Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Seksuele misbruik is 'n brutale vorm van kindermishandeling wat kommerwekkende afmetings in Suid-Afrika aanneem. Hierdie traumatiese gebeurtenis het emosioneel 'n geweldige negatiewe impak op die kinderslagoffer. Hierdie studie is gerig deur die uitgangspunt dat terapeute, deur middel van Gestaltspelterapie, hierdie kinderslagoffers moet lei in die hantering van hierdie trauma en die gevolge daarvan. Die gebrek aan riglyne vir die terapeut om die seksueel misbruikte kind in die middelkinderjare te hanteer is as navorsingsprobleem geformuleer. Die doel van die studie was dus om vanuit 'n Gestaltspelterapeutiese benadering riglyne vir terapeute daar te stel in die hantering van die seksueel misbruikte kind in die middelkinderjare ten einde die kind te bemagtig. Om hierdie doel te bereik, is die navorsingsproses deur kwalitatiewe navorsing gerig en individuele gevallestudies voltooi deur die terapeutiese proses met drie kinderslagoffers te deurloop. Die data wat bekom is kon deur middel van data-analise en literatuurkontrole aangewend word om riglyne saam te stel. Daar is dus in die doel van die ondersoek geslaag, naamlik die daarstelling van riglyne vir die hantering van die seksueel misbruikte kind in die middelkinderjare. / Sexual abuse is a brutal form of child abuse that has reached exasperating proportions in South Africa. This traumatic event has an enormously negative emotional impact on the child victim. This study is directed by the premise that therapists', by means of Gestalt play therapy, should guide these victimized children in dealing with this trauma and its consequences. The research problem for the study was formulated as the lack of guidelines for the therapist to deal with the sexually abused child in middle childhood. The aim of the study was to provide therapists' with guidelines designed from the approach of Gestalt play therapy for dealing with and empowering the sexually abused child in middle childhood. In order to achieve this goal, qualitative research was employed, while individual case studies were carried out by applying the therapeutic process to three victimized children. The data obtained was analyzed, checked against existing literature, and used to compile the guidelines. Thus, the goal of the research was achieved, namely to provide guidelines for dealing with the sexually abused child in middle childhood. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

Traditional remedial intervention programmes address academic and perceptual deficits but not emotional needs. Existing literature suggests that most children with learning disabilities have concomitant emotional, behavioural and social difficulties; however an apparent lack of consensus regarding the types of emotional and behavioural difficulties faced by these children exists especially amongst teachers, parents and professionals in the field of learning disabilities. The aim of this study was to discover which emotions might emerge during Gestalt play therapy sessions with children receiving remedial intervention. Three respondents from three different remedial programmes participated in the study. Data was gathered from the therapeutic sessions as well as from unstructured interviews with parents, teachers and professionals in the field of learning disabilities. Recommendations are made as to how Gestalt play therapy could be implemented as an additional support for children receiving remedial intervention. / Tradisionele remediërings-programme spreek slegs akademiese en perseptuele tekortkominge aan en nie emosionele behoeftes nie. Bestaande literatuur dui daarop dat die meeste kinders met leerprobleme gepaardgaande emosionele, gedrags- en sosiale probleme ervaar. Daar is egter 'n gebrek aan konsensus tussen onderwysers, ouers en professionele persone op die gebied van leerprobleme, oor die tipe emosionele en gedragsprobleme waarmee hierdie leerders te kampe het. Die doel van hierdie studie was om vas te stel watter emosies tevoorskyn mag kom, tydens Gestalt-speel-terapie-sessies met leerders wat remediëringsonderrig ontvang. Drie respondente van drie verskillende remediërende programme het aan die studie deelgeneem. Data is ingesamel van terapeutiese sessies, sowel as van ongestruktureerde onderhoude met ouers, onderwysers en professionele persone in die veld van leerprobleme. Die bevindings van die studie blyk in ooreenstemming te wees met bestaande literatuur, naamlik dat kinders met leerprobleme bykomende emosionele en sosiale probleme ondervind. Aanbevelings is gemaak oor hoe Gestalt spelterapie geïmplementeer kan word as 'n addisionele ondersteuning vir kinders wat remediërende intervensie ontvang. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

