The aim of this study was to explore school learners’ perceptions of the factors that influence methamphetamine use in Manenberg. To meet this aim, three objectives were proposed namely, to explore school learners’ knowledge and understandings of methamphetamine use / to explore school learners’ perceptions of methamphetamine and its uses and / to explore school learners’ perceptions of the factors that influence methamphetamine use. Methamphetamine use amongst adolescents has become an increasing concern internationally and globally, with Cape Town’s level of methamphetamine users being substantially higher compared to other parts of South Africa. The study was thus important as it firstly, permitted the understanding of adolescents’ knowledge of methamphetamine and its uses in a lower socioeconomic status community, secondly, permitted the understanding of adolescents perceptions of the contributing factors of meth use, and thirdly, by knowing and understanding their viewpoints, key focus areas were recommended for intervention and prevention programs in an attempt to decrease the high drug rate in South Africa.

Many South Africans experience the severe impact of the HIVIAIDS pandemic. The AlDS orphan, specifically, has to suffer the adverse effects of this relentless worldwide catastrophe. The HIVIAIDS orphan is not just another orphan, but someone who suffers from exceptional pressures which may lead to depression, hopelessness and psychological trauma later in life (Coombe, 2003) In order to function well in these circumstances, nterventions that target resilient functioning are needed to empower the AlDS orphan. The purpose of this study was to document, by means of a literature review and empirical research, the phenomenon of resilience among AlDS orphans. In order to achieve this goal, it was necessary to elucidate the concepts HIV/AIDS, pandemic, impacts of the pandemic on South Africa and its orphans, resilience and empowerment of orphans. The aim of the empirical research was to investigate the phenomenon of resilience among HIVIAIDS orphans by conducting both survey and phenomenological research and to compare the functioning of resilient and non-resilient orphans. Some of the important findings include: South African AlDS orphans face multiple risk; the participants of this study show remarkable resilience in spite of adversity; and the resilient AlDS orphans in this study alluded to several intrapersonal and interpersonal protective factors which contribute to their resilience. The findings were used to generate guidelines for individuals, families, education and community stakeholders who interact with AlDS orphans and wish to intervene meaningfully in order to empower AlDS orphans towards (continued) resilient functioning. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2007.

Many South Africans experience the severe impact of the HIVIAIDS pandemic. The AlDS orphan, specifically, has to suffer the adverse effects of this relentless worldwide catastrophe. The HIVIAIDS orphan is not just another orphan, but someone who suffers from exceptional pressures which may lead to depression, hopelessness and psychological trauma later in life (Coombe, 2003) In order to function well in these circumstances, nterventions that target resilient functioning are needed to empower the AlDS orphan. The purpose of this study was to document, by means of a literature review and empirical research, the phenomenon of resilience among AlDS orphans. In order to achieve this goal, it was necessary to elucidate the concepts HIV/AIDS, pandemic, impacts of the pandemic on South Africa and its orphans, resilience and empowerment of orphans. The aim of the empirical research was to investigate the phenomenon of resilience among HIVIAIDS orphans by conducting both survey and phenomenological research and to compare the functioning of resilient and non-resilient orphans. Some of the important findings include: South African AlDS orphans face multiple risk; the participants of this study show remarkable resilience in spite of adversity; and the resilient AlDS orphans in this study alluded to several intrapersonal and interpersonal protective factors which contribute to their resilience. The findings were used to generate guidelines for individuals, families, education and community stakeholders who interact with AlDS orphans and wish to intervene meaningfully in order to empower AlDS orphans towards (continued) resilient functioning. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2007.

