UNIVERSITY EXAMINATION
HMPYC80
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
DATE: 2018-10-03
TIME: 09:00 – 12:00
SUBMIT: Assignment 8
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING CAREFULLY.
Note that you are not allowed to receive help from anybody or assist anybody else when you
complete this examination. Also note that when you are logged in all activities are recorded on a
server at Unisa. This means we can see exactly when you log in and off, the questions you
respond to, the time you use per question etc. During and after the examination students’ response
patterns and responses may be subjected to integrity testing. If any irregularities are found your
examination paper may be nullified. Examination fraud is viewed in an extremely serious light, and
may result in your being refused reregistration as a student.
YOU MUST RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTION
Question 1
I declare that I am not receiving help form anybody, nor am I assisting anybody else in completing
this examination. I understand that my submitted responses may be subjected to integrity testing
and that my paper may be nullified should any irregularities be found.
1. True
2. False
NOTE: If your paper does not contain a “True” response to this question, your examination will be
nullified.
A. The Youth Development And Opportunities Discovery Organisation …
You manage a grassroots community-based organization specialising in youth development. The
organisation is called the 'Youth Development And Opportunities Discovery Organisation'
(YDAODO). The organization consists of educators, trainers, social workers, and psychologists.
There are also a number of students (psychological interns) who complete their practicals at
YDAODO.
1 TURN OVER
, B. Meeting the project funder …
Jonti Baletse heads the South African office of the Scandinavian Philanthropic Trust. He contacted
YDAODO to ask whether your organisation could assist them with a new project. The
Scandinavian Philanthropic Trust has a mandate to support the development of resilient youth for
sustainable and resilient families, communities and nations.
A key element is the development of resilient ecosystems for youth and children is the
strengthening of the social fabric of families, neighbourhoods and communities. From an ecological
and nested-systems approach the ecosystems can be located within individuals (biological and
intra-psychological) and between individuals (psycho-social and economic).
According to Jonti Baletse a multi-disciplinary and multi-stakeholder approach to youth
development has the potential for more sustainable interventions. However, this is a vast field, and
many of the role-players do not have a common language or framework to enable cooperative
programme and service delivery. In addition, the social fabric that supports families and
communities has been eroded by relatively high rates of interpersonal crime and violence.
Substance abuse and addiction rates are also disconcertingly high. There are a host of other
psycho-social issues connected to these issues; such as teenage pregnancy, suicide and
suicidality, gangsterism, absent fathers (and absent parents), poor capacity of teachers and
schools, poor vocational guidance, the prevalence of HIV and Aids, poor availability of housing,
etc.
School leavers struggle to find gainful employment, and less than half of young adults manage to
gain jobs. Young adults have the odds stacked against them when they try to enter the job market.
All these difficulties cannot be reduced to one simple problem than can be easily remedied, but
form a complex constellation of difficulties.
The historic wounds and legacies of apartheid and structural racial discrimination have left gaping
wounds in the social fabric of many families and communities, due to: forced removals, forced
migrant work, pass laws and other legislation and practices. These wounds still linger in the current
community challenges more than 2 decades since the advent of inclusive democracy in South
Africa.
The Scandinavian Philanthropic Trust wishes to invest their funds in projects and programmes that
will have a durable and beneficial impact on individuals within families and their communities. They
have identified (a) early childhood and (b) youth programmes as a promising context of
intervention that can have beneficial long-term impacts on individuals, families and their extended
communities. This should include all communities, with specific focus on psycho-social redress of
the historic wounds of apartheid and structural racial discrimination. High current crime rates and
high unemployment rates should be used to determine communities where the interventions will be
most applicable and of benefit.
Jonti wants you to investigate the situation with regard to youth who are about to exit, or who have
recently exited the schooling system. You are to provide psychological perspectives, suggestions
and inputs on suitable intervention and support programmes than can be implemented in diverse
communities in and around South Africa.
2 TURN OVER
, C. At the 'Youth Development And Opportunities Discovery Organisation' …
At YDAODO each day begins with a morning meeting to discuss the business of the day. The
meeting is attended by social scientists and psychologists working for the organisation as well as
psychology interns. At this morning’s meeting you inform everybody about your meeting with Jonti
Baletse, and you open the matter for discussion.
