Editorial

Mauss's contribution to his uncle's classical study, The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life, has not been widely acknowledged. It is, however, difficult to assess in the light of inadequate knowledge. This essay is an introduction to the study of the relation of nephew and uncle with regard to this problem. The difference between them as people and their achievements is first briefly considered. Then attention is turned to the way they approached the sociological study of religion. Only two aspects of religion have been selected. The first considers the problems in defining religion. Durkheim holds to the notion of the sacred and Mauss to mana as being central to a definition. The second area is ritual, where there is considerable agreement, although Mauss shows little interest in effervescence. In the final analysis, the two tend to show a complementarity in their work.     

Refusing to be excluded: finding ways of integrating psychotherapeutic modalities to the emerging needs of a Pupil Referral Unit

This paper describes the application of child psychotherapy, its theory and practice, in a Pupil Referral Unit (PRU). It examines the importance of a flexible approach to outreach work and the implementation of interventions that take into consideration both the internal and the external world of the adolescent. Furthermore, the process of development of a psychodynamic group with PRU students is described and illustrated. Additionally, it explores the importance of developing psychodynamic models of working with allied professionals in supervision and collaborative efforts in general. The paper explores the usefulness of the concept of mentalisation when working in the context of schools as well as the need to develop an accessible psychodynamic language that enables multidisciplinary collaboration. Overall, this paper reflects on the importance of holding in mind the challenge of balancing the needs of the external and the internal world, which becomes very evident in the process of outreach work.     

School adjustment of adolescents affected by HIV and AIDS: A case study

The study examined the school adjustment of South African adolescents affected by HIV and AIDS . Participants were a convenient sample of 60 adolescents from a secondary school in a major South African city (females = 73 .33%, 50% affected by HIV and AIDS, grade 8 = 40%, grade 9 = 30%, grade 10 = 30%, age range = 16–18 years) . Data on their personal functioning were gathered using the Beck Youth Inventory^TM and the Enhanced School Support Inventory (ESSI) . The data analysis comprised between-group and within-group comparisons, using the t-test statistic . Findings suggest that adolescents affected by HIV and AIDS had significantly lower psychological and behavioural functioning than their typical other peers . Results also show that these affected learners had lower school adjustment than their typical peers . The schools environment can support comprehensive interventions to addresses psychosocial vulnerability among adolescents affected by HIV and AIDS .     

The chance project: Complex interventions with adolescent school drop-outs in Naples

Abstract

In this paper the authors describe their long experience, as psychoanalytically oriented psychotherapists, with an experimental school project with adolescent school drop-outs, a project that has been running in three deprived contexts of Naples. In the paper the structure of the psychological project supporting workers involved with these disruptive adolescents is analysed in detail along with the theoretical framework that lies behind it. The authors also give some illustrations that show the intense dynamics present in this field of work and some meaningful developments observed in the relationships and communications between adolescents and adults and in the group of peers.     

Kleptomania: A Review of the Research

Research on kleptomania is limited. Earlier views and recent reports of treatment are reviewed in this article. More study is needed to delineate this impulse-control disorder.     

Resilience in families in which a child is bullied

The aim of this study was to identify family resilience characteristics in families in which a child has been bullied, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Forty-eight mothers represented their families and completed a biographical questionnaire containing an open-ended question, and seven self-report questionnaires. Results from the qualitative data showed that most of the families coped with the bullying by talking to a teacher, principal or the governing body, or by giving advice to the child who had been bullied. The quantitative results highlighted the quality of family communication, the fortitude and durability of the family unit, and the family's emphasis on being together. These findings can be utilised in interventions to strengthen families finding themselves in a similar crisis.     

Froebel and the Rise of Educational Theory in the United States

This contribution compares entries on Friedrich Froebel and the kindergarten in German and United States histories of education from 1857 to 1933. In the American histories, Froebel appears as the great hero of education of the 19th century, whereas in the German histories, Pestalozzi is the hero. This difference in the perspectives goes back to fundamental differences in the political culture and political traditions of the two countries, which differed greatly as to the shaping of the public and private spheres. Consequently, there were also different views on public education. In the immigration society of the United States, it was important to integrate children with various language and cultural backgrounds. As families could not do this alone, public kindergartens were needed. In Germany, in contrast, Froebels idea of the kindergarten was seen as an attack on family ties, and Pestalozzi was highly esteemed, because he made home education central. The American interest in making citizens produced Froebel as the hero; the German interest in leaving the education of young children to mothers and in the family lauded Pestalozzi. This case study of the reception of Froebel in Germany and the United States illustrates the high context-dependence of the construction of educational heroes.     

Facilitators and Inhibitors of Positive School Feelings: An Exploratory Study

This paper brings together the educational psychology and place experience literatures to explore 8 children's experiences of school behavior settings. Within this framework, the goal is to think of school as a place comprised of multiple behavior settings, disentangle behavior and engagement, and problematize the construct of engagement. Results indicate that children liked places where the physical space was open, and they had some autonomy, independence, choice, opportunities for leadership, and social support. Conversely, they disliked places that were physically chaotic, where they perceived an abuse of power, and that inhibited choice, independence, and autonomy. Finally, children engaged their disliked places by attempting to personalize these spaces to bring in other parts of their identities. Implications include creating behavior settings that lead to positive experiences, attending to social justice, and the use of project-based pedagogies.