Asperger Syndrome is a developmental disorder and is characterized by problems in social interaction. These problems make it difficult for the child with Asperger Syndrome to have normal relationships. This particular syndrome has an enormous impact on the development of the child in middle childhood. This study is directed by the premise that the relationship of the child with Asperger Syndrome in middle childhood with members of the peer group can be improved with the help of parents and teachers. Due to this fact, guidelines are provided. The lack of a good relationship with the peer group experienced by the child with Asperger Syndrome was formulated as the research problem. The aim of the study was to advance the relationship between the child with Asperger Syndrome in middle childhood and members of his peer group. In order to achieve this goal, qualitative research was used and semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants. The data obtained was analyzed, verified against existing literature, and used to compile the guidelines. / Asperger Sindroom is 'n ontwikkeiingsteuring en word gekenmerk deur probleme in sosiale interaksie wat normale verhoudings vir die kind met Asperger Sindroom bemoeilik. Hierdie sindroom het 'n enorme impak op die ontwikkeling van die kind in die middelkinderjare. Hierdie studie is gerig deur die uitgangspunt dat die verhouding van die kind met Asperger Sindroom in die middelkinderjare met lede van die portuurgroep verbeter kan word met hulp van ouers en onderwysers. Daarom word riglyne in hierdie studie beskryf. Die gebrek aan gesonde verhoudinge met die portuurgroep wat deur die kind met Asperger Sindroom ervaar word is as navorsingsprobleem geformuleer. Die doel van studie was om die kind met Asperger Sindroom in die middelkinderjare se verhouding met die portuurgroep te bevorder. Ten einde hierdie doel te bereik, is die navorsingsproses deur kwantitatiewe navorsing gerig en semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met deelnemers gevoer. Die data wat bekom is kon deur middel van data-analise en literatuurkontrole aangewend word om riglyne saam te stel. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

Every child has the constitutional right to be protected from maltreatment, neglect or abuse. However, contrasting every child's constitutional right is the escalating worldwide prevalence of child sexual abuse. The incidence of child sexual abuse must be reduced as far as possible by a multi-faceted approach, including effective prevention programmes which facilitate disclosure and empower children. Since insufficient South African research on prevention programmes and preventative measures are available, the primary aim of the study was to develop a board game which can foster the prevention of sexual abuse of children. Scientifically, the motivation for the study was based on the improved understanding of the educational impact of a board game as primary prevention tool. The researcher developed the HOOC board game as part of the Hands Off Our Children Campaign. The board game, being practical and educational, has the goal of teaching children self-protective behaviours that can lower their probability of being abused. A representative sample of 1697 grade four learners, nine to twelve years of age, were selected from the Metropole East region. In order to determine the educational impact of the HOOC board game, the results of the children on the Children's Knowledge of Abuse Questionnaire-Revised (CKAQ-RIII) in the experimental and control groups were compared. The experimental group (n=407) received the board game as intervention. The control group (n=1290) did not receive any intervention. Performance on the test were also compared with gender and ethnicity. According to the obtained results, the HOOC board game correlated with the improvement of knowledge in an acceptable manner. No significant correlations were found between the scores of the tests and gender. The gender of a learner had no significant impact on the learner's ability to learn and retain information. A significant correlation was found between the difference in scores on the tests and the ethnic grouping of learners. It therefore seems that the ethnicity of a learner relates to the improvement of knowledge. Considering the overall results of the study, the use of the HOOC board game as preventative measure against the sexual abuse of grade four learners is acceptable. The HOOC board game offers a significant and valid preventative measure for sexual abuse of children in the middle age group within the South African context. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D. Diac.

