Literature shows that South Africa is one of the most violent countries in the world, with most crimes committed by youth (Ward, Martin, Theron & Distiller, 2007). Family resilience is defined by McCubbin, McCubbin, Thompson, Han and Allen (1997:2) as "the characteristic of the family system that enables it to maintain its established patterns of functioning after being challenged and confronted by risk factors".
Motivation
It aims to look at the protective factors; which shapes the family's ability to endure in the face of risk factors. Identify those family resilience factors that serve the family by playing a role in the family's ability to both persevere in the face of risk factors and adapt in the face of a crisis situation.
Method
The Family Strength Index (FHI) measures the internal strength and resilience of the family unit. The Family Crisis Personal Evaluation Scale (F-COPES) identifies behavioral problem-solving strategies used by families in crisis situations (McCubbin, Thompson & McCubbin, 1996).
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Introduction
Youth in conflict with the law
In the past ten years, South Africa, especially in urban areas, has experienced a significant increase in population, crime and prison population. There has been a large number of street children, in the prevalence of youth gangs, in alcohol and drug use, in truancy and dropping out of school, and in physical and sexual violence by and against young people (Shaw & . Tschiwula, 2002). .
Crimes committed by the youth
Young people tend to victimize others they know, either through violence or property violations. We are blind to the extent to which young people are victims and fear the activities of other young people as well as adults (Francis, in Davies, Francis & Greer, 2007).
Crime and Criminality
It can also be noted that certain types of crime still carry the stigma of shame. Altbeker (2007 in Hoffman, 2009) indicates that the statistical measurement of crime confuses rather than enhances understanding and effective management.
Psychological explanations of crime
The visible physical defects were thought to be the signs of the underlying hereditary defects. Another research conducted by Sandberg (1961 in Tredoux et al., 2005) identified a condition where human males born with an extra Y chromosome on the 23rd pair, giving them 47 chromosomes instead of the usual 46 .
Personality theories
In applying this theory to crime and delinquency, Eysenck (1977 in Tredoux et al., 2005) suggested that what we need to explain is not the impulse to commit crime, but the ability to refrain from committing it. All men are prone to commit crime; it is far easier to give in to our temptations than to exercise restraint against them.
Sociological explanations of crime
The process of learning how to exercise self-control is the process of moral development, and those people who are weak in learning will be more likely to commit crime. This can further be noted in the relationship between crime rates and zones within a city, where for example crime rates are higher in the city centre.
Violence
The disorganization is said to be a consequence of high poverty and the mobility of the residents. Persistent socio-economic inequalities, social fragmentation and patterns of individual socialization have been posited as one of a spectrum of causative agents contributing to the continued prevalence of violence in South African society (Butchart et al., 2000 in Ratele & Duncan, 2003 ).
Perspectives and definitions of violence
The WHO (1996 in Ratele & Duncan, 2003) distinguishes between three types of violence, which are discussed below. The African Peer Review Mechanism recently reported: “Crime is one of the most difficult of the many challenges facing South Africa in the post-apartheid era.
Psychological Perspective
So it seems that it will take time before the problem of crime is properly addressed. Noting that different disciplines view violence differently, for the sake of this study, the researcher will briefly address only the psychological and criminological perspectives of violence, and these are briefly discussed below.
Criminological Perspective
Stress
Selye (1974 in Rice, 1992) refers to distress as "demanding or unpleasant stress." The essence of psychological experience is negative, painful, and something to be avoided. Lazarus (in Aldwin, 1994) points out that coping is a key concept that helps us understand adaptation and maladaptation because it is not just stress that causes distress and dysfunction, but how people manage stress.
Crisis
Garbarino (in Aldwin, 1994) further emphasizes the role of social support and belonging versus isolation in the family's ability to cope with stressful events. How a family deals with a crisis determines whether the family can function optimally after the crisis or whether it deteriorates.
Family
Xhosa people and family life
Polygamous marriages in the past were allowed if the husband had the means to pay lobola (bride wealth) for each bride and could properly maintain them. However, nowadays it is no longer necessary for the son to live with the mother, same-sex couples can marry and grandmothers can divorce at 70.
A brief history of Xhosa’s
The Eastern Cape as a province is described as one of the poorest provinces in South Africa, with high unemployment rates (Ahmed . & Pillay, 2004). Xhosa people are among the poorest of South Africans, but a minority of Xhosa are among the richest.
A Paradigm Shift: From Pathology to a Strength Based Paradigm
The Bantustan apartheid system prior to 1994 denied the Xhosa people South African citizenship and attempted to limit them to nominally self-governing. While there have been many improvements in the lives of the Xhosa people since the end of apartheid, many consequences of this policy remain.
Appreciative Inquiry
Many researchers are turning to methodological approaches that encourage inquiry into well-being and the reasons why individuals remain healthy (Rothman, Kristen & Wissing, 2003 in Pretorious, 2007). The trend toward focusing on resilience and positive life adjustment, the sense of well-being, happiness, or reasons for people's flourishing despite often overwhelming adversity is growing.
Positive Psychology
In this way, the debilitating effects of deficit are reversed or somehow prevented, and ways of gratitude serve to empower and release possibilities. In this way, the social sciences provide a more comprehensive view and the sources and foundations of both depression and happiness can be explained (Strumpfer, 2006 and Keyes & Haidt, 2003 in Pretorious, 2007).
Resilience
Silberberg (2001) indicates that family researchers choose a strength-based approach in their family research. The National Network for Family Resilience (1995), indicates that today's families are diverse, challenged and at special risk.
The resilience process
Alternatively, this motivational element may remain latent until the time when particular situational influences push the individual to respond resiliently (Strumpfer, 2001a in Pretorius, 2007). In the process of being resilient, the individual draws on five basic orientations; comprehensibility, resources under control of self, resources under control of others, meaningfulness and hope for success.
Resilience and the family
According to Greeff and Human (2004), who studied resilience in bereaved families, 49% of families surveyed identified individual characteristics of a family member, such as optimism and self-reliance, as strengthening the family. recovery after the death of a parent. They show that sometimes bad things just happen, but family pain and trauma should not be ignored, especially if the causes of the trauma or crisis situation cannot be identified.
The Resiliency model of family stress
- Pile-up (The A Factor)
- Family Adaptive Resources (the bB Factor)
- Perception and Coherence (the cC Factor)
- Family Adaptation (the xX Factor)
Family adjustment is the result of the family's process in response to the crisis and the accumulation of demands. Bonadaptation, the positive end of the continuum, is defined as a minimal discrepancy between the accumulation of demands and the family's abilities, in order to achieve a balance in the family's functioning.
Stages of a Family’s Response to Moderate Stress
It is characterized by maintaining or strengthening the integrity of the family and the sense of well-being of family members. They define these stages as three forms of the family process, which are - definition, tentative action and commitment to a decision.
Youth and Stress
Our youth live in communities and families that are most economically and socially stressed. The most commonly cited definition is that of Lazarus and Folkman (1984 in Schlebusch, 2004) who refer to coping as constantly changing cognitive and behavioral efforts to manage specific external and/or internal demands judged to be burdensome or beyond the person's resources .
Factors contributing to development of Juvenile Delinquency
- Poverty
- Family circumstances
- Change in family patterns
- Social circumstances
- Social acceptance
- Developmental phase
- Identity versus role confusion
- Intimacy versus isolation
- Social imbalances
- Substance abuse
- Unemployment
- HIV/Aids
It has long been understood that families play a significant role in the development of the child's personality (Rivers & Anwyl, 2000). It has long been understood that families play a significant role in the development of a child's personality.
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Doka (1997) indicates that it is not much feared for the social destruction it brings, but rather for the individual devastation it brings. Rather, it is not the speed with which communities are affected by contagion, but the slowness with which individuals die.
Introduction
Methodology
- Participants
- Measuring instruments
- Procedure
- Data Analysis
- Ethical Considerations
Four (4) lived with either an aunt or uncle, however it was noted that as they were closely related to the juvenile delinquent, they were therefore directly affected as such they were also included in the study. Issues of confidentiality were addressed with the families and it was identified whether they were willing to participate and they were also informed that if they wanted to.
Resume
In the analysis of the quantitative data, the project was part of a larger research project in collaboration with the Universities of Stellenbosch, the University of the North, the University of Fort Hare and the University of Cape Town. Senior statisticians at the Statistical Consulting Services at the University of Stellenbosch conducted all the empirical analyzes except for qualitative analysis which was conducted by the researcher.
Introduction
Demographics
- Marital Status
- Gender
- Level of education
- Gross Income
- Home Language
- Conviction Period
- Nature of crime
- Family Strengths1
- Family Strengths 2
- Statistically significant results
Talk About It Prayer Family Ritual Share With Siblings Pain Dependent Family Support Support Relatives Share With Family Family Function Faith Talk About Problems Share With Partner Ignore Consult Doctor Talk With Siblings Share With Other Family Members Elderly Leadership Attend Church Staying Together as a Family Family Rituals Coming Together as a Family Sharing with Wife Trusting in God Spending Time with Family Appeasing the Ancestors Family Support. It should be noted that ignoring, although seemingly negative, was on a similar level to family division and ritual performance.
Resume
Families were found to have used ethically sensitive family functions in their efforts to cope with the difficulties of having a juvenile delinquent (p.0.003). While the use of relatives and friends to try to cope with stressors and strains was at (p.0.004).
INTRODUCTION
F – COPES
Families believe that they have strength within the family to solve our problems becomes significant (p=0.003). Confidence in family abilities as well as optimism are reported by Greef and Ritman (2005) as characteristics that influence family resilience.
FTRI
FACI 8
RFSI
Introduction
Findings
Greef and Fouche (2008) identified communication with other family members as an important coping resource, while Mbizana (2007) states that communication is believed to facilitate the understanding of a crisis. They further identified family support as well as the use of support from relatives and friends as a significant factor that helps them endure and adapt in the face of crisis situations.
Limitations and Implications
D'Augeli (1983 in Pittman & Lloyd, 1988) states that a support network is itself a buffer against stress and contributes to adjustment. The study used the self-report instruments of Paykel and Kendler (2006 in Mbizana, 2007), which show that self-report instruments are susceptible to bias.
Recommendations
Conclusion
The dual ABCX model of family stress and adjustment: An empirical test from structural equation analysis with latent variables. Journal of Marriage and Family. Stress and resilience in families of children with specific learning disabilities, Revista Complutense de Educacion.
APPENDICES
APPENDIX A
INFORMED CONSENT FORM
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
- If I had an emergency, even
- I feel good about myself when I sacrifice
- The things I do for the members of my
- People here know that they can get help
- People can depend on each other in this
- Members of my family seldom listen to
- My friends in this community are part of
- I need to be very careful how much I do
- The members of my family make an
- There is a feeling in this community that
- This is not a good community to bring
- I feel secure that I am important to my
- I have some very close friends outside
- Member(s) of my family do not seem to
My friends in this community are part of the community are part of my daily activities 9. The members of my family make an effort to show their love and affection for me.
RFSI
FPSC
COPES
Second, decide how each statement will describe your attitude and behavior in response to problems or difficulties. Seek information and advice from people in other families who have experienced the same or similar problems.
