Drug dependence is a reality in South Africa, and adolescents are often admitted to treatment centres for rehabilitation. However, it seems that adolescents admitted to treatment centres sometime show resistance, which may lead to the underutilisation of the therapeutic programme. In addition, social workers in the drug dependence field do not have sufficient knowledge to handle the resistance shown by the adolescent drug dependant during therapeutic intervention. The researcher is not aware of any current strategies to identify and utilise resistance. The purpose of this study is to formulate a handling strategy for social workers, which will enable them to identify and utilise the resistance that adolescent drug dependants manifest during the therapeutic intervention in order to allow adolescents to make optimal use of their treatment programmes. To achieve this goal, the Design and Development Model of Rothman and Thomas were used in the intervention research. This study made use of qualitative research in order to work in an exploratory and descriptive way. During Phase 1, i.e. the problem analysis and project planning phase, data was collected through semi-structured interviews conducted with five social workers. These interviews were transcribed and analysed using Creswell’s data analysis spiral. Data has also been collected during Phase 2, which consists of data collection and synthesis by utilising existing sources of information, studying natural examples and identifying the functional elements of successful models. During Phase 3, which is the design phase, an observation system has been designed in the form of a questionnaire aimed at identifying resistance in adolescent drug dependants and at determining procedures for the intervention. A prototype handling strategy was development during Phase 4 (early design and development). This strategy may help social workers working in the field of drug dependence to identify and utilise resistance that appears in adolescent drug dependants during therapeutic intervention. / MSW, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Drug dependence is a reality in South Africa, and adolescents are often admitted to treatment centres for rehabilitation. However, it seems that adolescents admitted to treatment centres sometime show resistance, which may lead to the underutilisation of the therapeutic programme. In addition, social workers in the drug dependence field do not have sufficient knowledge to handle the resistance shown by the adolescent drug dependant during therapeutic intervention. The researcher is not aware of any current strategies to identify and utilise resistance. The purpose of this study is to formulate a handling strategy for social workers, which will enable them to identify and utilise the resistance that adolescent drug dependants manifest during the therapeutic intervention in order to allow adolescents to make optimal use of their treatment programmes. To achieve this goal, the Design and Development Model of Rothman and Thomas were used in the intervention research. This study made use of qualitative research in order to work in an exploratory and descriptive way. During Phase 1, i.e. the problem analysis and project planning phase, data was collected through semi-structured interviews conducted with five social workers. These interviews were transcribed and analysed using Creswell’s data analysis spiral. Data has also been collected during Phase 2, which consists of data collection and synthesis by utilising existing sources of information, studying natural examples and identifying the functional elements of successful models. During Phase 3, which is the design phase, an observation system has been designed in the form of a questionnaire aimed at identifying resistance in adolescent drug dependants and at determining procedures for the intervention. A prototype handling strategy was development during Phase 4 (early design and development). This strategy may help social workers working in the field of drug dependence to identify and utilise resistance that appears in adolescent drug dependants during therapeutic intervention. / MSW, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

This study focuses on the use of a bridging technique to overcome contact–making barriers in adolescents. Contact is regarded as an integral part of all human experiences, but barriers (also called contact boundary disturbances) often hinder effective contact–making with the environment. To overcome contact boundary disturbances, several model bridges were constructed prior to the study and these were used as a metaphor during the intervention phase with adolescents. The goal of the research was to determine whether a technique called “bridging” could overcome contact boundary disturbances in adolescents in therapy. The research was conducted from an existential–phenomenological Gestalt approach. Combined quantitative and qualitative approaches were followed and a single system experimental design, A–B–A–A, was applied. A total of 14 adolescent