Department of Psychology

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Abused women's understandings of intimate partner violence and the link to intimate femicide
(Institute for qualitative research, 2016) Dekel, Bianca; Andipatin, Michelle
In this article, we explore how women survivors of intimate partner violence understand the abuse they endured and the possible link to intimate femicide. This is a qualitative study based on a feminist poststructuralist perspective. Seven South African women, aged 23 to 50 years, with a history of different manifestations of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) participated in open-ended interviews. The data was analyzed by means of discourse analysis. In their explanations, the women constructed gendered identities, which reflected contradictory and ambiguous subjective experiences. The women's understandings were filtered through the particular social context in which their abusive experiences occurred. The findings highlighted that contemplating femicide was too threatening, and consequently participants drew on discourses of femininity, romantic love, and others to justify their remaining in their violence-ridden relationships. It emphasizes the need for additional engagement in women's understandings of intimate femicide, as women who live in abusive relationships have largely been consigned to the periphery.
An exploration of the challenge's fathers' experience when parenting a child that presents with dyspraxia
(Emerald Group Holdings Ltd, 2021) Andipatin, Michelle; Jackson, Kyle
Purpose: Due to the limited research on fatherhood and dyspraxia, this study is critical as it highlights the challenges that fathers face in parenting a child that presents with dyspraxia. The purpose of this study is to inform various interventions while simultaneously highlighting a largely neglected area of research. Design/methodology/approach: The principal aim of this study was to explore the subjective challenges that fathers experience in parenting a child that presents with dyspraxia in the Cape Metropole area. This study adopted a qualitative approach utilising an exploratory design to understand and provide in-depth information about fathers' subjective experiences of parenting a child that presents with dyspraxia (Mack et al., 2005). Data were collected using semi-structured individual interviews with fathers. Findings: The authors’ findings highlight that fathers' roles are inextricably more complex, shifting between more traditional conceptions such as the provider toward the all giving and nurturing care. Future research would benefit from adopting a more masculinity-focused framework to determine the effect that learning disorders have on constructing and challenging more traditional gendered constructions of what it means to be a man, masculinity and what it means to be a father, fatherhood and fathering. Research limitations/implications: The study was limited to the challenges faced by fathers whose children were engaged in some or other treatment plan. In addition, the study was limited to children who presented with dyspraxia, rather than those who had received an official diagnosis and this relates directly to the obscurity and ambiguity surrounding diagnosis of the disorder itself. Practical implications: The study has shed light in terms of the common features between dyspraxia and that of other developmental disorders. This is further extended to include the comorbidity of this disorder with other learning disabilities. Social implications: Mental health professionals may benefit from identifying the issues raised by fathers within this study and to further aid and support both children and parents in the treatment of dyspraxia. Originality/value: The study has shed much needed light on two very neglected areas – the area of learning disabilities, in particular, the issue of dyspraxia and second, including fathers’ voices in the discussion of their experiences. © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited.
An exploratory study on how the socio-cultural environment is inter-related to the body -image perception of anorexic and bulimic women
(University of the Western Cape, 2001) Meihuizen, Shelley-Ann; Andipatin, Michelle
The study is a qualitative exploration on how women who suffer from anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa feel their socio-cultural environment has influenced their body-size and body-shape perception. The study is motivated by the urgency to challenge our current understanding of the causes of eating disorders which have for many years, been restricted to the domain of the personal, intra-psychic and familial factors. Given the high incidence of both disorders, it no longer seems appropriate to conceptualise the causes of these disorders as a solely private issue. feminist and socio-cultural critiques and empirical studies have highlighted the important role that the socio-cultural environment plays in the development and/or maintenance of anorexia and bulimia. The study is embedded in feminist and socio-cultural paradigms and employs a qualitative methodology. The central aim of the study is to explore how the sociocultural environment, with a focus on women suffering from anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, is inter{elated to their body-image perception. Two different methods will be used: in-depth interviews and focus groups, as well as a demographic questionnaire. The two above-mentioned methods will produce textual data which will be analysed, from which the dominant themes that emerge will be drawn out. It is hoped that this research project will help form the basis for a more comprehensive study in the near future, which could further could further contribute to a better understanding of the particular connotations of the words'fat' and 'thin" and what they imply for South African women.
Exploring a sample of university students’ perceptions of menstruation
(National Inquiry Services Centre (NISC), 2016) Ismail, Kulthum; Pedro, Athena; Andipatin, Michelle
This study aimed to explore how a sample of young South African women constructed their perceptions of menstruation. The sample comprised 16 racially/ethnically diverse female university students (blacks = 4, whites = 2, coloured = 8; Christians = 11; Muslims = 5; aged 18 to 23 years). They participated in one of three focus group discussions on their constructions of menstruation. Findings from the discourse analysis indicated that the women perceive social control experiences of their menstruation—even in the context of medical understandings.
Exploring adversities among parents convicted of killing their children
(PLOS ONE, 2020-07-22) Dekel, Bianca; Andipatin, Michelle; Abrahams, Naeemah Abrahams
Experiencing adversities has been associated with the use of violence but this has not been explored with filicide offenders in South Africa. Individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 parents/stepparents/caregivers convicted of child homicide in South Africa, resulting in 49 in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed by means of grounded theory. Using an ecological framework, this study alludes to the widespread and cumulative nature of violence and trauma experiences within multiple domains of the participants’ lives. The study highlighted the absence of support in the aftermath of experiencing trauma, possibly resulting in these parents lacking resources to mitigate the sequelae of adverse experiences. This study calls for trauma related, mental health components to be integrated into violence interventions and for these to address the impact of trauma at the individual, family, and societal levels, to prevent the transition from victim to offender.
Exploring psychological distress among a sample of pregnant women from a low income area who self-identify as being distressed
(University of the Western Cape, 2018) Singh, Robyn; Andipatin, Michelle
Psychological distress during pregnancy has been a fairly neglected phenomenon and has only recently started emerging as an area of research interest. The existing body of scholarship on distress during pregnancy has largely been conducted from a positivist paradigm, emphasising the identification, incidences and risks. There is thus a dearth of qualitative inquiry into pregnant women's experiences and accounts of distress. In an attempt to address these gaps within the literature, my study explored psychological distress among a group of pregnant women from socio-economically disadvantaged contexts. The specific objectives of my study was to explore how pregnant women conceptualised psychological distress within the context of pregnancy; the feelings or symptoms of psychological distress; what pregnant women perceived as its causes; and the psychosocial needs of pregnant women in relation to antenatal distress. This study was guided by a feminist approach and a feminist standpoint epistemology in particular. This lent itself to exploring the phenomenon while departing from a clinical, decontextualised position which translated into an investigation with pregnant women who subjectively perceived themselves to be distressed.
Exploring psychological distress among a sample of pregnant women from a low income area who self-identify as being distressed
(University of the Western Cape, 2018) Singh, Robyn; Andipatin, Michelle; Roomaney, Rizwana
Psychological distress during pregnancy has been a fairly neglected phenomenon and has only recently started emerging as an area of research interest. The existing body of scholarship on distress during pregnancy has largely been conducted from a positivist paradigm, emphasising the identification, incidences and risks. There is thus a dearth of qualitative inquiry into pregnant women's experiences and accounts of distress. In an attempt to address these gaps within the literature, my study explored psychological distress among a group of pregnant women from socio-economically disadvantaged contexts. The specific objectives of my study was to explore how pregnant women conceptualised psychological distress within the context of pregnancy; the feelings or symptoms of psychological distress; what pregnant women perceived as its causes; and the psychosocial needs of pregnant women in relation to antenatal distress. This study was guided by a feminist approach and a feminist standpoint epistemology in particular. This lent itself to exploring the phenomenon while departing from a clinical, decontextualised position which translated into an investigation with pregnant women who subjectively perceived themselves to be distressed.
