Abstract
Children with a haematology-oncology diagnosis face a plethora of stressors
and difficulties related to their illness, treatment and hospitalisation over an
extended period of time. These adversities initiate an experience of stress and
trauma in the child that may lead to aggressive behaviour. Children with a
haematology-oncology diagnosis need support to deal with their aggression
and to overcome the adversities related to their illness.
The purpose of this research study was to develop and describe a psychoeducational
model for the utilisation of play in addressing aggression in
children with a haematology-oncology diagnosis in order to facilitate resilience
by meeting the following objectives:
· to explore and describe how play can be utilised in addressing
aggression in children with a haematology-oncology diagnosis in order
to facilitate resilience.
· to incorporate the above in the development of a psycho-educational
model on how play can be utilised in addressing aggression in children
with a haematology-oncology diagnosis in order to facilitate resilience.
· to describe guidelines for the implementation of the model.
A theory-generative, qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual
research design was utilised. The psycho-educational model was developed
according to Chinn and Kramer’s (2011:152-182) method of theory
generation. This involved the following steps: concept analysis, placing
concepts into relationships and a description of the model.
Concept analysis entailed the identification, definition and classification of the
concepts of the model. The concepts of the model were identified by exploring
and describing how play can be utilised in addressing aggression in children
with a haematology-oncology diagnosis in order to facilitate resilience.
Multiple case studies were utilised to generate empirical data. The 24
transcribed play sessions, observations and artefacts constituted the data of
the study. The data was analysed by using Tesch’s eight step method of data
analysis (Creswell, 2009:186). The main theme that was identified from the
data was the lived experience of “feeling extradited”. The sub-themes were
the lived experiences of “feeling dehumanised” and “feeling disempowered”...
D.Phil.