Thesis (D. Min.)--Boston University, 2001. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 127-132).

Self-harm is a behaviour constructed as ostracised and abhorrent in most social discourses. While there is an abundance of available research about self-harm, a distinctive gap in the literature concerns how an individual begins to self-harm. Research has indicated that having a friend or family member who self-harms is the strongest predictor of future self-harm, yet no published studies have sought to explain this in detail. This thesis explored how self-harming participants construct their first self-harming experience – a behaviour which appears prima facie to be outside of socially accepted conventions, and suggests that this behaviour may become normalised through knowing other self-harmers. It was found that both participants had a self-harming friend prior to the onset of their self-harming behaviour, and that both participants confided in someone who subsequently began to self-harm. Participants positioned these two categories of individuals in different ways. Participants relied on a ‘victim’ discourse to establish their self-harm as meaningful in a way which limited any blame or stigma attributable to them, but which subsequently limited their agency in their narratives. The discourse of attention-seeking heavily influenced participants’ narratives, and was acknowledged as the dominant discourse self-harmers must contend with in presenting their behaviour as meaningful and rational. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.

According to the policy on Inclusive Education, teachers are increasingly expected to play a community and pastoral role in order to, in this way, be able to measure up to the needs of learners who are experiencing barriers to learning (such as, for example, self-mutilation). This study was undertaken to determine what knowledge and skills teachers have at their disposal to identify self-mutilators in inclusive classrooms and to provide basic aid to these learners. By means of a literature study, self-mutilation was elucidated, and attention was paid to an explanation of what exactly self-mutilation involved, the forms of self-mutilation, the causes of self-mutilation, self-mutilation and related conditions, and the characteristics of the self-mutilator. Linked to this, the focus was on the extent to which the teacher is capable of identifying self-mutilators in inclusive classrooms and providing basic aid to them. Focus was also placed on the community and pastoral role of the teacher, the teacher’s experience of inclusive education, and the National Strategy with regard to the Screening, Identification, Assessment, and Support of learners who experience barriers to learning. A full description of various therapeutic approaches and aid programmes that can be undertaken with self-mutilators concluded the literature review. This literature review indicated a gap regarding the availability of training programmes for South-African teachers without training or background knowledge of Psychology, to assist them in identifying self-mutilators and providing basic aid to self-mutilators. Quantitative descriptive research was used to gather data from teachers by means of a questionnaire with open and closed items. In this particular study, 319 teachers were purposively and randomly chosen from 16 secondary schools (eight Ex Model C schools and eight Township schools) from Districts D2 and D12 in the Krugersdorp/Roodepoort area of the Gauteng Department of Education. On the one hand, the questionnaire determined teachers‟ knowledge and skills with regard to the nature of, reasons for and characteristics of self-mutilation in inclusive classrooms, and whether they possessed skills to provide basic aid to self-mutilators. On the other hand, it was also determined by means of open questions how the teachers become aware of self-mutilators, the type of training they received to provide basic aid to self-mutilators, what they viewed being the influence of self-mutilation on teaching and learning and on emotional and social development, their views of the pastoral role of the teacher as well as what their attitude/view was with regard to the possible implementation of a training programme to identify self-mutilators in inclusive classrooms and to provide basic aid to them. Furthermore, the open questions explored the availability of support structures to teachers to assist them in identifying self-mutilators and providing basic aid to these learners, as well as the opportunities that teachers create for learners to talk about their problems. Results indicated that the teachers who took part in the study did not have adequate knowledge and skills at their disposal regarding the identification of, and provision of basic aid to self-mutilators. They were however in favour of the implementation of a training programme that would enable them to identify self-mutilators and provide basic aid to them. On the basis of the data obtained through the questionnaire, and in accordance with the literature, a training programme was developed. In the absence of training programmes for the support of teachers in the identification of, and aid to self-mutilators in South African schools, this study makes a distinct contribution. / PhD, Educational Psychology, North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2012

Bakgrund: I takt med att psykisk ohälsa ökar, ökar även antal personer med självskadebeteende. Självskadebeteendet ses som ett negativt fenomen i samhället och därför upplever personer med självskadebeteende att de blir illa behandlade inom vården. Sjukvården upplever patienter med självskadebeteende som den besvärligaste patientgruppen. Sjuksköterskor önskar att föräldrar är delaktiga i barnets vård. Det kan bli en tvist när barnet själv inte vill att föräldrarna är delaktiga, vilket sjuksköterskorna upplever som svårt. Syfte: Syftet var att belysa föräldrars upplevelse att leva med ett barn med självskadandebeteende. Metod: Uppsatsen är en litteraturöversikt som involverar tio vetenskapliga artiklar. Nio kvalitativa och en av kvantitativ studie. Artiklarna är inhämtade från databaserna CINAHL, SOCINDEX och PsycInfo Resultat: Analysen av artiklarna skapade fyra huvudteman och fem underteman; Familjesituation innefattar underrubrikerna En utmaning för familjen, Känslan av utanförskap samt Föräldraskap. Delaktighet innefattar Att bli förd bakom ljuset och Att bli tagen på allvar. Behov av stöd och sedan Kunskap. Föräldrarna upplevde känslor av hjälplöshet, maktlöshet, sorg och frustration över att inte få vara delaktig samt att inte få information för att kunna hantera den svåra situationen. Föräldrarna kände att de inte fick tillräckligt med stöd från vården. Diskussion: Begriplighet innefattar brist på information. Vården måste bli bättre på att ge relevant information till föräldrar som har ett barn med självskadebeteende. Vårdpersonalen har verktyg som kan hjälpa föräldrarna att handskas med situationen. De bör bjuda in föräldrarna och samarbeta för att uppnå välbefinnande hos föräldrarna. Med hjälp av begriplighet och hanterbarhet kan föräldrarna finna hopp i den svåra situationen.

Thesis (M. Div.)--Emmanuel School of Religion, 2005. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 62-68).

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Toronto, 2004. / Adviser: Helen J. Lenskyj.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of North Texas, Dec., 2009. / Title from title page display. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (D. Min.)--Boston University, 2001. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 127-132).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2005. / Advisor: C. Aaron McNeece, Florida State University, College of Social Work. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Jan. 24, 2006). Document formatted into pages; contains viii, 90 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (D. Min.)--Boston University, 2001. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 127-132).