The year 2002 saw the amendment of section 5(4) of the South African Schools Act no 84 of 1996. The amended Act now allows children of five years or younger to enter school. The entry of five year olds and younger into the school system left the researcher with the question: when is a child emotionally ready for school? The test and mediums currently used to determine school readiness do not place emphasis on the emotional aspects, although this plays an integral part in the child’s scholastic success. This scientific investigation was to determine the emotional development of children between the ages of four and seven years. The aim of this study was to determine which emotional aspects a child should have to be emotionally ready for school. These findings were discussed and information gathered through semi-structured interviews with grade 1 teachers. The teachers were a good source of practical and personal experience and observations on children who enter school. The information gathered from the literature study and interviews formed the basis for developing an emotional school readiness checklist and related programme that can be used to determine the emotional school readiness of a child entering grade 1. The emotional school readiness checklist and related programme that was designed was not in question, rather the aspects deemed necessary for a child to be emotionally ready for school and how therapy could be developed based on these aspects. Thus the inventory was not tested on a child, but was implemented in a case study to illustrate a therapeutic plan that could be designed based on the emotional school readiness checklist. / Dissertation (MA (Counselling Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Psychology / unrestricted

Syftet med studien var att undersöka om det fanns skillnader mellan skambenägenhet, självbild samt generell symtomnivå hos en patientgrupp inför behandling i Känsloskola jämfört med en normgrupp. Ett ytterligare syfte var att hos patientgruppen studera sambandet mellan dessa tre faktorer. Mätinstrumenten bestod av TOSCA, SASB Introject och SCL-90 GSI. I studien medverkade 18 vuxna patienter, varav 4 män och 14 kvinnor. Patienterna rekryterades från olika öppenvårdsmottagningar vid en vuxenpsykiatrisk klinik i Umeå där studien genomfördes. Resultaten visade på en tydlig signifikant skillnad mellan patientgruppen och normgrupperna. Patientgruppen uppvisade högre nivåer av skambenägenhet, självkontroll, självkritik, självhat, självförsummelse och symtom samt lägre nivåer av självacceptans, självkärlek, självvård än normalgruppen. Studien fann även ett tydligt signifikant positivt samband mellan skambenägenhet, självbildsaspekterna självkritik och självhat samt symtomnivå hos patientgruppen. Studien bidrar med ny kunskap om känsloskolans patientgrupp. Ett lågt deltagarantal och ojämn könsfördelning uppmanar till försiktighet vad gäller tolkning och generalisering av resultatet. En initial bedömning av patienternas tillstånd kan tillvaratas i utformningen av psykologisk behandling av olika psykiatriska tillstånd. Inte minst kunskapen om skambenägenhet och självhat. / The purpose of the study was to investigate whether there were differences between shameproneness, self-image and general symptom level in a patient group before treatment in Känsloskola (Emotion school) compared with a norm group. An additional purpose was to study the relationship between these three factors in the patient group. The measuring instruments consisted of TOSCA, SASB Introject and SCL-90 GSI. The study involved 18 adult patients, of whom 4 were men and 14 women. The patients were recruited from various outpatient clinics at an adult psychiatric clinic in Umeå where the study was conducted. The result showed a clear significant difference between the patient group and the norm groups. The patient group showed a higher level of shame proneness, self-control, self-critisism, self-hatred, self-neglect and symptom and lower levels of self-acceptace, selflove, selfcare than the normal group. The study also found a clear significant positive relationship between shameproneness, self-image aspects self-criticism and self-hatred and symptom level in the patient group. The study contributes with new knowledge about Känsloskolans patient group. A low number of participants and an uneven gender distribution call for caution with regard to the interpretation and generalization of the results. An initial assessment of the patients condition can be used in the design of psychological treatment of various psychiatric conditions. Not least the knowledge of shame and self-hatred.

