Divorce and family disruption are growing phenomena in the world and a reality in many children‟s lives. Almost half of all divorced families in South Africa have children under the age of 18 years. Divorce is a traumatic experience for children. Adolescent children in particular experience divorce as distressing. Adolescent children need to face numerous challenges while going through the transitional phase between childhood and adulthood. They are in the process of identity formation and rely on their parents‟ support and presence to develop a strong and positive identity. The Military is often described as a selfish entity, which demands members‟ undivided attention and loyalty. When Military families go through a process of divorce, they need to face the trauma of the divorce as well as the specific demands of the organisation. Adolescent children from divorcing families in a Military context experience specific needs, and their parents and the Military as organisation have a definite role to play in fulfilling these needs. This study focused on exploring the needs of adolescent children in divorced families in a South African Military context. A significant amount of research has been done on adolescent children in divorced families, but little is known about the needs of adolescent children in divorced families in a South African Military context. Hence, it is in this particular area that this study endeavours to make a contribution. The research was conducted in three Military bases in the Cape Town metropole area. Nine participants (five females and four males) consented to participate in the study. The size of the sample was not predetermined, but was based on data saturation. Participants were purposefully selected on the basis of the following: they are adolescents between the ages of 11 and 18 years, they have parents whose divorce process has been finalised, and one or both of their parents are employed by the Military. Data was collected through conducting semi-structured one-on-one interviews with all participants. A semi-structured interview schedule assisted the researcher to facilitate the interviews for consistency. The researcher was able to validate data and elaborate on certain issues during interviews. Data was analysed through thematic analysis and different themes and sub-themes were defined. The researcher ensured the trustworthiness of the research process by following the guidelines as suggested by Lincoln and Guba (1985). The study found that adolescent children in divorced families in a South African Military context have specific needs and that their focal need was for emotional support. They need their parents to communicate openly with them regarding the divorce process as well as the reasons for the divorce. Adolescents in Military divorced families long for a good relationship between them and their parents. They need to feel loved and want their parents physically and emotionally present in their lives. Participants need from the Military and schools to offer therapeutic support services as well as group sessions for adolescent children in Military divorced families. Although their basic psychological needs were met by the residing parent, they need to know that the newly formed single-parent family of which they now form part will be able to survive financially. Some researchers found that adolescent children from divorced families tended to reject faith. However, participants in this study indicated that they strongly needed support from their spiritual organisations and youth movements. In order to meet the needs of adolescent children in divorced families in the South African Military context, parents need to stay involved in their children‟s lives and communicate in an open and honest way with them. Military social workers, psychologists and chaplains need to ensure that therapeutic services are available to adolescent children of divorcing parents and that the adolescents attend these sessions. Work-related Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) could be put in place to ensure that all adolescent children from divorcing families attend therapeutic sessions. Group sessions should be available and accessible for adolescent children in divorcing Military families. / MSW, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Die moreel-etiese ontwikkeling van middel-adolessente in die een en twintigste eeu word deur talle faktore beïnvloed. In hierdie studie val die klem spesifiek op die invloed wat sommige tipes musiek in die middel-adolessent se lewe uitoefen. Veral gedurende adolessensie wat as ‘n tyd van onsekerheid gekenmerk word, kan die invloed van sommige musiek ‘n negatiewe uitwerking op hulle lewe uitoefen. Middel-adolessente moet gedurende hierdie lewensfase die versekering hê dat hulle hulself na hulle ouers en kerkleiers kan wend, ten einde leiding te ontvang en toegerus te word om enige negatiewe boodskappe wat in sommige musiek voorkom, te