participants between the ages of 11 and 14 were purposefully selected from three different schools in the Gauteng Province, South Africa, as well as their parents and teachers. Quantitative data were collected from the pre–intervention assessment, the post–intervention assessment and a follow–up assessment where questionnaires were completed by the researcher for each of the adolescent participants. The follow–up assessment was done four weeks after the postassessment in order to determine the consistency of the intervention. These questionnaires were analysed according to the semantic differential scale, and raw scores were plotted on line and bar graphs in order to assess the contact skills and contact boundary disturbances in the participating adolescents. Qualitative data were collected through semi–structured interviews with parents and teachers and through therapeutic interventions with adolescents. The data were analysed using the Creswell spiral and the a priori and inductive coding approaches. Three main themes were identified which were contact boundary disturbances, personal emotional factors and behavioural factors. Quantitative and qualitative data results and findings were discussed in context, to the relevant literature. The findings of the data indicated that the bridging technique can be useful in working with adolescents in therapy to overcome contact–making barriers. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

This study focuses on the use of a bridging technique to overcome contact–making barriers in adolescents. Contact is regarded as an integral part of all human experiences, but barriers (also called contact boundary disturbances) often hinder effective contact–making with the environment. To overcome contact boundary disturbances, several model bridges were constructed prior to the study and these were used as a metaphor during the intervention phase with adolescents. The goal of the research was to determine whether a technique called “bridging” could overcome contact boundary disturbances in adolescents in therapy. The research was conducted from an existential–phenomenological Gestalt approach. Combined quantitative and qualitative approaches were followed and a single system experimental design, A–B–A–A, was applied. A total of 14 adolescent participants between the ages of 11 and 14 were purposefully selected from three different schools in the Gauteng Province, South Africa, as well as their parents and teachers. Quantitative data were collected from the pre–intervention assessment, the post–intervention assessment and a follow–up assessment where questionnaires were completed by the researcher for each of the adolescent participants. The follow–up assessment was done four weeks after the postassessment in order to determine the consistency of the intervention. These questionnaires were analysed according to the semantic differential scale, and raw scores were plotted on line and bar graphs in order to assess the contact skills and contact boundary disturbances in the participating adolescents. Qualitative data were collected through semi–structured interviews with parents and teachers and through therapeutic interventions with adolescents. The data were analysed using the Creswell spiral and the a priori and inductive coding approaches. Three main themes were identified which were contact boundary disturbances, personal emotional factors and behavioural factors. Quantitative and qualitative data results and findings were discussed in context, to the relevant literature. The findings of the data indicated that the bridging technique can be useful in working with adolescents in therapy to overcome contact–making barriers. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

AFRIKAANS: Die primêre doel van my studie was om die onderhandeling van swart identiteit binne ‘n wit skoolkonteks te ondersoek, en die toepaslikheid van emosionele intelligensie in terapeutiese intervensie met ‘n swart adolessent binne ‘n wit skoolkonteks krities te evalueer. Die studie is uitgevoer deur middel van ‘n gevalstudie waar ‘n swart adolessent wat ‘n wit skool bywoon se emosionele intelligensie met behulp van die BarOn EQ-i:YVTM-vraelys gemeet is. Die bevindinge is by die terapiesessies geïntegreer en laasgenoemde is kwalitatief geïnterpreteer. Die studie is gemotiveer deur vorige navorsing wat bevind het dat emosionele intelligensie ‘n belangrike rol in ‘n individu se optimale funksionering speel. Emosionele intelligensie sluit die individu se vermoë in om sy/haar eie emosies te verstaan en uitdrukking daaraan te gee, om ander se emosies te verstaan, om beheer oor emosies uit te oefen, om probleemoplossingsvaardighede in verhoudings te toon en om selfmotiverend te wees. ENGLISH: The primary goal of my study was to investigate the negotiation of black identity within a white school context, and to critically evaluate the application of emotional intelligence as a means of therapeutic intervention to a black adolescent within a white school context. The study was conducted by means of a case study in which the emotional intelligence of a black adolescent attending a white school was measured by the administration of the BarOn EQ-i:YV™. The findings were integrated into the therapy sessions. The study was motivated by previous research results showing that emotional intelligence contributes significantly to the optimal functioning of an individual. Emotional intelligence includes an individual’s ability to understand and express one’s own emotions, to understand the emotions of others, to exercise control over one’s emotions, to apply problem-solving skills in relationships and to be self-motivated. / Dissertation (MEd (Educational Psycholgy))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

