Several researchers report that object control skills, health-related physical fitness and physical activity are not optimally developed in children. It is also evident from the literature that children, especially girls, are not active enough these days. These trends are disturbing as these are important factors that play a role in the health and sports development later in the child's life. Firstly, this dissertation attempts to examine the relationship between object control skills and health-related physical fitness in nine to ten-year old girls in the North-West Province of South Africa. Secondly, the relationship between object control skills and physical activity levels and patterns in nine to ten-year old girls in the North-West Province of South Africa was investigated. Data were collected by means of a stratified randomised sample of 408 girls with a mean age of 9,86 years (±0,42) who participated in the NW-CHILD study. The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-2 (BOT-2) (Bruininks & Bruininks, 2005) strength sub-test (standing long jump, push-ups, sit-ups, wall sit and V-up) was used to determine the girls’ strength, the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2) (Ulrich, 2000) was used to determine the learners’ object control skills and the FITNESSGRAM (Meredith & Welk, 2008) was used to evaluate the girls’ cardiovascular endurance. The Children’s Leisure Activities Study Survey (CLASS) was used to evaluate the physical activity pattern of the girls. Stature, body mass and skinfolds (subscapular, triceps and calf) were measured according to standard kinantropometric protocols. The STATISTICA software package was used to analyse the data. Small but significant correlations were found between object control skills and strength, aerobic fitness and the body composition of the group. According to the healty fitness zone (HFZ) classification, 49.62% (n=198) of girls were categorised as being in the HFZ with regard to their BMI and 54.14% (n=216) in the HFZ with regards to the FAT%. This indicates that object control skills are influenced by factors that can contribute to the health of young girls. Participation in physical activities should therefore be increased. Appropriate development of object control skills (OC) and strength skills in girls is recommended to prevent delays in sports participation. Further investigation involved racial differences in activity performances. Ninety white and 318 black girls with a mean age of 9.86 years participated in this study. OC skills were assessed. Statistically (p≤0.001) and practically significant differences between the white and black girls were found, where the white girls participated more in ten of the moderate intensity physical activities than the black girls and the black girls participated more in three of these activities. Activities in which white girls mostly participated contributed significantly to higher moderate to high intensity. / MA (Kinderkinetics), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

This study centered on adolescent self-mutilation as well as possible forms of support and prevention. The information was gathered by assessing the needs of the adolescent girls who self-mutilate by means of semi-structured interviews. In these interviews the adolescent girls expressed their experiences of self-mutilation and their emotional needs. The aim of the study was to explore and describe the needs of adolescent girls who self-mutilate in order to develop guidelines of support so that parents may feel less helpless and overwhelmed. The findings of the study indicated that there are various reasons why an adolescent would engage in selfmutilation, that it serves a function in the adolescents’ lives and surfaces at times of emotional crisis. This study found further that a lack of problem-solving skills, coping abilities and social skills could play a role in whether an adolescent chooses to self-mutilate. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play therapy)

This study elucidates the feelings and the experiences by working with the complex of problems of self-injurious behaviour, of six professionals. The purpose with this study has been to examine the feelings and the experiences of the professionals, coming up when they meet and treat young girls with self-injurious behaviour. The empirical basis of this study is built on interviews of six female professionals, working in the County of Kalmar. The statements of the informants were analyzed out of Goffman’s Role Theory and the norm perspective on social behaviour. Through the interviews we saw that the professionals act out of the rolls that they are expected to. There are expectations from the colleagues, from the clients and from the community that every professional handles in an individual manner. The way they handle the problematic situations varies between persons and depends on the character of the circumstances. The result shows that the work of the professionals arouses many feelings. It varies what kind of feelings they experiences but they do feel fear, powerlessness, sadness, happiness and most of all frustration. They handle their feelings through tutorial, support from the co-workers and through reflection.

published_or_final_version / History / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / English Studies / Master / Master of Arts

published_or_final_version / Social Work and Social Administration / Master / Master of Social Sciences

