Abstract:
This research was aimed at the development, implementation and evaluation of an empowerment programme for parents with children in their middle childhood, focused on temperament analysis. The motivation for this study stemmed from the absence of relevant programmes in the field of social work concerning different temperaments and needs of children that parents does not understand or meet. Intervention research was applied. A two-phase research approach was undertaken. In phase 1, a qualitative research was used to do a need assessment. The need assessment was done by means of two focus group discussions with ten parents in each group. The following research question was formulated for this phase: What is the needs of parents related to a programme that focus on temperament analysis for children in there middle childhood. This data complemented the literature study which was undertaken and provided information that established the contents of the empowerment programme. The research question could therefore be answered. The qualitative approach was used in phase 2 as the single-system design. The following research hypothesis was formulated for this phase: If an empowerment programme that includes a temperament analysis is attempted with parents, a significant change in their knowledge in handling and understanding of their children should realise. The empowerment programme for parents with children in their middle childhood consisted of six sessions and was implemented over a period of two weeks. Four parents and one single parent undertook the empowerment programme. A group assessment was undertaken with the five children of the parents who attended the empowerment programme. The focus of the group assessment was to determine a tendency to respond. The self-designed questionnaire was completed prior to the empowerment programme and thereafter. This instrument of measurement confirmed the hypothesis. Conclusions and recommendations for the utilization of the programme in future research were formulated as a result of the research study.
