An analytical commentary on Act No 40 (Welfare Organisations Act) of 1947 and its relation to Act No 79 (National Welfare Act) of 1965
- Authors: Barratt, Inez
- Date: 1968
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: vital:21286 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/7690
- Description: From Introduction: Act No. 40 of 1947, after nineteen years in operation has been superseded by Act No. 79 of 1965. Here an attempt will be made to establish first those conditions which, in the years preceding 1944, produced a demand, both from the general electorate, from members of the legislature and from those actively concerned with the problems of social welfare in South Africa, that appropriate legislation be promulgated to alleviate the conditions. As Act 40/1947 was drafted in an attempt to remedy antecedent conditions, so it is hoped to show that in its provisions, and their attempted execution by the organs established in terms of the Act, there may be discerned the germs of at least some of the provisions of Act 79/1965. Effects of past economic depressions as well as a more recent increased awareness of overseas conditions and thinking, coupled with the war-time atmosphere and the start of rapid industrialisation all .affected the legislation that was finally passed. The degree of unanimity amongst those who advocated control of Welfare bodies through legislation will be considered, as well as the adequacy of the means available for its enforcement. So, too, will habits of thought and action which both affected interpretation and limited co-operation on several levels, for they also are amongst the factors which, by limiting the Act's effectiveness, strengthened the demand for new legislation. Attention will also be paid to that reaction against things regarded as "foreign” which, always present in South Africa, gathered strength from the 1860's, gained expression in official quarters especially after 1948 and which, together with the policy of separate development, greatly affected activities in terms of Act 40/1947.
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- Date Issued: 1968
Religious orders and personal and group attitudes and values
- Authors: Wright, Beryl
- Date: 1970
- Subjects: Church and social problems -- South Africa , Christians -- South Africa -- Grahamstown -- Attitudes
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: vital:3358 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007685 , Church and social problems -- South Africa , Christians -- South Africa -- Grahamstown -- Attitudes
- Description: From Introduction: For many years I have been interested in the relationship between ethical and moral attitudes and values and religious belief. I became aware of a conflict in attitudes concerning the role of the Church in society as a member of the Methodist Church, and this stimulated me to study seriously the role of the Church in present day society. I found that members of the Wesley Guild, of which I myself was a member, conceived of the Guild in three forms: (a) as a social club; (b) as an institution for training in Christian service, both at the level of spiritual belief and practice and at the level of practical help to those in human need; (c) as an assooiation where individual spiritual values are fostered. Members differed in their view of the Guild, some seeing it in terms of all three enumerated forms, others emphasising one or two of these forms. This induced tension within the Guild. Wider observation led me to the view that this diffused concept of the Church and its functions was not peculiar to the Wesley Guild. It seemed to be general to the South African Church. I became confirmed in this view when, as a student at Rhodes University, I found that many theological students of different denominations shared it.
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- Date Issued: 1970
Some socio-economic aspects of African entrepreneurship : with particular reference to the Transkei and Ciskei
- Authors: Hart, Gillian Patricia
- Date: 1972
- Subjects: Businessmen -- South Africa Business enterprises -- South Africa Entrepreneurship Business enterprises, Black -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: vital:1088 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1012164
- Description: This work encompasses an inquiry into the role of the entrepreneur in economic development, and a report of interviews with eighty African businessmen in the Transkei, Ciskei and some urban locations. South Africa provides a particularly interesting field for the study of African enterprise insofar as it is possible to examine the evolution of entrepreneurship in two fundamentally different environments - namely rural reserves and large urban areas. Furthermore, there has been a substantial increase in the number of African entrepreneurs during this century. The study achieves added significance in view of the wide racial income differentials which are an endemic feature of South African socio-economic existence; moreover, there is a great deal of evidence to suggest that, despite the high real growth rates during recent years, the racial income gap is widening. A corollary to this is the worsening of the relative - though not necessarily the absolute - economic position of the Black population. Hence : "the fundamental question for South Africa's economic future revolves around the income relationship between the Whites and the