Thesis (D. Min.)--Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, 1995. / Includes copy of the seminar, with dual paging. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 169-172).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2004. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 68-73). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1994. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--Regis University, Denver, Colo., 2006. / "November, 2005"--T.p. Title from PDF title page (viewed on Aug. 29, 2006). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2004. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 68-73). Also available on the Internet.

No description available.

M.A. / In the social work field of chemical substance abuse the success of rehabilitation of drug-dependent adolescents is greatly influenced by the support and involvement of their families. Experience in this field showed that the mothers of these adolescents are usually involved in the treatment programme, whereas the fathers are emotionally distant. This is often the way in which these families function. The researcher wanted to find out which aspects influence the dynamics of the relationship between an emotionally distant father and his chemically dependent adolescent. Subsequently, the following question was formulated as a research question: “what influences emotional involvement in the relationship between the emotionally absent father and his chemically dependent adolescent that causes it be emotionally distant?” In this study the researcher will aim to determine that aspects which contribute to emotional distance in the relationship between the emotionally absent father and his chemically dependent adolescent. In doing so the researcher will achieve the following objectives: • To improve professional skill and knowledge by providing new information; • To use qualitative data collection method; • To define and study an emotional absent father, a chemically dependent adolescent and the relationship between them; • To collect data about the causes of emotional absence in the relationship between an emotional absent father and a chemically dependent adolescent; • To explain and understand the relationship between an emotionally absent father and his chemically dependent adolescent in the context of the Systems theory; • To compare the findings of the study with relevant literature; • To understand the forces which influence the relationship between an emotional absent father and his chemical dependent adolescent; and • To get permission of the different role-players to conduct the study. The study is of a qualitative nature. Data was collected by using in-depth, guided interviews and field notes. Data was recorded by using audio recordings and transcriptions. The sample was collected using purposeful sampling. It was divided in two parts, namely adolescents and parents. The researcher used the QSR Nudist program to assist with data analysis. After data collection and analysis, a literature control was done as one of the ways of ensuring validity and reliability. The researcher concluded that various aspects contributed to emotional distance and absence on the father’s side. The relationship between father and child had been distant before the adolescent had been drugging, as early as early childhood. The adolescent’s drugging had little to do with the fact that there is emotional distance between father and child. Although both parties hoped for change, neither of them was sure that it could be obtained. Lastly, based on t he results of the study, the researcher made the following recommendations: 1. Further research be done with regards to aspects such as developing a practice model that will address the emotional distance between an emotionally absent father and a chemically dependent adolescent; 2. To incorporate the results of the study in treatment programmes where applicable in both in-patient and out-patient programmes as well as to act preventatively with regard to this particular relationship; and 3. The professional community can be trained in the dynamics of this particular relationship in order to address similar problems in other fields, for instance pastoral counsellors and psychologists. / Dr. W.J.H. Roestenburg

M.A. (Clinical Social Work) / This research involves exploring how middle childhood boys at a primary school experience the phenomenon of growing up with an absent father both functionally and psychosocially. The absent father being defined as a living father who does not live with his son and has chosen to be uninvolved in a financial, physical, emotional or spiritual way and has little contact with his son. The goal of the study was to investigate the effect of absent fathers on middle childhood boys and to gain an understanding of how they view the absence of a father in their lives. The objectives included exploring the experience of the boys in growing up with an absent father, to determine the boy’s perception of how their father’s absence has impacted on their lives, as well as to make recommendations for social work and other social service practitioners. A qualitative approach was selected for this study with a view to allowing participants to give rich descriptions of their individual experiences of growing up with an absent father. It is an exploratory study, informed by phenomenology. Exploratory, as it necessitated gaining insight into a situation and phenomenological as it entailed describing the participants experience of their life story. The research population for this study was defined as all boys in Grade Seven at the primary school. The boys were aged between twelve and thirteen. Purposive sampling was used as it allowed the researcher to select the participants based on necessary and relevant criteria. Five participants were selected as the researcher believed that it would give a sufficient overview of the phenomenon being researched and would reach data saturation. The interviews were all started with the same request namely, “Tell me about your relationship with your father?” Thereafter a semi-structured interview schedule was used as a backup tool when relevant questions needed to be asked. Participants were prepared for the interviews prior to the commencement of the study. Data was analysed according to a phenomenological method namely, Familiarisation; Immersion/Bracketing; Inducing Themes; Coding; Elaboration and Interpretation. These procedures were followed until a full description of the participants’ experience of absent fathers was disclosed. Four themes namely, emotions, loss, self-esteem and the single mother were identified ...

Using Q-technique, 15 fathers of children diagnosed with severe learning disabilities, sorted 41 statements concerning use of their potential formal and informal social network members. Additional demographic and descriptive data, and scores from the Perceived Social Support scales (Family, Friends), were used to analyze the possible effects of a number of variables on fathers' sorting patterns. Fathers reported their spouse as their primary source of support/information, and child's immediate school personnel as their secondary resource. Subdividing fathers into perceived-High and perceived-Low support groups indicated that the Low subgroup reported their spouse as their most significant social contact; also, that contacting School Board personnel was a somewhat more usual behaviour than for the High subgroup. As spousal support was clearly primary, fathers were also subgrouped according to their wives' employment, and thus their availability for support. Comparisons indicated fathers with working wives were more likely to report going to their informal intimate network (family, friends, spouse's family) and, to be notably more active in contacting various school personnel involved in their children's school difficulties. Fathers with at-home wives appeared to follow more traditional patterns of social interactions, with less school contact behaviour reported. Fathers differed on several demographics when subgrouped according to whether their target child was first-born, or subsequent-born (2nd or 3rd). First-born children were younger, were more likely to be enrolled in regular classes at present, and their mothers were more likely to be working. Additional data showed that 14 of the 15 target children were boys, and that the families had predominantly male children in total (28 of 32), an unexpected finding. Future research directions are discussed. In order to utilize fathers in the children's educational programme, suggestions axe pointed out for various school personnel, from the home room teacher to school board administrators. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

The purpose of this thesis is to explore the experiences of single fathers and their roles as primary caregiver to their children as men in society adopting traditionally feminine roles. There was one primary research question explored: How do single father's experience parenthood? This is explored through four sub questions and discussions about daily life and childrearing alone; childcare and work and family conflicts; use of services and support networks; and of particular interest, gender and the influence of masculinity. Through an analysis of interviews with 14 fathers of varying class status, age, education, and time spent as a single father, I captured broadly the ways in which these men maneuver their childrearing with their lives, and how they are challenging, yet still upholding aspects of hegemonic masculinity. By exploring how these fathers maneuver childrearing as a male in society I assist in gaining insight and understanding to this population that has been previously overlooked in academic research.