The motivation for the study had its origin in the fact that sexual abuse in South Africa seems to be a formidable problem which has a detrimental effect on the adolescent’s development and functioning. Social workers have to deal with sexual abuse often and do not always have the necessary programmes and skills acquired to follow through therapeutic intervention with these victims. Therefore this study focused on the development, implementation and evaluation of a narrative social work intervention programme where sand play techniques were integrated in the narrative process. The research problem formulated was that many adolescents suffer from the effects of sexual abuse and therefore the aim of the study was to develop and evaluate a narrative social work intervention programme for adolescent survivors of sexual abuse. The study served to broaden the body of social work knowledge by means of meaningful quantitative and qualitative enquiry. Quantitative data were obtained through the use of questionnaires and qualitative data through the use of combined sand play and narratives as approaches. Four (4) participants were included in a series of 10–15 sand play sessions. Only the data of one (1) participant was used for data–analysis. Two (2) sessions were used for general assessment and building of therapeutic relationship and an additional session was used for an interview with the parent(s). The researcher undertook mixed method research where the quantitative and qualitative approaches were combined into the research methodology of the single study. Intervention research was used as basic methodology. Purposive sampling was used in the selection of the research subject for this study. Collected data was analyzed according to Tesch’s approach to qualitative data analysis (Creswell, 1994). The researcher applied the developed social work intervention programme with four (4) adolescent participants who had allegedly been sexually abused. The sand play sessions were audio recorded and evaluated by means of data analysis. The findings of this study emphasized the psycho–social impact of sexual abuse on survivors of sexual abuse. This thesis reflects the contribution and impact that the social work intervention programme had on the adolescent survivor of sexual abuse. This programme was found to be a valuable tool that can be used in intervention with adolescents and could add to the knowledge of social workers and other professionals working with the survivors of sexual abuse. The research can be recognized as a positive demonstration of the value of a narrative social work intervention programme. Recommendations regarding future implementation of the narrative social intervention programme have been made. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Social Work))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

The motivation for the study had its origin in the fact that sexual abuse in South Africa seems to be a formidable problem which has a detrimental effect on the adolescent’s development and functioning. Social workers have to deal with sexual abuse often and do not always have the necessary programmes and skills acquired to follow through therapeutic intervention with these victims. Therefore this study focused on the development, implementation and evaluation of a narrative social work intervention programme where sand play techniques were integrated in the narrative process. The research problem formulated was that many adolescents suffer from the effects of sexual abuse and therefore the aim of the study was to develop and evaluate a narrative social work intervention programme for adolescent survivors of sexual abuse. The study served to broaden the body of social work knowledge by means of meaningful quantitative and qualitative enquiry. Quantitative data were obtained through the use of questionnaires and qualitative data through the use of combined sand play and narratives as approaches. Four (4) participants were included in a series of 10–15 sand play sessions. Only the data of one (1) participant was used for data–analysis. Two (2) sessions were used for general assessment and building of therapeutic relationship and an additional session was used for an interview with the parent(s). The researcher undertook mixed method research where the quantitative and qualitative approaches were combined into the research methodology of the single study. Intervention research was used as basic methodology. Purposive sampling was used in the selection of the research subject for this study. Collected data was analyzed according to Tesch’s approach to qualitative data analysis (Creswell, 1994). The researcher applied the developed social work intervention programme with four (4) adolescent participants who had allegedly been sexually abused. The sand play sessions were audio recorded and evaluated by means of data analysis. The findings of this study emphasized the psycho–social impact of sexual abuse on survivors of sexual abuse. This thesis reflects the contribution and impact that the social work intervention programme had on the adolescent survivor of sexual abuse. This programme was found to be a valuable tool that can be used in intervention with adolescents and could add to the knowledge of social workers and other professionals working with the survivors of sexual abuse. The research can be recognized as a positive demonstration of the value of a narrative social work intervention programme. Recommendations regarding future implementation of the narrative social intervention programme have been made. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Social Work))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Sexual abuse of children and adolescents has reached pandemic proportions in Namibia. It is widely recognised that this traumagenic experience could have a profound and long-lasting effect on survivors. Nevertheless, few survivors in Namibia access therapy; often because of non-disclosure or non-reporting, being socioeconomically disadvantaged and the overburdened public sector therapists. This study set out to explore how adolescent survivors use the Nine Figure Picture Story (9FPS) embedded within the context of Gestalt Healing tasks. A variety of play therapy experiments was used to raise the clients’ awareness and to evoke their therapy stories (as these relate to Gestalt therapy) and their trauma stories (by means of the 9FPS). The researcher-therapist hoped that the study would enhance the understanding of the meaning-making of sexually abused adolescent clients, and in doing so, contribute to therapeutic practice in Namibia and elsewhere. Research which aims to uncover personal meaning-making and hear the voice of the participants already suggests that the qualitative paradigm would be apposite. An exploratory case study was conducted in Namibia between August 2010 and November 2010. Two adolescent survivors of sexual abuse who met the eligibility criteria were drawn from the population by means of nonprobability sampling. The sample was heterogeneous: one participant was a survivor of chronic intrafamilial rape; the other of a single incident, extrafamilial child sexual abuse (CSA). The data corpus included six and ten recorded therapeutic sessions with the two clients respectively; transcribed intake and termination semi-structured interviews with the parents; the researcher’s process and observation notes; and the clients’ objets d'art and Therapy diaries. To capture the tapestry of CSA accurately and holistically, the stories of the two participants were first analysed individually and thereafter synthesised into a theoretical comparative analysis. Trustworthiness was enhanced by means of investigator, theory, data and methodological triangulation. A number of safety, beneficence and non-maleficence measures contributed to the ethicality of this sensitive research. The research uncovered that, despite their differences, the two participants presented with posttraumatic signs and patterns often reported in the literature. Most insightful was how the survivors disavowed the CSA to become “not me” (Joyce & Sills, 2006: 92). As it relates to neurobiological hypotheses, it was revealed that the tactile and visuospatial Gestalt play therapy, specifically the 9FPS, seemed to access and address the fragmented, non-sequenced and non-verbal trauma memory. It was found that the 9FPSs gave the unfinished business from the past a miniaturised dimension in the present and that the “differentiated unity” (Reynolds, 2005: 162) enhanced its assimilation into the self. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012

