Social Science / M.A.(Social Science: Mental Health)

Social Science / M.A.(Social Science: Mental Health)

Text in Afrikaans / Preaching is the proclamation of God's Word. This proclamation has an aim - the listeners of the Word. There was a dynamic change in the study field of the homilectics in the sense of a shifting from an one-sided kerugmatic approach to a dialogical approach. According to this approach the preacher no longer preaches without studying the recipients of the message. This model puts the emphasis on the preacher trying his utmost to get to know the contexts of his listeners. In the case of this thesis the contexts of the youth have been studied through the empirical research. During 1991 Prof. J.A. van den Ven and Prof H.J.C. Pieterse expected that there would be new problems awaiting the church in the new dispensation. They believed that, with the change in state and politics, the religious and moral values of the youth would be under pressure. Because, from now on, our children would be in the centre of values regarding ethnically and culturally integrated schools, they decided to launch a scientific study to determine whether their expectations were justified or not. In October 1991 they became partners in a project called: "Moral and Religious Values of the Youth of South Africa". The empirical study is a longitudinal study with a first data collection in 1995/1996, a second in 2000 and a third in 2005. The first collection of data was incorporated into this thesis. When preaching to the youth it is of utmost importance to take listeners (the youth) as strating point in the exegetical work, without neglecting the Biblical text. Practically speaking it is then necessary to pay attention to the following topics: (1) For the understanding and formulating of the message of the Scripture, modern critical hermeneutics are of the greatest importance. (2) A new practical theory for preaching to the youth is essential. In such a theory the following are important: generational differentiation, visual presentations, musical identification and relationship based preaching. (3) The dialogical communication theory is also of great importance and has dialogue before, during and after the preaching in mind. (4) The researcher proposes that the communication theory of Habermas should be dealt with as a means to help dispose of any generational conflict. / Practical Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology)

During the researcher's work with looked after children for the past four years, it became clear that adolescent placements were much more likely to break down than others. Although there is some literature about foster placement breakdowns, the researcher did not really get an answer as to the causes of adolescent placement breakdowns. This study therefore explores causal factors of adolescent placement breakdowns as seen by foster carers, adolescents and professionals. It is evident from this study that there are no easy answers. Although the adolescent, as much as any other child, craves to belong, to be listened to and be respected, it seems that it is not always possible for foster carers to put this into practice, given the challenging behaviour that adolescents often display. Recommendations are based on relevant literature and the empirical study, in the hope that it might be useful to those with an interest in this field. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Play Therapy)

Text in German / In dieser Forschungsarbeit wird die Führung von Mitarbeitern, die eine Burnout-Entwicklung erlebten, empirisch-theologisch untersucht, um herauszufinden, ob und welche Führungsprinzipien und -maßnahmen dazu dienen, eine Burnout-Entwicklung zu verhindern oder aufzuhalten. Als Grundlagen werden der Forschungsstand zu Burnout und burnoutpräventivem Führungsverhalten dargestellt und eine biblisch-theologische Betrachtung vorgenommen. Als Schwerpunkt wurden Führungskräfte christlicher Non-Profit-Organisationen interviewt, die dem Ring Missionarischer Jugendbewegungen angehören. Dem Forschungsansatz lagen vier Hypothesen zugrunde, die überprüft werden sollten. Das Ziel der Arbeit ist es, auf Grundlage der Ergebnisse, Führungskräfte in ihrer Personalführungsaufgabe mit dem Schwerpunkt Burnout-Prävention durch Empfehlungen zu unterstützen. Die qualitative Studie will einen Beitrag dazu leisten, dass dem Belastungszustand Burnout seitens der Führungskräfte fachlich kompetente Aufmerksamkeit zukommt und eine burnoutpräventive Führungsarbeit entwickelt wird. / This research investigates aspects of leading employees who have experienced burn-out. The aims of this theoretical and empirical research are to determine whether there are leadership styles that can prevent or stop burn-out and to establish principles to accomplish this. An overview of research to date concerning burnout and preventative measures of leaders is taken as point of departure, also reflecting biblical and theological aspects of these topics. The main research focus is on interviews with leaders from non-profit-organisations that belong to the Ring Missionarischer Jugendbewegungen (a German umbrella organisation for youth mission organisations). Four hypotheses are examined. Based on the results, the research aims to offer support to leaders who have human resource responsibilities and who wish to prevent burnout in their staff. This qualitative study also aims to create appropriate and professional awareness of the topic of burnout and its prevention by leaders and to serve as a basis for the development of a burnout-preventative leadership model. / Systematic Theology & Theological Ethics / M. Th. (Theological Ethics)

