The Psychological Conditon of Street Children and Youth in Camaeroon and Their Reintegration into Mainstream Socioeconomic Activities

국문 초록 (Abstract)

이 연구는 아프리카 카메룬의 Yaoundé와 Douala 도시의 두 유형의 거리의 아동청소년 즉, 거리에서 거주하면서 생계를 영위하는 254명의 아동청소년과 거주는 가정에서 이루어지나 생계는 거리에서 영위하는 254명의 아동청소년, 전체 508명의 아동청소년의 심리적 특성의 차이를 분석하고, 이들을 대상으로 NGO가 운영하는 갱생프로그램의 효과를 파악하여 거리의 아동청소년을 위한 해소방안을 제시하는 것으로 목적으로 하였다. 자료는 빈도분석, 신뢰도 분석, 평균차이분석(독립 및 대응 표본 t-test, ANOVA), 상관분석 및 회귀분석을 활용하여 분석하였다.
연구결과 첫째, 거리에서 거주하면서 생계를 영위하는 아동청소년은 트라우마, 자동적 사고, 탄력성이 상대적으로 높았으나 거주는 가정에서 이루어지나 생계는 거리에서 영위하는 아동청소년이 희망, 자기효능감 및 자아존중감이 높았다.
둘째, 자동적 사고는 희망, 자기효능감, 자아존중감과 유의미한 부적 상관관계를 보였으며, 트라우마와 탄력성과는 정적 상관관계를 보였다.
셋째, 희망을 종속변인으로 하여 회귀분석을 실시한 결과 자아존중감을 제외하고 탄력성, 자기효능감, 자동적 사고가 유의미한 예측변인으로 확인되었다. 특히 자기효능감이 희망에 가장 영향을 미치는 에측변인으로 나타났다.
한편 거리의 청소년이였던 20명을 대상으로 NGO의 갱생프로그램의 효과를 검증한 결과 자동적 사고는 감소하고, 희망, 탄력성 및 자아존중감은 증가하여 프로그램의 효과가 검증되었다. 이러한 결과를 토대로 거리의 아동청소년의 경제활동을 위한 제언을 하였다.

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This research has been designed to contribute to better understanding, proposed cures, and prevention of the phenomenon of street children and youth in Yaoundé and Douala, Cameroon. A careful review of literature on this phenomenon revealed that intervention efforts of NGOs, though widely studied, still need systematic analysis. There is still limited knowledge, especially regarding the psychology of street children and youth in the developing countries. This research has therefore examined, through psychological analysis, the forces that compel children and youth to the streets, using the metrics of Childhood Trauma, Automatic Thought, Children’s hope, Resilience, Self-Efficacy, and Self-Esteem. This quantitative dissertation consists of two studies. The first one provides an analysis of the psychological state of street children and youth in Yaoundé and Douala, while the second deals with a new paradigm geared towards reintegrating street children into mainstream socio-economic activities. The first study includes a sample of 508 street children and youth. A comparison between a sample of 254 children and youth of the street (working and living on the street) and that of 254 children and youth on the street (working on the street but living off the street) was explored. Mean comparison, correlation, and regression analysis were used to examine the differences and relationships which exist between the variables: Childhood Trauma, Automatic Thought, Resilience, Self-Efficacy, Self-Esteem, and Children’s Hope. From the result of t-test, Childhood Trauma, Automatic Thought, and Resilience were higher in children and youth of the street than children and youth on the street, but Children’s Hope, Self-Efficacy and Self-Esteem were higher in children and youth on the street than children and youth of the street. Looking at correlation, Childhood Trauma is positively correlated with Automatic Thought and negatively correlated with Hope, Self-Efficacy, and Self-Esteem. Having Children’s Hope as the dependent variable, Childhood Trauma and Automatic Thought each independently makes a negative contribution to Children’s Hope. On the other hand, Self-Efficacy contributes the most to Children’s Hope, while Resilience makes a moderate contribution. Self- Esteem seems to have little or no effect on Children’s Hope. The second study consisted of a sample of 20 former street children engaged in primary education in the Kana Foundation NGO rehabilitation home. A project designed to boost Resilience was introduced in this Foundation’s street children and youth rehabilitation primary education center. A pre-survey was carried out before the project began. After running the project for six months, a post survey was done. From the data of both surveys a paired t test was conducted. The t-test revealed that Automatic Thought decreased while Children’s Hope, Resilience, Self-Efficacy, and Self-Esteem all increased. The initial plan was to study adolescents engaged in vocational education programs, but they were few so we diverted to the children in primary education. The study of adolescents remains a research gap for further studies. I also looked into some economic activities which best suit the street children and youth circumstances.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• I. Introduction 1
• Definition of Street Children and Youth 3
• Background on the Psychological Condition of Street Children and Youths 4
• Street Children and Youth in Cameroon 8
• Objectives of and Need for the Study 11
• Statement of the Problem 17
• Significance of the Study 19
• Rationale for the Methodology 20
• Research Questions 20
• Hypotheses 21
• Operational Definitions of Variables 22
• Summary 24
• II. Literature Review 26
• Conceptual Framework 26
• Theoretical Framework 28
• Previous Literature as Applied to the Children and Youth of Cameroon 43
• Knowledge Gap 45
• Summary 85
• III. Research Methodology 87
• Study 1 87
• Study 2 89
• Distribution of Participants 89
• Variables 90
• Research Design 90
• Instrumentation 91
• Interviewing Procedures 96
• Collection of Quantitative Data 96
• Resilience Enhancement Project (Kana Foundation) 98
• Summary 117
• IV. Results 119
• Study 1 119
• Study 2 125
• Summary 127
• V. Discussion and Recommendations 128
• Study 1 128
• Study 2 156
• Expected Effects of the Study and Utilization 157
• Assumptions, Limitations, and Delimitations 158
• Recommendations 160
• Conclusions 169
• References 173
• 초록 193