African segment of the non- White group." At present a great deal of pressure is being exerted on White employers to adopt more racially equitable systems of remuneration, and on the Government to relax the industrial colour bar. Although such measures would probably have a positive influence in preventing the gap from widening still further, there is reason to believe that their effectiveness would be limited. The justifications for this assertion are twofold: a) As Allister Sparks has pointed out, "as long as (Blacks) are limited to being hirelings of (Whites), their progress will necessarily remain stunted. Because of race prejudice they will not be promoted as readily as Whites of equal ability. There will not be Black managers and company directors. They will be held down by a vicious circle of disadvantages: prejudice will deprive them of promotion, which will deprive them of experience, which will provide the pretext for not promoting them. b) There is much convincing evidence to show that property ownership rather than wages is the basic factor determining income distribution. Information indicative of the extreme racial inequality of property ownership in South Africa is given by Spandau, who has shown that in 1960 'other income' (i. e. rent, interest and profits) formed 119% of work income of Whites, and only 19% of the work income of Africans. 2 In the absence of cataclysmic social change, the development of African entrepreneurial talent emerges as a possible means of escaping from this apparent impasse. This does not of course imply that even a fairly large increase in the number of African entrepreneurs would automatically result in raising the living standards of a substantial portion of the Black population. Nevertheless, it would represent a positive move towards redressing the inequalities in property ownership and facilitate the acquisition of organizational skills, which in turn implies a better utilization of human resources than exists at present.
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- Date Issued: 1972
Die psigopaat as kliënt in die Maatskaplike Werk
- Authors: Venter, Pieter Viviers
- Date: 1977
- Language: Afrikaans
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: vital:21106 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/6410
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- Date Issued: 1977
The effect of perceptual skill of RFT scores : a cross-cultural study
- Authors: Marais, W F
- Date: 1977
- Subjects: Witkin, Herman A , Personality , Personality and culture -- Cross-cultural studies , Cross-cultural studies , Perception
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: vital:3285 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1012838
- Description: The increasing need to select individuals for tasks suited to their personality make-up, has added to the challenge psychology faces of developing tests which can be applied to subjects from different cultures and environments. Many attempts at such designs litter the history of industrial and cross- cultural personality research. Among those to have survived years of reassessment, is the cognitive style approach developed by Herman Witkin. Intro., p. 1.
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- Date Issued: 1977
The incorporation of certain psychological and sociological perspectives into social work intervention : a general systems approach
- Authors: Collins, Anton Daniel
- Date: 1979
- Subjects: Sociol service -- Psychological aspects Social service -- Sociological aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: vital:685 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002010
- Description: In this dissertation the use of general systems theory as an aid to knowledge building, and the refinement of intervention in social work, is investigated. It is held that the social work view of man, and the profession's declared objectives, determine a structure and function for the client.which cause the social worker to resort to psychological and sociological perspectives in his intervention programme. However, the two disciplines concerned formulate their respective perspectives without regard to each other. The disparity between these perspectives present problems when they are incorporated into social work knowledge. The latter, as it is, is characterized by an unco-ordinated body of suppositions, facts, thoughts and theories. The social work literature on the use of the systems approach displays a lack of detailed description of general systems theory and the open living system. Because of this shortcoming it was decided to pay particular attention to general systems theory and the concept of the open living system. Since a system's view of man forms a firm basis for the appreciation of systems theory in psychology and sociology it was decided to include such a consideration. Following on this is an analysis of two perspectives held to be particularly relevant to social work, viz. the personality system and the social system. This leads finally to a description of the social work client as a system, as a sub-system and as a supra-system. Provision is made for the incorporation of psychological and sociological perspectives in social work intervention. It is subsequently concluded that the application of general systems theory has advantages for social work. It facilitates the incorporation of perspectives for psychology and sociology without distortion, promotes the integration and consolidation of social work knowledge, and brings the discipline into relation with the disciplines of psychology and sociology