You pay close attention to what everybody says because the purpose of the discussion is to sort
out the details of the project. To guide the discussion, you indicate who you agree with most, who
you agree with second most and who you agree with the least.
Thus suppose Peter, Thabo and Patricia respond to a point under discussion. If you agree most
with Thabo’s response, second most with Peter’s response and agree the least with Patricia; so
your choice is: Thabo, Peter, Patricia.
You select your choice from a list of five potential responses. For example, if the list is:
1. Patricia, Peter, Thabo
2. Patricia, Thabo, Peter
3. Peter, Patricia, Thabo
4. Thabo, Peter, Patricia
5. Thabo, Patricia, Peter
You select 4.
If your choice does not appear in the list, you must reconsider your choice.
D. Discussing the client’s research brief ….
Thabo: We are required to approach the issue from a psychological perspective, which means we
need psychological theories to inform our actions. Clearly, what we are dealing with here are the
developmental needs of adolescent youth who are of school-leaving age. The funder wants to
support and enhance the resilience of these youth in the context of huge systemic and personal
challenges in their communities. There is a vast body of knowledge on teenagers who are 'at risk'
of adverse life outcomes. This includes the aetiology of growing up in adverse and challenging
circumstances. I think that the 'intergenerational trauma and adversity theory', also called the
'historic and cultural trauma theory', has good applicability to this context. The theory explains that
families who have suffered multiple intergenerational traumas and adversities, but have been
unable to transform or transmute these traumas, are liable to pass the traumas on to their children
and their grandchildren in ongoing cycles. This is particularly relevant in the context of systemic
deprivation and discrimination due to discriminatory apartheid policies of the past in South Africa.
Rick: In other words, if one wants to intervene in order to strengthen the social fabric of
communities and families one has to address and possibly rehabilitate these repetitive and toxic
cycles of trauma and revictimisation?
Thabo: Yes, but this is a 'wicked social problem' where there is no single or specific cause of
adversity, but rather many causal pathways that can combine and loop in various ways to
perpetuate the patterns of adversity and non-coping. There is no simple solution to complex
3 TURN OVER
,intergenerational trauma and adversity.
Rick: Does this mean that all families are equally affected by their past, and that youth who grow
up in adverse circumstances are doomed to be disempowered and disadvantaged?
Leza: No, studies have shown that adverse exposure to trauma and adversity during childhood is
associated with a higher statistical likelihood of physical illness, mortality, psychological difficulties
and disorders, and social problems. However, an individual is not a statistic. Many individuals who
grew up in adverse circumstances manage to rise above these challenges, while others were
somewhat affected but managed to live functional lives, and yet others did not cope and suffered
from severe impairments or disorders. It is important to note that some youth who grow up in stable
households with low adversity and trauma also grow up to live dysfunctional and non-resilient lives.
Disadvantage and discrimination is not necessarily a death sentence, whereas privilege is not per
definition a guarantee of success or resilience.
Peter: Remember the Kaiser study (www.acestudy.org) of the 1990s that showed that the risks and
likelihood of adverse outcomes is greatly increased when children grow up with multiple adverse
circumstances? They measured Adverse Childhood Exposures (ACES) in terms of: (a) household
dysfunction due to substance dependent parent, parental divorce, mental illness, battered mothers,
and criminal behaviour; (b) emotional and physical neglect of the child; and (c) emotional, physical,
and sexual abuse of the child. Higher Adverse childhood exposure ACES measures were linked to
health problems, smoking, depression, suicide attempt, early death, unintended teenage
pregnancy, and work related problems, amongst other symptoms.
You: We seem to be working with a chicken(s) and egg(s) problem. Some causes lead to
symptoms that become the causes of new problems. In some instances there is a cascading
avalanche of adversities, for example: if a father or mother loses their work, and feel that they is
unable to perform their responsibilities as breadwinner or care-giver, and then becomes
depressed, and then turns to alcohol or drugs to allay their symptoms. These negative cascading
events have a massive negative impact on all family members, including financial, physical,
emotional, social, and spiritual adversities. This is a typical dynamic of 'wicked social problems'.
How do some families in adverse circumstances and with histories of trauma and adversity
manage to be resilient and relatively healthy; whereas others spiral into patterns of helplessness,
powerlessness and internalised or externalised violence?
Rick: Is it possible that there can be an avalanche, or rather a wave of cascading beneficial effects
when families manage to cope or thrive in the face of multiple adversities?
Thabo: Yes, we have many examples of people surviving against all odds and in the face of terrible
adversities. Some of your parents, grandparents and family members may embody these qualities.
This is perhaps why I am attracted to psychology, because the human spirit is so difficult to
pigeonhole or place in a single category. People continually surprise me, sometimes in ways that
are pleasant and sometimes very unpleasant. This unpredictability is what makes life so interesting
and yet so difficult.
Peter: This conversation just made me realise how difficult social change is, and it seems rather
overwhelming....
Rick: Peter, I'm glad that you mention this. The legacies of intergenerational trauma and abuse
reflect our collective communities' and families' histories that reflect gross injustices and violations.
4 TURN OVER
,This is a topic that requires great sensitivity and a psychologically supportive context. In line with
this, the literature suggests that multiple social connections and having a person that believes in
one (for example a family member, neighbour or teacher) are protective factors in the context of
adversities.
Rick: So, how do we make recommendations about what works in terms of youth development,
empowerment and capacity-building if we cannot predict what will work?
Thabo: Our organisational (YDAODO) slogan states that 'we are in the business of establishing
and maintaining creative contexts for adaptive coping and resilient living'. We also have a vast
collection of publications on the possibilities and limitations of youth development and
enhancement. Let's not fall into the trap of fruitless wishful thinking, nor of cynical disengagement.
We can steer a realistic yet hopeful course that is theory-informed and results-driven; and that can
weather disappointments and adversities. Fortunately, there are relevant youth development
programmes that have been tried and tested in other settings that we can draw from to develop the
'School Leavers Development' (SLD) programme.
Rick: Our reading of the literature on youth development suggests that we could develop the
'School Leavers Development' (SLD) programme on the following 3 streams: (i) the personal
development of school leavers (and this includes building resilience in the face of adverse
childhood exposures where applicable); (ii) interpersonal development via community and family
engagement of school leavers; and (iii) work and livelihood-related capacity development of school
leavers.
Leza: The theory of Emotional Intelligence provides a solid conceptual framework for this
programme as it applies to all 3 streams of the SLD. However, we should include an 'Employability
Scale' that assesses the school leavers' generic readiness and capacities to create income as an
entrepreneur or to find employment.
All participants agreed with both Rick's and Leza's suggestions. After this decision, the floor was
opened for general discussion, and the conversation continued ...
Question 2
Peter: What is the purpose of the proposed School Leavers Development (SLD)
programme, at this point in time?
Patricia: The purpose of the School Leavers Development (SLD) programme is to create a context
where adolescent school leavers can develop resilience.
Leza: I think the purpose of the School Leavers Development (SLD) programme is to
strengthen the fabric of families and communities.
Thabo: No, the purpose of the School Leavers Development (SLD) programme is to develop
schools.
You agree most with, second most with and least with:
1. Leza, Thabo, Patricia
2. Patricia, Thabo, Leza
3. Thabo, Leza, Patricia
5 TURN OVER
,4. Patricia, Leza, Thabo
5. Thabo, Patricia, Leza
Question 3
Leza: Do you think the SLD programme will be fit for purpose in the light of the intention of the
Scandinavian Philanthropic Trust?
Peter: I think the SLD programme will be fit for purpose provided that there is a significant
relationship between intervention programme exposure, and the development of
school leavers.
Thabo: Yes, I think the SLD programme is fit for purpose, because the intention of the
Scandinavian Philanthropic Trust is to develop resilient and sustainable families,
communities and nations, by focussing on developing school leavers.
Patricia: No, the SLD programme is not fit for purpose because the purpose does not
address apartheid trauma.
