D.Litt. et Phil. (Psychology) / Assertiveness, a specific social skill is traced back to its roots in Salter's 1949 Pavlovian model. The impression is gained that the growing interest in assertiveness may be a reaction to the post-Sputnik era of increasing violence and acts of terrorism. In South Africa assertiveness training has particular relevance, as a state of emergency was -declared by the State President in the middle of 1985. It is fitting that assertiveness training be done with black adolescents as in the African communities there is concern about the estrangement of parents and their children which has contributed to the school unrest that has had such wide repercussions. An empirical study of 32 matched pairs of black South African pupils in their 11th year of schooling was undertaken in 1985 following a pilot study in 1984. The experimental groups were given assertiveness training while the control groups were engaged in other activities. The hypotheses examined were that if aggressive and submissive South African black adolescents were exposed to assertiveness training their levels of aggression and submission would be reduced, assertiveness would be increased, anxiety would be reduced and self-esteem enhanced. Evidence is adduced to indicate partial support for the hypotheses and this is discussed.

Magister Psychologiae - MPsych / The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between life stress, emotional adjustment and family relationships in early adolescents from low-income urban areas. A non-experimental, survey research design was adopted for this study. The sample consisted of 119 early adolescents, aged between 12 and 14 years, from 3 low-income neighbourhoods on the Cape Flats. / South Africa

School guidance aims to meet the social/personality, educational and vocational needs of pupils, and the curriculum, organised and drawn up by the relevant State education departments, attempts to address these needs. This investigation set out to discover the guidance needs of pupils specifically in the social/personality area, and further, to state these needs in such a way as to allow the logical development of guidance programmes. Group and individual interviews were conducted using a sample of 72 high school pupils, selected from standards six to eight. The results show clearly the areas in which the pupils perceive their needs to lie. It is also apparent that further research in this area is strongly indicated.

The central problem guiding this research focuses on the nature of Siyabuswa adolescent learners' future perspective. An in-depth literature study pertaining research methodology was undertaken. Qualitative research methodology was applied to gather information. A situation analysis was conducted in order to scrutinize the orientation of learners towards education and to determine the nature and impact of parental involvement, on the future perspective of their adolescent learners. A pilot study was executed and data gathered for this study were analysed and interpreted. The results served as indicators for the compiling of questionnaires for the unstructured interviews with parents and adolescents. The empirical study indicated various factors that impact negatively on the future perspective of the Siyabuswa adolescent learners. Learners were negatively affected by the following: <ul><li> Surrogate parenting. </li><li> Educational level of parents. </li><li> Learning culture. </li><li> Personal circumstances of parents. </li><li> Teachers' attitude in the Siyabuswa area. </li><li>The impact of the country's state of affairs. <br></li></ul> Two main questions of the study were answered as follows: The nature of the future perspective of the adolescent learners in the Siyabuswa area reflected: <ul><li> a negative attitude towards school tasks, </li><li>a negative attitude towards authority, </li><li> a negative attitude towards the "self",</li><li> failure to comply to academic demands, </li><li>poor school attendance, </li><li> non participation in school-related co-curriculum activities, and </li><li>lack of self-responsibility. <br></li></ul> The nature and extent of parental involvement in the development of the adolescent learners' future perspective indicated that: <ul><li> parents do not set examples by reading for pleasure, </li><li> limited provision of extra learning material is made available at home, </li><li> limited goal setting for the year is done with the child, </li><li> parents lack interest in their children's school work and school related activities, </li><li> limited motivation and encouragement is provided, and </li><li>limited authoritative guidance and control is offered. <br></li></ul> / Dissertation (MEd (Orthopedagogics))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

D.Ed. / According to Victor Frankl each person determines his own destiny by making choices and each individual is responsible for his own self-actualization (Frankl, 1975:101 ). Individuals should therefore be made aware of their own potential and what they should be able to accomplish (Frankl, 1975:95). Goleman stated that not all people will develop or reach their full potential and not all people are emotionally literate. He stated that programmes in emotional development should be presented in order for individuals to become more self-aware, more motivated, less impulsive and to understand others and themselves better (Goleman, 1996:284). Learners should also take note of their values, perceptions, attitudes, temperaments and personalities so that they can develop. Adolescents are neither children nor grown-ups and are in search of their own identities. They should be accompanied by grown-ups to develop their full potential (Garbers, 1983:3). According to Louw (1990:424) adolescents are sensitive to problems, missing elements and disharmony and it is therefore the appropriate time to use developmental programs. In this research project the researcher used a focus group as case study. Eleven adolescents between the ages of ten and fourteen, participated. The program was divided into three main categories, namely intra-personal functioning; interpersonal functioning and change. Under the first part, intra-personal funct;oning, the themes: self-knowledge, self-acceptance, internal dialogue and realistic expectations were discussed. Under the second part, interpersonal functioning, the themes that were discussed were: empathy, trust, respect, understanding, consideration, helpfulness, conflict, self-assertiveness and leadership. The last part dealt with change and life-long self-actualization. Ten sessions of ninety minutes each were held and constructivistic principles were taken into account. A variety of learning activities occurred and selfreflection was done. After the completion of the program, learners were interviewed and learning outcomes were discussed with parents. The research methodology used by the researcher comprised qualitative, explorative and phenomenological descriptive methodology within an educational context. Evaluation was based on learners' workbooks, selfreflection forms, field notes, group participation and posters. According to the evaluated data that was received, the program in affective development for adolescents was successful. A new conceptual framework was developed to facilitate affective development of adolescents.

M.A. (Clinical Psychology) / This research was undertaken as a result of the researcher dealing with bright children who were not achieving in school. Many of these children seemed to be depressed and lacking in motivation, and the researcher was unable to find recent information directly related to these psychological variables and underachievement. A sample of children were selected from a group of children who had approached the researcher and a colleague for career guidance. Very few of the parents of the children in the sample approached were willing to allow their children to participate in this study, and as a result the study only comprises a small number of subjects. The subjects who did participate in the intervention completed questionnaires related to their motivation levels and their feelings of hopelessness and depression, as these traits were 'considered important in assessing why these children were not succeeding academically. The children then each spent an hour a week for six weeks with the researcher, discussing why they were not achieving at school. These meetings took place for six weeks. The results of this study indicate that the intervention did change some of the levels of motivation, hopelessness and depression for some of the children.

No description available.

Family social environment -- Late adolescent females -- Psychological Separation Inventory -- Family Environmental Scale -- Cohesion and expressiveness -- Conflictual independence.

No description available.

This study was an examination of an intervention called the baby think it over doll in a small sample of teenagers. The study attempted to ascertain the impact of the doll on attitudes and beliefs surrounding early parenthood and a teen's future hopes.