The purpose for this research journey was twofold: (1) to discover the power of certain discourses in the charismatic church context and (2) to challenge disrespectful discursive practices in order to co-operate respectful, ethical and caring ways of being. Seven leaders in charismatic churches committed themselves to this qualitative research project. The research process resulted in a confirmation by the participants that some charismatic discursive practices can be abusive and also to the acknowledgement that they too have at times fulfilled the role of abuser, even in unknowingly. This research journey ended in Hope. Hope for more transparency and trust between leaders and members, resulting in more respectful practices. / Practical Theology / M.Th. (Pastoral Therapy)

Is there meaning in suffering or ts suffering only a soul-destroying experience from which nothing positive can emerge? In seeking to answer this question, a heuristic study was made of the experiences and views of the famous Auschwitz survivor, Viktor Frankl, supplemented by an exploration of the life-worlds of other Nazi concentration camp survivors. The underlying premise was that if meaning can be found in the worst sufferings imaginable, then meaning can be found in every other situation of suffering. Seeking to illuminate the views of Frankl and to gain a deeper grasp of the phenomenon of suffering, the theoretical and personal views of mainstream psychologists regarding the nature of man and the meaning of hi.~ sufferings were studied. Since the focus of this research was on the suffering of the Holocaust survivor, the Holocaust as the context of the present study, was studied as a crisis of meaning and as psychological adversity. In trying to establish the best way to gain entry into the life-world of the Holocaust survivor, the research methods employed in Holocaust survivor studies were reviewed and, for the purposes of this study, found wanting. The choice and employment of a heuristic method yielded rich data which illuminated the fact that, through a series of heroic choices Frankl, and the survivors who became research participants, could attain spiritual triumph in the midst of suffering caused by an evil and inhumane regime. Hitherto unexplored areas of psychological maturity were revealed by these heroes of suffering from which the following conclusions could be drawn: Man attains the peaks of moral excellence through suffering. Suffering can have meaning. Suffering can call us out of the moral apathy and mindlesness of mere existence. The Holocaust, one of the most tragic events in human history, contains, paradoxically, a challenge to humankind. Resisting the pressure to sink to the level of a brute fight for mere survival, Frankl and the research participants continued to exercise those human values important to them and triumphantly maintained their human dignity and self-respect. Evidence was provided that man has the power to overcome evil with good. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

Afrikaans text / Hierdie studie bied vanuit 'n ekosistemiese benadering 'n verduideliking van die lewenswereld van die volwasse persoon wat as kind gemolesteer is. Enkele uitgangspunte van die ekosistemiese benadering word bespreek wat dien as vertrekpunt waarvolgens die navorser konstruksies oor die as kind gemolesteerde volwassene konstrueer. Daar word gefokus op die langtermyneffekte van die kindermolestering met spesifieke verwysing na die effek op die • fisiese gedrag van die volwassene; • die aard van die seksuele verhoudings van die volwassene; en • die aard van die interpersoonlike verhoudings van die volwassene. Tydens hierdie bespreking word die oorlewingstrategiee, wat die volwassene aanwend om met die l angtermyneffekte te oorl eef, duidel i k belig. Die he l i ngsproses waardeur 'n vol wassene vol gens sy of haar ei e pas beweeg ten einde die effek van die molestering te verwerk, word volledig bespreek. Die teorie is toegepas in die navorsing om die uitwerking van die kindermolestering op volwassenes te beskryf asook enkele gebeure (events) van die helingsproses waardeur 'n volwassene beweeg het. Gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings word geformuleer ten einde die bruikbaarheid van hierdie studie in die praktyk aan te dui. / In this study the world of the adult survivor of sexua 1 abuse is described in terms of the eco-systemic approach, as well as certain constructions within the approach. These constructions served as a base on which the researcher construed further constructions of the adult survivor of sexual abuse. The study focuses on the 1 ong term effects of the child abuse with specific reference to the effect on • the physical behaviour of the adult; • the nature of the sexual relationships of the adult; and • the nature of the interpersonal relationships of the adult. The strategies of the adult in surviving with these long term effects are also highlighted in the discussion. The healing process through which the adult survivor passes in healing the sexual trauma according to his or her own pace, is fully discussed. In the empirical research the theory is applied to describe the effect of sexual abuse on the lives of adults as well as on certain events of the healing process. Conclusions and recommendations are formulated to indicate the usefulness of this study for the field. / Social Work / D.Phil. (Maatskaplike Werk)

Welfare of families with children In my thesis I dealt with welfare of families with children, because it is a topic that is relevant to everyday part of human life, and has been since its conception. The aim was to give an overview of the basic institutes of ensuring welfare of these families with respect to the near future. But the focus was not put only at social welfare as such, but I tried to give an overview of the most important institutes as well as other branches of the law, where I find elements of social welfare either in the form of material welfare, or any other form of protection of people with dependent children, as e.g. their advantage over people who do not care of dependent children. The first chapter deals with the security of families who are expecting a child and with the period after his/her birth. Family Safety in this period is mainly based on the legislation sickness, from which was one of my sources when examining this topic. The second chapter describes the circuit of social welfare benefits to which a family, during the period following the birth of a child, is entitled. This chapter is based on the law of the state social support. The third chapter presents a range of benefits in material need and concept of subsistence. Here I primarily discussed the Act on poverty and the law...

