Abstract
M.Ed. (Educational Psychology)
The loss of one or both parents can compromise the psychosocial wellbeing of children who are left orphaned. However, even though orphans experience this significant loss of a parent or both parents, there is still hope for them to live a good life. This can be made possible if there are people who take an interest in their lives and in supporting them for example, their extended families, their communities, non-governmental organisations and even the government.
This study focuses on the psychosocial wellbeing of orphaned adolescents who are being supported by a particular non-governmental organisation (NGO). A phenomenological, qualitative research design was used to gain an in-depth understanding of the orphaned adolescents’ psychosocial wellbeing. Six participants between the ages of 17 and 18 years old who are directly supported by the NGO were purposefully selected to participate in the study. The data collection methods used included semi-structured individual interviews, collages and a focus group interview with all six of the participants. A content analysis was performed on the collected data to explore emerging themes in relation to psychosocial wellbeing.
The findings revealed that the psychosocial wellbeing of orphaned adolescents can be described by making use of two main themes, namely their psychological experiences and their social experiences. Within the first main theme of psychological experiences, the following sub-themes emerged, sense of self and attitude of gratitude. Within the second main theme, the sub-themes of support from the NGO and relationship with peers/friends can be found. The sub-themes reveal that the participants have both positive and negative dispositions towards the psychosocial support they receive from the NGO. As such, it is recommended that the NGO needs to implement additional support systems, such as mentors or educational psychology interns. Also that workshops should target specific issues relevant to the orphaned adolescent’s psychosocial wellbeing.