout of the procedural guidelines and key considerations for an alluvial fan project provides a guide for rapid fan assessment for maximum cost and time benefits for stakeholders.

M.A. / Szasz (1961), in a book entitled, "The Myth of Mental Illness", argues about the age-old debate, whether the diagnosis of mental illness is culturally related or not. In today's multicultural milieu, clinicians are confronted with this same problem. For the purpose of the present qualitative study, Ancestral Possession (AP) and Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD), will be considered. The initial purpose of the study was to explore the fields of Ancestral Possession (AP) and Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD) amongst black subjects, and to explore how these two phenomena are understood within a cultural context. Due to practical problems encountered in finding a black subject diagnosed as suffering from MPD, the subject focus had to be slightly altered. The aim of the study was changed to investigating MPD, as a Western culture diagnosis, and AP, as an African culture diagnosis, and comparing these two phenomena. The phenomenological approach was used as a theoretical basis for the study. It was assumed that since this study focuses on subjective experiences, the phenomenological approach would be more applicable. Two case studies (MPD and AP) comprise the data of this study. A video tape, consisting of interviews of the two case studies, is part of the data, including a literature study on both phenomena. The data analysis focused on comparing the personal background of the two case studies and the manifestation and treatment of both phenomena within their cultural contexts. The differences and similarities that emerge, are discussed. It was found that there are some similarities and also some differences between the two phenomena. Similarities are found, for instance, in the symptom profile of the two phenomena. The core personality in MPD usually presents with a fragile appearance (physical and psychological) and will report losing time (having time that is unaccounted for, because other personalities had taken over). The same thing happens with isiguli (literally, patient), a person who is being called by the ancestors. She looks sick, she will find herself in places without knowing how she got there. In both phenomena the subjects appear tormented before integration. The two conditions are also alike in terms of their effect on the central personality. The ancestral spirits and the alter personalities seem to play the same role of enabling the core personality to be well-functioning. In terms of the differences found between the two phenomena, ancestral possession is socially approved in the African culture whereas multiple personality disorder is considered an illness from the Western perspective. The role of socio-cultural factors seems to complicate matters. As enculturation continues and white South Africans are becoming traditional healers, it would be interesting to see how many black South Africans will in future, be diagnosed as suffering from MPD as there are very few, if any, at present. In terms of etiological factors, MPD is usually a result of trauma whereas ancestral possession is a religious experience. The results were inconclusive in that some aspects, for instance, physiological manifestation of AP could not be clearly explained. This is due to the fact that there has not been any laboratory research done to examine the chemical and physiological changes of traditional healers when under the influence of ancestral spirits. As opposed to that, MPD subjects have been reported to have alter personalities that would indicate different EEGs and some other physiological differences.

M.A. / Research on Type A behaviour has produced many contradictory results. Some studies, for example, have found that Type A individuals experience less work satisfaction, and others that they experience more work satisfaction. In the light of these contradictions, some researchers are of the opinion that Type A behaviour has to be explored as a multidimensional instead of a global construct. Some components of Type A behaviour have been proved to have healthy consequences, while others have been proved to be "toxic" and therefore have different correlations with personality factors. This study explored the differential relationships of I wo components of Type A behaviour, namely -achievement-striving and impatience-irritability, with academic achievement, self concept and preference Ibr sensation, a Jungian personality factor. Two groups of students, in Accounting and Psychology respectively, served as research subjects. Data for 25 men and 24 women taking Accountancy 1, and 19 men and 68 women taking Psychology 1, was gathered with regard to achievement-striving, impatienceirritability, academic aptitude, scholastic achievement, self-concept and preference for sensation. As predicted, achievement-striving correlated positively with academic achievement for - most groups. Impatience-irritability correlated negatively with academic achievement for some groups. Achievement-striving showed a positive relationship and impatienceirritatability a negative relationship with self-concept, also as predicted. Achievementstriving showed a positive relationship with preference for sensation and impatienceirritability correlated negatively with preference for sensation. No prediction was made with regard to the direction of the relationship for preference for sensation, yet the negative correlation found between preference for sensation and impatience-irritability came as a surprise. Attempts have been made to explain this finding. Subject groups were small and the abovementioned relationships were not statistically significant for all groups

D.Cur. / The goal of this research was to generate and describe a support approach for the advanced practitioner in psychiatric nursing to utilize for the neonatal intensive care nurse, working in a neonatal intensive care unit, in order to promote, to maintain and to restore mental health as integral part of health. Many changes occurred in the health care industry during the twentieth century. In South Africa, health care and social services that have developed, are grossly inefficient and inadequate. The Reconstruction and Development Program (R.D.P.), (1994:42-47), of the government of National Unity, designed therefore a number of programs to restructure the health care services , in order to contribute to the increasing prosperity and quality of life for all South Africans. Free health care has thus to be provided in the public sector for children under six, pregnant and nursing mothers. Free health care makes it more accessible for thousands of people who have avoided seeking help in the past, because of lack of funds. This large influx of patients to health facilities has placed a strain on staff, due to the increased workload. The neonatal intensive care nurses' workload and responsibilities have thus increased.