Text in Afrikaans / The problem that motivated the study was that siblings of children with cancer may experience the relationships within the family differently after cancer treatment. The purpose was to investigate and describe how family dynamics are experienced by the siblings of a cancer patient after his/her treatment for cancer. The research methodology includes qualitative research of an explorative and descriptive nature. Data were collected through unstructured interviews with siblings of children who had received treatment for cancer. From this data eight categories were identified accordingly. Although the data do not indicate that siblings experienced family dynamics after treatment as problematic, as expected, the information contributes by making parents of cancer patients more aware of the siblings' emotions and needs. / Social Work / M.Diac (Spelterapie)

This study aimed to test the efficacy of the memory box as a medium in Gestalt Therapy, specifically within a therapeutic group with AIDS orphans in the middle childhood phase of development. The aim was to explore and describe the utilisation of the memory box, as a medium for telling one's story, within the safety of the Gestalt play therapy group. It was felt that the increased self-awareness fostered by belonging to a supportive group could enhance self-concept. The research included qualitative and quantitative data. Theoretical and the meta-theoretical assumptions affecting children, in the middle childhood phase, orphaned through HIV/AIDS, were reviewed. The group sessions were described and the data obtained from the pre and post-test was graphically illustrated. The information was then compared to ascertain whether the objectives had been met. Results show that the memory box, used in Gestalt play therapy groups, with AIDS orphans was effective. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Play Therapy)

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / ADHD is a well-known disorder affecting approximately 8% of children in South Africa. Despite years of research and development re the disorder, it seems that parents and teachers sometimes do not have the ability to handle a child with ADHD. Since a lot of the information is contradictory, confusion exists among parents and teachers who act as the support system of the child with ADHD. ADHD is a serious and destructive disorder and can influence the child’s social functioning negatively. Due to continuous failure, the child with ADHD has a low self-esteem. These aspects are the point of reference for the aim of this study, namely the development and implementation of a Gestalt therapeutic intervention plan aimed at the empowerment of the child with ADHD in the middle childhood years, his supporting systems and the evaluation of the impact thereof. The empirical data was gathered by a process of intervention research. A combination of the qualitative and quantitative approach was used. During the use of the qualitative method, a quasi-experimental one-group-pretest-posttest design was utilized. During the qualitative phase, the phenomenological perspective was used. An in-depth literature study was done in respect of ADHD, the theoretic basis of ADHD, the child with ADHD in the middle childhood years and the ADHD from a Gestalt therapeutic perspective. This literature study was the starting point for the development of the comprehensive holistic intervention plan. The intervention plan consists of three programmes: Firstly an empowering program of six sessions aimed at the child in the middle childhood years with ADHD – attention was given to emotional awareness and the dealing with unfinished business. Secondly an empowering programme aimed at the parents consisting of four parental guidance sessions, and thirdly an empowerment programme aimed at the teachers, consisting of two workshops. / AandagTekortHiperaktiwiteitsVersteuring (ATHV) is 'n welbekende versteuring wat ongeveer 8% van SuidAfrikaanse kinders be'invloed. Ten spyte van jarelange navorsing en die verbetering van begrip vir die versteuring, blyk dit dat ouers en onderwysers steeds nie altyd oor die vermoe beskik om 'n kind met A THV te hanteer nie. Aangesien daar baie teenstrydige inligting beskikbaar is, word verwarring geskep by ouers en onderwysers, wat as die kind met A THV se steunstelsels moet dien. A THV is 'n ernstige en verwoestende versteuring en kan die kind se maatskaplike funksionering negatief be'invloed. As gevolg van voortdurende mislukking het die kind met ATHV dikwels 'n lae selfwaarde. Hierdie aspekte het as uitgangspunt gedien vir die doel van die ondersoek, naamlik die ontwikkeling en implementering van 'n Gestaltterapeutiese intervensieplan gerig op die bemagtiging van sowel die kind met A THV in die middelkinderjare, asook sy steunstelsels, en om die impak daarvan te evalueer. Tydens die ondersoek is 'n proses van intervensienavorsing gevolg wat 'n gekombineerde kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe navorsingsmetode is. In die benutting van die kwalitatiewe metode is 'n kwasie-eksperimentele een-groep-voortoets-natoetsstrategie benut. By die kwalitatiewe metode is vanuit die fenomenologiese perspektief gewerk. 'n Diepgaande literatuurstudie is gedoen ten opsigte van ATHV, die teoretiese begronding van ATHV, die kind met ATHV in die middelkinderjare en ATHV vanuit 'n Gestaltterapieperspektief. Hierdie literatuurstudie het as basis vir die ontwikkeling van 'n omvattende holistiese intervensieplan gedien. Die intervensieplan bestaan uit drie programme. Eerstens 'n bemagtigingsprogram van ses sessies gerig op die kind met A THV in die middelkinderjare waar die klem geplaas is op emosionele bewuswording en die hantering van onvoltooidhede. Tweedens 'n bemagtigingsprogram gerig op die ouers tydens vier ouerleidingsessies. Derdens 'n bemagtigingsprogram gerig op die onderwysers bestaande uit twee werkwinkels. Gestaltterapie het nie slegs as teoretiese verwysingsraamwerk tydens die ondersoek gedien nie, maar Gestaltterapeutiesemetodes is ook benut tydens die implementering van die intervensieplan. Resultate vanuit die empiriese gegewens dui aan dat die ouers en onderwysers se kennis ten opsigte van ATHV verbeter het, want hulle het hanteringstrategiee aangeleer en begin toepas, en daar was beter begrip tussen die skool en die ouers waarby die kinders gebaat het. Die kinders se selfwaarde is ook verhoog en hulle maatskaplike funksionering het verbeter. / Social Work / D. Diac. (Play Therapy)

