Abstract
M.Ed. (Educational Psychology)
Youth form the foundation of society, hence physical as well as emotional stability are vital to their positive development. Currently the changing political and social situation in South Africa is closely associated with unrest and violence. This results in large numbers of black youths being exposed to traumatic incidences. Research indicates that trauma and its related stress can be a causative factor in the development of emotional disturbances and in particular the post traumatic stress disorder.
In our new multicultural educational environment it has come to the attention of educational psychologists at educational aid centres that large numbers of traumatised black pupils are in need of assistance. The increasing numbers of traumatised pupils have serious emotional problems, and are now experiencing scholastic problems. The intention of the study was to develop a creative pedotherapeutic programme and to apply it with the purpose of reducing post-traumatic stress symptoms in black pupils. The point of departure of the programme was based on the assumption that the child always requires education. Hence any assistance can only be meaningful in a pedotherapeutic situation.
The transcultural nature of the situation was taken into account when applying the
programme. Possible obstructions and difficulties were anticipated and corrected by means of creative aid techniques. The programme was applied to four black standard five pupils enrolled at a Model 0 School in Johannesburg. By means of a structured questionnaire symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder, were diagnosed. The creative pedotherapeutic aid programme was then applied during nine sessions extending over a period of nine weeks. The same questionnaire was later applied to determine the extent of the reduction of the stress symptoms. The test results indicated a reduction in intensity of several symptoms as well as symptom
reduction in general. It was also reported that the scholastic performances of the four
pupils had increased. A higher level of cognitive and emotional functioning was observed.