Factors associated with resilience in families after a house robbery incident

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2018.ENGLISH SUMMARY: The primary aim of this study was to identify the characteristics and resources that families possess that enable them to adapt successfully, and as such be resilient, despite having experienced a house robbery. The study was rooted within the contextual framework of the Resiliency Model of Adjustment and Adaptation of McCubbin, Thompson and McCubbin (1996). Self-report questionnaires were completed by 32 families who had experienced a house robbery between January 2010 and December 2014. The self-report questionnaires were based on the Resiliency Model of Adjustment and Adaptation. In addition, families were required to complete a biographical questionnaire and seven open-ended questions relating to their experience of factors relating to adaptation. The results point towards the importance of resilience factors in adaptation. The most significant resilience factors identified in this study are: family hardiness and commitment; the ability to redefine the stressor; support from family, relatives and friends; the importance of having family time and routines (specifically mealtimes together, regular communication between children and parents, and quality time spent together); and the security measures that were installed/upgraded following the event. The clinical utility of the study in facilitating adaptation lies in its ability to provide families with confirmation of the value of their efforts to provide support and encouragement to each other and to promote their unity and togetherness through routines and family time together. Family resilience theory provides a relevant framework within which the process of adapting to a house robbery can be considered. By applying these theories to their specific crisis situation, families can work towards identifying, as well as implementing, those factors that will lead to better adaptation, and thus increased resilience.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die hoofdoelstelling van hierdie ondersoek was om die eienskappe en hulpbronne van gesinne te identifiseer wat dit moontlik maak dat hulle suksesvol aanpas, en dus veerkragtigheid te vertoon, ten spyte van die ervaring van huisroof. Die ondersoek is gebaseer op die kontekstuele raamwerk van McCubbin, Thompson en McCubbin (1996) se Veerkragtigheidsmodel (Resiliency Model of Adjustment and Adaptation). Selfbeskrywingsvraelyste is voltooi deur 32 gesinne wat ’n huisroof tussen Januarie 2010 en Desember 2014 ervaar het. Die selfbeskrywingsvraelyste is gebaseer op die Veerkragtigheidsmodel. Daar is ook van die gesinne verwag om ’n biografiese vraelys sowel as sewe oopeinde-vrae te voltooi oor hul ondervinding van faktore wat verband hou met hulle aanpassing. Die resultate beklemtoon die belangrikheid van veerkragtigheidsfaktore in gesinsaanpassing. Die belangrikste veerkragtigheidsfaktore wat in hierdie studie geïdentifiseer is, is: gesinsgehardheid en -verbintenis; die vermoë om die stressor te herdefinieer, ondersteuning van die gesin, familie en vriende; die belangrikheid van familie tyd en roetines (spesifiek maaltye saam, gereelde kommunikasie tussen kinders en ouers, en kwaliteit tyd wat hulle saam spandeer); en die sekuriteitstelsels wat ná die gebeurtenis geïnstalleer/opgegradeer is. Die kliniese bruikbaarheid van hierdie studie is gekoppel aan die vermoë om gesinne te voorsien van bevestiging van die waarde van hulle pogings om ondersteuning en aanmoediging aan mekaar te bied en om hulle eenheid en samesyn deur middel van roetines en gesinstyd saam te bevorder. Gesinsveerkragtigheidsteorie bied ’n relevante raamwerk waarbinne die proses van aanpassing ná ’n huisroof oorweeg kan word. Deur hierdie teorieë toe te pas op hulle spesifieke krisissituasie kan gesinne daaraan werk om die faktore te identifiseer en te implementeer wat sal lei tot beter aanpassing en dus verhoogde veerkragtigheid