Eating disorders remain a phenomenon that escapes full comprehension, resulting in frustration for those who suffer from the disorders, their families, and their therapists. It is becoming increasingly necessary to describe the mechanism by which eating disorders develop, in order to effectively treat and prevent these disorders. The aim of this study was to illuminate factors that contributed to the development of eating disorders within the individual contexts of the lives of the participants, as well as how those factors interacted in context to culminate in the development of an eating disorder. This qualitative study was conducted from an interpretive perspective. The findings show how individual contextual factors interact to produce a marked fear of gaining weight, which is driven by fear of negative evaluation, and that the eating disorder behaviour serves specific functions that are related to coping with stress within the lives of the participants. / Psychology / M. Sc. (Psychology with specialisation in Research Consultation)

Text in Afrikaans, abstract in Afrikaans and English / Die studie handel oor die probleme wat veranderende werksomstandighede vir die werker en sy gesin veroorsaak. In 'n tydvak waar die wereld van werk dramaties verander, toon baie mense onkundigheid oor wat die veranderende wereld van werk impliseer. Hierdie veranderende wereld van werk vereis dat die werker groter verantwoordelikheid sal neem vir sy/haar eie loopbaantoekoms en -sekuriteit. 'n Loopbaan waar vaste ure, 'n vaste salaris, 'n pensioenfonds en ander byvoordele vanselfsprekend is, is in die veranderende wereld van werk nie meer die norm nie. Mense is nie voorbereid op veranderende werksomstandighede nie en ervaar verskeie probleme soos stres, 'n verswakte selfbeeld, depressie en 'n gevoel van magteloosheid. Die meeste mense wat blootgestel word aan veranderende werksomstandighede ervaar toekomsskok en hunker na die ou bedeling waar dinge seker en voorspelbaar was. Omdat persona blootgestel aan veranderende werksomstandighede nie voldoende op verandering voorberei word nie, ervaar hulle en hul gesinne probleme. Hulle probeer dikwels om so vinnig moontlik van die pyn en angstigheid wat met die verandering gepaard gaan, te ontsnap en neem daarom dikwels ondeurdagte besluite en voortydige aksies. Dit het dikwels mislukking tot gevolg wat verreikende ekonomiese en psigologiese implikasies mag inhou. Die begeleidingsprogram vir die studie is daarom ontwerp met die doel om aan gesinne wat blootgestel word aan veranderende werksomstandighede die nodige insig in die veranderende wereld van werk te gee, en om aan hulle die nodige vaardighede te gee om die probleme wat veranderinge meebring, te kan hanteer. Die persone en hulle gesinne word bemagtig deurdat aan hulle die begrip "portefeulje -werk" met die uitgangspunt dat almal altyd oor sekere bemarkbare vaardighede beskik, en daarom tegnies nooit werkloos hoef te wees nie, bekendgestel word. Daar word gepoog dat hulle hierdie konsep sal internaliseer en dat hulle daarom 'n paradigmaskuif sal maak sodat hulle meer op hulself en hulle eie vaardighede aangewese is as op eksterne faktore in die wereld van werk. Uit die terugvoergesprekke met die proefpersone aan die begin van die groepsessies en die vraelyste wat hulle voltooi het, blyk dit dat hulle gebaat het by die bywoning van die groepsessies. / This study deals with the problems experienced by a person and his/her family when faced with changing work circumstances. In a time where the world of work is undergoing dramatic changes, many people lack knowledge about the implications of the changing world of work. This changing world of work requires that the worker will take greater responsibility for his own career future and career security. A career where fixed work hours, a fixed salary, a pension fund and other benefits are a given, is no longer the norm in the changing world of work. People are not prepared to deal with changing work circumstances. They experience a variety of problems like stress, a poor self image and depression. Most people who are facing changing work circumstances experience future shock and long for the old times when things were certain and predictable. Persons and their families who are facing changing work circumstances are not sufficiently prepared for the changes. They often try to escape the pain and anxiety which accompany the changes by