The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a new intervention method, Technology Assisted Therapy for Separation Anxiety (TTSA), on the psychosocial functioning and quality of life of persons with intellectual and visual disability who experience separation anxiety and exhibit challenging behaviour. A pre-experimental within group design was used with randomised multiple baselines and staggered intervention start points. The data was collected at an institution in the Netherlands that provides long-term care and residence for persons with intellectual disability and visual impairment. Six participants took part in this study. This research was informed by Bowlby‟s attachment theory, which conceptualises the tendency of human beings to forge strong emotional bonds with others and explains how the disturbance of this bond might lead to various forms of emotional distress and personality disturbances. The interplay of separation anxiety and challenging behaviour with respect to the formation of attachment relationships provides the specific theoretical context in which this study is grounded. The results indicate that both the separation anxiety experienced and the challenging behaviour exhibited by the participants decreased significantly after the implementation of TTSA. Their psychosocial functioning and quality of life also increased significantly. This study demonstrates the first successful application of TTSA to treat separation anxiety and challenging behaviour in persons with intellectual and visual disability. TTSA therefore has the potential to be a valid intervention to address these disorders. / MA (Research Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a new intervention method, Technology Assisted Therapy for Separation Anxiety (TTSA), on the psychosocial functioning and quality of life of persons with intellectual and visual disability who experience separation anxiety and exhibit challenging behaviour. A pre-experimental within group design was used with randomised multiple baselines and staggered intervention start points. The data was collected at an institution in the Netherlands that provides long-term care and residence for persons with intellectual disability and visual impairment. Six participants took part in this study. This research was informed by Bowlby‟s attachment theory, which conceptualises the tendency of human beings to forge strong emotional bonds with others and explains how the disturbance of this bond might lead to various forms of emotional distress and personality disturbances. The interplay of separation anxiety and challenging behaviour with respect to the formation of attachment relationships provides the specific theoretical context in which this study is grounded. The results indicate that both the separation anxiety experienced and the challenging behaviour exhibited by the participants decreased significantly after the implementation of TTSA. Their psychosocial functioning and quality of life also increased significantly. This study demonstrates the first successful application of TTSA to treat separation anxiety and challenging behaviour in persons with intellectual and visual disability. TTSA therefore has the potential to be a valid intervention to address these disorders. / MA (Research Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Afrikaans text / Kreatiwiteit is die sentrale tema van hierdie navorsing. Die doel van die navorsing was om die relevansie en waarde van kreatiwiteit in spelterapie met seksueel-misbruikte kinders in die multi-kulturele konteks van Suid-Afrika, te ondersoek en te beskryf. Die navorsing is vanuit „n konstruktivistiese epistemologiese fundering en „n eksistensieel-fenomologiese paradigma gedoen, deur uitgebreide teoretiese en empiriese navorsing. Die teoretiese navorsingproses het eerstens op die holistiese impak van seksuele misbruik op kinders, te midde van hul spesifieke verhoudings- en omgewingskonteks gefokus. Dit het duidelik geword dat seksuele misbruik ernstige trauma by kinders veroorsaak, wat alle modaliteite van die kinders affekteer. Die voorkoms van komplekse posttraumtiese stresversteuring, vanweë langdurige seksuele misbruik, is teoreties beskryf en ook empiries bevestig. „n Sintese van gestalt-, persoonsgesentreerde en logoterapeutiese teorieë, is deur die navorser ontwikkel om die traumatiese nagevolge van die seksuele misbruik kreatief aan te spreek in spelterapie. Die verband tussen en vervlegting van kreatiwiteit en spelterapie is ondersoek en beskryf. Ook die bemagtigende waarde van kreatiwiteit om die kompleksiteit van hierdie kinders se trauma te hanteer is teoreties én empiries nagevors. Die oënskynlik teenstrydige prosesse van kreatiwiteit as „n intuïtiewe, artisitieke, én logiese, kognitiewe proses is ondersoek, om die waarde daarvan vir die navorsingsdoel te bepaal. Die aard en waarde van kreatiewe aktiwiteite en die uitdagings wat gestel word aan die terapeute om kreatief te werk te gaan om die komplekse proses van seksueel-misbruikte kinders aan te spreek, is verder teoreties en empiries nagevors en beskryf. Die noodsaaklikheid van die ondersteunende sisteme vir die kind en terapeut, in belang van „n suksesvolle afloop van terapie, is ook ondersoek, beskryf en beklemtoon.In die empiriese navorsingsproses is veelvuldige gevallestudies, met behulp van vyf deelnemende veldnavorsers gedoen, waar elkeen „n terapeutiese proses gevolg het, volgens riglyne en onder leiding van die navorser, met „n seksueel-misbruikte kind. Die benutting en waarde van kreatiwiteit is ondersoek, beskryf en geëvalueer in die samelopende proses van die navorser met elke deelnemende navorser en kind binne die diverse kulturele konteks in Suid-Afrika. Die teoretiese raamwerk van die navorser en die riglyn vir kreatiewe spelterapie met seksueel-misbruikte kinders is sodoende getoets, verfyn en afgerond as hulpmiddel in die breër Suid-Afrikaanse konteks. Die navorsingsbevinding was dat kreatiwiteit onontbeerlik is in spelterapie met kinders wat seksueel misbruik is in „n multi-kulturele konteks soos Suid-Afrika. / Creativity is the central concept of this research. The goal of the research was to explore the value of creativity in play therapy with sexually abused children in the multi-cultural South-African context. The research was done from a constructivistic epistemological foundation and existential-phenomological paradigms. Extensive theoretical research was supported and substantiated by empirical research. The theoretical research process focused on the holistic impact of sexual abuse on children in and as part of their specific context (field). It became clear that sexual abuse implies severe trauma for the child, and affects all of their modalities, and their functioning in their field. The impact of severe and ongoing sexual abuse on children, as complex post-traumatic stress disorder, was described to clarify their therapeutic needs. A synthesis of gestalt-, person-centred- and logotherapy to address the traumatic after-effects of sexually abused children creatively in play therapy, was developed and described and motivated in the research paper. The concept of creativity was defined and extensively explored an applied in the context of therapy with sexually abused children. Creativity as a cognitive process, a problem solving process, and an artistic process is explored and applied in this context. The value of creative activities, the challenges of being a creative therapist, the supportive role of the supervisor and the systems in society, was explored and described. The empirical research process was done in a participatory way in the form of a multiple case study. Five therapists followed a therapeutic process, according to the guideline, guidance and supervision of the researcher, with a child who had been severely sexually abused. The results from the research confirmed the value and necessity of creativity in dealing with the severe trauma of sexually abused children and bridging gaps in a multi-cultural setting. The theoretical framework of the researcher and a guideline for creative therapy with sexually abused children was tested in the empirical research process, and could be refined and finalised. It was concluded that the use of creativity is crucial in play therapy with sexually abused children in a multi-cultural context, such as South Africa. / Social Work / D. Diac. (Spelterapie)