You agree most with, second most with and least with:
1. Patricia, Thabo, Peter
2. Thabo, Patricia, Peter
3. Peter, Thabo, Patricia
4. Thabo, Peter, Patricia
5. Peter, Patricia, Thabo
Question 4
Peter: Do you think the SLD programme can help to address the concern of the Scandinavian
Philanthropic Trust?
Patricia: I think so, because the purpose of the SLD programme is to reduce crime and
enhance employment opportunities.
Thabo: Yes, I agree. The personal, interpersonal, work and livelihood-related capacity
development of school leavers does address the social development concerns of
the funder.
Rick: I agree, because the purpose of the SLD programme is to test the
'intergenerational trauma and adversity theory'.
You agree most with, second most with and least with:
1. Patricia, Thabo, Rick
2. Thabo, Patricia, Rick
3. Rick, Thabo, Patricia
4. Thabo, Rick, Patricia
5. Patricia, Thabo, Rick
6 TURN OVER
,Question 5
Rick: What is the main area of psychological content that the SLD programme draws on?
Leza: I would say the SLD programme draws on occupational theory.
Thabo: I think the SLD programme draws on emotional intelligence theory.
Patricia: No, the SLD programme draws mainly on adolescent development theory.
You agree most with, second most with and least with:
1. Thabo, Leza, Patricia
2. Leza, Thabo, Patricia
3. Thabo, Patricia, Leza
4. Patricia, Thabo, Leza
5. Leza, Thabo, Patricia
Question 6
Thabo: What psychological constructs should be assessed in the SLD programme?
Peter: Interpersonal skills for the workplace.
Patricia: No, I think that self-awareness and self-regulation are of primary importance.
Rick: I agree with you Patricia, but I think Peter also had a point. And, I would add
interpersonal skills for all contexts of living to both your suggestions.
You agree most with, second most with and least with:
1. Rick, Patricia, Peter
2. Peter, Patricia, Rick
3. Patricia, Peter, Rick
4. Rick, Peter, Patricia
5. Patricia, Rick, Peter
Question 7
Peter: I am concerned about the validity of the SLD programme. How can we make sure that the
SLD programme is valid before it is implemented?
Rick: We should develop a comprehensive theoretical framework as a foundation for the
SLD programme, otherwise there is no face or theoretical validity.
Thabo: Actually, there is no way we can talk about the validity of the SLD programme
before implementation of the programme.
Patricia: We could measure the correlation of the SLD programme with self-management
and interpersonal management in a pilot test on a small sample before we roll out
the programme.
You agree most with, second most with and least with:
7 TURN OVER
, 1. Thabo, Patricia, Rick
2. Patricia, Thabo, Rick
3. Rick, Patricia, Thabo
4. Rick, Thabo, Patricia
5. Thabo, Rick, Patricia
Question 8
Thabo: I have another concern: How do we determine whether the SLD programme has any
effect?
Patricia: People cannot not respond to the SLD programme. It has to have an effect. In other
words, there is no need to develop a method to observe how people respond.
Peter: I disagree. I think we should develop a method to observe how people respond
after they completed the SLD programme.
Leza: It is obvious. We have to get an indication of how people are before the SLD
programme, and how they are after the SLD programme.
You agree most with, second most with and least with:
1. Peter, Leza, Patricia
2. Patricia, Peter, Leza
3. Patricia, Leza, Peter
4. Leza, Peter, Patricia
5. Peter, Patricia, Leza
Question 9
Peter: So, suppose we want to develop a method to measure how the SLD programme
influences the school leavers psychologically. How would we approach this task?
Leza: We formulate questions based on the tasks that the SLD programme consists of to
see whether people mastered these tasks.
Thabo: We source questions that tap into the competencies of self-awareness, self-
regulation, interpersonal awareness, and interpersonal relationship skills.
Rick: We ask people to answer questions concerning intergenerational trauma and
possible solutions to address issues of mental health.
You agree most with, second most with and least with:
1. Leza, Rick, Thabo
2. Leza, Thabo, Rick
3. Thabo, Leza, Rick
4. Thabo, Rick, Leza
5. Rick, Thabo, Leza
8 TURN OVER
HMPYC80
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
DATE: 2018-10-03
TIME: 09:00 – 12:00
SUBMIT: Assignment 8
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING CAREFULLY.
