DANCE/MOVEMENT THERAPY and the PSYCHOSOCIAL WELL-BEING of LEARNERS with VISUAL IMPAIRMENT: a CASE STUDY by MICHELLE BOTHA Subm
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
DANCE/MOVEMENT THERAPY AND THE PSYCHOSOCIAL WELL-BEING OF LEARNERS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT: A CASE STUDY by MICHELLE BOTHA submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF EDUCATION School Guidance and Counselling at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA SUPERVISOR: Prof. D. Kruger November 2018 ii DECLARATIONS Name: Michelle Botha Student number: 49923846 Degree: Master of Education (School Guidance and Counselling) I declare that Dance/Movement Therapy and the psychosocial well-being of learners with visual impairment: A case study is my own work and that all the sources I have used or quoted have been indicated or acknowledged by means of complete references. I further declare that I submitted the dissertation to originality checking software and that it falls within the accepted parameters for originality. ________________________ 15 November 2018 SIGNATURE DATE I, Professor Deirdré Krüger, hereby declare that I perused all the originality checking software reports and I confirm that the dissertation meets a high standard of originality. 30 October 2018 Deirdré Krüger Date Supervisor iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the individuals who assisted, guided and supported me in this research endeavour: o My Heavenly Father, my Provider, Eraser of writer’s block and Source of energy and inspiration. o Professor Deirdré Kruger, not only for her expert guidance and commitment, but also for her concern, encouragement and support. o My husband, Jaco Botha, for his endless patience, constant emotional support and encouragement and countless after-midnight cups of coffee. Ek het jou lief soos die Kaap, my Engel. o My mom, Berenice Kleynhans, who made so many sacrifices as a single mother so that I could not only finish my pre-graduate studies, but also continue with the post- graduate qualifications which lead up to my Master’s degree. o My late father, Nico Kleynhans, who sparked this dream 16 years ago when I sat in his office, thinking my future was over after having sustained a dance injury which forced me to give up my dance studies. o My husband’s employer, Oom Frans de Beer, who assisted financially and allowed Jaco to be there for me (no questions asked), without which this project would not have been possible. o My mother-in-law, Elena Botha, and all our family members who motivated me with their words of concern and encouragement. o My friends who motivated me to persist and never give up. o My professional mentors, Jeanette van Pletzen, Karin Swart and Drienie van der Merwe. o Our fur babies, Litchi and Toffie, who always left the comfort of the bed to lie at my feet while I worked on this dissertation. o This dissertation is dedicated to all of the precious people we said good-bye to along the way – Ouma Hetta, Pa Nico Botha, Ouma San and Ouma Anna – and most importantly, to the new life we welcomed into this world – our son, Janco Christiwan Botha. You are my reason for being and I love you more than the stars in the sky, the sand on the shore and the water in the ocean. iv ABSTRACTS ENGLISH This transformative mixed method case study investigated the influence of Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) as a physical activity on the psychosocial well-being of learners with the visual impairment of low vision in a school for the visually impaired in Gauteng. A study of existing literature indicated a series of psychological and social dynamics which shape a person with low vision’s self-esteem and subsequent psychosocial well-being. A DMT intervention programme was designed accordingly. Through a filtering process, six female, adolescent participants with possible self-esteem challenges were identified. These participants completed the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) prior to taking part in the eight 60 minute sessions of the DMT intervention programme. The RSES was completed again post-intervention. Results indicated an increase in the self-esteem levels of all six participants to various degrees. Qualitative measures, including observations schedules, process notes in a researcher’s diary and participant reflections in DMT Journey Journals supported quantitative findings. KEY TERMS Physical impairment; sensory Impairment; visual impairment; low vision; self-esteem; psychosocial well-being; physical activity; psychological functioning; social functioning; micro and macro systems; Dance/Movement Therapy; range and quality of movement; use of space; patterns of movement v SETHSWANA Tshosobano Mokgwa o, o o tswakantseng was diphetogo wa dithuto o batlisitse thotloetso ya Motantsho/ Motsamao wa pholo jaaka ikatiso ya mmele mo go itekanelong/ boitekanelong jwa tlhaloganyo ya barutwana ba ba sa boneng sentle mo sekolong sa bana ba ba