Die belewing en die vergestalting van veerkragtigheid van ouers van kinders met aandagtekort- en hiperaktiwiteitsversteuring in hul middelkinderjare

Date
2017-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT : Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is characterised by an ongoing pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with daily functioning and development. Statistics indicate that an increasing number of children are affected by this condition. Children with ADHD in their middle childhood years require special support with the mastering of various developmental tasks inherent in this phase. This may place extra pressure and stress on parents, in addition to the normal demands of parenthood. It could be beneficial for parents of children with ADHD to learn from the shared knowledge of other parents in similar situations. This enables them to acquire coping mechanisms and implement other processes to better handle the challenges along this path. In the same vein, educational psychologists and other key members of the community can use this research as a knowledge base from which to offer these parents more effective support. If we were to further pursue this strategy, it would be valuable to gather more information regarding (1) the experiences of parents of children with ADHD in their middle childhood years, as well as (2) the determiners of resilient parenthood in such circumstances. The goal of this study is to gain insight into the concerned phenomenon in order to develop a diagrammatical representation of the experience of parents of children with ADHD in their middle childhood years, as well as the actualisation of resilient parenthood in this context. A qualitative approach was used in this study and an exploratory narrative case study was chosen as a research plan to direct the interpretative research. The data was generated through semi-structured interviews and supplemented with close observations, field notes during interviews, participants’ diary entries, as well as reflective journal entries. The data was processed using thematic analysis and the intra-comparison of themes. This was followed by in-depth descriptions of the experiences of parents who have children with ADHD in their middle childhood years, as well as the actualisation of resilient parenthood in this context. These insights were summarized by a diagrammatical representation that illustrated some of the determiners and obstacles to resilience, as well as the causes, consequences, relationships and processes that were related therein. In this light, society’s ignorance is found to be the biggest obstacle to the actualisation of resilient parenthood. It is seen as the main cause of (1) people’s critique and prejudice against ADHD, (2) the exclusion of children with ADHD, as experienced in mainstream schools, and (3) the stigma associated with the use of medication for ADHD, as well as the placement of children with this condition in special needs schools. The determiners of resilience identified in this research, include: (1) a positive attitude and a strict routine at home, (2) time and experience in adapting to this condition, and (3) the support provided by family, the staff of special needs schools and other parents of children with ADHD in their middle childhood.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Aandagtekort- en Hiperaktiwiteitsversteuring (ATHV) word gekenmerk deur ‘n aanhoudende patroon van onoplettendheid en/of hiperaktiwiteit-impulsiwiteit wat ‘n negatiewe invloed op daaglikse funksionering en ontwikkeling het. Statistiek dui daarop dat al hoe meer kinders daardeur geraak word. Kinders met ATHV in die middelkinderjare het eiesoortige ondersteuning nodig in die bemeestering van verskeie ontwikkelingstake eie aan hierdie fase. Dit plaas, bo en behalwe die gewone eise van ouerskap, eiesoortige druk en stres op ouers. Juis daarom behoort die ouers van kinders met hierdie toestand te baat by kennis van ander ouers in soortgelyke posisies. Sodoende kan dit hulle help om moontlike hanteringstrategieë en prosesse in plek te stel vir die hantering van die uitdagings op hierdie pad. Dienooreenkomstig kan opvoedkundige sielkundiges en ander rolspelers in die gemeenskap die betrokke navorsingstudie as ’n kennisbasis gebruik om meer effektiewe ondersteuning aan hierdie ouers te bied. Om dit te kan doen, word daar egter kennis aangaande (1) die algemene belewing van ouers van kinders met ATHV in hul middelkinderjare, asook (2) die bepalers van veerkragtige ouerskap binne hierdie verband, benodig. Die doel van hierdie studie was om insigte omtrent die betrokke fenomeen te bekom ten einde ’n diagrammatiese voorstelling van die belewing en die vergestalting van veerkrag by die ouers van kinders met ATHV in hul middelkinderjare, te ontwikkel. ’n Kwalitatiewe benadering tot die navorsing is toegepas en ’n verkennende narratiewe gevallestudie is as navorsingsontwerp gekies om hierdie interpretatiewe navorsing te rig. Data is deur semigestruktureerde onderhoude gegenereer en is aangevul deur fyn waarneming, die maak van veldnotas tydens onderhoude, dagboekinskrywings van deelnemers, asook reflektiewe joernaalinskrywings. Data is verwerk deur die tematiese analise en intravergelykings van temas. Indiepte beskrywings van die belewing van ouers van kinders met ATHV in hul middelkinderjare, asook die vergestalting van veerkragtige ouerskap binne hierdie konteks het gevolg. Hierdie insigte is in ’n diagrammatiese voorstelling saamgevat wat enkele bepalers en hindernisse tot veerkragtigheid, asook die oorsake, gevolge, verhoudings en prosesse wat hiermee verband hou, illustreer. In die lig hiervan is die onkunde van die samelewing bevind as die grootste hindernis tot die vergestalting van veerkragtige ouerskap. Dit word beskou as die hoofoorsaak van (1) mense se kritiek en oordeel aangaande ATHV, (2) die uitsluiting van kinders met ATHV in hoofstroomskole, (3) en die stigma wat aan die gebruik van medikasie vir ATHV, asook die plasing van kinders met hierdie toestand in spesiale skole, kleef. Die bepalers van veerkragtigheid wat uitgelig is, sluit in: (1) ’n positiewe ingesteldheid en ’n streng roetine by die huis, (2) tyd en ervaring om by hierdie toestand aan te pas, en (3) die ondersteuning wat deur familie, die personeel van spesiale skole en ander ouers van kinders met ATHV in hul middelkinderjare, gebied word.
Description
Thesis (DEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2017
Keywords
UCTD, Attention-deficit-disordered children, Parents of attention-deficit-disordered children, Resilience (Personality trait), Adaptability (Psychology) in parents
Citation