In this research project the context of a playgroup is used in the exploration of the developing meanings of preschool children living in a community village. Therapeutic goals include the co-construction of a group context where alternative behavioural social skills, and the related meanings thereof, could evolve in relationship with the therapist / researcher and peers. The research process is based on an underlying ecosystemic epistemology, social constructionistic theory and a narrative approach to therapy. A naturalistic research design includes the use of qualitative methods of play as therapeutic tools in the exploration of meanings. Research findings show the emergence of co-constructed meaning categories between all the participants of the research to be those of respect, responsibility and hope. The therapeutic significance of these three themes for this age group of children is discussed, and linked to the further construction of meanings. / PSYCHOLOGY / MA

The difficulties experienced by children in their middle school age resemble problems with emotional intelligence. It is increased by cultural differences between the child, therapist and social environment. This research problem led to a culturally sensitive Gestalt play therapy intervention programme, to enhance primary school children's emotional intelligence. An intervention was developed, applied and the outcomes thereof studied. The outcomes relate to play therapy techniques, emotional intelligence and cultural sensitivity. The researcher made use of applied research, and thus focused on solving the social problem as stated above, and making a contribution to real life issues. A literature study, related to the concepts of the unit of analysis showed the following: The primary school child has high energy levels and presents concrete reasoning abilities. His self-esteem is based on good interpersonal relationships and achieving tasks. Emotions and other physical and cognitive systems are interdependent. Emotional intelligence is the awareness, management and control of emotions, relate to the functions of the frontal lobes and also to the requirements of a healthy individual according to Gestalt therapy. Culture is connected to the field in Gestalt theory. Cultural sensitivity in this research study meant an attitude of acceptance of cultural differences. Gestalt therapy is based on holism, which includes the environment or field. Gestalt play therapy in a group context was found to be an effective way to teach emotional intelligence skills in a culturally sensitive way to primary school children. The intervention programme was applied to pilot- and research groups, compiled from children who were assessed with the Das-Naglieri Cognitive Assessment System (Naglieri and Das, 1997a) and who presented weaker frontal lobe processes in relation to their other cognitive skills. The outcomes of the research study identified the most effective Gestalt play therapy techniques, which are: The healing therapeutic relationship The use of experiential learning The Gestalt principle of "biding one's time" The study also delivered some unsuspected outcomes namely a relation between right-hemisphere processes and emotional intelligence. This study is still open for further research relating to the concepts discussed above, the intervention programme as well as the unsuspected outcomes. / Social Work / D.Diac.

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Every year, a significant number of children are being traumatized by the divorce of their parents. The aim of this study was to provide a guideline for Gestalt play therapists to enhance the resilience of children in middle childhood who have been traumatized by the divorce of their parents. To achieve this goal, the researcher made use of both the qualitative and the quantitative method of data collection. Data were collected by means of a literature study, four case studies, a semistructured interview and two questionares. The integration of the data collected through the empirical investigation enabled the researcher to compile a guideline to assist Gestalt play therapists in enhancing the resilience of children in middle childhood, traumatized by the divorce of their parents. By utilizing this guideline, Gestalt play therapists can assist children to overcome the damaging effects of the divorce. Simultaneously, the children are being empowered with skills enabling them to successfully deal with future setbacks. / 'n Beduidende aantal kinders word jaarliks getraumatiseer weens die egskeiding van hul ouers. Die doel vir die studie was om 'n riglyn vir Gestaltspelterapeute saam te stel waarvolgens die emosionele veerkragtigheid van die egskeidingsgetraumatiseerde kind in die middelkinderjare bevorder kan word. Ten einde bogenoemde doel te bereik het die navorser inligting ingesamel aan die hand van sowel die kwalitatiewe as die kwantitatiewe benadering. Inligting is ingesamel deur middel van 'n literatuurstudie, vier gevallestudies, 'n semigestruktureerde onderhoud en twee vraelyste. Vanuit die prosessering en integrering van bevindinge tydens die empiriese ondersoek verkry, is 'n riglyn vir Gestaltspelterapeute saamgestel. Deur die riglyn te benut kan Gestaltspelterapeute egskeidingsgetraumatiseerde kinders help om die skadelike uitwerking van egskeiding te oorkom. Tegelyk word die kinders ook met vaardighede bemagtig wat hulle toerus om toekomstige teleurstelling, teenspoed en trauma effektief te hanteer. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

The research dealt with the implementation of Gestalt play therapy for the treatment of the sexually abused primary school child who experiences problems to maintain himself. The need for research on the theme originated from the researcher's experience with sexually abused primary school children. The aim of the research was to render therapeutic support to the primary school child through Gestalt play therapy, in order to explore the influence of such support on the child's maintaining behaviour. The applied research design was used for this purpose. For the purpose of the research, one sexually abused child who experienced problems to maintain himself was identified by means of purposeful sampling. During each Gestalt play therapy session the child was brought into contact with his senses. Conclusions as well as recommendations were formulated as a result of the research. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

