Thesis (Ed.D.)--University of West Florida, 2007. / Title from title page of source document. Document formatted into pages; contains 135 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego and San Diego State University, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 98-107).

Disruptive behaviour disorders (DBDs) in children are among the most common referrals to mental health services and can lead to adverse psychosocial outcomes. There is consistent evidence that dysfunctional parenting, which has been associated with parental psychopathology, is a risk factor for the onset of these disorders. Yet, few studies have explored a wide range of parental pathology and parenting behaviours as well as perceptions of mental health and parenting of the parents of children with DBDs. This study, which took the form of a multiple case study, aimed to explore and describe the mental health and parenting of parents of pre-adolescent and adolescent children with DBDs. It also aimed to explore and describe parental perceptions of their own mental health and parenting and how (or if) they perceive their mental health as influencing their parenting. Purposive sampling was used to select participants and the sample size was determined through data saturation. Data was collected via the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory and a semi-structured interview. Thematic content analysis and cross-case synthesis were used to analyse the data. The participants’ personality profiles indicated the presence of moderate to severe pathology including personality disorders and clinical disorders. Parenting themes that emerged included a number of dysfunctional parenting behaviours. The parents showed an awareness of their mental health and perceived it as influencing their parenting. This study emphasised the importance of exploring mental health and parenting interventions for parents of children with DBDs. The biggest limitations of this study was the small sample size.

Foundation phase teachers of an urban, primary school at which the researcher is presently teaching, often complain about the behaviour of learners. Learners are sent out of the classrooms almost everyday, which contravenes education policy. Some of the problems foundation phase teachers complain about are disobedience, fighting, aggression as well as stealing and un-cooperative behaviour. These teachers often send learners with behavioural difficulties out of classes, and then call in parents but this intervention does not result in any changes. Teachers seem not to understand the nature of behaviours and strategies of behaviour management. They resort to losing control, using corporal punishment and think of resigning. Successful management of behavioural difficulties in foundation phase classes is crucial for learner development. Learners are still young and it is their first year at school. They come from different homes and neighbourhoods. Their background often influences their behaviour. Some of foundation phase learners practice the unacceptable behaviour practiced at home or by neighbours not knowing that the behaviour is not acceptable at school. Foundation phase teachers therefore do not always understand learners with behavioural difficulties because of lack of understanding of the nature of the causes of behavioural difficulties as well as the lack of strategies in managing learners with behavioural difficulties. Against this background the purpose of this study is therefore to investigate, explore and describe the support needs of foundation phase teachers in managing behavioural difficulties. In this study the research was conducted in a qualitative research paradigm. The data collection methods were individual interviews and field notes from individual interviews, which were taken as supportive data. A literature survey on the nature and causes of behavioural difficulties as well as the support needs of teachers is discussed in section two. Data was analysed through the qualitative content analysis method. Four categories emerged which are types of behavioural difficulties, causes of behavioural difficulties as well teachers’ present behavioural management strategies and the support needs of foundation phase teachers. Summary of the findings, recommendations for the study as well as critical discussion of the findings is also stated. Recommendations for further research are then suggested. / Mrs. J.V. Fourie

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M.Ed. / This study investigates parents' conception of their children who have been diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD). The view being to describe and explain their conception and to lay down principles for the implementation of parental guidance. The rationale for this study is derived from the researcher's experiences that parents' emotions, experiences and points of view are seldom taken into account in the multidisciplinary intervention process regarding children with AD/HD. Parents are the primary educators of their children, therefore it is important to involve the parents in the intervention process. For the involvement to be of optimal value, therapists need to have an understanding of the conceptions of these parents regarding children with AD/HD. Therapists who know where the parents are, and what their emotions and experiences are, find themselves in a better position to provide relevant parental guidance in an empathetic manner. This study presents a framework of theory in which AD/HD is clearly explicated. The experiences and needs of parents of children with AD/HD and the role of parental guidance is discussed. The focus then shifts to therapy and parental guidance from a constructivistic perspective. In the constructivistic view the therapist is the facilitator of change and this has implications for the goal of therapy and the therapeutic relationship. Parental guidance from a constructivistic perspective is recommended as an alternative way of involving parents (with their emotions, experiences and conceptions) in the process of helping children with AD/HD. The framework of theory is followed by a chapter on the design of the research, substantiating the choice of format and methods of data collection and analysis. The data is reported in the final chapter. Examples of raw data from transcriptions and sketches are presented. Finally, the consolidated data is interpreted. The most significant findings of this study are that parents of children with AD/HD experience their educational task as problematic, that these parents don't receive any form of (structured) parental guidance and/or support and that they experience a great need for the latter. iv This study proposes that a parental guidance program should be implemented in order to meet the needs of the parents of children with AD/HD and to provide them with the necessary support. Five implications for the implementation of such a program are discussed. The study concludes with the thought that children with AD/HD who live in a happy and supportive family unit, have a far better chance to reach their full potential and to be successful in life than those who don't. It is therefore important to assist parents in the provision of such an environment.

