Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.

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

This study centered on adolescent self-mutilation as well as possible forms of support and prevention. The information was gathered by assessing the needs of the adolescent girls who self-mutilate by means of semi-structured interviews. In these interviews the adolescent girls expressed their experiences of self-mutilation and their emotional needs. The aim of the study was to explore and describe the needs of adolescent girls who self-mutilate in order to develop guidelines of support so that parents may feel less helpless and overwhelmed. The findings of the study indicated that there are various reasons why an adolescent would engage in selfmutilation, that it serves a function in the adolescents’ lives and surfaces at times of emotional crisis. This study found further that a lack of problem-solving skills, coping abilities and social skills could play a role in whether an adolescent chooses to self-mutilate. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play therapy)

No description available.

This study is an exploration of the ways that female self-mutilation has been medicalized in Western society and the consequences of this medicalization. The goal of this study is to provide an alternative approach to the way female self-mutilation is understood—one that views self-mutilation not as a symptom of individual psychopathology, but as an extreme response to a set of deeply embedded social expectations. Using the feminist constructionist model, semi-structured interviews were conducted with five women who have participated in various forms of self-injurious behavior. Findings indicate that this behavior does indeed occur within a social context—one rooted in patriarchal ideologies. These ideologies also seemed to influence whether the women in this study, who had been medically treated for this behavior, perceived this form of intervention as a positive or negative experience. / Master of Science

Repetitive self-mutilation (RSM) has become increasingly prevalent among adolescents. Empirical research has pinpointed several correlates of this behavior, but the initiation and maintenance of RSM among adolescents are not well understood. The experiential avoidance model (EAM) proposes that self-mutilation is a behavior that allows for the avoidance or alteration of unwanted internal experiences, and that it is negatively reinforced with repetition. The current study explored the usefulness of the EAM as an explanatory theory for adolescent RSM, with the additional incorporation of issues of social context. Adolescents (N = 211) from three school-based samples completed self-report questionnaires. One-third of students reported at least one incident of purposeful, non-suicidal self-mutilation and 16% had engaged in self-mutilation repeatedly within the past 6 months. Both regression and group analyses indicated that adolescents who engage in RSM report greater psychological distress, a greater incidence of functionally equivalent behaviors, and greater exposure to self-mutilation among peers and/or in the media, when compared to their counterparts who have not engaged in RSM. Suicidal ideation/behaviors were consistently the strongest predictors of current self-mutilation behaviors. Clinical implications, limitations, and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Afrikaans text / The purpose of the research was to investigate the experiences of adolescents who identify with the Emo subculture in a specific high school in the northern suburbs of Cape Town. Qualitative, applied research of an exploring and descriptive nature was conducted. The literature study focused on human development, the concepts contra-culture and subculture, Gestalt development, Gestalt therapy theories and the ecological theory. This served as a framework for the findings, which was based on unstructured interviews with persons who identified with the Emo subculture. Data triangulation was of special interest in this study to ensure reliability and validity, especially in the light of the fact that limited specialised literature is available on the Emo subculture. Various findings are described and recommendations are made for further research. / Die doel van die navorsing was om die belewenisse van adolessente wat met die Emo-subkultuur identifiseer, in ’n spesifieke hoërskool in die noordelike voorstede van Kaapstad te ondersoek. Kwalitatiewe, toegepaste navorsing van verkennende en beskrywende aard is gedoen. Die literatuurstudie het gefokus op menslike ontwikkeling, die konsepte kontrakultuur en subkultuur, Gestalt-ontwikkeling, Gestaltterapie-teorieë en die ekologiese teorie. Dit het as raamwerk vir die bevindinge gedien, wat gegrond is op ongestruktureerde onderhoude met persone wat met die Emo-subkultuur identifiseer. Data-triangulering was van besondere belang in hierdie ondersoek om vertrouenswaardigheid en geldigheid te verseker, veral in die lig daarvan dat daar min vakkundige literatuur oor die Emo-subkultuur beskikbaar is. Verskeie bevindinge word beskryf en aanbevelings word gemaak vir verdere navorsing. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Spelterapie)

Afrikaans text / The purpose of the research was to investigate the experiences of adolescents who identify with the Emo subculture in a specific high school in the northern suburbs of Cape Town. Qualitative, applied research of an exploring and descriptive nature was conducted. The literature study focused on human development, the concepts contra-culture and subculture, Gestalt development, Gestalt therapy theories and the ecological theory. This served as a framework for the findings, which was based on unstructured interviews with persons who identified with the Emo subculture. Data triangulation was of special interest in this study to ensure reliability and validity, especially in the light of the fact that limited specialised literature is available on the Emo subculture. Various findings are described and recommendations are made for further research. / Die doel van die navorsing was om die belewenisse van adolessente wat met die Emo-subkultuur identifiseer, in ’n spesifieke hoërskool in die noordelike voorstede van Kaapstad te ondersoek. Kwalitatiewe, toegepaste navorsing van verkennende en beskrywende aard is gedoen. Die literatuurstudie het gefokus op menslike ontwikkeling, die konsepte kontrakultuur en subkultuur, Gestalt-ontwikkeling, Gestaltterapie-teorieë en die ekologiese teorie. Dit het as raamwerk vir die bevindinge gedien, wat gegrond is op ongestruktureerde onderhoude met persone wat met die Emo-subkultuur identifiseer. Data-triangulering was van besondere belang in hierdie ondersoek om vertrouenswaardigheid en geldigheid te verseker, veral in die lig daarvan dat daar min vakkundige literatuur oor die Emo-subkultuur beskikbaar is. Verskeie bevindinge word beskryf en aanbevelings word gemaak vir verdere navorsing. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Spelterapie)

published_or_final_version / Social Work and Social Administration / Master / Master of Social Sciences

Thesis (Ph. D.)--St. Mary's University, San Antonio, Texas, 2007. / "December 2007." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 155-170) and appendices.