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Introduction: Anxiety is the most common psychological problem reported among children with visual impairments. Although cognitive behavior therapy interventions have proven successful in treating childhood anxiety, it is unclear whether they are suitable and accessible for children who have visual impairments. This study aimed to determine if and how traditional cognitive behavior therapy--based interventions could be adapted for use with this specific population by interviewing children with visual impairments themselves. Methods: A qualitative research design was used. Sixteen children with visual impairments (aged 9 to 13 years) participated in two focus group interviews. Participants attended two special schools in the Western Cape, South Africa. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim, and content analysis was undertaken. Results: Three primary themes emerged from the focus group data: (1) difficulties encountered by children with visual impairments; (2) existing coping strategies; and (3) insight into the concepts of feelings, thoughts and behaviors (central to cognitive behavior therapy). Discussion: The emergent themes and their implications for the adaptation of a cognitive behavior therapy--based anxiety intervention are discussed. Implications for practitioners: Results provide practitioners with guidelines to consider when using or adapting therapeutic techniques such as cognitive behavior therapy for children with visual impairments.

In South Africa, many adolescents are affected by socio-economic adversity, which increases their susceptibility to experiencing stress that negatively affects their mental health. The synthesis of international literature has identified the psychological strengths (that include perceived social support, self-esteem and resilience) as having a protective effect on the mental health of at-risk adolescents who experience stress. Against this background, we argue that psychological strengths may assist South African adolescents in coping with stressors and may mediate the impact of stress on the mental health of adolescents living in conditions of socio-economic adversity. Given that this remains an under-researched area in the South African context, we also highlight the need for South African research that prioritizes the exploration of factors mitigating the experience of stress for adolescents. We also posit that such research should have significant implications for mental-health policy, practice, mental-health promotion and the prevention of mental disorders. We believe that such scholarly inquiries would be central to the intervention strategies aimed at preventing or "containing" the scourge of poverty-induced psychological distress in South African youth.

Introduction: The aim of the study presented here was to determine whether significant differences exist between the fear profiles of South African children in middle childhood (aged 8-13) with different levels of visual impairments and those of their sighted counterparts. Methods: A differential research design was used, and a total of 129 assenting children from three schools in the Western Cape province of South Africa participated. This convenience sample included 67 children with various degrees of visual impairments (20 with severe impairments and 47 with moderate impairments), and 62 gender- and age-matched sighted children in the control group. All the children were administered a short demographic questionnaire and the South African Fear Survey Schedule for Children (FSSC-SA). Results: The results of the FSSC-SA indicated that the most feared item for the children with visual impairments was "Fire-getting burned" and that of the sighted children was "getting HIV." The 10 most common fears of both groups were related mainly to situations in which the possibility of danger and harm was present, with the majority of fears loading onto Factor I (fear of danger and death) of the FSSC-SA. Consistent with previous research, gender differences were apparent across the number, level, and pattern of fears, with the girls consistently reporting more fears than the boys. In addition, the severely visually impaired group reported more fears, a greater intensity of fears, and a more complex pattern of fears than their moderately visually impaired and sighted counterparts. Discussion: These results are discussed in terms of possible influencing factors. Implications for practitioners: The results of the study provide teachers, parents, and others who are involved in the day-to-day lives of children with visual impairments with a glimpse into the children's emotional worlds. They also provide a foundation upon which future intervention and treatment strategies may be built. (Contains 4 tables.)

This study assessed the intercorrelations of scores on the Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration, the locally standardized Copying Test, and teachers' ratings of scholastic skills in a South African multi-ethnic preschool sample. The study also investigated whether cultural and socioeconomic factors might influence test data. Participants were 71 Black, 101 Coloured, and 66 White children attending preschools in a semirural district. Participants' ages ranged from 4 yr., 9 mo. to 7yr., 0 too. (M=5.8 yr., SD=0.3 yr.). Analysis yielded a correlation of .75 between the test scores and supports the suitability of the widely used Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration in a multi-ethnic sample. Scores on the Copying Test correlated higher with teachers' ratings. However, significant differences in test performance among groups by race and socioeconomic status suggest the rate of perceptual-motor development may be related to cultural factors. Normative data are reported for groups by race and socioeconomic status.

The present study explored the relationship between South African preschool children's intelligence scores achieved on the Goodenough-Harris Drawing Test (GHD), and the accuracy of teachers' ratings of the human-figure drawings and teachers' general perceptions of children's intellectual maturity. The GHD was administered individually to 30 boys and 30 girls between the ages of 4 and 6 years (M = 4.5, SD = 0.7) from a multicultural (Black, Colored, and White) preschool near the Cape, South Africa. The three class teachers of these preschoolers provided the ratings and perceptions of each child's intellectual maturity. Results indicated that the teachers' assessments of children's intellectual maturity were fairly similar to the formal measures of children's intellectual maturity using human figure drawings and their own perceptions. It appears that teacher ratings of drawings could be relied upon as a means of assessment. General perceptions of children's intellectual maturity should not be solely relied upon, but instead these perceptions should be used as an aid for enhancing the teachers' assessment of children's intellectual maturity in addition to the rating of human figure drawings.

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2005.06.002 Byline: Peter Muris (a), Helene Loxton (b), Anna Neumann (c), Michelle du Plessis (d), Neville King (e), Thomas Ollendick (f) Keywords: Anxiety; Screen for child anxiety related emotional disorders; Perceived parental rearing behaviors; South Africa; Children and adolescents Abstract: This study investigated DSM-defined anxiety symptoms in South African youths. Children and adolescents (N=701) from various cultural groups completed the SCARED and a questionnaire measuring perceived parental rearing behaviors. Results indicated that the psychometric properties of the SCARED were satisfactory in the total sample of South African youths, and acceptable in colored and black children and adolescents. Further, colored and black youths displayed higher SCARED scores than white youths, and there were also differences in the perceived parental rearing behaviors of the cultural groups. White youths generally rated their parents' rearing behaviors as less anxious, overprotective, and rejective, but more emotionally warm than colored and black youths. Finally, positive correlations were found between anxious rearing, overprotection, and rejection and anxiety symptoms. The clinical and research implications of these findings are briefly discussed. Author Affiliation: (a) Institute of Psychology, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Burgemeester Oudlaan 50, Suite J5-31, P.O. Box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands (b) University of Stellenbosch, South-Africa (c) Maastricht University, The Netherlands (d) University of Stellenbosch, South-Africa (e) Monash University, Australia (f) Virginia Polytechnic and State University, United States of America Article History: Accepted 15 June 2005