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- Date Issued: 1979
A phenomenological explication of a client's retrospective experience of psychotherapy
- Authors: Eppel, Mark Dan
- Date: 1980
- Subjects: Psychotherapy -- Research , Insight in psychotherapy , Psychotherapy -- Case studies
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: vital:3138 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006962 , Psychotherapy -- Research , Insight in psychotherapy , Psychotherapy -- Case studies
- Description: From introduction: This study is an attempt to explore and describe phenomenologically a clients total retrospective experience of psychotherapy. The research consistently and radically approaches the phenomenon of the experience of psychotherapy from the clients own perspective and is conceived as a mutual project between researcher and subject. The phenomenological method is used to explicate the subjects qualitative experience of psychotherapy so as not to impose any presuppositions regarding the nature of this experience. At all times the research remains as faithful as possible to the subjects personal account of her therapy experience
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- Date Issued: 1980
An exploration into the meaning of death
- Authors: Todres, Leslie Allen
- Date: 1980 , 2013-03-28
- Subjects: Death -- Psychological aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: vital:3107 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004519 , Death -- Psychological aspects
- Description: From Preface: The present study attempts to explore, both theoretically and empirically, some implications that a personal consideration of death may have for the way we live our lives. Existential-Phenomenology has concerned itself with the description of the dimensions of human existence. It is in this enquiry that Death, and through it, human finitude, emerges as an important dimension of existence. It is not the fact of death itself, but the MEANING it has for our lives which may be of important consequence. It is to this area that this research addresses itself. The methodology employed arises out of a concern to contribute to the establishment of Psychology as a Human Science. To this end, a chapter focusing on the philosophical bases of methodology is included. It is hoped that this study may, however little, contribute both to the field of Thanatology as well as to the more theoretical issue of what Psychology is, and where it is going. , KMBT_363 , Adobe Acrobat 9.53 Paper Capture Plug-in
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- Date Issued: 1980
Die invloed van die spraakbenadering van onderwys vir dowe kinders op die maatskaplike funksionering van die dowe
- Authors: Heyns, Mimi
- Date: 1982
- Subjects: Deaf children -- Education -- South Africa , Deaf -- Means of communication , Deaf children -- Language , Deaf children -- Family relationships , Deafness -- Social aspects , Deafness -- Psychological aspects , Sociolinguistics , Sign language acquisition , Deaf -- Government policy -- South Africa , Deaf -- Social conditions -- South Africa , Self-perception , Identity (Psychology)
- Language: Afrikaans
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: vital:3284 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006881 , Deaf children -- Education -- South Africa , Deaf -- Means of communication , Deaf children -- Language , Deaf children -- Family relationships , Deafness -- Social aspects , Deafness -- Psychological aspects , Sociolinguistics , Sign language acquisition , Deaf -- Government policy -- South Africa , Deaf -- Social conditions -- South Africa , Self-perception , Identity (Psychology)
- Description: From Introduction: Gehoor speel 'n belangrike rol in die leerproses, in aanpassing by die omgewing asook in aanpassing by sosiale omstandighede. Gehoorverlies plaas die individu in 'n situasie van vereensaming, veroorsaak deur 'n beperktheid in kommunikasievermoë. (Roux, 1979:1) Dr Roux, Direkteur van Gesondheidsdienste van die Departement van Gesondheid, Welsyn en Pensioene, het tydens die Goue Jubileum-Kongres van die Suid-Afrikaanse Nasionale Raad vir Dowes daarop gewys dat gehoorverlies vandag meer Amerikaners affekteer as hartsiektes, kanker, blindheid, tuberkulose, veneriese siektes, sklerose en niersiektes tesame. (Roux, 1979:1) In Suid-Afrika word beraam dat 0,06% van aIle babas totaal doof gebore word en dat die aantal persone met ernstige gehoorprobleme, volgens die skatting van die Departement van Gesondheid, Welsyn en Pensioene, 65 000 beloop. Hierdie getal sluit Swartes uit. (Roux, 1979:1) ... Die probleem van doofheid is kompleks en soms so ingewikkeld dat dit te betwyfel is of die horende individu die omvang daarvan begryp en insig in die situasie van die dowe kan ontwikkel. Empatie met die dowe en begrip vir sy leefwêreld is vir die horende persoon problematies. 'n Wêreld sonder klank is moeilik om te visualiseer en 'n wêreld sonder taal lê buite die begripsvermoë van die horende. Daar bestaan op velerlei gebiede verwarring ten opsigte van die dowe. Die horende persoon besef gewoonlik dat daar 'n eiesoortige wêreld van ervaring en denke vir die dowe is anders as die van die horende, maar begrip vir die omvang van die andersheid van die dowe ontbreek.
