Det huvudsakliga syftet i denna studie var att ta reda på skolpersonals uppfattning om varför ätstörningar uppstår bland unga flickor samt vilka metoder de använder sig av i förebyggande syfte för att motverka ett ätstörningsutvecklande. Empirin bygger på kvalitativa semistrukturerade intervjuer bestående av två skolkuratorer, två skolsköterskor samt en skolpsykolog i en mellanstor svensk stad. Fyra huvudteman identifierades i intervjuerna vilka var: Olika typer av yttre påverkan, Tonåringar har störst tendens att utveckla ätstörningar, Preventiva metoder samt Skolpersonal saknar hållbara metoder. Analysen av de teman som framkom i studien kan ge en förståelse för hur skolpersonal preventivt arbetar med unga flickor och ätstörningsproblematik samt vilka faktorer som uppfattas vara bidragande till ett ätstörningsutvecklande. Sammanfattningsvis visar studien att skolpersonal i stort uppfattar att faktorer såsom självkänsla, krav och stress, koncentrationssvårigheter samt media och skönhetsideal kan bidra till ett ätstörningsutvecklande. Vidare visar studien att skolpersonal gör försök att arbeta preventivt med ätstörningsproblematik genom att reagera på förändrat beteende och samtala med vårdnadshavare och elev men även genom att arbeta med självkänslan hos flickorna. Det framkommer dock inga gemensamma hållbara metoder i skolpersonalens arbetssätt med unga flickor som tenderar att utveckla en ätstörning där flertalet informanter tycks vara i behov av detta. / The main purpose of this study was to find out the view of the school staff on why eating disorders arise among young girls and which methods the school staff use for prevention. The empirical data is based on qualitative semi-structured interviews with two school counselors, two school nurses and a school psychologist in a medium-sized Swedish town. Four main themes were identified in the interviews which were: Different kinds of external influences, Adolescents have the greatest tendency to develop eating disorders, Prevention methods and School staff lack sustainable methods. The analysis of the themes that emerged from the study can provide an understanding of how school staff preventively work with young girls and eating disorder problems and the factors that are perceived to be contributing to a developing eating disorder. In summary, the study showed that school staff, at large, perceive that factors such as self-esteem, demands and stress, concentration difficulties, as well as the media and beauty ideals can contribute to a developing eating disorder. Furthermore, the study showed that school staff do try to work preventively with the eating disorder problems by reacting to changes in behavior and talking with both parents and students, but also by working with the self-esteem amongst girls. No common sustainable methods were found in the school staff’s work with young girls that tend to develop an eating disorder in which the majority of respondents appear to be in need of this.

This research focuses on the issue of parent involvement at selected secondary schools in the Zeerust District of the North West Province in order to gain an understanding of relevant participants’ views on the following aspects that relate to the management of parent involvement: the concept of parent involvement, ways in which parent involvement should be realised, its benefits and challenges, as well as strategies to improve the management of parent involvement in the education of learner children. The theoretical frameworks that informed this study were Epstein’s theories of overlapping spheres and her typology of parent involvement, as well as Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model. These frameworks provided a meaningful lens for interpreting data and making recommendations in the final chapter. The researcher undertook an extensive literature study and conducted interviews with principals, SGB chairpersons, as well as selected SGB parent members and other active and inactive parents from the selected schools in the Zeerust district. The research shows, inter alia, that parent involvement has various benefits and that it faces several challenges which affect the management thereof. Benefits concern improvement in terms of academic performance of learners, provision of teaching and learning resources, relationships between parents and the school, learner motivation and school attendance. Challenges to parent involvement that were identified were time constraints of parents, poor communication between home and school, parents’ lack of interest and commitment, principals’ limitations in terms of the management of parent involvement, parents’ limited education, negative parental attitudes and negative teacher attitudes. Key recommendations were made in terms of Bronfenbrenner’s micro, exo- and macrosystem for addressing the management of parent involvement in a synergetic manner. They concerned, inter alia, the national Department of Basic Education in the macrosystem, provincial Departments of Basic Education in the exosystem and schools and parents in the microsystem. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)