making quick decisions and by taking premature actions. This often leads to failure and has serious economic and psychological implications. The counselling programme for this study is thus designed with the purpose to give the families who are faced with changing work circumstances the necessary insight in the changing world of work, and to equip them with the necessary skills to deal with the problems which accompany the changes. The persons and their families are also empowered by introducing them to the concept "portfolio work". The implications of portfolio work is that people always have some marketable skills, and by marketing themselves and their skills they should technically never be unemployed. It is attempted to help the participants to internalise these concepts in order to make a paradigm shift so that they will be more self reliant and less dependent on employers in the world of work. From feedback with participants in the investigation at the beginning of the group sessions, and the questionnaires they completed, it seems that they have benefited from attending the group sessions. / Psychology of Education / Ph. D. (Sielkundige Opvoedkunde)

The research has worked towards the general aim of generating a synthesis of burnout in the nursing profession, and also towards coming to a synthesis of burnout in nursing from the perspective of the salutogenic paradigm. Existing knowledge from the literature has been consolidated and integrated, and 'new knowledge' of the phenomenological experience of the causes and symptoms of burnout and how nurses stay healthy, were presented. Firstly was discovered that burnout, over time is caused by various factors that are individual and personal and therefore not easily discovered by other than the phenomenological method, where the life world of each individual is described. Secondly, the study ofthe strengths that nurses exhibit in order to manage the tension and stress in their lives and not to succumb to illness, proved to be a sound and descriptive paradigm with great utilisation possibilities. Three answers to the salutogenic question, namely sense of coherence, hardiness and learned resourcefulness were presented in great detail. Thirdly, it was stated that the individual nurses and the nursing practice in general be made aware of: (1) the existence of burnout, (2) the contributing factors to burnout, (3) the various manifestations ofburnout at work and in the organisation, and (4) the coping strategies available to counter this problem in a positive and salutogenic manner. The phenomenological results of this research revealed a number of issues that have implications for both the prevention and treatment of burnout in nurses. The results especially established how nurses can operationalise their inherent salutogenic qualities. Specific salutogenic coping strategies emerged via the respondents. The research took a broad view of personality in health research. It studied the psychological processes underlying the observed connections between psychological variables and health outcomes. In order to study the operationalisation of these processes, a phenomenological, person-based approach was followed. They study focussed on health phenomena and the individual nurse was retained as the unit of analysis. This approach represented a movement away from a fragmented science, infatuated with technology and linked to a singular epistemology, towards a focus on the process and dynamics of personal experience. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

The purpose of the study was to find out about provision of guidance and counselling in the schools in the Transkei sub-region of the Eastern Cape. Guidance and counselling services are crucial to the success of lifelong learning policies, providing assistance and advice to learners so that they make better informed and future educational and career choices suitable for them. Through guidance and counseling services, students develop a clear understanding of self, their attitudes, abilities, interests, ambitions, resources and limitations from career counselling. They are also guided into various entrepreneurial activities, training, advancement and other benefits for sustainable self-reliance and self-worth. Students are able to achieve and live fulfilled lives and contribute meaningfully to the development of their country in all spheres of life once they