There is evidence from the literature that the negative emotions and behaviours that bystanders expressed in reactions to witnessing bullying could have stemmed from self-debasing cognitive distortions and errors in thinking patterns which included personalisation, catastrophising, over-generalisation and selective abstraction. For this reason, the purpose of this qualitative descriptive-exploratory study was to explore and describe 10 early adolescent bystanders' experiences of school bullying following a self-debasing cognitive distortion restructuring intervention. Appraisal and cognitive theory were adopted as the overarching theoretical framework. This is because both theories demonstrated how individual thinking patterns could play a primary and significant role in the development and maintenance of emotional and behavioural responses to events witnessed or experienced. A descriptive-exploratory research design was used because it best suited the purpose of the study. The philosophical assumption underpinning this study emanated from an interpretivism paradigm which is a paradigm concerned with understanding the world from the perspective of people‟s experiences thereof. Purposive sampling was used to select 10 participants who were within the age range of 11 to 13 years for the study. Individual interviews were used as formal data collection strategies while a reflective research journal and audio recordings were used as additional data collection methods. The inductive thematic data analysis process was followed to analyse all data collected. The data was collected and analysed in two stages. The findings of this study, from the pre-intervention phase, indicated that personalisation evoked self-blame and feelings of guilt; catastrophising amplified anxiety and fear; overgeneralisation induced and exacerbated a negative perception of school safety and selective abstraction led to indirect co-victimisation. The findings that emerged at the first stage informed the common concepts that were addressed in the intervention. The findings of this study from the post-intervention phase revealed specifically that the self-debasing cognitive distortion restructuring intervention modified bystanders‟ experiences of school bullying. There were observable reduction in bystanders‟ negative emotional and behavioural reactions to witnessing bullying as a result of learning to challenge the validity and reality of distortions in their thinking patterns. Therefore, it is recommended that school counsellors and educational psychologists should provide adequate support to victims of bullying by equipping them with cognitive restructuring skills to root out the source of bias in their thought patterns. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2020. / Educational Psychology / PhD / Unrestricted

The primary aim of this thesis was to make an initial evaluation of the cognitive-oriented treatment programs “A New Direction” for young people and ”New Challenges” for adult men. The treatment programs were examined in two studies mainly aimed at measuring treatment effects on criminal thought patterns and sense of coherence. In the study of the Youth Program (Paper I), pre- and post-measurements were made with the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles (PICTS) and the shortened version of Sense of Coherence (SOC-13). In addition, recidivism over a two-year period was analysed. The results show that the criminal thinking clearly decreases for participants in individual treatment for 9-30 weeks and that the rate of recidivism is lower compared with the control group. In the Adult Program (Paper II) study, pre- and post-measurements were made with PICTS, SOC-13, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and Quality of Program Delivery (QPD). The result shows that criminal thinking is clearly reduced, and positive affect is increased for participants in cognitive treatment that included one-week group treatment, four weeks individual treatment and finally one-week further group treatment. The individual treatment for four weeks was combined with 12-step treatment. No significant results were shown for either control participants who received 12-step treatment or no treatment.  There is also a positive correlation between QPD and sense of coherence and between QPD and positive affect. The main conclusions are that the programs can reduce criminal thinking and improve salutogenic resources, which can help reduce criminal behaviour. / Licentiatuppsatsen representerar ett pilotprojekt som förväntas ge en första bild av effekterna av behandling med kriminalitetsprogrammen ”Ett nytt vägval” för ungdomar och ”Nya utmaningar” för vuxna män. Det övergripande syftet har varit att bidra till evidensforskningen av kriminalitetsprogram som kombinerar både ett risk- och skyddsfokus och som utvärderats inom missbruksvården. I studie I (ungdomsstudien) visade resultatet att flerveckors individuell behandling minskar det kriminella tänkandet, ökar känslan av sammanhang och minskar brottsåterfallsfrekvensen. Studiens resultat är valida för individuell behandling under 9 till 30 veckor för målgruppen svenska pojkar med en medelålder på 17 år i förkriminell och tidig fas av kriminalitet. I Studie II (vuxenstudien) undersöktes den behandlingsform som kallas Valbo modellen som kombinerar ”Nya utmaningar” med tolvstegsbehandling. Efter att tolvstegsbehandlingens inverkan på resultatet analyserats antas den största direkta förändringsfaktorn vara behandlingen med ”Nya utmaningar”. Tolvstegsbehandlingen antas ha en mer indirekt och långsiktig verkan och vara av betydelse för den känslomässiga förankringen och hållbarheten i ett förändrat normsystem och ny livsstil. Studiens resultat är valida för svenska män i 30 års-åldern i avancerad fas av kriminalitet. Studierna utgör ett första steg mot att programmen ”Ett nytt vägval” och ”Nya utmaningar” kan sägas motsvara dagens begrepp för evidens.

This study on technology in the South African school curriculum investigates the nature and value of this subject as a catalyst in developing Foundation Phase learners’ creative thinking skills Technology as school subject is defined as the use of knowledge, skills and available resources to develop solutions to meet human needs and wants, taking social and environmental factors into account. Central to this subject, is the design process of investigating, designing, making, evaluating and communicating solutions to problems identified in the environment. The notion and nature of creativity as researched by respected psychologists and researchers over the last few decades, with particular reference to Matlin’s theory of problem-solving and creativity, provides a theoretical underpinning with the aim of linking the problem-solving nature of technology with creative thinking. A qualitative case study research project, comprising a sample of six Foundation Phase learners at an independent school, has been conducted. Key characteristics of qualitative educational research such as sensitivity, precision, verification, empiricism, natural setting, inductive data analysis, validity and reliability and triangulation, have been taken into consideration. This study highlights the potential of technology as a school subject that provides learners with the opportunity to solve problems in creative ways and use authentic contexts rooted in real life situations. In addition, learners are afforded the opportunity to work collaboratively with others and engage in meaningful activities in the indoor and outdoor environment. Technology as a school subject in the Foundation Phase catalyzes learners’ creative thinking and problem-solving skills and provides a solid foundation for preparing young citizens for the demands and challenges of the 21st century. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Didactics)

This study on technology in the South African school curriculum investigates the nature and value of this subject as a catalyst in developing Foundation Phase learners’ creative thinking skills Technology as school subject is defined as the use of knowledge, skills and available resources to develop solutions to meet human needs and wants, taking social and environmental factors into account. Central to this subject, is the design process of investigating, designing, making, evaluating and communicating solutions to problems identified in the environment. The notion and nature of creativity as researched by respected psychologists and researchers over the last few decades, with particular reference to Matlin’s theory of problem-solving and creativity, provides a theoretical underpinning with the aim of linking the problem-solving nature of technology with creative thinking. A qualitative case study research project, comprising a sample of six Foundation Phase learners at an independent school, has been conducted. Key characteristics of qualitative educational research such as sensitivity, precision, verification, empiricism, natural setting, inductive data analysis, validity and reliability and triangulation, have been taken into consideration. This study highlights the potential of technology as a school subject that provides learners with the opportunity to solve problems in creative ways and use authentic contexts rooted in real life situations. In addition, learners are afforded the opportunity to work collaboratively with others and engage in meaningful activities in the indoor and outdoor environment. Technology as a school subject in the Foundation Phase catalyzes learners’ creative thinking and problem-solving skills and provides a solid foundation for preparing young citizens for the demands and challenges of the 21st century. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Didactics)