Note that you are not allowed to receive help from anybody or assist anybody else when you
complete this examination. Also note that when you are logged in all activities are recorded on a
server at Unisa. This means we can see exactly when you log in and off, the questions you
respond to, the time you use per question etc. During and after the examination students’ response
patterns and responses may be subjected to integrity testing. If any irregularities are found your
examination paper may be nullified. Examination fraud is viewed in an extremely serious light, and
may result in your being refused reregistration as a student.
YOU MUST RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTION
Question 1
I declare that I am not receiving help form anybody, nor am I assisting anybody else in completing
this examination. I understand that my submitted responses may be subjected to integrity testing
and that my paper may be nullified should any irregularities be found.
1. True
2. False
NOTE: If your paper does not contain a “True” response to this question, your examination will be
nullified.
A. The Youth Development And Opportunities Discovery Organisation …
You manage a grassroots community-based organization specialising in youth development. The
organisation is called the 'Youth Development And Opportunities Discovery Organisation'
(YDAODO). The organization consists of educators, trainers, social workers, and psychologists.
There are also a number of students (psychological interns) who complete their practicals at
YDAODO.
1 TURN OVER
, B. Meeting the project funder …
Jonti Baletse heads the South African office of the Scandinavian Philanthropic Trust. He contacted
YDAODO to ask whether your organisation could assist them with a new project. The
Scandinavian Philanthropic Trust has a mandate to support the development of resilient youth for
sustainable and resilient families, communities and nations.
A key element is the development of resilient ecosystems for youth and children is the
strengthening of the social fabric of families, neighbourhoods and communities. From an ecological
and nested-systems approach the ecosystems can be located within individuals (biological and
intra-psychological) and between individuals (psycho-social and economic).
According to Jonti Baletse a multi-disciplinary and multi-stakeholder approach to youth
development has the potential for more sustainable interventions. However, this is a vast field, and
many of the role-players do not have a common language or framework to enable cooperative
programme and service delivery. In addition, the social fabric that supports families and
communities has been eroded by relatively high rates of interpersonal crime and violence.
Substance abuse and addiction rates are also disconcertingly high. There are a host of other
psycho-social issues connected to these issues; such as teenage pregnancy, suicide and
suicidality, gangsterism, absent fathers (and absent parents), poor capacity of teachers and
schools, poor vocational guidance, the prevalence of HIV and Aids, poor availability of housing,
etc.
School leavers struggle to find gainful employment, and less than half of young adults manage to
gain jobs. Young adults have the odds stacked against them when they try to enter the job market.
All these difficulties cannot be reduced to one simple problem than can be easily remedied, but
form a complex constellation of difficulties.
The historic wounds and legacies of apartheid and structural racial discrimination have left gaping
wounds in the social fabric of many families and communities, due to: forced removals, forced
migrant work, pass laws and other legislation and practices. These wounds still linger in the current
community challenges more than 2 decades since the advent of inclusive democracy in South
Africa.
The Scandinavian Philanthropic Trust wishes to invest their funds in projects and programmes that
will have a durable and beneficial impact on individuals within families and their communities. They
have identified (a) early childhood and (b) youth programmes as a promising context of
intervention that can have beneficial long-term impacts on individuals, families and their extended
communities. This should include all communities, with specific focus on psycho-social redress of
the historic wounds of apartheid and structural racial discrimination. High current crime rates and
high unemployment rates should be used to determine communities where the interventions will be
most applicable and of benefit.
Jonti wants you to investigate the situation with regard to youth who are about to exit, or who have
recently exited the schooling system. You are to provide psychological perspectives, suggestions
and inputs on suitable intervention and support programmes than can be implemented in diverse
communities in and around South Africa.
2 TURN OVER
, C. At the 'Youth Development And Opportunities Discovery Organisation' …
At YDAODO each day begins with a morning meeting to discuss the business of the day. The
meeting is attended by social scientists and psychologists working for the organisation as well as
psychology interns. At this morning’s meeting you inform everybody about your meeting with Jonti
Baletse, and you open the matter for discussion.
