The present study is designed to address the problem of risk behaviors among adolescents, in an effort to promote positive developmental trajectories. Previous studies have resulted in divergent findings pertaining to the predictors of adolescent engagement in risk behaviors. In addition to considering this divergence, the focus of the study is the nature of bidirectional individual ó contextual relationships and their influence on adolescent engagement in risk behaviors. The study tested two models that considered whether parent-adolescent relationship or peer relationship mediated the relation between theory and research-based predictors and the endogenous variable, co-occurring substance use and sexual activity. Participants were 396 demographically diverse multi-problem adolescents from an archived dataset derived from an HIV risk reduction outpatient treatment program for alcohol and other drug use. Participants responded to questions that measured family structure, parent-adolescent relationship quality and communication, religiosity, school connectedness, peer relationship, and engagement in substance use and sexual activity. The study found that the model with peer relationship as the mediator fit the data better than the model with the parent-adolescent relationship mediator, and that the mediated model provided a better fit to the data than direct relations between the exogenous and endogenous variables. The results suggested also that primary caregiver was not a significant predictor of adolescent participation in co-occurring substance use and sexual activity. The present study provides a holistic theoretical and conceptual framework that highlights a constellation of factors determined to contribute significantly to co-occurring substance use and sexual activity, and thereby reshape existing models of risk behavior among adolescents.

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Magister Psychologiae - MPsych / South African adolescents are engaging in sexual activities at an early age and with numerous sexual partners. Various factors such as adolescent physiology, identity development, peer influences and parent-child relationship, play a contributory role in this aspect. However, one of the less explored factors is the role of exposure to information and communication technologies containing sexual content, such as television, internet, music videos and cell phones. Adolescents have been shown to be heavy consumers of these devices. The study aimed at exploring the extent with which sexual content from these digital devices influences adolescents’ sexual perceptions and sexual behaviours. Participants comprised of 18 Grade 10 and Grade 11 learners, between ages 14 to 16 years, conveniently selected from one of the high schools in the Cape Peninsula. Two focus groups were conducted with an equal distribution of males and females in each group. Thematic analysis was utilized to describe participants’ experiences as reported in the text. Results indicated that participants regard ICT as influencing sexual attitudes and behaviour. More specifically, they believed ICT contributes greatly to early sexual initiation. Whilst some participants suggested that ICT encourages them to have many sexual partners with a “certain” physical image, some participants regarded this as irrelevant, viewing it as an individual’s choice. It was also found that participants viewed ICT’s unsafe sexual practices as not impacting in their use of contraceptives, hence they would not imitate such behaviour. Moreover, some participants viewed ICT as impacting on the manner in which they express themselves sexually, whilst others regarded this as untrue since they decide which sexual activities to engage in. The study addressed paucity of information regarding ICT and adolescent sexuality. To be more specific, it is recommended that future investigations should focus on a particular technology such as cell phones and the internet. Research should also focus on a specific domain regarding adolescent sexual attitudes, for example attitudes towards sexual initiation or the use of contraceptives.

Cyberbullying continues to be a rising problem facing many households. As teenagers are the primary victims of cyberbullying, it is ultimately up to victims' parents to mediate and address cyberbullying incidents. The purpose of this qualitative inquiry was to explore the lived experiences of parents who had addressed and/or mediated an incident following their adolescent's cyberbullying victimization. Bandura's self-efficacy theory was the theoretical framework that guided this study. Participants were recruited using purposeful sampling. Individual semistructured telephone interviews were held with 9 participants who were parents of adolescent cyberbullying victims. Themes were generated and data were analyzed using Colaizzi's method of descriptive data analysis. This analysis involved a multistep process to inductively develop themes from participant responses. Findings revealed that participants experienced negative emotions as a result of their teens' victimization. Results further revealed that despite a lack of preparedness, participants found their efforts to intervene in the cyberbullying incident to be effective. Themes emerging from the study highlight participants' desire to raise awareness regarding cyberbullying. The impacts that the cyberbullying incident had on the parent-adolescent relationship were also documented in this study. This study provided an opportunity for participants to share their perceived self-efficacy in responding to incidents of adolescent cyberbullying. Findings from this study may be used to promote positive social change by informing various professionals of the challenges that parents face in addressing cyberbullying incidents.