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- Date Issued: 1982
Alcoholic adaptation : a preliminary investigation of the transactional analysis viewpoint, with application to delta and gamma alcoholics
- Authors: Cohen, L Derek
- Date: 1983
- Subjects: Alcoholism Alcoholism -- Case studies
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: vital:3193 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1008559
- Description: Two delta and two gamma alcoholics were assessed by case study according to the theoretical formulations of Transactional Analysis. Scripts and Games were elicited through the Thematic Apperception Test, Laddering Procedure, and Life History. Analyses demonstrated, firstly, that parallels were present between the parent-child relationship and present adult transactions; secondly, that needs, fears, and control mechanisms were traceable to early parental injunctions; thirdly, that among these subjects, delta alcoholics tend to play the alcoholic game "Lush", and gamma alcoholics tend to play the alcoholic game "Drunk and Proud". It was concluded that the script and existential position appear to play an important role in the maintenance of the drinking pattern. Alcoholic Loss of Control appears to be influenced by the degree to which aggression is suppressed.
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- Date Issued: 1983
A phenomenological explication of the male alcoholic's experience of existence with mother and father
- Authors: Singer, Stanley
- Date: 1984
- Subjects: Alcoholism -- Psychological aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: vital:3124 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006143
- Description: Much is written, especially in psychodynamically oriented literature, about the unduly close dependency relationship male alcoholics have with their mothers. Whilst not disputing this it became apparent to myself when working with them that they also expressed strong attachments to their fathers who were described as absent or punitive. The literature goes on to theorize that a repressed homosexual element is often at work in the male alcoholic. Not much more of substance is said about the father other than he may be absent or punitive - even less is mentioned of the male alcoholic's experience with his father. It appears that this relationship has remained largely unexplored as a result of an uncritical imposition of theory, especially psychodynamic, upon the complex phenomenon of alcoholism. These theories generally posit the mother's influence over all problems in living be they neuroses, psychoses or alcoholism. It is possible that a dialogue exists between mother, father and alcoholic son which is more extensive and complex than that currently described in the literature, with father playing a greater role than previously believed.
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- Date Issued: 1984
A phenomenological explication of the artistic creative experience of a painter, a writer and a playwright
- Authors: Lambie, Eileen
- Date: 1988
- Subjects: Phenomenology Art -- Philosophy Artists Creation (Literary, artistic, etc.)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: vital:3115 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004605
- Description: The aim of the thesis was to explore two focus questions using the phenomenological approach. Firstly, what it meant to be an artist for three particular artists; a painter, a writer and a playwright. Secondly, what a general explicitation (after Van Kaam, 1958) of the three subjects' artistic creative experience and working processes revealed in essence. The taped data of the three artists were reduced and explored through a number of phenomenological strategies. This led to the formulation of four essential descriptions for each artist, which were based structurally on Van den Berg's experiential categories in A Different Existence. Thus, the essential descriptions reflect each artist's relationship with his/her world, body, fellow people and time. The final step was the achievement of a general extended description. The major conclusion arising from the phenomenological explication is that art affords a way through which artists are able to live an authentic existence. That is, the body and world of the artist are in harmony and the artist's art roots him in the past, is manifest in the present and indicates the future direction of his work. Another conclusion is that the artist is Janus-faced and this enables him/her to balance subjectivity and objectivity in the Lebenswelt and to communicate what he/she sees to others in a healthy way through art. The artist's relationship with world, body, fellow people and with time, is postulated as being qualitatively richer than that of the nonartist. The two focus questions were successfully answered through the research explication and were validated by two independent judges. The viability of the phenomenological approach in the field of artistic creativity was therefore demonstrated. Suggestions for future research were made, one of which was that more phenomenological research aimed at eliciting specific information on the creation of art works might render more information on the artistic creative process.
