Die kind in 'n militêre-hoë-risiko gebied : 'n vergelykende psigologiese ondersoek

Abstract

The purpose of this examination was to determine whether the prevailing war situation in the north of South West Africa would have an influence on the intellectual and personal development of the children residing in that area, The following hypothesis was thus made, namely that the children residing in the high risk area would differ from those residing in the low risk area in their intellectual level as well as anxiety, tension, relations, psychic health, adaptability, emotional stability and care-freeness. Firstly the terms high risk area and low risk area, guerrilla warfare, terrorism and South West African population groups were defined, Thereafter the qualities characteristic of a high risk area were discussed and an overview of the military situation in the north of South West Africa were given. Note was taken of the negative psychological influence of terrorism and the question of father-absenteeism on boys. Finally attention was also given to crime, anxiety and emigration. The two test groups, 25 boys from Standards 5, 6 and 7 from the high risk area and 30 boys from the same Standards from the low risk area were compared to each other regarding five tests, namely the New South African Group Test (NSAG), the Group Personality Projective Test (GPT), the High School Personality Questionnaire (HSPQ), the IPAT-Anxiety Scale and the Interpersonal Relations Questionnaire (IRQ). Statistics revealed that the children residing in the high risk area's results were significantly lower than those of the children residing in the low risk area regarding all three of the intelligence test scores of the NSAG, Other significant differences were also found, but none of these complied with the set criteria, Consequently there is no distinctive personality image found among the children residing in the high risk area,