Within this study, a psycho-educational strategy was designed to promote online safety practices for adolescents living in the northern suburbs of Cape Town. The study made use of a mixed method methodology, including both quantitative and qualitative research. This enabled access to 183 adolescents, as well as gaining more focused and specific insights from adolescent focus groups with a total of eight focus groups. This psycho-educational strategy was designed in the form of an interactive website. The website included information on safety practices pertaining to six areas of online safety. The information was provided in various formats, including videos, clips, slide shows and questionnaires. The six areas which were focused on included cyber bullying, pornography, social networking, online gaming, sharing of personal information and plagiarising and stealing of content. Adolescents were exposed to the website in order to test its usability and its effectiveness as a tool for education regarding online safety. From the literature and findings of the research, it is evident that there is a dire need for age-appropriate and relevant mechanisms to address online safety among adolescents. The present research revealed; through the remarks obtained from focus groups, that adolescents could benefit from the psycho-educational strategy as it created an awareness of the possible harms of the internet; awareness that was previously limited. Specific areas of concern included cyber bullying and the reality that they face regarding this hurtful activity. Adolescents further indicated that they lacked knowledge in areas concerning pornography, plagiarising and sharing of personal information. By creating an awareness regarding possible harms, adolescents are enabled to safeguard themselves from potential harm, and if education is used in future, it can play a preventative role in terms of the negative consequences of online activities. The research indicated that a psycho-educational perspective holds value when addressing online safety. Lastly, the internet as a form of psycho-education was successful as the adolescents accepted and related to this means of education. The psycho-educational strategy is an innovative tool that can be used by schools, parents and educators when engaging with adolescents about online safety. / PhD (Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Within this study, a psycho-educational strategy was designed to promote online safety practices for adolescents living in the northern suburbs of Cape Town. The study made use of a mixed method methodology, including both quantitative and qualitative research. This enabled access to 183 adolescents, as well as gaining more focused and specific insights from adolescent focus groups with a total of eight focus groups. This psycho-educational strategy was designed in the form of an interactive website. The website included information on safety practices pertaining to six areas of online safety. The information was provided in various formats, including videos, clips, slide shows and questionnaires. The six areas which were focused on included cyber bullying, pornography, social networking, online gaming, sharing of personal information and plagiarising and stealing of content. Adolescents were exposed to the website in order to test its usability and its effectiveness as a tool for education regarding online safety. From the literature and findings of the research, it is evident that there is a dire need for age-appropriate and relevant mechanisms to address online safety among adolescents. The present research revealed; through the remarks obtained from focus groups, that adolescents could benefit from the psycho-educational strategy as it created an awareness of the possible harms of the internet; awareness that was previously limited. Specific areas of concern included cyber bullying and the reality that they face regarding this hurtful activity. Adolescents further indicated that they lacked knowledge in areas concerning pornography, plagiarising and sharing of personal information. By creating an awareness regarding possible harms, adolescents are enabled to safeguard themselves from potential harm, and if education is used in future, it can play a preventative role in terms of the negative consequences of online activities. The research indicated that a psycho-educational perspective holds value when addressing online safety. Lastly, the internet as a form of psycho-education was successful as the adolescents accepted and related to this means of education. The psycho-educational strategy is an innovative tool that can be used by schools, parents and educators when engaging with adolescents about online safety. / PhD (Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Hierdie studie is toegespits op die samestelling van 'n seksopvoedingsprogram vir skole in Suid-Afrika. Snelle verandering binne sosiale strukture in die samelewing en die blootstelling van die jeug aan kultuur- en godsdiensvreemde seksopvoeding. idees noodsaak die dringendheid van Seksopvoeding word vanuit verskillende waardestelsels aangebied. Die gevolgtrekking is dat beproefde waardes 'n integrale deel van die seksopvoedingsprogram moet uitmaak. Die kind moet begelei word tot seksuele volwassenheid deur gebruik te maak van opvoedkundig-verantwoordbare beginsels en metodes sodat die kind effektief weerstand kan bied teen bederwende invloede uit die samelewing. Die ouers is die aangewese bran van seksopvoeding aan hulle kinders maar weens hulle onbetrokkenheid neem die skoal die verantwoordelikheid op hom. Dit is egter belangrik dat die skoal die ouers as vennote aanvaar. Ten slotte word riglyne verskaf vir die samestelling van 'n seksopvoedingsprogram. / This dissertation considers the composition of a sex education program for schools in South Africa. Rapidly changing social structure within society and the exposure of the youth to foreign cultural and religious ideas necessitate the urgency of sex education. Sex education is presented from different value systems. The conclusion reached is that values must be an integral part of the sex education program. The child must be accompanied to responsible sexual adulthood by means of educationally accountable principles in order that he/she may be able to withstand the demoralizing influences from society effectively. The parents are the appropriate sex educators of their children but, due to their being unconcerned the school accepted this responsibility. It is however of importance that the school accepts the parents as partners. In conclusion guidelines are presented for the compiling of a sex education program. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Voorligting)