Adolescence is a phase that includes substantial physical, social and psychological changes (Department of Health, 1999) and is considered to be a psychologically turbulent and emotional period in a person’s life (Strong, De Vault, Satad & Yarber, 2001) that can also have an influence o n parent–child relationships. The purpose of this stud y is to specifically focus on parent– adolescent relationships of African female adolescents as research and literature is limited regarding African female adolescent s’ experience of parent–adolescent relationships and the dynamics involve d. Little is known of how African female adolescents experience the relationship they have with their parents and what their needs are regarding these relationshi.p s The objectives of this studya re to explore and describe African female adolescents’ experience of parent–adolescent relationships, and to explore aspects of African female adolescents’ relationships with their parents that may influence t heir sense of well–being. Thirty and thirty–two African female adolescents participated voluntarily in graphic family sculpting and focus group interviews respectively. Six focus group interviews at Randfontein High School, Gauteng, provided rich data on African female adolescents’ experience of parentadolescent relationships and aspects of the relationships that influence their sense of wellbeing. The findings suggest that the majority of the participants experience a more positive relationship with their mothesr than with their fathesr, and that positive and negative aspects in their relationships with their parents is perceived to influence their well–being. The importance of communication was a very prominent theme in the focus group discussions. With regard to graphic family sculpting, the findings also suggest that the mothers have a more prominent and positive role and participants experience their fathers as less involved. / Thesis (M.A. (Research Psyvhology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Adolescence is a phase that includes substantial physical, social and psychological changes (Department of Health, 1999) and is considered to be a psychologically turbulent and emotional period in a person’s life (Strong, De Vault, Satad & Yarber, 2001) that can also have an influence o n parent–child relationships. The purpose of this stud y is to specifically focus on parent– adolescent relationships of African female adolescents as research and literature is limited regarding African female adolescent s’ experience of parent–adolescent relationships and the dynamics involve d. Little is known of how African female adolescents experience the relationship they have with their parents and what their needs are regarding these relationshi.p s The objectives of this studya re to explore and describe African female adolescents’ experience of parent–adolescent relationships, and to explore aspects of African female adolescents’ relationships with their parents that may influence t heir sense of well–being. Thirty and thirty–two African female adolescents participated voluntarily in graphic family sculpting and focus group interviews respectively. Six focus group interviews at Randfontein High School, Gauteng, provided rich data on African female adolescents’ experience of parentadolescent relationships and aspects of the relationships that influence their sense of wellbeing. The findings suggest that the majority of the participants experience a more positive relationship with their mothesr than with their fathesr, and that positive and negative aspects in their relationships with their parents is perceived to influence their well–being. The importance of communication was a very prominent theme in the focus group discussions. With regard to graphic family sculpting, the findings also suggest that the mothers have a more prominent and positive role and participants experience their fathers as less involved. / Thesis (M.A. (Research Psyvhology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

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Most adolescents place pressure on their parents. The pressure varies, so there must be factors that contribute to the variance. An important objective of the investigation was to determine such factors from the parent’s side and from the adolescent’s side. It was also important to determine the most important factors in family functioning, and in the wider social context that affect the placement of pressure on parents by adolescents. A sample of 177 high school adolescents and their parents was used. Variables such as age, gender, family structure, working circumstances of parents, birth order position of adolescents, peer pressure, the parent-adolescent relationship, self-concept and personality were included in the study. The results indicate that the pressure that parents experience is associated with parental variables rather than adolescent variables. Parental self-concept, personality, and the parent-adolescent relationship (from the parent’s side) explained almost 63% of the variance in the pressure that parents experience. The conclusion can be made that it is not adolescents who deliberately plan to place their parents under pressure, but rather parents who make themselves vulnerable to such a situation. Any remedy or guidance programme will have to focus primarily on the parent, and the success of such a programme will depend on the way in which it supports the self-concept of the parent. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

