Most primary school learners experience everyday worries during their normal development. Children handle worries differently, and if they are not supported, their self-concept and psychosocial development could be influenced negatively. Parents and teachers are not always aware of what primary school learners worry about, or how they handle their worries. It is important that parents and teachers are made aware of this, so that children can be better supported in this regard. The aim of this study was to determine the everyday worries of primary school learners in a specific school in the Helderberg area, as well as how these worries are handled. This aim was addressed through a descriptive, qualitative research design. Thirty learners between the ages of ten and eleven in the specific school were involved through a simple random sample. Semi-structured one-on-one interviews were used to obtain a detailed picture of learners’ everyday worries and how they handle them. Interviews were held through the use of an interview schedule, which was compiled in accordance with a literature study, tested in a pilot study and adjusted where necessary. Interviews were transcribed and themes were identified according to Braun and Clarke’s method of thematic analysis. On intrapersonal level one worry was identified, namely about emotions that are experienced. On this level participants handled worries by preferring to be alone, trying not to think about worries, crying, writing or drawing in diary, through praying, eating or sleeping. On interpersonal level, worries about school, family, friends and loss were identified. On this level worries were handled through spending time with a family member, friends, the media, pets, or by asking for support from the school. Themes were divided into subthemes, supported with appropriate quotes from the interviews and controlled with literature. This study confirms existing literature in terms of the worries that primary school learners experience. With this study a contribution is being made to the identification of worries on inter- and intrapersonal level, as well as the handling of worries on these two levels. In the future this information can be used as a basis for the effective development of ways for parents and teachers to support children in this regard. Suggestions were made for parents and teachers to encourage children to talk about their worries, as well as to help them find effective ways in which to communicate and practice to handle these worries well. It is very important that parents and teachers are made aware of topics children are worried about and how they handle them, so that children can be better supported and assisted in this regard. / MA (Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The thesis focuses on problems of children with imprisoned parents in the Czech Republic to which our society pays only a low attention. The study points to specific problems which children have to deal with, to a children's unhealthy psychosocial development influated by a longtime separation from their parent and to an unsufficient observance of childern's rights, especially the regular contact with a parent. This work presents posibilites how children can stay in touch with a busted parent and describes supporting activites of Czech Helsinki Comitee. The empirical part of the thesis tries to clarify the influence of a parent's imprisonment on a quality of a relationship between parents and children and define main fields where changes would be needed. KEY WORDS Imprisonment, parenthood, child, children, family, parent, sentenced, contact, relationship, rights, prison, psychosocial development, Czech Helsinki Comitee, EUROCHIPS

在人際互動中，衝突幾乎是不可避免，常常發生的事，而衝突解決的策略是要經過學習才能得到。由於在孩子社會行為學習的過程中，母親扮演著重要的角色，因此本研究著重於了解母親教導的衝突解決策略及所使用的內容，是如何透過孩子的知覺而對其選擇衝突解決策略有所影響。在分別對三年級及六年級的孩子及其家長施測後，分析的結果顯示出：不同年級的孩子所選用的衝突解決策略有所不同。其不同在於三年級的孩子較六年級的孩子常使用行動權力及分離退讓的策略，較少使用語言權力的策略。母親在教導協商輪流､行動權力､語言權力時，對二個年級孩子的教導沒有任何的差異。只有在教導分離退讓及尋求幫助的策略時，較多的母親會教導三年級的孩子使用這二種策略。母親教導的策略對孩子選擇衝突解決策略的影響有二：(1)孩子正確的知覺到母親教導過的策略，形成一個與教導策略相對應的『母親希望我在衝突時使用此策略』的信念，而會選擇相對應的衝突解決策略。(2)孩子會主動的解釋母親教導的策略。母親教導策略時，所使用的內容對孩子的知覺有所影響，其影響在於當母親以對方心理感受為內容教導孩子尋求幫助的策略時，孩子較能正確的知覺到母親的教導。當母親以雙方關係為內容教導不同年級孩子相同的策略時，不同年級的孩子會知覺到不同的策略。 目 錄 第一章 緒論 1 第一節 動機與目的 1 第二節 名詞詮釋 6 第二章 文獻探討 9 第一節 衝突 9 第二節 母親教導對孩子社會行為的影響 19 第三節 研究架構 41 第四節 研究假設 43 第三章 研究方法 45 第一節 研究對象 45 第二節 研究工具 46 第三節 施測程序 60 第四章 研究結果 61 第一節 母親教導孩子衝突解決的策略 62 第二節 孩子對母親教導的認知 76 第三節 孩子衝突解決策略 98 第四節 總結 108 第五章 討論 121 第一節 孩子衝突解決策略的選擇及其發展趨勢 121 第二節 母親教導對孩子選擇衝突解決策略的影響 125 第三節 檢討及建議 152 參考文獻 157 附錄 附錄3-1 量表形式的確定 165 附錄3-2 孩子衝突解決量表 169 附錄3-3 母親在開放性問卷中反應的衝突解決策略 179 附錄3-4 母親對結構性問卷反應的衝突解決策略 185 附錄3-5 母親教導衝突解決量 189 附錄3-6 量表之再測信度 199 附錄4-1 交互作用事後考驗 205 表-附-4-1 影響孩子知覺到母親教導尋求幫助策略 的迴歸分析 205 附錄4-2 相關的交叉次數分配表 207 表-附-4-2-1 孩子在衝突中選擇的策略與孩子認為母 親希望他使用策略間的次數分配 207 表-附-4-2-2 孩子在衝突中所選擇的策略與母親希望 他使用策略間的次數分配 207 表-附-4-2-3 母親希望孩子使用的策略與孩子認為母 親希望他使用策略間的次數分配 207 圖 表 目 錄 表4-1 母親教導孩子要使用五種策略的考驗 63 表4-2 母親教導孩子不要使用五種策略的百分比及考驗 65 表4-3 母親教導孩子要使用五種策略時所告知的內容 67 表4-4 母親教導孩子不要使用五種策略時所告知的內容 71 表4-5 孩子知覺到母親所教導五種解決策略的百分比及卡方考驗 77 表4-6 孩子知覺到母親教導不要使用五種策略的百分比及卡方考驗 78 表4-7 孩子知覺到母親教導要使用策略的迴歸分析 82 表4-8 孩子知覺到母親教導不要使用策略的迴歸分析 85 表4-9 孩子知覺到母親教導策略的重要預測變項 88 表4-10 孩子知覺到母親希望他選擇解決策略的百分比 89 表4-11 影響孩子知覺到母親希望他使用解決策略的預測變項 91 表4-12 孩子認為母親希望他使用策略的重要預測變 97 表4-13 孩子在衝突中使用五種策略的百分比及卡方考驗 98 表4-14 孩子衝突時選擇解決策略分配 100 表4-15 孩子在突時選擇策略的回歸分析 104 表4-16 影響孩子使用衝突解決策略的總表 107 圖3-1 研究架構圖 42 圖4-1 協商輪流策略之圖示 109 圖4-2 語言權力策略之圖示 111 圖4-3 行動權力策略之圖示 112 圖4-4 分離退讓策略之圖示 114 圖4-5 尋求幫助策略之圖示 116 / Child conflicted with peers frequently. The relationships between children will be worse if one didn't have proper ways to resolve the conflict. Since the proper strategies were learned, it will be very interested to know how mothers' teaching influenced it. There were two purposes of this research. (1) To find out if the strategies that mother taught will influence children to select their strategies when they conflicted with their peers. The strategies , which this research focus on were: compromise, physical assertive, verbal assertive, withdraw and seeking for help. (2) To find out the effect of different inducing reasoning mother gave while teaching the strategies. The inducing reasoning were the outcomes of the strategies, which included concern about others' feeling, concern about the ongoing relationships and the teacher reaction orientation. 326 boys and 306 girls of third and sixth graders and their mothers participated. The results showed that different graders selected different strategies. Compare to sixth graders, there were more third graders selecting physical assertive and withdrawal strategies, while less third graders selecting verbal assertive strategies. The different choice made by two graders was not caused by the strategy mother taught differently. Mother taught all the children with the same strategies. However, the strategies mother taught impacted to children in two ways. (1) Children perceived the strategies what mother taught them, and formed a correspond belief. (2) Children will reconstruct all the strategies what mother taught and formed a new belief. No matter how the belief was formed, children will select a strategy according to the belief. Besides, the reason mother gave while teaching determined if children could perceive the strategies correctly. When mother gave the reasons of considering other's feeling, while teaching seeking help strategy, more children will perceive the strategy correctly. When mother gave the reasons of considering the relationships, while teaching children did not seek help in conflict, different grade students will perceive the strategies differently.

Στην προσχολική παιδαγωγική, το σώμα του παιδιού αποτελεί το μέσο για την ολοκλήρωση της ολόπλευρης και ισόρροπης ανάπτυξής του. Το παιδί ολοκληρώνει τη συνολική ανάπτυξή του, καθώς εξελίσσεται το σώμα του· εξέλιξη που επηρεάζει και τη μαθησιακή και κοινωνικο- συναισθηματική ζωή του και, εν συνεχεία, κατά πολύ την ακαδημαϊκή του πορεία (Ευαγγελινού & Παππά, 2002). Σε κάθε κινητική δραστηριότητα, άλλωστε, συμμετέχει πάντα ολόκληρο το άτομο με αποτέλεσμα οι κινήσεις του να έχουν συναισθηματικές, νοητικές και κοινωνικές προεκτάσεις (Zimmer, 2007). Η διδασκαλία της ψυχοκινητικής αγωγής (ΨΑ) στηρίζει τις βάσεις της στα γενικά αναλυτικά προγράμματα του Νηπιαγωγείου, δίνοντας έμφαση στην ολόπλευρη ανάπτυξη των νηπίων, μέσα από τις ιδιαίτερες εκπαιδευτικές ανάγκες τους. Από τα αποτελέσματα της μέχρι σήμερα ερευνητικής δραστηριότητας, η ψυχοκινητική αγωγή έχει ευεργετική επίδραση στις κινητικές δεξιότητες των μαθητών και υποστηρίζει σημαντικά εκείνους που παρουσιάζουν φτωχή κινητική απόδοση ή αναπτυξιακές διαταραχές (Cooley, Oakman, McNaughton & Ryska, 1997; Hamilton, Goodway & Haubensticker, 1999; Karabourniotis, Evaggelinou, Tzetzis & Kourtessis, 2002; Rintala, Pienimäki, Ahonen, Cantell & Kooistra, 1998; Σπανάκη, 2008; Σπανάκη, Σκορδίλης & Βενετσάνου, 2010; Zimmer, Christoforidis, Xanthi, Aggeloussis & Kambas, 2008; Venetsanou, Kambas, Sagioti, Giannakidou, 2009). Παράλληλα, στο χώρο του Νηπιαγωγείου, μεγάλη αξία έχουν οι δραστηριότητες που εμπεριέχουν τεχνικές θεατρικών δράσεων, καθώς υποστηρίζουν την ομαλή ένταξη του νηπίου στην ομάδα του Νηπιαγωγείου και την κοινωνικοποίησή του και αναπτύσσουν τις δεξιότητές του, που εξελίσσονται σε αυτήν την ηλικία (Μπουρνέλη, 2002). Σημαντικός, όμως, είναι ο ρόλος τους όσον αφορά την αντιμετώπιση μαθητών με κοινωνικο- συναισθηματικές και μαθησιακές δυσκολίες (Κουρετζής, 2008), με δυσκολίες προσαρμογής ακόμα και άτομα με ειδικές εκπαιδευτικές ανάγκες (Κουρκούτας, 2007; Λενακάκης, 2001). Η παρούσα διδακτορική διατριβή εξέτασε την επίδραση ενός παρεμβατικού προγράμματος ΨΑ με στοιχεία θεατρικού παιχνιδιού στην κινητική, γνωστική και συναισθηματική ανάπτυξη μαθητών/τριών προσχολικής ηλικίας με ή χωρίς ειδικές εκπαιδευτικές ανάγκες. Η επίδραση του παραπάνω προγράμματος εξετάστηκε σε μαθητές γενικού σχολείου, σε μαθητές με κώφωση/ βαρηκοΐα, αλλά και σε μαθητές που φοιτούσαν σε τμήματα ένταξης ‘γενικού’ Νηπιαγωγείου. Το δείγμα της έρευνας αποτέλεσαν 63 μαθητές/ τριες που φοιτούσαν σε Νηπιαγωγεία, Αθήνας και Ηρακλείου Κρήτης. Συγκεκριμένα: α) Ν = 13 από 2 Νηπιαγωγεία με μαθητές με κώφωση β) Ν = 41 από 2 Νηπιαγωγεία με μαθητές ‘γενικού’ πληθυσμού και γ) Ν = 9 από 2 Νηπιαγωγεία με μαθητές που φοιτούσαν σε τμήματα ένταξης. Με τυχαία δειγματοληψία, το ένα τμήμα Νηπιαγωγείου από κάθε ομάδα πληθυσμού αποτέλεσε την πειραματική ομάδα και το άλλο τμήμα την ομάδα ελέγχου, αντίστοιχα (Thomas & Nelson, 2003). Η αρχική αξιολόγηση συμπεριλάμβανε δοκιμασίες που αξιολογούσαν την κινητική, γνωστική και συναισθηματική ανάπτυξη όλων των συμμετεχόντων, με τη χρήση των ‘Bruininks- Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency’ (Bruininks, 1978), ‘ΑΘΗΝΑ τεστ’ (Παρασκευόπουλος & Παρασκευοπούλου, 2011), και το ‘Ερωτηματολόγιο Δια- προσωπικής και Ενδο- προσωπικής Προσαρμογής’ (ΕΔΕΠ) (Παρασκευόπουλος & Γιαννίτσας, 1999), για κάθε μία από τις παραπάνω αξιολογήσεις, αντίστοιχα. Στη συνέχεια, σχεδιάστηκε το παρεμβατικό πρόγραμμα ΨΑ με στοιχεία θεατρικού παιχνιδιού, σε συνεργασία με τους εκπαιδευτικούς των επιλεγμένων τμημάτων, για τις πειραματικές ομάδες. Το πρόγραμμα ΨΑ βασιζόταν στις εξατομικευμένες ανάγκες και δυνατότητες του κάθε μαθητή ξεχωριστά και εμπεριείχε δραστηριότητες προσαρμοσμένες στις αρχές ΨΑ της Zimmer (2007) σε συνδυασμό με στοιχεία θεατρικού παιχνιδιού και πραγματοποιήθηκε η υλοποίησή του στις πειραματικές ομάδες. Οι ομάδες ελέγχου ακολούθησαν το ημερήσιο πρόγραμμα του κάθε Νηπ/είου. Η πειραματική παρέμβαση είχε χρονική διάρκεια δυόμιση μήνες (10 εβδομάδες) συνολικά, με συχνότητα δύο φορές την εβδομάδα. Στο τέλος της παρέμβασης ακολούθησε η επαναξιολόγηση των συμμετεχόντων των δύο ομάδων, ως προς την κινητική, γνωστική και ψυχοκοινωνική τους ανάπτυξη, με τα ίδια ερευνητικά εργαλεία που χρησιμοποιήθηκαν για την αρχική αξιολόγηση. To Στατιστικό Πρόγραμμα των Κοινωνικών Επιστημών (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, SPSS) (Norusis, 1993) χρησιμοποιήθηκε για τις ανάγκες της έρευνας. Συγκεκριμένα, τρεις ομάδες από παραγοντικές αναλύσεις διασποράς (2 x 2 ANOVAs) αξιολόγησαν την επίδραση του παρεμβατικού προγράμματος ΨΑ, στην κινητική, γνωστική και συναισθηματική ανάπτυξη μαθητών Νηπιαγωγείου. Στα αποτελέσματα της έρευνας υπήρξαν σημαντικές αλληλεπιδράσεις παρεμβατικού προγράμματος και χρονικού σημείου μέτρησης σχετικά με τις κινητικές ικανότητες των τριών ομάδων μαθητών/τριών (‘γενικό’, κωφών και φοιτούντων σε τμήματα ένταξης). Επίσης, υπήρχαν σημαντικές αλληλεπιδράσεις αναφορικά με τις γνωστικές δεξιότητες. Τα αποτελέσματα έδειξαν, επίσης, σημαντική αλληλεπίδραση στις ψυχοκοινωνικές δεξιότητες των συμμετεχόντων στην ομάδα του ‘γενικού’ πληθυσμού, ενώ δεν υπήρχε αντίστοιχη σημαντική αλληλεπίδραση για την ομάδα των κωφών και των μαθητών/τριών σε τμήματα ένταξης. Τα αποτελέσματα της παρούσας έρευνας παρουσιάζουν τη σημαντικότητα ψυχοκινητικών προγραμμάτων μέσα στην εκπαιδευτική διαδικασία, προκειμένου να υποστηριχτεί ο μαθητής αναφορικά με την κινητική αλλά και τη γνωστική και την ψυχοκοινωνική του ανάπτυξη. Σύγχρονοι παιδαγωγοί οφείλουν να ενημερώνονται και να αξιοποιούν προγράμματα σαν το παρόν παρεμβατικό προκειμένου να στοχεύουν στην περαιτέρω βελτίωση των δυνατοτήτων των μαθητών/τριών τους. Το κατάλληλο πρόγραμμα παρέμβασης στηριζόμενο στην ψυχοκινητική εκπαίδευση μπορεί να επηρεάσει την ανάπτυξη και εξέλιξη του ατόμου συνολικά. Σημαντική, εξάλλου, είναι η πρώιμη ανίχνευση δυσκολιών και ο προσδιορισμός των ιδιαίτερων εκπαιδευτικών αναγκών του κάθε μαθητή, και, εν συνεχεία, ο σχεδιασμός παρεμβατικών προγραμμάτων κατάλληλων για την αντιμετώπιση των προαναφερόμενων και την κατάλληλη υποστήριξη. / In preschool pedagogy, child's body is the instrument for the integration of comprehensive and balanced development. Children complete their overall development, as their body evolves; this development affects their learning and socio-emotional life and, subsequently, to a large extent, their academic course. However, in several motor activities, the whole person is always involved and the movements have an emotional, cognitive and social implication. The teaching of psychomotor bases its foundation on the general curricula of kindergarten, emphasing in all-round growth of infants, through their specific educational needs. From the results of research activity up to now, psychomotor therapy has a beneficial effect on motor skills of students and supports significantly those who have poor motor performance or developmental disorders (Cooley, Oakman, McNaughton & Ryska, 1997; Hamilton, Goodway & Haubensticker, 1999; Karabourniotis, Evaggelinou, Tzetzis & Kourtessis, 2002; Rintala, Pienimäki, Ahonen, Cantell & Kooistra, 1998; Σπανάκη, 2008; Spanaki, Skordilis & Venetsanou, 2010; Zimmer, Christoforidis, Xanthi, Aggeloussis & Kambas, 2008; Venetsanou, Kambas, Sagioti, Giannakidou, 2009). Simultaneously, in the space of kindergarten, the activities with some technical theatrical actions have high value , as they support the smooth integration of infants in the nursery team and their socialization as well as develop their skills, which evolve in this age. However, their role as far as dealing with students facing socio- emotional or learning difficulties difficulties in adapting, even people with special educational needs can be considered really important. This thesis examined the effect of the intervention psychomotor program with elements of theatrical play in motor, cognitive and emotional development of preschoolers with and without special educational needs. The effect of this program was examined in public school students, students with deafness / hearing loss, but also in students attending integration classes in 'general' kindergarten. The sample consisted of two parts, from: a) 2 kindergartens with deaf students (N = 13), b) two kindergartens with pupils 'general' population (N = 41) and c) two kindergartens with students attending rehabilitation classes (N = 9). Through random sampling, the one part of each population group formed the experimental group and the other part the control group, respectively (random selection) (Thomas, & Nelson, 2003). The initial assessment included tests evaluating motor, cognitive and emotional development of all participants, using the ‘Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency’ (Bruininks, 1978), ‘Athena test’ (Paraskevopoulos & Paraskevopoulou, 2011), and ‘Questionnaire inter-personal and intra-personal adjustment’ (ALCO) (Paraskevopoulos & Giannitsas, 1999), each of the above evaluations, respectively. The design of the intervention program Psychomotor Education with signs of dramatic play was done in collaboration with the teachers of the selected sections, attended the experimental groups proceeded to execution. The psychomotor program was based on the individual needs and abilities of each student and included activities well adapted to the principles of PsA, according to Zimmer (2007), in combination with elements of theatrical game and was held in the groups that were selected as experimental groups randomly (Thomas, & Nelson, 2003). The groups remained as control groups OE followed the normal daily schedule of every kindergarten. The experimental intervention period lasted two and a half months (10 weeks) in total, with a frequency of two times a week. At the end of the experimental intervention, the reassessment of participants regarding kinetic, cognitive and emotional development, for all groups (experimental and control) followed, with the same research tools used for the initial evaluation. To Statistical Program of Social Sciences (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, SPSS 13) was used for the purposes of research. Specifically, three 2x2 ANOVA analyses evaluated the effect of the intervention program on kinetics, cognitive and emotional development of kindergarten students. The survey results showed significant interactions existing between the experimental group and the time of assessment regarding the motor skills of all populations ('general', deaf and those attending inclusive classes). Moreover, there were significant interactions of the intervention program for the experimental group compared with the control group of all populations on cognitive skills. The results of the research also showed significant interaction to the psychosocial skills of participants in the group of 'general' population, while there was no significant interaction for the group of deaf and those attending inclusive classes, regarding psychosocial skills. The results of this study highlight the importance of psychomotor programs in the educational process in order to support students with respect to their motor, cognitive and psychosocial development. Modern educators should be informed and take advantage of programs like this intrusive one, in order to aim at further improvement of the capabilities of their students. The appropriate intervention program based on psychomotor education can affect the growth and development of the whole person. Besides, the early detection and identification of the difficulties as well as the special educational needs of each student, and, subsequently, the design of appropriate intervention programs to address the above with the appropriate support is a very important issue.

