No abstract

The prevalence of anxiety symptoms among South African children is reported to be significantly higher than in other parts of the world. The need for an effective anxiety prevention and early intervention program for use with South African children is urgently needed. The aim of the present study was therefore to determine whether the Australian FRIENDS program could effectively reduce the anxiety symptoms, as measured by the Spence Children's Anxiety scale (SCAS), among a sample of South African children from low socioeconomic background. The program evaluation employed a quasi-experimental, nonequivalent control group design that followed participants (N = 46) over a course of 10 months. Within group effects and between group effects revealed that the FRIENDS program had little statistically significant postintervention effect on the anxiety symptoms of this sample, but had significant effects in the longer term, at 4 months and 6 months follow-up. The implications of these results for the South African context are discussed.

The present study examined common childhood fears in 9-to 13-year-old South-African children (N = 404) from white, coloured, and black cultural groups. Fears were assessed by means of two methods -the fear list method and the Fear Survey Schedule for Children-Revised (FSSC-R). Results showed that fear rank orders as obtained with the fear list method were quite different from those derived from the FSSC-R. Furthermore, clear differences in fear levels were found among the three cultural groups. More specifically, coloured and black South-African children displayed significantly higher fear levels than white children. Finally, differences were also found as to the content of prevalent fears in the three cultural groups. For example, common fears in coloured and black children were more frequently related to violence than in white children.

Visual-motor integration functioning has been identified as playing an integral role in different aspects of a child's development. Sensory-motor development is not only foundational to the physical maturation process, but is also imperative for progress with formal learning activities. Deficits in visual-motor integration have been identified as precursors of later learning disabilities and other neurological conditions. The primary aim of this study was to determine the status of visual-motor integration functioning of a group of learners from a disadvantaged peri-urban South African community. Visual-motor integration functioning was assessed using the Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (VMI) and the Goodenough-Harris Drawing Test (GHD). Three hundred and thirty-nine learners in grades 1-4 were assessed and results for the group relative to gender, chronological age and socioeconomic status are reported. For the group, the mean test age fell 16 months below the mean chronological age on the VMI. The mean GHD score for the group was about a half a standard deviation below the GHD's test norm. At school entry level, visual-motor integration was more than one standard deviation below the mean. Compared to female learners, male learners achieved significantly higher scores on the test age score of the VMI (mean difference = 8.69 months), and the intelligence coefficient score of the GHD (mean difference = 4.68). Scores on both measures increased as a function of socioeconomic status. The VMI and GHD scores were significantly correlated (r = 0.45; P < 0.01) suggesting that visual-motor integration is integral to intellectual functioning.

Introduction The aim of the study presented here was to determine whether significant differences exist between the fear profiles of South African children in middle childhood (aged 8–13) with different levels of visual impairments and those of their sighted counterparts. Methods A differential research design was used, and a total of 129 assenting children from three schools in the Western Cape province of South Africa participated. This convenience sample included 67 children with various degrees of visual impairments (20 with severe impairments and 47 with moderate impairments), and 62 gender- and age-matched sighted children in the control group. All the children were administered a short demographic questionnaire and the South African Fear Survey Schedule for Children (FSSC-SA). Results The results of the FSSC-SA indicated that the most feared item for the children with visual impairments was “Fire– getting burned” and that of the sighted children was “getting HIV.” The 10 most common fears of both groups were related mainly to situations in which the possibility of danger and harm was present, with the majority of fears loading onto Factor I (fear of danger and death) of the FSSC-SA. Consistent with previous research, gender differences were apparent across the number, level, and pattern of fears, with the girls consistently reporting more fears than the boys. In addition, the severely visually impaired group reported more fears, a greater intensity of fears, and a more complex pattern of fears than their moderately visually impaired and sighted counterparts. Discussion These results are discussed in terms of possible influencing factors. Implications for practitioners The results of the study provide teachers, parents, and others who are involved in the day-to-day lives of children with visual impairments with a glimpse into the children's emotional worlds. They also provide a foundation upon which future intervention and treatment strategies may be built.