M.A. (Psychology) / The growing trend towards marital disruption and divorce over the past decade has already roused concern in the helping professions. Statistics indicate that, in the past 50 years in South Africa, divorce has become an increasing phenomenon. It appears that the most important causative factors in marital disruption are an absence of effective communication skills and poorly developed conflict handling skills. However, the communication and conflict handling skills, necessary for a successful marriage, can be acquired prior to marriage.

This exploratory study followed up ten married couples who attended a voluntary six session psycho-educational Marriage Preparation Programme under the auspices of the Jewish Family and Community Council - Transvaal. A literature review on marriage preparation, evaluation and enrichment provided the framework for the study and interview schedule. The study aimed to confirm and/or modify the existing Marriage Preparation Programme and to explore marital adjustment in detail. The findings indicate : * Couples had positive recall of the programme. * Attending a Marriage Preparation Programme was not necessarily helpful but had a positive influence on couples' commitment. * Respondents experienced difficulties in loosening ties with their families. * The establishment of a family unit was central to marital adjustment. * Role allocation was influenced by role models in respondents' families of origin. * Dealing with socio-economic issues were exceptionally difficult. * Changing roles and expectations of parenthood affected respondents' style of parenting. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Science (Mental Health))

This exploratory study followed up ten married couples who attended a voluntary six session psycho-educational Marriage Preparation Programme under the auspices of the Jewish Family and Community Council - Transvaal. A literature review on marriage preparation, evaluation and enrichment provided the framework for the study and interview schedule. The study aimed to confirm and/or modify the existing Marriage Preparation Programme and to explore marital adjustment in detail. The findings indicate : * Couples had positive recall of the programme. * Attending a Marriage Preparation Programme was not necessarily helpful but had a positive influence on couples' commitment. * Respondents experienced difficulties in loosening ties with their families. * The establishment of a family unit was central to marital adjustment. * Role allocation was influenced by role models in respondents' families of origin. * Dealing with socio-economic issues were exceptionally difficult. * Changing roles and expectations of parenthood affected respondents' style of parenting. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Science (Mental Health))

M.A. / The divorce rate in South Africa has reached alarming proportions. In 1994 alone, 29 878 divorces were reported in South Africa, and a total of 38 367 children were traumatised by these divorces. Despite this, most people still marry, or want to marry. Marriage is one of the most important and meaningful relationships we can have as human beings. It enriches our lives and provides fulfillment and companionship. Many couples entering into the marital relationship are not aware of the demands of marriage, and especially of the demands of modern marriages where marital roles are new and different. Marriage enrichment is a movement to help couples.to respond to these demands. Enrichment programs teach partners interpersonal skills and build empathetic respect between individuals within the marital relationship. Although there are many marriage enrichment programs currently in use, there seems to be not one in South Africa that is based on the concepts of personality type differences. The aim of this study was to develop a marriage enrichment program based on the concepts of personality type, as indicated by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). The focus was to educate couples in personality type differences, thereby creating self-awareness and awareness of others, and enabling them to better understand themselves and their spouses. The program was designed and developed and then trial-tested on two groups of volunteers consisting of two couples in each group. Feedback received yielded positive results, and the participants found the program to be useful and valuable in their own relationships.