<p>This study elucidates the feelings and the experiences by working with the complex of problems of self-injurious behaviour, of six professionals. The purpose with this study has been to examine the feelings and the experiences of the professionals, coming up when they meet and treat young girls with self-injurious behaviour. The empirical basis of this study is built on interviews of six female professionals, working in the County of Kalmar. The statements of the informants were analyzed out of Goffman’s Role Theory and the norm perspective on social behaviour. Through the interviews we saw that the professionals act out of the rolls that they are expected to. There are expectations from the colleagues, from the clients and from the community that every professional handles in an individual manner. The way they handle the problematic situations varies between persons and depends on the character of the circumstances. The result shows that the work of the professionals arouses many feelings. It varies what kind of feelings they experiences but they do feel fear, powerlessness, sadness, happiness and most of all frustration. They handle their feelings through tutorial, support from the co-workers and through reflection.</p>

This descriptive study compared life events in the lives of pregnant (n = 23) and non-pregnant (n = 23) adolescents using a developmental model. A 51-item life events checklist adapted from Robbins (1981) and Johnson and McCutcheon (1980) was used to identify occurrence and perception (good or bad) of life events. Mean ages were 17.3 (pregnant) an 17.0 (non-pregnant). Ethnic representation was Hispanic (n = 28), Anglo (n = 14), American Indian (n = 2), and Black (n = 2). One pregnant and seven non-pregnant adolescents were employed. Thirty-nine adolescents lived with their parents, and seven lived on their own. Pregnancy of sister or close friend, an increased number of arguments between parents, a change in parents' financial status, and trouble with brother or sister were reported by more than 50% of the total. No significant difference existed in either the total number or perception of life events between groups. In addition, the developmental adaptation categories revealed no significant statistical difference.

Darbo objektas - kognityvinės funkcijos. Darbo tikslas - nustatyti moteriškų lytinių hormonų įtaką šokėjų (16-20 metų) kognityvinėms fukcijoms. Darbo uždaviniai: 1. Nustatyti ir palyginti šokėjų merginų dėmesį skirtingų menstruacijų fazių metu. 2. Nustatyti ir palyginti šokėjų merginų atmintį skirtingų menstruacijų fazių metu. 3. Nustatyti ir palyginti šokėjų merginų vykdomąsias funkcijas skirtingų menstruacijų fazių metu. Išvados: 1. Nustatėme, kad šokėjų paprastoji reakcija nepriklauso nuo menstruacijų fazių, tačiau sudėtingos reakcijos rodikliai buvo geresni ovuliacinės fazės metu. 2. Šokėjų verbalinės ir darbinės atmintis rodikliai priklauso nuo estrogeno kiekio, tačiau aktyvus išmokimas ir atmintis nesiskyrė folikulinės ir ovoliacinės fazių metu. 3. Šokėjų erdvinio suvokimo ir vykdomosios funkcijos rezultatai buvo geresni ovuliacinės fazės metu, tačiau išmokimo slopinimo ir strategijų plėtojimo rodikliai skirtingų menstruacijų fazių metu (folikulinė ir ovuliacinė) nesiskyrė. / The research object – cognitive functions. The aim of research – to assess the influence of female sex hormones on dancers’ (16-20 years old) cognitive functions. The objectives: 1. To identify and compare the attention of girls dancers during different menstrual phases. 2. To identify and compare the memory of girls dancers during different menstrual phases. 3. To identify and compare the executive functions of girls dancers during different menstrual phases. Conclusions: 1. It has been ascertained that the reaction and accuracy of girls dancers during attention tests do not depend on menstrual phase. The ordinary reaction does not differ but the complex reaction is better durning the ovulatory phase. 2. The indicators of verbal and working memory were better during ovulatory then follicular phase, but the learning and memory were similar during different menstrual phases in dancers. 3. The indicators of spatial procesing and executive function were better during during ovulatory phase but strategy development, execution and inhibition did not differ during different menstrual phases in dancers.

Memes are a popular source of online media. As such, they become tools that can distribute racialized and gendered narratives. While memes are often a source of shaming and devaluing Black girls, my research also explores how they can be used as tools to counter and disidentify with narratives. Using Hip-Hop feminism and trap feminism as frameworks, I analyze several memes to not only exemplify the hegemonic narratives of Black girlhood that circulate via memes, but to illuminate the possibilities for resistance and transformation via this technology.