Text in English / This study aimed at exploring the “lived experiences” and “meanings” of employees who had been diagnosed with work related stress, anxiety, depression and/or burnout, referred to as work dysfunctions. The researcher wished to create an opportunity and safe environment that would allow the participants to have their “voices and stories” told, heard and understood. The researcher adopted social constructionism as an epistemological framework for dialogue with the participants. Five in-depth, semi-structured conversational interviews, using the qualitative research approach and the case study method, were conducted. Participants’ selection was effected through purposive sampling. The thematic content analysis method was used to analyse the data and later align it to the relevant literature. Thematically analysed content was reconstructed into individual participants’ stories. The conversational and relational process with the researcher also generated new meanings and insights beneficial for the participants. The rich and in-depth information around their unique experiences and realities contributed towards a better understanding of work dysfunctions and also towards the improvement of the well-being interventions. It is also argued that additional insights from the study would add value to the organisational incapacity management process of employees with work dysfunctions. / Psychology / Ph. D. (Consulting Psychology)

This qualitative study aimed to explore and describe the experiences of women living with HIV and Aids in Centurion, Gauteng Province. The study was conducted at Lyttleton clinic and 12 women living with HIV and Aids were selected for the study using a non-probability, purposive sampling technique. In-depth, individual semi-structured interviews were used during data collection. A thematic content approach in data analysis yielded the following main themes: experience of being diagnosed HIV positive, disclosure of an HIV positive status, physical signs and symptoms of HIV and Aids, stigma/ emotional stress well experiences in services rendered. The study highlighted the need for a well-established health system, assisting women living with HIV and Aids on how to cope and to raise awareness on HIV and Aids. / Health Studies / M. A. (Public Health)

From the literature we learn that existing educational frameworks that inform law and policy- making on the education of disabled children deal extensively with the curricular and educational concerns of disabled children. Yet, these frameworks leave out the pivotal issue of children‟s human right to education. The rights-based frameworks address human rights issues in a grand fashion, but give scanty educational guidelines on the actual education of disabled children, rendering hollow the human rights credo they espouse. South Africa has been one of a few countries which made attempts at addressing both the human rights concerns facing learners with disabilities and their curricular and pedagogic needs. The country embarked upon extensive efforts of legislative and policy formulation that are, in some respects, unparalleled in the world. Hence, this country is a potential storehouse of good practices on the education of children with disabilities with the potential to inform the re-formulation of existing African and global frameworks on the right to education of disabled children. Furthermore, the impressive novelty contained in South African education laws and policies notwithstanding, there are a number of issues which should be addressed in the country‟s education environment, including how the laws and policies are implemented. It is to be acknowledged that laws and policies are only as good as their implementation. Mindful of the above situation prevailing at the global level and the national (South African) level, this study offers a framework that marries the right to education of children with disabilities with educational theory on and practice in regard to the education of disabled children. The framework is constructed on the basis of current international literature on both disability and education and related South African law and policy instruments. In terms of its methodology, the study employed a generic or non-categorical qualitative design, also called methodological bricolage. Under this overall design, two principal modes of inquiry were applied, namely the enlightenment mode to policy analysis and critical law and policy discourse analysis. Theoretically, the study is anchored in the human rights variant of the Social Model of Disability, Critical Theory and Post-structural paradigms. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

Socialarbetare verkar i en arbetsmiljö där de regelbundet utsätts för andra människors trauma och lidande. Det är svårt för den professionella att förbli oberörd i mötet med andras lidande och en specifik efterföljd av detta benämns som sekundärt trauma. Sekundär traumatisering är ett relativt okänt begrepp i Sverige men som kommit att bli allt mer uppmärksammat de senaste tio åren. Denna studie syftar till att undersöka hur begreppet sekundär traumatisering konstrueras i populärvetenskaplig litteratur. Studien har genom en tematisk innehållsanalys av text analyserat två populärvetenskapliga böcker och hur de bidrar till att konstruera begreppet sekundärt trauma. För att genomföra analysen har socialkonstruktivismen använts som teoretiskt ramverk. Studiens resultat visar på att sekundärt trauma konstrueras som ett vagt definierat begrepp och behöver ett samlat angreppssätt för att möjliggöra vidare forskning. Vidare visar resultatet på att sekundärt trauma konstrueras som ett problem inom socialt arbete vilket behöver tas på allvar och uppmärksammas. / Social workers act in a working environment where they regularly get exposed to other peoples trauma and suffering. It's hard for the professional to stay unaffected to others suffering and a specific follow to this is called secondary trauma. Secondary trauma is a relatively unknown concept in Sweden but has been increasingly paid attention to in the last ten years. This study aims to examine how the concept of secondary trauma is constructed in popular science litteratur. This study has through a thematic content analysis of text analyzed two popular science literature books and how they contribute to the construction of the concept of secondary trauma. To implement the analysis the social constructivism has been used as a theoretical framework. The result of the study shows that the construction of secondary trauma is still a weekley defined concept that needs a collected approach to enable further research. Furthermore the result shows that secondary trauma is constructed as a  problem within social work that needs to be taken seriously.