Afrikaans text / Suid-Afrika se samelewingstrukture beleef tans 'n grootskaalse morele aanslag wat manifesteer in verskeie patologiese verskynsels waarvan gebrekkige huweliksverhoudings een van die belangrikste vorm. Verwestersing word deur die literatuurbevindinge van die onderhawige studie uitgesonder as die enkele grootste oorsaak van disfunksionele huweliksverhoudings in swart geledere. Die Westerse kultuur het 'n uiteenlopende impak op swart mans en vrouens. Die vrou bevind haar as gevolg van verwestersing in In baie gunstiger posisiel terwyl die man vanwee verwestersing baie in terme van status en gesag prysgee. Dit is gevolglik verstaanbaar dat hy in In groot mate waarde bly heg aan die tradisionele kultuur wat hom bevoordeel het. Hierdie spanning tussen tradisionele en Westerse gebruike het tot gevolg dat man en vrou die huwelik met verskillende verwagtings betree. In terme van die fokus van die onderhawige studie het die vraag ontstaan of die swart persoon wat formele opleiding ondergaan in dieselfde mate die dilemma van kulturele verskeurdheid ondervind soos wat in tersaaklike literatuur voorgehou word. Hierdie studie handel spesifiek oor die invloed van Westerse en tradisionele inhoude op die huweliksverwagtings van die formeel opgeleide swart laat­ adolessent. By wyse van In empiriese ondersoek, aangevul deur literatuurgegewens, is bepaal in watter mate voorgenoemde diskrepansie by die formeel opgeleide swart laat-adolessent voorkom. Die volgende geld as die belangrikste bevindinge aangaande hierdie groep: • Hulle beskou hulself deurgaans as verwesters. • Die voltallige nukleere gesin word as die ideale gesinsvorm beskou. • Hulle is deurgaans begerig dat die ilobolotransaksie deel van die huweliksluiting vorm. • Die meerderheid verwerp die opsie om kinderloos in die huwelik te bly. • In hul verwagtings word 'n hoe prioriteit geplaas op kenmerke van die Westerse huwelik, naamlik + kommunikasie, + probleme wat onderling deur huweliksmaats bespreek word, + emosionele ondersteuning, + gelykheid en vennootskap in die huwelik, en + getrouheid in die huwelik. • Albei geslagte is genee om 'n huweliksvoorbereidingprogram byte woon. • Spesifieke potensiele huweliksprobleemareas het te make met + fisiese aanranding, + alkoholmisbruik, en + buite-egtelike verhoudings. Die stand van sake impliseer dat die formeel opgeleide swart laat-adolessent 'n eiesoortige huweliksvoorbereidingsprogram benodig wat hom/haar vir Westerse huwelikseise toerus, maar wat ook voorsiening maak vir tradisionele insprake wat steeds 'n appel tot hom/haar rig. / Societal structures in South Africa are currently experiencing a large-scale moral onslaught that is manifested in a variety of pathological phenomena - deficient marital relationships constitute one of the most important of these. Westernisation is singled out by the literature findings in this study as being the single most important cause of dysfunctional marital relationships among blacks. The Western culture has a quite dissimilar impact on black men and black women. Westernisation leads to the woman finding herself in a much more favourable position, while it demands from the black man an enormous sacrifice in terms of status and authority. He, understandably, remains to a large degree attached to the traditional culture that used to favour him. This tension between traditional and Western custom leads to men and women approaching marriage with divergent expectations. In terms of the focus of this study, the question arises as to whether the black person who has been formally trained experiences the dilemma of being culturally torn apart to the same extent as has emerged from the relevant literature on the subject. The present study deals specifically with the effect of Western and traditional contents on the marriage expectations of the formally trained black late adolescent. An empirical investigation, supplemented by data from the literature, has been used to determine the extent to which the already mentioned discrepancy occurs among formally trained black late adolescents. The following are the most important findings with regard to this group: • They generally consider themselves as being westernised. • The complete nuclear family is regarded as the ideal type of family. • They are generally keen to have the ilobolo transaction form part of the marriage contract. • The majority rejects the option of remaining childless in marriage. • In their expectations a high priority is given to the characteristics of the Western-type marriage, i.e. + communication, + problems being mutually discussed by marriage partners, + emotional support, + equality and partnership in marriage, and + faithfulness to the marriage partner. • Specific potential matrimonial problem areas concern + physical assault, + alcohol abuse, and + extramarital relationships. This state of affairs implies that the formally trained black late adolescent needs a unique marriage preparation programme that would equip him/her for the demands of a Western-type marriage, but that would also make provision for traditional demands that are still appealing to him/her. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Sielkundige Opvoedkunde)

