Na aanleiding van die vraag of die ldientsisteem aan wie die maatskaplike werker hulp verleen, stres ervaar en hoe die klient in hierdie verband deur die maatskaplike werker gehelp kan word, is die doelwitte van die studie geformuleer. Die doel van die studie was om (1) 'n teoretiese stresmodel vir die maatskaplike werk daar te stel, (2) die stresverskynsel by 'n geselekteerde klientsisteem te beskryf, (3) die daarstelling van 'n praktykmodel vir die implementering van streshanteringsprogramme deur maatskaplike werkers en (4) die loodsimplementering en -evaluering van die voorgestelde model. Die studie is ondemeem binne die raamwerk van die ontwikkelingsnavorsings- en -benuttingsmodel. Daar is hoofsaaklik van 'n beskrywende navorsingsontwerp gebruik gemaak en kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe metodes van datainsameling is aangewend. 'n Stresmodel wat deur maatskaplike werkers benut kan word om stres by klientsisteme te beskryf en te verklaar, is daargestel. Hierdie model berus grootliks op die model van ekologiese kongruensie en is versoenbaar met die ekologiese sisteembenadering in maatskaplike werk. In die empiriese ondersoek na die voorkoms van stres by die klientsisteem, is gevind dat die betrokke kliente nie alleen meer stres as nie-kliente ervaar nie, maar ook dat
kliente op hulp met betrekking tot die bantering van hulle stres aangewese is. Ten einde maatskaplike werkers in staat te stel om kliente op 'n doelgerigte wyse met die hantering van stres te help, is 'n praktykmodel, gebaseer op die model van stres-inokulasieopleiding, ontwikkel. Hierdie model vir die implementering van streshanteringsprogramme deur maatskaplike werkers, is kongruent met maatskaplikewerk-waardes en die -
hulpverleningsproses. Hoewel die bevindings van die loodsondersoek nie veralgemeen kan word nie, is daar tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat die model moontlik maatskaplike werkers in staat kan stel om klientsisteme met stresverwante probleme te help. Daar word voorgestel dat die model aan meer omvangryke en intensiewe evaluering blootgestel moet word.
The goals of this study were formulated in response to the question of whether the client system to whom the social worker directs help, experiences stress and to the question of how the client can be assisted in this regard by the social worker. The aims of the study were to ( 1) create a theoretical stress model for social work, (2) describe the stress phenomenon in a selected client system, (3) create a practice model for the implementation of stress management programmes by social workers and (4) execute the trial implementation and trial evaluation of
the proposed model. The study was undertaken within the framework of the developmental research and utilization model. A research design which was chiefly descriptive, was used and qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection were applied. A stress model. which can be utilized by social workers to describe and explain stress within client systems was created. This model is based on the model of ecological congruence and is compatible with the ecological systems approach in social work. In the empirical investigation
of the prevalence of stress in the client system, it was found that clients not only experience more stress than non-clients, but also that clients are in need of help in managing their stress. To enable social workers to help clients purposefully in the management of stress, a practice model, based on the model of stress inoculation training, was developed. This model for the implementation of stress management programmes is consistent with social work values and the helping process in social work. Although the findings of the trial investigation cannot be
generalised, it was concluded that the model could enable social workers to help client systems with stress related problems. It is recommended that the model be subjected to more extensive evaluation.
