Can Biblical narratives be applied to the pastoral care of primary school children between the ages of 6 and 13? If so, how are Biblical narratives effectively applied in the pastoral care of primary school children between the ages of 6 and 13? With these questions in mind, this research was undertaken with the goal in mind to eventually put forward a model for the use of Biblical narratives in the pastoral care of primary school children between the ages of 6 and 13. The research was done by making use of the research method of Zerfass (1974: 166). * The basic-theoretical phase of this study was done by means of a study of available literature. It began by an enquiry into the relevant Biblical perspectives on pastoral care and was followed by a further inquiry into the relevant Biblical perspectives on narrative pastoral care. This phase of the study was completed by an inquiry on the basic principles of pastoral care of children, with specific reference to children between the ages of 6 and 13. * The meta-theoretical phase of this study was done by an overview of the handling of children between the ages of 6 and 13 through the course of history in Western society. This was followed by a study of adjacent disciplines concerning the value of a narrative approach to the pastoral care of primary school children between the ages of 6 and 13. The next part of this phase was done by identifying the most common pastoral needs of children between the ages of 6 and 13, by means of an empirical enquiry. * The practice-theoretical phase was done by providing guidelines for the application of Biblical narratives in the pastoral care of children between the ages of 6 and 13. This was followed by an illustration of the application of Biblical narratives in the pastoral care of children between the ages of 6 and 13, by means of case studies. This phase of the study was completed by providing a model for the use of Biblical narratives in the pastoral care of primary school children between the ages of 6 and 13. This study has achieved success by providing a model for the use of Biblical narratives in the pastoral care of primary school children between the ages of 6 and 13. The model was provided within the epistemological framework of a post-postmodern epistemology. This model shows that Biblical narratives can be successfully applied in the pastoral care of primary school children and it also provides practical guidelines in the practical application of it. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Pastoral))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Child sexual abuse is a very sensitive issue that causes trauma and damage to the victims. This does not affect only the victims, but their families and the society at large. It is sometimes difficult for the society to support the victims of child sexual abuse. It then becomes a burden on the families because they lack information on how to deal with their sexually abused children. The families do not have knowledge of forensic social work and it becomes difficult for them to understand the process of forensic investigation. The information kit for families affected by child sexual abuse will empower the families with knowledge on the process of forensic investigation. This will also help to prepare both the children and their families for what will happen after the case has been reported to the Child Protection Unit. They will also be able to know their expectations when it comes to the court proceedings. An improved understanding will help the child prepare for testifying. Developing an information kit and reader–friendly guidelines will assist in relieving the stress on parents and strengthen them in giving their children the necessary support. Further research should be conducted on families’ understanding of forensic investigation and the court proceedings involved when a child has been sexually abused. Currently there is little data on forensic social work in South Africa, due to the fact that forensic social work is still quite a new field in our country. The researcher thus identified a need for conducting a qualitative study with the parents of sexually abused children whose cases had been reported to the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit for forensic investigation at the time of the study. The aim of this study was to develop an information kit for families who were affected by child sexual abuse in order to give them a better understanding of forensic investigations in such cases. An interview schedule was developed with the purpose of confirming whether the families understood what they would be going through during the whole process. From the research it was evident that forensic social work was something new to the respondents as it was difficult for some of them to give detailed responses to the questions. It became clear that the families of sexually abused children are in need of relevant and clear information on forensic social work, the nature of forensic investigations and associated procedures. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

