Magister Artium - MA (Psychology)

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Betrokkenheid van lidmate by die kerk as n..funksie van lidmaathoudings ten opsigte van Godsdiens en van lidmaatpersepsie van die kerk se Psigososiale klimaat. Betrokkenheid van lidmate by die kerk as n..funksie van lidmaathoudings ten opsigte van Godsdiens en van lidmaatpersepsie van die kerk se Psigososiale klimaat.
(University of the Western Cape, 1987) Pretorius, Tyrone Brian; Malan, D.J.
The aim of the present study was to determine whether church involvement can be conceptualized as a function of both organizational and personal factors. For the purposes of this study the psychosocial climate of the church served as an organizational factor while religious attitudes served as personal factors. A further aim of the study was to determine to what extent the church can be seen as a support system that serves as a buffer against stressors. Subjects consisted of 214 congregation members of 10 different churches that were spread out over the areas of Bellville-South, Kuilsriver and Belhar in the Cape Peninsula. Subjects completed five questionnaires: the Church climate scale (CCS), the Involvement in the church scale (ICS), the Survey of religious attitudes (SRA), a psychological well-being questionaire (RIF) and a biographical questionnaire. The relationship between the different variables were determined by means of product moment correlations, stepwise multiple regression and Chi-square analyses. The analysis of the significance of the differences between more involved and less involved church members was performed by means of Rotelling's T2 statistic. It was found that, according to the psychometric measures applied: the dimensions of the psychosocial climate of the church plays a limited role in the prediction of church insignificance as a predictor of church involvement in the final multiple regression analysis which involved all independent variables simultaneously. Orthodox religious beliefs had a positive relationship with church involvement, while inner religious conflicts had a negative relationship with church involvement. there was no relationship between church involvement and psychological well-being. orthodoxy, income, normative clarity and educational qualifications were the only significant predictors of church involvement. more involved and less involved members differed significantly and the difference between the two groups can be attributed to orthodoxy of religious beliefs. Although the results of the main investigation did not fully confirm the researcher's expectations, the intercorrelations between the different variables produced a number of interesting findings. The Church climate scale produced the following significant correlations with the other variables: ( i) "Normative clarity" correlated negatively with the experience of inner religious conflicts as well as the experience of anxiety, depression and global psychological well-being. It however correlated positively with educational qualifications. Chi-square analyses further showed that married persons, received a high level church. compared to unmarried per the persons, of "normative clarity" within "Sense of community" correlated positively with the level of religious orthodoxy and negatively with the experience of anxiety. (iii)"Social concern correlated positively with the level of religious orthodoxy as well as with sex (men percieved a higher level of social concern within the church than women) . (iv) "Openness to change" correlated positively with the level of religious orthodoxy as well as with sex (men percieved a higher level of social concern within the church than women)
Die invloed van ‘n studiebegeleidingsprogram op die lokus van kontrole van studente
(University of the Western Cape, 1991) Laubscher, Leswin Robert; Heyns, P.M.
Julian Rotter (1966, 1975) het die persoonlikheidskonstruk lokus van kontrole beskryf as die mate waartoe.die individu glo dat versterking die gevolg is van sy eie gedrag (interne lokus van kontrole) of die gevolg is van gelukkige toeval, kans, of die noodlot (eksterne lokus van kontrole) . Sedert Rotter (1966) die konstruk "lokus van kontrole" gedefinieer en as integrale komponent van sy sosiale leerteorie voorgestel het, het velerlei navorsers ook hierdie konstruk indringend ondersoek en met talle aspekte in verband probeer bring. Een van die veranderlikes wat veral aandag geniet het, is akademiese prestasie en die verband wat ditmet lokus van kontrole sou toon. Alhoewel daar nie ooreenstemming bestaan met betrekking tot hierdie verband nie, blyk dit asof die meerderheid navorsers wel bevind dat 'n interne lokus van kontrole verband hou met hoê akademiese prestasie (byvoorbeeld Kishor, 1983; Maqsud, 1980; Messer, 1972). Verskeie tersiêre inrigtings (waaronder die Universiteit van Wes-Kaapland, waar hierdie studie beslag vind) bied dan ook studiebegeleidingsprogramme aan ten einde studente van studievaardighede te voorsien wat hulle in staat sou stelom akademies beter te presteer. Hierdie programme neem egter selde persoonlikheidsveranderlikes in aanmerking en fokus veel eerder op die verskaffing van studiewenke en -vaardighede. Hierdie studie het dus In unieke studiebegeleidingsprogram probeer ontwerp wat In interne lokus van kontrole by die deelnemende proefpersone wil bevorder. Dit is dan die primêre studiebegeleidingsprogram van die U.W.K. te evalueer ten opsigte van die invloed daarvan op die persoonlikheidskonstruk lokus van kontrole by die deelnemende proefpersone. Sekondêre doelstellings behels die volgende ii) om die samehang tussen die konstruk lokus van kontrole met die volgende veranderlikes te bepaal: a) Geslag b) Geografiese herkoms, naamlik plattelandse vs. stedelike