Afrikaans text / Suid-Afrika se samelewingstrukture beleef tans 'n grootskaalse morele aanslag wat manifesteer in verskeie patologiese verskynsels waarvan gebrekkige huweliksverhoudings een van die belangrikste vorm. Verwestersing word deur die literatuurbevindinge van die onderhawige studie uitgesonder as die enkele grootste oorsaak van disfunksionele huweliksverhoudings in swart geledere. Die Westerse kultuur het 'n uiteenlopende impak op swart mans en vrouens. Die vrou bevind haar as gevolg van verwestersing in In baie gunstiger posisiel terwyl die man vanwee verwestersing baie in terme van status en gesag prysgee. Dit is gevolglik verstaanbaar dat hy in In groot mate waarde bly heg aan die tradisionele kultuur wat hom bevoordeel het. Hierdie spanning tussen tradisionele en Westerse gebruike het tot gevolg dat man en vrou die huwelik met verskillende verwagtings betree. In terme van die fokus van die onderhawige studie het die vraag ontstaan of die swart persoon wat formele opleiding ondergaan in dieselfde mate die dilemma van kulturele verskeurdheid ondervind soos wat in tersaaklike literatuur voorgehou word. Hierdie studie handel spesifiek oor die invloed van Westerse en tradisionele inhoude op die huweliksverwagtings van die formeel opgeleide swart laat­ adolessent. By wyse van In empiriese ondersoek, aangevul deur literatuurgegewens, is bepaal in watter mate voorgenoemde diskrepansie by die formeel opgeleide swart laat-adolessent voorkom. Die volgende geld as die belangrikste bevindinge aangaande hierdie groep: • Hulle beskou hulself deurgaans as verwesters. • Die voltallige nukleere gesin word as die ideale gesinsvorm beskou. • Hulle is deurgaans begerig dat die ilobolotransaksie deel van die huweliksluiting vorm. • Die meerderheid verwerp die opsie om kinderloos in die huwelik te bly. • In hul verwagtings word 'n hoe prioriteit geplaas op kenmerke van die Westerse huwelik, naamlik + kommunikasie, + probleme wat onderling deur huweliksmaats bespreek word, + emosionele ondersteuning, + gelykheid en vennootskap in die huwelik, en + getrouheid in die huwelik. • Albei geslagte is genee om 'n huweliksvoorbereidingprogram byte woon. • Spesifieke potensiele huweliksprobleemareas het te make met + fisiese aanranding, + alkoholmisbruik, en + buite-egtelike verhoudings. Die stand van sake impliseer dat die formeel opgeleide swart laat-adolessent 'n eiesoortige huweliksvoorbereidingsprogram benodig wat hom/haar vir Westerse huwelikseise toerus, maar wat ook voorsiening maak vir tradisionele insprake wat steeds 'n appel tot hom/haar rig. / Societal structures in South Africa are currently experiencing a large-scale moral onslaught that is manifested in a variety of pathological phenomena - deficient marital relationships constitute one of the most important of these. Westernisation is singled out by the literature findings in this study as being the single most important cause of dysfunctional marital relationships among blacks. The Western culture has a quite dissimilar impact on black men and black women. Westernisation leads to the woman finding herself in a much more favourable position, while it demands from the black man an enormous sacrifice in terms of status and authority. He, understandably, remains to a large degree attached to the traditional culture that used to favour him. This tension between traditional and Western custom leads to men and women approaching marriage with divergent expectations. In terms of the focus of this study, the question arises as to whether the black person who has been formally trained experiences the dilemma of being culturally torn apart to the same extent as has emerged from the relevant literature on the subject. The present study deals specifically with the effect of Western and traditional contents on the marriage expectations of the formally trained black late adolescent. An empirical investigation, supplemented by data from the literature, has been used to determine the extent to which the already mentioned discrepancy occurs among formally trained black late adolescents. The following are the most important findings with regard to this group: • They generally consider themselves as being westernised. • The complete nuclear family is regarded as the ideal type of family. • They are generally keen to have the ilobolo transaction form part of the marriage contract. • The majority rejects the option of remaining childless in marriage. • In their expectations a high priority is given to the characteristics of the Western-type marriage, i.e. + communication, + problems being mutually discussed by marriage partners, + emotional support, + equality and partnership in marriage, and + faithfulness to the marriage partner. • Specific potential matrimonial problem areas concern + physical assault, + alcohol abuse, and + extramarital relationships. This state of affairs implies that the formally trained black late adolescent needs a unique marriage preparation programme that would equip him/her for the demands of a Western-type marriage, but that would also make provision for traditional demands that are still appealing to him/her. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Sielkundige Opvoedkunde)

