Browsing by Author "Sturgeon, Shona"

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    A comparative study of lower grade and higher grade pupils at a Jewish community school with regard to intelligence, self-concept and adjustment
    (1987) Reid, Cherry Lynn; Sippel, Gerd; Sturgeon, Shona
    A comparison of Lower Grade and Higher Grade pupils with regard to intelligence, self-concept and adjustment. 29 Lower and 29 Higher grade pupils in Stds 8 and 9 at a Jewish community day school were compared with regard to their I Q scores, self-concepts and adjustment level. These variables were measured on the following tests: The NSAGT; the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale and the PHSF Relations Questionnaire. The data from the two groups were compared by means of a t-test for small samples and the results demonstrated a significant difference (p≤0,01) for I Q scores and for self-concept but did not reveal a significant difference on most of the 12 sub-scales of the PHSF Relations Questionnaire. As regards the latter, a significant difference (p<0,05) was obtained on the sub-scale Sociability - S for female pupils and a significant difference was obtained on sub-scales Self-Confidence (p≤0,01) and Formal Relations (p≤0,05) for male pupils. The significant difference in I Q scores can be partially understood in terms of the selection criteria for admission to the Lower Grade class. The significant difference in self-concept can be attributed to the difference on the Intellectual and School Status sub-category. The lack of significant differences on the other sub-scales suggest that factors other than academic achievement are important in terms of self-concept formation for example:- class structure; membership of peer groups; extra-mural activities and family relationships. The lack of significant difference between Lower and Higher Grade pupils in the area of ,adjustment can perhaps be explained in terms of the Lower Grade pupils' relatively high scores on other sub-categories of the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale i.e. it was only as regards intellectual status that the Lower Grade perceived themselves as less able.
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    An examination of childcare practices and perceptions amongst employed Ugandan males and their working spouses in the Kampala and Mpigi districts
    (2012) Nkwake, Apollo Mukasa; Sturgeon, Shona; O'Brien, Connie
    This study examines childcare practices among employed Ugandan fathers with working spouses. The researcher adopted a dominant quantitative design as well as a qualitative design (mixed methodology). A survey was used to obtain quantitative descriptive data. Random cluster samples of 200 fathers (100 in Kampala and 100 in Mpigi) and 200 mothers (100 in Kampala and 100 in Mpigi) were interviewed with questionnaires.
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    An exploration into the experiences and challenges of emerging organizations with regards to the financing of their services by the department of Social Development in the Western Cape
    (2008) Makena, Ntombozuko Lecardia Zukie; Sturgeon, Shona
    The primary purpose of this study is to explore the experiences and challenges of emerging organizations with regards to the financing of their services by the Department of Social Development in the Western Cape. This dissertation also provides the reader with an overview account of the research design as well as the research techniques, which were utilized in the fieldwork to gather information. The study is mainly qualitative and exploratory in nature. Interviews were held with the Directors of the non-profit organizations.
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    An explorative study of grade 7, Hanover Park learners' awareness of, and participation in, after-school programmes and activities
    (2010) Parker, Nazrana; Sturgeon, Shona
    During the crucial stage of their development, many children living in Hanover Park have to deal with numerous challenges that impact on their ability to discover and enhance their capabilities. This study aimed to explore the available after-school programmes and activities for Grade 7 learners living in Hanover Park. Furthermore, it assessed whether learners are aware of these available after-school programmes and activities and what hinders their participation.A qualitative research design was used for this study. Semi-structured interviews with key respondents were held to determine the available after-school programmes and activities in Hanover Park.
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    Exploring how object relations theory can be used to understand the response of individuals to organisational change : three case studies
    (2000) Grassow, Howard; Sturgeon, Shona
    The study set out to explore why people who were not at risk of being retrenched at the time of organisational change presented to the employee assistance program with signs of depression and anxiety. The study examined the, 'unconscious aspects' of the relationship between the individual and work colleagues; the importance of the individual's relationship with the organisation, and how early unresolved feelings of loss can be evoked during organisational change. The study was informed by psychoanalytic object relations theory. The study presents a theoretical examination of infant development that focuses on the sources of early anxieties, the way in which the infant defends against these anxieties, and the mother's role in helping the infant to contain them. This examination suggests that although many of these primitive anxieties are resolved during infancy and childhood, they remain present in adulthood and therefore people continue to seek out places that can contain their primitive anxieties. The theoretical constructs are then used to examine three areas, those being, the employees relationship with the organisation, relationships with colleagues, and the loss of the organisation. Three case studies are presented to illustrate the theoretical constructs. The three participants, all of whom were not at risk of being retrenched, presented to the employee assistance programme with signs of anxiety and depression. The data presented was collected during ten therapy sessions. This data was then analyzed using psychoanalytical object relations theory. The study seemed to Show that: early maternal relationships play an important role in how the employee will relate to the organisation and work colleagues; that the organisation plays an important role in providing a forum for reparation for employees; that the employee organisation relationship plays an important role in containing employee's anxieties; that changes within the organisation may be experienced by members as a loss of an important containing relationship. It is helpful for social workers working with employees to understand these so as to help both employees and management during organisational change.
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    Factors causing the rejection of state patients by their families and relatives and the effects of the rejection on the patient
    (2009) Mdunyelwa, Siviwe; Sturgeon, Shona
    The process of rehabilitating State Patients requires that they go out on leave of absence (LOA), once their psychiatric condition has settled to spend time with their families away from the hospital environment. The cooperation of the family or relatives is crucial as the patient is going to need supervision while he is at home. The family therefore should be prepared to accept him. The research was conducted at Valkenberg Hospital in the Western Cape. A qualitative approach was used to explore and describe the factors that cause the rejection of State Patients by their families and relatives and the effects of the rejection on the patient. A random sample was drawn from patients who are currently occupying beds in the forensic wards at Valkenberg Hospital, and have not been out on leave for at least one year and above. Ten patients were selected and relatives of these patients were interviewed. Emergent findings were that relatives were not willing to accept the patients because of lack of knowledge and understanding of the illness and also out of the fear of not knowing if and when the patient will re-offend. Substance abuse and aggression emerged as the main factors that families were struggling with and a high percentage of the respondents mentioned these as major difficulties for them. The patients who were interviewed appeared to be struggling with expressing their feelings, and could not articulate how the rejection affected their mental state or whether it affected them at all.
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    Identification of the needs of grade 10 learners for input for a life skills programme : a study conducted at a Cape Town high school
    (2004) Sandler, Penelope; Sturgeon, Shona
    The aim of this study is to try and find out what the need of Grade 10 girls are at a high school in the suburbs of Cape Town and how the school can assist them in meeting these needs. The rationale for doing this research arose as a result of the need to draw up a life skills programme based on research, which would include the participatory input of the grade 10 leamers. Like most high schools, the one the researcher approached, has experienced their share of normal to serious behaviour problems and the counselling department wanted to address these in their life skills programme with the emphasis on early prevention. Grade lOs (average age 16 years) were specially identified by the head of counseling as those being most at risk. The theoretical approaches covered in the literature review are psycho-analytic and object relations, focusing on the developmental tasks of middle adolescence, in particular the emergence of the young persons self-identity as they separate from their family and move towards greater individuality with their peer group. The relevance of life skills education to equip adolescents to cope with the social and emotional challenges they are likely to encounter, is also covered.
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    An investigation into factors affecting the involvement of parents with their institutionalised mentally handicapped child
    (1997) Daniels, Joy Merlin; Sturgeon, Shona
    This study explores the factors that affect the involvement of parents with their mentally handicapped children after the children have been admitted to Lentegeur Care and Rehabilitation Centre in Mitchells Plain, Cape Town. The study was motivated by the concern of the researcher regarding the lack of parent-child contact and the failure of attempts by social work staff to increase parental involvement. For the purposes of the study involvement is defined as visits and telephone calls by parents to the institution and their subjective description of their emotional closeness to their children. The literature review explores the effect the presence of a mentally handicapped child may have on family functioning and the circumstances that may cause the family to consider placing the child in an institution. Other studies concerned with parent-child involvement after institutionalization are reviewed.
