Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) is at the core of HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment and care programmes. Timely access to treatment and related services requires knowledge of one‟s HIV status. Adolescents are at the epicentre of the HIV and AIDS pandemic. This study investigated the factors that influence adolescents‟ decisions to actively seek VCT. Semi-structured, in-depth individual interviews were conducted with twelve adolescents aged 15 to 19 who were conveniently selected to participate in the study. The study found that adolescents have extensive knowledge regarding the benefits of VCT and acknowledge the need to test for HIV. However, fear of the consequences of testing positive for HIV such as stigmatisation by family and the community, inability to influence their partners to take an HIV test and the inability to make their own decisions and follow through on them still hinder their maximum uptake of VCT. / Sociology / M.A. (Social Behaviour Studies in HIV/AIDS

Understanding the sexual behaviour patterns that can place the adolescent at risk for the development of sexually transmitted diseases is crucial in the HIV I AIDS epidemic era. An explorative descriptive survey was conducted among adolescents in the age group 14 to 19 years attending sexually transmitted disease services in the Vaal Region clinics. The purpose of the study was to explore the sexual behaviours of the adolescents and the impact the life style health education programme had on their sexual practices. Of the 89 respondents who attended the sexually transmitted disease clinic more than half were found to be engaging in sexual intercourse on a weekly basis. The study further revealed that the adolescents lacked in-depth information on sex and sexuality and expressed the need for change in the implementation of the adolescent life style health education programme. / Health Studies / M.A. (Nursing Science)

High school students need to be equipped with the competencies that may enable them to adapt to the increasing demands of learning in the school and beyond. To this end, the main research question of this study was, namely How can the self-regulated learning of adolescents be developed at high school? The aim of the study was to design, implement and evaluate a study skills programme for high school students. The social-cognitive theory, in particular the self-regulated Learning (SRL) theory, was used as the conceptual framework on which this study was based. An explanatory, sequential, mixed-methods research design was implemented. Purposeful sampling was used to select the participants in the three phases of the research project. Two classes of Grade 10-students (an experimental and a comparison group) from one school participated in the study, as follows: (i) in the first quantitative phase both classes wrote a pre-test, using the Learning and Strategies Inventory - High School Version (LASSI-HS); (ii) this was followed by a qualitative phase over 10 weeks. During this time a programme was implemented with the experimental group, once per week for 30 minutes (during school hours), and a 30 minute session in the afternoons. Individual work was also done with eight students, who were purposefully sampled. Between one and four sessions were held with each of the eight students. During the 10 weeks data were collected continuously by means of individual interviews with the eight students, as well as from their journals. In addition, the researcher collected data by means of field-notes. (iii) After the 10 weeks, the final quantitative phase involved both the experimental and the comparison groups in the writing of a post-test. The results indicated that the programme to enhance the students’ goal-setting, self-monitoring and self-evaluation strategies was successful. The students also indicated an improvement in their attitudes, motivation, information-processing, and in selecting the main ideas in their study material. However, shortcomings were noted in certain areas. Based on the literature and the empirical findings of the study, an improved programme for the development of the adolescents’ SRL in high school was designed. The programme recommended the early commencement of the programme, and that the two problem areas that were identified, namely time-management and motivational strategies be emphasised. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

The social and economic environments in which children develop are regarded as important variables which relate to academic performance. In order to support learners in achieving academically, an understanding of the role of these different variables is essential. The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of additional educational support on the resilient behaviour and subsequent academic performance of adolescents in Grades 9 and 10. A sample of 117 high school adolescents was used. Schools that offer additional educational support tend, on average, to show a healthier teacher-learner relationship, more parental involvement, superior cognitive development and better study orientation. All these factors were also found to contribute to a learner’s potential to demonstrate resilient behaviour. Based on the literature study and the empirical investigation, recommendations to parents, teachers and schools have been made. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

Aims: The study was aimed at exploring adolescents‟ level of knowledge of HIV/AIDS and the influence this knowledge has on their sexual behaviour. Methods: In total, 20 in- depth interviews were conducted from a group of 20 (both males and females) secondary school learners. The interviews were audio taped with consent from participants. Results: The results of the study showed that participants possess basic knowledge of HIV/AIDS, including methods of prevention and transmission. No serious misconceptions about modes of transmission of HIV were found in this study. Although, participants reported condom use, no sexual intercourse with multiple concurrent partners and no intergenerational sexual relationships, the findings revealed some risk factors such as early sexual debuts, early dating, multiple sexual partnerships. Conclusions: The aforesaid sexual behaviours and the sexual activeness among learners is a cause for angst. Thus, these findings highlighted the need for a comprehensive approach to sexual reproductive health education by all interested parties in order to enhance and sustain behaviour change among young people. / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