Text in Afrikaans with summaries in Afrikaans and English / The child in his middle childhood years are confronted with physical, emotional, psychological and intellectual demands. The support from his parents enables him to make changes by using them as male and female role models. With a physically absent father the child has to face his absence and learn to handle it. The aim of this study was to investigate the child in the middle childhood’s experience of a physically absent father. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with thirteen respondents within the middle childhood years with the aim to explore their perceptions, experiences and how they manage with a physically absent father. The data collected during the empirical study was analyzed and compared with existing literature as a control mechanism. The study was completed with conclusions and recommendations that could be of value during an intervention with children in the middle childhood years experiencing a physically absent father. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Spelterapie)

The aim of this study was to explore and describe the psychosocial problems perceived (their phenomenological field) by children in middle childhood, living in shelters in the Cape Metropolitan Area. The psychosocial problems included poor self regulation as a result of disturbances in the contact cycle, restrictions in shelters negatively impacting the holistic sense of self, barriers hindering relationships with significant others and the continuation of violence into the participants‟ broader field. The experience of multiple losses and persistence of violent behavior within and without the shelter context was a thread that ran through this study. Current literature provided an overview of the theoretical underpinnings of this study which included the key tenets of Gestalt therapy theory, core Gestalt principles, the child living in a shelter and development in middle childhood. A qualitative research approach with a case study of ten children from three shelters was implemented. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

Text in Afrikaans / Die doelstelling van hierdie kwalitatiewe navorsing was om die leerder in die primêre skool, wat ander afknou, se psigiese lewensaktualisering te verken en te beskryf. Om hierdie doelstelling te bereik, is bepaalde doelwitte gestel. Deur middel van ’n literatuurstudie is ondersoek ingestel na die ontwikkeling van die leerder in die middelkinderjare. Voorts is die konsep van afknouery ondersoek, om sodoende ‘n psigiese beeld te kan skep van die leerder wat ander afknou. Projeksiemedia is in drie gevallestudies gebruik om empiriese inligting rakende die doel van die navorsing te bekom. Temas is uit die projeksiemedia geïdentifiseer en teen die bestaande literatuur geverifieer. Tydens die bespreking van die inligting wat uit die projeksiemedia verkry is, is gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings gemaak. Daar is gepoog om die bevindinge nie te veralgemeen nie, omdat dit ‘n kwalitatiewe studie was. / The aim of this qualitative study was to explore and describe the psychological life actualization of the learner in primary school who bullies others. To achieve this goal, specific objectives were set. The development of the learner in middle childhood was examined by means of a literature investigation. Furthermore, the concept of bullying was investigated, thus creating a psychological image of the learner who bullies others. Projection media were used in three case studies to obtain empirical information regarding the objective of the research. Themes from the projection media were identified and verified against the existing literature. During the discussion of the information acquired from the projection media, conclusions and recommendations were made. An attempt was made not to generalize the findings, because this was a qualitative study. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Voorligting)