receive appropriate guidance and counselling services. Guidance and counseling services look at the holistic development of the learner by taking into account the psycho-social, intellectual, emotional and physical development aspects of the learner within the context of the learner’s environment. The provision of guidance and counselling programmes and services is the shared responsibility of all school staff. A team approach should be employed, wherein all staff members have specified roles to play. School counsellors play a key role in planning and implementing programmes and service. Guidance and counselling programmes and services are systematically planned to meet the needs of all learners and are infused into the daily activities of schools. Using a quantitative research design, the research sample included Department of Education (DoE) Officials and teachers in seven districts in the Transkei sub-region of the Eastern Cape. Questionnaires were used to collect data. Descriptive statistics in were used to analyse the provision of guidance and counselling in the schools in the Transkei sub-region of the Eastern Cape. The results revealed that guidance and counselling is necessary in schools and that it should be provided in all schools in the districts. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Specialisation in Guidance and Counselling)

Thesis (PhD (Pscychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / Includes bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The political and social changes that occurred after 1994 in South Africa, inevitably led to the emergence of a new educational era. Life Orientation (LO) was introduced as a new learning area within the Revised National Curriculum Statement (RNCS) and seeks to preventatively empower learners to take up their legitimate place as citizens within the national and international society (DoE, 2003:2). LO cannot only be liable for the holistic development of individual learners. The community in which learners grow up are faced with unique challenges that will inescapably influence their development. I highlight the influence of “Ubuntu” and “Ukama” on the process of becoming of each individual and therefore use the ecosystemic perspective as a theoretical framework for this study. I reflect on my own experiences within the LO classroom that led to the creation of fictional characters and case studies as a teaching strategy. In this study I distinguish between case study as a teaching strategy and a research methodology. I determine the lived experiences of Grade 8 learners in a secondary school where this teaching strategy was used within the LO classroom. A case study as research methodology is used where qualitative data was produced through personal documentation. A random sample of ten participants from the case study is used to obtain a thorough understanding of their lived experiences. Qualitative data was further produced by twenty individual and two focus group interviews with the sample group. I used the constant comparative method to ensure that I identify the units of meaning and discuss the findings on the basis of three categories. First, the data indicated that the participants found guidance through the case studies of the characters. Secondly, it appeared that the experiences of the characters influenced the participants’ decision making processes. Thirdly, the data indicated that participants used this teaching strategy as a platform to voice their own personal emotions and experiences. On the basis of Gilles Deleuze (in Wallin, 2010) and Magdeleine Grumet (1981) this study emphasizes the potential role that an evolving, active form of curriculum can play in the becoming processes of each individual learner and teacher. I conclude by recommending that uniqueness and diversity must be encouraged within the classroom to ensure that curriculum will not be a homogeneous policy document, but that it will be active and developmental in nature. I use the work of Wallin (2010), Sutton and Martin-Jones (2008) and Grumet (1981) to offer new insights about the pedagogical making process within the South African context. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die politiese en sosiale veranderinge wat na 1994 binne Suid-Afrika plaasgevind het, het onvermydelik gelei tot die ontstaan van ʼn nuwe opvoedkundige era. Lewensoriëntering (LO) was as ʼn nuwe leerarea binne die Hersiene Nasionale Kurrikulumverklaring (HNKV) bekendgestel en poog om op ʼn voorkomende wyse leerders te bemagtig om hul geregmatige plek as burgers binne die nasionale, sowel as internasionale samelewing op te neem (DvO, 2003:2). LO kan nie alleen aanpreeklik gehou word vir die holistiese ontwikkeling van individuele leerders nie. Die gemeenskap waarbinne die individuele leerders groot word het sy unieke uitdagings en sal daarom onwillekeurig hierdie ontwikkelingsproses beïnvloed. Ek beklemtoon daarom “Ubuntu” en “Ukama” se invloed op die individu se wordingsproses en gebruik die ekosistemiese perspektief as ʼn teoretiese raamwerk vir hierdie studie. Ek reflekteer oor my eie ervarings binne die LO-klaskamer wat aanleiding gegee het tot die ontstaan van fiktiewe karakters en gevallestudies as onderrigstrategie. In hierdie studie onderskei ek tussen gevallestudies as onderrigstrategie en navorsingsmetodologie. Ek bepaal die geleefde ervaring van graad 8-leerders in een sekondêre skool waar dié onderrigstrategie in die LO-klaskamer gebruik word. ʼn Gevallestudie word as navorsingsmetodologie gebruik waar kwalitatiewe data deur persoonlike dokumentasie geproduseer is. Ten einde ʼn deeglike begrip te verkry van die gevallestudie se geleefde ervaring is ʼn ewekansige steekproef van tien deelnemers gebruik. Kwalitatiewe data is verder deur twintig individuele en twee fokusgroeponderhoude met hierdie steekproef geproduseer. Ek het deurgaans die konstante vergelykende metode om eenhede van betekenis te identifiseer gebruik en bespreek my bevindinge aan die hand van drie kategorieë. Eerstens dui die data aan dat deelnemers leiding uit die gevallestudies van karakters ontvang het. Tweedens blyk dit of die ervarings van die karakters die deelnemers se besluitnemingsproses beïnvloed het. Derdens dui die data aan dat deelnemers hierdie onderrigstrategie as ʼn platform gebruik het wat hulle in staat gestel het om uiting aan hul persoonlike emosies en ervarings te gee. Ten slotte beklemtoon hierdie navorsingstudie aan die hand van Gilles Deleuze (in Wallin, 2010) en Magdeleine Grumet (1981) se werk die potensiële rol wat ʼn ontwikkelende, aktiewe vorm van kurrikulum in die wordingsproses van elke individuele leerder en opvoeder kan speel. Ek beveel daarom aan dat uniekhede en diversiteit binne die klaskamer aangemoedig moet word ten einde te verseker dat kurrikulum nie as ʼn homogene beleidsdokument aanvaar word nie, maar dat dit aktief en ontwikkelend van aard sal wees. Ek gebruik die werk van Wallin (2010), Sutton en Martin-Jones (2008) en Grumet (1981) om nuwe insigte rondom die pedagogiese wordingsproses binne die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks aan te bied.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this mini-thesis I share the action research that I undertook at the school where I teach. This research was an attempt to improve my practice in career guidance, a sub-division of Life Orientation. The need for a study of this nature was developed out of my experiences with matriculants who appear to be confused about their future careers they intent pursuing. It appeared that they lacked the capacity to do self-planning and did not really comprehend how to plan their future careers. In reflection on career guidance, in general, and my own teaching practice in particular, I came to the conclusion that there is a real problem in terms of the effectiveness of career guidance and that I, in my technicist attitude towards policies of the education department, perhaps unconsciously, became part of the maintenance of a fruitless practice. Although I dutifully carry out the curriculum according to the required education policies, there remain an uncertainty and a concern regarding the practicality surrounding career guidance and more so when it comes to disadvantaged students from rural areas. This compelled me to do some introspection about the way I was teaching and involving the learners in my career guidance classes. This introspection lead me to the realisation that the instrumentalist and technicist way of teaching (‘talk and chalk’ method of teaching) and my endeavour to finish my content and assessment tasks within a certain prescribed timeframe, were at odds with creative career guidance teaching. My classroom practice was trapped in the old methods, and I was caught up in the old traditional ways while teaching a 21st-century