A psycho-educational approach to adolescents who experience interpersonal challenges in a suburb in Soweto.

M.Ed.This research study indicates that young adolescents who experience interpersonal challenges in a suburb in Soweto undergo disturbances involving body, mind and spirit. This bring about a variety of future adjustment difficulties, problems and coping abilities. This is attributed to a low socio-economic environment, lack of communication, lack of information, poor parental involvement, lack of school support, peer pressure, anger, anxiety, depression and stress. They are overwhelmed by negative thoughts and accompanied by profound guilt feelings. This affects them emotionally, psychologically and physically. This study focuses on the identification of the above experiences as lived by the young adolescents themselves in Soweto. Guidelines are described to support the young adolescents who are experiencing interpersonal challenges via negative thoughts, emotions and feelings. The application of the guidelines is thus not prescriptive but preventive and primarily aimed at providing support to the young adolescents, learning about their conditions, informing, educating and taking responsibility. The research design followed in this study is a qualitative design with an explorative, descriptive and contextual focus. The data were collected by means of phenomenological interviews and field notes. A literature control was used to verify the findings. The findings of this study were categorised in three categories. The three categories were used as a basis for inferring and describing guidelines to support adolescents who are undergoing interpersonal challenges. After the data analysis three broad categories were used as basis to describe guidelines that will support the young adolescents between the age of 15-17 years who experience interpersonal challenges. The first category reflects the adolescents’ experience of family relationships as challenging. The second category reflects the adolescents’ experience of peer relationships as challenging. The third category describes the adolescents’ views of school as playing a crucial role in their lives. The guidelines inferred from the three categories together with feedback from the participants during the phenomenological interviews were transcribed and described. These could be applied to support them in their experiences. It is hoped that this study will assist young adolescents who are experiencing interpersonal challenges to meet, cope and strategise plans for a better adult life.Prof. C.P.H. Myburg