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No description available.

This dissertation explores the lifeworlds of socially neglected high school students. Adolescents who are members of this peer social category are described in the literature as those who exhibit passive behavior; make few attempts to initiate social interaction; do not engage in anti-social or aggressive behavior; and appear to be the most isolated students in schools. Almost overlooked by the research on adolescent subcultures, these labeled “nobodies” go virtually unnoticed by their teachers and their peers. This study was designed to increase our understanding of how these adolescents perceive themselves and their peers, and develop their own accounts and motives for explaining their actions. This six month ethnographic study utilized symbolic interactionist theory to shape the research questions on how socially neglected students experience, interpret, and construct their interactions with peers. Five grade 12 students and three grade 10 students were identified through a lengthy process of on-site behavior observation assessment and judgmental sampling. Once identified, participant observations, interviews, and conversations were ongoing throughout the study. The data consist of 63 transcribed separate participant interviews of 45 to 60 minutes; transcribed notes from participant observations and conversations; as well as transcribed notes from observations and conversations with peers, teachers, counselors, office staff members, and administrators. This study, which appears to be the only qualitative inquiry to focus specifically on socially neglected high school students, contributes to the literature of this understudied peer social category. The emotional and behavioral risk factors for these children are relatively unknown because of the paucity of research and lack of longitudinal studies. The findings suggest that the majority of the participants were verbally and/or physically abused by their peers during elementary school. These early school experiences and the way parents and teachers handled them taught the participants not to trust their perceptions of people and to hide or deny their feelings. Their stories about their lifeworlds at high school present a bleak picture, which is confirmed by the observational data. Various descriptions of aloneness or alienation, such as “ghost,” “dead-like,” “loner,” “invisible,” and “phantom” are used by the students to convey the images that they have of themselves and of how their interactions with peers have affected them. They consciously utilize barriers, such as “zombie” face masks, a “look of death,” or “shyness” to keep their peers at bay. They describe layers that they have built up around themselves that separate them from other people, which are invisible to others but not to themselves. They do not focus on the present, they worry about their futures. The participants suggest ways that parents and teachers could have intervened when they were younger and ways they could assist them now. Many of these teenagers report finding their alienation increasingly difficult to bear. If they have not already harmed themselves or others, either emotionally or physically, the data gathered for this study sound a clear alarm that there is potential for this to happen if they continue to be ignored. Implicit in the literature is the view that socially neglected students are not as at-risk and in need of intervention as socially rejected students because their status is associated with a lack of social involvement but not with deviant behavior. The findings leave no doubt that this assumption needs to be re-addressed and reconsidered. / Graduate

This study explores the following research problem: given that knowledge influences our behaviour, how do the belief systems of elderly Xhosa elderly people about HIV/Aids influence their behaviour? The goal of the study was to explore and describe the belief systems of Xhosa-speaking people about HIV/Aids, specifically focusing on elderly people. The goal was also to reach conclusions about how these belief systems influence their knowledge. The objectives were threefold: firstly to conduct interviews with respondents; secondly to do a literature study with the aim of doing a literature control; and, thirdly, to reach conclusions about the belief systems of elderly Xhosa-speaking people. The research employed a qualitative paradigm and a phenomenological qualitative design. The research setting was defined as a township area that is situated in the south-eastern part of Johannesburg or Gauteng area. The researcher chose ten respondents who were all Xhosa-speaking and elderly, and the interviews were conducted individually. Non-probability or judgemental sampling, which is also known as convenience sampling, was used. The interviews were audio taped and transcribed verbatim, and field notes were also used as another method of collecting data. The data was analysed according to the eight steps of Tesch (1990) in Cresswell (1995:155). The process of data verification was done according to Guba’s Model of Trustworthiness (in Krefting, 1991:215-222). The actions taken to ensure trustworthiness included prolonged and varied engagement, triangulation, peer examination of research methodology, interviewing techniques and skills such as probing, clarifying, reframing and establishing the researcher’s authority. Seven themes and eleven categories with their sub-categories were drawn from the data obtained during the interviews. The first theme was: how do people contract the HIV/Aids virus? Under this theme, there were eight categories: contraceptives, cancer, sexual intercourse, witchcraft, sexually transmitted disease, blood transmission, sores and respect for cultural norms. The second theme was prevention and treatment, which included the following categories: condoms, one partner and trust, traditional herbs, medicine and prayer. Theme three was: how did HIV/Aids develop? Theme four was: how can people avoid getting HIV/Aids? Theme five was: who gets HIV/Aids? Theme six was: who brought HIV/Aids? Theme seven was: do you know anyone who has HIV/Aids and how do you think the person was infected? Specific conclusions were drawn based on these findings. Firstly, it was concluded that people contract the virus in many ways, as mentioned above – such as through unsafe sexual intercourse (see paragraph 2 above). Secondly, people like immigrants and drug injectors are more susceptible to spreading the Aids virus. Thirdly, the issue of cultural dominance also increases the spreading of the virus due to the failure to practise safe sex. Fourthly, people lack knowledge about the virus. Fifthly, HIV/Aids cannot be cured by medicine, traditional means or even the church. Instead, it can be treated by using drugs, such as neviropine, zidovidine and other medicines which can stop the virus from multiplying its cells in the person’s system. However, further research is needed before we draw conclusions, especially on the issue of cultural beliefs towards the virus. The conclusions were complemented by specific recommendations. / Dr. E. Oliphant

