Thesis (MEd(Psych) --Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Bullying seems to be a pervasive problem in most secondary schools and teachers have the daily task of dealing with it. Not only do teachers have to unravel the complex dynamics of bullying, they also often have to navigate a school climate and culture that is not conducive to addressing bullying. In South Africa, there are many unique contextual factors which impact on teachers’ management of bullying, such as community violence overflowing into the school, increased administrative load and limited support from school management, parents and education authorities. Therefore, teachers’ abilities to conceptualise bullying, recognise and respond to incidents of bullying, and their knowledge of the nature and extent of bullying behaviour impact greatly on anti-bullying strategies. The theoretical framework which informed this study is the social context perspective which drew on views from both social constructionism and the bio-ecological framework. The social context perspective emphasises the interactions between individuals and the systems as delineated in the bio-ecological model. Furthermore, this study did not aim to reveal the “truth” about school bullying. The intention has rather been to provide a comprehensive picture as was portrayed by the participants in this study. This picture included the nature and extent of bullying in their secondary school, the teachers’ perspectives and experiences of bullying, and proposed prevention and intervention strategies which they aim to implement at their school. In keeping with the constructionist nature of the process of inquiry, a qualitative, interpretivist research approach was used. Purposive sampling was used to identify potential participants who were then asked to volunteer to be part of the study. Data was generated through semi-structured interviews with individuals and focus groups. Furthermore, the constant comparative method was used to analyse the data. The research findings indicated that the teachers experience and perceive a wide variety of bullying behaviours which take place at various sites, both within and outside the school grounds and that involve a diverse range of individuals within the school community. Furthermore, the teachers conveyed several factors which they experienced as maintaining bullying and highlighted their perceived effects thereof. In addition to this, the participants shared knowledge about their teaching practices and suggested a few strategies on how to deal with bullying more effectively in their school community. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Afknouery word beskou as ‘n deurlopende probleem in hoërskole en onderwysers moet die gevolge daarvan daagliks hanteer. Onderwysers moet nie net die komplekse dinamiek van afknouery ontrafel nie, maar worstel ook met ‘n skoolklimaat en -kultuur wat nie toepaslik is om afknouery te bekamp nie. In Suid-Afrika is daar unieke kontekstuele faktore wat ‘n invloed het op hoe onderwysers afknouery hanteer. Dit sluit onder andere in die geweld wat oorvloei vanuit die gemeenskap na die skool, verhoogde administratiewe werklading asook beperkte ondersteuning van die skool se bestuurspan, ouers en die onderwysowerhede. Daarom speel onderwysers se vermoëns om afknouery te konseptualiseer, insidente van afknouery te herken en daarop te reageer, asook hulle kennis van afknougedrag ‘n groot impak op anti-afknouery strategieë. Hierdie studie word gekonseptualiseer vanuit ‘n sosiaal-konstruktiwistiese en bioekologiese perspektief. ‘n sosiale konteksperspektief beklemtoon die interaksies tussen individue en die sisteme wat uiteengesit is in die bio-ekologiese model. Die doel van hierdie studie was nie om die “waarheid” oor afknouery in die skool te openbaar nie. Dit was eerder om die deelnemers se perspektief in diepte te analiseer en beskryf. ‘n Kwalitatiewe, interpretivistiese navorsingsbenadering is daarom gevolg. ‘n Doelgerigte steekproef is gebruik om potensiële deelnemers te identifiseer en hulle is gevra om vrywillig deel te neem aan die studie. Data is gegenereer deur semi-gestruktureerde individuele en fokusgroeponderhoude. Verder is die konstante vergelykende metode gebruik om die data te analiseer. Die navorsingsbevindinge het aangedui dat die onderwysers ‘n wye verskeidenheid afknougedrag van diverse groepe en individue binne en buite die skoolterrein ervaar. Die onderwysers het verskeie faktore identifiseer wat afknouery moontlik instandhou en het die moontlike gevolge van afknouery uitgelig. Laastens het die deelnemers kennis oor hulle onderwyspraktyke gedeel en voorstelle gemaak oor hoe om afknouery meer effektief in hul skoolgemeenskap te hanteer.

[Truncated abstract] The overall aim of the research reported in this thesis was to explore the viability and utility of the construct of psychopathy and aggression in children and adolescents. Specifically, by taking a developmentally informed approach it sought to develop new instrumentation which measured psychopathic-like-traits, and verbal proactive and reactive aggression in non-referred mainstream school children and adolescents. To achieve this, four separate yet interrelated studies were conducted. Study One comprised three phases relating to the development and validation of two new instruments. In Phase One the instruments currently used to measure psychopathy were reviewed and items relevant to young persons were selected for inclusion in a draft version of the new psychopathy screening instrument. Phase Two, which sought to further explore the construct of psychopathy in children and adolescents, comprised a series of interviews with school principals, deputy principals, psychologists, and education officers at the main juvenile detention centre in Perth, Western Australia. These interviews provided information relating to the behaviour and characteristics of children and adolescents who present with psychopathic-like-traits. As a consequence of the feedback from the Phase Two data, Phase Three reviewed the instrumentation currently used to measure aggression in children and adolescents. From this items were selected for possible inclusion in an aggression questionnaire. The data gathered over these three phases resulted in 117 psychopathy related items being generated for the new instrument, which were subsequently reduced to 56 when duplicated items were identified and the extant knowledge of the construct applied. The 56 items were retained in a draft version of the newly developed instrument, which was named the Child and Adolescent Psychopathy Screening Instrument (CAPSI). The Study One data revealed the instrumentation used to date provided few measures of physical and verbal aggression - a characteristic of psychopathic-like behaviour. Thus, a review of instrumentation together with the information from the interviews resulted in 63 aggression items being generated. ... Study Four utilised information from the CAPSI and the CASA in conjunction with in-depth interviews to generate case studies to further elucidate the characteristics of children and adolescents with psychopathic-like-traits and extreme aggression. Case studies were undertaken with seven male students ranging in age from 8 to 15 years who had been suspended from mainstream schools. All boys scored very highly on the new instruments. All presented with extreme aggression, with some exhibiting proactive or premeditated aggression combined with a superficially engaging personality, insincere charm, lack of remorse, and lack of empathy. The findings from all four research studies are discussed in the light of the literature reviewed and the aims of the research. Implications are then drawn for researchers and clinicians, and directions for further research are suggested.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2003. / Advisor: Neil Abell, Florida State University, School of Social Work. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Mar. 2, 2004). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--Smith College School for Social Work, 2008. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 21-30, 41-51, 66-70).

Conduct Disorder (CD) is a repetitive and persistent pattern of behaviour in which the basic rights of others or major age-appropriate societal norms or rules are violated. It is one of the most common problems in South African schools, particularly in those that are poverty-stricken. The child who participated in the study lived in the shelter that was for homeless and disadvantaged children. He attended at Amasango School where the majority of children in the shelter attended. There were many conduct-disordered children in the shelter and the school, particularly in the school. They disrupted classes making in difficult for teachers to carry out their education activities. The aim of this study was to draw on the standard procedures of the CBT in order to design interventions that would be effective in reducing aggressive behaviour in an adolescent who had CD Adolescent-Type and who lived at the shelter. This case study evaluated the effectiveness of a multi-modal CBT programme in a 16 year-old Black male who had been displaying aggressive behaviour for about a year. The treatment consisted of 23 sessions and included teacher counseling, contingency management, self-control and self-instructional training. The treatment was evaluated qualitatively by means of interviews with the child and teacher and quantitatively by means of repeated applications of behaviour checklists completed by the teacher. The results showed a decrease in the client's aggressive behaviour and an increase in prosocial behaviour. The client ultimately ceased from all aggressive behaviour towards his peers and this outcome was sustained during his last two months in therapy.

This study investigated the causes and manifestation of aggression among secondary school learners. Aggression was defined. Various theories of aggression were discussed. From the literature study, nine hypotheses were developed. The study used a quantitative approach by means of a survey design. The research site was a rural, secondary school. A closed-ended questionnaire was used as data collection tool. Only learners were involved as respondents. The impact of various moderator variables was considered. The study discovered that aggressive behaviour is not confined to a specific gender. Above all, female aggression is on the rise. Possible causative factors were confirmed and risk factors were identified. Recommendations were made in line with the findings based on the empirical results. Limitations of the study were also pointed out. / Education Studies / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