Text in Afrikaans / The aim of this study was to determine the value of Gestalt Play Therapy with the aggressive child in middle childhood. Literature regarding the different etiological theories on aggression, as well as the physical, cognitive, emotional, social and moral development of the aggressive child in his middle childhood was explored. The main concepts in Gestalt Play Therapy were discussed, followed by an outline of an intervention programme with the aggressive child in middle childhood in order to set objectives and establish a structure for the case study. The empirical part of the study was divided into a qualitative component consisting of the case study and unstructured interviews with the parent and teacher of the participant, while the participant's level of aggression before and after intervention was determined quantitatively by means of the Aggression Questionnaire of Buss and Perry. Analysis of the results showed a reduction in the level of anger, verbal and physical aggression and hostility of the participant. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Spelterapie)

The literature, for example, Black and Stephens (1989), as well as Marchetti-Mercer (2009), emphasise that mental health professionals may be increasingly faced with the challenges linked to migration and expatriate life. There is also a paucity of information regarding expatriate adjustment in South African psychological literature, and to this end, the aim of this study was to examine how South African expatriate families adjust to a foreign environment like the Middle Eastern city of Dubai. In Dubai, many South African expatriates are employed in sectors such as hospitality, medicine, construction, education, including financial services and it is estimated that the number of South Africans living in Dubai are between 40 000 and 100 000 (The Homecoming Revolution, 2008:1). Expatriate families face the challenges of adjusting to different laws, climates, cultures, religions and social systems. They may experience lack of emotional support, grief, feelings of isolation and loneliness. Unfamiliar living conditions and a change of lifestyle may present as a crisis for certain families, manifesting in family conflict and financial hardship. Given the number of South African families living in Dubai, this study aimed to explore how these families adjusted to the living conditions of this region. A second aim of the study was to use the findings yielded from the data to formulate Gestalt therapeutic techniques, enabling family therapists to assist expatriate families with adjustment difficulties. A phenomenological system of enquiry was employed to study the experiences of six South African families and fifteen members of a focus group. Family members of the six family case studies were interviewed, their experiences audio-recorded, and then transcribed verbatim. Three children elected to provide drawings of their experiences. The focus group discussion was also audio-recorded and then transcribed verbatim. Upon analysis, six common themes emerged, namely, social support, personality factors, environmental conditions, acculturation, grief and disillusion. The findings of the study assisted the researcher in formulating five therapeutic Gestalt techniques that would facilitate and optimise communication amongst expatriate family members. Three of the therapeutic techniques were designed by the researcher, and two were adapted from existing Gestalt techniques. It is hoped that the findings in the present study will assist in amplifying the existing knowledge base regarding Gestalt therapy techniques for families and children, including the current research on expatriate adjustment and the psychological ramifications related to this phenomenon. / Social Work / D. Diac. (Play Therapy)

The world is dominated by digital media that have become central to many children’s lives. Children born in the last 30 years have become known as ‘digital natives’, as digital technology has always been part of their experiential field. The use of such media in play therapy could offer innovative ways of enhancing dialogue with those children in whose field they are included, as they have been to date unexplored in play therapy interventions, possibly resulting in missed therapeutic opportunities. This mixed methods research took the form of an email questionnaire sent out to play therapists in South Africa to ascertain whether digital technology is being used in therapy and, if so, which digital media are being used and how. Additionally, a focus group interview was conducted using the same questionnaire to ensure data triangulation. The data gathered were analysed qualitatively, and an understanding was gained regarding the current use of digital media in play therapy. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

This qualitative study explored the use of Body Mapping as a tool to enhance dialogue with sentenced adolescent boys in a Special Youth Centre. Their scars and tattoos were regarded as the key to unlocking their life stories. Body maps and unstructured interviews formed the main body of data. The paradigms of both Gestalt- and occupational therapy formed the basis of the conceptual framework and a literature control was done as “theory after” as well as a method of data triangulation. Themes extracted pointed to broken bonds and familial trauma which lead the adolescents to search for belonging and mastery in deviant peer groups and street- and Numbergangs. The tattoos provide graphic affirmation of identification and belonging to these groups. The mapping of their lesions and scars provided the opportunity to relate traumatic experiences. Conclusions were drawn and recommendations could be made as a result of the study. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)