Thesis (doctoral)-Gothenburg University, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references.

In this qualitative study the researcher explores the experiences of various caregivers at a day care centre for developmentally challenged children. This study also attempts to draw a distinction between the experiences of formal and informal caregivers’ experiences. The study is underpinned by two assumptions: 1) that in order to obtain a rich understanding of a phenomenon, the views and voices of a variety of individuals need to be considered and 2) that cultural values and practices play a significant role in the way individuals experience a certain phenomenon. The experiences of both formal and informal caregivers are documented using thematic analysis. An analysis of the participants’ global themes revealed that “education/learning/skills development” and “communication barriers” were common themes among both participant groups. Each participant group also expressed unique experiences such as “being a parent”, “becoming a foster parent” and “being useless as a professional-in-training”. Focal areas for further research are highlighted. / Clinical Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

Historically, people with developmental disabilities were denied the right to live in and integrate with the society of individuals without disabilities. Landmark legislation and a societal shift over the past two decades, however, have made it possible for people with developmental disabilities to live and work in the communities in which they live.

Thesis (MEdPsych)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Deaf learners are unique and require special support and assistance. It is apparent in the literature that deaf learners are more exposed to both physical and sexual abuse. The consequences of the latter can lead to emotional problems, for example, enuresis, anxiety disorders, depression, panic attacks, anger outbursts and attention deficits. One of the biggest challenges in the life of deaf learners must surely be communication. Misunderstandings and subsequent frustrations that ensue, normally occur as a result of communication difficulties between deaf learners and the hearing person. From the literature it appears necessary to stimulate the deaf learner's language development as early as possible, as it impacts on several aspects of his/her maturation into adulthood. Communication difficulties can also influence the emotional development of deaf learners. Therapeutic support for deaf learners are a challenge. The therapist that works with the learners should ideally be able to sign. The young deaf learners do, however, not yet have a signing system and consequently communication is problematic. The learners themselves experience frustrations as he/she is not able to express his/her emotions. The objective of this study was to investigate the possibility of developmental play therapy as a psychotherapeutic technique for the treatment of emotional problems in young deaf learners. To some degree, the technique makes it possible for verbal communication between therapist and learners to be replaced by physical contact. The aim of the activities is to take learners back to the early mother-child relationship and for the therapist to model healthy relationships. The research undertaken here is a qualitative case study. It was approached from an eco-systemic perspective, in other words learners are viewed as the core system which, in turn, is part of several other systems for example the family, school, church, community, etc. The systems are interdependent, which means that change in the one system also results in change within the other systems. In the data production video recordings, unstructured interviews, observations and field notes were used. Data analysis was done using the principles of coding. The results of the study show that developmental play therapy is indeed an effective psychotherapeutic technique in the treatment of emotional problems in young deaf learners. It would appear that the technique requires adaptation for deaf learners needs in order to be effective. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Dowe leerders is uniek en het spesiale ondersteuning nodig. Uit die literatuur wil dit blyk of dowe leerders meer blootgestel word aan beide fisiese en seksuele mishandeling. Die gevolge van laasgenoemde kan lei tot meer emosionele probleme, byvoorbeeld enurese, angsversteurings, depressie, paniekaanvalle, woedeuitbarstings en aandagafleibaarheid. Een van die grootste uitdagings in dowe leerders se lewe is seker kommunikasie. Misverstande en frustrasies wat daaruit vloei, ontstaan gewoonlik as gevolg van kommunikasieprobieme tussen dowe leerders en die horende persoon. Uit die literatuur blyk dit noodsaaklik om dowe leerders se taalontwikkeling so vroeg as moontlik te stimuleer aangesien dit verskeie aspekte in sy/haar volwassewordingsproses beïnvloed. Kommunikasieprobleme het ook 'n invloed op dowe leerders se emosionele ontwikkeling. Terapeutiese ondersteuning van dowe leerders is 'n uitdaging. Die terapeut wat met die leerders werk, moet verkieslik gebaretaal kan praat. Die jong dowe leerders het egter nog nie werklik 'n gebaresisteem nie en gevolglik is kommunikasie 'n probleem. Die leerders self ervaar frustrasies, omdat hy/sy nie die vermoê het om uiting te gee aan sy/haar emosies nie. Die doel met hierdie studie was om die moontlikheid van ontwikkelende speelterapie as psigoterapeutiese tegniek in die hantering van emosionele probleme by jong dowe leerders te ondersoek. Die tegniek maak dit in 'n mate moontlik om die verbale kommunikasie tussen terapeut en leerders te vervang met fisiese kontak. Die doel met die aktiwiteite is om die leerders terug te neem na die vroeê moeder - kindverhouding en gesonde verhoudings deur die terapeut te modelleer. Die navorsing neem die vorm van 'n kwalitatiewe gevallestudie aan. Dit word benader vanuit 'n ekosistemiese perspektief, dit wil sê die leerders word gesien as die kernsisteem wat deel is van verskeie ander sisteme soos byvoorbeeld die familie, skool, kerk en gemeenskap. Die sisteme is interafhanklik wat beteken dat verandering in die een sisteem ook verandering in die ander sisteme tot gevolg het. In die data-produksie is tegnieke naamlik video-opnames, ongestruktureerde onderhoude, observasies en veldnotas gebruik. Data-analise is volgens die beginsels van kodering gedoen. Die resultate van die onderhewige studie wys daarop dat ontwikkelende speelterapie wel In effektiewe psigoterapeutiese tegniek is in die hantering van emosionele probleme by jong dowe leerders. Dit wil voorkom of die tegniek aangepas moet word by dowe leerders se behoeftes om werklik effektief te wees.