AIM Poor iron status and under–nutrition among children are of concern not only in South Africa but worldwide. Both independent and combined associations between poor iron status, under–nutrition and cognitive development and function have been investigated. This mini–dissertation investigated possible associations between iron status indicators, anthropometric nutritional status and cognitive performance in the Beverage Fortified with Micronutrients (BeForMi) study population (black South African children aged 6–11 years in the North–West province of South Africa). METHODS The study was cross–sectional and based on the BeForMi study baseline data. Primary school children (n = 414) with the highest serum transferrin receptor (STR) and zinc protoporphyrin (ZnPP) levels were included. Anthropometric z–scores - BMI–for–age (BAZ), height–for–age (HAZ), and weight–for–age (WAZ) - and iron status indicators - haemoglobin (Hb), serum ferritin (SF), STR and ZnPP - were determined. The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, Second edition (KABC–II) was used to generate cognitive scores. RESULTS Fourteen percent of children were underweight (WAZ <= 2 SDs), 12.8% stunted (HAZ <= 2 SDs) and 8.4% wasted (BAZ <= 2 SDs). Of the children, 7.1% were anaemic (Hb < 11.5 g/dL), 13% iron depleted (Hb < 11.5 g/dL and SF < 12 ug/L) and 2.7% had iron deficiency anaemia (Hb < 11.5 g/dL and SF < 12 ug/L). Low iron stores (SF < 12 ug/L) were observed in 15.7% of the children. Positive correlations were found between SF and WAZ (r = 0.1, p = 0.047), Hb and HAZ (r = 0.13, p = 0.007) and WAZ (r = 0.13, p = 0.009). Positive correlations with small effect sizes were observed between some cognitive scores and z–scores (p < 0.05, r–value range 0.10 – 0.24). Negative correlations with small effect sizes were observed for the subtests Triangles and Rover (both subtests on simultaneous processing) with Hb (p = 0.008, r = –0.13) and SF (p = 0.04, r = –0.1) respectively. Higher HAZ, WAZ and education level of the head of household were all significantly associated with the likelihood that a child would fall within the upper quartile of Hb values in our study group (p = 0.036, p = 0.032 and p = 0.036 respectively). CONCLUSION The results suggested that under–nutrition was positively associated with poor iron status and lower cognitive scores in this study population. Further research, investigating specific effects of poor iron status at different stages of growth and the relationship with cognitive function later in life may help explain the negative correlations observed between current iron status indicators and cognitive scores. / Thesis (M.Sc (Dietetics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

The increasing prevalence of childhood obesity worldwide is viewed as a global epidemic (World Health Organization, 2010). It is associated with a variety of health problems as well as physical– (cardio–respiratory endurance, flexibility, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and body composition), and motor proficiency (fine manual control, manual coordination, body coordination, and strength–and–agility) (Asayama et al., 2003:644; Okely et al., 2004:242; Tokmakidis et al., 2006:870). As far as the South African context is concerned, there is little research examining these relationships and the effect of physical intervention there upon, in nine– to 12–year old children. The first and second objectives of this study were to determine whether obesity would influence the physical– and/or the motor proficiency of nine– to 12–year–old South African children. The third and fourth objectives of this study were to determine the effect of a multidisciplinary intervention on the physical– and the motor proficiency of nine– to 12–year–old obese children. For objectives one and two, a cross–sectional study was performed on 280 children (128 boys and 152 girls), with an average age of 10.6 years (±1.05). Anthropometric–, physical– and motor measurements were obtained by the 'Fitnessgram' (Meredith & Welk, 1999) and the 'Bruininks–Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency–II' (Bruininks & Bruininks, 2005). Body mass index (BMI) cut–off points were used to classify the children as normal, overweight, or obese (Cole et al., 2000). The data was analysed with regard to the above–mentioned objectives with the Statistica computer program, by means of descriptive statistics, Spearman rank correlations, and variance analyses. The results show that the physical fitness variables, cardio–respiratory endurance and muscular strength, particularly leg muscular strength, showed significant decreases with an increase in BMI. A progressive, but insignificant, decrease was found in muscular endurance with an increase in BMI, while flexibility showed the weakest relationship to BMI. The motor variables strength–and–agility weakened significantly with an increase in BMI, while fine manual control, manual coordination, and body coordination showed the weakest relationships to BMI. Variance analysis showed further significant relationships among BMI, cardio–respiratory endurance, muscular strength, and running speed–and–agility (p<0.05). It can be concluded that health–promoting physical fitness and the motor proficiency of young South African children are negatively influenced by obesity and intervention strategies are recommended to promote the quality of life of such children. For objectives three and four, an availability random sample of 37 experimental subjects, with an average age of 11 years (±0.99) was taken, where 20 subjects (seven boys and 13 girls) took part in a multidisciplinary intervention programme, and 17 subjects (six boys and 11 girls) formed part of a control group. Body composition, physical–, and motor proficiency were analysed by the 'Fitnessgram' (Meredith & Welk, 1999) and the 'Bruininks–Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency–II' (Bruininks & Bruininks, 2005) during baseline measurements, on completion of the intervention programme, and after a follow–up period of three months. The results, which were analysed with a repeated–measures analysis, Bonferroni–post–hoc analysis, and dependent and independent t–tests, show that the intervention programme brought about a significant change in all the body composition variables, excluding body height. Flexibility, muscular strength, and abdominal muscular endurance, as well as one of the four fine manual control test items (folding paper), two of the 12 body coordination test items (tapping feet and fingers - opposite sides synchronised, and standing on one leg on a line - eyes closed), and six of the seven strength and agility test items (shuttle run, stepping sideways over a balance beam, one–legged stationary hops, one–legged side hops, two–legged side hops, and sit–ups), showed significant differences from the control group on completion of the intervention programme. The results indicate that the intervention brought about differences in body composition and physical– and motor proficiency and also showed a sustainable effect over a period of three months on body fat percentage, subscapular skinfold and leg muscular strength. From this, it can be deduced that young obese children need sustained guidance to be able to maintain the lifestyle adaptations that are required by obesity interventions. It can be concluded that the physical– and motor proficiency of children is negatively influenced by obesity, that a multidisciplinary intervention programme improves the body composition profile of obese children and has a positive effect on the physical– and the motor proficiency of obese nine– to 12–year old South African children, although the effect is not sustainable without ongoing, controlled intervention. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Kinderkinetics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

The aim of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of professionals utilizing sensory-motor play (SMP) with young children (YC) in Gestalt play therapy in order to provide recommendations for professionals and to create an awareness of the value of SMP in Gestalt play therapy. Coming from an occupational therapy background, the researcher became aware of the potential value of utilizing sensorymotor play in Gestalt play therapy with YC. SMP, being a vital part of the sensory integration developmental process of YC, promotes body awareness through muscle movement and control. Awareness is one of the major aims of Gestalt play therapy. All the senses contribute to YC's awareness, including the frequently unacknowledged vestibu lar and proprioceptive senses. In order to treat YC holistically, the developmental importance of SMP should be acknowledged and integrated in the therapy process. Professionals young children working in this field, coming from diverse educational backgrounds, do not necessarily have the knowledge or experience of the utilization of SMPwith YC. A qualitative research approach with a case study research design was adopted in order to explore and describe the experiences of professionals regarding the utilization of SMP with YC in Gestalt play therapy, through applied research. The empirical data was collected by conducting two focus group discussions with professionals from diverse educational backgrounds. Two main themes with different sub-themes and categories were identified by analysing the data. The main themes are that participants are of the opinion that SMP enhances the therapeutic relationship and that SMP has a self-regulatory function. The researcher concludes that professionals gained a new awareness regarding the subject of discussion and experienced that uti lizing SMP in Gestalt play therapy with YC can promote and facilitate whole body/mind awareness and integrated healing. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Can Biblical narratives be applied to the pastoral care of primary school children between the ages of 6 and 13? If so, how are Biblical narratives effectively applied in the pastoral care of primary school children between the ages of 6 and 13? With these questions in mind, this research was undertaken with the goal in mind to eventually put forward a model for the use of Biblical narratives in the pastoral care of primary school children between the ages of 6 and 13. The research was done by making use of the research method of Zerfass (1974: 166). * The basic-theoretical phase of this study was done by means of a study of available literature. It began by an enquiry into the relevant Biblical perspectives on pastoral care and was followed by a further inquiry into the relevant Biblical perspectives on narrative pastoral care. This phase of the study was completed by an inquiry on the basic principles of pastoral care of children, with specific reference to children between the ages of 6 and 13. * The meta-theoretical phase of this study was done by an overview of the handling of children between the ages of 6 and 13 through the course of history in Western society. This was followed by a study of adjacent disciplines concerning the value of a narrative approach to the pastoral care of primary school children between the ages of 6 and 13. The next part of this phase was done by identifying the most common pastoral needs of children between the ages of 6 and 13, by means of an empirical enquiry. * The practice-theoretical phase was done by providing guidelines for the application of Biblical narratives in the pastoral care of children between the ages of 6 and 13. This was followed by an illustration of the application of Biblical narratives in the pastoral care of children between the ages of 6 and 13, by means of case studies. This phase of the study was completed by providing a model for the use of Biblical narratives in the pastoral care of primary school children between the ages of 6 and 13. This study has achieved success by providing a model for the use of Biblical narratives in the pastoral care of primary school children between the ages of 6 and 13. The model was provided within the epistemological framework of a post-postmodern epistemology. This model shows that Biblical narratives can be successfully applied in the pastoral care of primary school children and it also provides practical guidelines in the practical application of it. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Pastoral))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Child sexual abuse is a very sensitive issue that causes trauma and damage to the victims. This does not affect only the victims, but their families and the society at large. It is sometimes difficult for the society to support the victims of child sexual abuse. It then becomes a burden on the families because they lack information on how to deal with their sexually abused children. The families do not have knowledge of forensic social work and it becomes difficult for them to understand the process of forensic investigation. The information kit for families affected by child sexual abuse will empower the families with knowledge on the process of forensic investigation. This will also help to prepare both the children and their families for what will happen after the case has been reported to the Child Protection Unit. They will also be able to know their expectations when it comes to the court proceedings. An improved understanding will help the child prepare for testifying. Developing an information kit and reader–friendly guidelines will assist in relieving the stress on parents and strengthen them in giving their children the necessary support. Further research should be conducted on families’ understanding of forensic investigation and the court proceedings involved when a child has been sexually abused. Currently there is little data on forensic social work in South Africa, due to the fact that forensic social work is still quite a new field in our country. The researcher thus identified a need for conducting a qualitative study with the parents of sexually abused children whose cases had been reported to the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit for forensic investigation at the time of the study. The aim of this study was to develop an information kit for families who were affected by child sexual abuse in order to give them a better understanding of forensic investigations in such cases. An interview schedule was developed with the purpose of confirming whether the families understood what they would be going through during the whole process. From the research it was evident that forensic social work was something new to the respondents as it was difficult for some of them to give detailed responses to the questions. It became clear that the families of sexually abused children are in need of relevant and clear information on forensic social work, the nature of forensic investigations and associated procedures. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

AIM Poor iron status and under–nutrition among children are of concern not only in South Africa but worldwide. Both independent and combined associations between poor iron status, under–nutrition and cognitive development and function have been investigated. This mini–dissertation investigated possible associations between iron status indicators, anthropometric nutritional status and cognitive performance in the Beverage Fortified with Micronutrients (BeForMi) study population (black South African children aged 6–11 years in the North–West province of South Africa). METHODS The study was cross–sectional and based on the BeForMi study baseline data. Primary school children (n = 414) with the highest serum transferrin receptor (STR) and zinc protoporphyrin (ZnPP) levels were included. Anthropometric z–scores - BMI–for–age (BAZ), height–for–age (HAZ), and weight–for–age (WAZ) - and iron status indicators - haemoglobin (Hb), serum ferritin (SF), STR and ZnPP - were determined. The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, Second edition (KABC–II) was used to generate cognitive scores. RESULTS Fourteen percent of children were underweight (WAZ <= 2 SDs), 12.8% stunted (HAZ <= 2 SDs) and 8.4% wasted (BAZ <= 2 SDs). Of the children, 7.1% were anaemic (Hb < 11.5 g/dL), 13% iron depleted (Hb < 11.5 g/dL and SF < 12 ug/L) and 2.7% had iron deficiency anaemia (Hb < 11.5 g/dL and SF < 12 ug/L). Low iron stores (SF < 12 ug/L) were observed in 15.7% of the children. Positive correlations were found between SF and WAZ (r = 0.1, p = 0.047), Hb and HAZ (r = 0.13, p = 0.007) and WAZ (r = 0.13, p = 0.009). Positive correlations with small effect sizes were observed between some cognitive scores and z–scores (p < 0.05, r–value range 0.10 – 0.24). Negative correlations with small effect sizes were observed for the subtests Triangles and Rover (both subtests on simultaneous processing) with Hb (p = 0.008, r = –0.13) and SF (p = 0.04, r = –0.1) respectively. Higher HAZ, WAZ and education level of the head of household were all significantly associated with the likelihood that a child would fall within the upper quartile of Hb values in our study group (p = 0.036, p = 0.032 and p = 0.036 respectively). CONCLUSION The results suggested that under–nutrition was positively associated with poor iron status and lower cognitive scores in this study population. Further research, investigating specific effects of poor iron status at different stages of growth and the relationship with cognitive function later in life may help explain the negative correlations observed between current iron status indicators and cognitive scores. / Thesis (M.Sc (Dietetics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

The increasing prevalence of childhood obesity worldwide is viewed as a global epidemic (World Health Organization, 2010). It is associated with a variety of health problems as well as physical– (cardio–respiratory endurance, flexibility, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and body composition), and motor proficiency (fine manual control, manual coordination, body coordination, and strength–and–agility) (Asayama et al., 2003:644; Okely et al., 2004:242; Tokmakidis et al., 2006:870). As far as the South African context is concerned, there is little research examining these relationships and the effect of physical intervention there upon, in nine– to 12–year old children. The first and second objectives of this study were to determine whether obesity would influence the physical– and/or the motor proficiency of nine– to 12–year–old South African children. The third and fourth objectives of this study were to determine the effect of a multidisciplinary intervention on the physical– and the motor proficiency of nine– to 12–year–old obese children. For objectives one and two, a cross–sectional study was performed on 280 children (128 boys and 152 