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- Date Issued: 1988
An existential phenomenological study of gaining insight into oneself through perceiving another person
- Authors: Hoek, Trevor Martin
- Date: 1988
- Subjects: Self Self-perception
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: vital:3113 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004594
- Description: The aim of this study was to examine the structure of the experience of gaining insight into oneself through perceiving another person. Such a one-to-one situation was selected in order to ensure a minimal level of complexity. The researcher conducted a pilot study in order to check whether people could relate such an experience in response to a long and difficult interview question. One female first year student responded from among a group of thirty to whom the question was posed. She was then interviewed. The data appeared acceptable. This was confirmed after the data analysis using the phenomenological-psychological method of textual analysis. The analysis showed that the subject, while comparing herself with the person whom she was with, discovered that she structured her life too rigidly in her attempt to meet the expectations of others. This discovery gave her the opportunity to restructure her approach to her world and to the others whom she had seen in only a narrow and abstracted way. Lengthier interviews were then conducted with a further six potential subjects. These were then transcribed. Two of those subjects, though, were found to have experienced insight through perceiving more than one other person. The data from the four remaining subjects were then analysed using the phenomenological psychological method. The researcher discovered that insight involves a clarity of perception which is achieved when the person becomes aware of clearly differentiated possibilities; these are revealed to him through his intensely reflecting on where he stands in relation to the other person whom he perceives, or in relation to alternatives revealed to him by the other. The polarities that are revealed allow the person to take up a new approach to his world, since the person discovers that his experience has revealed that he has been inauthentic in his muddled concern about others, and this gives the person a perception of truth that he was previously unaware of. These findings were dialogued with the writing of psychologists and philosophers who have written on the subject of becoming aware of oneself in relation to others.
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- Date Issued: 1988
An existential-phenomenological explication of the older person's perception of anticipated death
- Authors: du Plessis, Christine Edna
- Date: 1988
- Subjects: Death -- Psychological aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: vital:2905 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002070
- Description: This study attempts to explore, both theoretically and empirically, death anxiety across the lifespan in Western society. Six elderly women between the ages of 75 and 90 years were interviewed about their current perceptions and attitudes toward their anticipated deaths, and to what extent these perceptions may have altered over the course of the life cycle. It was hypothesized that an acceptance of religion and a belief in an afterlife existence; a sense of having experienced death before, in seeing loved ones die; and a feeling of having lived a meaningful life through the reminiscence of past events would all facilitate an older person's acceptance of anticipated death. An existential phenomenological explication of the protocols revealed that: religion need not necessarily play a major role in this regard; both the life reminiscence process and having experienced death before in seeing loved ones die facilitated acceptance of death; older persons are prepared for death in the sense of experiencing a feeling that their life cycles have been completed; although death may not be feared, many fears of dying are prevalent. It was thus concluded from this study that, although death is not a major preoccupation of the older person, it does still play a significant role in the lives of the elderly in that being aware of impending death allows the older person to regulate her life according to ̕̕̕̕̕ʾtime-left-to-liveʾ
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- Date Issued: 1988
A case study of narcissistic pathology : an object relations perspective
- Authors: Ivey, Gavin William
- Date: 1989
- Subjects: Narcissism Narcissism -- Treatment
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: vital:3188 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1008453
- Description: The case-study method of psychological research was applied to the brief psychodynamic therapy of a narcissistically disordered female patient. The aim of this research was to explore, clarify and explain certain diagnostic and psychodynamic anomalies to emerge in the course of treatment, using a conceptual framework derived from select psychoanalytic object relations theorists in the area of narcissistic pathology. The author, discovering that there was no diagnostic or explanatory object relations model adequate to the therapeutic data, formulated his own diagnostic category narcissistic neurosis and an eclectic object relations model in order to explain the anomolous research findings. Narcissistic neurosis was defined as a form of psychopathology in which a primarily neurotic character structure presents with a distinctly narcissistic profile. The narcissistic false self-structure serves the functional purpose of protecting the psyche from a repressed negative self-representation derived from a destructive bipolar self-object introject. The primary etiological factor to emerge was that of a narcissistic mother conditional affection and self-object target child necessitated adaptive whose insensitivity, relationship with the premature self-sufficiency and the defensive emergence of a narcissistic surface self-representation. It was proposed that narcissistic neurosis and narcissistic personality disorder are two discrete forms of pathology differing in terms of severity, psychodynamics, defensive structure, mode of object relating, therapeutic accessibility and prognosis. Assessment criteria were proposed in order to differentiate the two areas of narcissistic pathology and assess suitability for psychotherapeutic treatment. Positive treatment results in this case-study suggest that narcissistic neuroses may receive long-term benefit from short-term psychodynamic therapy.
