Today’s parents are raising adolescents in a world far removed from the era of ‘Ozzie and Hamet’, that is about thirty years ago. Young people are challenged with rapid social changes, shifting of moral and social values. There is an increasing shift of decision making responsibility from society to individual (Naude and Bodibe n.d: 4). The research presented in this mini dissertation reviews the middle adolescent stage as a challenging time, one of life’s fascinating and perhaps most complex stage, a time when they take on new responsibilities and experiment with independence. Often that result in a certain amount of rebellion and defiance as normally seen with females. The purpose of this research study is to explore and describe the lived-experience of the middle female adolescents against the background presented. It hopes to provide some base for developing guidelines to support the middle female adolescents during this challenging time. The participants in this research study were middle female adolescents from the Rustenburg District of Education, Bojanala West region. All the girls who participated were all fifteen (15) years old and in grade ten (10). The research design followed a qualitative pattern because of its explorative, descriptive and contextual nature. The qualitative researcher’s emphasis is on studying human action in its natural setting and through the eyes of the humans themselves, together with an emphasis on detailed description and understanding phenomena within the appropriate context (Babbie and Mouton 2004:278). This research was conducted in two phases. During phase one of the study, data was gathered through phenomenological interviews. Ethical measures were clearly laid out. A tape recorder was used for record purposes with each participant, and also field notes were used in support of the purposes. The central question was for each participant to tell of their experience as a middle female adolescent in a rural area. 6 Data was analyzed using Tesch’s method of data analysis (Tesch 1990:142-145 in Cresswell, 2003:192). The services of an independent coder were utilized and a consensus discussion was reached on the analysis of the data. The following categories and subcategories were identified after data analysis. The middle female adolescents described this life stage as ‘the most challenging time in life’. The experience is described throughout with double messages, such as ‘great but fun’. The following categories were identified:- • The middle female adolescents’ relationship with their parents was described as trying in related to lack of communication. • They also experienced challenges in relation to physical, emotional, self image and in the society. • The adolescents also demonstrated internal resources in terms of responsibility and a sense of hope about their future. The research findings indicate that middle adolescent girls lack effective communication with their parents, they feel not to be understood and trusted by their parents. A striking issue is the demonstration of internal resources by the middle adolescents. There is therefore a need for guidelines to support middle female adolescents and their parents. In phase two of the study, based on the categories, guidelines were described to support middle adolescent girls in their challenging time. Recommendations were made based on the pathway and the approach that would effectively improve the interpersonal relationships. The recommendations are measures for policy makers, service providers, community or youth organizations, and all those concerned with the well being of middle female adolescents. These would also be an intention to reduce the risks, involvement in risky behaviours and prevent misbehaviour in schools. / Prof. C.P.H. Myburgh Prof. M. Poggenpoel

M.Ed. / Depression of adolescents is often misunderstood or misjudged. Depression is an universal disorder worldwide and there are more than 300 million people who are suffering from it (Star, 11 April 1999). Approximately nine percent of all children experience symptoms of depression. It increases from twenty two to forty percent among adolescents (Offord, 1987:10). On any given point of time there are as much as one out of every thirty three children and as many as one out of every eight adolescents suffering from clinical depression (Dubuque, 1998:64). Unfortunately depression has become part of our society and we shall have to learn how to handle it in order to render assistance to people who are suffering from this disorder. It is a shocking fact that more and more adolescents are trying to commit suicide. This is one of the findings that came to light in September 1999 during a Symposium of the South African Council for Child and Family Care. The following question arises: what is the experience of adolescent girls who are in a place of caring and who are suffering from depression and which guidelines could be provided to psychological educationists to accompany girls and to promote their mental health?A qualitative, describing and conceptual design was used to collect data and describe the adolescent girl in a place of caring and who is suffering from depression. The research took place in two phases. In Phase One in depth phenomenological interviews were conducted. In Phase Two logical inference was used to generate guidelines to psychological educationists to provide accompaniment to adolescent girls who are in places of care and who are suffering from depression.From the research it appeared that the following themes continuously came to the front amongst girls who are in places of care and who are suffering from depression: • need of acceptance and fear of loneliness; • a lack of hope and purpose in life; and • psychological coping mechanisms as a way of handling situations. The following sub-themes of adolescent girls who are in places of care and who are suffering from depression are identified: • a negative self concept; • poor self acceptance; • poor interpersonal relationships; • fear which is related to the girls' own helplessness and inability to escape from situations; and • defence mechanisms: rationalisation to make depression more acceptable; and suppression to suppress emotions in this way. From the research certain needs were identified by adolescent girls who are in places of care and who are suffering from depression: • the need of acceptance and the need of the addressing the fear of loneliness; • the addressing of feelings of lack of hope and purpose in life; and • the need of healthy coping mechanisms as a way in which situations could be handled. Guidelines to psychological educationists for the accompaniment of adolescent girls who are in places of care and who are suffering from depression are set out as follows: • guidelines to address the need of acceptance and the fear for loneliness; • guidelines to address the lack of hope and purpose in life; and • guidelines to develop healthy coping mechanisms.