sa boneng mo kgaolong/ porofinsi ya Gauteng. Dipatlisiso tsa dikwalo tse di leng teng di supa tatelano ya tlhaloganyo le loago e e farologaneng e e bopang go tlhoka go itshepa ga motho yo a neng le pono e e bokowa le tlhaloganyo le botho jwa gagwe. Ka jalo lenaneo la tseregano la DMT le ile la diriwa. Ka mokgwa wa go tlhopha, makgarebe a baša a le marataro, a a nang le mathata a go tlhoka boitshepo a ile a tlhopiwa. Ba tsaya karolo ba ba ile ba tlatsa kgotsa ba konosetsa selekano sa boitshepo sa Rosenberg (RSES) pele ba tsaya karolo mo go lenaneong la dikarolo tse robedi tsa metsotso e le 60 ya tserenanyo ya DMT. Morago ga tsereganyo selekano se ile sa tladiwa gape. Dipholo di supile kgolo e e farologaneng ya boitshepo mo go batsayakarolo botlhe ba le barataro. Ditekanyetso tsa boleng, tse di akaretsang lenaneo la ditlhokomediso, dintlha tsa tiriso tsa letsatsi le letsatsi mmatlisisi le maikutlo a batsaakarolo di totobatsa dipholo tse.dintsi mo dikwalong tsa tsela ya DMT. vi AFRIKAANS Opsomming Die invloed van die fisiese aktiwiteit van Dans/Bewegingsterapie op die psigososiale welstand van leerders met lae visie in ‘n skool vir gesiggestremde leerders in Gauteng is deur hierdie transformatiewe gemengde metode gevallestudie ondersoek. ‘n Studie van bestaande literatuur het ‘n reeks sielkundige en sosiale faktore wat die persoon met lae visie se self-beeld en gevolglike psigososiale welstand vorm uitgelig en ‘n Dans/Bewegingsterapie intervensieprogram is daarvolgens ontwerp. Ses vroulike adolesente deelnemers met moontlike self-beeld uitdagings is deur middel van ‘n filtreringsproses geïdentifiseer. Hierdie deelnemers het die Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) voor en na hulle deelname aan 8 60 minute sessies van die Dans/Bewegingsterapie intervensieprogram voltooi. Resultate het onderskeidelik ‘n toename in selfbeeldvlakke van al ses deelnemers tot in verskillende mates aangedui. Kwalitatiewe maatstawwe soos die gebruik van obserwasieskedules, prosesnotas in ‘n navorserdagboek en deelnemers se refleksies in hulle persoonlike Dans/Bewegingsterapie joernale het die kwantitatiewe bevindinge ondersteun. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1.............................................................................................................................1 INTRODUCTORY ORIENTATION, STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM, AIM OF THE STUDY AND CLARIFICATION OF CONCEPTS........................................................1 1.1 INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................1 1.2 BACKGROUND TO THE PROBLEM.................................................................................2 1.3 ANALYSIS OF THE PROBLEM.........................................................................................5 1.3.1 Initial awareness...........................................................................................................5 1.3.2 Exploration of the research field...................................................................................5 1.3.3 Rationale of the study...................................................................................................8 1.3.3.1 Based on policy...........................................................................................................8 1.3.3.2 Based on practice and existing research.....................................................................9 1.3.3.3 Based on theoretical frameworks...............................................................................12 1.4 PROBLEM STATEMENT.................................................................................................13 1.5 RESEARCH AIMS...........................................................................................................15 1.5.1 General aim................................................................................................................15 1.5.2 Specific aims..............................................................................................................15 1.5.2.1 Sub-research questions.............................................................................................15 1.5.2.2 Literature study..........................................................................................................16 1.5.2.3 Empirical study...........................................................................................................16 1.6 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK........................................................................................16 1.7 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND DESIGN................................................................17 1.8 DELIMITATION OF RESEARCH FIELD..........................................................................19 1.9 PLAN OF STUDY.............................................................................................................22