La dépression est une psychopathologie répandue qui débute fréquemment au cours de l’adolescence. Maintes répercussions tant personnelles qu’économiques et sociales ont été associées à ce trouble. Plusieurs facteurs, dont la consommation de cannabis, ont été identifiés comme étant susceptibles d’influencer l’apparition et le développement de symptômes dépressifs. Il existe toutefois une absence de consensus par rapport au lien entre la consommation de cannabis et les symptômes dépressifs à l’adolescence, qui pourrait notamment résulter de différences méthodologiques telles que le contrôle de tierces variables. Parmi ces variables, la relation parent-adolescent pourrait modérer la relation entre la consommation de cannabis et les symptômes dépressifs. Ce mémoire vise d’une part à vérifier la relation entre la consommation de cannabis et la manifestation de symptômes dépressifs à l’adolescence et, d’autre part, le rôle modérateur de la relation parent-adolescent sur ce lien. L’échantillon compte 1 740 adolescents québécois suivis longitudinalement du secondaire II au secondaire IV. Des analyses de régression multiple hiérarchique ont été effectuées afin de tester les hypothèses à l’étude. Les résultats démontrent une faible relation positive entre la consommation de cannabis en secondaire II et les symptômes dépressifs évalués deux ans plus tard. Par ailleurs, une seule dimension de la relation parent-adolescent, soit le faible soutien parental, a été identifiée comme ayant un pouvoir prédictif sur les symptômes dépressifs. Cet effet d’interaction explique néanmoins une variance insuffisante pour être significatif d’un point de vue clinique. Les implications de ces résultats pour la recherche sont discutées. / Depression is a prevailing psychopathology which often begins during adolescence. Multiple repercussions on personal, economic and social levels have been associated with this disorder. Many factors including cannabis have been identified as likely to influence the onset and development of depressive symptoms. However, there is a lack of consensus concerning the link between cannabis use and depressive symptoms in adolescence, which could result from methodological differences as the control of potential confounding variables. Among these variables, parent-adolescent relationship has been identified as a potential moderator in the relationship between cannabis use and depressive symptoms. The present research project firstly aims to examine the relationship between cannabis use and the manifestation of depressive symptoms in adolescence and, secondly to verify the potential moderating effect of parent-adolescent relationship on that link. The sample includes 1 740 Quebec teenagers followed longitudinally in high school. Multiple hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to test the hypotheses. Results indicate a weak positive relationship between cannabis use and depressive symptoms assessed two years later. Moreover, only one dimension of the parent-adolescent relationship, defined as low parental support, has been identified as having predictive power on depressive symptoms. However, the variance explained by this interaction is insufficient to be considered on a clinical level. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Cette thèse porte sur une population d’adolescents ayant un diabète de type 1 et leurs parents. Elle examine l’influence de la perception du diabète de type 1 par les adolescents et par leurs parents sur leur ajustement respectif à la maladie. En premier lieu sont présentées les caractéristiques du diabète de type 1, ses spécificités à l’adolescence, et les deux critères retenus pour examiner l’ajustement à la maladie : le contrôle métabolique et la qualité de vie. Après avoir défini la notion de perception de la maladie et décrit ses influences sur l’ajustement, le rôle de la perception des proches est examiné. L’étude de la perception de la maladie dans la famille en auto- et en hétéro-évaluation est ensuite proposée. Les deux axes de recherche envisagés visent à mettre en évidence l’existence d’une potentielle interprétation de la perception des proches et à en analyser l’influence sur l’ajustement à la maladie. Les deux premières études mettent en évidence l’impact de la perception du diabète en auto- et en hétéro-évaluation, par les adolescents et leurs parents, sur leur ajustement. La dernière étude permet de rendre compte, par une approche qualitative, des liens entre la perception de la maladie dans la famille et la qualité de vie des adolescents, au regard de la gestion familiale du diabète. En conclusion, nous soutenons l’intérêt de l’étude de la perception de la maladie dans la famille par le prisme de la perception interpersonnelle et de la méta-perception. Les limites de ce travail, les pistes de recherche et les perspectives d’application sont finalement discutées. / This thesis focuses on a population of adolescents with type 1 diabetes and their parents. It examines the influence of adolescents’ and their parents’ perceptions of type 1 diabetes, on their respective adjustments to the disease. First, we present the characteristics of type 1 diabetes, its specificities in adolescence, and two criteria used to examine adjustment to the disease : metabolic control and quality of life. After having defined the notion of illness perception and describing its influences on adjustment, the role of family members' perception is examined. A study of illness perception in the family through self- and hetero-evaluation is then presented. The two lines of research aim to highlight the existence of potential interpretations of the family members’ perceptions and analyze their influence on adjustment to the illness. The first two studies highlight the impact of type 1 diabetes' perception, both self- and hetero-evaluation, by adolescents and their parents on their adjustment. The last study reports, using a qualitative approach, the links between illness perception in the family and adolescents' quality of life, in light of family diabetes management. In conclusion, our studies provide further support the need to study the illness perception in the family through the prism of interpersonal perception and meta-perception. Finally, the limits of this work and research and applied perspectives are discussed.