You pay close attention to what everybody says because the purpose of the discussion is to sort
out the details of the project. To guide the discussion, you indicate who you agree with most, who
you agree with second most and who you agree with the least.
Thus suppose Peter, Thabo and Patricia respond to a point under discussion. If you agree most
with Thabo’s response, second most with Peter’s response and agree the least with Patricia; so
your choice is: Thabo, Peter, Patricia.
You select your choice from a list of five potential responses. For example, if the list is:
1. Patricia, Peter, Thabo
2. Patricia, Thabo, Peter
3. Peter, Patricia, Thabo
4. Thabo, Peter, Patricia
5. Thabo, Patricia, Peter
You select 4.
If your choice does not appear in the list, you must reconsider your choice.
D. Discussing the client’s research brief ….
Thabo: We are required to approach the issue from a psychological perspective, which means we
need psychological theories to inform our actions. Clearly, what we are dealing with here are the
developmental needs of adolescent youth who are of school-leaving age. The funder wants to
support and enhance the resilience of these youth in the context of huge systemic and personal
challenges in their communities. There is a vast body of knowledge on teenagers who are 'at risk'
of adverse life outcomes. This includes the aetiology of growing up in adverse and challenging
circumstances. I think that the 'intergenerational trauma and adversity theory', also called the
'historic and cultural trauma theory', has good applicability to this context. The theory explains that
families who have suffered multiple intergenerational traumas and adversities, but have been
unable to transform or transmute these traumas, are liable to pass the traumas on to their children
and their grandchildren in ongoing cycles. This is particularly relevant in the context of systemic
deprivation and discrimination due to discriminatory apartheid policies of the past in South Africa.
Rick: In other words, if one wants to intervene in order to strengthen the social fabric of
communities and families one has to address and possibly rehabilitate these repetitive and toxic
cycles of trauma and revictimisation?
Thabo: Yes, but this is a 'wicked social problem' where there is no single or specific cause of
adversity, but rather many causal pathways that can combine and loop in various ways to
perpetuate the patterns of adversity and non-coping. There is no simple solution to complex
3 TURN OVER
,intergenerational trauma and adversity.
Rick: Does this mean that all families are equally affected by their past, and that youth who grow
up in adverse circumstances are doomed to be disempowered and disadvantaged?
Leza: No, studies have shown that adverse exposure to trauma and adversity during childhood is
associated with a higher statistical likelihood of physical illness, mortality, psychological difficulties
and disorders, and social problems. However, an individual is not a statistic. Many individuals who
grew up in adverse circumstances manage to rise above these challenges, while others were
somewhat affected but managed to live functional lives, and yet others did not cope and suffered
from severe impairments or disorders. It is important to note that some youth who grow up in stable
households with low adversity and trauma also grow up to live dysfunctional and non-resilient lives.
Disadvantage and discrimination is not necessarily a death sentence, whereas privilege is not per
definition a guarantee of success or resilience.
Peter: Remember the Kaiser study (www.acestudy.org) of the 1990s that showed that the risks and
likelihood of adverse outcomes is greatly increased when children grow up with multiple adverse
circumstances? They measured Adverse Childhood Exposures (ACES) in terms of: (a) household
dysfunction due to substance dependent parent, parental divorce, mental illness, battered mothers,
and criminal behaviour; (b) emotional and physical neglect of the child; and (c) emotional, physical,
and sexual abuse of the child. Higher Adverse childhood exposure ACES measures were linked to
health problems, smoking, depression, suicide attempt, early death, unintended teenage
pregnancy, and work related problems, amongst other symptoms.
You: We seem to be working with a chicken(s) and egg(s) problem. Some causes lead to
symptoms that become the causes of new problems. In some instances there is a cascading
avalanche of adversities, for example: if a father or mother loses their work, and feel that they is
unable to perform their responsibilities as breadwinner or care-giver, and then becomes
depressed, and then turns to alcohol or drugs to allay their symptoms. These negative cascading
events have a massive negative impact on all family members, including financial, physical,
emotional, social, and spiritual adversities. This is a typical dynamic of 'wicked social problems'.
How do some families in adverse circumstances and with histories of trauma and adversity
manage to be resilient and relatively healthy; whereas others spiral into patterns of helplessness,
powerlessness and internalised or externalised violence?
Rick: Is it possible that there can be an avalanche, or rather a wave of cascading beneficial effects
when families manage to cope or thrive in the face of multiple adversities?
Thabo: Yes, we have many examples of people surviving against all odds and in the face of terrible
adversities. Some of your parents, grandparents and family members may embody these qualities.
This is perhaps why I am attracted to psychology, because the human spirit is so difficult to
pigeonhole or place in a single category. People continually surprise me, sometimes in ways that
are pleasant and sometimes very unpleasant. This unpredictability is what makes life so interesting
and yet so difficult.
Peter: This conversation just made me realise how difficult social change is, and it seems rather
overwhelming....
Rick: Peter, I'm glad that you mention this. The legacies of intergenerational trauma and abuse
reflect our collective communities' and families' histories that reflect gross injustices and violations.
4 TURN OVER
,This is a topic that requires great sensitivity and a psychologically supportive context. In line with
this, the literature suggests that multiple social connections and having a person that believes in
one (for example a family member, neighbour or teacher) are protective factors in the context of
adversities.
Rick: So, how do we make recommendations about what works in terms of youth development,
empowerment and capacity-building if we cannot predict what will work?
Thabo: Our organisational (YDAODO) slogan states that 'we are in the business of establishing
and maintaining creative contexts for adaptive coping and resilient living'. We also have a vast
collection of publications on the possibilities and limitations of youth development and
enhancement. Let's not fall into the trap of fruitless wishful thinking, nor of cynical disengagement.
We can steer a realistic yet hopeful course that is theory-informed and results-driven; and that can
weather disappointments and adversities. Fortunately, there are relevant youth development
programmes that have been tried and tested in other settings that we can draw from to develop the
'School Leavers Development' (SLD) programme.
Rick: Our reading of the literature on youth development suggests that we could develop the
'School Leavers Development' (SLD) programme on the following 3 streams: (i) the personal
development of school leavers (and this includes building resilience in the face of adverse
childhood exposures where applicable); (ii) interpersonal development via community and family
engagement of school leavers; and (iii) work and livelihood-related capacity development of school
leavers.
Leza: The theory of Emotional Intelligence provides a solid conceptual framework for this
programme as it applies to all 3 streams of the SLD. However, we should include an 'Employability
Scale' that assesses the school leavers' generic readiness and capacities to create income as an
entrepreneur or to find employment.
All participants agreed with both Rick's and Leza's suggestions. After this decision, the floor was
opened for general discussion, and the conversation continued ...
Question 2
Peter: What is the purpose of the proposed School Leavers Development (SLD)
programme, at this point in time?
Patricia: The purpose of the School Leavers Development (SLD) programme is to create a context
where adolescent school leavers can develop resilience.
Leza: I think the purpose of the School Leavers Development (SLD) programme is to
strengthen the fabric of families and communities.
Thabo: No, the purpose of the School Leavers Development (SLD) programme is to develop
schools.
You agree most with, second most with and least with:
1. Leza, Thabo, Patricia
2. Patricia, Thabo, Leza
3. Thabo, Leza, Patricia
5 TURN OVER
,4. Patricia, Leza, Thabo
5. Thabo, Patricia, Leza
Question 3
Leza: Do you think the SLD programme will be fit for purpose in the light of the intention of the
Scandinavian Philanthropic Trust?
Peter: I think the SLD programme will be fit for purpose provided that there is a significant
relationship between intervention programme exposure, and the development of
school leavers.
Thabo: Yes, I think the SLD programme is fit for purpose, because the intention of the
Scandinavian Philanthropic Trust is to develop resilient and sustainable families,
communities and nations, by focussing on developing school leavers.
Patricia: No, the SLD programme is not fit for purpose because the purpose does not
address apartheid trauma.
