This study focuses on the motivations of caregivers who have adopted children affected by, and infected with, HIV/AIDS. The caregivers who participated in the study are from Rustenburg, in the North-West Province. These caregivers form part of the ethnic group classified as Coloured. The community from which these caregivers come have many caregivers who regularly adopt and look after more than four children, at least one of whom is affected by, or infected with, HIV/AIDS. None of the children who were adopted lived with their biological parents, as their parents had either died of HIV/AIDS or had abandoned them when they were diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. This research is a phenomenological study that followed a qualitative descriptive research design. This research design allowed the caregivers to share their motivations for adopting children affected by and infected with HIV/AIDS. The caregivers found it very rewarding to communicate and share their perspectives on, and motivations for, adopting children affected by and infected with HIV/AIDS, and to share their real thoughts and feelings. The caregivers were able to give profound and sincere answers about their motivation to adopt HIV/AIDS affected and infected children. Four female caregivers were purposefully selected from the Rustenburg area. All four of the caregivers were single parents; they have all lost their spouses as a result of death or divorce during the past 10 years. The researcher, therefore, collected data through observation, a focus group discussion, in-depth interviews and a collage activity. The focus group discussion and in-depth interviews were recorded on a digital voice recorder. The focus group discussion was conducted with the caregivers; one week prior to the in-depth interviews. The focus group discussion included a collage activity, where the caregivers used pictures and words to express their motivations to adopt HIV/AIDS affected and infected children. Thematic data analysis was used to transform the transcribed data into meaningful information on adoption. / MA (Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

This study focuses on the motivations of caregivers who have adopted children affected by, and infected with, HIV/AIDS. The caregivers who participated in the study are from Rustenburg, in the North-West Province. These caregivers form part of the ethnic group classified as Coloured. The community from which these caregivers come have many caregivers who regularly adopt and look after more than four children, at least one of whom is affected by, or infected with, HIV/AIDS. None of the children who were adopted lived with their biological parents, as their parents had either died of HIV/AIDS or had abandoned them when they were diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. This research is a phenomenological study that followed a qualitative descriptive research design. This research design allowed the caregivers to share their motivations for adopting children affected by and infected with HIV/AIDS. The caregivers found it very rewarding to communicate and share their perspectives on, and motivations for, adopting children affected by and infected with HIV/AIDS, and to share their real thoughts and feelings. The caregivers were able to give profound and sincere answers about their motivation to adopt HIV/AIDS affected and infected children. Four female caregivers were purposefully selected from the Rustenburg area. All four of the caregivers were single parents; they have all lost their spouses as a result of death or divorce during the past 10 years. The researcher, therefore, collected data through observation, a focus group discussion, in-depth interviews and a collage activity. The focus group discussion and in-depth interviews were recorded on a digital voice recorder. The focus group discussion was conducted with the caregivers; one week prior to the in-depth interviews. The focus group discussion included a collage activity, where the caregivers used pictures and words to express their motivations to adopt HIV/AIDS affected and infected children. Thematic data analysis was used to transform the transcribed data into meaningful information on adoption. / MA (Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study was aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of a play therapy training programme for youth facilitators of a returned exile children's group. The effectiveness was evaluated qualitatively by using participant observation to determine whether the facilitators were able to assess the difficulties of these children and implement the techniques of play therapy to address these difficulties. Literature was used as a general guideline to determine the criteria needed for lay play therapists dealing with specifically traumatized children. It was found that most facilitators experienced difficulty in assessing aggression, withdrawal, nightmares excessive shyness and thumb sucking as symptoms of difficult behaviour. They were, however, able to recognize more explicit symptoms like fearful behaviour and excessive clinging behaviour accurately. The majority used drawings and observations rather than interviews and history taking as assessment strategies. Mutual storytelling, painting and unstructured play were the primary means of intervention used. It was concluded that although difficulty with assessing age appropriate behaviour was present, the facilitators succeeded in using non-threatening therapeutic techniques to address difficult behaviours in children. In the classification of Overall Communication the facilitators performed quite well. They excelled at listening, understanding and empathy skills. The programme thus succeeded in providing necessary skills, but can be improved structurally to make these skills more accessible. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie was om die doeltreffendheid van 'n opleidingsprogram in spelterapie vir jeugdiges as fasiliteerdes van kindergroepe vir teruggekeerde bannelinge te evalueer. Deelnemende waarneming is as kwalitatiewe maatstaf gebruik om die doeltreffendheid van die program te meet. Daar word gekyk na die fasiliteerder se vermoë om die kinders se probleemareas te identifiseer en om spelterapietegnieke te implementeer wat hierdie probleme aanspreek. Verder word relevante literatuur gebruik as kriteria vir leke-spelterapeute wat werk met spesifieke getraumatiseerde kinders. Die resultate van die onderhawige studie wys dat fasiliteerders dit moeilik gevind het om simptome soos aggressie, onttrekkingsgedrag, nagmerries, uitermatige skaamheid en duimsuig te identifiseer as probleemareas. Hulle het dit wel moontlik gevind om meer voor die handliggende simptome soos vreesbevange gedrag en oormatige klouerigheid akkuraat te herken. Die meerderheid fasiliteerders het gebruik gemaak van tekeninge en waarnemings vir identifisering van probleemareas eerder as onderhoudsvoering en die insameling van agtergrondsgeskiedenis. Die spelterapietegnieke wat die meeste gebruik was, is die gesamentlike vertel van stories, verf en ongestruktureerde spel. Ten slotte is gevind dat, alhoewel die fasiliteerders gesukkel het om ouderdomsgepaste gedrag te identifiseer, hulle daarin geslaag het om nie-bedreigende terapeutiese tegnieke aan te wend om sodoende probleemgedrag aan te spreek. In die klassifikasie van Oorkoepelende Kommunikasie, het die fasiliteerders uitgeblink in veral luister- begrips- en empatievaardighede. Die program slaag dus daarin om vaardighede beskikbaar te stel, maar sou struktureel verbeter kan word om hierdie vaardighede meer toeganklik te maak.