Andelen ungdomar som inte uppfattar några större risker med cannabisbruk har ökat de senaste åren. Ungdomarnas uppfattning av riskerna med cannabisbruk påverkar huruvida de kommer att välja att avstå från eller bruka drogen. Syftet med denna uppsats har varit att se vilka risk- och skyddsfaktorer som påverkar ungdomars riskperception avseende cannabisbruk. Frågeställningarna har varit hur föräldrarna, skolan och vännerna påverkar riskperceptionen. Uppsatsen utgår från en subjektiv syn på riskperception som innebär att inte en faktor ensamt kan förklara om ungdomarna har en låg eller hög riskperception. För att analysera resultatet i uppsatsen har risk- och skyddsfaktorer, som har setts minska eller öka sannolikheten för ett cannabisbruk, använts. Det material som ligger till grund för uppsatsens undersökning är Centralförbundet för alkohol och narkotikas drogvaneundersökning från år 2010. Resultatet har tagits fram med hjälp av logistiska regressionsanalyser vilka visar hur starkt olika faktorer relateras till en låg riskperception även när hänsyn tas till andra faktorer. Flera faktorer kopplade till vännerna och föräldrarna har i resultatet visat sig ha ett statistiskt samband med ungdomarnas riskperception avseende cannabisbruk. Samtidigt fanns inget samband mellan skolan och riskperceptionen när föräldrarna och vänner togs med i beaktande. / The proportion of young people who do not perceive any major risks with cannabis use has increased in recent years. Adolescents' perception of the risks affects whether they will choose to use cannabis or not. The purpose of this essay has been to analyze risk and protective factors that influence young people's risk perception regarding cannabis use. The main questions have been how parents, school and friends affect risk perception. The essay is based on a subjective view of risk perception, which means that not a single factor alone can explain why the adolescent has a low or high risk perception. Risk and protective factors that have been observed to decrease or increase the likelihood of cannabis use have been used to analyze the result. The material that has been used in this essay is a survey conducted by the Centralförbundet för alkohol och narkotika year 2010 among Swedish teenagers. The result has been established by using logistic regression analyzes which shows how strongly different factors are related to a low risk perception even when other factors are taken into account. Several factors linked to friends and parents have proved to have a statistically association with adolescents risk perception regarding cannabis use, this while the school doesn’t.

Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents, with ten to fifteen percent of young children experiencing internalising problems (Briggs-Gowan, Carter, Irwin, Wachtel, & Cicchetti, 2004; Egger & Angold, 2006). Researchers have indicated that clinically significant anxiety can exist in preschool aged children and can be sub-typed into patterns similar to that of older children. This early identification of anxiety has lead researchers to recommend that prevention efforts occur early in the life course (Beinvenu & Ginsburg, 2007), before the onset of disorder(s). Research remains scarce as to when the ultimate time to intervene would be, as anxiety research with young children is minimal. The studies presented in this thesis attempt to expand the current literature within in the area of early childhood anxiety. The first objective of this thesis was to extend the literature in the field of early childhood anxiety by examining the aetiology of anxiety and behavioural inhibition (BI) through the investigation of potential risk factors. This study (Study One) represents one of the first investigations within the research to examine risk factors for early childhood anxiety. Two hundred and thirty-six children aged four to six years participated in this study. Parents of the children completed self-report questionnaires at one time point. Results revealed that BI did not significantly predict anxiety, nor did any of the risk factors significantly predict BI. Significant predictors of anxiety included mother’s negative affect and mother’s parenting stress. Father’s parenting stress was found to play a mediating role between mother’s parenting stress and child anxiety. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of both parents (directly or through mediation) in the aetiology of early childhood anxiety. The findings of Study One provide important information regarding the aetiology of early childhood anxiety and provide important implications for the development of preventative intervention programs. Study Two sought to examine the efficacy of a preventative intervention program (Fun FRIENDS; Barrett, 2007a) for preschool aged children, delivered as a school- based, universal intervention. This was the first study conducted evaluating the Fun FRIENDS program and was one of only a few prevention trials cited within the literature examining early childhood anxiety. The study involved a cohort of 263 children enrolled in one of 16 preschool classes. Children were aged between four and six years. Schools were randomly allocated to either an intervention group (IG) or a waitlist control group (WLG). Parents of the children and teachers completed self-report questionnaires at preintervention, postintervention, and at 12-month follow-up (parents in the IG only). Parent report data revealed no significant differences between intervention conditions on anxiety at postintervention, although participants in the IG experienced larger reductions in anxiety than participants in the WLG. Children in both conditions decreased in BI symptoms at postintervention, except for boys in the IG. Significant increases in social-emotional strength were found for girls in both conditions, but not for boys. When examining the IG only over the long-term (pre, post, 12 month follow-up), nearly significant decreases in anxiety were found at postintervention and significant decreases were found again at 12-month follow-up. Improvements in BI were found at all time points for girls but not for boys and improvements on social-emotional strength were found from preintervention to 12-month follow-up, with girls scoring significantly higher than boys. For teacher report, children in the IG improved significantly more on BI compared to the WLG at postintervention indicating that the intervention program may have had a positive impact on these children in learning strategies to manage BI symptoms. However, at pr-intervention, scores on BI were significantly different between the IG and the WLG. Similar to parent report, girls in the IG experienced the largest decrease in BI symptoms at postintervention. On social-emotional strength, children in the IG improved significantly more than children in the WLG at postintervention with girls in the IG experiencing the largest improvement from pre to postintervention. Overall, these findings suggest that the intervention program had a positive impact on some children as evidenced by improvements in anxiety, BI, and social-emotional strength at postintervention and at 12-month follow-up. Parent report indicated that children in the WLG also improved on these measures, making it difficult to contribute positive changes solely to the program. However, teacher report did indicate that children in the IG improved significantly more than children in the WLG. The improvements gained at 12-month follow-up highlight the potential long-term impact of the program although, without a comparison group, it is unknown whether significant differences would exist between both conditions. Implications of these results are discussed along with limitations and directions for future research.

Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents, with ten to fifteen percent of young children experiencing internalising problems (Briggs-Gowan, Carter, Irwin, Wachtel, & Cicchetti, 2004; Egger & Angold, 2006). Researchers have indicated that clinically significant anxiety can exist in preschool aged children and can be sub-typed into patterns similar to that of older children. This early identification of anxiety has lead researchers to recommend that prevention efforts occur early in the life course (Beinvenu & Ginsburg, 2007), before the onset of disorder(s). Research remains scarce as to when the ultimate time to intervene would be, as anxiety research with young children is minimal. The studies presented in this thesis attempt to expand the current literature within in the area of early childhood anxiety. The first objective of this thesis was to extend the literature in the field of early childhood anxiety by examining the aetiology of anxiety and behavioural inhibition (BI) through the investigation of potential risk factors. This study (Study One) represents one of the first investigations within the research to examine risk factors for early childhood anxiety. Two hundred and thirty-six children aged four to six years participated in this study. Parents of the children completed self-report questionnaires at one time point. Results revealed that BI did not significantly predict anxiety, nor did any of the risk factors significantly predict BI. Significant predictors of anxiety included mother’s negative affect and mother’s parenting stress. Father’s parenting stress was found to play a mediating role between mother’s parenting stress and child anxiety. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of both parents (directly or through mediation) in the aetiology of early childhood anxiety. The findings of Study One provide important information regarding the aetiology of early childhood anxiety and provide important implications for the development of preventative intervention programs. Study Two sought to examine the efficacy of a preventative intervention program (Fun FRIENDS; Barrett, 2007a) for preschool aged children, delivered as a school- based, universal intervention. This was the first study conducted evaluating the Fun FRIENDS program and was one of only a few prevention trials cited within the literature examining early childhood anxiety. The study involved a cohort of 263 children enrolled in one of 16 preschool classes. Children were aged between four and six years. Schools were randomly allocated to either an intervention group (IG) or a waitlist control group (WLG). Parents of the children and teachers completed self-report questionnaires at preintervention, postintervention, and at 12-month follow-up (parents in the IG only). Parent report data revealed no significant differences between intervention conditions on anxiety at postintervention, although participants in the IG experienced larger reductions in anxiety than participants in the WLG. Children in both conditions decreased in BI symptoms at postintervention, except for boys in the IG. Significant increases in social-emotional strength were found for girls in both conditions, but not for boys. When examining the IG only over the long-term (pre, post, 12 month follow-up), nearly significant decreases in anxiety were found at postintervention and significant decreases were found again at 12-month follow-up. Improvements in BI were found at all time points for girls but not for boys and improvements on social-emotional strength were found from preintervention to 12-month follow-up, with girls scoring significantly higher than boys. For teacher report, children in the IG improved significantly more on BI compared to the WLG at postintervention indicating that the intervention program may have had a positive impact on these children in learning strategies to manage BI symptoms. However, at pr-intervention, scores on BI were significantly different between the IG and the WLG. Similar to parent report, girls in the IG experienced the largest decrease in BI symptoms at postintervention. On social-emotional strength, children in the IG improved significantly more than children in the WLG at postintervention with girls in the IG experiencing the largest improvement from pre to postintervention. Overall, these findings suggest that the intervention program had a positive impact on some children as evidenced by improvements in anxiety, BI, and social-emotional strength at postintervention and at 12-month follow-up. Parent report indicated that children in the WLG also improved on these measures, making it difficult to contribute positive changes solely to the program. However, teacher report did indicate that children in the IG improved significantly more than children in the WLG. The improvements gained at 12-month follow-up highlight the potential long-term impact of the program although, without a comparison group, it is unknown whether significant differences would exist between both conditions. Implications of these results are discussed along with limitations and directions for future research.