Text in Afrikaans / Die eng definiering van kerkmusiek staan tans in die spervuur vanwee: 1. Ingrypende wendinge binne die praktiese teologie in die afgelope paar dekades, wat pleit om 'n hernieude ondersoek binne die handelingsveld van viering (waaronder himnologie); 2. 'n Verskuiwing in wereldbeskouing weg van modernisme na postmodernisme; 3. Die geboorte van 'n totaal nuwe geslag adolessente, bekend as die 'Verlore Generasie' of 'Generasie X' . Kerkmusiek, in die engere sin, soos dit steeds grootliks verstaan word, hou nie genoegsaam met hierdie tendense rekening nie. Vandaar verloor kerkmusiek sy impak en inspraak in die leefwereld van die hedendaagse tiener. Dit veroorsaak gevolglik 'n groterwordende kloof tussen adolessente en die erediens, gemeente en kerk. In hierdie studie word gepoog om genoegsaam op bostaande tendense ag te slaan, sodat 'n breer def iniering van kerkmusiek tot stand mag kom, wat ruimte vir grater verskeidenheid en aktualiteit tot gevolg sal he, en die spanning random kerkmusiek en die tiener kan probeer ontlont. / The narrow defining of church music today experiences a critical assault on account of: 1. Drastic turns within the development of Practical theology in the past few decades, which ask for a renewed investigation within the field of himnology; 2. a Shift in worldview away from modernism to post-modernism; 3. The birth of a total new generation of adolescents, known as the 'Lost Generation' or 'Generation X' . Church music in the narrow sense, as it is still understood to a great extent, does not take these tendencys serious enough. For this reason it's impact and influence in the life of today's teenagers declines. With this study a thorough acknowledgement of these shifts is attempted, which will result in a much broader defining of church music, and in turn will bring forth a scope for more variety and actuality, so that hopefully the growing gap between teenagers and church music can be bridged. / Practical Theology / M.Diac. (Jeugwerk)

Social Work / D.Phil. (Social Work)

In dieser Forschungsarbeit werden Lebensgemeinschaften (LGs) untersucht, die als Lebensgemeinschaft Jugendarbeit betreiben. Ziel dieser Untersuchung ist es, Chancen und Grenzen dieser LG Jugendarbeit aufzuzeigen, missionale Jugendarbeit zu sein, um sie für die klassische Jugendarbeit fruchtbar zu machen. Hierfür werden anhand des aktuellen Forschungsstands zunächst entscheidende Begrifflichkeiten je nach Fachgebiet theologisch oder pädagogisch beleuchtet. Danach werden die zu untersuchenden LGs und deren Arbeit konzeptionell vorgestellt. Anschließend erfolgt die Darstellung der Planung und Durchführung des Forschungsprozesses anhand des empirisch-theologischen Praxiszyklus (ETP). Dem folgend werden die Ergebnisse der auf neun qualitativen Interviews basierenden Analyse nach dem Prinzip der Grounded Theory dargestellt. Diese Ergebnisse werden anschließend mit den theologischen und pädagogischen Erkenntnissen der aktuellen Forschung zum Thema zusammengeführt, um Thesen für eine missionale Jugendarbeit zu formulieren. Diese Thesen sollen einen Beitrag zur missionalen Diskussion im besonderen Hinblick auf gesellschaftsrelevante Jugendarbeit leisten. / This research study examines Christian communities which are, as community, involved in youth ministry. It is the objective of this investigation to reveal the potential and limits of these youth ministries as they attempt to be missional, and to utilise the results to make more traditional forms of youth ministry more effective. For this purpose, essential terms will first be theologically or pedagogically analysed, depending on the subject area examined and according to the current state of research. Then, the studied communities and their ministry will be conceptually presented. Subsequently, the planning and implementation of the research process, according to the Empirical-Theological Praxis Cycle (ETP), will be described. Following this, the results of the analysis, based on nine qualitative interviews conducted according to the principles of Grounded Theory, will be portrayed. These results will then be brought together with the theological and pedagogical insights of current research on the topic, in order to produce propositions for a missional youth ministry. These propositions aims to offer a contribution to the missional debate with particular reference to socially relevant forms of youth ministry. / Christian Spirituality, Church History & Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

