Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Families are often confronted with some type of crisis during their family life cycle, and the
presence of an adolescent substance abuser in the family could result in a family crisis. Most
studies focus on the negative implications of substance abuse (Flisher, Parry, Evans, Muller,
& Lombard, 2003; Parry et al., 2004). More recently, however, researchers have begun to
move away from the pathogenic approach to a more strengths-based approach. Therefore the
aim of this study was to investigate which factors are associated with family resilience in
families with an adolescent substance abuser. Given the complexity of resilience, the
Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment and Adaptation (McCubbin & McCubbin,
1988) was operationalised in this study to identify which variables could be associated with
family resilience. A combination of quantitative and qualitative methods were used to gather
data from a convenience sample of 50 families drawn from the Western Cape, South Africa.
In order to control for gender effects, mothers who had in their families an adolescent
substance abuser were encouraged to represent their respective families. A biographical
questionnaire and seven quantitative self-report questionnaires were completed by each
participant. Pearson product-moment correlations were calculated for the quantitative data in
order to determine which independent variables (family factors) were associated with the
dependent variable (family adaptation). A best-subsets multiple regression analysis was done
to determine the linear combination of family characteristics (indicators) that correlates
maximally with family adaptation (outcome variable). Thematic analysis was used to identify
patterns or themes within the qualitative data during the qualitative data analysis. The results indicate that the level of family adaptation is better the higher the supportive patterns of
communication in the family unit; and that the level of family adaptation is lower the more
negative communication patterns are present. The results also indicate that family hardiness,
the degree to which families use problem-solving and behaviour strategies during crises, and the use and maintenance of different routines and activities facilitate family adaptation. The
qualitative results indicate that spirituality or religion, support from extended family, friends
or neighbours, clear positive family communication, maintaining hope and a positive outlook,
and the acceptance of the adolescent as part of the family contribute the most to family
adaptation. The findings of this study could be used to improve the understanding of qualities
that help families to adapt, and interventions and services based on these results may provide
a meaningful contribution in the adaptation of families who find themselves in similar
situations. This study not only is important to broaden the current literature on family
resilience in this development phase, but also to help fill the void in current research. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Dit gebeur gereeld dat gesinne gedurende een of ander ontwikkelingstadium met ʼn krisis
gekonfronteer word. So sal die teenwoordigheid van ’n adolessente middelmisbruiker in ’n
gesin op moontlike gesinskrisisse dui. Die meerderheid studies fokus op die negatiewe
implikasies van middelmisbruik (Flisher, Parry, Evans, Muller, & Lombard, 2003; Parry et
al., 2004). Navorsers het egter onlangs begin weg beweeg vanaf die patogeniese benadering
na ’n meer sterkte-gebaseerde benadering. Die doel van hierdie studie was dus om ondersoek
in te stel na faktore wat geassosieer kan word met gesinsaanpassing in gesinne met ʼn
adolessente middelmisbruiker. Gegee die kompleksiteit van veerkragtigheid is die
Veerkragtigheidsmodel van Gesinstres, Verstelling en Aanpassing (McCubbin & McCubbin,
1988) in hierdie studie geoperasionaliseer om veranderlikes te identifiseer wat met
gesinsveerkragtigheid geassosieer kan word. ʼn Kombinasie van kwantitatiewe en
kwalitatiewe metodes is gebruik om data vanuit ’n doelgerigte steekproef van 50 gesinne
woonagtig in die Wes-Kaap, Suid-Afrika in te samel. Om vir die effek van geslag te
kontroleer, is ma’s aangemoedig om namens die gesinne as verteenwoordigers aan die studie
deel te neem. ʼn Biografiese vraelys en ook sewe selfbeskrywingsvraelyste is deur elke
deelnemer voltooi. Vir die kwantitatiewe data is Pearson produkmoment-korrelasies bereken
om te bepaal watter onafhanklike veranderlikes (gesinsfaktore) met die afhanklike
veranderlike (gesinsaanpassing) verband hou. ʼn Beste substel regressieontleding is gedoen
om die liniêre kombinasie van gesinskenmerke (voorspellers) wat maksimaal met gesinsaanpassing (uitkomsveranderlike) korreleer, te bepaal. Tematiese ontleding is in die
kwalitatiewe data-ontleding gebruik om patrone of temas binne die kwalitatiewe data te
identifiseer. Die resultate dui daarop dat die vlak van gesinsaanpassing beter is hoe hoër die
ondersteunende patrone van kommunikasie in die gesinseenheid is; en dat die vlak van
gesinsaanpassing laer is hoe meer opruiende patrone van kommunikasie in die gesin teenwoordig is. Verder dui die resultate ook aan dat gesinsgehardheid, die mate van
probleemoplossings- en gedragstrategieë wat die gesin gedurende krisisse gebruik, en die
gebruik en handhawing van verskillende roetines en aktiwiteite ook gesinsaanpassing
fasiliteer. Die kwalitatiewe resultate dui daarop dat spiritualiteit of geloof, ondersteuning van
die uitgebreide familie, vriende of bure, duidelike positiewe gesinskommunikasie, die behoud
van hoop en ’n positiewe uitkyk, en aanvaarding van die adolessent as deel van die gesin die
meeste tot gesinsaanpassing bygedra het. Die bevindinge kan nuttig gebruik word om begrip
te verbeter van kwaliteite wat gesinne help om aan te pas. Intervensies en dienste wat op
hierdie bevindinge gebaseer is, behoort ʼn betekenisvolle bydra te lewer in die aanpassing van
gesinne wat hulle in soortgelyke omstandighede bevind. Die studie is nie net belangrik om
die kennisbasis oor gesinslewe in hierdie ontwikkelingsfase te verbreed nie, maar ook om ʼn
leemte in bestaande navorsing aan te vul.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/96113 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Masters, Roxanne |
| Contributors | Greeff, Abraham Petrus, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Department of Psychology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | Afrikaans |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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