Sandtray therapy, a modality of play therapy, has been used in a variety of ways as the treatment intervention with different theoretical approaches; however, there is a very limited amount of empirical research. The purpose of this research is to examine the effectiveness of group sandtray therapy at school with preadolescents identified with behavioral difficulties. This is a pretest-posttest control group design. Participants in the experimental group received sandtray therapy in group for ten weeks, and participants in the wait-list control group received no treatment intervention. The researcher compared two groups to examine the overall effectiveness of sandtray therapy as determined by the scores of the Child Behavior Checklist-Teacher Report Form (CBC-TRF), Parent Report Form (BASC-PRF), and Self Report of Personality (BASC-SRP). Based on teachers' reports, statistically significant difference existed between the two groups in terms of preadolescents' overall behaviors, externalizing behavior problems, and internalizing behavior problems after the ten week treatment intervention. The effect sizes were medium (d= .52-.59). According to parents' reports, a statistically significant difference was found regarding preadolescents' externalizing behavior problems, and the effect size was medium (d=.63). No statistically significant differences were found regarding preadolescents' total behaviors and internalizing behavior problems based on BASC-PRF. The effect sizes arranged from medium to small (d=.55 and .35, respectively). In terms of the total behavior on BASE-SRP, no statistical significant difference was found and the effect was small (d=.18). A case example was included to illustrate the process and effect of group sandtray therapy. Based on the results of this study, it is determined that group sandtray can be an effective treatment intervention for preadolescents identified with behavioral problems. The primary contribution of this study is to present empirical support for the effectiveness of using sandtray therapy.

Approximately 20% of children experience serious mental health problems severe enough to meet diagnosis criteria, and less than one third of these children receive the services they need. Identifying effective school-based counseling interventions provides a viable and accessible solution, especially for families with financial barriers. This randomized, controlled outcome study examined the effectiveness of Adlerian play therapy (AdPT) compared to reading mentoring (RM) with 58 kindergarten through third grade students who qualified with clinical levels of disruptive behavior in the classroom. Participants were identified as 48% Latino, 33% European American, and 19% African American. Approximately four-fifths of participants were male. Children were randomly assigned to AdPT (experimental group) or RM (active control group) for 16 sessions of treatment. Children in both groups participated in twice weekly, individual, 30-minute interventions that took place in their schools. Results from a two (group) by two (repeated measures) split plot ANOVA indicated that, compared to the RM group over time, the AdPT group demonstrated statistically significant improvement on (a) disruptive behaviors in the classroom, as directly observed by objective raters and as reported by teachers, and (b) stress in the teacher-child relationship, as reported by teachers. Teachers and observers were blinded to children's treatment group assignment. AdPT demonstrated moderate to large effect sizes on all measures, indicating the practical significance of treatment. Further, 72% of children receiving AdPT improved from clinical/borderline levels of disruptive behavior problems to more normative functioning post-intervention, demonstrating the clinical significance of results. Whereas further research is warranted, results from this preliminary study are promising and support the use of AdPT in elementary schools to meet the needs of children exhibiting disruptive classroom behavior.

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which insecure attachment formation and the laissez-faire of authoritarian parenting style predict violent or general delinquent behaviors in preadolescent youths. The present study analyzes archival data from the first wave of a longitudinal study on delinquent behaviors. Two hundred six male and female sixth grade students were surveyed. A correlation design was used to determine predictors of violent and general delinquent behaviors among these preadolescent youths. Regression analysis was used to determine which predictor offered the best explanation of violent and delinquent behavior. It was found that for boys and girls, insecure attachment was indeed significantly correlated with violent and general delinquent behaviors. However, parenting styles was not at all correlated with those behaviors in boys. Conversely, for girls, regression analysis indicated that the Laissez-faire parenting style was a more significant predictor of violent and general delinquent behaviors. These findings are important in that they may be used to help design programs to abate the rising tide of delinquency and violence among preadolescent youths. The results of this study indicate the need for parental involvment in such programs.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of child-centered play therapy and curriculum-based small-group guidance on the behaviors of aggressive children in an elementary school as determined by (a) the reduction of aggressive behaviors, (b) the decrease in internalizing problems, and (c) the decrease in externalizing problems of aggressive children. Two types of behavioral instruments, the Behavioral Assessment System for Children-Teacher Rating Scale/Parent Rating Scale and the Child Behavior Checklist-Caregiver/Teacher Report Form, were used to provide multiple measures of the same construct in this matched pretest-posttest comparison group experimental designed study. Qualitative data was also collected. The population studied was comprised of 37 volunteer children identified as aggressive in kindergarten through fourth grade, ages 5-12, who qualified for counseling services at a Title I public elementary school in North Texas . Children who were referred by teachers and parents, and met the required criteria, were matched in pairs on grade level and randomly assigned to one of the two real-world setting interventions; play therapy treatment group (n=20), which received 12-15 individual child-centered play therapy sessions, or the curriculum-based small-group guidance group (n=17), consisting of 12-19 lessons. Major strengths of the study included utilizing students referred for counseling due to behavioral difficulties (students demonstrating at-risk and clinically significant aggressive behaviors) and servicing them at school, a real-world setting. Another strength was the use of 30-minute play therapy and guidance sessions, which conform to typical school practice. Twelve hypotheses were tested using two-factor mixed repeated measures and eta squared. The data of this study tentatively support the effectiveness of both modalities in decreasing the aggressive behaviors, internalizing problems, and externalizing problems of aggressive children. The data seems to indicate that school-based child-centered play therapy is as effective at improving the behaviors of aggressive children as a nationally recognized guidance curriculum program. Qualitative data from the parents and teachers of the children demonstrated clinical significance, suggesting that school-based child-centered play therapy is more noticeably effective in reducing the aggressive behaviors of children. A control group is needed to determine conclusive results and discern possible effects of maturation.