Psigologiese kenmerke van kinders uit intakte en egskeidingsgesinne

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Date
2004-09
Authors
Jansen van Rensburg, Pieter
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Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: According to the South African Central Bureau of Statistics, documented divorces affect the lives of 45 000 children each year. The accumulative effect of the psychological impact on children in their mid-childhood years has not yet been researched in South Africa. Little statistically justifiable data is available regarding the psychological functioning of children from divorced families compared with those from intact families. This study focuses on the psychological functioning of children from divorced families who are in their mid-childhood years. Psychological functioning is a comprehensive concept that for the purpose of this study has been divided into four areas of psychological functioning, namely self-concept, locus of control, social support and behaviour symptomatology. In the theoretical consideration of the research constructs the following findings were made: • It is meaningful to study both the intra- and interpsychic functioning of a child within a systemic totality. • A significant relation exists between pre-, peri- and post-divorce events with regard to the impact of divorce. • Research by means of meta-analyses shows that the impact of divorce on parents is an important variable that determines the impact of divorce on children. • The study also shows self-concept, locus of control, social support and behaviour symptomatology to be valuable variants that may provide information regarding the psychological functioning of children from divorced families. For the empirical part of this study, schools from rural as well as urban regions were included to ensure representivity of the sample. In addition, children from various racial, language and socio-economic backgrounds were selected. The following questionnaires were used in the study: the Piers-Harris Children's Self-concept Scale, the Norwicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale, the Social Support Appraisal Scale and the Child Symptom Inventory - 4. The statistical results of the experimental group were investigated further, with reference to the following three variants: • children from divorced families versus those from intact families; • boys and girls from divorced families versus those from intact families and • children from different age groups from divorced families versus those from different age groups from intact families. The results of the research indicate that the broad null hypothesis should be accepted, namely that there is no difference between children from divorced families and those from intact families with regard to some components of psychological functioning. These results are encouraging with regard to the functioning of children in their midchildhood years from divorced families. These findings were compared with available research. The conclusion was reached that children in their mid-childhood years from divorced families do not necessarily function less effectively than children from intact families. The value of this study lies in the following: • South African research results are being made available and • psychologists, academics and those in related professions are provided with information which may be useful in their professions. In conclusion, suggestions were made for continued research.
Afrikaans: Die Sentrale Statistiekdiens van Suid-Afrika dui aan dat gedokumenteerde egskeidings die lewens van 45 000 kinders per jaar beïnvloed. Die akkumulatiewe effek van die psigologiese impak op kinders in hul middelkinderjare is nog nie in Suid-Afrika ondersoek nie. Min statisties verantwoordbare inligting is beskikbaar ten opsigte van die psigologiese funksionering van die kind uit geskeide gesinne in vergelyking met dié van die kind uit intakte gesinne. Hierdie studie plaas die fokus op die psigologiese funksionering van die kind in sy middelkinderjare uit geskeide gesinne. Psigologiese funksionering is 'n omvattende begrip, wat vir die doeleindes van hierdie studie afgebaken is in vier terreine van psigologiese funksionering, naamlik selfkonsep, lokus van kontrole, sosiale ondersteuning en gedragsimptomatologie. In die teoretiese beskouing van die navorsingskonstrukte is die volgende bevind: • Dit is sinvol om die kind se funksionering binne 'n sistemiese geheelbeeld te ondersoek. Dit geld sy intrapsigiese sowel as interpsigiese funksionering. • Ten opsigte van die impak van egskeiding is daar 'n belangrike verband tussen pre-, peri- en postegskeidingsgebeure. • Navorsing toon verder deur middel van meta-analises aan dat die impak van egskeiding op die ouer 'n belangrike veranderlike is wat die impak van egskeiding op die kind bepaal. • Selfkonsep, lokus van kontrole, sosiale ondersteuning en gedragsimptomatologie is veranderlikes wat waardevolle inligting kan verskaf oor die psigologiese funksionering van die kind uit geskeide gesinne. In die empiriese gedeelte van die ondersoek is skole uit verskeie plattelandse en stedelike streke ingesluit ten einde die steekproef so verteenwoordigend as moontlik te maak. Verder is kinders uit verskeie rasse, tale en sosio-ekonomiese agtergronde geselekteer. Die volgende vraelyste is in die ondersoek gebruik, naamlik: die Piers-Harris Children's Self-concept Scale, die Norwicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale, die Social Support Appraisal Scale en die Child Symptom Inventory - 4. Die statistiese resultate van die ondersoekgroep is verder nagevors aan die hand van drie veranderlikes, naamlik: • kinders uit geskeide gesinne versus kinders uit intakte gesinne; • seuns en dogters uit geskeide gesinne versus seuns en dogters uit nie-geskeide gesinne en • kinders van verskillende ouderdomme uit geskeide gesinne versus kinders van verskillende ouderdomme uit intakte gesinne. Die resultate van die navorsing toon aan dat die oorkoepelende nulhipotese aanvaar moet word, naamlik dat daar nie 'n verskil is ten opsigte van sommige komponente van psigologiese funksionering tussen kinders uit egskeidingsgesinne en dié uit intakte gesinne nie. Hierdie resultate is bemoedigend ten opsigte van die funksionering van die kind in sy middelkinderjare uit egskeidingsgesinne. Die bevindings is vergelyk met beskikbare navorsing. Daar is tot die gevolgtreking gekom dat kinders in hul middelkinderjare uit egskeidingsgesinne nie noodwendig swakker funksioneer as kinders uit intakte gesinne nie. Die waarde van hierdie studie is geleê in die volgende: • Suid-Afrikaanse navorsingsresultate word beskikbaar gestel en • sielkundiges, akademici en professionele persone in randverwante beroepe sal die inligting nuttig kan gebruik in hul professies. Ten slotte is voorstelle gedoen met die oog op voortgesette navorsing.
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Keywords
Child, Mid-childhood years, Divorce, Self-concept, Locus of control, Social support, Behaviour symptomatology, Children of divorced parents, Children of divorced parents -- Psychology, Child development, Divorce -- Psychological aspects, Thesis (Ph.D. (Psychology))--University of the Free State, 2004
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