During the recent Autumn Graduation Ceremony of the North-West University’s (NWU’s) campus in Vanderbijlpark, the focus fell on the doctoral thesis of Carla Bezuidenhout – a PhD graduate who scrutinised ways in which resilience in children can be fostered despite parental divorce.
In her thesis, “Positive transitioning to school of resilient Grade 1 learners from divorced homes: A participatory visual study”, Carla explored the resilience processes which enabled urban first-graders to adjust well to first-grade primary informants, and semi-structured interviews with primary and secondary informants.
This approach provided a novel, intergenerational account of first-grader resilience that included children’s and adult’s perspectives. In particular, it highlighted that enabling social ecologies support children to adjust well to the double challenge of starting school while experiencing parental divorce. When adults in the ecologies of the school and the family were committed to the child’s wellbeing and operationalised this commitment in ordinary everyday actions, then resilience was championed.
This study generated four articles. One is being reviewed by an international journal, the other three are in the submission process.
Carla obtained her BA psychology degree at the University of Johannesburg. She also obtained her PCGE, BEdHons and MEd psychology degrees, all cum laude, at the University of Johannesburg and completed her studies in 2011. Since registering at the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) in 2012, Carla has practised as an educational psychologist based at a primary school.
Besides valuing systemic work with teachers, parents and children, she contributes to the school system with programme development and implementation, focusing on the socio-emotional development of children. Additionally, she runs a mathematics and reading centre providing learning support for children’s scholastic development.
The study was promoted by Prof LC Theron, extraordinary professor at the Optentia research focus area with Dr E Fritz fulfilling the role of assistant promoter.
Carla Bezuidenhout and the promoter of her study, Prof LC Theron.
