Thesis (DPhil (Psychology))—University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to identify and enhance specific resilience qualities that help
protect and support families in overcoming the adversity of having a child with a hearing
impairment. The study was divided into two phases, namely (a) the descriptive phase, which
aimed to identify and explore the resilience qualities that foster better adaptation in these
families and (b) the intervention phase, which aimed to develop, implement and evaluate an
intervention programme that enhances the utilisation of social support, one important
resilience quality identified in the descriptive phase of the study.
The study was essentially exploratory and descriptive in nature and was directed at
developing scientific knowledge and theory in the field of family resilience. Using the
Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment and Adaptation (McCubbin & McCubbin,
1996) as the theoretical framework, the resilience process was mapped in terms of stressors,
risk and protective factors, and family adaptation.
The 54 participating families in the descriptive phase were identified according to the nature
of the crisis (hearing impairment) and the developmental phase of the family. The
participants were obtained by means of a non-probability, purposive sampling procedure and
were drawn from the black, coloured and white cultural subgroups residing in the Western
Cape, South Africa. Both quantitative and qualitative measures were used for data collection.
The results were analysed predominantly according to correlation and regression analyses
techniques, while the qualitative data was categorised according to themes and frequencies.
Results showed that family time and routine, social support, affirming communication, family
hardiness, problem-solving skills, religion, a search for meaning and accepting the disability
were factors promoting resilience in these families. A randomised pretest-posttest control group design was applied in the intervention phase of
the study. The 31 participants were identified in the initial phase of the study and belonged to
the coloured cultural subgroup. Data was again collected using quantitative and qualitative
measures and was analysed using repeated measures analysis of variance and grounded
theory analysis. The results did not indicate a statistically significant change in the utilisation
of social support following the implementation of the workshop. The qualitative data,
however, highlighted that the participants reported greater support from the immediate and
extended family, increased family time and routine, as well as improved communication and
problem-solving skills following the workshop.
The study generally offers valuable knowledge that can be incorporated in psychological and
social training programmes, preventative community interventions and therapeutic settings.
The positive and pragmatic approach adopted in the study ensures that families are
empowered by bringing them hope, helping them develop new competencies and building
mutual support. The study has opened various new avenues for future research in the field of
family resilience and hearing impairment. / OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie was om spesifieke veerkragtigheidskwaliteite te identifiseer en
versterk wat gesinne met ’n kind met ‘n gehoorgestremdheid teen teenspoed beskerm en
ondersteun. Die studie is in twee verdeel, naamlik (a) die beskrywende fase, met die doel om
die veerkragtigheidskwaliteite wat beter aanpassing in hierdie gesinne gekweek het, te
identifiseer en ondersoek, en (b) die intervensiefase, met die doel om ’n intervensieprogram
te ontwikkel, implementeer en evalueer wat die gebruik van sosiale ondersteuning, een van
die belangrike veerkragtigheidskwaliteite wat in die beskrywende fase van die studie
geïdentifiseer is, te verhoog.
Die studie was in wese ondersoekend en beskrywend van aard en daarop gerig om
wetenskaplike kennis en teorie in die veld van gesinsveerkragtigheid te ontwikkel. Met die
gebruik van die Veerkragtigheidsmodel van Gesinspanning, Verstelling en Aanpassing
(Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment and Adaptation) (McCubbin & McCubbin,
1996) as teoretiese raamwerk, is die veerkragtigheidsproses uitgestippel in terme van die
oorsake van die spanning, risiko- en beskermende faktore, en gesinsaanpassing.
Die 54 gesinne wat aan die beskrywende fase deelgeneem het, is op grond van die aard van
die krisis (gehoorgestremdheid) asook die ontwikkelingsfase van die gesin geïdentifiseer. Die
deelnemers is deur middel van ’n doelgerigte nie-waarskynlikheidsteekproefnemingsprosedure
verwerf vanuit swart, kleurling en blanke gesinne wat in die Wes-Kaap, Suid-
Afrika woon. Beide kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe metings is vir data-insameling gebruik.
Die resultate is hoofsaaklik aan die hand van korrelasie- en regressieontledingstegnieke
geanaliseer, terwyl die kwalitatiewe data volgens temas en frekwensies gekategoriseer is. Die
resultate het getoon dat gesinstyd en -roetine, sosiale ondersteuning, bevestigende kommunikasie, gesinsgehardheid, probleemoplossings-vaardighede, geloof, ’n soeke na
betekenis en die aanvaarding van die gestremdheid faktore was wat die veerkragtigheid van
hierdie gesinne bevorder het.
’n Ewekansige voor- en natoets kontrolegroep-ontwerp is tydens die intervensiefase van die
studie toegepas. Die 31 deelnemers is tydens die aanvanklike fase van die studie
geïdentifiseer en behoort tot die kleurling kulturele groep. Data is weereens deur middel van
kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe metings ingesamel en is aan die hand van herhaalde metingsvariansieontleding
en gegronde teorie-analise geanaliseer. Die resultate het geen statisties
beduidende verskil in die gebruik van sosiale ondersteuning ná die implementering van die
werkswinkel getoon nie. Die kwalitatiewe data het egter beklemtoon dat deelnemers ná die
werkswinkel meer ondersteuning van hulle onmiddellike en uitgebreide familie geniet het,
sowel as meer gesinstyd en -roetine, verbeterde kommunikasie en probleemoplossingsvaardighede.
Oor die algemeen bied die studie waardevolle kennis wat by sielkundige en sosiale
opleidingsprogramme, voorkomende gemeenskapsingryping en in terapeutiese raamwerke
ingelyf kan word. Die positiewe en pragmatiese benadering in die studie verseker dat gesinne
bemagtig word deur hulle hoop te bied, nuwe bekwaamhede te help ontwikkel en wedersydse
ondersteuning op te bou. Die studie het talle nuwe weë vir toekomstige navorsing op die
gebied van gesinsveerkragtigheid en gehoorgestremdheid gebaan.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/1378 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Ahlert, Ingrid Anita |
| Contributors | Greeff, A. P., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Psychology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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