identifiseer en pro-aktief daarmee te handel. Hierdie studie is onderneem vanuit die Pinkstertradisie en spesifiek die AGS-Kerk, met die doel om die kerk se moontlike rol in die moreel-etiese toerusting van middel-adolessente te bespreek. In hierdie navorsing is beide kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe navorsingsmetodes gebruik wat getoon het dat musiek ‘n negatiewe invloed op die ontwikkeling van middel-adolessente se lewe kan uitoefen. Daar is gevind dat musiek middel-adolessente onder meer kan aanmoedig om alkohol en dwelmmiddels te misbruik, seksueel losbandig te wees, gewelddadig en rebels op te tree, by homoseksuele praktyke betrokke te raak, eiesinnig te wees en leuens te vertel. Middel-adolessente benodig hulp en volgens die Bybel het ouers en kerkleiers die verantwoordelikheid om kinders moreel-eties toe te rus. In hierdie studie is die grammaties-historiese metode van eksegese ingespan om vanuit die Efésiërsbrief riglyne neer te lê wat AGS pastore/jeugpastore kan gebruik om middel-adolessente moreel-eties toe te rus. / MA (Pastoral studies), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Divorce and family disruption are growing phenomena in the world and a reality in many children‟s lives. Almost half of all divorced families in South Africa have children under the age of 18 years. Divorce is a traumatic experience for children. Adolescent children in particular experience divorce as distressing. Adolescent children need to face numerous challenges while going through the transitional phase between childhood and adulthood. They are in the process of identity formation and rely on their parents‟ support and presence to develop a strong and positive identity. The Military is often described as a selfish entity, which demands members‟ undivided attention and loyalty. When Military families go through a process of divorce, they need to face the trauma of the divorce as well as the specific demands of the organisation. Adolescent children from divorcing families in a Military context experience specific needs, and their parents and the Military as organisation have a definite role to play in fulfilling these needs. This study focused on exploring the needs of adolescent children in divorced families in a South African Military context. A significant amount of research has been done on adolescent children in divorced families, but little is known about the needs of adolescent children in divorced families in a South African Military context. Hence, it is in this particular area that this study endeavours to make a contribution. The research was conducted in three Military bases in the Cape Town metropole area. Nine participants (five females and four males) consented to participate in the study. The size of the sample was not predetermined, but was based on data saturation. Participants were purposefully selected on the basis of the following: they are adolescents between the ages of 11 and 18 years, they have parents whose divorce process has been finalised, and one or both of their parents are employed by the Military. Data was collected through conducting semi-structured one-on-one interviews with all participants. A semi-structured interview schedule assisted the researcher to facilitate the interviews for consistency. The researcher was able to validate data and elaborate on certain issues during interviews. Data was analysed through thematic analysis and different themes and sub-themes were defined. The researcher ensured the trustworthiness of the research process by following the guidelines as suggested by Lincoln and Guba (1985). The study found that adolescent children in divorced families in a South African Military context have specific needs and that their focal need was for emotional support. They need their parents to communicate openly with them regarding the divorce process as well as the reasons for the divorce. Adolescents in Military divorced families long for a good relationship between them and their parents. They need to feel loved and want their parents physically and emotionally present in their lives. Participants need from the Military and schools to offer therapeutic support services as well as group sessions for adolescent children in Military divorced families. Although their basic psychological needs were met by the residing parent, they need to know that the newly formed single-parent family of which they now form part will be able to survive financially. Some researchers found that adolescent children from divorced families tended to reject faith. However, participants in this study indicated that they strongly needed support from their spiritual organisations and youth movements. In order to meet the needs of adolescent children in divorced families in the South African Military context, parents need to stay involved in their children‟s lives and communicate in an open and honest way with them. Military social workers, psychologists and