This thesis uses a combination of cognitive-neurophysiological and genetically-sensitive longitudinal designs to study the associations of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with bipolar disorder (BD) and preterm birth, as well as with the risk or protective factors IQ and physical activity. Previous research on preterm-born individuals and individuals with BD suggests ADHD-like symptoms and cognitive impairments, but direct comparisons are limited. Here, we first examine how cortical activity patterns differ between women with adult ADHD and women with BD during rest and task conditions to identify impairments that are specific to or shared between the disorders. The findings provide evidence for commonalities in brain dysfunction between ADHD and BD: frontal theta power may play a role as a marker of neurobiological processes in both disorders. Second, we investigate whether the ADHD-like symptoms and cognitive-neurophysiological impairments seen in preterm-born adolescents are identical to those in ADHD by directly comparing ADHD symptom scores and performance on a cognitive-neurophysiological test battery sensitive to impairments in ADHD across preterm-born adolescents, term-born adolescents with ADHD and term-born controls. We find that ADHD symptoms are increased in the preterm group compared to controls. The analyses further indicate similarities in brain function between ADHD and preterm birth, as well as unique impairments in the preterm group. Taken together, these results suggest that preterm birth may present a risk factor for both ADHD and additional impairments. Third, using twin data we carry out a developmental-genetic analysis of the association between ADHD and IQ, showing that ADHD symptoms and IQ scores significantly predict each other over time. Finally, we explore a putative protective factor for ADHD by investigating the effect of physical activity on ADHD symptoms. Using a population-based sample of twins, we show that physical activity is inversely associated with ADHD symptoms, even after adjusting for unmeasured confounding. Overall, we demonstrate certain commonalities in brain dysfunction between ADHD and BD. Whereas preterm birth and lower IQ present risk factors for ADHD, physical activity emerges as a potential protective factor.

Magister Artium (Psychology) - MA(Psych) / The aim of this study was to explore school learners' perceptions of the factors that influence methamphetamine use in Manenberg. To meet this aim, three objectives were proposed namely, to explore school learners' knowledge and understandings of methamphetamine use; to explore school learners' perceptions of methamphetamine and its uses and; to explore school learners' perceptions of the factors that influence methamphetamine use. Methamphetamine use amongst adolescents has become an increasing concern internationally and globally, with Cape Town's level of methamphetamine users being substantially higher compared to other parts of South Africa. The study was thus important as it firstly, permitted the understanding of adolescents knowledge of methamphetamine and its uses in a lower socioeconomic status community, secondly, permitted the understanding of adolescents perceptions of the contributing factors of meth use, and thirdly, by knowing and understanding their viewpoints, key focus areas were recommended for intervention and prevention programs in an attempt to decrease the high drug rate in South Africa. / South Africa

The first of January 2018 an amendment of the Socialtjänstlag accrued stating that municipalities now have to provide care and treatment for individuals with a pathological gambling disorder. However in the spring of 2017 only 17 percent of the municipalities offered a specific treatment for gambling disorder. An assumed aftermath of the amendment is an increase of the workload for current gambling therapists and furthermore a rise in educating new additional gambling therapists. The aim of this study is to analyze what knowledge and which models of operation are fundamental factors that are required in managing a gambling treatment. The studies selection consisted of a total of five currently active gambling therapists employed in Region Skåne and Malmö Stad. The empirical material has been collected through thematic semi-structured interviews that took about 60 minutes each. Then a thematic analysis of the transcribed interviews was performed. The result in this study showed that a gambling therapist should have knowledge concerning risk- and protective factors in relation to the gambling disorder, this to prevent the client from a possible relapse and to make the client aware about the risk factors directly connected to the gambling game-layout. Furthermore the results showed that one of the fundamental models of operation is to normalize the addiction to the client and raise the clients awareness of the patterns of behavior and consequences regarding the gambling. One model of operation that is also found to be fundamental is for the gambling therapist to have a pedagogical approach towards the client. Thus for the results of this study and former research have shown that people with a gambling disorder have an impaired metacognitive capability regarding their decisions.

The purpose of this field study is; through caregivers' description of their community, to gaina greater understanding of caregivers' experiences of raising children in areas with high gang crime in the Cape Flats, South Africa. This is achieved through ethnography and qualitative interviews with six caregivers. By analytically reviewing empirical data using theories of social constructionism and liberating pedagogy this study wants to emphasise caregivers' experiences as a source of knowledge on how to prevent children from gang involvement and how to support caregivers in areas with high gang crime. The main findings of the study indicate that the family is one of the most significant risk and protective factors. Caregivers affected by poverty, substance abuse and crime were identified as major risk factors for children's gang involvement. While education, faith and support of caregivers, and other caring adults were found to be the major protective factors.Social interventions need to be increased, focusing on caregivers and their shared environment.By supporting and empowering caregivers, children have a greater chance of resisting gang involvement. This can be achieved through parenting programs and support groups for at-risk caregivers.