Abstract
M.Ed.
Wilchesky & Reynolds (1986:412) have identified three categories of families seeking
assistance with the child who has a learning barrier. Firstly, there is the functioning family
which has the necessary resources to cope with stress associated with a child who has a
learning barrier. The second category is a family which is at risk. Due to the presence of a
child with a learning barrier this type of family is more susceptible to becoming
dysfunctional when confronted with a situation which is a natural family transition. In this
type of family normal life events such as an adolescent leaving home, or the birth of a new
sibling, or the youngest child starting school may result in dysfunctional patterns of
interaction due to the added stress. The third category is the rigid family, which is
categorised by overprotection, enmeshment, over-involvement and resorting to old
solutions to resolve new problems.
These families need emotional support to enable them to adapt positively to the stress
associated with a child who has a learning barrier. The support should be based on the
existing family interactions and dynamics. The problem is that no research could be found
which investigated family interactions and emotional awareness in families who have children with learning barriers in a South African context.
Against this background the questions to be researched in this study can be formulated as
follows:
How can the interaction, dynamics and emotional awareness of families of children
with learning barriers be explored?
What guidelines can be developed by the educational psychologist to promote effective
emotional support for families who have children with learning barriers? This study is specifically directed at the families of children with learning barriers at a
junior phase remedial school where English is the medium of instruction. The aims of the
study are:
to explore and describe the dynamics, interactions and emotional awareness of families
of children with learning barriers in the junior phase of their compulsory education
to develop emotion coaching guidelines to promote effective emotional support for a
family where there is a child with a learning barrier.