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- Date Issued: 1989
Attitudes to family planning in the Taung area of Bophuthatswana: a social work perspective
- Authors: Thekisho, Geraldine Nomonde
- Date: 1989
- Subjects: Birth control -- South Africa -- Bophuthatswana , Bophuthatswana (South Africa) -- Social conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: vital:3277 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004914 , Birth control -- South Africa -- Bophuthatswana , Bophuthatswana (South Africa) -- Social conditions
- Description: Emphasis in the study is on the prevalence of poverty especially in the so called third world developing countries. Poverty as a social problem is caused by a number of factors, viz: Over population, unemployment, illiteracy, etc. In the case of the study the focus is the rapid population growth or "population explosion" as it is commonly known. Family planning is sen as important, but not the only strategy in combatting the interrelated problem of population growth and development. The relevance and importance of social workers, as members of a multidisciplinary team in the delivery of family planning programmes is emphasised. There is evidence in the study to support the observation that Black African people in particular are reluctant to use family planning methods. Based on this evidence, the basic assumption arrived at is that there is a general unfavourable attitude to family planning in the Taung area. The research design used is exploratory-descriptive. Of the 75 areas in the district, 10 areas were included In the investigation. A stratified random sample was used, with a sample size of 200 respondents. The interview schedule was used to collect data. It was structured and consisted primarily of close-ended questions, and was analysed using the Biomedical Data Programme (B.M.D.P.). The problem is formulated from literature concerned with population growth in the Republic of South Africa as well as Bophuthatswana. The following sub-problems were described: illegitimacy; health and economic problems associated with large families; abortion; malnutrition and malnourishment; and the absence of services of the National Family Planning Programme In the Taung area. Compatibility between social work and family planning is a central concern, with community development as a significant method of intervention. The three important concepts in the study were broadly defined, viz: Overpopulation, family planning and attitude. It was established that: -the use of family planning follows rather than precedes the process of modernisation and rising economic standards; -no family planning programme can be practised universally - because of factors such as culture, need and habit. Attitudinal change is considered based on the basic assumption arrived at. Little has been done on the subject of family planning in south Africa. With regard to the role of social work in family planning, there have been impediments along the following lines: lack of firm tradition; emphasis on treatment rather than on preventive work; a view of family planning asa health measure and to be offered solely in the medical and health services. To be active in this field social workers need formal education and training. Taung: - the area of study is predominantly rural with almost all characteristics of rural areas, those of: Irregular transport services to and from remote areas; corrugated roads; primitive sanitary conditions; poor communication system; absence of electricity in villages; illiteracy and unemployment. On the other hand, development is evident especially in the health, education and welfare fields. The central findings in the study are those arising from resistances to family planning usage - politically; culturally; morally and psychologically. The general conclusions are: The high rate of unemployment is present in the sample and there is financial dependence on partners (men); the importance of social workers in family planning is emphasised; there is a desire to have large numbers of children (children feature prominently in the area and are regarded as an asset in various ways); and lastly, improved education does lead to an increase in motivation to adopt family planning practices. Against the highlighted findings, recommendations were made, viz that: Community development be used as a strategy for change; social workers be involved as team members in family planning - in policy formulation and planning of population programmes at various levels, using different methods of intervention; paramedical aides beused - because of inter alia shortage of qualified manpower and lastly formal education and training to be granted to prospective change agents in family planning delivery programmes. , KMBT_363 , Adobe Acrobat 9.54 Paper Capture Plug-in
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- Date Issued: 1989
Family planning : an evaluative study on the attitudes and use of contraceptives by black males in Umtata
- Authors: Madikizela, Nosinodi Alicia
- Date: 1989
- Subjects: Birth control -- South Africa -- Transkei , Transkei (South Africa) -- Social conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: vital:3278 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006454 , Birth control -- South Africa -- Transkei , Transkei (South Africa) -- Social conditions