chaplains need to ensure that therapeutic services are available to adolescent children of divorcing parents and that the adolescents attend these sessions. Work-related Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) could be put in place to ensure that all adolescent children from divorcing families attend therapeutic sessions. Group sessions should be available and accessible for adolescent children in divorcing Military families. / MSW, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Die moreel-etiese ontwikkeling van middel-adolessente in die een en twintigste eeu word deur talle faktore beïnvloed. In hierdie studie val die klem spesifiek op die invloed wat sommige tipes musiek in die middel-adolessent se lewe uitoefen. Veral gedurende adolessensie wat as ‘n tyd van onsekerheid gekenmerk word, kan die invloed van sommige musiek ‘n negatiewe uitwerking op hulle lewe uitoefen. Middel-adolessente moet gedurende hierdie lewensfase die versekering hê dat hulle hulself na hulle ouers en kerkleiers kan wend, ten einde leiding te ontvang en toegerus te word om enige negatiewe boodskappe wat in sommige musiek voorkom, te identifiseer en pro-aktief daarmee te handel. Hierdie studie is onderneem vanuit die Pinkstertradisie en spesifiek die AGS-Kerk, met die doel om die kerk se moontlike rol in die moreel-etiese toerusting van middel-adolessente te bespreek. In hierdie navorsing is beide kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe navorsingsmetodes gebruik wat getoon het dat musiek ‘n negatiewe invloed op die ontwikkeling van middel-adolessente se lewe kan uitoefen. Daar is gevind dat musiek middel-adolessente onder meer kan aanmoedig om alkohol en dwelmmiddels te misbruik, seksueel losbandig te wees, gewelddadig en rebels op te tree, by homoseksuele praktyke betrokke te raak, eiesinnig te wees en leuens te vertel. Middel-adolessente benodig hulp en volgens die Bybel het ouers en kerkleiers die verantwoordelikheid om kinders moreel-eties toe te rus. In hierdie studie is die grammaties-historiese metode van eksegese ingespan om vanuit die Efésiërsbrief riglyne neer te lê wat AGS pastore/jeugpastore kan gebruik om middel-adolessente moreel-eties toe te rus. / MA (Pastoral studies), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Adolescence proves to be one of the most vulnerable development stages in the life of humans and therefore dietary assessment of this group is important, but complex. This is due to rapid growth during puberty and the development of new eating patterns that influence dietary intake. Adequate dietary intake in this age group is crucial, since adverse effects such as iron deficiency anemia, inadequate growth and dental caries can occur. Furthermore, dietary imbalance is a significant risk factor that can lay the groundwork for developing preventable complications in late adolescence and adult life such as non-communicable chronic diseases including obesity and diabetes mellitus type II and certain cancers, all leading causes of morbidity and mortality. Given the vulnerability of adolescents in terms of dietary intake, understanding their dietary intake is crucial. Dietary assessment of adolescents is influenced by social, physiological and psychological changes making accurate measurement of this group difficult. Hence, it is of fundamental importance to find a golden standard in terms of a dietary assessment method to use in this group. Several international studies investigated validity and reproducibility of the dietary intake of adolescents, measured with different dietary assessment methods. However, in South Africa only three validity and reproducibility studies have been published and none of them focused exclusively on adolescents. Since the validity of the results of dietary assessment methods of international studies cannot be extrapolated to South African black adolescents, this study emanated from the need to investigate whether multiple 24-hour recalls are valid and reproducible when used to assess the dietary intakes of black adolescents in a convenience sample of grade eight learners from a high school in a township in the North West Province. The study was nested in the multidisciplinary "Physical, Activity in the Young" (PLAY) study. Firstly, the optimal number of 24-hour recalls was determined by calculation of reproducibility coefficients for energy, selected nutrients and food groups. Results showed that four repeated 24-hour recalls provided the optimal reproducibility for black peri-urban South African adolescents. Secondly, the search for a reference method to compare energy intake against energy expenditure led to an investigation into basal metabolic rate equations and physical activity factors with the intention of estimating the energy expenditure. Validity of reported energy intake assessed by multiple 24-hour recalls and estimated energy expenditure was tested using the Pearson correlation coefficient and the dependent t-test. The Pearson