learner. In an effort to address the above-mentioned issues of concern, I address the following critical questions, namely: - How can career guidance be used as a tool to improve the life skills of learners from a poor rural school? - How can I improve my classroom practice? In Chapter one I explore my background and provide reasons why I got involved in this project. In my literature review, I suggest that the principles of the National Curriculum Statement Grades R–12 (2012) and the outcomes that the learners have to achieve have certain implications for classroom practice. This is in line with Cuseo’s (1996) view that basic education is guaranteed by not only giving form to the structure of the curriculum, but also to what happens between learners and teachers in the classroom. A detailed description of the two action research projects that were undertaken with Grade eleven learners at my school is given in Chapters four and five. In the final chapter of this thesis, I reflect on the research engaged in the classroom and I also reflect on the future of teachers as researchers. I believe that any attempt to improve the education and conditions of our rural and disadvantaged schools would go a long way in addressing the inequities prevalent in our society. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie mini-tesis deel ek die aksienavorsing wat ek by die skool waar ek onderrig, onderneem het. Hierdie navorsing was ʼn poging om my praktyk in beroepsvoorligting, ʼn onderafdeling van Lewensoriëntering, te verbeter. Die noodsaaklikheid van ʼn studie van hierdie aard het voortgespruit uit my ervaringe met matrikulante wat totaal verward voorkom oor hul toekoms en ʼn kommerwekkende gebrek aan kapasiteit toon om selfbeplanning te doen en nie regtig weet hoe om hul toekoms te beplan nie. Tydens refleksie oor beroepsvoorligting in die algemeen en my eie onderrigpraktyk in die besonder het ek tot die slotsom gekom dat daar ’n wesenlike probleem ten opsigte van die effektiwiteit van beroepsvoorligting bestaan en dat ek, deur my tegnisistiese ingesteldheid teenoor beleide van die onderwysdepartement, dalk onbewustelik deel geword het van die instandhouding van ’n vrugtelose praktyk. Alhoewel ek pligsgetrou die kurrikulum en gepaardgaande onderwysbeleide uitvoer, stem hierdie onsekerheid en onbekwaamheid van ons leerders my tot kommer. Dit het my genoodsaak om terug te staan en my eie praktyk in heroorweging te neem en te bevraagteken. Hierdie introspeksie het my gelei tot die bewuswording dat my instrumentele en tegnisistiese ingesteldheid ook in my klaskamerpraktyk gemanifesteer word deurdat ek, in my strewe om inhoud en assesseringstake binne ʼn voorgestelde tydsraamwerk te voltooi, in my klaskamerpraktyk na die ‘talk’ en ‘chalk’-metode geneig het. My onderrigpraktyk was dus van ʼn ou, tradisionele aard en het nie tred gehou met die moderne eeu waarin ons onsself bevind nie. In ʼn poging om bogenoemde aspekte aan te spreek, bespreek ek die volgende kritiese vrae: - Hoe kan beroepsvoorligting gebruik word as ʼn hulpmiddel om die lewensvaardighede van leerders van ʼn arm landelike skool te verbeter? - Hoe kan ek my praktyk in die klaskamer verbeter? Ek suggesteer ook in my literatuuroorsig dat die beginsels waarop die Nasionale Kurrikulumverklaring grade R–12 (2012) rus en die uitkomstes wat deur die leerders bereik moet word ʼn sekere klaskamerpraktyk impliseer. Hierdie aanname is in ooreenstemming met Cuseo (1996) se siening dat algemene onderwys verseker word deur nie net aan die struktuur van die kurrikulum vorm te gee nie, maar deur ook aan wat tussen leerders en onderwysers in die klaskamer gebeur, vorm te gee. ʼn Gedetailleerde beskrywing van my twee aksienavorsingsprojekte, wat ek met graad elf-leerders by my skool onderneem het, word in hoofstukke vier en vyf gegee. In die laaste hoofstuk van hierdie tesis reflekteer ek oor my navorsing in die klaskamer en die toekoms vir die onderwyser-navorser. Ek glo dat enige poging om die onderwys en toestande van ons landelike en minder-bevoorregte skole te verbeter ‘n lang pad sal gaan om die ongelykhede wat teenwoordig is in ons gemeenskappe aan te spreek. In Hoofstuk een verskaf ek inligting met betrekking tot my agtergrond en gee ook redes waarom ek by hierdie projek betrokke geraak het. In my literatuuroorsig fokus ek op aspekte wat direk en indirek aan die onderwerp van hierdie aksienavorsingstesis gekoppel word.