D.Litt. et Phil. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.A. / Irritable bowel syndrome [IBS] has been described as a chronic relapsing condition, characterised by a change in bowel habit and abdominal pain, that cannot be explained by an organic disease. Some research indicates that IBS may be psychogenic in origin, however, the aetiology of this complex syndrome is still unclear. Some researchers have postulated that IBS is primarily a motility disorder of the gut, while others have indicated that the symptoms of IBS are mediated by the central nervous system. Thus it is not surprising that the care of patients with IBS poses a particular challenge to physicians, especially because of its biologic and symptomatic heterogeneity and, particularly for patients with refractory symptoms, its association with psychological disturbances. The literature study indicates that there that there may be a possible connection between the ingestive disorders, the menstrual cycle fluctuations associated with premenstrual dysphoric disorder and IBS. All three of these disorders also appear to be mediated, to some extent, by the neurotransmitter serotonin. In terms of these suggested correlations one of the aims of this study was to determine whether blood-serotonin levels significantly influence the symptomatology of IBS. Extensive literature exists documenting the potential role that serotonin plays in gastrointestinal functioning. However, none of the existing studies refer specifically to blood-serotonin levels. Thus the present study attempted to address this problem. A second aim of the present study was to determine the possible serotonergic connection in the ingestive disorders and premenstrual dysphoric disorder in women with IBS. All the subjects were required to go for a blood test in order to determine whether their serotonin levels were low, normal, or high. In addition, three self-report questionnaires were used in this investigation. The Irritable Bowel Syndrome Client Questionnaire; The Eating Disorder Inventory -2, of which four subscales out of 11 subscales were included, namely the Drive for Thinness, Bulimia, Body Dissatisfaction and Introceptive Awareness subscales; and the Premenstrual Assessment Form, of which six subscales out of 18 were included, namely Endogenous Depressive Features, Atypical Depressive Features, Signs of water Retention, General Physical Discomfort, Autonomic Physical Changes and Miscellaneous Physical Changes. In order to address the above mentioned aims, research was conducted at the Research and Counselling Centre for Psychogastroenterology at the Rand Afrikaans University. The Research and Counselling Centre for Psychogastroenterology is a facility developed to investigate the psychological constituents of IBS. Researchers at the centre are aiming to explore the multidimensional components of IBS with the purpose of gaining some understanding into the development and maintenance of this syndrome. A variety of topics are being investigated at the Research and Counselling Centre for Psychogastroenterology, including the role that stress, depression and coping styles play in IBS. Initially a sample group of (N = 60) women with IBS were selected for this research from a population of South Africans who were referred from gastroenterologists and general practitioners to the Centre for Gastroenterology at the Rand Afrikaans University. A number of women (N = 40) without IBS, from the north eastern suburbs of Johannesburg, were also asked to participate in this study in order to compile the comparison group.

M.Cur. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.A. (Psychology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

D.Ed. / This inquiry focused on the inclusion of the psycho-biology of learning in teachers activities in school practice. The research question addressed a sample of teachers personal interpretation of the effect of an in-service programme on their practice. The programme consisted of a study of aspects of the biology of learning and how to convert these to instruction. The main claim or thesis of the study was that an inclusive model of education would be incomplete without a psycho-physiological view of learning. After a comprehensive literature review, a field study was launched making use of the following methods: focus group interviews, personal sketches and individual interviews. The data was collated and interpreted per data category and especially as a configuration. Findings from the field study were used to illuminate the thesis or claim that founded the study.

D.Litt. et Phil. / This research focuses on self-concept improvement for adults. A self-image enhancement programme has been developed and its impact tested with regard to shortand medium term developments. Various training approaches have been compared to establish whether massed or spaced sessions training is more effective, and whether individual follow-up after the programme is of advantage. Self-image enhancement is seen as central to a person's functioning and psychological well-being. Self-management and the improvement of the self have taken an important role in today's society where a lot of emphasis is placed on personal achievement and self-actualisation. The background to the research is the question of self-enhancement versus selfconsistency. The self-enhancement thinking promotes the possibility for adult change, while the consistency theories emphasise resistance to change. While an integrated view that places self-image change within the frame of a stable personality becomes necessary, this research aims at establishing the positive changes expected to take place after the self-image enhancement programme. The theories and therapy approaches underlying the design of the self-image enhancement programme include rational-emotive therapy, self-efficacy theory, locus of control theory, and the concept of learned helplessness and learned optimism. The main and subhypotheses were formulated regarding the improvement of the following variables: Total self-concept, physical and personal self, acceptance of others, self-confidence, self-esteem, self-control, nervousness, sociability, formal relations, and self-efficacy. Self-criticism and external locus of control were expected to decrease. The subjects that made up the sample were drawn from companies in Johannesburg and consisted of 133 participants. They were tested before the intervention started, at the end of the course, and again five months later. The self-image enhancement programme was administered to groups of 10 to 12 people. The measurement instruments included the short version of the MMPI, used as the screening device, Vrey's Adolescent Self-Concept Scale, Acceptance of Others Scale, the PHSF Questionnaire, Rotter's Internal-External Locus of Control Scale, and a self efficacy scale. The latter measurement instrument had to be adjusted from another selfefficacy questionnaire and an item analysis was completed. The statistical results show that the self-image enhancement programme is effective in achieving improvement of most of the self-concept variables for all experimental groups taken together. The achieved change was maintained over the medium term except for the self-efficacy and self-control variables. The variables that remained unchanged were acceptance of others, sociability and formal relations, although, based on the literature, an improved self-image is expected to occur with an improved acceptance of others. More research is required regarding interpersonal aspects and self-image enhancement. Regarding the effectiveness of various types of training groups, previous research has not been conclusive. It has also not been established through this study that massed training sessions differ in their effectiveness from spaced sessions, but further research is indicated. The same applies to the role of individual feedback sessions after a training programme. An encouraging finding has been that the self-image enhancement programme is also helping individuals with psychological problems to better their self-image and self- perceptions. This has been shown through the improved results of the MIN PI rejected group and relates to the subhypotheses formulated for this research. This research has confirmed that self-concept improvement during adulthood can be achieved and should in fact be seen as part of ongoing self-development and selfmanagement.