Exploring the intersection between violence against women and children from the perspective of parents convicted of child homicide
(Springer Verlag, 2018) Dekel, Bianca; Abrahams, Naeemah; Andipatin, Michelle
Violence against women and violence against children are distinct research fields. Quantitative studies have demonstrated their intersection, but qualitative data provides an opportunity for a comprehensive understanding of this interface. Interviews with 22 parents/caregivers convicted of child homicide provided an opportunity to explore the context of violent experiences in their lives including their use of violence and their experiences of it in their intimate and parenting relationships. Using a feminist framework, we found that patriarchal family structures, gender and power dynamics contribute to the use of violence. Revenge child homicide was common with distinct gendered differences. This study calls for closer collaboration between the two fields to assist in developing prevention interventions to address and eradicate both forms of violence.
Exploring the lived experiences of a sample of South African fathers who had a premature baby
(University of Western Cape, 2021) Nell, Jonathan; Andipatin, Michelle
Fatherhood and masculinity have been studied globally, and these constructs are used to make sense of a variety of realities of men. In South Africa, traditional constructions of fatherhood and masculinity persist. Given the unique history of men in South Africa, it allows researchers to investigate a plethora of phenomena relating to how men experience them, including fatherhood. Having a premature baby is fraught with medical and physical problems, which disrupts the fathers’ transition to fatherhood. The experience of the transition to parenthood is exacerbated by the sudden premature birth of a child, which leaves fathers and mothers particularly vulnerable to intense emotional experiences. Much has been documented about fathers’ subjective experiences of pregnancy, as well as fathers’ experiences of having a premature infant.
Exploring the self-concept of a group of peer mentors participating in a structured dance programme at a South African University
(University of Western Cape, 2020) Momplé, Simone; Andipatin, Michelle
This study focuses and draws on the fields of dance, psychology and the self-concept. Dance is seen as a powerful tool for expression of self. The Self-Concept is one of the most researched constructs in psychology. Previous research has focused on one element of the self-concept, such as self-esteem; this research considered the self-concept holistically, comprising of: self-image, self-esteem and ideal self. The theoretical framework of this research was the Self-Concept, and dance was employed as an intervention or method of researching the self-concept. The overall aim of this research was to explore the self-concept of a group of peer mentors prior to and after participating in a structured dance programme at a South African University. This research used a mixed-method approach with the primary method being qualitative. The quantitative research design was a quasi-experimental, one-group pre-test post-test design, using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). The qualitative research design was ethnography. A seven session structured dance programme was conducted consisting of various aspects of dance. Non-probability sampling and purposive sampling techniques were used. Data was collected in four phases; quantitative pre-test data collection using the RSES scale; qualitative intervention data collection via observations (field notes and audio-visual recordings); quantitative post-test data collection using the RSES scale; and qualitative in-depth interviews. Informed consent was received through informed consent forms and information sessions prior to the dance programme. There were two steps of data analysis. First was to analyse the quantitative data from the RSES on IBM’s Statistical Software Package for Social Sciences, version 25 (SPSS v.25) and Microsoft Excel tools. Second was to analyse the data from the observations and interviews using thematic analysis.
Exploring the subjective meaning-making and perceptions of the impact of their high- risk pregnancies in a sample of women from resource-constrained areas
(University of the Western Cape, 2023) Cebekhulu, Gugulethu; Andipatin, Michelle
Background and Aim: Health problems that occur before or during pregnancy may increase the likelihood of a high-risk pregnancy. While PTSD has been previously believed to occur following events such as war, sexual assault and violence, recent evidence suggests that it may occur after childbirth. The aim of this study was to explore the ways in which women from resource-constrained areas who experienced high-risk pregnancies made sense of their experiences and how those experiences impacted their postpartum mental health.
