Doctoral Degrees (Psychology)

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Browsing Doctoral Degrees (Psychology) by Subject "Adolescent"

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    Die beleweniswêreld van serebraal gestremde adolossente en die rol van psigososiale faktore in hulle sielkundige weerbaarheid
    (University of the Free State, 2013-01) Visser, Dirkie Amalia; Nel, L.; Beukes, R. B. I.
    English: Cerebral palsy is a complex condition and stressor, posing specific challenges to the affected individual and those involved. According to the literature, existing studies do not reflect the subjective experience and self-reporting of the person with a disability (Lutz & Bowers, 2005; Reeve, 2006; Singh & Ghai, 2009; Stalker, 2012; Tisdall, 2012; Watermeyer & Swartz, 2008; Watson, 2012). Thus, this study attempts to let the voices be heard of adolescents with cerebral palsy in order to gain new insight into the way in which they ascribe meaning to disability, manage their disability and overcome social, physical and emotional barriers. A qualitative approach within a psychofortigenic framework was followed in the study. The role of psychosocial factors in the psychological resilience of the adolescent with cerebral palsy was investigated in order to include the strength perspective. The theories, frameworks and models of the positive psychology paradigm were used as theoretical foundation to the study. Analysis and interpretation of data from the six semi-structured interviews was done by means of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Furthermore, the identified themes were contextualised within an ecological systems framework according to intrapsychic, interpersonal and broader community factors. A preliminary conceptual process model was compiled from the cross-case analysis and describes the interrelationship and general dynamics of the experience of disability as well as the role of psychosocial factors (risk and protective factors) in the psychological resilience of the adolescents with cerebral palsy. The results confirm the impact and experience of disability as a multi-layered phenomenon and that each individual ascribes unique meaning to it according to personality traits, needs, emotional and social support, life contexts and life demands. The need of the adolescent with cerebral palsy to be recognised and treated as a unique individual is central in this study. The experience of disability within the broader social community does not only have a psycho-emotional effect on the person with a disability, but also psycho-social implications. Risk and protective factors are interacting in a multi-levelled way and the adolescent applies personal and contextual sources of power in order to ensure positive outcomes. The value of this study is letting the voices be heard of people with a disability regarding their lived reality of disability and psychological sources of resilience. The knowledge gathered in this study can also contribute to improved aid, support and understanding of the person with a disability.
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    The experiences of adolescent daughters of mothers diagnosed with borderline personality disorder
    (University of the Free State, 2022-11) Heppell, Marlize; Nel, Lindi
    This study aimed to describe, interpret and gain deep insight into the lived experiences of adolescent (aged 12–18) daughters with mothers diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). As this disorder is characterized by substantial impairment in terms of interpersonal functioning and implies a deeply-rooted identity disturbance, the question is how this will affect the mothering abilities of women diagnosed with the disorder. Specifically, mothering adolescent daughters in the fifth developmental phase are confronted with identity forming versus identity confusion. In the adolescent phase, attachment forming has already been established. Clinical theorists suggest disturbed attachments are expected from someone diagnosed with this psychopathology. It was found that a definite association exists between BPD and insecure attachment forming. The attachment style the child was exposed to will directly influence the development of the child's internal working model and affect the child's emotional regulation, autonomy, capacity to build and maintain trusting relationships and social and relationship expectations. The major objective of this study was to investigate the risk factors for developing a transgenerational pattern and determine what elements will protect the adolescent daughter from this repeated pattern. What will assist the child in reaching a point of meaning-making, and what will the role be of psychotherapy and psychiatric interventions? The study was interpretative and phenomenological, and eleven adolescent daughters with mothers diagnosed with BPD were interviewed on two occasions, six months apart. Qualitative data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analysed through a thematic analysis. Four themes were deducted from the interviews: (1) experiencing complex interpersonal dynamics, (2) experiencing emotional dysregulation, (3) not managing the system, and (4) having positive expectancies. The study contributed to the gap in South African literature on the effect of a maternal BPD diagnosis on adolescent daughters and the importance of psycho-therapeutic interventions as a protective measure for developing a transgenerational pattern. The study added to the international literature on this topic and emphasized the differences in adolescents' maternal perceptions within the middle adolescent group (aged 12–18 years).