Afrikaans text / Kreatiwiteit is die sentrale tema van hierdie navorsing. Die doel van die navorsing was om die relevansie en waarde van kreatiwiteit in spelterapie met seksueel-misbruikte kinders in die multi-kulturele konteks van Suid-Afrika, te ondersoek en te beskryf. Die navorsing is vanuit „n konstruktivistiese epistemologiese fundering en „n eksistensieel-fenomologiese paradigma gedoen, deur uitgebreide teoretiese en empiriese navorsing. Die teoretiese navorsingproses het eerstens op die holistiese impak van seksuele misbruik op kinders, te midde van hul spesifieke verhoudings- en omgewingskonteks gefokus. Dit het duidelik geword dat seksuele misbruik ernstige trauma by kinders veroorsaak, wat alle modaliteite van die kinders affekteer. Die voorkoms van komplekse posttraumtiese stresversteuring, vanweë langdurige seksuele misbruik, is teoreties beskryf en ook empiries bevestig. „n Sintese van gestalt-, persoonsgesentreerde en logoterapeutiese teorieë, is deur die navorser ontwikkel om die traumatiese nagevolge van die seksuele misbruik kreatief aan te spreek in spelterapie. Die verband tussen en vervlegting van kreatiwiteit en spelterapie is ondersoek en beskryf. Ook die bemagtigende waarde van kreatiwiteit om die kompleksiteit van hierdie kinders se trauma te hanteer is teoreties én empiries nagevors. Die oënskynlik teenstrydige prosesse van kreatiwiteit as „n intuïtiewe, artisitieke, én logiese, kognitiewe proses is ondersoek, om die waarde daarvan vir die navorsingsdoel te bepaal. Die aard en waarde van kreatiewe aktiwiteite en die uitdagings wat gestel word aan die terapeute om kreatief te werk te gaan om die komplekse proses van seksueel-misbruikte kinders aan te spreek, is verder teoreties en empiries nagevors en beskryf. Die noodsaaklikheid van die ondersteunende sisteme vir die kind en terapeut, in belang van „n suksesvolle afloop van terapie, is ook ondersoek, beskryf en beklemtoon.In die empiriese navorsingsproses is veelvuldige gevallestudies, met behulp van vyf deelnemende veldnavorsers gedoen, waar elkeen „n terapeutiese proses gevolg het, volgens riglyne en onder leiding van die navorser, met „n seksueel-misbruikte kind. Die benutting en waarde van kreatiwiteit is ondersoek, beskryf en geëvalueer in die samelopende proses van die navorser met elke deelnemende navorser en kind binne die diverse kulturele konteks in Suid-Afrika. Die teoretiese raamwerk van die navorser en die riglyn vir kreatiewe spelterapie met seksueel-misbruikte kinders is sodoende getoets, verfyn en afgerond as hulpmiddel in die breër Suid-Afrikaanse konteks. Die navorsingsbevinding was dat kreatiwiteit onontbeerlik is in spelterapie met kinders wat seksueel misbruik is in „n multi-kulturele konteks soos Suid-Afrika. / Creativity is the central concept of this research. The goal of the research was to explore the value of creativity in play therapy with sexually abused children in the multi-cultural South-African context. The research was done from a constructivistic epistemological foundation and existential-phenomological paradigms. Extensive theoretical research was supported and substantiated by empirical research. The theoretical research process focused on the holistic impact of sexual abuse on children in and as part of their specific context (field). It became clear that sexual abuse implies severe trauma for the child, and affects all of their modalities, and their functioning in their field. The impact of severe and ongoing sexual abuse on children, as complex post-traumatic stress disorder, was described to clarify their therapeutic needs. A synthesis of gestalt-, person-centred- and logotherapy to address the traumatic after-effects of sexually abused children creatively in play therapy, was developed and described and motivated in the research paper. The concept of creativity was defined and extensively explored an applied in the context of therapy with sexually abused children. Creativity as a cognitive process, a problem solving process, and an artistic process is explored and applied in this context. The value of creative activities, the challenges of being a creative