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Hierdie studie spreek die emosionele skoolgereedheid van voorskoolse kinders aan. Die voorskoolse kind met sy basiese emosies vanuit sielkundig opvoedkundige perspektief word in die studie van naderby beskou. Tydens die studie is die basiese emosies volgens Plutchik (1980) wat bepalend vir die emosionele skoolgereedheid van die skooltoetreder is, geidentifiseer. Na aanleiding van nuwe insigte waartoe gekom is, het die navorser 'n eie emosionele skoolgereedheidsevalueringslys volgens Plutchik (1980) se basiese emosies antwerp, wat as 'n maatstaf vir die evaluering van emosionele skoolgereedheid kan dien. 'n Empiriese ondersoek is onderneem om te bepaal of 'n aantal proefpersone volgens n emosionele skoolgereedheidsevalueringslys emosioneel skoolgereed is al dan nie. Emosionele tekorte is vanuit die emosionele skoolgereedheidsevalueringslys geidentifiseer, waarna diagnostiese en terapeutiese tegnieke vir emosionele skoolgereedmaking kortliks bespreek is. Opvoedkundige sielkundiges kan die diagnostiese en terapeutiese tegnieke as hulpmiddel gebruik om emosionele tekorte, wat moontlik 'n blokkasie vir emosionele skoolgereedheid inhou, aan te spreek. / This stidu addresses the emotional school preparedness (readiness) of pre-primary children. The pre-primary child with his basic emotions from a psychological educational perspective is examined more closely in this study. During this study the basic emotions according to Plutchik {1980) that determine the emotional school readiness of the school entrant, were identified. On account of new insights gained, the researcher designed a school readiness evaluation list of her own according to Plutchik's (1980) basic emotions. This list can serve as a guideline for the evaluation of emotional school readiness. An empirical study was undertaken to determine whether a number of experimental subjects {children) were ready for school or not. Emotional deficiencies were identified by means of the emotional school readiness evaluation list, whereafter diagnostic and therapeutic techniques for the emotional preparation of children were briefly discussed. Educational psychologists can use these diagnostic and therapeutic techniques as an aid to address emotional deficiencies, which may impede the emotional school readiness of children. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (met spesialisering in Voorligting)

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Hierdie studie spreek die emosionele skoolgereedheid van voorskoolse kinders aan. Die voorskoolse kind met sy basiese emosies vanuit sielkundig opvoedkundige perspektief word in die studie van naderby beskou. Tydens die studie is die basiese emosies volgens Plutchik (1980) wat bepalend vir die emosionele skoolgereedheid van die skooltoetreder is, geidentifiseer. Na aanleiding van nuwe insigte waartoe gekom is, het die navorser 'n eie emosionele skoolgereedheidsevalueringslys volgens Plutchik (1980) se basiese emosies antwerp, wat as 'n maatstaf vir die evaluering van emosionele skoolgereedheid kan dien. 'n Empiriese ondersoek is onderneem om te bepaal of 'n aantal proefpersone volgens n emosionele skoolgereedheidsevalueringslys emosioneel skoolgereed is al dan nie. Emosionele tekorte is vanuit die emosionele skoolgereedheidsevalueringslys geidentifiseer, waarna diagnostiese en terapeutiese tegnieke vir emosionele skoolgereedmaking kortliks bespreek is. Opvoedkundige sielkundiges kan die diagnostiese en terapeutiese tegnieke as hulpmiddel gebruik om emosionele tekorte, wat moontlik 'n blokkasie vir emosionele skoolgereedheid inhou, aan te spreek. / This stidu addresses the emotional school preparedness (readiness) of pre-primary children. The pre-primary child with his basic emotions from a psychological educational perspective is examined more closely in this study. During this study the basic emotions according to Plutchik {1980) that determine the emotional school readiness of the school entrant, were identified. On account of new insights gained, the researcher designed a school readiness evaluation list of her own according to Plutchik's (1980) basic emotions. This list can serve as a guideline for the evaluation of emotional school readiness. An empirical study was undertaken to determine whether a number of experimental subjects {children) were ready for school or not. Emotional deficiencies were identified by means of the emotional school readiness evaluation list, whereafter diagnostic and therapeutic techniques for the emotional preparation of children were briefly discussed. Educational psychologists can use these diagnostic and therapeutic techniques as an aid to address emotional deficiencies, which may impede the emotional school readiness of children. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (met spesialisering in Voorligting)