girls), with an average age of 10.6 years (±1.05). Anthropometric–, physical– and motor measurements were obtained by the 'Fitnessgram' (Meredith & Welk, 1999) and the 'Bruininks–Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency–II' (Bruininks & Bruininks, 2005). Body mass index (BMI) cut–off points were used to classify the children as normal, overweight, or obese (Cole et al., 2000). The data was analysed with regard to the above–mentioned objectives with the Statistica computer program, by means of descriptive statistics, Spearman rank correlations, and variance analyses. The results show that the physical fitness variables, cardio–respiratory endurance and muscular strength, particularly leg muscular strength, showed significant decreases with an increase in BMI. A progressive, but insignificant, decrease was found in muscular endurance with an increase in BMI, while flexibility showed the weakest relationship to BMI. The motor variables strength–and–agility weakened significantly with an increase in BMI, while fine manual control, manual coordination, and body coordination showed the weakest relationships to BMI. Variance analysis showed further significant relationships among BMI, cardio–respiratory endurance, muscular strength, and running speed–and–agility (p<0.05). It can be concluded that health–promoting physical fitness and the motor proficiency of young South African children are negatively influenced by obesity and intervention strategies are recommended to promote the quality of life of such children. For objectives three and four, an availability random sample of 37 experimental subjects, with an average age of 11 years (±0.99) was taken, where 20 subjects (seven boys and 13 girls) took part in a multidisciplinary intervention programme, and 17 subjects (six boys and 11 girls) formed part of a control group. Body composition, physical–, and motor proficiency were analysed by the 'Fitnessgram' (Meredith & Welk, 1999) and the 'Bruininks–Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency–II' (Bruininks & Bruininks, 2005) during baseline measurements, on completion of the intervention programme, and after a follow–up period of three months. The results, which were analysed with a repeated–measures analysis, Bonferroni–post–hoc analysis, and dependent and independent t–tests, show that the intervention programme brought about a significant change in all the body composition variables, excluding body height. Flexibility, muscular strength, and abdominal muscular endurance, as well as one of the four fine manual control test items (folding paper), two of the 12 body coordination test items (tapping feet and fingers - opposite sides synchronised, and standing on one leg on a line - eyes closed), and six of the seven strength and agility test items (shuttle run, stepping sideways over a balance beam, one–legged stationary hops, one–legged side hops, two–legged side hops, and sit–ups), showed significant differences from the control group on completion of the intervention programme. The results indicate that the intervention brought about differences in body composition and physical– and motor proficiency and also showed a sustainable effect over a period of three months on body fat percentage, subscapular skinfold and leg muscular strength. From this, it can be deduced that young obese children need sustained guidance to be able to maintain the lifestyle adaptations that are required by obesity interventions. It can be concluded that the physical– and motor proficiency of children is negatively influenced by obesity, that a multidisciplinary intervention programme improves the body composition profile of obese children and has a positive effect on the physical– and the motor proficiency of obese nine– to 12–year old South African children, although the effect is not sustainable without ongoing, controlled intervention. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Kinderkinetics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

The aim of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of professionals utilizing sensory-motor play (SMP) with young children (YC) in Gestalt play therapy in order to provide recommendations for professionals and to create an awareness of the value of SMP in Gestalt play therapy. Coming from an occupational therapy background, the researcher became aware of the potential value of utilizing sensorymotor play in Gestalt play therapy with YC. SMP, being a vital part of the sensory integration developmental process of YC, promotes body awareness through muscle movement and control. Awareness is one of the major aims of Gestalt play therapy. All the senses contribute to YC's awareness, including the frequently unacknowledged vestibu lar and proprioceptive senses. In order to treat YC holistically, the developmental importance of SMP should be acknowledged and integrated in the therapy process. Professionals young children working in this field, coming from diverse educational backgrounds, do not necessarily have the knowledge or experience of the utilization of SMPwith YC. A qualitative research approach with a case study research design was adopted in order to explore and describe the experiences of professionals regarding the utilization of SMP with YC in Gestalt play therapy, through applied research. The empirical data was collected by conducting two focus group discussions with professionals from diverse educational backgrounds. Two main themes with different sub-themes and categories were identified by analysing the data. The main themes are that participants are of the opinion that SMP enhances the therapeutic relationship and that SMP has a self-regulatory function. The researcher concludes that professionals gained a new awareness regarding the subject of discussion and experienced that uti lizing SMP in Gestalt play therapy with YC can promote and facilitate whole body/mind awareness and integrated healing. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.