The prevalence of divorce within society is reflected in the rising divorce rate worldwide. Consequently, divorce has become more accepted, although adolescents from divorced families are considered at risk for maladjustment. The aim of this study is to give a voice to adolescents who have experienced their parents' divorce and to highlight their resilience despite the challenges they faced. The epistemological framework is social constructionism. In-depth interviews with two adolescents who have experienced the divorce of their parents were undertaken. The method of analysis used was `Thematic content analysis'. The participants' stories were recounted through the lens of the researcher in the form of themes. Recurring themes in these stories were elucidated and linked with the literature. This study allowed rich and detailed descriptions about adolescents' experiences to emerge, which the researcher hopes will broaden the therapeutic understanding of the complexities of divorce for the adolescents who survive it. / Psychology / MA (Clinical Psychology)

This study was aimed at giving a voice to two people, constructed as anxious. The epistemological framework is social constructionism. Two in-depth interviews with individuals who constructed themselves, or accepted the constructions of others of themselves as anxious, were done. The 'case study approach' was chosen as most suitable method to gain access to the information. 'Thematic content analysis' was the method of analysis. The life stories of participants were reconstructed in terms of themes. Recurring themes in these life stories were elucidated and linked with the literature. This study allowed valuable and rich information about the life stories of two anxious people to emerge. Amongst the identified themes, 'sensitivity' and the need for 'authenticity' were identified as particularly important areas for clinical practice and future research. Lay people wishing to gain a better understanding of either their own or their loved one's anxiety could also benefit from this study. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

This study aimed at exploring the impact of early traumatic experiences on bariatric patients with the intent to give "voice" to their experiences. The impact of morbid obesity and the lack of quality of life among those suffering from this form of chronic illness can be devastating. Meaningful support systems and bariatric surgery are therefore considered as forced behavioural interventions to remediate the impact of childhood trauma and subsequent development of morbid obesity among this group of bariatric patients. Through a process of social constructivism and dialogue between the researcher and the five participants, the co-construction according to themes was supported by a qualitative research approach and the case study method. For the analysis of the themes according to the participants' "voices", the thematic content analysis method was used to analyse the data and was finally linked to supportive literature. It is hoped that the results from this study will contribute to the development of a unique assessment and support programme to those who have to endure the burden of morbid obesity associated with early childhood trauma; and that the process prior to and post bariatric surgery will be an important contribution to finding quality of life and giving new meaning to patients after suffering through their bodies and traumatised minds. / Psychology / D.Litt. et. Phil (Psychology)

The topic of cleft lip and/or palate is widely researched in literature. However no research to date has focused on mothers' experiences raising twins when one twin is born with a cleft lip and/or palate. This qualitative study aims to explore the unigue experiences of these mothers. The epistemological foundations of this study are postmodern, social constructionist and systemic. In accordance with a gualitative methodology data was collected in the form of the participants' personal written stories. This was done from a post-modern paradigm, from a systemic perspective. Themes that were extracted from the stories according to thematic content analysis, not only reflect the experiences of mothers raising twins when one twin is born with a cleft lip and/or palate, they also provide an in-depth understanding of these mothers' experiences and unique situations. Recommendations for future research are offered. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

This study was aimed at giving a voice to two people, constructed as anxious. The epistemological framework is social constructionism. Two in-depth interviews with individuals who constructed themselves, or accepted the constructions of others of themselves as anxious, were done. The 'case study approach' was chosen as most suitable method to gain access to the information. 'Thematic content analysis' was the method of analysis. The life stories of participants were reconstructed in terms of themes. Recurring themes in these life stories were elucidated and linked with the literature. This study allowed valuable and rich information about the life stories of two anxious people to emerge. Amongst the identified themes, 'sensitivity' and the need for 'authenticity' were identified as particularly important areas for clinical practice and future research. Lay people wishing to gain a better understanding of either their own or their loved one's anxiety could also benefit from this study. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

This study aimed at exploring the impact of early traumatic experiences on bariatric patients with the intent to give "voice" to their experiences. The impact of morbid obesity and the lack of quality of life among those suffering from this form of chronic illness can be devastating. Meaningful support systems and bariatric surgery are therefore considered as forced behavioural interventions to remediate the impact of childhood trauma and subsequent development of morbid obesity among this group of bariatric patients. Through a process of social constructivism and dialogue between the researcher and the five participants, the co-construction according to themes was supported by a qualitative research approach and the case study method. For the analysis of the themes according to the participants' "voices", the thematic content analysis method was used to analyse the data and was finally linked to supportive literature. It is hoped that the results from this study will contribute to the development of a unique assessment and support programme to those who have to endure the burden of morbid obesity associated with early childhood trauma; and that the process prior to and post bariatric surgery will be an important contribution to finding quality of life and giving new meaning to patients after suffering through their bodies and traumatised minds. / Psychology / D.Litt. et. Phil (Psychology)