Thesis (M. Cur.) -- University of Limpopo, 2014 / The purpose of this study was to explore effects of teenage motherhood on the secondary education of the female learner. A qualitative research method and a descriptive, exploratory research design were adopted to undertake the study. Five one-on-one interviews were conducted and the data was analysed by using Tesch’s method of analysis. Three themes and nine sub-themes were generated from the analysed data. The research findings indicate that teenage motherhood does not have a negative effect on the ability of the learner to continue attending school, but also suggest that the various challenges experienced by the learner do have adverse effects on her school performance and ultimate decision to suspend school. There were other factors that influenced her academic performance and decision to continue or suspend school attendance; namely family support, experiences at school, as well as the cultural beliefs, traditions, and perceptions of the society she was living in. Key concepts: Teenage motherhood, effects, secondary education.

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Education in the Department of Educational Psychology and Special Education of the Faculty of Education at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2012. / This study examined the nature of educators’ experiences in dealing with teenage pregnancy. The study focused on educators in secondary schools in KwaZulu-Natal province of the Republic of South Africa. The researcher looked at teenage pregnancy as a major problem in the education system in South Africa. Educators are dealing with pregnant learners almost every day. More learners, mostly teenagers, fall pregnant while they are still at school. Educators have different experiences of such a problem. The study further examined the influence of educators’ biographical characteristics like age, gender, race, teaching experience, educational level and religious affiliation on their experiences in dealing with teenage pregnancy. The study further looked at the extent to which educators experience stress when dealing with teenage pregnancy in secondary schools.

A dissertation submitted in the Faculty of Education in partial fulfilment of the requirements for a Masters degree in Educational Psychology at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2013. / This study examined the relationship between the Child Support Grant (CSG) and teenage pregnancy. The first objective of the study was to establish the relationship, if any, between teenage pregnancy and the Child Support Grant. The second objective was to determine whether or not the variable of educational level, religious affiliation, and location play a role in teenage pregnancy and the support grant. In order to achieve the aims of the study, the researcher constructed his own scale. The study used a quantitative methodology to establish the relationship between Child Support Grant and teenage pregnancy. Questionnaires were used to collect data. The questionnaires were distributed to fifty participants representing the total sample of the study. These questionnaires were correctly completed and were analysed using SPSS. The chi-square measure of association was used to test for the relationship between CSG and teenage pregnancy. The findings of the study indicated that teenagers differ in terms of whether there is a relationship between CSG and teenage pregnancy. Forty eight per cent of the participants were found to have a negative view on the notion that there is a relationship between CSG and teenage pregnancy, and fifty two per cent were favourably disposed. However, the difference was not statistically significant. In answering the second research question, this study revealed that variables such as educational level, location and religious affiliation did not have any influence on child support grant. This was confirmed by statistical tests performed. The limitations of the study were identified and suggestions for further research were documented.

Three groups of adolescent girls ages 15-18 were compared regarding recent life stresses. Group I consisted of 50 girls pregnant for the first time. Group II consisted of 50 girls who never had been pregnant but were sexually experienced (defined as having engaged in sexual intercourse). Group III consisted of 50 girls who never engaged in sexual intercourse. All three groups were asked nine questions of demographic information and were administered the Recent Life Events Questionnaire. Subjects were asked to rate from 1-5 each event that had happened to them: for Group III the year before testing, for Group II the year before first engaging in sexual intercourse, and for Group I (who took the RLEQ twice) both the year before first intercourse and the year before first pregnancy. Results suggested that rating of events did not discriminate between groups, but the number of actual events that had occurred in their lives did. Significant differences also were noted among the three groups regarding adopted versus nonadopted status and the combined abuse index (index reflecting numbers of subjects who had been victims of either child abuse or sexual abuse at home). More girls in the pregnant group reported being adopted and being victims of abuse than would be expected in the general population. The study suggests a profile of girls at risk for adolescent pregnancy from stresses in their lives and without regard to their sexual behavior.

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The purpose of this study was to determine the similarities and differences between pregnant/parenting teens and other young women who drop out of high school. It also sought to determine the characteristics which discriminate between pregnant or parenting teens who continue with school and those who drop out. A comparison of 33 female high school dropouts with 47 dropouts from an alternative program for pregnant/parenting teens produced a discriminant function which accounted for 99% of the variance between the groups and correctly classified 74% of the subjects by group. Examination of the discriminating variables did not produce the expected variables such as school performance, educational aspirations, and value of education to friends. The results indicated that the two groups of dropouts did not differ in educational background variables and that pregnancy alone did not cause otherwise capable students to drop out of school. It was found that pregnant/parenting dropouts were more likely to be Hispanic, from families who valued education less, and have lower career and college aspirations than other dropouts. The second comparison of 47 pregnant/parenting students who dropped from the alternative program with 67 who maintained enrollment, produced a discriminant function which accounted for 86% of the variance between groups and correctly predicted group membership for 93% of the subjects. Among the variables which defined this function were grade point average, attendance, importance of education to family and friends, educational aspirations, past drop out, sports activities, more than one child, self-esteem, SES, and being minority. These are typical of the differences between any dropouts and enrolled students regardless of the pregnancy.

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