correlation test revealed low associations between energy intake and energy expenditure for boys (0.32) and girls (0.17), while the dependent t-test of the energy intake between the different measured occasions showed little difference, which could be explained by the high within participant variation and lower variation between the different participants. The low correlation coefficients showed that there was no association between reported energy intake and mean estimated energy expenditure; thus also no agreement. As a result, multiple 24-hour recalls measured over two years with only five 24-hour recalls did not give a valid measurement of the energy intake of black peri-urban adolescents. Lastly, the ratio of reported energy intake over energy expenditure was evaluated against the energy cut-off points, specifically calculated for age and ethnic group. It indicated that 85% of the participants underreported their energy intake. These results could have been influenced by the estimated basal metabolic rate equations that could have estimated the basal metabolic rate of this group incorrectly or could be due to the inability of the group to recall their physical activity levels correctly. Therefore it is recommended that further validity studies regarding dietary intake need to be performed on adolescents. It is suggested that energy expenditure as a reference method should be measured by using a calorimeter or the doubly labeled water method and then compared with the reported energy intake. Analysing different biochemical determinants of nutritional intake could also be used as an objective reference method to assess the validity of dietary data obtained from questionnaires. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Dietetics)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Adolessente loop In hoe risiko om slagoffers van seksuele misbruik te word. Seksuele misbruik het In merkwaardige impak op adolessente. Tesame met die hoe eise wat die stormagtige adolessensieperiode aan In persoon stel is vroee intervensie veral noodsaaklik. Dit word geredelik aanvaar dat vroee intervensie ernstige versteurings in volwassensheid mag verhoed. Adolessente kom egter oor die algemeen nie vanself na vore vir die nodige hulpverlening nie. Die doel van die ondersoek was om ondersoek in te stel na die noodsaaklikheid van In bewusmakingsprogram vir adolessente rakende seksuele misbruik. Die doel was verder om aanbevelings aan die hand te doen vir die ontwerp van In effektiewe bewusmakingsprogram. Die navorsing het In gekombineerde kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe benadering gevolg. 214 adolessente en 10 onderwysers van twee hoerskole is by die ondersoek betrek. Albei groepe deelnemers het vraelyste voltooi. Adolessente het kwantitatiewe vraelyste voltooi terwyl onderwysers In kwalitatiewe skedule voltooi het. Uit laasgenoemde is verskeie temas ge'identifiseer en bespreek. Die studie was verkennend sowel as beskrywend van aard. Dit is vanuit die bevindings duidelik dat daar die noodsaaklikheid bestaan van In bewusmakingsprogram aan adolessente rakende seksuele misbruik. Aanbevelings rakende die inhoud en ontwerp van so In program is vanuit die studie gedoen. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Adolescence proves to be one of the most vulnerable development stages in the life of humans and therefore dietary assessment of this group is important, but complex. This is due to rapid growth during puberty and the development of new eating patterns that influence dietary intake. Adequate dietary intake in this age group is crucial, since adverse effects such as iron deficiency anemia, inadequate growth and dental caries can occur. Furthermore, dietary imbalance is a significant risk factor that can lay the groundwork for developing preventable complications in late adolescence and adult life such as non-communicable chronic diseases including obesity and diabetes mellitus type II and certain cancers, all leading causes of morbidity and mortality. Given the vulnerability of adolescents in terms of dietary intake, understanding their dietary intake is crucial. Dietary assessment of adolescents is influenced by social, physiological and psychological changes making accurate measurement of this group difficult. Hence, it is of fundamental importance to find a golden standard in terms of a dietary assessment method to use in this group. Several international studies investigated validity and reproducibility of the dietary intake of adolescents, measured with different dietary assessment methods. However, in South Africa only three validity and reproducibility studies have been published and none of them focused exclusively on adolescents. Since the validity of the results of dietary assessment methods of international studies cannot be extrapolated to South African black adolescents, this study emanated from the need to investigate whether multiple 24-hour recalls are valid and