Thesis (Ph. D. (Social Work)) -- University of Limpopo, 2018 / Teenage pregnancy is a social problem that affects and destroys the future of teenage girls, especially teenage learners. Its impact is not only felt by the teenage girls, but also by their families, schools, and the country in general. This study sought to develop an educational social group work model on teenage pregnancy for learners in schools in the North West province. To this effect, this study was anchored on five objectives, namely: to establish the extent of teenage pregnancy amongst learners in schools in the North West province; to assess factors that predispose learners to indulge in sexual activities despite the risk of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases; to describe the roles of parents in the prevention of teenage pregnancy amongst learners; to identify prevention measures used by the schools to prevent teenage pregnancy; and to develop, implement, and evaluate an educational social group work model on teenage pregnancy for learners. The study adopted a mixed methods approach by combining the qualitative and quantitative paradigms. The population of the study consisted of learners, while school principals, deputy principals, Life Orientation teachers, and parents/guardians were the key informants. The findings of this study confirm that teenage pregnancy is a serious problem that continues to affect schools. All grades from the secondary schools that participated in this study reported cases of learner pregnancies. The grades with high reported cases include Grades 10, 11, and 12, while Grades 8 and 9 appeared to be the least affected. Furthermore, the findings indicate that male learners are most likely to father children with female learners. The development of an educational social group work model on teenage pregnancy for learners was achieved via a literature review and the empirical findings from learners and the key informants. Group work as a method of the social work profession was chosen in this study because it is intensive in nature, and the follow-up sessions provided a platform for the evaluation of social worker interventions and the performance of individual members and the entire group. The developed model was implemented and evaluated. Different topics were discussed during a marathon of eight

Inspired heavily by the Virginia Woolf's novel, The Waves, Dirty Girls tells the story of four girls coming of age in coastal Texas. Told through interior monologues, Dirty Girls explores themes of adolescent girlhood from the various perspectives of those who live it. Carmel has always been on the outside looking in, envious of the prettier, thinner, blonde girls who seem to own everything and everyone. Christina protects her, attempting to straddle the line between sexual awakening and childhood innocence. Lauren grapples with her lesbian sexuality in a time and place where such an identity is forbidden. And Taylor suffers the consequences of her grown-too-fast flashy ways. All four girls overlap and change, though through their interiority the reader comes to realize no girl is spared the struggle of the patriarchy.

