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This study has focused on pregnancy and parenting of 10 African young women between the ages of 16 and 19, from one of Inanda schools. Drawing from ethnography, the study explores these young women's choices of boyfriends, the circumstances that led to their pregnancy, the socio-cultural influence during pregnancy and at childbirth, kind of support they receive at home, school and boyfriends and experiences of pregnancy and motherhood. An examination of how they balance their varied roles as mothers and learners as well as the effects of pregnancy and parenting to their schooling. Although the South African Schools Act (Department of Education 1996) regulates the support of pregnant teenagers and teenage mothers in schools, the data reveal that pregnant teenagers and teenage mothers still experience challenges in schools. These challenges range from being stigmatised, discriminated and humiliated by teachers and peers, lack of support from teachers, decline in academic performance as well as the inability to participate in school's extra-mural activities. However the study reveals that there is some degree of institutional support which accounted for the teenage mothers' overall performance and achievement; there are some teachers and learners who provide some kind of support to the pregnant teenagers and teenage mothers. The thesis further argues that motherhood is very demanding, challenging and very disruptive of the young mothers' schoolwork; but the young mothers indicate self-determination and resilience to find ways of successfully juggling motherhood and schooling. On the other hand, the young fathers understand their social role as that of being a provider for the child and the care giving is only for womenfolk. Some of the young men acknowledged the importance of the young mothers' completing their schooling and realized that they needed support other than financial provision. The young men, however, do not provide the childcare themselves; they shift the caring responsibility to their own mothers. The focus on the pregnant and teenage mothers draws attention to possible ways of providing more support in order they fare better in their education for better chances of employment and gender equity. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood, 2012.

A qualitative study was conducted at Oakleigh Girls High School which aimed at exploring the ways in which seven teenage girls from a single-sex, predominantly middle-class state school negotiate the demands of schooling and parenting. Drawing upon the findings of the focus group interviews conducted, the study aimed to illuminate how these teenage mothers juggle their varied roles as mothers and learners and its effects for the educational outcome of young mothers at school. In this study I argue that even though the South African Schools Act (Department of Education 1996) regulates the support of pregnant teenagers and teenage mothers in schools, however teenage mothers still experience difficulties in schools. These difficulties range from fear of the parents’ response, child fathers’ response, as well as teachers’ response, rejection from peers and teachers, ridicule from teachers and peers, lack of support from teachers, decline in academic performance as well as the inability to participate in school activities. However in the same study there were positive elements that also surfaced, in that some teachers, learners as well as a support group provided some kind of support to the teenage mothers even though it was very minimal. Working with teachers to support young mothers at school remains important. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

As obesity and related diseases become increasingly prevalent, there is a great need for programs for at-risk female adolescents that will encourage physical activity and other healthy behaviors. Enjoyment is one factor that has been associated with exercise participation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a physical activity program on at-risk female adolescents' enjoyment of physical activity. Participants (n= 50) from a residential treatment facility participated in a non-competitive, non-threatening physical activity program for ten weeks. Fifteen of the participants comprised a control group and did not participate in the structured program. Participants completed the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES) at the beginning and end of the program. In addition, their exercise heart rates were obtained at each session. A repeated-measures ANOVA was used to analyze the PACES scores. Results indicated a significant group by time interaction between the three cottages (p= .002). Further analysis revealed PACES scores increased for one treatment cottage, but decreased for the other treatment cottage and the control group. The mean percent of time participants spent in their target heart rate zone (>140 bpm) was 53.5%. / School of Physical Education, Sport, and Exercise Science

This thesis has investigated and statistically analyzed the responses of delinquent and non-delinquent adolescent male subjects to Julian B. Rotter's Internal-external Locus of Control Scale. An individual with an "internal locus of control" is characterized by believing that what happens to him is a direct result of his own actions. A person with an "external locus of control" is more likely to feel that forces beyond his control such as fate or luck, determine what will happen to him.Delinquent subjects were obtained through a juvenile court. Non-delinquent subjects were obtained through school systems and youth groups. Selection of subjects was controlled for race, age, socio-economic level, and number of parents living at home. No significant difference was found for locus of control between delinquent and non-delinquent groups or between races.