M.A. (Socialis Scientiae) / The aim of social services in the SAPS is to achieve, maintain and promote optimum social functioning in order to improve the productivity of members of the SAPS. As a result of -their unique working conditions which are often characterized by a great deal of stress and frustration, statistics regarding marital problems in the SAPS are high compared to other social problems. This study was undertaken to design a marriage programme to be utilized by social workers and social coworkers in the SAPS, and to evaluate its utilisation value during trial use and developmental testing by submitting the programme to the social workers and social coworkers. The research purpose of the study was to develop and evaluate a social work programme. Development research as put forward in Edwin Thomas's model (1978, 1979, 1980, 1984) was used as research design. In order to evaluate this development objective, the following development targets for research were set: To obtain information about the influence of the work of SAPS members on their marriages. To identify additional contributory causes of marital problems. To study literature on marriage counselling. To design a programme for marriage counselling in the SAPS within the structure of a developmental research more. To evaluate the utilization value of the programme by submitting it during trial use and developmental testing to social workers and social coworkers in the SAPS .

Satisfaction (fulfillment of one’s wishes, expectations and needs or the pleasure derived from this) has been shown by studies to be manifested through various things, including marriage. It has been found that marriage and the satisfaction experienced are positively correlated to higher levels of happiness. Marital satisfaction (also referred to as marital quality and marital happiness) is defined as one's subjective evaluation of favourability towards one’s spouse and the marital relationship and the mental state of perceived gains and losses of the marriage. Research shows that the factors that affect marital satisfaction vary across cultures as well as geographic space within cultures, as well as gender. The present case study explored marital satisfaction as experienced by a Xhosa woman who resides in a rural setting in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. This qualitative exploratory-descriptive study utilised an in-depth case study method and the subject was selected by purposive sampling. Thibaut and Kelley’s (1959) Interdependence Theory, in conjunction the life-cycle stages of marriage as proposed by Markey (2005), were used as a framework to understand dynamics that occur in the course of a marital relationship as well as the variations in satisfaction in the different stages of marriage. Data was obtained through semi-structured interviews and a content analysis approach proposed by Miles and Huberman (1994) was followed as a framework for data analysis. The findings of the present study are presented according to two broad groupings: 1) marital satisfaction arises from one’s state of mind, and 2) the participant provided lessons on dealing with issues that arise in marriage. These in turn permitted the identification of sub-themes connected to each main theme allowing recommendations for future research to be deduced.

M.A. (Clinical Social Work) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

This dissertation is a study about the faith action called "care" and covers the area of premarital pastoral work and marital pastoral work (marriage enrichment). Much has been written about the issue that marriage pastoral care and counselling is more than just dealing with troubled marriages or marital problems. The fact can't be ignored that pastoral care and counselling when it comes to married life have an important role to play in the sense of prevention and equipping. Premarital pastoral work in the form of marriage preparation and marital pastoral work in die form of marriage enrichment, focus on the prevention and equipping approach. The focus of this dissertation is prevention and equipping. In an effort to achieve this, this study looks at how pastors are doing premarital pastoral work with prospective marital couples, and marriage enrichment with married couples. This is done according to a twofold process. The first step focuses on the content of the programmes that the pastors present to prospective marital couples when they do premarital pastoral work. The second step in the study focuses on the needs of prospective marital couples. In this regard the focus is on the themes for marriage preparation that prospective marriage couples would like to see the pastor address when doing premarital pastoral work with them. Further this research deals with the preferences of prospective couples as to the timing, duration and presentation process with regard to marriage preparation sessions. In this study empirical research was undertaken to determine how pastors of the Apostolic Faith Mission in the Western Cape are doing premarital pastoral work and marriage enrichment, and how this is related to the needs of prospective marriage couples. The research problem was to determine whether pastors are addressing the needs of prospective couples when they are doing premarital pastoral work. The purpose of this study is to provide some guidelines which pastors can utilize when they are doing premarital pastoral work and marriage enrichment. / Practical Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology)