Die verband tussen gesinsorg en interpersoonlike skemas in adolessensie

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:An increasing number of children in South Africa are deprived of adequateparental care. Factors exacerbating the situation are the deaths of parents dueto HIV/AIDS and contextual stressors like poverty and violence. Childrenremoved from family care in accordance with stipulations of the Act on ChildCare, were all exposed to factors of inadequate care like a lack of basic meansof existence and/or physical, emotional or spiritual neglect or sexual abuse.The current thesis tried to determine to what extend these factors influence thesocial development of children.Theories of psychosocial development have shown that optimal socialdevelopment starts with securing a strong positive and reciprocal emotionalbond with the primary caregiver. This is the basis of personal security andinterpersonal trust upon which further developmental elements like a positiveself image, autonomy, pro-social behaviour, emotional well-being, moral values,the ability to find solutions to problems, self control and expectations about thefuture, will be based.Schema theory has confirmed the importance of positive developmentalexperiences in establishing positive expectations about social interaction.Negative developmental experiences will lead to dysfunctional schemas andselective processing of information. This will negatively influence emotionalwell-being, the ability to solve interpersonal problems and realistically assessingthe self and others. Dysfunctional interpersonal patterns, inappropriate socialbehaviour and a less positive expectation of the future, will follow.Patterns of parental care are still important in adolescence and influence bodyimage, sexual identity, academic achievement, career aspirations, values,autonomy and emotional well-being. Negative patterns of parenting, likeloveless over-control and child abuse, lead to dysfunctional interpersonalexpectations. Residential care increases the risk of diffused bonding, unlesssufficient preventive measures are put in place.In the current thesis ten elements of interpersonal schemas were identifiedaccording to the above theories. Statistical comparisons of the elements weredone using two groups of adolescents. Adolescents in the first group wereremoved from parental care in accordance with the Act on Child Care, whileadolescents in the second group experienced continuous and adequateparental care.The results supported all of the hyphotheses, with a measure of ambivalenceabout autonomy. Psychosocial history was proved to be a measurablediscriminating factor in adolescent interpersonal schemas. Sex proved to be afurther discriminating factor in some elements. Girls were influenced most bythe presence or lack of family security.In a second section, current programmes for social empowerment in use inchildren's homes, were evaluated according to the above results. Indicationswere given about possible adaptations and additions to therapeutic and skillsprogrammes, the role of substitute families and character traits of staff that mayhelp in limiting the risks of residential care.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University