Ninety-six children aged 4 to 9 years performed a classificatory task using simple line drawings of human figures. It was predicted that the youngest children would group the pictures according to overall body shape, with an increasing tendency with age for classification based on facial expression. This prediction was based on previous studies which find young children unable to analyze and "filter" information in a stimulus array in such a way as to utilize component parts. The results supported the prediction in general, the major exception being 5 year old girls, who classified the pictures mainly according to facial expression. Flexibility in performance increased with age. Suggestions were made for further research on the basis of the findings. / Arts, Faculty of / Psychology, Department of / Graduate

The study, by exploiting Thomas S. Kuhn’s view of scientific development, attempted to establish a theoretical basis for teaching and learning science in the classroom. At the present preliminary stage of the exploratory study, the writer concentrated on Kuhn's historical pattern of science in which paradigms form research traditions separated by scientific revolutions resulting in new and more sophisticated views of the field. The writer felt that the acquisition of views of natural phenomena by children might follow some sort of evolutionary, Kuhnian-like pattern of paradigmatic investigatory activities. These activities would be separated by transitional periods of effort or paradigm-like shifts resulting in new and incommensurate ways of seeing natural phenomena. To facilitate the recognition of such a pattern of intellectual behaviour by children, the writer formulated a teacher role based on ideas drawn from Kuhn. The present study attempted to provide apparent examples of children's modes of thought and speculative bases: for some of their actions. By observing children's investigatory activities, involving sinking and floating objects, the writer found some support for what he has termed child-paradigms or points of view about natural events. All children, for example appeared to hold a child-paradigm that objects sink when filled with water. Support was also found for Kuhn's suggestion that children's views often show striking parallels to those of Aristotelians. In this case, the learners appeared to see water as an external, Aristotelian-like, motive force which causes objects to sink or move from their natural floating positions. During the course of their activities, all children appeared to encounter numerous novel observations or anomalies -- facts and findings inconsistent with their expectations. Applying the point of view that objects sink when filled with water, all learners discovered that the plastic straw floated. The assimilation of anomaly, in one instance, resulted in what has been termed a child-paradigm shift. During this experience the child's earlier view that floating objects do not displace water was replaced by a more sophisticated view involving water displacement. Although only one child-paradigm shift or perceptual-conceptual transposition seemed reasonably evident in the study, the writer felt that this concept was useful in accounting for children's acquisition of modern scientific views. He speculated that a modified teacher role could facilitate shifts in children's perception. In addition, he speculated about the potential usefulness of the study for classroom teaching and suggested several problems for future investigation related to curriculum development. / Education, Faculty of / Graduate

[no abstract submitted] / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

This research project concerns itself primarily with the social worker and his perceptions of child neglect and abuse. It is based on the premise that a meaningful study of neglect and abuse on a wider scale should be preceded by studies seeking to arrive at a more accurate definition of the problem. A comprehensive review of the literature focused on the stage which identifies the problem and the initial referral of neglect and abuse to a protective unit or agency. This review is found in chapter two and covers the areas of definitions, referral information, agency working relationships, family functioning of neglectful or abusive families, classifications of neglect and abuse, incidence and prevalence of the same, and worker decision making that results in a referral becoming a protective case. After reviewing each of these areas a critique was written. A measuring instrument was developed, drawing from prior studies done by Billingsley and Young, in the form of a questionnaire to test social workers' perception of neglect and abuse. A pretest was given to one hundred and thirty-two social workers in the Child Welfare field throughout the province of British Columbia. Respondents from fourteen offices in the Department of Social Welfare - all in different geographical locations, as well as the Vancouver Children's Aid Society, answered the questionnaire. Thus the data was obtained from a wide cross section of social workers presently working in the field of Child Welfare. The main hypothesis of the study, that there are differences in workers' perception of neglect and abuse was found to be valid. This research project did prove to be fruitful in making a start in obtaining data that gives clues as to how workers in the field do perceive neglect and abuse. It could also act as a stimulus for further research projects using some of the data from the questionnaires that was not included in this study and moving on to new research projects which focus on one aspect of the present study and examine it in more depth. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

The focus of this thesis is to assess the existing "machinery" of the Medical, Social Work and Legal professions in the Vancouver area, as they combine their services to cope with the recently identified problem of the Battered and Abused Child Syndrome. Knowledge of this social problem is of paramount importance in the field of child protection as the greater proportion of victims are babies of three months and younger. The swiftness and destructiveness of this syndrome, which sometimes results in death to the victim, makes early detection and immediate protection of the child imperative. Therefore the three affected professions in each community must devise a definite and cooperative pattern of response to the syndrome. Each profession must shoulder a share of the responsibility as the services of all three are necessary for the ultimate goal of protection for a helpless child. A three-pronged approach involving each discipline was selected. Piles of victims were provided for examination by a local hospital and child protection agency. Information was transferred to a predesigned schedule, and tables constructed depicting injuries and other characteristics of the victims and also common parental traits within the battering families. Due to the time element and difficulty in locating actual cases that had been before the courts, examination as to legal involvement was restricted to case studies. Results of the study indicate that present machinery is adequate and that each discipline has become more adept and thorough at, handling such situations within the last few years. Definite recognition must be given to the planned establishment of a Battered Child Registry in Victoria. The Protection of Children Act is, as it stands, a proper vehicle for bringing cases of battered children before the court. Individual professionals must be aware of any subjective emotional reaction that could prevent their objective handling of such cases. This is one social problem in which rehabilitation and treatment of the family must take a subordinate position to the absolute protection of a single family member. Medical evidence in court should be focused on establishing persistence of abuse, and social work evidence should portray the existence of an unsafe environment. More follow up work must be done with the families even after permanent removal of a child, in hopes of rendering the family safe for the care of future children. The emotional impact felt by the family on the removal of such a child is yet to be documented and resultant behavior noted. Care must be taken by Child Welfare authorities to follow the emotional development of the victims, documenting the resultant adult personality type and any treatment found necessary during the formative years and its degree of success. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Clark, Mary Nora; Lukas, Marjorie-Gay; Wickett, Garry Steeves Wright / Graduate

No description available.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the Master of Science Degree in Occupational Therapy. Johannesburg, 2014 / The number of children needing care outside of the home environment is increasing. Little is known on quality of residential child carechild care environments in South Africa. To address this knowledge gap, a quantitative descriptive research protocol with a cross-sectional study design was employed to survey residential child care facilities in Johannesburg. The Infant-Toddler Environmental Rating Scale – revised edition was used to describe the social and physical environments provided to children (0-30 months) residing in 18 facilities. Furthermore, caregiver (n=45) and facility demographic information were gathered to determine whether an association existed between three aspects of the environments (caregiver education, training, and child to caregiver ratios) and overall quality scores. Results showed that the environments provided were inadequate and no statistical significant correlations were found between structural aspects and quality scores. The results indicated that the environment restricted children in the fulfilment of meaningful occupation, highlighting the importance of intervention by occupational therapists.

Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Thesis (M. Soc. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1983.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Tasmania, 2003. / Library has additional copy on CD-ROM. Includes bibliographical references.