reproducible when used to assess the dietary intakes of black adolescents in a convenience sample of grade eight learners from a high school in a township in the North West Province. The study was nested in the multidisciplinary "Physical, Activity in the Young" (PLAY) study. Firstly, the optimal number of 24-hour recalls was determined by calculation of reproducibility coefficients for energy, selected nutrients and food groups. Results showed that four repeated 24-hour recalls provided the optimal reproducibility for black peri-urban South African adolescents. Secondly, the search for a reference method to compare energy intake against energy expenditure led to an investigation into basal metabolic rate equations and physical activity factors with the intention of estimating the energy expenditure. Validity of reported energy intake assessed by multiple 24-hour recalls and estimated energy expenditure was tested using the Pearson correlation coefficient and the dependent t-test. The Pearson correlation test revealed low associations between energy intake and energy expenditure for boys (0.32) and girls (0.17), while the dependent t-test of the energy intake between the different measured occasions showed little difference, which could be explained by the high within participant variation and lower variation between the different participants. The low correlation coefficients showed that there was no association between reported energy intake and mean estimated energy expenditure; thus also no agreement. As a result, multiple 24-hour recalls measured over two years with only five 24-hour recalls did not give a valid measurement of the energy intake of black peri-urban adolescents. Lastly, the ratio of reported energy intake over energy expenditure was evaluated against the energy cut-off points, specifically calculated for age and ethnic group. It indicated that 85% of the participants underreported their energy intake. These results could have been influenced by the estimated basal metabolic rate equations that could have estimated the basal metabolic rate of this group incorrectly or could be due to the inability of the group to recall their physical activity levels correctly. Therefore it is recommended that further validity studies regarding dietary intake need to be performed on adolescents. It is suggested that energy expenditure as a reference method should be measured by using a calorimeter or the doubly labeled water method and then compared with the reported energy intake. Analysing different biochemical determinants of nutritional intake could also be used as an objective reference method to assess the validity of dietary data obtained from questionnaires. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Dietetics)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Adolessente loop In hoe risiko om slagoffers van seksuele misbruik te word. Seksuele misbruik het In merkwaardige impak op adolessente. Tesame met die hoe eise wat die stormagtige adolessensieperiode aan In persoon stel is vroee intervensie veral noodsaaklik. Dit word geredelik aanvaar dat vroee intervensie ernstige versteurings in volwassensheid mag verhoed. Adolessente kom egter oor die algemeen nie vanself na vore vir die nodige hulpverlening nie. Die doel van die ondersoek was om ondersoek in te stel na die noodsaaklikheid van In bewusmakingsprogram vir adolessente rakende seksuele misbruik. Die doel was verder om aanbevelings aan die hand te doen vir die ontwerp van In effektiewe bewusmakingsprogram. Die navorsing het In gekombineerde kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe benadering gevolg. 214 adolessente en 10 onderwysers van twee hoerskole is by die ondersoek betrek. Albei groepe deelnemers het vraelyste voltooi. Adolessente het kwantitatiewe vraelyste voltooi terwyl onderwysers In kwalitatiewe skedule voltooi het. Uit laasgenoemde is verskeie temas ge'identifiseer en bespreek. Die studie was verkennend sowel as beskrywend van aard. Dit is vanuit die bevindings duidelik dat daar die noodsaaklikheid bestaan van In bewusmakingsprogram aan adolessente rakende seksuele misbruik. Aanbevelings rakende die inhoud en ontwerp van so In program is vanuit die studie gedoen. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

