Psigofortologie by die leergestremde leerder

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Date
2000
Authors
Bouma, Renate Gerrarda
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Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: The purpose of this study was an investigation of the dynamics of psychofortological factors in learning disabled learners in order to make a contribution to their vocational preparation and adjustment in the outside world. The advancement of the learning disabled learner's psycho-fortological functioning for successful functioning after school leaving is therefore the primary focus of the study. The investigation is directed towards the psycho-development of the learners who experience problems, as well as towards the prevention of problems in adulthood. The rationale of the study is to be found in the investigated functioning aspects: i.e., psycho-fortological factors such as coping, assertiveness, fortitude and sense of coherence which are important for functioning in the workplace. The field of study of psycho-fortology focusses upon the psychologically healthy individual, more specifically, the individual who remains psychologicallyand physically healthy in spite of stress and crisis situations. Aspects discussed are the learning disabled adolescent, learning disability, the demands made by school leaving and the task and terrain of the special school. An investigation was done into the connection between the learner's psychofortological functioning, namely, his/her coping skills, assertiveness, sense of coherence and fortitude and his/her functioning. The aspect of assertiveness was analysed to determine to what degree anxiety, associated with social situations, is problematic for the learning disabled learner. The empirical investigation consisted of a quantitative and a qualitative component. In the quantitative investigation the following scales were used to operationalise the psycho-fortological constructs: the fortitude questionnaire of Pretorius (1998), the assertivenessquestionnaire of Gambrill and Richey (1975), the sense of coherence questionnaire of Antonovsky (1987) and the COPEquestionnaire of Carver, Scheier and Weintraub (1989). A functioning index was drawn up by the investigator herself. Reliable indices were procured for all the scales. The findings of the quantitative investigation indicate that the learning disabled learner's grade and age correlate with his/her functioning and with the psycho-fortological aspects senseof coherence and assertiveness: the higher the grade (and age), the lower the level of functioning and the more negative the psycho-fortological indices, and vice versa. In the present investigation it was also found that the specific psychofortological indices "comprehensibility" (sense of coherence) "initiating personal contact" (assertiveness) as well as the learner's self-appraisal (fortitude) show a high correlation with the index of the learner's functioning. It appeared that a high level of functioning is connected to a positive self-appraisal (fortitude), the ability to conduct oneself assertively and a good grasp of the stress situation. The results of the qualitative investigation to a high degree support the findings of the quantitive investigation. The considerable deficiencies associated by the quantitative investigation with low functioning, namely, limitations regarding selfappraisal, sense of coherence, comprehensibility of the stress situation and assertivenessare confirmed by the qualitative investigation. From the results of the qualitative investigation it became evident that certain aspects, namely, constructing a positive and realistic future perspective through the experience of success, independent assertive conduct, a realistic, positive self-image and effective problem solving skills had to be included in a psycho-development programme. A psycho-development progamme was drawn up on the basis of the results of the empirical investigation as a contribution to the advancement of the psychological strengths of the learning disabled learner in particular, as well as of senior learners in general.
Afrikaans: Die doel van hierdie studie was om die dinamika van psigofortologiese faktore by die ernstig leergestremde leerders te ondersoek ten einde 'n bydrae te kan maak tot hulle beroepsvoorbereiding en aanpassing in die buitewêreld. Die bevordering van die leergestremde se psigofortologiese funksionering vir suksesvolle aanpassing na skoolverlating is dus die primêre fokus van die studie. Die ondersoek is gerig op die psigo-ontwikkeling van die leerders wat probleme ervaar, sowel as op die voorkoming van aanpassingsproblemein die volwasse stadium. Die rasionaal van die studie lê daarin dat die funksioneringsaspekte wat ondersoek word, te wete psigofortologiese faktore, soos onder meer coping, assertiwiteit, fortaliteit en koherensiesin belangrik is vir funksionering in die arbeidsmark. Die studieterrein van psigofortologie fokus op die sielkundig gesonde individu, meer spesifiek die individu wat psigies en fisiek gesond bly, ondanks stres en krisissituasies. Aspekte wat bespreek word is die leergestremde adolessent, leergestremdheid, die eise wat skoolverlating meebring en die taak en terrein van die spesiale skool. In Ondersoek is gedoen na die verband tussen die leerder se psigofortologiese funksionering, naamlik syjhaar copingvaardighede, assertiwiteit, koherensiesin en fortaliteit en syjhaar gedragsfunksionering. Die aspek van assertiwiteit is ontleed om te bepaal in watter mate angs, wat geassosieer word met sosiale situasies, problematies is vir die leergestremde. Die empiriese ondersoek het bestaan uit In kwantitatiewe en In kwalitatiewe komponent. In die kwantitatiewe ondersoek is gebruik gemaak van die volgende skale om die psigofortologiese konstrukte te operasionaliseer: die COPE-vraelys van Carver, Scheier en Weintraub (1989), die assertiwiteitsvraelys van Gambrill en Richey (1975), die fortaliteitsvraelys van Pretorius (1998) en die koherensiesinvraelys van Antonovsky (1987). In Gedragsfunksioneringsindeks is deur die ondersoeker self opgestel. Betroubare indekse is verkry vir al die skale. Die bevindinge van die kwantitatiewe ondersoek dui aan dat die leergestremde leerder se graad en ouderdom korreleer met syjhaar gedragsfunksionering, asook met die psigofortologiese aspekte koherensiesin en assertiwiteit: hoe hoër die skoolgraad (en die ouderdom), hoe laer die vlak van gedragsfunksionering en hoe negatiewer die psigofortologiese indekse, en omgekeerd. In die huidige ondersoek is ook gevind dat die spesifieke psigofortologiese indekse "verstaanbaarheid" (koherensiesin), "die inisiëring van persoonlike kontak" (assertiwiteit), sowel as die leerder se selfbeoordeling (fortaliteit) hoog korreleer met die indeks van die leerders se gedragsfunksionering. Dit het geblyk dat hoë gedragsfunksionering gekoppel word aan positiewe selfbeoordeling, die vermoë tot assertiewe optrede en In goeie begrip van die stressituasie. Die resultate van die kwalitatiewe ondersoek ondersteun in In groot mate die bevindinge van die kwantitatiewe ondersoek. Die beduidende leemtes wat deur die kwantitatiewe ondersoek met lae gedragsfunksionering geassosieer word, naamlik beperkinge ten opsigte van selfbeoordeling, koherensiesin, verstaanbaarheid van die stressituasie en assertiwiteit, word deur die kwalitatiewe ondersoek bevestig. Uit die resultate van die kwalitatiewe ondersoek het dit geblyk dat bepaalde aspekte in In psigo-ontwikkelingsprogram ingesluit behoort te word, naamlik die opbou van In positiewe en realistiese toekomsperspektief deur middel van die belewing van sukses, selfstandige assertiewe optrede, In realistiese positiewe selfsiening, en effektiewe probleemoplossingstrategieë. In Psigo-ontwikkelingsprogram is saamgestelop grond van die resultate van die empiriese ondersoek as bydrae tot die bevordering van die sielkundige sterktes van die leergestremde leerder in die besonder en senior leerders in die algemeen.
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Keywords
Learning disability, Adolescence, Cognition, Stressors, Coping skills, Sense of coherence, Assertiveness, Social skills, Psycho-fortology, Self, Support system, Functioning, Learning disabled children, Cognition disorders, Thesis (Ph.D. (Psychology))--University of the Free State, 2000
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