Thesis (MEdPsych (Educational Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / Stress has become endemic amongst teachers globally. Although there are common factors that account for the increased levels of stress among teachers, the particular factors involved differ from country to country. South Africa has gone through more than a decade of political and social change. Coping with the extended transitions within the educational system has affected teachers’ wellness. Emotional intelligence or emotionalsocial competencies, the term used in the study, offers a way of viewing the means of primary prevention as a whole, rather as loosely related elements. This offers a practical way of describing the key range of competencies that make it possible to modulate emotions, to solve social problems creatively, to be effective leaders or collaborators, to be assertive and responsible, or to be able to ask evocative and/or social questions that lead to new learning. This study focuses on the need for teachers to develop specific social and coping skills, as well the need for them to have the necessary environmental support, to prevent stress and promote wellness in teachers. This interpretive study used questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and "a day in the life of" interviews to explore the perceptions of Life Orientation teachers about the emotionalsocial competencies that improve and support their wellness. The South African teachers surveyed consider that certain emotionalsocial competencies enhance their wellness. In their view, all teachers would benefit from having a toolkit emotionalsocial competencies. They also expressed the need for pre-service teacher education to offer training in these competencies.

Thesis (MEdPsych (Educational Psychology))-University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / The way in which society supports its children has a significant influence on the way in which it will develop and prosper. Children are the key to a healthy and sustainable society (Klein & Gilkerson, 2000). Promoting the development of all learners during early childhood therefore forms the foundation of the priorities the South African government has formulated for early childhood development, namely the phasing in of a compulsory Reception Year and Intersectoral support programmes for children from birth to five (Department of National Education 2000). The Report of the National Commission on Special Needs in Education / National Committee on Education Support Services (Department of Education, 1997a) makes recommendations for an integrated and inclusive system for all learners, with an emphasis on programmes for children in the pre-formal schooling phase. However, without strengthened education support services, notably relevant teacher training, the legal right to education for these learners cannot be implemented (Biersteker & Robinson 2000, 40). This study presents the interpretations of three pre-school teachers', from the Western Cape, South Africa, on their subjective experiences in implementing a motor – skills programme aimed at promoting school readiness. The sensory-motor skills a child possesses on entering school play an important role in the level of scholastic success they could potentially experience throughout their educational career. Thus when a child enters school poorly equipped to begin learning, their chances of fulfilling their potential are restricted. This research project focuses on the pre-school teacher who may have an influential role in stimulating children in developing their full learning readiness. A qualitative, interpretative research design was applied in order to conduct this study. The methods I made use of were semi-structured interviews to gain the teachers' unique experiences, my personal observations and field notes as well as the teachers' daily monitoring forms. Through the data generated I gained new insights into teachers' experiences of the implementation of a motor programme, through identifying themes from their experiences. The findings were presented in four areas of experience, namely teachers' experiences in terms of themselves, the children, the parents and the programme's implementation. I believe that although the ability to generalise the results, was limited by the small research sample, valuable information was gained with regard to teachers' experiences of programme implementation.