Text in Afrikaans / Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Die teoretiese basis van die verhandeling behels 'n uiteensetting van die Jungiaanse teorie en 'n bespreking van die seksuele molestering van seuns. Met die uiteensetting van die Jungiaanse teorie word die psigodinamiese aspekte van die psige verduidelik en grafiese voorstellings van die strukturele komponente daarvan word weergegee. Die ontwikkelingsfase van die seun word aangespreek, met klem op die rol van die gesin in sy ontwikkeling. In die beskrywing van die terapeutiese proses word spesifiek gefokus op die benutting van die reekstekeningmodel. Die fokuspunt van die beskrywing van seksuele molestering van seuns, behels die aanbieding van die korttermyngevolge binne 'n multimodale raamwerk. Die definiering en tipes seksuele molestering, asook die bekendmaking en faktore wat die trauma van seksuele molestering intensiveer, word verder aangespreek. Twee gevallestudies word as empiriese data aangebied. In elke gevallestudie word tekeninge deur middel van toto's bespreek nadat agtergrondinligting omtrent elke respondent aangebied / The theoretical basis of the thesis compromises an exposition of Jungian theory, and a discussion of the sexual abuse of boys. In the exposition of Jungian theory, the psychodynamics aspects of the psyche are elucidated and graphic illustrations of the structural components thereof are provided. The developmental phase of the boy is addressed, with emphasis on the role of the family in his development. In the discussion of the therapeutic process, specific focus is placed on the utilisation of the serial drawing model. The focal point of the description of sexual abuse of boys comprises the presentation of the short-term consequences within a multimodal framework. The definition and types of sexual abuse, as well as the making known thereof and the factors which intensify the trauma of sexual abuse, are also addressed. Two case studies are presented as empirical data. In each case study, drawings are discussed by means of photographs after the presentation of background information concerning each respondent. / Social Work

The single parent family in an inner city context is confronted with a problematic life situation. The demands, which are brought about by single parenthood as well as residence in an inner city environment, often lead to inappropriate parenting. The single parent child is often disrupted on an emotional and social level as a result. In many cases the child handles this disruption inappropriately. The single parent family has a need for resources in the community in order to ensure the continuous emotional, social, psychic and physical well being of its separate members. Involvement in gestalt group work can already be regarded as such an important resource available to the single parent child. Through this research study an investigation was made into the efficiency of a gestalt group work programme in the empowerment of the single parent child to handle the negative experiences of the single parent situation, such as feelings of guilt, anger, confusion, fear, inadequacy, loss, and sorrow and depression. Gestalt group work offers an opportunity to the child to share feelings and experiences regarding the single parent situation within the group context and to receive support from the therapists and other group members. This process strengthens the child’s inner self and the child is empowered to self-support. A complete and refined gestalt group work programme was developed and evaluated from the findings of a literature study and empirical study. The process of intervention research was followed during the empirical study. Data was obtained from seven single parent children in their late middle childhood years in an inner city context and their single parents. The combined quantitative-qualitative approach was used for this purpose according to the dominant-less-dominant model of Creswell. The single-systems design was used to test the effectiveness of the programme. The quantitative findings were obtained by self-developed questionnaires for the child respondents and their single parents, before and after the gestalt group work programme. The qualitative findings were obtained by unstructured observation during the gestalt group work sessions. According to the integration of the quantitative and qualitative findings, the conclusion can be made that the gestalt group work programme brought about an improvement in the child respondents’ emotional and social levels of functioning and their appropriate handling of feelings. The findings obtained, suggest that the developed gestalt group work programme can be implemented with confidence with single parent children in their late middle childhood years in an inner city context. Further research on the development and evaluation of a gestalt group work programme, specifically presented to the single parents, in order to guide and support them in the handling of their experiences of the single parent situation, is strongly suggested. / Thesis (DPhil (Social Work))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted