Abstract
M.Ed.
The way in which an adolescent experiences authority is an important element of the educational process. Without authority, it can be said, there is no education. But adolescents’ experience of authority is something that is developed outside the classroom, primarily during their interactions with parents. This study explores how South African adolescents experience authority, but focused on the effect of living in institutions, and not at home with their parents.
A 47-item questionnaire was constructed on the basis of current international and South African research on the adolescents’ experience of the authority of parents/caregivers and educators. Twelve independent variables were included in the questionnaire. These independent variables included questions on age, gender, language, religion and the academic qualifications of their parents.
The questionnaire was completed by 247 adolescents in grades 10 and 11, living in the Johannesburg area of South Africa. Of this total, 183 adolescents lived with their parents and 36 lived in institutions where they were being cared for by foster parents. A factor analysis of the questionnaire revealed two statistically significant constructs and they were termed Experience of parental authority (Cronbach alpha of 0.8333) and Experience of educator’s authority (Cronbach alpha of 0.8434).
When various independent variables were used to statistically compare the participants with respect to these two factors, the following was found:
• Learners who lived at home and learners who were being taken care of by their parents were found to score significantly higher than learners from institutions or those who were being taken care of by others on both factors, Experience of parental authority as well as Experience of
educators’ authority. This difference, though statistically significant, was not substantial with respect to Factor One. With respect to Factor Two, Experience of parental authority, the difference was both statistically significant and substantial. The significant finding, then, is that, learners who live at home and those who are being taken care of by their parents appear to have a more positive experience of their parents’ authority than learners who live in an institution or those who are being cared for by persons other than their parents.
• Although learners who were older scored significantly higher than younger learners on both factors, the difference was not substantial.
• No significant differences could be found on the two factors for a learner’s gender, the learner’s level of education (this also held true when girls and boys were tested separately), the level of education of the learner’s parents or when the learner was orphaned through losing one or both parents.
• No significant differences could be found in their experience of adult authority between the scores of learners speaking Afrikaans, English, Nguni or any other language.
The impact of this research would indicate that adolescents who live in institutions or those who are being cared for by persons other than their parents, display a significantly more negative experience of parental authority than those who live at home and who are being cared for by their parents.
Prof. C.P.H. Myburgh