- Description: The purpose of this study is to identify, observe and record the attitudes and use to of contraceptives by black males in Umtata and to investigate the effect of education, urbanisation and age on fertility control. Data was gathered from a sample of adult males who were past the school going age and were employed or working in Umtata and its surburbs, which are Ngangelizwe, Ikwezi, Southernwood, Northcrest, Norwood, Ncambedlana, Nduli Crescent, Fortgale and Hill Crest. Information was also gathered from Nursing officers in charge of family planning service centres in the areas mentioned above. Findings reveal that, although black urbanised educated males in Umtata seem to have accepted the use of contraceptives by themselves and their sexual partners, their patterns of behaviour in relation to fertility control and the value of children to families remains traditional. This contributes to the relatively high fertility rate in the country. Children are an investment for old age. They are also regarded as a security factor against divorce. It is the duty of legally married couples to raise a family with children who will continue to bear the family name. It appears that men are either suspicious of modern contraception if not totally opposed to it. Many still prefer the use of natural methods of contraception. There is thus need for social workers and health planners to recognise and educate males on the use and benefits of modern contraceptives to limit the number of children borne and control periods when they would like to have children. This study will be of value to social welfare services and to family planning nurses who are in direct contact with clients in hospitals and clinics, in their family planning campaigns, when they motivate couples and individuals on the importance of family planning, and also in mother-and-child health services. Educationists, sociologists, psychologists and persons in other fields of study will also benefit from information attained in this survey.
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- Date Issued: 1989
The effects of a personal growth programme on self esteem, loneliness and other indicators of divorce adjustment in a group of divorced women
- Authors: Harms-Smith, Linda
- Date: 1990
- Subjects: Divorced women -- Psychological aspects
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: vital:687 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002012
- Description: Divorce is a major personal and social phenomenon, having a profound effect on those involved both directly or indirectly. The social work profession is faced with a large and vulnerable population at risk, and needs to take cognizance of the effects of divorce as well as the process of divorce adjustment in order to make a contribution in this area. Due to the significantly high divorce statistics, families and individuals are increasingly having to reorganise and adjust to the divorced status. This adjustment is a process which, if successfully negotiated, may ultimately lead to positive personal growth. Divorce, although extremely painful, may therefore paradoxically lead to growth and wholeness. It is during the stage of divorce adjustment that the social worker has a particular role to fulfil. Divorce adjustment may be assessed in terms of the attainment of positive functioning, making use of specific indicators for divorce adjustment. These indicators include self esteem; autonomy vs attachment; loneliness; parenting; social skills; and resolution of feelings around the divorce. Not only is there a need for the development of a clear measure for these indicators and therefore for divorce adjustment, but also for the development of a treatment approach specifically suited to the needs of divorcees in the process of post-divorce adjustment. The present researcher has aimed to address these issues by designing, implementing and then evaluating a personal growth programme and its effects on indicators of divorce adjustment. An extensive review of the literature was done. This covered the impact of divorce, the process of divorce adjustment, indicators of divorce adjustment, social work treatment approaches, and group work in divorce. An empirical study was then conducted whereby an experimental group was exposed to the group work treatment programme and a control group was not. A quasi-experimental design was used to measure the significance of changes in scores on various indicators of divorce adjustment. standardised measuring scales were used for the measurement of self esteem and loneliness, while a measure for indicators of divorce adjustment was especially designed for the purposes of this study. Both the experimental and control groups completed the measurements before and after the period of treatment. The present researcher designed a group work programme related to the needs of divorcees generally, and the needs identified by the participants in the study specifically. It was conducted over a period of ten weeks, consisting of ten one-and-a-half hour sessions. Eight divorced women attended the group. All had children and all had custody of their children. The programme included sessions on self esteem and self awareness; social skills (assertiveness and conflict resolution); loneliness; depression; and parenting. The sessions were structured and learning was based on experiential learning principles with brief didactic inputs. An eclectic approach was used by the researcher, drawing on theoretical models such as cognitive restructuring, gestalt techniques, psycho-drama, the client-centred approach and behaviourist techniques. An atmosphere of mutual support and feedback was encouraged and conscious use was made of self esteem/self-awareness building techniques. The main findings of the study showed that the personal growth programme (using a structured, skills training, self esteem/self awareness building, and experiential learning approach) had a significantly positive effect on self esteem and other indicators of divorce adjustment, but not on loneliness. The programme may therefore successfully be implemented in work towards divorce adjustment among divorced clients.