therapist, the supportive role of the supervisor and the systems in society, was explored and described. The empirical research process was done in a participatory way in the form of a multiple case study. Five therapists followed a therapeutic process, according to the guideline, guidance and supervision of the researcher, with a child who had been severely sexually abused. The results from the research confirmed the value and necessity of creativity in dealing with the severe trauma of sexually abused children and bridging gaps in a multi-cultural setting. The theoretical framework of the researcher and a guideline for creative therapy with sexually abused children was tested in the empirical research process, and could be refined and finalised. It was concluded that the use of creativity is crucial in play therapy with sexually abused children in a multi-cultural context, such as South Africa. / Social Work / D. Diac. (Spelterapie)

Die doel van hierdie studie is om riglyne daar te stel vir die vroeë identifisering van talent wat die totale funksionering en konteks van die leerder in ag neem. ‘n Literatuurstudie is onderneem om die navorsing en teorieë wat met die onderwerp verband hou, te ondersoek. Die denkverskuiwing van intelligensie as een konstruk na ‘n multikonstrukbenadering wat uit onderliggende intellektuele vermoëns voortvloei, is verken. Definisies van begaafdheid en talent wat oor ‘n tydperk onstaan het, is omskryf en die rasionaal vir die gebruik van talent in plaas van begaafdheid is gegee. Die bio-ekologiese teorie van Bronfenbrenner, die positiewe sielkunde en die bate-gebaseerde benadering dien as teoretiese begronding van die studie. Talentontwikkeling en -identifisering is aan die orde gestel deur die liggaamlike, kognitiewe, sosiale, persoonlikheids-, emosionele en morele ontwikkeling van die adolessent te bespreek. Verder is die stand van talentidentifisering in Suid-Afrikaanse skole ondersoek en is aangedui in watter mate dit deur amptelike beleid gerig en ondersteun word. Beginsels wat tydens talentidentifisering in ag geneem moet word asook enkele identifiseringsmodelle wat ‘n bydrae tot die kennis van begaafdheid en talentidentifisering lewer, is bespreek. Verder is ‘n verskeidenheid talente wat uit algemene intellektuele intelligensie ontwikkel, aangedui. Die literatuurstudie het getoon dat daar nie in die huidige Suid-Afrikaanse skoolbeleid direkte riglyne is vir die identifisering van adolessente leerders se talent nie. Die deurlopende klem op akademiese prestasie en die feit dat leerders teen ‘n graadgemiddeld geassesseer word, lei waarskynlik daartoe dat ander metodes van assessering nie altyd in Suid-Afrikaanse klaskamers tot hul reg kom nie. Ten einde ‘n verskeidenheid talent te identifiseer en terselfdertyd ‘n leerder se konteks in ag te neem, is afsonderlike talentskale vir leerders, ouers en onderwysers ontwikkel en toegepas. Riglyne vir die identifisering van adolessente leerders se talent is dus op ‘n nie-formele manier ontwikkel. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie dui daarop dat die talentidentifiseringsproses bewuswording van verskillende talente waaroor leerders beskik, kan bewerkstellig. Dit help leerders om hul selfkennis uit te brei en om ‘n denkverskuiwing van die erkenning van slegs akademiese talent na ‘n verskeidenheid van talentdomeine wat die uniekheid van elke leerder ontgin, te maak. / The purpose of this study was to formulate guidelines for the early identification of talent, taking into consideration the overall functioning and context of the learner. A literature review was done to investigate the research and theories on the topic. The mind shift from intelligence as one construct to a multiconstruct approach arising from underlying intellectual abilities was explored. The definitions of giftedness and talent, which have existing for some time, were presented and the rationale for using talent instead of giftedness was provided. Bronfenbrenner’s bio-ecological theory, positive psychology and the asset-based approach served as theoretical grounding for the study. Talent identification and development were established by discussing the