M.A. / The goals of this study were formulated in response to a need for a culturally sensitive counselling service for children of divorce within the Tsonga culture. The aim of this study was to develop guidelines to be used by counsellors in helping children of divorce within Tsonga culture. The study was undertaken within the framework of the developmental research and utilisation model. The research design integrated exploratory and descriptive methods. Qualitative methods of data gathering and analysis were applied. The study followed three dimensions: an analysis of the effects of divorce on children, cultural context of family and divorce as well as an analysis of a child-centred counselling model. Based on the analysis of the effects of divorce on children within the Tsonga culture, guidelines for culturally sensitive counselling were developed. The most important finding in this study is that culture has a bearing on the way in which divorce will have an effect on children and also that only a counsellor who is sensitive to the children's culture can be successful in counselling them to cope with divorce. The findings of this study cannot be generalised to other cultures, but it is recommended that the guidelines be used by counsellors from different cultural orientations working with children of divorce within Tsonga culture. The study showed that there is a need for culture sensitivity in rendering counselling services to children.

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The purpose of this thesis is to put forth a summary of principles that reflect the local knowledge of the people within the Saulteau First Nations Community. This summary of principles is a tool of compiled oral knowledge that reflects community values and mind-sets and which might offer tangible solutions to guide community protocols, program development or to possibly frame future policies. 11 Principles are the highlighted expressions or codes of conduct that express cultural meaning to a people. Principles help make sense of and instill ethics or morals within a community. These cultural belief systems continue to be practiced through hunting techniques and patterns and by exercises based on beliefs that reveal a value system originating in the spiritual relationship with the natural life forms, animals, plants and spirits. Within the practical motions lie the spoken and unspoken codes, principles, values and beliefs of the people. This allows the community to determine its values and articulate important teachings that give expression to notions of cultural identity. The summary of constructed principles of the Saulteau First Nations Community is as follows: 1. wahkowtowin 2. kiyam 3. kisiwatsoon 4. matinawewin 5. nisohkamakewin 6. ka nisohkamowatwan kitotfmak 7. nihiyew tapsinowin "We are all relatives" (Art Napoleon). To let go is a necessary concept in the process of healing. Compassion is a necessary quality that instills harmony connecting the community. An offering of thanks in honor of the provisions of life is necessary to ensure prosperity from the Creator. Somebody that helps is vital for community survival. "You are a servant to the people" (Art Napoleon). "We have to go back to our Indian laws and that is when we will have harmony amongst each other" (Stewart Cameron). The principles link local forms of knowledge necessary that may guide imposed policies and structures. Further research will be beneficial to the people and should also reflect the range of cultures that have formed the community's ancestry within the present day Saulteau First Nations Community. / Graduate

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This study explores the question of religion and ethnicity as a source of family diversity and ideology. An ideal-typical "traditional Muslim family ideology" was developed and tested. Eight Indian Muslim students at Rhodes University were asked about their attitudes and perceptions of marriage and family life, to determine the particular type of family ideology that these students embraced. Family-related issues such as marriage; the division of labour; gender roles; the extended family system; divorce; and polygamy were addressed. On the basis of the research results, it was found that these students largely adopted the "traditional Muslim family ideology". Religion and ethnicity were found to play an important role, in the make-up of these students' perception of marriage and family life, and a strong preference for the extended family was shown.

With the increasing number of women entering the labour force internationally, the role of women is changing. Consequently, researchers are pressed to investigate how females of all cultures balance their work and family responsibilities. Amongst Hindu couples, this issue can either be a source of tension or positive support. An overview of literature indicates that the psychological aspects of dual-career Hindu women have received little attention in South Africa. The current study aimed to explore and describe coping resources and the subjective well-being of full-time employed Hindu mothers. The study took the form of a non-experimental exploratory-descriptive design. Participants were selected through nonprobability convenience sampling. The sample of the study consisted of sixty full-time employed Hindu mothers between the ages of 25 and 45 years of age who had at least one dependent primary school child aged between 7 to 12 years. Various questionnaires were used to collect data for this study. These included a Biographical Questionnaire, The Coping Resources Inventory (CRI), The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), and The Affectometer 2 (AFM2). Data was analysed by means of descriptive statistics. Cronbach’s coefficient alphas were utilised to calculate the reliability of the scores of each questionnaire. A multivariate technique was used to determine the amount of clusters formed. A non-hierarchical partitioning technique known as K-means cluster analysis was utilised in this study. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was utilised in order to compare the mean scores of the various clusters. A post-hoc analysis using the Scheffé test was computed to test for significant differences. Cohen’s d statistics was subsequently used to determine the practical significance of the differences found between the cluster means on each of the measures. The cluster analysis indicated three clusters that differed significantly from one another on all three measures. The results of the CRI indicated that the participants used cognitive and spiritual resources to assist them to cope with the transition from traditional to modern contemporary roles. It was also found that the participants with low coping resources had inferior subjective well-being compared to those who had average and high CRI scores. The findings indicated that the participants were generally satisfied with their lives and experienced high levels of positive affect and low levels of negative affect. However, as a group there was a trend for the participants to have experienced slightly lower levels of global happiness or slightly negative affect. The results of this study broadens the knowledge base of positive psychology with respect to the diverse cultures and gender roles within South Africa. Overall, this study highlighted the value and the need for South African research on the coping resources and subjective well-being of dual-career Hindu mothers.