You agree most with, second most with and least with:
1. Patricia, Thabo, Peter
2. Thabo, Patricia, Peter
3. Peter, Thabo, Patricia
4. Thabo, Peter, Patricia
5. Peter, Patricia, Thabo
Question 4
Peter: Do you think the SLD programme can help to address the concern of the Scandinavian
Philanthropic Trust?
Patricia: I think so, because the purpose of the SLD programme is to reduce crime and
enhance employment opportunities.
Thabo: Yes, I agree. The personal, interpersonal, work and livelihood-related capacity
development of school leavers does address the social development concerns of
the funder.
Rick: I agree, because the purpose of the SLD programme is to test the
'intergenerational trauma and adversity theory'.
You agree most with, second most with and least with:
1. Patricia, Thabo, Rick
2. Thabo, Patricia, Rick
3. Rick, Thabo, Patricia
4. Thabo, Rick, Patricia
5. Patricia, Thabo, Rick
6 TURN OVER
,Question 5
Rick: What is the main area of psychological content that the SLD programme draws on?
Leza: I would say the SLD programme draws on occupational theory.
Thabo: I think the SLD programme draws on emotional intelligence theory.
Patricia: No, the SLD programme draws mainly on adolescent development theory.
You agree most with, second most with and least with:
1. Thabo, Leza, Patricia
2. Leza, Thabo, Patricia
3. Thabo, Patricia, Leza
4. Patricia, Thabo, Leza
5. Leza, Thabo, Patricia
Question 6
Thabo: What psychological constructs should be assessed in the SLD programme?
Peter: Interpersonal skills for the workplace.
Patricia: No, I think that self-awareness and self-regulation are of primary importance.
Rick: I agree with you Patricia, but I think Peter also had a point. And, I would add
interpersonal skills for all contexts of living to both your suggestions.
You agree most with, second most with and least with:
1. Rick, Patricia, Peter
2. Peter, Patricia, Rick
3. Patricia, Peter, Rick
4. Rick, Peter, Patricia
5. Patricia, Rick, Peter
Question 7
Peter: I am concerned about the validity of the SLD programme. How can we make sure that the
SLD programme is valid before it is implemented?
Rick: We should develop a comprehensive theoretical framework as a foundation for the
SLD programme, otherwise there is no face or theoretical validity.
Thabo: Actually, there is no way we can talk about the validity of the SLD programme
before implementation of the programme.
Patricia: We could measure the correlation of the SLD programme with self-management
and interpersonal management in a pilot test on a small sample before we roll out
the programme.
You agree most with, second most with and least with:
7 TURN OVER
, 1. Thabo, Patricia, Rick
2. Patricia, Thabo, Rick
3. Rick, Patricia, Thabo
4. Rick, Thabo, Patricia
5. Thabo, Rick, Patricia
Question 8
Thabo: I have another concern: How do we determine whether the SLD programme has any
effect?
Patricia: People cannot not respond to the SLD programme. It has to have an effect. In other
words, there is no need to develop a method to observe how people respond.
Peter: I disagree. I think we should develop a method to observe how people respond
after they completed the SLD programme.
Leza: It is obvious. We have to get an indication of how people are before the SLD
programme, and how they are after the SLD programme.
You agree most with, second most with and least with:
1. Peter, Leza, Patricia
2. Patricia, Peter, Leza
3. Patricia, Leza, Peter
4. Leza, Peter, Patricia
5. Peter, Patricia, Leza
Question 9
Peter: So, suppose we want to develop a method to measure how the SLD programme
influences the school leavers psychologically. How would we approach this task?
Leza: We formulate questions based on the tasks that the SLD programme consists of to
see whether people mastered these tasks.
Thabo: We source questions that tap into the competencies of self-awareness, self-
regulation, interpersonal awareness, and interpersonal relationship skills.
Rick: We ask people to answer questions concerning intergenerational trauma and
possible solutions to address issues of mental health.
You agree most with, second most with and least with:
1. Leza, Rick, Thabo
2. Leza, Thabo, Rick
3. Thabo, Leza, Rick
4. Thabo, Rick, Leza
5. Rick, Thabo, Leza
8 TURN OVER