physical, cognitive, social, personality, emotional and moral development of the adolescent. The state of talent identification in South African schools was also investigated, and an indication was given of the extent to which it is guided and supported by official policy. Principles to be considered in identifying talent and a few identification models that contribute to knowledge of giftedness and talent identification were discussed. A variety of talents developing from general intellectual intelligence were also highlighted. The literature review reveals that in the current South African school policy, there are no direct guidelines for identifying the talent of adolescent learners. The constant emphasis on academic performance and the fact that learners are assessed against a grade average probably lead to other methods of assessment not always coming into their own in South African classrooms. To identify a variety of talents and at the same time take into consideration a learner’s context, separate talent scales for learners, parents and educators were developed and applied. Guidelines for identifying the talent of adolescent learners have therefore been developed in a non-formal way. The findings of this study indicate that the talent identification process can lead to awareness of different talents of learners. This helps learners to expand their self-knowledge and to bring about a mind shift from the recognition of only academic talent to a variety of talent domains which reveal the uniqueness of each learner. / Injongo yalolu cwaningo ukwakha imihlahlandlela yokuhlonzwa kwekhono masinya, kubhekwa indlela umfundi ngamunye asebenza ngayo kanye nesimo angaphansi kwaso. Kwabhekwa imibhalo ukuze kuphenywe ngocwaningo nemibono yezinzululwazi ngaphansi kwalesi sihloko. Kwaphenywa ngokusuka endleleni yokubheka inhlakanipho njengendlela okuyiyona yodwa yokwakha kuyiwe ezindleleni ezihlukene kaningi zokwakha ezisukela emakhonweni obuhlakani acashe ngaphansi kwazo. Izincazelo zesiphiwo nekhono, esezibe khona isikhathi eside, zethulwa kwase kunikezwa izincazelo zokuthi kungani kusetshenziswa ikhono kunesiphiwo. Umbono kaBronfenbrenner wobudlelwano phakathi kwezinto eziphilayo kanye nendawo eziphila kuyo, izifundo zezengqondo zemiphumela emihle kanye nendlela yokubheka encike ekubeni nenani kwento konke kusebenza njengengqikithi yombono wenzululwazi yalolu cwaningo. Ukuhlonza kanye nokuthuthukiswa kwekhono kwasungulwa ngokubamba izingxoxo mayelana nokuthuthuka kwabantwana asebengena ezingeni lentsha ngokomzimba, ngokwengqondo, ngokwenhlalo, ngokwendlela yokuziphatha, ngokomoya nangokwesimilo. Isimo sokuhlonza ikhono ezikoleni zaseNingizimu Afrika naso sibhekiwe, kwanikezwa nesilinganiso sokuthi lingakanani izinga lokuholwa nokusingathwa yinqubomgomo esemthethweni. Imigomo okufanele ibhekwe ngesikhathi sokuhlonza ikhono kanye vii nezinye izibonelo ezingasiza olwazini lokuhlonza iziphiwo namakhono nayo yadingidwa. Izinhlobonhlobo zamakhono avela ebuhlakanini obujwayelekile obuhambisana nemicabango nazo zaqhakambiswa. Ucwaningo lwemibhalo luveze ukuthi kwinqubomgomo yamanje yaseNingizimu Afrika, ayikho imihlahlandlela eqondile yokuhlonza amakhono kubafundi asebengena ezingeni lentsha. Ukuqhubeka nokugcizelela ukwenza kahle kwezemfundo kanye nokuthi abafundi bahlolwa ngokwezilinganiso ezivamile zamabanga cishe kuholela kwezinye izindlela zokuhlola ezingafiki kwezifana nezabo emakilasini aseNingizimu Afrika. Ukuhlonza izinhlobonhlobo zamakhono kube futhi kubhekwa isimo somfundi, kwasungulwa futhi kwasetshenziswa izilinganiso ezihlukile zokukala amakhono abafundi, abazali nawothisha. Ngakho-ke, imihlahlandlela yokuhlonza ikhono labafundi asebengena ezingeni lentsha yakhiwe ngendlela engalandeli kakhulu umthetho kanye nokuhleleka. Imiphumela yalolu cwaningo iveza ukuthi inqubo yokuhlonza amakhono ingaholela ekubonakaleni kwamakhono ahlukahlukene abafundi. Lokhu kusiza abafundi ukuba bakwazi ukwandisa ulwazi labo futhi benze kube khona ukucabanga ngokwahlukile ekwamukeleni kuphela ikhono lezemfundo kodwa kwamukelwe namakhono ahlukahlukene aveza ukwahluka komfundi ngamunye. / Department of Educational Psychology / D. Phil. (Educational Psychology)