This study investigated the effects of self-instruction and alternate response training on oppositional behavior. Four oppositional adolescent females in a community-based residential treatment facility were taught to self-instruct alternate responses to their oppositional behaviors by participating in a series of Behavior Skills Training (BST) sessions. Subjects were required to role-play situations which subjects indicated evoke the targeted behaviors, that is, swearing/namecalling, noncompliance with rules, and noncompliance with requests. These self-reported situations were a major component in developing the BST. A multiple baseline design across behaviors was used. As an additional experimental control, two nontreatment subjects were included in the data analysis. Although trend analyses were conducted, variability in the data precluded the possibility of drawing conclusions based on statistical correlation. However, functional analyses of the treatment effects indicated that the BST was effective in reducing the oppositional behaviors of the subjects in the treatment group. Thus these results support the efficacy of using self-instruction and alternate response training procedures to reduce the occurrence of oppositional behavior in adolescent females. / Department of Educational Psychology

The researcher focused on developing a psycho-developmental programme that could be used as an intervention technique to combat teenage pregnancy. The literature research indicated that general factors contributing to teenage pregnancy could be divided into individual factors and social factors. The following individual factors played a major role towards teenage pregnancy: lack of knowledge, lack of future vision, lack of educational and personal goals and poor academic performance. Social factors such as poor health care services, poor socio-economic condition, unemployment and poverty could be seen as the most common general factors that lead to teenage pregnancy. Family disorientation because of families consisting of one parent, alcohol and drug abuse, and lack of parent support increase the risk to get involved in prostitution and sexual molesting ending up in teenage pregnancy. Psychological aspects such as low self-image, low self-concept, low self-esteem and an external locus of control are also contributing factors to teenage pregnancy. Cultural rituals, myths about sexuality and teenage pregnancy, poor recreational facilities, poor socio-economic condition leading to poverty and increasing the risk of becoming a victim of sexual abuse could be seen as the most common cultural factors which lead to teenage pregnancy. For the purpose of this research a cultural quasi-experimental design was used. Enrolled pupils between fourteen and sixteen years from the following culture groups: white, black (rural), black (urban) and brown were included in this research. These pupils were enrolled students from the following High Schools in Parys: Parys High School, Phehelang High School, Barnard Molekwane High School, Weiveld High School and Sckonkinville High School. All the pupils from the control group, experimental group and development groups were exposed to the completion of a questionnaire that was utilised for pre-testing as well as post-testing. This questionnaire consisted out of three dimensions: knowledge on sexuality, attitudes towards sexuality and myths occurring in connection with sexuality. This questionnaire is available in Afrikaans and Sotho. Only the experimental group was exposed to the psycho-development programme. The results of the research indicated that no differences between the research groups (experimental, development and control groups), age (14 - 16 years) and gender (male and female) groups were reported before the implementation of the psycho-educational programme. Only statistical differences in the cultural groups (white, black and brown) were found: between white and brown in connection with knowledge, attitudes and myths, and between white and black differences in connection with knowledge and myths. Between brown and black differences were found in connection with attitudes. The results after the implementation of the psycho-educational programme showed that no differences were found in connection with age and gender. The experimental group reported a positive change in attitudes towards teenage pregnancy, while knowledge increased in the development group. No changes were reported in the control group. Within the different cultural groups the following results were reported: Knowledge increased in the white group, while within the black group changes in knowledge, attitudes and myths were found. The results for the brown group did not report any change. The following conclusion could be made that the developed psycho-educational programme did have an impact on improving the knowledge and changing the attitudes of the study population in connection with sexuality and teenage pregnancy. The limitations of this research were identified and recommendations were made. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2007.

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As gambling becomes more accessible, problems associated with gambling have begun to affect ever increasing numbers of youth. Despite legal restrictions in some jurisdictions, Internet gambling is undergoing a massive worldwide expansion. The relationship between the convenience, anonymity, and the 24-hour availability of Internet gambling and problem gambling in young people presents a serious concern. This study explored Internet gambling in a sample of university students aged 18 to 20 years. Students reported on their involvement in gambling activities both on and off the Internet. In the past 12 months, 6.7% of participants had gambled for money on the Internet, with higher rates among males (11.0%) than females (.8%). As well, 39.4% of students reported that in the past 12 months they had played gambling-type games on Internet 'practice' sites, where no money was required to play. Concerns about the possible effects of Internet gambling are raised and possible future directions for research are presented.