Browsing by Author "Isaacs, Serena Ann"

Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
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    The development of a familyresilience-strengthening programme for familiesin a South African rural community
    (Wiley, 2018) Isaacs, Serena Ann; Roman, Nicolette V.; Savahl, Shazly
    The aim of this study was to develop a contextually based family resilience program. Also presented here is a literature review of family resilience interventions suggesting that these 3 processes are the basis for effective family functioning. A close collaboration with the community ensured an adequate understanding of the presenting family challenges and this article describes the process in developing a program based on these challenges. A 3-round Delphi design was used for the study with international and local experts (n = 10) in the field of family and resilience studies and community stakeholders (n = 5). The program has three main aims: to increase family connectedness, family communication processes and social and economic resources. Based on the findings of this study, 4 modules will be presented to participants, “about family,” “talking together,” “close together,” and “working together.” A description is provided of the program content and decisions regarding logistical program concerns.
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    Fostering family resilience: A community participatory action research perspective
    (Taylor & Francis, 2020) Isaacs, Serena Ann; Roman, Nicolette Vanessa; Carlson, Shantay
    Theoretically, increasing family resilience, may contribute to an increase the resilience of communities. However families in South Africa experience challenges to their resilience, often owing to a variety of historic, socio-economic, and political factors. Research and intervention planning that attempts to ameliorate the effects these factors, especially upon families who live within disenfranchised communities, should begin with a consideration of the relationships between researcher and community stakeholders. The aim of this paper is to discuss lessons learned during the process of intervention development in which the whole community (should they choose to) can participate. The Family Resilience Strengthening Programme is an intervention that was developed with the aim of strengthening family resilience processes using a participatory action research approach (PAR). Participants of this project were from a small, rural community from the West Coast of South Africa. We argue that PAR can be used to foster family resilience and, in so doing, can mobilise communities and their resources to increase community resilience. Key lessons learned during this project is discussed and addresses aspects important in community engagement such as the quality of communication and a unifying of different stakeholder community groups. Moreover, we encourage researchers and practitioners engage with the value that communities contribute to research and intervention planning, and the need to maintain, and further develop, those relationships both throughout and after the research process
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    Identity matters: Validation of the professional identifcation scale in a sample of teachers in South Africa during the Covid 19 pandemic
    (Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2022) Pretorius, Tyrone B.; Padmanabhanunni, Anita; Isaacs, Serena Ann
    Professional identity has been linked to organizational outcomes such as job performance and commitment, as well as health and well-being indices such as burnout and depression. Professional identity is a powerful mechanism that can be afected by social and environmental factors. It is therefore important to establish a reliable and valid measurement of professional identity that is useful in diferent contexts. The current study examines the psychometric properties of Brown’s Professional Identifcation Scale (PIS) using three diferent but complementary approaches: classical test theory, Mokken analysis, and Rasch analysis. The study participants (N=355), school teachers recruited from all over South Africa, completed the PIS, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the Teacher Satisfaction Scale. The reliability and validity of a reduced 8-item version of the PIS was confrmed.
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    Perceived vulnerability to disease and the relationship with teacher satisfaction in South Africa during Covid-19: The serial role of burnout, role conflict, and ambiguity
    (MDPI, 2022) Pretorius, Tyrone Brian; Padmanabhanunni, Anita; Isaacs, Serena Ann
    Teachers’ work roles and responsibilities have changed dramatically because of the COVID-19 pandemic. These unprecedented changes have the potential to generate role stress and burnout and reduce teachers’ job satisfaction. This study investigated the serial relationship between perceived vulnerability to disease, role stress, burnout, and teaching satisfaction. It was hypothesised that individuals who perceive themselves to be at high risk of contracting COVID-19 would report high role conflict and ambiguity in the workplace, which would in turn lead to high levels of burnout and low satisfaction with teaching. Participants were schoolteachers (N = 355) who completed the Perceived Vulnerability to Disease Questionnaire, the Role Orientation Questionnaire, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, and the Teaching Satisfaction Scale.
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    The development of a contextually based programme designed to increase family resilience processes for families in a rural community on the West Coast South Africa
    (University of the Western Cape, 2018) Isaacs, Serena Ann; Roman, Nicolette V.
    Family environments can greatly affect the prospects of the children and their succeeding generations. South Africa's socio-political history and contextual circumstances continue to affect the structure and functioning of families. However, in spite of - or perhaps because of - these factors, many families thrive in such adversity. Research has explored and identified many processes such as social support, self-efficacy, availability of resources, and family resilience, which can moderate the effects of adversity. Family resilience processes have been shown to significantly reduce deleterious consequences of adversity in families.
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    We Are Not Islands: The Role of Social Support in the Relationship between Perceived Stress during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Psychological Distress
    (MDPI, 2023) Padmanabhanunni, Anita; Pretorius, Tyrone B; Isaacs, Serena Ann
    COVID-19 containment measures, including social distancing, quarantine, and confinement, significantly impacted social connectedness and contributed to heightened levels of perceived stress. Prior research has established that protective factors can mitigate emotional distress. This study investigated the protective role of social support in the relationship between perceived stress and psychological distress among a sample of university students. Participants (n = 322) completed the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Perceived Stress Scale, short forms of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, the trait scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Beck Hopelessness Scale. The results indicated that high levels of perceived stress were associated with high levels of hopelessness, depression, and anxiety. In terms of direct and mediating effects, social support was significant for depression and hopelessness but not for anxiety. Furthermore, the relationship between perceived stress and depression was higher for those with high levels of social support than for those with lower levels of social support. The findings suggest that in addition to enhancing social support resources, interventions must assist students in managing the uncertainty and anxiety associated with the pandemic. Furthermore, students’ appraisals of support and the extent to which support is experienced as beneficial must also be examined prior to the implementation of interventions.