AFRIKAANS: In hierdie studie is die rol van massa-toename in die vroeë-adolessente dogter se belewenis van die self bestudeer. Aspekte uit die literatuur wat ’n betekenisvolle bydrae tot die grondslag van die studie gelê het, is die volgende: • die rol wat massa speel in die vroeë-adolessente dogter se belewenis van die self en die implikasies daarvan op haar kledinggedrag • die rol van ander in die vroeë-adolessente dogter se belewenis van die self en die implikasies daarvan op haar kledinggedrag • die strategieë wat die vroeë-adolessente dogter gebruik om die self in hierdie ontwikkelingsfase te kan handhaaf en die implikasies daarvan op haar kledinggedrag. Die steekproef is saamgestel uit 16 blanke vroeë-adolessente dogters tussen die ouderdom van 11 en 13 jaar, wat in ’n stedelike gebied woonagtig was. ’n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodologie is vir die studie gevolg met ongestruktureerde onderhoude, fokusgroepe en persoonlike dokumentasie wat ook verskeie stimulustegnieke ingesluit het. Verbatim transkripsies van die onderhoude sowel as bekrywings van die onderhoudsituasies is gebruik vir die bespreking en interpretasie van die resultate. Dit is gedoen met inagneming van die breë navorsingsvrae wat die studie gerig het. Vroeë-adolessente dogters ervaar massa-toename verskillend: • Die normale-massa vroeë-adolessente dogter ervaar dat sy deur die fase van ingrypende veranderinge, wat massa-toename insluit, eintlik vet word. Sy is konstant besig met selfmonitering; die self word ’n objek van evaluering. Sy ervaar die emosie van skaamte en poog om haar liggaam te bedek vir ander wat haar voortdurend dophou. • Aan die ander kant beleef die oormassa vroeë-adolessente dogter die ontwikkelingsfase meer ontspanne en is sy nie so bewus van haar liggaam en dit wat ander daarvan sê nie. Sy gee voor om nie so begaan te wees oor die oormassa nie, deur ander te blameer vir die situasie en vir haar voorkoms. Sy blameer selfs vir God dat Hy haar so geskep het. Sy ervaar die emosie van hartseer en deur voor te gee dat sy nie oor die situasie bekommerd is nie, hanteer sy slegs die emosie en nie die situasie nie. • Aan die einde blyk dit egter dat normale-massa en oormassa vroeë-adolessente dogters dieselfde belewenis van die self in die oorgangsfase het. Hulle voel hartseer oor die verlore kinderjare en ervaar dat hulle minder tyd het om te speel maar meer verantwoordelikhede moet dra. Die studie het die volgende bydrae gelewer: • ’n Lewensverloop- en simboliese interaksionistiese perspektief kan as geskik beskou word vir ’n studie waarin ’n ontwikkelingsfase soos vroeë adolessensie ter sprake kom. • Dit blyk dat die vroeë-adolessente dogter in die studie werklik bekommerd is oor haar voorkoms en dit wat ander van haar dink. • Dit blyk ook dat die vroeë-adolessente dogter in hierdie studie, kleding gebruik om haar voorkoms so te bestuur dat dit aan die norm van ideale liggaamsbou wat in die media voorgehou word, kan voldoen, en dat dit haar kan ondersteun in die aanneem van ‘n volwasse vroulike geslagsrol. • Dit blyk dat die normale-massa vroeë-adolessente dogter van probleem-gefokusde handhawingstrategieë gebruik maak soos bedek, wegsteek of self-manipulering van die liggaam. • Die oormassa vroeë-adolessente dogter daarenteë maak van meer emosioneel gefokusde handhawingstrategieë gebruik soos ontkenning, vermyding, kognitiewe her-ontwerp en godsdiens. Die volgende aanbevelings kan gemaak word: • Die kwalitatiewe navorsingstyl kan meer dikwels gebruik word in studies met jonger deelnemers. • Kledingkundiges behoort dit in gedagte te hou dat veral die pas van klere vir die vroeë-adolessente dogter belangrik is en dat kleding wat die liggaam ontbloot, of styf aan die liggaam pas, die liggaam benadruk en die dogter ongemaklik en skaam laat voel. • Daar behoort ook begrip te wees vir die feit dat dit vir die vroeë-adolessente dogter nou belangrik is om met verskillende voorkomsstyle te eksperimenteer ten einde ‘n voorkoms te vind wat nie net by haar veranderde liggaam pas nie, maar ook by die nuwe rol wat sy nou moet aanneem. Daar moet in gedagte gehou word dat die studie uitgevoer is met ’n beperkte aantal deelnemers en daarom kan die gevolgtrekking nie na die breë populasie veralgemeen word nie; dit het slegs betrekking op die 16 deelnemers wat met die toestemming van hul ouers aan die studie deelgeneem het. ENGLISH: In this study the role of weight gain in the early-adolescent girl’s experience of the self was studied. Aspects from the literature that were significant and formed the foundation of the study were: • the role that weight gain plays in the early adolescent girl’s perception of the self and the implication that it may have for her clothing behaviour • the role of others in the early adolescent girl’s perception of the self and the implications that it may have for her clothing behaviour • the strategies that the early-adolescent uses to cope with this development phase and the implications that it may have for her clothing behaviour The study comprises 16 white early-adolescent girls aged between 11 and 13 years who, according to acknowledged criteria, are staying in an urban environment. A qualitative research methodology was selected with unstructured interviews, focus groups, and personal documentation utilising various stimulus techniques. Verbatim transcriptions of the interviews as well as descriptions of the interview situation were used for the discussions and interpretations of the results, taking into account the broad research questions set for the study. The findings were the following: Early-adolescent girls experience weight gain differently: • The normal-weight