Thesis(MEdPsych)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a condition that, at present, affects approximately one out of every 100 children globally and indications are that the prevalence thereof is steadily on the rise. ASD is a complex neurological condition that impairs social interaction, communication and behaviour. Research on the wide-ranging effects of ASD and its unique characteristics in each child with ASD is widely available. Several studies refer to the fact that ASD has an impact on the family unit, but very few researchers have investigated the support that families from different cultural groups in South Africa are enjoying whilst raising a child with autism. The current situation being what it is means that professionals and families have very little data on the subject and inadequate support is available to address the specific needs of families who are raising a child with autism. The aim of this study was to investigate the support structures of three families from three different cultural groups in South Africa who were raising a child with autism. The central issue that was researched was the support structures available to parents raising a child with autism, and how parents access that support. This is a qualitative study within an interpretive research paradigm. In this case study, the methods of data collection comprised semi-structured interviews, observations and reflective journals. This design embraced qualitative research methods that could expose the uniqueness of each family’s experience and allowed participants the freedom to express this. The three families, who were purposefully selected for this study, were from different cultural backgrounds. One of the children in each family met the criteria published in the Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fourth edition, text revision (American Psychiatric Association, 2000) for Autism or Pervasive Developmental Disorder not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS). The study found that the parents in the three families received support from their spouses and the neuro-typical siblings. The families also enjoyed physical support, financial support and emotional support from different sources. Parents reported feeling supported when others show acceptance and understanding of their children’s deficits and when such others are prepared to ‘go the extra mile’. The three families also perceived information and guidance as a valuable source of support. Even though they had firm support structures in place, they also reported on the lack of support available to them. All three families enjoyed these forms of support, but it was interesting to find out that the families received the support from different sources. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Outisme of outisme spektrum versteuring (OSV) is 'n toestand wat tans ongeveer een uit elke 100 kinders wêreldwyd affekteer en daar is aanduidings dat die voorkoms daarvan steeds toeneem. OSV is 'n komplekse neurologiese toestand wat swak sosiale interaksie, kommunikasie en gedrag tot gevolg het. Navorsingsresultate oor die breë gevolge van OSV en die unieke eienskappe daarvan in elke kind met OSV is algemeen beskikbaar. Verskeie studies verwys na die feit dat OSV 'n impak het op die gesinseenheid, maar tot dusver het baie min navorsers die ondersteuning ondersoek wat gesinne uit verskillende kulturele groepe in Suid-Afrika tydens die opvoeding van 'n kind met outisme geniet . Die huidige situasie voorsien professionele mense en gesinne van baie min data oor die onderwerp en onvoldoende ondersteuning is beskikbaar om die spesifieke behoeftes van gesinne met 'n kind met outisme aan te spreek. Die doel van hierdie studie was om ondersoek in te stel na die ondersteuning wat gesinne in verskillende kultuurgroepe in Suid-Afrika tydens die opvoeding van ‘n kind met outisme geniet. Die sentrale ondersoekvraag het betrekking gehad op ondersteuningstrukture vir gesinne met ‘n kind met outisme binne hul kultuurgroep, sowel as die wyse waarop die gesinne toegang tot die ondersteuning verkry. Die studie was kwalitatief van aard binne 'n interpretatiewe navorsingsparadigma en ’n gevallestudie is as navorsingsontwerp gekies. Data is deur middel van semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude, waarnemings en reflektiewe joernale ingesamel. Die kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodes omvat die uniekheid van elke gesin se ervaring en laat deelnemers die vryheid om uitdrukking daaraan te gee. Drie gesinne is doelbewus vir hierdie studie gekies. Die gesinne moes oor die volgende kenmerke beskik: Hulle moes uit verskillende kulturele agtergronde (Afrikaan, Wit en Indiër) kom. Hul kind moes voldoen aan die kriteria in die Diagnostiese en Statistiese Handleiding van geestesversteurings, vierde uitgawe, teks hersiening (2000) vir Outisme of pervasieve ontwikkelingsstoornis nie anders gespesifiseer nie (PDD-NOS). Verskeie etiese beginsels is vir hierdie studie nagekom om te verseker dat die navorsing eties was. Die studie het bevind dat die ouers in die drie gesinne ondersteuning van hul gades en die neurotipiese broers en susters van die kind met outisme ontvang het. Die gesinne het ook fisiese ondersteuning, finansiële steun en emosionele ondersteuning vanuit verskillende bronne geniet. Die gesinne het aangedui dat hul ondersteun voel wanneer hul kinders se afwykings aanvaar word, begrip daarvoor getoon word en andere bereid was om die ‘ekstra myl te loop’. Die drie gesinne het ook inligting en leiding as waardevolle bronne van ondersteuning ervaar. Selfs al het die families sterk ondersteuningstrukture in plek gehad, het hulle ook die gebrek aan ondersteuning uitgelig. Al drie gesinne geniet die bogenoemde vorme van ondersteuning, maar dit was interessant om uit te vind dat die families hierdie ondersteuning vanuit verskillende bronne ontvang het.