Full Text Available

Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.

The experiences of adolescents in residential care participating in equine assisted learning

Thesis (MEdPsych)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Fischer, Louise
Other Authors: Dreyer, L. M.
Format: Thesis
Language:en_ZA
Published: Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University 2014
Subjects:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1867613798991396864
access_status_str Open Access
author Fischer, Louise
author2 Dreyer, L. M.
author_browse Dreyer, L. M.
Fischer, Louise
author_facet Dreyer, L. M.
Fischer, Louise
author_sort Fischer, Louise
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv Stellenbosch University
description Thesis (MEdPsych)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.
format Thesis
id oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/86692
institution Stellenbosch University (South Africa)
language en_ZA
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:41:52.972Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
publishDate 2014
publishDateRange 2014
publishDateSort 2014
publisher Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
publisherStr Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
record_format dspace
source_str SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
spelling oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/86692 The experiences of adolescents in residential care participating in equine assisted learning Fischer, Louise Dreyer, L. M. Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology. Horsemanship -- Therapeutic use Child psychotherapy -- Residential treatment Risk-taking (Psychology) in adolescence Theses -- Educational psychology Dissertations -- Educational psychology Human-animal relationships -- Therapeutic use UCTD Educational Psychology Thesis (MEdPsych)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: High-risk behaviour among adolescents places heavy burdens on the public health, social welfare and criminal justice systems of many countries. Today, Equine-Assisted Learning (EAL) is increasingly used as an adjunct and experiential intervention programme to support the learning and personal development of adolescents at risk. It combines counselling and educational programmes with interactive activities involving horses (Thomas, 2009). The aim of this investigation was to conceptualize the experiences of these at-risk adolescents in residential care (AIRC), since gaps exist in both international and national research pertaining to studies which focus on exploring adolescents' experiences of taking part in EAL programmes (Holder, 2011). An interactive, qualitative and multiple case study design was employed in this study. The research was conducted at a Western Cape residential care facility with five adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18, after they had completed a three-week EAL programme. The programme comprised five sessions of one hour each. Data was collected through a projective technique (collage), semi-structured individual interviews, and a focus group interview. The research findings suggested that the at-risk adolescents experienced this Equine-Assisted Learning programme as positive and that it contributed to strengthening their relationships, enhancing attachment, self-esteem, empathy, communication, social competence, and a sense of mastery, as well as opening up future possibilities for them. As a relatively new field of study in South Africa, Equine-Assisted Learning can make a significant contribution to fostering the learning and development of adolescents in residential care. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die hoë-risiko gedrag van adolessente plaas 'n swaar las op lande se openbare gesondheid, maatskaplike welsyn- en kriminele regstelsels en sodoende word 'Equine Assisted Learning' (EAL) toenemend gebruik as 'n aanvullende en ervarings-intervensieprogram om die leer en persoonlike ontwikkeling van adolessente in nood te ondersteun. In EAL, word berading en opvoedkundige programme met interaktiewe aktiwiteite wat perde betrek, gekombineer (Thomas, 2009). Die doel van die studie was om hoë-risiko adolessente in residensiële sorg se ervarings van 'n EAL intervensieprogram te konseptualiseer, aangesien daar op beide internasionale en nasionale vlak 'n gebrek aan navorsing is wat fokus op die verkenning van adolessente se ervaring van deelname aan EAL programme (Holder, 2011). 'n Interaktiewe, kwalitatiewe en veelvuldige gevallestudie ontwerp is in hierdie studie ontplooi. Die navorsing is uitgevoer in 'n Wes-Kaapse residensiële sorg fasiliteit met die hulp van vyf adolessente tussen die ouderdomme van 12 en 18, nadat hulle drie weke lank aan 'n EAL program deelgeneem het. Die program het bestaan uit vyf sessies wat elk een uur geduur het. Data is ingesamel deur gebruik te maak van projektiewe tegniek (collage), semi-gestruktureerde individuele onderhoude asook 'n fokusgroep-onderhoud. Navorsingbevindings het voorgestel dat adolessente wat risiko beloop, die EAL program as positief ervaar. Dit blyk ook dat dit bygedra het tot die bevordering van sekere aspekte soos verhoudings, hegting, selfbeeld, empatie, kommunikasie, sosiale bevoegdheid, 'n gevoel van bemeestering en die daarstel van toekomstige moontlikhede. 'Equine Assisted Learning' is 'n relatiewe nuwe studieveld in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks, en kan daarom betekenisvol bydra tot die bevordering van leer en ontwikkeling van adolessente in residensiële sorg. Masters 2014-04-16T17:31:44Z 2014-04-16T17:31:44Z 2014-04 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/86692 en_ZA Stellenbosch University iii, 162 p. : col. ill. application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
spellingShingle Horsemanship -- Therapeutic use
Child psychotherapy -- Residential treatment
Risk-taking (Psychology) in adolescence
Theses -- Educational psychology
Dissertations -- Educational psychology
Human-animal relationships -- Therapeutic use
UCTD
Educational Psychology
Fischer, Louise
The experiences of adolescents in residential care participating in equine assisted learning
title The experiences of adolescents in residential care participating in equine assisted learning
title_full The experiences of adolescents in residential care participating in equine assisted learning
title_fullStr The experiences of adolescents in residential care participating in equine assisted learning
title_full_unstemmed The experiences of adolescents in residential care participating in equine assisted learning
title_short The experiences of adolescents in residential care participating in equine assisted learning
title_sort experiences of adolescents in residential care participating in equine assisted learning
topic Horsemanship -- Therapeutic use
Child psychotherapy -- Residential treatment
Risk-taking (Psychology) in adolescence
Theses -- Educational psychology
Dissertations -- Educational psychology
Human-animal relationships -- Therapeutic use
UCTD
Educational Psychology
url http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/86692
work_keys_str_mv AT fischerlouise theexperiencesofadolescentsinresidentialcareparticipatinginequineassistedlearning
AT fischerlouise experiencesofadolescentsinresidentialcareparticipatinginequineassistedlearning