In dieser Forschungsarbeit wurde die Auswirkung von christlicher Freizeitarbeit auf die Glaubensgenese von Jugendlichen erforscht. Die Umsetzung erfolgte mithilfe einer empirisch-theologischen Untersuchung am Beispiel eines SOLAs. Es wurden qualitative Interviews mit Jugendlichen durchgefuhrt, die uber die SOLA-Arbeit eine Glaubensgenese erlebt haben. Die erhobenen Daten wurden mit der Grounded-Theory-Methodik nach Breuer (2009) ausgewertet und mit den Theorien zur Glaubensgenese von Engel (1989), Grom (1992) und Zulehner (2008) in Beziehung gesetzt. Die Ergebnisse wurden auf die einzelnen Elemente angewendet, die bei der Gestaltung einer Freizeit zur Verfugung stehen. Damit ist eine Hilfestellung entstanden, die Veranstaltern von Freizeiten eine Orientierung geben kann, auf welche Elemente einer Freizeit besonders zu achten ist, wenn eine Glaubensgenese erwunscht ist. / This research paper analyzes the impact Christian recreational activities have on the emergence of young people’s faith. Using the example of SOLA, the analysis is based on empiric-theological research. Young people, whose faith has emerged through SOLA were interviewed qualitatively. The data retrieved was analyzed using the grounded theory method by Breuer (2009) and put into relation to the theories of Engel (1989), Grom (1992) and Zulehner (2008) about how faith emerges. Furthermore, these results were applied to the individual elements available through the organization of camps. The outcomes the author has established are of assistance to all parties involved in the organization of christian recreational activities, who want to improve their programs toward impacting the emergence of faith in their participants. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

The aim of the study was to investigate the role of the life skills training programme in instilling resilience to HIV infection among teen mothers. The study targeted teenage mothers who took part in a life skills training programme in a rural area of Lesotho between 2009 and 2014. The objectives of the study were to; understand what teen mothers have learnt by participating in the project; understand how useful the knowledge was in helping them to cope with HIV and AIDS; understand whether the teen mothers are still using the skills they have been taught to cope with HIV and AIDS, and to understand how the participation in the project benefited them. The research design of the study was quantitative research. A census survey was used to collect data among research participants. The study employed the Health Belief Model, self-efficacy, and resilience theories to explore levels of resilience among teen mothers. The findings show that the teen mothers’ resilience to HIV and AIDS was enhanced by the life skills training. It also shows that the information raised teen mothers’ levels of awareness of health risks and mitigating actions (life skills). This in turn improved their confidence and competency to implement positive behaviour change. It has also emerged from the study that there is continued use of the acquired knowledge and skills by the teen mothers after the project. The findings also provide evidence of the value of conducting follow up studies on intervention programmes. The study recommends life skills programme be an inseparable part of HIV and AIDS awareness, especially among teenagers. Such intervention should ideally form part of the school curriculum. / Sociology / M.A. (Social Behavior Studies in HIV and AIDS)