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- Date Issued: 1990
The role of the marriage counsellor in a Xhosa community: an exploratory-descriptive study
- Authors: Phorie, Constancia Lineo
- Date: 1990
- Subjects: Marriage counselling -- South Africa Xhosa (African people) -- Marriage customs and rites Marriage customs Family
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: vital:686 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002011
- Description: The focus of this study is on the role the marriage counsellor should play in the Black community. This role is being placed in sharp perspective as a result of social change affecting the Black family. Problem-solving, including marriage counselling has traditionally been done by the extended family. This role of the family as a natural support system has been weakened by factors such as urbanization and Westernisation. This has prompted Black couples experiencing in particular marriage problems to make use of professional marriage counselling services from specialised and other welfare agencies. A major problem in the rendering of professional counselling services is that they are to a great extent based on Western civilization as far as basic philosophy and underlying assumptions are concerned. Thus intervention modalities used for marital problems in the Black community do not address the real needs of the people. The main objective of this study was to investigate how marriage counselling services are perceived in the Black community. It is expected that research findings would assist the helping professions make the necessary adjustments to make marriage counselling approaches more relevant to problems experienced in married life in the Black community. The study revealed that the family in the Black community is still regarded as the main problem-solver although people do go beyond the family for assistance. The nuclear family has also started to emerge in the Black community and bonds to the bigger family systems are beginning to loosen. The research findings indicated clearly that there is a need for professional marriage counselling and that services of this nature should be extended further into the Black community. A problem in this regard however is that the community will have to be educated to use these services
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- Date Issued: 1990
Discovering the meaning of stress: a qualitative approach
- Authors: Crowley, Michelle Laureen
- Date: 1991
- Subjects: Stress (Psychology)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: vital:2957 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002466 , Stress (Psychology)
- Description: The aim of the study was to understand the meaning of stress, and towards this end eleven individuals who claimed to have experienced the phenomenon during the six months prior to data collection were asked to describe their experience. These transcribed protocols were explicated in terms of a phenomenological praxis, and the emotional content of descriptions subjected to taxonomic analysis. In addition, a literature review for the purposes of tracing the development of contemporary stress models and related constructs was conducted. The latter critiqued current conceptualisations of stress, and attempted to highlight some important contributions. Explication in terms of phenomenological praxis identified seven central features associated with lived stress, namely, lived stress as : the perception of personal cost; a sense of entrapment; persistent coping efforts; learned helplessness; embodiment; and, poor social relations. In addition, the unfolding nature of the experience suggested stress as a continuous process of adjustment to worldly demands, and furthermore, highliJhted several variations of structure. The latter themes were used to develop a more inclusive model of lived stress as a dynamic and unfolding process. Dialogue with existing literature was able to confirm the self-world split proposed by the transactional approach to stress as legitimate, and furthermore, confirmed the primacy of cognition for the stress phenomenon. In addition, the link between stress and personality factors, psychopathological conditions and related fields of enquiry (such as anxiety and burnout) as well as more positive modes of being (such as creativity) were discussed. Furthermore, lived stress was shown to involve a threat to the individual's continued existence, both with respect to his/her the desired self and its unfolding and his/her physicality, while the presence of mutual hostility between self and world was also noted. The study concludes with reflection concerning the methodologies employed, and suggests that while qualitative and interpretive methods are both cumbersome and time consuming if rigorously applied, they do enrich the understanding of complex experiential phenomena. Finally, several suggestions are made for further research and refinement in the stress field, the most pertinent of which appears to be that of establishing the relationship between lived stress and the development of more debilitating psychopathological conditions.
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- Date Issued: 1991