I tested the effects of an observational intervention on observing responses, denial responses, and audience appropriate behaviors in 9 preschool children with developmental and language delays. The participants were 8 males and 1 female aged 3-5 years, who were selected from a preschool program that implemented a behavior analytic approach to all instruction. All participants had fluent listener and speaker repertoires and emitted mands, tacts, and sequelics with adults. The children were selected to participate because they displayed little to no awareness of, or interactions with their peers during free play and social settings. I conducted probes for a) peer observing responses, b) responses to denial of non-preferred stimuli being delivered to peers, c) social initiations to peers, d) responses to peers’ social initiations, and e) other socially appropriate behaviors. Pre-intervention probes showed that all participants emitted low peer observing responses in free play settings, and did not consistently initiate or reciprocate peer interactions across different social settings. Five out of nine participants emitted responses to denial prior to the intervention. The independent variable was an observational intervention using non-preferred stimuli and a denial condition that was used in prior studies to establish conditioned reinforcement by observation. The participant and peer confederate sat side-by-side at a table, and were separated by an opaque partition. They were both presented with a performance task. The participant observed the peer confederate receive the non-preferred stimuli but could not observe the peer’s responses to the task. The intervention continued until the participants emitted responses to denial of the non-preferred stimuli across two sessions. Post-intervention data suggest that peer observing responses in free play settings, as well as audience appropriate behaviors in social settings increased as a function of the observational intervention in 8 out of 9 participants. Responses to the denial of non-preferred stimuli delivered to a peer increased in 4 out of 4 participants who did not respond during pre-intervention probes.

The movement to increase the number of group home programs for the mentally retarded/developmentally disabled is present in the state of Oregon. The Boundary Street group home, located in Portland, was established as a result of this movement. As a rather typical group home program, it is subject to many of the program concerns and evaluation needs experienced by similar services. This point represents the ultimate reason for this paper. The primary purpose will be to develop a program evaluation system that will be appropriate and beneficial in meeting the evaluation needs of the Boundary Street group home. Because the Boundary Street group home is similar in principle and design to other group homes in Oregon, a second purpose of this project will be to develop an evaluation system that can be beneficial to other programs.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of untrained and trained peer tutors on the motor performance of students with developmental disabilities in integrated physical education classes. This study utilized a single subject delayed multiple baseline design across subjects. Six elementary age students with developmental disabilities and six nondisabled peer tutors participated in the study. The students were videotaped during their physical education class and data were analyzed on discrete motor skill responses. The students were assigned to one of two protocols. Protocol 1 consisted of three conditions; baseline, assistance by an untrained peer tutor, and assistance by a trained peer tutor. The results of Protocol 1 data revealed that trained peer tutors were effective at assisting subjects with developmental disabilities improve their motor performance, while untrained peer tutors were not. As a result of these findings Protocol 2 which consisted only of baseline and assistance by trained peer tutors, was utilized to replicate and provide additional support for the effect of trained peer tutors. The results of Protocol 2 revealed that trained peer tutors were effective at assisting subjects with developmental disabilities improve their motor performance in integrated physical education classes. Trained peer tutors were provided with instruction in the following three teaching areas: cueing, feedback, and reinforcement. The cueing techniques followed the system of least prompts and included verbal cueing, modeling, and physical assistance. Feedback information consisted of positive general and positive specific reinforcement. Peer tutors were trained over two 30 minute sessions. Pre-established criteria required the peer tutors to implement the teaching behaviors with the researcher a minimum of 4 out 5 times, and receive a score of 90% or better on the peer tutor quiz. All peers were successful at meeting this criteria. Data were collected on the tutors' teaching behaviors throughout the study via a wireless microphone. The results of the peer tutor data revealed that the tutors were able to implement the tutor training program. The results of this study demonstrate that elementary age peer tutors can be trained to provide assistance to students with developmental disabilities in integrated physical education classes. Recommendations for future research are provided based on the results of this study. / Graduation date: 1994

Univ., Diss.--Göteborg, 2005.

Thesis (D. Min.)--Covenant Theological Seminary, 2005. / Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 95-97).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Covenant Theological Seminary, 2005. / Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 95-97).