Sexual abuse of children and adolescents has reached pandemic proportions in Namibia. It is widely recognised that this traumagenic experience could have a profound and long-lasting effect on survivors. Nevertheless, few survivors in Namibia access therapy; often because of non-disclosure or non-reporting, being socioeconomically disadvantaged and the overburdened public sector therapists. This study set out to explore how adolescent survivors use the Nine Figure Picture Story (9FPS) embedded within the context of Gestalt Healing tasks. A variety of play therapy experiments was used to raise the clients’ awareness and to evoke their therapy stories (as these relate to Gestalt therapy) and their trauma stories (by means of the 9FPS). The researcher-therapist hoped that the study would enhance the understanding of the meaning-making of sexually abused adolescent clients, and in doing so, contribute to therapeutic practice in Namibia and elsewhere. Research which aims to uncover personal meaning-making and hear the voice of the participants already suggests that the qualitative paradigm would be apposite. An exploratory case study was conducted in Namibia between August 2010 and November 2010. Two adolescent survivors of sexual abuse who met the eligibility criteria were drawn from the population by means of nonprobability sampling. The sample was heterogeneous: one participant was a survivor of chronic intrafamilial rape; the other of a single incident, extrafamilial child sexual abuse (CSA). The data corpus included six and ten recorded therapeutic sessions with the two clients respectively; transcribed intake and termination semi-structured interviews with the parents; the researcher’s process and observation notes; and the clients’ objets d'art and Therapy diaries. To capture the tapestry of CSA accurately and holistically, the stories of the two participants were first analysed individually and thereafter synthesised into a theoretical comparative analysis. Trustworthiness was enhanced by means of investigator, theory, data and methodological triangulation. A number of safety, beneficence and non-maleficence measures contributed to the ethicality of this sensitive research. The research uncovered that, despite their differences, the two participants presented with posttraumatic signs and patterns often reported in the literature. Most insightful was how the survivors disavowed the CSA to become “not me” (Joyce & Sills, 2006: 92). As it relates to neurobiological hypotheses, it was revealed that the tactile and visuospatial Gestalt play therapy, specifically the 9FPS, seemed to access and address the fragmented, non-sequenced and non-verbal trauma memory. It was found that the 9FPSs gave the unfinished business from the past a miniaturised dimension in the present and that the “differentiated unity” (Reynolds, 2005: 162) enhanced its assimilation into the self. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012

The aim of this study was to explore and describe the use of music therapy during intervention with primary school girls who have been sexually abused. An empirical study of limited extent was undertaken, which was qualitative in nature and conducted from the interpretivist paradigm. In depth case study was used as research design, whilst educational psychological assessments, intervention and re-assessments, observation, interviews, analysis of documentation, field notes and a reflective diary were employed as data gathering methods. Two primary school girls in a place of safety were selected as participants in the study. Despite the fact that these girls had to cope with the trauma of sexual abuse, they had to deal with emotions and behaviour closely related to such trauma, including depression, aggression, fear, hate, inappropriate interpersonal relationships, sleeping disorders, low self-concept and behavioural difficulties. The findings of the empirical study are supported by literature, namely that music therapy can provide a safe setting to children for revealing their emotions, fears and needs related to trauma, such as sexual abuse. Music therapy had a positive effect on both cases, who illustrated positive change during the process of intervention and were able to replace negative experiences with positive emotions. Further findings of this nature include an improvement of both girls’ ability to express themselves on an emotional level, self-confidence, assertiveness, self-concepts, social skills and interpersonal relationships, as well as a decline in negative behavioural patterns and symptoms. Subsequently, both girls could perform on a higher level on all various domains of functioning. / Dissertation (MEd (Educational Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted