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child is realising or actualising the potential he is endowed with as a person as it
pertains to his various abilities (Van Niekerk 1987: 23). The child who "under­
estimates" his potential is consequently limited to actualising only this supposedly
"inferior" potential. According to Van Niekerk (1987) there is proof ofa weakened will
in respect of his real potential, especially in an emancipatory sense. This obviously
amounts to reluctance (unwillingness) to become properly adult. The absence of an
educator/parent in the life-world of the abused child gives rise to a situation where
no purposeful support is given with regard to his emancipation. The fostering within
him of the will to become what he ought to according to his potential, is also absent.
(c) Inadequate distantiation
According to Van Niekerk (1987) a child in a dysfunctional educational setting usually
takes inadequate distance from himself and his situatedness. This fact has particular
implications regarding the way in which the child will set about learning. In failing to
take sufficient distance from himself, the abused child is therefore less able to adopt
the proper attitude for truly involving himself with the things of this world which are
outside ofhimself. This inability to experience matters and ascribe significance to them
insufficiently dissociated, controlled and well-ordered gnostic manner by means of his
perceptions, thoughts, etc. brings about a further degree ofpathic-affective lability. He
in effect fails to sufficiently control his emotional life by means of his reason. The
insecure child, of which the abused child is a good example, finds it hard to risk
proceeding from the mode ofsensing to perceiving, and onward to thinking, imagining
and memorising, as he is hampered by anxiety and emotional unrest. A labile mode
of sensing also frequently causes the child's attention to fluctuate when he tries to
attend to something on a gnostic level (Sonnekus 1973 ; Van Niekerk 1978).
(d) Inadequate differentiation
In a dysfunctional educational setting a child is reluctant to fully actualise his potential
and accordingly also reveals a reluctance to differentiate (Van Niekerk 1987 : 24).
When his cognitive education is neglected, (e.g. by meagre responses to his questions