The aim of the research was to generate a way of identifying resilient and non-resilient middle-adolescent learners in Grade 8 and 9, in a South African township secondary school. The theoretical frameworks on resilience, the developmental context and middle-adolescence were explored and two questionnaires were developed using the literature reviews and the theoretical frameworks. A Resilience Scale was developed to identify resilient and non-resilient learners in a township school, in terms of self-evaluation. A Learning Behaviour Scale was developed to determine the ability of teachers to identify learners’ resilient and non-resilient (academic and social) behaviours. In-depth interviews were conducted to identify themes of resilience and non-resilience in the coping behaviour of adolescents in township schools, and to evaluate the credibility and dependability of the Resilience and Learning Behaviour Scales. The Grade 8 and 9 learners of the school were targeted for the research, since they are within the middle-adolescent age range (14-16 years). The participants were 190 Grade 8 and 9 learners, who all completed the Resilience Scale. In-depth interviews were conducted with twelve learners (in three groups of four according to their Resilience Scale scores, that is, highest, lowest and those grouped most closely around the mean). The curricular teachers were requested to complete the Learning Behaviour scale for the selected interviewees. Although all the items of the Resilience Scale proved statistically reliable, the scale appeared not to reliably identify resilient and non-resilient learners, as judged by the interview data, which indicated ten to be resilient and two to be non-resilient. The interview data were used to determine the resilience status of each learner according to the Resilience Process Models of Kumpfer and Boyd and Eckert. Interviews were found to be the most reliable research tool to identify the resilience and non-resilience status of the participants. The Learning Behaviour Scale yielded strongly inconsistent results and thus failed to identify resilient and non-resilient learners. / Dissertation (MEd (Educational Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In South Africa young women in the age group 10 – 24 are the largest group infected with HIV. Those most at risk are young women living in South African townships where a multitude of factors reinforce the possibility of them becoming infected. Once infected, they are often abandoned or left alone, with no support system. This thesis uses the following four tasks of Practical Theology, - the descriptive-empirical task: Priestly listening, - the interpretive task: Sagely wisdom, - the normative task: Prophetic discernment and - the pragmatic task: Servant leadership, to analyze how pastoral group care could help these young women. The problem is investigated and set into the reality of Khayelitsha, a township in Cape Town. By offering young women the possibility of belonging to a peer group, they are met within their cultural and social system. As the members of the group are all HIV positive, the stigma which often prevents people from socializing or talking about their sickness, is removed. The important role of the leader of such a group is also investigated. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In Suid-Afrika is jong vroue in die ouderdomsgroep 10 – 24 jaar díe groep wat die hoogste aantal MIV infeksies het. Die hoogste risiko om deur die MI virus aangesteek te word, is by jong vroue wat in ‘n Suid-Afrikaanse township lewe. ‘n Verskeidenheid faktore speel saam om hulle kwesbaarheid te verhoog. Sodra dit bekend word dat hulle die MI virus dra, word hulle dikwels verwerp en sonder enige ondersteuning alleen gelaat. Na aanleiding van die volgende vier take van Praktiese Teologie nl.: - die beskrywend-empiriese taak: Priesterlike luister, - die interpreterend-hermeneutiese taak: Verstandige wysheid, - die normatiewe taak: Profetiese onderskeiding en - die pragmatiese taak: Dienskneg leierskap., word hierdie problem ondersoek binne die raamwerk van Khayelitsha, ‘n township van Kaapstad. Die tesis argumenteer dat pastorale groepssorg ‘n gepaste wyse is waarbinne daar na hierdie jong vroue omgesien kan word. Deur aan hulle die moontlikheid te bied om aan ‘n portuurgroep te behoort, kan hulle binne hulle eie sosiale en kulturele raamwerk tereg kom. Aangesien die lede van die groep almal MIV positief is, word die stigma, wat dikwels mense verhinder om te sosialiseer of om oor hulle siekte te praat, verwyder. Die belangrike rol van die leier van so ‘n groep word ook ondersoek.