Existing literature on resilience portrays middle-born children as vulnerable. Middle-born children have to face many risks, such as a tendency towards delinquent behaviour, having poor relations with family members, being low achievers and harbouring negative feelings. Many children who face risk and who consequently are in danger of maladaptive outcomes manage to bounce back from these risks. Such children are called resilient. Research suggests that resilience among children is a common phenomenon, but no literature exists that focuses specifically on resilience among middle-born children. Because of personal experience, I as the researcher believe middle-born children can display resilience in the face of their particular risks. The purpose of this study therefore was to explore, by means of a literature study and empirical research, what the antecedents of resilience among middle-born children might be. This was done by using a concurrent triangulated mixed method design: Six resilient middle-born children completed a self-report questionnaire (RSCA) and participated in semi-structured interviews. The findings were mixed and allowed understanding of what encourages resilience in middle-born children. This study contributes to theory by identifying the resilience-promoting processes (both intra- and interpersonal) which contribute to resilience among middle-born children. This study's findings also transform the stereotypical view of middle-born children as vulnerable only. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2011

Existing literature on resilience portrays middle-born children as vulnerable. Middle-born children have to face many risks, such as a tendency towards delinquent behaviour, having poor relations with family members, being low achievers and harbouring negative feelings. Many children who face risk and who consequently are in danger of maladaptive outcomes manage to bounce back from these risks. Such children are called resilient. Research suggests that resilience among children is a common phenomenon, but no literature exists that focuses specifically on resilience among middle-born children. Because of personal experience, I as the researcher believe middle-born children can display resilience in the face of their particular risks. The purpose of this study therefore was to explore, by means of a literature study and empirical research, what the antecedents of resilience among middle-born children might be. This was done by using a concurrent triangulated mixed method design: Six resilient middle-born children completed a self-report questionnaire (RSCA) and participated in semi-structured interviews. The findings were mixed and allowed understanding of what encourages resilience in middle-born children. This study contributes to theory by identifying the resilience-promoting processes (both intra- and interpersonal) which contribute to resilience among middle-born children. This study's findings also transform the stereotypical view of middle-born children as vulnerable only. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2011

The present study is designed to address the problem of risk behaviors among adolescents, in an effort to promote positive developmental trajectories. Previous studies have resulted in divergent findings pertaining to the predictors of adolescent engagement in risk behaviors. In addition to considering this divergence, the focus of the study is the nature of bidirectional individual ó contextual relationships and their influence on adolescent engagement in risk behaviors. The study tested two models that considered whether parent-adolescent relationship or peer relationship mediated the relation between theory and research-based predictors and the endogenous variable, co-occurring substance use and sexual activity. Participants were 396 demographically diverse multi-problem adolescents from an archived dataset derived from an HIV risk reduction outpatient treatment program for alcohol and other drug use. Participants responded to questions that measured family structure, parent-adolescent relationship quality and communication, religiosity, school connectedness, peer relationship, and engagement in substance use and sexual activity. The study found that the model with peer relationship as the mediator fit the data better than the model with the parent-adolescent relationship mediator, and that the mediated model provided a better fit to the data than direct relations between the exogenous and endogenous variables. The results suggested also that primary caregiver was not a significant predictor of adolescent participation in co-occurring substance use and sexual activity. The present study provides a holistic theoretical and conceptual framework that highlights a constellation of factors determined to contribute significantly to co-occurring substance use and sexual activity, and thereby reshape existing models of risk behavior among adolescents.