Text in Afrikaans / The researcher has identified the research problem for the study as the underlying dynamics of physical violence amongst adolescent girls in the school system. The purpose of this study was to investigate these dynamics. The researcher viewed the girls from a holistic perspective and tried to explore and describe the girls' behavior by bringing their environment into consideration. A qualitative study was used to determine the dynamics of physical violence among adolescent girls in the school system. Data was collected by means of semi-structured interviews. From this data it is evident that the dynamics of physical violence among girls is a multi-dimensional and complex phenomenon and cannot be attributed to a single factor. Because of this the researcher tried to make recommendations that touched each level of the girls' functioning. In such a way the researcher tried to address the problem holistically. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Spelterapie)

Text in Afrikaans / Die doel van die studie is om die leefwereld van die aggressiewe adolessente seun te verken. Aggressie word beskou as 'n gedragsafwyking wat op fisieke, verbale of passiewe wyses kan manifesteer. Die oorsake van aggressiewe gedragsmanifestasies by die adolessente seun word hoofsaaklik gevind in die ontoereikende gesinsrelasies. Gevoelens van ongeborgenheid, verwardheid en verwerping is dan die gevolg. 'n Onrealisties positiewe of -negatiewe selfkonsep kan hieruit voortvloei en kan daartoe lei dat die aggressiewe adolessente seun betrokke raak by negatiewe portuurrelasies, waar onder andere rook, dwelm- en drankmisbruik asook roekelose gedrag manifesteer. Ult hierdie literatuurbevindinge is twaalf postulate gestel en bespreek. Vyf idiografiese studies is onderneem, waarvan drie volledig bespreek is. Die bevindings uit hierdie studies sluit aan by die feite wat ult die literatuurstudie oor die leefwereld van die aggressiewe adolessente seun verkry is. Vroee uitkenning, ouerleiding en navorsing met betrekking tot hulpprogramme aan terapeute word aanbeveel om aggressiewe gedragsmanlfestasles by die adolessente seun te voorkom / The purpose of this study is to explore the lifeworld of the aggressive adolescent boy. Aggression is regarded as deviant behaviour, that may manifest itself physically, verbally or passively. The causes of aggressive behaviour in the adolescent boy can be due to inadequate family relationships. Feelings of insecurity, confusion and rejection are the results of the problematic relationships. An unrealistic positive or negative self concept may develop that might lead to involvement with the negative peer group. Smoking, alcohol and drug abuse, as well as reckless behaviour may occur. Twelve postulates have been determined and discussed. Five idiographic studies have been done. Three are discussed in detail. Deductions made from these studies are in agreement with findings in existing literature of the life world of the adolescent boy. Early identification parental guidance and research regarding therapeutical programmes are recommended to prevent aggressive behaviour with the adolescent / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Spesialisering in Voorligting)

Text in Afrikaans / The researcher has identified the research problem for the study as the underlying dynamics of physical violence amongst adolescent girls in the school system. The purpose of this study was to investigate these dynamics. The researcher viewed the girls from a holistic perspective and tried to explore and describe the girls' behavior by bringing their environment into consideration. A qualitative study was used to determine the dynamics of physical violence among adolescent girls in the school system. Data was collected by means of semi-structured interviews. From this data it is evident that the dynamics of physical violence among girls is a multi-dimensional and complex phenomenon and cannot be attributed to a single factor. Because of this the researcher tried to make recommendations that touched each level of the girls' functioning. In such a way the researcher tried to address the problem holistically. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Spelterapie)

The study sought to establish the causes, manifestation and impact of classroom aggression on students’ physical and mental health and academic performance in Harare urban secondary schools in Zimbabwe. A qualitative research design methodology was used in this study. The participants in the study were 40 students and 15 teachers from 10 urban schools in Harare Metropolitan Province. In-depth interview schedules and focus group discussions were used to collect data. The study used a narrative analysis of interview and focus group texts. The data was analysed using a narrative approach. The findings are presented according to the research questions in narrative form illustrated by quotations. The findings of the study revealed that participants believed that classroom aggressive behaviour was caused by biological, social and economic factors. Biological factors included temperament, hormonal imbalances during the menstrual cycle, secondary changes during puberty such as physical strength and certain medical conditions. Social factors included jealousy between romantic suitors, group dynamics during sports competitions and school transitions, rogue prefects, gangs, peer pressure, sexual abuse, corporal punishment, family factors and religious and cultural beliefs. Aggressive behaviour was manifested in physical, relational, cyber and verbal forms. The study also revealed that aggressive behaviour resulted in negative effects that included students incurring physical injuries, committing suicide, experiencing depressive symptoms, anxiety, performing poorly academically and early school leaving. Recommendations for policy and further research were made. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)