early-adolescent girl experiences that by going through this phase of rapid change, which includes an increase in her weight, that she is actually becoming fat. She is constantly busy with self monitoring; her self is becoming an object to evaluate. She experiences the emotion of shame and wants to cover her body from people that are constantly looking at her. • On the other hand, the overweight early-adolescent girl’s experience of this phase is more relaxed; she is not so much aware of her body and what other people are saying about her. She pretends not to be worried about being overweight by blaming other people and situations for her appearance. She even blames God for creating her that way. She experiences the emotion of sadness and by pretending not to worry or by avoiding the situation, she only copes with the emotion – but the situation is not handled. • In the end it seems that normal-weight and overweight early-adolescent girls share the same experience of the self. They feel sad about losing their childhood years when they felt less ashamed and had fewer concerns about their body’s appearance. They feel the loss of having less time to play and more responsibilities. The study could make the following contribution to the theory of clothing: • The life course and symbolic interactions perspective would be suitable for studies into a developmental stage such as early adolescence. • It seems that the early-adolescent girl in this study was really concerned with her appearance and about what other people thought of her. • It seems that the early adolescent girl in this study used clothes in appearance management to manipulate her appearance in order to try and fit the ideal body that the mass media hold up as an example as well as for support in her adoption of an adult gender role. • The normal-weight early-adolescent girls in this study made use of problem-focused coping strategies such as hiding and self-manipulation of their bodies. • The overweight early-adolescent girl, on the other hand, made use of more emotionally focused coping strategies such as avoidance, re-appraisal, denial and religion. The following recommendations were made: • The qualitative research methodology could be used more often when studying younger participants. • The early adolescent girl is especially concerned about the fit of her clothes. Tight fitted clothes and clothes that expose her body make her feel uncomfortable and ashamed of herself. • An understanding of the early-adolescent girl’s need to experiment with new styles and various appearances is needed. One should keep in mind that this study was conducted with a limited number of participants and the conclusions reached therefore pertain only to the 16 participants who gave their valuable input willingly and with the consent of their parents. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Consumer Science / unrestricted

The aim of this study was to explore and describe the experience of an only-child adolescent’s lived experience of parental divorce. Gestalt field and phenomenological theory in conjunction with current literature provided an overview of the theoretical underpinnings pertaining to the study. A qualitative research approach with a case study of an only-child adolescent dealing with parental divorce was conducted in an ethical manner by means of two face to face, one-on-one, in depth interviews. Two main themes were identified. The first being experienced feelings associated with grief and bereavement, which revealed feelings of anger in the notion that the participant’s childhood was lost as a result of the divorce and being caught between the parental conflicts. The participant seemed to take it upon herself to take care of those significant to her in fear that she would lose them and that the loss would continue to be repeated. It was further revealed that when the only-child adolescent felt a loss of her own identity she in turn felt out of control. The second theme identified was; experience pressure due to being an only-child. Pressure in being an only-child was very significant surrounding the participant. The participant shared a great deal of feelings pertaining to feeling lonely and longing for a sibling. As parents in divorce situations seem to be focussed on their divorce often the child suffers from stress and the unrealistic expectations parents often have surrounding their children. In this study the only-child could not seem to cope with the pressure and in times of despair made use of coping mechanisms, mainly that of cutting to compensate for the emotional pain experienced. The researcher is of the opinion that the study delivered new found awareness into the only-child adolescent’s lived experience of parental divorce and is in hope that the new found results are utilised as a platform for further studies about this vulnerable population. / MSW (Play Therapy), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015