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    An investigation of the-training offered to community-based rehabilitation workers with particular reference to the field of mental handicap in the Western Cape
    (1991) Daniels, Ingrid Elizabeth; Sturgeon, Shona
    This study investigates the training offered to community-based rehabilitation workers in the field of mental handicap to ascertain whether the training provided has been perceived as appropriate in assisting with their tasks and functions. Further investigation is done into the underlying theoretical approaches used in training, curricula designs, training objectives, location and training periods, the community-based rehabilitation workers level of participation and involvement in planning of the training programme, and whether creative, pragmatic and participatory training methods, techniques and materials were used. The nature of supervision was also explored. The historical development of community-based rehabilitation, the lack of trained personnel, and the disparity in the provision of services in South Africa and the function of the community-based rehabilitation are discussed. It is against this background that the historical emergence and need for training of community-based rehabilitation workers are highlighted. Different theoretical approaches to the development and presentation of training are discussed due to the considerable influence they have on the value base upon which training programmes are built. This includes an overview of the philosophy of Paulo Freire. The research method used is of a qualitative nature. The researcher employs an exploratory - descriptive design to gain insight into an area which is relatively uninvestigated. By using this design, the researcher hopes to build a foundation of ideas and tentative theories which could later be tested through more complex methods. The first population chosen included the total population of community-based rehabilitation workers employed at the South African Christian Leadership Assembly Health Project, (seven) and Cape Mental Health Society (two). The second population were the trainers associated with these organisations and the specific projects in which the community-based rehabilitation workers are employed. One trainer from each organisation was included. Both organisations chosen are engaged in direct service delivery to the mentally handicapped in socially deprived communities in the Western Cape. The primary source of data collection was acquired in two phases:- Phase one - An interview schedule which included structured & unstructured questions was administered by the researcher to the community - based rehabilitation workers. The information was gathered with the assistance of an interpreter. Phase two - A detailed self-administered, semi-structured questionnaire was completed by the trainers. The data in these two phases was presented in a descriptive manner due to the size of the population. The study found that there is no consensus regarding appropriate training models. Courses are often loosely structured with no theoretical base. A comprehensive-generic approach which includes promotive, curative, preventative, and rehabilitative aspects is suggested. In this study, the course focused mainly on curative and rehabilitative aspects to assist with tasks while promotive and preventative skills were neglected. No prescribed training period can be stipulated. Constraints of distance and location would determine the duration of the training while the location of training should be within the confines of the community to prevent isolation and an unnatural environment. More creative and pragmatic methods and techniques should be carefully selected. All components of supervision should be given priority and provided regularly in pragmatic and innovative ways. Furthermore, trainers, trainees and communities need to have equal participation and involvement in all spheres of training.
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    Learners exposure to gang violence and their participation in high-risk behaviour : a study in a Western Cape high school
    (2004) Erasmus, Marione Heather; Sturgeon, Shona
    The aim of the present study is to assess the level of learners' exposure to gang violence and their participation in high-risk behaviour in and outside of a selected secondary school in the Western Cape. The study was exploratory and a self-report questionnaire - 'School Safety Survey' devised by Cornell and Loper of the Virginia University School Project, appropriately modified to fit the South African context was employed to gather qualitative and quantitative data. Disproportional stratified sampling was employed to select the initial sample of 125 learners because the race, grade and gender subgroups varied with regard to the proportion of their members appearing in the study population, but only a total ofll21earners attended school and participated in the study on the day. Even though the survey was administered to 112 learners, the researcher only retained 97 surveys that had complete data on all variables. In this study descriptive statistics are used to analyse the demographic details of the final sample population. The chi-square test was used to determine if there are significant differences in learners' exposure to gang and non-gang violence and their participation in high-risk behaviours in and outside of school. The two factors that were considered to potentially impact on the scores obtained for these categories are Grade and Gender. The survey results identified that in general, the observed frequency of learners' exposure to gang and non-gang violence was relatively higher outside of school than their exposure to gang and non-gang violence in school. Moreover, there were also no statistically significant grade and/or gender differences in learners' overall exposure to gang and non-gang violence in and/or outside of school at 95% confidence level (p = 0.05). In addition the observed frequency of learners' overall participation or endorsement of high-risk behaviour was relatively higher outside of school than in school. There were also no statistically significant grade and gender differences in learners' overall participation in high-risk behaviour in school at 95% confidence level (p=0.05) but there were significant gender differences in learner's participation in high-risk behaviour outside of school. In response to the findings a number of recommendations are made to stabilise and develop the school infrastructure, taking particular cognisance of the physical resources required for making the school a safer environment. In addition, it was proposed that educators create opportunities to develop leadership within the pupil body and introduce age-appropriate life skills and empowerment workshops to address the difficulties that these learners may experience.
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    Opinions of African caretakers of children at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital regarding the linking of traditional healers to western health settings
    (1995) Tabane, Elizabeth Mamatle; Sturgeon, Shona
    Health care systems play an important role in maintaining good health in communities. In South Africa, Africans are continually faced with the dilemma of choosing western or traditional values. The literature has shown that African people use both western and traditional systems simultaneously. The South African government is also considering to include traditional healers in the national health policy .This study examines the opinions of African parents or caretakers of children at Red Cross War Memorial Children' s Hospital regarding their use of western and traditional health systems and their opinion regarding their linkage. The research method for this exploratory study was a focus group and structured interview. The results indicated that in the communities from which the respondents were drawn there are many Africans who consult traditional healers. The results further indicated that many Africans consult both western doctors and traditional healers for the same medical problem. The results also indicated that the respondents considered it necessary to link traditional healers to western health settings. Recommendations for future research are included.
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    The perceptions and experiences of a sample of women, living in Khayelitsha, after receiving an HIV-positive diagnosis
    (2006) Solomon, Marina Adelaide; Sturgeon, Shona
    Includes bibliographical references (leaves 94-99).
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    The second separation-individuation process of adolescence : a study in a Western Cape high school
    (1999) Wood, Tracey Susan; Sturgeon, Shona
    This study aims to understand the difficulties students are experiencing within the separationindividuation process of adolescence which could be impacting on their optimal process of growing up. The rationale for doing this research arose from the researcher's work with adolescents, in a school setting, who were presenting with difficulties in a number of areas. Bios' (1967, 1979) theory of adolescence, as a second separation-individuation process of development, provided a useful basis for understanding and examining the difficulties with which the students were dealing. The literature review traces a developmental process, drawing on Psychoanalytic and Object Relation Theorists, towards adolescence. This process highlights the links between early and later development and the importance of optimal early development on later developmental processes. Adolescence, as a second separation-individuation stage of development, is discussed.
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    The second separation-individuation process of adolescence : a study in a Western Cape high school
    (1999) Wood, Tracey Susan; Sturgeon, Shona
    This study aims to understand the difficulties students are experiencing within the separationindividuation process of adolescence which could be impacting on their optimal process of growing up. The rationale for doing this research arose from the researcher's work with adolescents, in a school setting, who were presenting with difficulties in a number of areas. Bios' (1967, 1979) theory of adolescence, as a second separation-individuation process of development, provided a useful basis for understanding and examining the difficulties with which the students were dealing. The literature review traces a developmental process, drawing on Psychoanalytic and Object Relation Theorists, towards adolescence. This process highlights the links between early and later development and the importance of optimal early development on later developmental processes. Adolescence, as a second separation-individuation stage of development, is discussed.
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    Social work as a scarce skill : a study of retention and turnover in government subsidized NGO's with more than five social workers in the Cape Metropolitan area
    (2008) Naude, Kirsten Marie; Sturgeon, Shona
    The purpose of this study is to examine turnover and retention of social workers in the non-governmental (NGO) sector of the Cape Metropolitan Area, Western Cape, South Africa. While it appears to be much needed in South Africa, social work is known to be a scarce skill with high levels of organisational turnover. The Department of Social Development issued a Draft Recruitment and Retention Strategy in 2006 to address the problem of scarcity of social workers. The author aimed to establish whether the NGO sector has any similar strategies concerning the scarce skill declaration.
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    A study of factors which influence the initial engagement of clients in counselling in an agency offering marriage counselling services
    (1987) Hill, Andrea Frances; Sippel, Gerd; Sturgeon, Shona
    The problem of initially engaging clients in counselling, at an agency offering marriage counselling services, is complex. It is often difficult to motivate the couple to come together to the first interview. Many clients book appointments which they do not keep, and others attend only one interview. The aim of this .study was to identify specific factors likely to influence the initial engagement of clients with marital problems in an agency setting. A literature survey was done and four groups of factors likely to influence the initial engagement of clients in counselling were identified. These factors are: client factors, including demographic, problem related and expectation related factors, actuarial factors, including waiting time for the first appointment, agency hours and agency fees, interactional factors, including agency-client interaction in the initial telephone contact and in the first interview, and counsellor factors.
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    A study of the perceptions of race and experience of prejudice in Grade Four learners at a Cape Town primary school
    (2009) West, Verusha; Sturgeon, Shona
    The researcher is a social worker at a primary school in Cape Town. This school was previously reserved for white children during the apartheid era, but now provides education for a multi-racial group of children, who are predominantly of mixed race. The researcher became aware that incidents of bullying and learner conflict in the school took on a racial flavour at times, but that there was a tendency to deny that race was a difficulty with which the children struggled. She embarked on this research in order to examine the views and experiences of these learners with regards to race and prejudice. The researcher employed a qualitative research design and made use of a number of focus groups to gather data. These groups were run with Grade Four learners in the primary school, and explored their understanding of race, as well as their views of people from the different races that they identified. They were also asked about their own experiences of being treated in a negatively prejudiced way. The results show that while the children tended to be reluctant at first to speak about issues of race, many of them had very strong views about their own and other groups. Some children showed very strong prejudice towards people from out-groups, while others displayed strong own-group preference, with little out-group prejudice. On the whole, participants were very reluctant to speak of experiences of negative prejudice shown towards them. The report is concluded with some recommendations for further study into this area of South African children, race and prejudice, as well as some recommendations to the school where the study was conducted. KEYWORDS: Racism, Prejudice, Desegregated Schooling, Children, Post Apartheid Education, Contact Hypothesis, Social Identity Development Theory.