Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The tendency to use adventure-based training as an intervention medium for
the improvement of the self-concept has grown rapidly over the past few
years. However, research results on the effect of adventure-based training on
participants' self-concepts are very contradictory. Some studies revealed
significant positive improvements, while others revealed no significant
differences in pre- and post-measures.
The effect of adventure training on the self-concept in the military context has
so far not yet been investigated in South Africa. A sound self-concept is of
critical importance to young career officers, as it enables them to function with
self-confidence in both their work environment and their community roles.
They enter the military environment as late adolescents, which implies that
the successful mastering of specific developmental tasks such as the
formation of identity or self-concept, is a prerequisite for their dynamic
functioning in the world of work.
The aim of this study was to determine whether adventure training can indeed
be utilised to enhance the self-concepts and self-efficacy of young career
officers in the South African National Defence Force.
A quasi-experimental design with a pre-test, post-test and post-post-test was
used to determine the effect of a Ropes Course Development Programme on
the self-concepts of young career officers. Subjects for the experimental
group were selected from the young career officer population at the Military
Academy (n=33) and subjects for the control group were selected from the
young career officer population at the SA Army Gymnasium (n=32). Two
measuring instruments were administered, during three time intervals, namely
the Self-description Questionnaire III and the General Self-efficacy Scale. From the results it can be concluded that the control group did not change
much during the eight-week-period of the study. Only three significant withingroup
changes occurred, namely in the scores of the mathematical skills selfconcept
sub-scale, in the scores of the total academic self-concept and the
GSE scale. All three measurements showed a significant increase for the pretest
to post-post-test time interval.
The experimental group showed a number of changes between pre-test and
post-test, as well as pre- and post-test to post-post-test time intervals. The
SOOIII sub-scales with declining scores were the participants' self-concept
regarding their verbal skills (post- to post-post-test) and academic ability (preand
post-test to post-post-test). The total academic self-concept score was
also significantly lower from post-test to post-post-test measurement. Scores
that were positively affected over time were their self-concepts regarding their
relations with parents (for pre-test to post-test), religion (for pre-test to posttest
and maintained to post-post- test), the total non-academic self-concept
(pre- to post-test) and the total general self-concept score (from pre- to posttest).
The experimental group did not change with regard to their GSE scores.
The most evident between-group differences were observed during the postpost-
test on the verbal skills, academic ability, and total academic selfconcept
scores (control group> experimental group), and relations with same
sex self-concept scores (experimental group> control group).
A significant relationship between the total SOOIII score and the GSE scale
over the three time periods was observed. Highly significant r-values were
obtained for both groups on all but one measurement.
The final conclusion is that the Ropes Course Development Programme was
not an effective intervention medium to enhance the self-concepts and selfefficacy
of young career officers. There is still a need for scientific research to
motivate adventure-based programmes as training intervention in the South
African military context. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die neiging om avontuurgerigte opleiding as ingreep vir die ontwikkeling van
die selfkonsep te gebruik, het die afgelope paar jaar ingrypend toegeneem.
Navorsingsresultate rakende die invloed van avontuurgerigte opleiding op
deelnemers se selfkonsepte is egter teenstrydig. Sekere studies het
beduidende positiewe verbeteringe aangedui, terwyl ander weer geen
beduidende verskille in voor- en na-toetse getoon het nie.
Die uitwerking van avontuuropleiding op die selfkonsep, is tot dusver nie
binne militêre konteks in Suid-Afrika ondersoek nie. 'n Positiewe selfkonsep
is van kritiese belang vir jong beroepsoffisiere, aangesien dit hulle bemagtig
om met selfvertroue in sowel hul werksomgewing as hul gemeenskapsrolle te
funksioneer. Hulle betree die militêre omgewing tydens adolessensie, wat
impliseer dat die suksesvolle bemeestering van bepaalde ontwikkelingstake
soos identiteitsvorming of die vorming van 'n selfkonsep 'n voorvereiste is om
effektief in die werksomgewing te funksioneer.
Die doel van hierdie studie was om te bepaal of avontuurgerigte opleiding wel
gebruik kan word om die selfkonsepte en selfdoeltreffendheid van jong
beroepsoffisiere in die Suid-Afrikaanse Nasionale Weermag te bevorder.
'n Kwasi-eksperimentele ontwerp met 'n voortoets, na-toets en na-na-toets is
gebruik om die invloed van 'n Toubaan Ontwikkelingsprogram op die
selfkonsep en selfdoeltreffendheid van die jong beroepsoffisiere te bepaal.
Proefpersone vir die eksperimentele groep is geselekteer vanuit die groep
jong beroepsoffisiere by die Militêre Akademie (n=33) en proefpersone vir die
kontrolegroep is vanuit die jong beroepsoffisierpopulasie by die SA
Leërgimnasium geselekteer (n=32). Twee meetinstrumente is tydens drie
geleenthede geadministreer, naamlik die "Self-description Questionnaire III"
(SDQIII) en die General Self-efficacy Scale (GSE).
Van die resultate kan afgelei word dat die kontrolegroep nie veel verander het
tydens die agt weke periode van die studie nie. Slegs drie beduidende binne- groep veranderinge het plaasgevind, naamlik in die wiskundige vaardigheid
selfkonsep subskaal, in die totale akademiese selfkonsep en die Algemene
Selfdoeltreffendheidtelling. AI drie tellings dui op 'n beduidende toename vir
die voor-toets tot na-na-toets tydsinterval.
Die eksperimentele groep het 'n beduidende aantal veranderinge getoon
tussen voor- en na-toets, sowel as voor- en na-na-toets. Die SDQIII subskale
wat 'n afname in tellings getoon het, was die deelnemers se selfkonsepte
aangaande hulle verbale vaardighede (na-toets tot na-na-toets) en
akademiese vaardigheid (voor en na-toets tot na-na-toets). Die totale
akademiese selfkonseptelling was ook beduidend laer tussen die na-toets en
na-na-toets meting. Tellings wat positief oor tyd beïnvloed was, was hulle
selfkonsepte ten opsigte van verhoudings met ouers (vir voor-toets tot natoets,
godsdiens (vir voortoets tot na-toets en in stand gehou tot na-na-toets),
die totale nie-akademiese selfkonsep (voor- tot na-toets) en die totale
algemene selfkonseptelling (van voor- tot na-toets). Die eksperimentele
groep het nie ten opsigte van hulle GSE tellings verskil nie.
Die mees klaarblyklike tussen-groep verskille in tellings is waargeneem
tydens die na-na-toets met betrekking tot verbale vaardighede, akademiese
vermoë, en totale akademiese selfkonseptellings (kontrole groep >
eksperimentele groep) en selfkonsep betreffende verhoudinge met dieselfde
geslag (eksperimentele groep> kontrole groep).
'n Betekenisvolle verband tussen die SDQIII en die GSE skale is oor die drie
tydperke heen waargeneem. Hoogs beduidende r-waardes is vir albei
groepe op alle metings waargeneem, met die uitsondering van een meting.
Die finale bevinding dui daarop dat die Toubaan Ontwikkelingsprogram nie 'n
effektiewe ingreep was om die selfkonsepte en selfdoeltreffendheid van jong
beroepsoffisiere te verbeter nie. Daar bly dus steeds 'n behoefte aan
wetenskaplik gefundeerde navorsing om die waarde van avontuurgerigte
opleidingsprogramme in die Suid-Afrikaanse militêre konteks te motiveer.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/50162 |
| Date | 04 1900 |
| Creators | Stadler, Karien |
| Contributors | Kotze, M. E., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Psychology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 144 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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