Om ’n beroepskeuse te maak of oor ’n (nuwe) beroep te besluit, is op sigself ’n oefening wat geweldige emosionele insig, krag en volwassenheid verg. Indien hierdie belangrike besluit geneem moet word deur ’n adolessent wat boonop hakkel, verg dit soveel me er innerlike sterkte. Vir so ’n jongmens is dit ’n enorme taak om ’n beeld van hom-/haarself in die toekoms te projekteer en besluite rakende ’n beroep en/of loopbaan te neem. Om te hakkel beïnvloed ongetwyfeld ’n adolessent se toekomsvisie en - planne. Benewens die feit dat die siening van die self in die hede aangepas moet word om ruimte te laat vir hakkel as ’n persoonlikheidseienskap en besluite wat dit behels en beïnvloed, moet die betrokke adolessent ook hierdie beeld op so ʼn wyse kan aanpas dat die self suksesvol in die toekoms geprojekteer kan word. Dit is die primêre doelwit van die onderhawige studie om vas te stel watter waarde lewensontwerpberading inhou vir ’n adolessent wat hakkel, en die studie word onderneem teen die agtergrond van beide die sisteemteorie en die sosiale konstruktivisme ten einde die navorser te help om op die ervaring van die deelnemer binne sy unieke konteks te fokus. Die studie is spesifiek gerig op die belewingswêreld van die adolessent wat hakkel. Ten einde die subjektiewe en diverse ervarings van die deelnemer beter te begryp, het ek ondersoek gedoen na die wyse waarop adolessente oor die algemeen (en my deelnemer in die besonder) deur middel van interaksie met ander (en die omgewing) deur die lens van die sosiale konstruktivisme vir hulself betekenis skep. Ek het vanuit ʼn kwalitatiewe paradigma gewerk en ʼn gevalstudie gedoen waar die eenheid van ondersoek ʼn adolessent was wat hakkel. My studie het gefokus op aanpasbaarheid as ’n element van hierdie adolessent se lewensontwerp, maar dan spesifiek ook op die wyse waarop die vier kerndimensies van aanpasbaarheid in sy lewe voltrek, te wete beroepsbelang, beroepsbeheer, beroepsnuuskierigheid en beroepselfvertroue. Ek het oorkoepelend ondersoek ingestel na die waarde van lewensontwerpberading in terme van die betekenisgewing (meaning making) en ‘heelwording’ (becoming more whole) van hierdie deelnemer as ’n persoon wat hakkel. ENGLISH : Making a career choice or deciding about a (new) career/job is an exercise that in itself already requires significant emotional insight, command and maturity. When this important decision is to be made by an adolescent who also stutters, this requires so much more inner strength. For such a youth it is a gigantic task to project an image of him/herself into the future and to make decisions concerning a future job/career. To stutter, unquestionably influences a person’s future vision and plans. Not only does it require an adaptation of the view of the self in the present to make space for this personality trait and the decisions that will influence and concern it, but the adolescent who stutters also will have to adjust this image of the self in order to successfully project the self into the future. It is the primary goal of this study to investigate the value of life design counselling for an adolescent who stutters and it is done against the background of both the systems theory and social constructivism in order to help the researcher to focus on the experience of the participant within his unique context. The study is specifically the world of experience of the adolescent who stutters. In order to better understand the subjective and diverse experiences of the participant, I investigated through the lens of social constructivism the way in which adolescents in general (and my participant in particular) created meaning through interaction with others (and the environment). I worked from a qualitative paradigm and conducted a case study where the unit of investigation was an adolescent who stutters. My study focused on adaptability as an element of this adolescent’s life design, but then specifically on the way that the four core dimensions of adaptability, that is career concern, career control, career curiosity and career confidence, manifest themselves in his life. I conducted an overall investigation into the value that life design counselling holds for the participant as a person who stutters in terms of his making meaning of life and becoming more whole as a person. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted