Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The first objective of the study was to explore whether a correlation exists between anxiety symptoms and stressful life events within a sample of marginalised South African youths. The second objective was to examine the psychometric properties and cross-cultural validation of the Dominic-R when administered within the aforementioned sample. The participants consisted of a sample of 185 children aged between 10- and 15- years. Children completed three self-report questionnaires, namely the Dominic-R, the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale (SCAS), and a modified version of the Major Life Events Checklist (MLEC-M). Results indicated that albeit rather weak, significant positive correlations were nonetheless obtained between the total Dominic-R and SCAS scores, and stressful life events experienced. Furthermore, the psychometric properties of both the Dominic-R and the SCAS were moderate (convergent validity) to acceptable (internal consistency) for the sample. The implications of these results provide tentative evidence for the utilisation of the Dominic-R within South African samples. The limitations and recommendations for future research are discussed / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die eerste doelwit van die studie was om vas te stel of daar ‘n korrelasie bestaan tussen angssimptome en stresvolle lewensgebeure binne ‘n steekproef van gemarginaliseerde Suid-Afrikaanse jeugdiges. Die tweede was om ondersoek in te stel na die psigometriese eienskappe en kruiskulturele validering van die Dominic-R soos toegepas op voorafgenoemde steekproef. Die deelnemers het bestaan uit ‘n steekproef van 185 kinders tussen 10 en 15 jaar oud. Die kinders moes drie selfverslagvraelyste invul, naamlik die Dominic-R, die Spencekinderangsskaal (Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale – SCAS) en die aangepaste weergawe van die Kontrolelys vir Belangrike Lewensgebeure (Major Life Events Checklist – MLECM). Alhoewel redelik swak, het resultate tog getoon dat daar ‘n beduidend positiewe korrelasie was tussen die algehele Dominic-R- en SCAS-tellings. Verder was die psigometriese eienskappe van beide die Dominic-R en die SCAS gemiddeld (konvergente geldigheid) tot aanvaarbaar (interne konsekwentheid) vir die steekproef. Hierdie resultate bewys tentatief dat die Dominic-R bruikbaar is binne Suid-Afrikaanse steekproewe. Die beperkings van die studie en aanbevelings vir verdere navorsing word bespreek.

Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Guidance & Counselling)

Due to the rapid onset of westernization, there is a remarkable change in the life styles and the family structure of the black South African population in favour of smaller and economically manageable families. There is also an increase in political as well as family violence in black communities. children, adolescents and young adults are subject to these rapid changes. Family structures and life styles are also affected by these changes. The present study seeks to investigate the relationship between family structures and styles of coping with stressful life events. Hypotheses concerning this relationship are that adolescents from nuclear and extended family structures differ in handling stressful life events. Questions relating to family relations, stressful life events and ways of coping.were administered to 100 standard. 9 and ' 1 0 students, of which 80 were females and 20 were males. The level of stress was assessed by Moos' "Family Environment Scale" and coping efforts were assessed by Folkman and Lazarus' s "Ways of Coping Checklist". All these instruments were translated into zulu to avoid second language problems. A statistical analysis of the results was undertaken. The results did not show significant differences between coping styles of adolescent members of the two family structures. There were, however, some overlaps between the nuclear and the extended family structures concerning the way stressful life events were perceived. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1996.

Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Guidance & Counselling)

school learnersChild-headed household is a phenomenon that is growing in South Africa. As such, it is imperative to uncover the realities of children in this situation. This study explores and describes the schooling experiences of secondary school learners from child-headed households. This qualitative study included a sample of 20 grade 10 and 11 learners from four secondary schools. Data were collected through structured interviews and document analysis. The Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to analyze the data. The findings suggest that secondary school learners from child-headed households live in poverty and encounter experiences such as absenteeism, psychological trauma, gender-based discrimination, lack of adequate food and scholastic materials, drug abuse and teenage pregnancy. These experiences impact negatively on their schooling. The study recommends that learners from child-headed households should get more care and support from educators and other stakeholders. / Science and Technology Education / M.A. (Socio-Education)

school learnersChild-headed household is a phenomenon that is growing in South Africa. As such, it is imperative to uncover the realities of children in this situation. This study explores and describes the schooling experiences of secondary school learners from child-headed households. This qualitative study included a sample of 20 grade 10 and 11 learners from four secondary schools. Data were collected through structured interviews and document analysis. The Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to analyze the data. The findings suggest that secondary school learners from child-headed households live in poverty and encounter experiences such as absenteeism, psychological trauma, gender-based discrimination, lack of adequate food and scholastic materials, drug abuse and teenage pregnancy. These experiences impact negatively on their schooling. The study recommends that learners from child-headed households should get more care and support from educators and other stakeholders. / Science and Technology Education / M.A. (Socio-Education)

