Thesis--Catholic University of America. / "Selected bibliography": p. 151-155.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1994. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 133-142). Also available via the Internet.

This study was designed to examine the degree to which a small group counseling intervention resulted in attitudinal and behavioral change with adolescent boys identified by their school principals as having conduct problems. An eight-week cognitive-behavioral intervention was co-led by pairs of student services personnel made up of school psychologists, school social workers, and school counselors. The anger management program, called "Better Ways of Getting Mad," was designed from Morganett's Skills for Living: Group Counseling Activities for Young Adolescents (1990). Participants were 87 sixth- or seventh-grade boys at seven middle schools in Prince William County, Virginia, who were not in any special education program. A pretest-posttest, experimental/control group design was used. Variables studied were the extent of the conduct problems measured by the number of discipline referrals and scores on the Conduct Problem Scale of the Conners’ Teacher Rating Scale-39 (CTRS-39); the experience of anger measured by the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI); the expression of anger measured by STAXI; and the cognitive understanding of anger and anger expression measured by the Morganett inventory. Posttest differences between Experimental and Control groups were examined through analyses of covariance. The extent of conduct problems was found to be less for the experimental group than for the control group. A lower number of discipline referrals was also noted. However, neither of these differences were statistically significant. Students who participated in the counseling intervention did not show less intensity in state and trait anger. While students in the experimental group showed an anger expression index score lower than that of the control group score, this was not statistically significant. A significantly higher score in cognitive understanding was found in the experimental group. / Ed. D.

Adolescent substance abuse is a major problem facing the world today. In order to understand the reasons for adolescent substance abuse behaviour, various theoretical perspectives were utilised and strategies to curb substance use were also identified. The study was conducted in the rural areas of Zeerust, North West province of South Africa. The participants included 12 male adolescents, whose ages ranged from 12 to 15 years. A qualitative, explorative research design was employed. Data was gathered using semi-structured interviews, genograms and observations. Thematic analysis was used to analyse audio-taped data. The study found that substances abused by the participants include alcohol, nicotine, cannabis and heroin. Their reasons for using these substances include individual, family and environmental factors. However, peer group pressure was identified as the primary factor for adolescent substance use. This study emphasises the painful nature of substance abuse among adolescents, yet at the same time it succeeds in highlighting the strategies that can be employed to address substance abuse among adolescents. In addition, this study recommends a concerted effort by all the stakeholders in addressing the substance abuse problem. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Adolescent substance abuse is a major problem facing the world today. In order to understand the reasons for adolescent substance abuse behaviour, various theoretical perspectives were utilised and strategies to curb substance use were also identified. The study was conducted in the rural areas of Zeerust, North West province of South Africa. The participants included 12 male adolescents, whose ages ranged from 12 to 15 years. A qualitative, explorative research design was employed. Data was gathered using semi-structured interviews, genograms and observations. Thematic analysis was used to analyse audio-taped data. The study found that substances abused by the participants include alcohol, nicotine, cannabis and heroin. Their reasons for using these substances include individual, family and environmental factors. However, peer group pressure was identified as the primary factor for adolescent substance use. This study emphasises the painful nature of substance abuse among adolescents, yet at the same time it succeeds in highlighting the strategies that can be employed to address substance abuse among adolescents. In addition, this study recommends a concerted effort by all the stakeholders in addressing the substance abuse problem. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Afrikaans text / This study was undertaken to investigate and explore the experience of the death of a parent and the support for Coloured boys, in the middleadolescence phase, within the school context. Five boys were involved in the study. The gender of the parent was not specified; but all the boys had lost their mothers. The adolescent boys indicated that the death of their mothers was a life changing event; that they struggled emotionally after the death of their mothers but they received enough support from the school, friends and peer group. Family relations were disrupted and the boys often handled their mourning alone. They indicated a continued bond with their mothers, developed a greater sense of responsibility and insight into themselves and the emotions of others deepened. The boys stressed the value of social support but the public display of emotions is influenced by their perceptions of masculinity. / Die studie is onderneem om Kleurling seuns in die middel-adolessente fase se ervaring na die dood van ’n ouer en ondersteuning binne die skoolopset te ondersoek en te verken. Vyf seuns is by die studie betrek. Die geslag van die ouer is nie gespesifiseer nie maar al die seuns het hul moeders verloor. Die adolessente seuns het aangedui dat die dood van hul moeders ’n lewensveranderende gebeurtenis was; dat hulle ’n emosionele stryd gevoer het na die dood van hul moeders maar wel voldoende ondersteuning vanaf die skool, vriende en portuurgroep ontvang het. Gesinsverhoudinge het verbrokkel en die seuns het dikwels alleen hul rou hanteer. Hulle het ’n voortgesette band met hul moeder aangedui, groter verantwoordelikheidsin ontwikkel en insig vir hulself en ander se emosies het verdiep. Die seuns het die waarde van sosiale ondersteuning beklemtoon maar die openlike toon van emosies word deur hul persepsies vanmanlikheid beïnvloed. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Spesialisering in Voorligting)

Afrikaans text / This study was undertaken to investigate and explore the experience of the death of a parent and the support for Coloured boys, in the middleadolescence phase, within the school context. Five boys were involved in the study. The gender of the parent was not specified; but all the boys had lost their mothers. The adolescent boys indicated that the death of their mothers was a life changing event; that they struggled emotionally after the death of their mothers but they received enough support from the school, friends and peer group. Family relations were disrupted and the boys often handled their mourning alone. They indicated a continued bond with their mothers, developed a greater sense of responsibility and insight into themselves and the emotions of others deepened. The boys stressed the value of social support but the public display of emotions is influenced by their perceptions of masculinity. / Die studie is onderneem om Kleurling seuns in die middel-adolessente fase se ervaring na die dood van ’n ouer en ondersteuning binne die skoolopset te ondersoek en te verken. Vyf seuns is by die studie betrek. Die geslag van die ouer is nie gespesifiseer nie maar al die seuns het hul moeders verloor. Die adolessente seuns het aangedui dat die dood van hul moeders ’n lewensveranderende gebeurtenis was; dat hulle ’n emosionele stryd gevoer het na die dood van hul moeders maar wel voldoende ondersteuning vanaf die skool, vriende en portuurgroep ontvang het. Gesinsverhoudinge het verbrokkel en die seuns het dikwels alleen hul rou hanteer. Hulle het ’n voortgesette band met hul moeder aangedui, groter verantwoordelikheidsin ontwikkel en insig vir hulself en ander se emosies het verdiep. Die seuns het die waarde van sosiale ondersteuning beklemtoon maar die openlike toon van emosies word deur hul persepsies vanmanlikheid beïnvloed. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Spesialisering in Voorligting)