This study examines the relationship between adolescent depressive symptomology and substance abuse. From a literature study six hypotheses were developed. A quantitative empirical study, undertaken in a South African high school, investigated the level of adolescent depressive symptomology and substance abuse, as well as the relationship between the two. The influence of various moderator variables was also examined. In line with most international studies, the relationship between adolescent depressive symptomology and substance abuse was found to be significant. This research has shown that adolescent depressive symptomology is significantly and positively correlated with earlier age of onset of substance abuse as well as frequency of usage. There appear to be gender differences in the way adolescents deal with their depression in terms of substance abuse. In addition, risk factors for depression and substance abuse were confirmed. Recommendations have been made based on these results. / Psychology of Education / M.Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

The abuse of and addiction to substances by parents of adolescents, especially in rural areas, is recognised as a major national and international social concern. South African legislation and policy documents provide a framework that emphasises the need to protect and care for children of addicted parents. Literature and recent studies, however, do not focus on how adolescents in rural communities experience dealing with an addicted parent. For this reason, this research study explored and described the experiences and coping strategies of adolescents in rural communities regarding the parents’ addiction. The study was based on a qualitative research approach and made use of the contextual, explorative, descriptive and narrative research designs. The findings illustrate the descriptions of participants’ perceptions and experiences related to living in a farming community, the nature of parental substance addiction, how it affects them, how they deal with it and their perceptions of support needed by them. Recommendations in terms of the micro, mezzo and macro levels serves as guidelines for social workers to assist adolescents of substance-addicted parents with the needed support, protection and care. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Work)

The study focuses on the emotional experiences of parental bereavement of African adolescents who live in a rural environment. Findings revealed that the loss of a parent is very devastating for African adolescents. The adolescents received inadequate assistance from family, peers, community members or educators. It is essential after this study to uncover ways in which these adolescents could be assisted to cope with the loss of a parent who had been providing love, care, financial and material support, as well as safety and security. To gather data the researcher drew meaning from eight participants’ lived experiences from transcriptions of interviews with the participants. The participants, seven girls and one boy, were adolescents between the ages of twelve and fifteen years, who had lost their fathers. This study recommended that educators be equipped to take a major role in dealing with children in bereavement, since there are no educational psychologists or other professionals based in the school or neighbourhood. The community needs to be made aware of the plight of bereaved adolescents and should be introduced into giving positive and constructive assistance to these young people. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Specialisation in Guidance and Counselling)

Aggression in South African schools is a matter of great concern. A review of the existing literature indicated that physical exercises contribute to people’s well-being. This study thus investigated to what extent physical exercises could be used to address the aggression of students in a secondary school. An empirical investigation was done by means of a mixed methods case study design. A purposive sample of 25 students was chosen from students in grades 9 to 11. The students completed an adapted Buss-Perry questionnaire on aggression to determine their levels of aggression. Thereafter they embarked on a 10 week physical exercise programme (30 sessions of 40 minutes each), before completing the same questionnaire. The results indicated that the programme alleviated their feelings of aggression, especially in the boys. Qualitative interviews with 10 of the participants who benefitted most from the exercises indicated how they experienced the programme. Recommendations were made for similar programmes and for future research. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

This mixed methods research design, which was modelled on the constructivist view of schooling, sets out to investigate the effect of developing mathematical problem solving skills of grade 8 learners on their performance and achievement in mathematics. To develop the mathematical problem solving skills of the experimental group, a problem-centred teaching and learning environment was created in which problem posing and solving were the key didactic mathematical activity. The effect of the intervention programme on the experimental group was compared with the control group by assessing learners’ problem solving processes, mathematical problem solving skills, reasoning and cognitive processes, performance and achievement in mathematics. Data were obtained through questionnaires, a mathematical problem solving skills inventory, direct participant observation and questioning, semi-structured interviews, learner journals, mathematical tasks, written work, pre- and post- multiple-choice and word-problem tests. Data analysis was largely done through descriptive analysis and the findings assisted the researcher to make recommendations and suggest areas that could require possible further research. / Mathematics Education / M. Ed. (Mathematical Education)