The diploma thesis deals with the search for answering the question of people´s not saying goodbye to the deceased. The first chapter deals with the topic of dying and death in the past and compares it to the present situation. Another chapter emphasizes the significance of the ritual in human life, it deals with the early and current funeral rituals, their justified meaning from a psychological point of view. It also deals with the places of the last resting of our ancestors. The third chapter deals with the ethical aspect of this issue and, in particular, with the search for the answers, which are the cause of the current situation. The last chapter focuses on social work with survivors, deals with accompanying, mourning, and counseling help.

The thesis deals with the very last issues of a person from the psychologically-ethical view, however it doesn't neglect the social view. With the topic is worked also in a context of selected current ethical systems, mainly deontologism and utilitarianism, also regarding the topic of the thesis, the topic of bioethics is discussed as well. Regarding the field of psychology, the thesis elaborates more in detail on the existential psychotherapy, actually also on the logotherapy, which was shaped by an Austrian psychologist Viktor E. Frankl. There is also included the problematics of burial, the possibilities of giving a last farewell, also in a religious and an ethnical point of view. The key part of the thesis deals mainly with a needed psychosocial care for the terminally ill, the dying and also their close ones, in the times of pre finem, in finem and post finem by the prospective death of adults, it deals also with the influence of this care on the experiencing of the final period of life of the dying, and the following grieving of the survivors. In the thesis is also shortly mentioned the topic of palliative and hospice care. The thesis also follows the evaluation of the influence of the last farewell on the process of the survivors' grieving. The inspiration for writing the thesis were apart from professional literature and other professional sources also to a bigger extent the many years of work experience of the author, thanks to which is the work supplemented with many own cases.

The thesis focuses on the possibilities to use elements of palliative hospice care in the retirement home. The work describes basic theoretical themes such as human dignity, its interpretation and dignified dying. It also presents basic issues concerning dying and death, ethical problems of different phases of dying, as well as the dying person's needs. The thesis tries to answer the question about the possibility of dignified dying through the use of hospice care. It also defines palliative care provided in hospices as one of the approaches to long-term care of dying people. The research analyses two standards of nursing care in retirement homes The care of a dying person and The care of a dead person. It presents results of its own research method realized through semi-structured interviews with clients of a retirement home. The aim of the research is to find out whether the clients themselves are interested in application of hospice palliative care in the retirement home.

Sexual abuse of children occurs at a very high rate and most of the victims are young children who have never been taught about the possibility of being abused. Victims of abuse are not equipped with appropriate knowledge and vocabulary to enable them to explain properly when they experience abuse. Acquisition of a vocabulary and understanding of the concepts of sexuality would assist children in recognizing, resisting and reporting sexual abuse. The young age at which abuse occurs makes the study at primary school level important and relevant. There is little literature on how child sexual abuse can be identified, addressed and handled by schools or what unique role the school should play in the management of child sexual abuse cases. Educators are in a position to identify sexually abused children because of their close and ongoing contact with school-going children. Therefore, young children place a great deal of trust in their teachers and look to them for protection when they feel unsafe. Teachers are trained to observe changes in the appearance and progress of individual children. Therefore, they can also assist in uncovering and reacting appropriately to disclosures of abuse. The study was conducted in poor, disadvantaged, rural primary schools in a part of the North West Province. There is a limited access to social work services in rural areas and therefore, educators are considered to be appropriate people to educate children about sexual abuse issues because children spend most of their time at school. There is a relationship between educators, parents and children which creates a proper channel of communicating information about sexual abuse of children. That is, educators are in a position not only to educate but also to reinforce what children have learnt at home. Educators' role have been limited in the identification and dealing with sexual abuse cases and therefore, there is a need to empower them with appropriate knowledge and skills to enable them to handle sexual abuse cases at school level successfully. / Psychology / M. A. (Psychology)

A journey to healing is a story of women survivors of sexual abuse. Through narrative pastoral conversations a group or community of concern was formed that witnessed how these women managed to move by re-telling from problem-saturated dominant lifestories to rich alternative stories of survival. Post-modern practical theology formed the epistemological backdrop of this study with the focus on taking a prophetically, ethical and political stance. The group deconstructed patriarchal knowledge that has been dominant in constructing understanding of women. Deconstruction lead to the centralising of previously subjugated knowledge about themselves and made multiple identities and preferred realities possible. Feminist theology's liberating spirit contributed to this participator action research where women moved from being right to doing right. The monthly celebration teas hosted by the group were instrumental in the healing of other women who have experienced sexual violation. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.Th. (Pastoral Therapy)

The purpose for this research journey was twofold: (1) to discover the power of certain discourses in the charismatic church context and (2) to challenge disrespectful discursive practices in order to co-operate respectful, ethical and caring ways of being. Seven leaders in charismatic churches committed themselves to this qualitative research project. The research process resulted in a confirmation by the participants that some charismatic discursive practices can be abusive and also to the acknowledgement that they too have at times fulfilled the role of abuser, even in unknowingly. This research journey ended in Hope. Hope for more transparency and trust between leaders and members, resulting in more respectful practices. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.Th. (Pastoral Therapy)