Psigologiese kenmerke van kinders uit intakte en egskeidingsgesinne

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.