Most primary school learners experience everyday worries during their normal development. Children handle worries differently, and if they are not supported, their self-concept and psychosocial development could be influenced negatively. Parents and teachers are not always aware of what primary school learners worry about, or how they handle their worries. It is important that parents and teachers are made aware of this, so that children can be better supported in this regard. The aim of this study was to determine the everyday worries of primary school learners in a specific school in the Helderberg area, as well as how these worries are handled. This aim was addressed through a descriptive, qualitative research design. Thirty learners between the ages of ten and eleven in the specific school were involved through a simple random sample. Semi-structured one-on-one interviews were used to obtain a detailed picture of learners’ everyday worries and how they handle them. Interviews were held through the use of an interview schedule, which was compiled in accordance with a literature study, tested in a pilot study and adjusted where necessary. Interviews were transcribed and themes were identified according to Braun and Clarke’s method of thematic analysis. On intrapersonal level one worry was identified, namely about emotions that are experienced. On this level participants handled worries by preferring to be alone, trying not to think about worries, crying, writing or drawing in diary, through praying, eating or sleeping. On interpersonal level, worries about school, family, friends and loss were identified. On this level worries were handled through spending time with a family member, friends, the media, pets, or by asking for support from the school. Themes were divided into subthemes, supported with appropriate quotes from the interviews and controlled with literature. This study confirms existing literature in terms of the worries that primary school learners experience. With this study a contribution is being made to the identification of worries on inter- and intrapersonal level, as well as the handling of worries on these two levels. In the future this information can be used as a basis for the effective development of ways for parents and teachers to support children in this regard. Suggestions were made for parents and teachers to encourage children to talk about their worries, as well as to help them find effective ways in which to communicate and practice to handle these worries well. It is very important that parents and teachers are made aware of topics children are worried about and how they handle them, so that children can be better supported and assisted in this regard. / MA (Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

This thesis focuses on the development of Gestalt guidelines to assist parents to enhance psychosocial development in middle childhood. The researcher made use of the four stages of the intervention research process, namely project planning, information gathering, design, and early development of the guidelines to complete this research study. For the purposes of this study middle childhood is defined as male and female children between the age of seven and twelve years. Some areas of psychosocial development and relevant Gestalt principles are highlighted in this study. Functional elements of existing parenting programs are discussed and utilised along with the views of the respondents in this study, those of experts, and literature reviews to design Gestalt guidelines with an observational system. / Social Work / M.Diac.