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    The neuropsychological and psychosocial development of children and adolescents with lipoid proteinosis
    (University of the Free State, 2014-01) Steenberg, Erika; Esterhuyse, K. G. F.; Thornton, H. B.
    English: Lipoid proteinosis (LiP) is a rare hereditary disease, which often results in bilateral, symmetrical and circumscribed calcifications in the mesial temporal region (especially the amygdala). While studies on the neuropsychological and neuropsychiatric difficulties of adults with LiP have been published, a lack of research focusing exclusively on the neuropsychological and psychosocial development of children and adolescents with LiP was identified. A heterogeneous group of five children and adolescents with LiP, ranging in age from 4 to 17 years, and who represented the entire known population of children and adolescents with LiP in South Africa, was assessed with standardized neuropsychological measures and behaviour checklists. Two control participants were matched to each LiP participant according to IQ, home language, right- or left-handedness, sex, race and geographic environment (urban/rural). Each child or adolescent with LiP was compared separately with the control participants matched to them, as well as with the norm groups on which the various instruments were standardized. Variable results were obtained, but in general the children and adolescents with LiP performed significantly worse (practical significance) compared with controls on measures of memory, facial emotion recognition and executive function. Three of the LiP participants also adapted less well socially than their control participants did. All the LiP participants presented with behaviour problems, although the severity and types of behaviour problems varied. Two of the participants in this study presented with amygdala lesions that may have influenced their scores on neuropsychological measures and the ratings of their behaviour, but this possibility can be substantiated only by further research that includes the imaging of controls. The study provides a baseline assessment for future longitudinal and developmental research on LiP; therefore, the study can be regarded as a pilot study.
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    Die rol van sosiale ondersteuning in die lewenstevredenheid van MIV-geaffekteerde adolessente
    (University of the Free State, 2012-02) Malgas, Albertus J.; Beukes, R. B. I.; Botha, A.
    English: South Africa is characterised as a country with high levels of socioeconomic inequalities, poverty, violence and a high incidence of HIV/AIDS, which imply numerous challenges for living conditions of South Africans. These contextual factors cause South African adolescents to be exposed to multiple life stressors. One of the greatest life threats confronting young South Africans is the loss of control over their lives caused by HIV/AIDS. The impact of HIV/AIDS threatens the survival and normal development of children and adolescents. The most destructive effect of the pandemic on children and adolescents is the disintegration of traditional social support structures and social networks. Social support is regarded as one of the most important predictors of physical health and life satisfaction and plays an important role in the relationship between life stressors and life satisfaction. It functions as a buffer to decrease the impact of stress and to increase coping abilities when people find themselves in stressful situations. Social support is provided by parents, family, extended family, friends, teachers and the broader community and plays an important role, because these sources of support can soften the impact of stressful life events. With reference to the details stated above, the purpose of the research was to determine the role of social support in the life satisfaction of a group of adolescents affected by HIV/AIDS. This study was undertaken with a group of 218 HIV/AIDS-affected adolescents from the Northern Cape Province. A qualitative approach was used. A biographical questionnaire including aspects such as sex, race, home language and the parents' marital status and socioeconomic status was developed to measure the biographical variables. The Satisfaction with Life Questionnaire was used to obtain a measure of their life satisfaction. The Perceived Social Support from Family and Friends Questionnaire and the Life Stressors and Social Resources Inventory – Youth Form (LISRES-Y) were used to obtain a measure of their social support. An analysis of the research results indicates that some biographical variables do play a role in the life satisfaction and social support of this group of adolescents affected by HIV/AIDS. Differences in sex and age, socioeconomic status, race and the family structure seem to play a role in the social support and life satisfaction of these adolescents. In addition, it is apparent from the research that social support by the family and friends plays a significant role in the differences in respect of adolescents with high and low levels of life stressors and life satisfaction. However, throughout the study it was clear that adolescents affected by HIV/AIDS experienced lower levels of life satisfaction, regardless of the level of social support.