Adaptasie van adolessente wie se ouers buitelandse diens verrig

Abstract

In hierdie studie is gepoog om te bepaal hoe adolessente adapteer wanneer hulle alleen (sonder hul gesin) in Suid-Afrika agterbly terwyl hul ouers langtermyn buitelandse <liensverng. Om te kon bepaal hoe adolessente adapteer, is daar eerstens 'n uitgebreide literatuurstudie onderneem. Die Veerkragtigheidsmodel van gesinstres, aanpassing en adaptasie van McCubbin is as teoretiese onderbou gebruik. Tweedens is 'n empiriese studie onderneem deur die gebruik van die "A-Cope" vraelys om te bepaal watter adaptasiegedragspatrone en adaptasiegedragstipes deur adolessente gebruik word in stresvolle situasies (soos byvoorbeeld wanneer hulle alleen in Suid-Afrika agterbly wanneer hulle ouers langtermyn buitelandse <liens verrig). Die empiriese studie het aangetoon dat die adaptasiegedragspatrone en -gedragstipes, wat die mees waarskynlikste is, die vermyding van probleme is. Die mees onwaarskynlike adaptasiegedragspatroon is die gebruik van professionele ondersteuning. Aanbevelings is gemaak in die belang van adolessente, hul ouers en die maatskaplike werker van die Departement van Buitelandse Sake.

This study endeavoured to determine how adolescents, cope when they are left behind in South Africa (without their families) while their parents do long term foreign service abroad. To determine how adolescents cope an expansive literature study was firstly undertaken. The Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment and Adaptation by McCubbin served as the theoretical basis. Secondly, an empirical study was undertaken. The A-Cope index was used to determine which coping patterns and coping behaviour adolescents apply when dealing with stressful situations such as when they stay alone in South Africa while their parents serve abroad. The empirical study revealed that the coping patterns and coping behaviours that adolescents respectively apply the most, are avoidance of problems. The most unlikely coping behaviour that adolescents will apply, is to seek professional assistance. Recommendations are made in the interest of adolescents, their parents and the social worker at the Department of Foreign Affairs.