Caregivers are socializing agents for their children and play an important role in their psychosocial development and desistance from criminal pathways. When children’s psychosocial needs are unmet by their caregivers, social workers play an important role in supporting their healthy development. Considering the increased attention by scholars toward caregiver engagement in children’s interventions, and the acknowledgment of emergent power dynamics in the interaction between caregivers and social workers, it is of interest to explore broader influences of engagement. This paper compares the experiences of social workers and caregivers at an outpatient treatment working on behalf of Swedish Social Services. Caregiver engagement in children’s psychosocial development is discussed from stereotypes and broader sociocultural influences to explore potential power dynamics. The findings suggest that caregiver engagement is not a simple dichotomy of good or bad. Instead, sociocultural influences such as shame, guilt, and blame, along with integrational processes and sociocultural norms are indicative of inclusive and exclusive processes of caregiver engagement. Failure to address intercultural misunderstandings and failure to recognize individual needs beyond the caregiver identity are perceived as discriminatory factors contributing to unfair assessments of caregiver capabilities and practices. Consequently, power dynamics resulting in discriminatory assessments have led to fear and mistrust towards Swedish authorities, leading caregivers to avoid seeking support. This avoidance from caregivers could potentially result in children persisting on criminal or deviant pathways. Therefore, the result warrants awareness of unequal or unjust assessments of caregiver engagement based on prejudice toward cultural and social stereotypes. Practically, this emphasizes the implementation of individualized interventions that promote open communication, trust, and intercultural learning.

D.Ed. (Psychology of Education) / Although the human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immuno-deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is still very much a silent issue in South Africa, the AIDS pandemic has become a public problem which is threatening to a significant proportion of the population of South Africa (Heartbeat 2002:1; Kaseke and Gumbo 2001:53). HIV infections are on the rise and people are dying every day of AIDS related diseases (Msomi, 2000:8). Thus, the overall aim of this research was to determine how the HIV/AIDS orphans’/vulnerable children’ psychosocial status is affected by the HIV/AIDS disease. The study was conducted in the Bojanala Region of the North West Province. A purposeful sampling was used because four (4) schools were suggested by the Department of Social Services in the Rustenburg Area due to their high populace with HIV/AIDS orphans. The other four (4) schools were suggested by the Auxiliary Services Division in the Bojanala Region of Education. The literature revealed that failure on part of the parent, guardian and/or teachers to meet the psychological needs of the child at a certain stage in his/her development may result in personality disorders, which can become a potential danger and a source of unhappiness to the individual him/herself (cf. 2.5). Furthermore, it was evident from the literature that chronic parental illness may have a traumatic effect on young children because both parents may neglect a child (cf. 4.2). The literature also revealed that children should not be viewed as passive recipients of assistance, but as active participants who play a key role in the development of responses to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Receiving quality services is a right and a need not only of AIDS orphans, but also of all children (cf. 4.6). From the quantitative data analysis, the following findings emerged, that HIV/AIDS orphans/vulnerable children are optimistic about their future. Children do not blame themselves for their parents’ death. Arising from this research certain conclusions were drawn, recommendations were made and areas for possible future research were suggested. / Teacher Education

D.Ed. (Psychology of Education) / Although the human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immuno-deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is still very much a silent issue in South Africa, the AIDS pandemic has become a public problem which is threatening to a significant proportion of the population of South Africa (Heartbeat 2002:1; Kaseke and Gumbo 2001:53). HIV infections are on the rise and people are dying every day of AIDS related diseases (Msomi, 2000:8). Thus, the overall aim of this research was to determine how the HIV/AIDS orphans’/vulnerable children’ psychosocial status is affected by the HIV/AIDS disease. The study was conducted in the Bojanala Region of the North West Province. A purposeful sampling was used because four (4) schools were suggested by the Department of Social Services in the Rustenburg Area due to their high populace with HIV/AIDS orphans. The other four (4) schools were suggested by the Auxiliary Services Division in the Bojanala Region of Education. The literature revealed that failure on part of the parent, guardian and/or teachers to meet the psychological needs of the child at a certain stage in his/her development may result in personality disorders, which can become a potential danger and a source of unhappiness to the individual him/herself (cf. 2.5). Furthermore, it was evident from the literature that chronic parental illness may have a traumatic effect on young children because both parents may neglect a child (cf. 4.2). The literature also revealed that children should not be viewed as passive recipients of assistance, but as active participants who play a key role in the development of responses to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Receiving quality services is a right and a need not only of AIDS orphans, but also of all children (cf. 4.6). From the quantitative data analysis, the following findings emerged, that HIV/AIDS orphans/vulnerable children are optimistic about their future. Children do not blame themselves for their parents’ death. Arising from this research certain conclusions were drawn, recommendations were made and areas for possible future research were suggested. / Teacher Education