Fathers’ subjective lived experiences of their partner’s medically high-risk pregnancy in the Western Cape, South Africa
(University of Western Cape, 2021) Richardson, Pascal; Andipatin, Michelle
The presence of a supportive and attentive father has been shown to hold a myriad of positive health outcomes for a pregnancy, and benefits the wellbeing of the mother, child, and the father himself. Pregnancy is a key period for fathers to become invested in their children’s lives. However, obstetric research continues to be largely feminised, therefore neglects the experiences of men. Considering that existing research shows that the antenatal period is a turbulent time for men, the aim of this research was to explore fathers’ subjective lived experiences of their partner’s medically high-risk pregnancy.
The lived experience of young women with endometriosis in South Africa: An exploration of chronic pain with regards to physical, psychological, and social wellbeing
(University of the Western Cape, 2022) Kavalieratos, Zara; Andipatin, Michelle
Endometriosis is a common disorder affecting many young women of reproductive age physically, socially, and psychologically. The disease is largely considered from a biomedical perspective and there is a paucity of literature on the psychological impact on women with endometriosis, particularly in South Africa. Women with endometriosis are often impacted physically in terms of infertility and chronic pain; socially in terms of their intimate relationships and sexual intimacies; as well as psychologically through their enhanced experiences of anxiety and stress.
A narrative approach to understanding child homicide from the perspective of incarcerated South African parents convicted of killing their children
(University of the Western Cape, 2019) Dekel, Bianca; Andipatin, Michelle; Abrahams, Naeemah
South Africa has among the highest reported rates of neonaticide and infanticide, yet we do not know much about the circumstances surrounding parental child killing. Therefore, this dissertation sought to address this lacuna in the research literature. The dissertation is divided into two phases. Phase one includes a scoping review, which describes research on the homicide of infants (aged 0-1 year), pertaining to victim and perpetrator characteristics. A search of 18 databases, yielded 53 included articles, of which 39 were case studies, two were qualitative, and 12 were quantitative. The review’s main finding is the shortage of good quality data as most included studies were case studies. Therefore, we hope that this review encourages the development of a larger scholarship of robust research focused on the homicide of infants. Phase two presents the findings of a life history study, couched within a biopsychosocial epistemology, undertaken to uncover the life stories of parents who are incarcerated for killing either a biological child, a stepchild, or a child in their care. The qualitative study draws on 49 in-depth interviews with 22 participants. Attachment theory, epigenetics, feminist theory, and the social ecological theory assisted in understanding this crime. Through a grounded theory analysis of the life stories presented, it becomes evident how traumatic parent-child experiences in the form of absent parents, neglect, and abuse, had a profound impact on these participants. Their narratives suggest that, in the absence of reparative environments, their histories of childhood abuse and abandonment were potentially risk factors for negative consequences in the parenting role, as they likely reenacted these cycles of unhealthy behavior with partners and children.
National-level key stakeholders’ perspectives regarding intervention progression and emerging challenges within the national stillbirth reduction response in Uganda
(Public Library of Science, 2023) Ssegujja, Eric; Andipatin, Michelle
Implementation of evidence-based interventions was adopted to respond to the stillbirth burden from the global campaigns. However, new challenges emerge in the process of rolling out such interventions into routine services more so in the context of resource-limited settings. Since the scale-up of policy recommendations to address stillbirth in Uganda, the health system response has seldom been explored. This study was conducted among national-level key stakeholders to elicit their perspectives regarding intervention progression and challenges emerging from the implementation of the national stillbirth reduction strategies in Uganda.
The Perinatal Mental Health Project: A qualitative evaluation.
(University of Western Cape, 2005) Chelleset, Julia; Andipatin, Michelle
This study evaluates, qualitatively, the PMIIP (Perinatal Mental Health Project), which involves routine screening of women, during the antenatal period, for postnatal depression (PhID) and other mental conditions related to childbirth. This antenatal screening facility is offered at the LMOU (Liesbeeck, Maternity, Obstetric Unit. Women who appear to be at risk are offered counselling by a volunteer psychologist or clinical social worker providing a potentially excellent intervention for women during the perinatal period. Women, particularly mothers, in South Africa are subject to social stressors, which are exacerbated by class inequalities within the health care system. Motherhood also requires a total change of role, resulting in the loss of former psychological identity and adds the stress of mediating family relations as the balance of relationships and power are affected. However, most societies glorify motherhood and refuse to consider that it may have a dark side and this contributes to the imprisonment of women within a sometimes-difficult role. Feminist Standpoint theory provides a theoretical framework for this study as this woman centred viewpoint suggests that there should be caution when labelling women with postnatal depression whereby it is seen as an illness, interpreting, distress as individual pathology. On the whole perinatal mental health problems have been pathologized and medicalized denying the social conditions that women may endure and simultaneously marginalizing the validity of women's voices. This study was essentially exploratory in nature, using qualitative methods to obtain the data. The research drew from Guba& Lincoln's Fourth Generation Evaluation method as it views cultural and political elements as enhancing the evaluative process. Consistent with this method the major stakeholders of the PMHP were selected as participants. This included six women who and been screened and counselled at the LMOU as well as six midwives, to counsellors, a psychiatrist and the project manager. The data was analysed thematically. The results suggest that the PMIIP has provided an excellent source of social support but also highlights the difficulties of implementing a project of this nature within an under resourced biomedical context. This research will hopefully contribute towards a paradigm shift by highlighting women's social location within the construction of perinatal mental health problems.
Rape culture and social media: Exploring how social media influences students’ opinions and perceptions of rape culture
(University of the Western Cape, 2018) Orth, Zaida; Andipatin, Michelle
In April 2016 students from South African universities launched the #Endrapeculture movement to protest their universities’ institutional policies towards sexual assault on campus, which was seen as perpetuating a rape culture. Through the use of social media, students from across South Africa were able to provide instrumental information and mobilise support for the protests. This thesis focused on exploring the rape culture discourse that emerged from the online debates following the #Endrapeculture protests, as well as the potential of social media as an accessible and affordable pedagogical tool to address rape culture on campus. An exploratory qualitative design was used and this was framed within a postmodern feminist framework. To address the aims of the study two methods of data collection were utilised. All ethics principles were adhered to for both forms of data collection. Firstly, natural observation of comment threads of Facebook relating to the April 2016 #Endrapeculture protests was conducted. A total of 590 comments from 8 Facebook posts were collected and analysed using qualitative content analysis. The findings indicate that rape culture discourses were prominent within these comment threads with Perpetuating Victim-blaming emerging as the most significant theme followed by Rape or Rape Culture, Patriarchy, Race and Culture, Sexualisation and Bodily Autonomy, Trivialising Rape Culture and Role of Universities and Law Enforcement. The second part of the data collection involved conducting online, asynchronous focus groups using the Facebook secret chat group application. Participants for the SFFG were recruited on Facebook through a process of snowball sampling. A total of three SFFG were conducted with 16 participants. Thematic decomposition analysis was used to analyse the data. The findings revealed three main themes namely; Defining Rape Culture, Learning about Rape Culture and The Role of Social Media. Based on the observations from the comment threads and the findings from the SFFGs, it is argued that social media can be used as a pedagogical tool to address rape culture on campus in two ways. Firstly, it is beneficial on a macro level by using social media platforms to provide instrumental information about rape culture. Secondly, it can be utilised on a micro level by using applications like the SFFG to provide a safe space where students can engage in small-scale interactive discussions.
The role and attributes of social networks in the provision of support to women after stillbirth: Experiences from Uganda
(BMC, 2021) Ssegujja, Eric; Mulumba, Yusuf; Andipatin, Michelle
Communities exert stigma on mothers after stillbirth despite their potential to ofer social support to the grieving family. Maternal healthcare-seeking behaviors are socially reinforced rendering a social network approach vital in understanding support dynamics which when utilized can improve community response to mothers experiencing stillbirth. However, the form and direction of social support for women when in need is not clear. The study explored the role and attributes of women’s social networks in the provision of support to mothers who have experienced a stillbirth in Uganda. An exploratory cross-sectional study design adopting a social network approach was conducted. Data collection following established procedures was conducted on a convenient sample of 17 mothers who had experienced a stillbirth six months before the study. Frequencies and bivariate analysis were conducted to determine the factors infuencing the provision of social support from 293 network members elicited during the alter generation. We then performed a Poisson regression on each of the social support forms and the explanatory variables. Network structure variables were calculated using UCINET version 6 while Netdraw facilitated the visualization of networks.
Scoping review of the psychosocial aspects of infertility in developing countries: Protocol
(BMJ Publishing Group, 2020) Salie, Mariam; Roomaney, Rizwana; Andipatin, Michelle; Volks, Cal
Introduction Infertility is a widespread social phenomenon. For both women and men, there are several psychosocial issues associated with infertility. Numerous systematic reviews have focused on individuals' psychosocial issues pertaining to infertility, however, these have been conducted in developed countries. Thus, there is a gap in the current literature to analyse individuals' psychosocial issues associated with infertility in developing countries. Given that there are various contextual factors to consider for appropriate interventions to be implemented, it is vital to explore this topic in a developing context. Methods and analysis A scoping review will be conducted. A total of 12 databases were identified and a search string including terms related to infertility, psychosocial aspects and developing countries was developed. The inclusion and exclusion of each article will be determined through the guidelines provided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses flow chart. Quantitative and qualitative data will be collated. The findings will summarise existing research on psychosocial aspects of infertility in developing countries and identify gaps in the research corpus. Ethics and dissemination Data will not be collected from participants. Instead, data will be extracted from published studies and therefore no ethical approval is required. The findings will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.
A systematic review regarding the emotional/psychological experiences of medically complicated pregnancies
(University of the Western Cape, 2018) Isaacs, Nazeema Zainura; Andipatin, Michelle
Over time, the ‘normal’ experience of pregnancy transitioned to the hospital setting, leading to a discourse steeped in the notions of risks and complications. Risks and complications refer to health problems expectant women may experience, causing them to have a high-risk pregnancy. High-risk pregnancy refers to a pregnancy that negatively affects the health of the mother, the baby, or both, and evoking a range of emotional and psychological experiences. Research on high-risk pregnancy is predominantly found in the medical arena. Such research usually concerns the disease, while women’s emotional/psychological experiences are not sufficiently documented. For this reason, the objectives of this study was to explore the emotional and psychological experiences of women in the reviewed articles throughout their high-risk pregnancies, and identify the medical conditions and complications in the same reviewed articles. Ethics clearance was obtained from the senate research committee at UWC. The systematic review examined qualitative studies, including the qualitative components of mixed method studies published between January 2006 and June 2017. The databases that were searched are EbscoHost, JSTOR, Sage Journals Online, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Sabinet, Scopus, Emerald eJournals Premier, Pubmed, as well as Taylor and Francis Open Access eJournals. The study evaluated the literature found on these databases for methodological quality by using three stages of review (i.e. abstract reading, title reading, and full-text reading) and applying a meta-synthesis to the current evidence on the research topic. The findings provide empirical evidence based on sound research that medical conditions and complications (i.e. HELLP syndrome, thrombophilia, gestational diabetes, maternal near-miss syndrome, foetal abnormality, preterm birth, hypertension, and uterine rupture) are associated with women’s emotional and psychological experiences (i.e. fear, shock, feeling frightened, sadness, worry, alienation, frustration, grief, guilt, anger, ambivalence, despair, upset, loneliness and isolation, anxiety, depression, and PTSD) throughout their high-risk pregnancies. As a result of this, survivors of severe pregnancy complications have subsequent psychological and emotional challenges. It is therefore recommended that future researchers consider including quantitative studies in a systematic review on the same topic.

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