Hierdie studie is toegespits op die samestelling van 'n seksopvoedingsprogram vir skole in Suid-Afrika. Snelle verandering binne sosiale strukture in die samelewing en die blootstelling van die jeug aan kultuur- en godsdiensvreemde seksopvoeding. idees noodsaak die dringendheid van Seksopvoeding word vanuit verskillende waardestelsels aangebied. Die gevolgtrekking is dat beproefde waardes 'n integrale deel van die seksopvoedingsprogram moet uitmaak. Die kind moet begelei word tot seksuele volwassenheid deur gebruik te maak van opvoedkundig-verantwoordbare beginsels en metodes sodat die kind effektief weerstand kan bied teen bederwende invloede uit die samelewing. Die ouers is die aangewese bran van seksopvoeding aan hulle kinders maar weens hulle onbetrokkenheid neem die skoal die verantwoordelikheid op hom. Dit is egter belangrik dat die skoal die ouers as vennote aanvaar. Ten slotte word riglyne verskaf vir die samestelling van 'n seksopvoedingsprogram. / This dissertation considers the composition of a sex education program for schools in South Africa. Rapidly changing social structure within society and the exposure of the youth to foreign cultural and religious ideas necessitate the urgency of sex education. Sex education is presented from different value systems. The conclusion reached is that values must be an integral part of the sex education program. The child must be accompanied to responsible sexual adulthood by means of educationally accountable principles in order that he/she may be able to withstand the demoralizing influences from society effectively. The parents are the appropriate sex educators of their children but, due to their being unconcerned the school accepted this responsibility. It is however of importance that the school accepts the parents as partners. In conclusion guidelines are presented for the compiling of a sex education program. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Voorligting)

Text in Afrikaans / Pendelhuwelike is aan die toeneem en het verskeie invloede op die jong kind in die gesin. Die primêre doel van die studie was om emosionele en sosiale intelligensie as basis te gebruik om die invloed van ʼn pendelhuwelik op ʼn jong kind tussen 7 en 11 jaar te bepaal. ʼn Gemengde navorsingsontwerp is as empiriese ondersoek gedoen. Vyf deelnemers het deelgeneem in drie sessies elk. Die data-insamelingsinstrumente was: waarneming en veldnotas; projeksiemedia; ʼn vraelys, en ʼn semi-gestruktureerde onderhoud met elk van die betrokke moeders. Die meting van emosionele en sosiale ontwikkeling met behulp van die vraelys toon dat, ongeag van die afwesigheid van die deelnemers se vaders, en die konflikte, vrese en behoeftes wat hulle ervaar volgens die projeksiemedia, die deelnemers se emosionele en sosiale ontwikkeling oorwegend gemiddeld tot hoog is. Die uitkomste bied hopelik ʼn insiggewende bydrae hoe pendelhuwelike vyf jong kinders se emosionele en sosiale ontwikkeling beïnvloed het. / Commuter marriages are increasing and have various influences on the young child in the family. The primary aim of this study was to determine the influences of a commuter marriage on a young child between 7 and 11 years, using emotional and social intelligence as a basis. A mixed method empirical research design was used. Three sessions were conducted with five participants individually to obtain data through: observations and field notes, projection media, a questionnaire, and a semi-structured interview with each mother. The measurement of emotional and social development through the use of the questionnaire shows that, despite the absence of the participants’ fathers, and the conflicts, fears and needs they experienced according to the projection media, the participants’ emotional and social development are predominantly average to high. The study hopefully provides a significant contribution to the understanding of how commuter marriages influenced five young children’s emotional and social development. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Voorligting)

Text in Afrikaans / Pendelhuwelike is aan die toeneem en het verskeie invloede op die jong kind in die gesin. Die primêre doel van die studie was om emosionele en sosiale intelligensie as basis te gebruik om die invloed van ʼn pendelhuwelik op ʼn jong kind tussen 7 en 11 jaar te bepaal. ʼn Gemengde navorsingsontwerp is as empiriese ondersoek gedoen. Vyf deelnemers het deelgeneem in drie sessies elk. Die data-insamelingsinstrumente was: waarneming en veldnotas; projeksiemedia; ʼn vraelys, en ʼn semi-gestruktureerde onderhoud met elk van die betrokke moeders. Die meting van emosionele en sosiale ontwikkeling met behulp van die vraelys toon dat, ongeag van die afwesigheid van die deelnemers se vaders, en die konflikte, vrese en behoeftes wat hulle ervaar volgens die projeksiemedia, die deelnemers se emosionele en sosiale ontwikkeling oorwegend gemiddeld tot hoog is. Die uitkomste bied hopelik ʼn insiggewende bydrae hoe pendelhuwelike vyf jong kinders se emosionele en sosiale ontwikkeling beïnvloed het. / Commuter marriages are increasing and have various influences on the young child in the family. The primary aim of this study was to determine the influences of a commuter marriage on a young child between 7 and 11 years, using emotional and social intelligence as a basis. A mixed method empirical research design was used. Three sessions were conducted with five participants individually to obtain data through: observations and field notes, projection media, a questionnaire, and a semi-structured interview with each mother. The measurement of emotional and social development through the use of the questionnaire shows that, despite the absence of the participants’ fathers, and the conflicts, fears and needs they experienced according to the projection media, the participants’ emotional and social development are predominantly average to high. The study hopefully provides a significant contribution to the understanding of how commuter marriages influenced five young children’s emotional and social development. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Voorligting)