Contrary to popular belief, teenage mothers are a declining proportion of birthing women; however they receive much negative public attention. Of particular public concern is the high cost of supporting teenage mothers, in terms of financial, health and welfare resources. Historically, the typical founding mother of white Australia was single, but post-war changes in the family structure incorporated the expectation that children be born into two-parent households with the male as the breadwinner. Policy changes in the seventies saw the introduction of the Sole Parents Pension which meant that many birthing teenage women could choose to keep their infants rather than have a clandestine adoption or an enforced marriage. The parenting practices of teenage mothers have been criticised for being less than optimal, and mother and child are reported as being disadvantaged cognitively, psychosocially, and educationally. One widespread nursing service which provides support for new mothers in Victoria is the Maternal and Child Health Service; however, teenage mothers appear reluctant to use such services. Why this should be so became an important question for this research, since little is known about the parenting practices of teenage mothers. This study therefore sought to explore mothering from the perspective of five sole supporting teenage mothers each of whom had a child over six months of age. The research methodology took an interpretive ethnographic approach and was guided by feminist principles. The data were collected through repeated interviewing, participant observation, informal discussions with key informants, field notes and journalling. Data analysis was aided by the use of the software, program NUD-IST. It was found that the young women in this study each chose to give birth with full realisation that their existence was dependent on the Welfare State. Unanticipated, however, were the many structural barriers which made their lives cataclysmic, but these reinforced their determination to prove themselves worthy and capable mothers. The young women negotiated motherhood through a range of social supports and through maternal practice. Unquestionably, their social dependency on the welfare system forced them into marginal citizen status. Moreover, absolute and intrinsic poverty levels were experienced, brought about by inadequate welfare payments. Formal support agencies, such as the Maternal and Child Health nurses were rarely approached to provide childrearing support beyond the initial months following birthing, since the teenagers' basic needs such as shelter, food and clothing took precedence over their parenting needs. Additionally, some nurses were perceived to hold judgmental attitudes towards teenage mothers. It was far easier to forestall confrontation with nurses and the other 'older' women clientele by avoiding them. Thus XI they turned to charitable agencies who provided a safety net in the form of emergency supplies of money, food, or equipment. Informal networks of friends provided alternative modes of support when family help failed to materialise. The children, however, provided the young women with an opportunity to transform their lives by breaking free of the past, and by creating a new, mature existence for themselves. Despite being abandoned by family, friends, lovers and society, in the privacy and isolation of their own homes, they attempted to provide a more nurturing environment for their children than they themselves had received. Each bestowed unconditional maternal love on the child and were rewarded through the pleasures of watching their children grow and develop into worthwhile individuals. The children became the focus of their attention and their reason for living. In the course of their welfare dependency, the young women became public property, targets of surveillance, and were subjected to stigmatising and condescending public attitudes wherever they went. In this way, it was evident that they were an oppressed group, but each found ways of resisting. Rather than focussing on their oppressive or disabling lives, or dwelling on their disadvantaged status, the young women sought their identities as mature women through motherhood and by demonstrating that they could do this important job well. Through motherhood their lives had meaning and a sense of purpose. The thesis concludes that motherhood in the teenage years is difficult. However, if appropriate supports are made available, teenage mothers need be no different from non-teenage mothers. But with state resources shrinking, and their own resources limited, teenage mothers are disadvantaged. In some ways, this study showed that all levels of support were inadequate, although those provided through the charitable organizations were seen to be the most appropriate. This reflects the current policy of economic rationalism adopted by most Western liberal democracies in the 1980s and 1990s and no less by the former Keating Labor Government in Australia.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--York University, 2004. Graduate Programme in Psychology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 198-224). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pNQ99146

¡@¡@In recent years, the merchandise of trendy brand is very popular. People talking about the trendy brand phenomena in newspaper and magazines, but in fact we lack the studies about the trendy brand consumer. Actually it is difficult to get the benefit from the trend if the enterprises lack the trendy brand knowledge. The purpose of this study is to understand the reason why the teenagers love these trendy brands, and what is the teenagers¡¦ affection. At last this study hopes to confirm the situation and position of the trendy brand phenomena by understanding the past teenage subcultures. ¡@¡@The past reports and studies most describe the trendy brand phenomenon, so the study uses focus group to understand the trendy brand consumers¡¦ behaviors deeply and examines the focus group results by on-line questionnaire in order to achieve the purpose of understanding the trendy brand consumers. According to the results of focus group, the trendy brand users have lots of ways to be classified. The most popular way is that the brand founder is artiste or not, so the study classifies teenagers into three groups. These groups include ¡§loving artiste trendy brand group,¡¨ ¡§loving normal designer trendy brand group,¡¨ and ¡§loving both artiste and normal designer trendy brand group.¡¨ In addition, the study find five main motivations behind teenagers love these trendy brands. These motivations include ¡§actual self-congruity,¡¨ ¡§ideal self-congruity,¡¨ ¡§identification influence,¡¨ ¡§vicarious learning,¡¨ and ¡§need for uniqueness.¡¨ And the teenagers¡¦ affection also can classify into positive and negative affection. At last the study find the factors forming these teenage subcultures in the literature and confirms the phenomenon of trendy brand is one of teenage subcultures.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2001. / Bibliography: leaves 124-136.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2003. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 81-86). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M.M.)--Ball State University, 2009. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Mar. 08, 2010). Creative project (M.M.), 3 hrs. Includes bibliographical references (p. [23]-25).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2003. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 81-86). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 75-79).