MA (Psychology) / Department of Psychology / See the attached abstract below

Text in Afrikaans / Practical research has shown that children experiencing learning restraints may suffer from high stress levels. These children encounter difficulty adapting to normal scholastic challenges and their performance often appear marginalised. The objective of this study is to explore the phenomenon of stress experienced by three eleven year old learners with learning restraints in the intermediate phase. The literature study on this topic has shown that learning restraints not only affect a child scholastically, but in his entire being. Based on this understanding, learning restraints may cause stress due to habitual underachievement in the learning environment. These learners might not necessarily have extremely poor cognitive abilities, but perceive themselves as incompetent or "dumb". In the empirical study, projection techniques were mainly utilised to determine stress levels experienced by learning restrained learners, from their internal frame of reference. From these findings, certain recommendations are proposed for psychotherapy. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counseling)

Text in Afrikaans / Practical research has shown that children experiencing learning restraints may suffer from high stress levels. These children encounter difficulty adapting to normal scholastic challenges and their performance often appear marginalised. The objective of this study is to explore the phenomenon of stress experienced by three eleven year old learners with learning restraints in the intermediate phase. The literature study on this topic has shown that learning restraints not only affect a child scholastically, but in his entire being. Based on this understanding, learning restraints may cause stress due to habitual underachievement in the learning environment. These learners might not necessarily have extremely poor cognitive abilities, but perceive themselves as incompetent or "dumb". In the empirical study, projection techniques were mainly utilised to determine stress levels experienced by learning restrained learners, from their internal frame of reference. From these findings, certain recommendations are proposed for psychotherapy. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counseling)

A family is a basic unit of society. Among the many functions that are performed by a family, is the task of providing for its children's needs while simultaneously transmitting the society's way of life. The functioning of the family takes place through a parent-child relationship. It is therefore significant for the family to carry out parental tasks in order to give a sense of security, a sense of companion and belonging, a sense of responsibility, sense of purpose and direction to its members. Although there are many factors that pose a threat to family functioning, the scourge of the HIV/AIDS pandemic cannot be underestimated. As the disease has advanced over time, it has negatively impinged on the children's lives. Children are losing their parents to HIV/AIDS opportunistic illnesses and this has resulted in the burgeoning of child-headed households. The phenomenon of a child-headed household presents a shift from a structural family since a significant subsystem of a family (i.e the parental subsystem) is non-existent. The study presents an in-depth investigation into the social functioning of a child-headed household. The aim was to come to a better understanding about issues that surround households that are headed by children. The social institutions with whom the household co-exists have been scrutinised in order to determine the ways in which these institutions impact upon the social functioning of child-headed households. The study highlights that child-headed households are a deviation from the norm and they create a situation where needs of children are unmet and their rights are eroded. The role of social work in mobilising resources to meet the unmet needs and championing for the rights of the children has been investigated. Case studies of ten families were conducted in the three districts of KwaZulu-Natal an area in South Africa that has widely been reported as hardest hit by the pandemic. A research team was constituted which designed a protocol for conducting case studies and collected data. Social workers also participated in the study with an aim of exploring guidelines for social service delivery with regard to a child-headed household. The study found that children are increasingly exposed to aspects of multiple care-giving through lack of parental care and a changing family structure. It was also revealed that the HIV/AIDS pandemic is shattering children's lives and reversing many hard won children's rights. In spite of the transition in the family life cycle, the family remains the central institution in the children's lives. The scourge of HIV/AIDS poses a great challenge to society. Children are left on their own without visible means of support. The problems of children develop into great magnitude in spite of policies that are in place. The findings of the study point to implications for a practice model that is aimed at co-ordinating services for effective service delivery. The researcher has presented suggested guidelines based on the findings of the study. These guidelines include the role of social work in ensuring that the social functioning of the children in child-headed households is enhanced and that social justice for these children is promoted. A protocol for intervention in child-headed households is provided. This would ensure that interventions in bringing about desired change in the lives of the children, produce sustainable results on a significant scale. / Social work / D. Phil.(Social Work)