published_or_final_version / abstract / Clinical Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

Grief that accompanies significant loss is a universal human experience. It has long been presumed that grief should resolve over a finite period of time. Because of the difficulties with defining the appropriate time limitations for uncomplicated grieving, an alternate conceptualization of grief resolution, in which sorrow is expected to recur periodically rather than dissipate over time was introduced as a conceptual perspective. The research followed a retrospective design in which three groups of persons who had experienced significant, yet different, types of loss were examined to determine the pattern of grief resolution over time. The groups included those whose loved one had a congenital cognitive deficit (Congenital), persons whose loved one had an acquired cognitive deficit (Acquired), and bereaved persons (Bereaved). The outcome variables of initial and present grief, recurrent sorrow, and depressive symptoms were examined for relationship to the covariates of attachment, spirituality, and perceived social support. Participants completed questionnaires that referenced past and present feelings about the loss. Instrumentation included a new scale, the Recurrent Sorrow Inventory, developed to assess pattern of grief over time. Data were analyzed with descriptive and chi-square statistics, analysis of variance, and factor analysis. In addition, graphic format data were used to supplement analysis of the other Likert-format scales. One hundred twenty subjects completed questionnaires. For the combined sample, a significantly greater number of participants selected graphs and descriptive phrases representative of recurrent sorrow over time, than the other choices that suggested either time-bound grief resolution or persistent sadness following loss. The findings did not differ across groups when the sample was separated by type of loss. As hypothesized, the data supported separate, orthogonal factors of initial and present grief, recurrent sorrow, and depression. This supports distinction of depression from grief and recurrent sorrow and suggests avenues for theory development regarding human response to loss. The findings of the study support the need to continue examination of the pervasive nature of grief over time, particularly for relevance to emotional and psychosocial well-being. Nursing science is an appropriate context in which to consider these relationships.

No description available.

Background and aims: The experiences of primary caregivers of adults with learning disabilities who have committed an offence is a largely neglected area within current literature. However, primary caregivers have an integral role in the provision of care of adults with learning disabilities and this has implications for service provision and rehabilitation. Our understanding of both learning disability and offending behaviour is affected by societal, cultural and political narratives and these have impact on a primary caregivers meaning making. Having identified a gap in our current understanding, this study aims to develop an understanding as to the storied experience of primary caregivers in order to inform clinical practise and raise awareness of the challenges faced. Methodology: A qualitative approach was selected for this research. A purposive sample of five primary caregivers (three females and two males) was recruited through two NHS services and one community based contact. Field interviews were conducted with each participant, audio-recorded and transcribed. Narrative analysis was used to analyse the transcripts, focusing upon the content of information shared, the way in which the narratives were performed and the contextual factors which may influence story co-construction. Analysis and findings: The narratives shared by participants are presented on a group level. Results are divided into two areas. Firstly the primary caregivers stories are presented chronologically in order to orientate the reader to the context in which primary caregivers were operating. The stories refer to ‘life before the offence’, ‘the offence’, ‘life since the offence’ and ‘future stories’. Secondly attention is given to the underlying emotional content of the storied experience, with four predominant emotions identified; Frustration, Anger, Grief and Fear. This gives an emotional underpinning through which we can interpret the emerging plots and subplots, with consideration of the similarities and differences within these. Four plots were identified: ‘Understanding’, ‘Proximity to offspring’, ‘Relationship with self and others’ and ‘Commitment to care giving role’. These narratives highlight both the temporal nature of the caregiving role and how it may be affected by service responses to the individual with learning disabilities and their families. The findings are considered in regards to their clinical relevance and implications for service provision. The strengths and limitations of the study and suggestions for future research are presented along with personal reflections.

For individuals with schizophrenia and their caregivers, psychosocial interventions have been shown to significantly improve recovery and reduce relapse rates. Although this population is underserved and stigmatized, counselors have been excluded from most research into attitudes toward and interventions for these families. Using a stratified random sample survey design, researchers explored the relationships between participating U.S. Licensed Professional Counselors’ attitudes towards, recovery beliefs regarding, familiarity with, desire for social distance from, and interest in providing services to individuals with schizophrenia and their caregivers. Most of the 111 participants (11.1% response rate) identified themselves as female (83.8%) and Caucasian (86.5%). A few participants described themselves as Hispanic (6.3%) or Black or African-American (5.4%). Respondents ranged in age in years from 20’s to 60’s with the largest group in their 40’s. Descriptive statistics indicated that the majority of LPC participants reported low to moderate stigmatizing attitudes, strong beliefs in recovery, and moderate to high interest in providing interventions for people with schizophrenia and their caregivers. Furthermore, almost half of participating LPCs reported already working with individuals with schizophrenia. Bivariate correlations and hierarchical regressions indicated that high interest in providing interventions for this population was significantly correlated (p < .01) with high frequency of already working with the population (large effect), low desire for social distance (medium effect), high desire to help socially (medium effect), and strong beliefs in recovery (small effect). The results support including LPCs in all areas pertaining to interventions, research, and recovery for people with schizophrenia and their caregivers.

M.Cur. / The objectives of the research were to explore and describe the healthcare needs of long-term, home-based physically disabled persons and then to develop guidelines for the training of Ancillary Health Care Workers (AHCWs) to meet these needs. The guidelines were developed specifically from the patients‟ perspective and were derived from the two research questions: “What are your healthcare needs?” and “How can these be met?”. A contextual, qualitative, exploratory and descriptive research design was utilised. The population consisted of physically disabled people, aged 18 years or older, living in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg who employed an AHCW to assist with the longterm, home-based care. Purposive sampling was used with subsequent snowballing to identify further participants for the study. Interviews with open-ended questions were conducted with all the participants during which they could express their views freely. Tesch‟s method of data analysis was used to identify categories, sub-categories and themes. The model of Lincoln and Guba (1985:301f) was used to ensure trustworthiness and ethical considerations were maintained throughout the process. Informed consent was given by the patients. Three categories and sub-categories of healthcare needs were identified: physical healthcare needs, interpersonal relationship needs and social needs. Twelve themes were derived from these categories, notably i. Awareness of the unique physical environment needs of the physically disabled person, including injury prevention ii. Management of hygiene and elimination iii. Assistance with nutrition and hydration iv. Assistance with mobilisation v. Administration of medication vi. Required training of the AHCW iv vii. Personality traits of the AHCW viii. Cultural tolerance ix. Maintenance of privacy and dignity x. Communication skills xi. Companionship xii. Promotion of independence of the patient . From the themes twelve guidelines were developed for the training of AHCWs in home-based care looking after physically disabled patients. The research‟s limitations were described and recommendations relating to practice, nursing education and further research were made.

Extensive research and literature exists emphasising that the quality of the early infant attachment style and psychic structure developments are dependent on the quality of maternal care received by an infant. Infants’ who experience consistent, sensitive, and reliable care are more likely to develop secure attachments and healthy psychic structures which will positively influence their future abilities to function healthily in their environments and to experience healthy interpersonal relationships. The importance, therefore, for the development and assessment of parent-infant interventions focused on improving the quality of maternal care available to infants, is clear. The Ububele Baby Mat Project, implemented at the Alexandra Health Care Clinic in Johannesburg, is one such intervention and no evaluation of this intervention has been conducted. It was deemed necessary by the team providing the service for them to gain some idea of the way in which their service is being received in the community it is serving as well as to assist them in developing their intervention further. The current research aimed to get insight into the mothers’ experiences and perceptions of the Baby mat. The form of data included 8 semi-structured in-depth interviews of women who had accessed the Baby mat and thematic content analysis was used to interpret the results. The findings indicated that overall the mothers received the Baby mat very positively and spoke of the service being invaluable to them, especially in the face of the adverse conditions in which they live. Suggestions for the Ububele Baby Mat Project team are also provided.