studente • c) Ouderdom d) Sosio-ekonomiese status e) Studierigting f) Taalgroep g) Politieke betrokkenheid, organisatoriese affiliasie en organisatoriese betrokkenheid h) Akademiese prestasie i) Akademiese studiejaar iii) om vergelykings te tref met Westerse navorsingsbevindinge Die huidige studie was ondersoekend van aard weens die afwesigheid van soortgelyke voorafgaande navorsing. In Voortoets-natoets kontrole groep-ontwerp is gebruik om die verband tussen lokus van kontrole en die studiebegeleidingsprogram na te vors. Altesaam Proefpersone het aan die ondersoek deelgeneem Collins (1974) se aanpassing van Rotter (1966) se interneeksterne lokus van kontrole skaal is as meetmiddel gebruik. Herdie skaal het deel gevorm van In vraelys wat ook informasie ingewin het omtrent die persoon huistaal, studiedoelstellings, se geslag, politieke studentestatus, betrokkenheid, betrokkenheid, organisatoriese affiliasie, organisatoriese akademiese prestasie en geografiese herkoms. Die resultate van die huidige navorsing het aangedui dat daar geen beduidende verband bestaan tussen die lokus van kontrole geneigdheid van die proefpersone en die ervaring van die studiebegeleidingsprogram nie. Die huidige navorsing het voorts geen verband gevind waar dit die samehang van lokus van kontrole en die veranderlikes van geslag, geografiese herkoms, ouderdom, sosio-ekonomiese status, studierigting, taalgroep, politieke affiliasie, en organisatoriese betrokkenheid aangaan nie. Beduidende verbande is wel bespeur ten opsigte van die lokus van kontrole-tellings van manlike en vroulike proefpersone wat In Afrika-taal besig, asook ten opsigte van die veranderlikes politieke betrokkenheid, akademiese prestasie en akademiese studiejaar. Hierdie bevindinge is bespreek met verwysing na die geneigdheid van die proefpersone en die ervaring van die studiebegeleidingsprogram nie. Die huidige navorsing het voorts geen verband gevind waar dit die samehang van lokus van kontrole en die veranderlikes van geslag, geografiese herkoms, ouderdom, sosio-ekonomiese status, studierigting, taalgroep, politieke affiliasie, en organisatoriese betrokkenheid aangaan nie. Beduidende verbande is wel bespeur ten opsigte van die lokus van kontrole-tellings van manlike en vroulike proefpersone wat In Afrika-taal besig, asook ten opsigte van die veranderlikes politieke betrokkenheid, akademiese prestasie en akademiese studiejaar. Literatuuroorsig, asook met inagneming van die unieke aard van die studentebevolking aan die Universiteit van Wes-Kaapland. Die unieke suid-Afrikaanse sosio-politieke realiteit is ook in aanmerking geneem. Ten slotte word sekere aanbevelings gemaak met die oog op verdere navorsing .
Die terapeutiese effektiwiteit van hipnoterapie soos toegepas op studente met gewigsprobleme
(University of the Western Cape, 1992) Jacobs, Joachim John; Sonn, F.G.T.
In 'n geïndustrialiseerde en Westers-georiënteerde samelewing, kenmerkend van sommige bevolkingsektore van Suid-Afrika, is 'n slanke figuur soms aanduidend van skoonheid en gesondheid. Dit is daarom geensins buitengewoon dat gewigsbewustheid een van die belangrikste verskynsels van ons tyd is nie. Duisende oorgewig-persone poog om 'n "norm" van slankheid na te streef (Polivy & Herman, 1987). Estetiese oorwegings is egter nie die. enigste rede waarom mense gewigsbewus is nie. Versekeringstatistieke dui toenemend daarop dat oorgewig-persone 'n hoër mortaliteitsyfer toon (Stunkard, stinnet & Smoller, 1986). Hierdie uiters nadelige gevolge van oorgewig is tweërlei van aard, naamlik psigies en fisiek. Spesifieke fisieke gevolge waarna in die literatuur (Kirschner, Schneider, Ertel & Gorman, 1988; Millar & Stephens, 1986) verwys word, is beroerte, diabetes, kardiovaskulêre- en ortopediese komplikasies. Op sielkundige vlak verwys Stunkard et al. (1986) na sielkundige stoornisse wat uniek is aan die obese populasie. Hierdie stoornisse kan terug gevoer word na die belewenis van uitermatige sosiale diskriminasie en vooroordeel (Rodin, Schank, Striegel & Moore, 1989). Hoër vlakke van stres, angs,depressie en In verwronge liggaamsbeeld word met die oorgewig-persoon geassosieer (Rodin et al., 1989; Stunkard et al.,1986). In talle gevalle moet hierdie sielkundige las as die grootste negatiewe gevolg van obesiteit beskou word. In Bykomende verskynsel ten opsigte van die probleem van oorgewig is die toename in die oorgewigsyfer van die wêreldpopulasie. Oberholzer (1984) beweer dat alreeds eenderde van die Suid -Afrikaanse bevolking oorgewig is. Ten spyte van die toename in die oorgewigsyfer word In begrip van die verskynsel bemoeilik deur die magdom teoretiese aannames en teenstrydighede rakende die etiologie, behandeling, en voorkoming daarvan. Ten opsigte van die etiologie van obesiteit besef te min klinici die multifaktoriale aard van die verskynsel en verklaar hulle dit dikwels slegs vanuit In enkele perspektief (Sobal & Stunkard, 1989) . Met betrekking tot die behandeling daarvan bestaan daar In wye verskeidenheid van benaderings wat chemoterapie, chirurgie, dieetterapie, akupunktuur, fisieke oefening en psigoterapie insluit.
Type of behaviour and burnout: a comparison between intensive care nurses and psychiatric nurses
(University of the Western Cape, 1993) Booysen, L.B; Broekmann, N
Nursing evolved as an altruistic response toward helping others, particularly in the realm of maintaining and restoring health (Dolan, Fitzpatrick & Hermann, 1983). This particular role involved providing physical and emotional comfort and care to the sick and has, through the ages, been voluntary or delegated to certain women who have proven to be particularly adept at caring for the sick in their respective communities. Therefore, nursing was not a role expected of all women but was reserved for those who had the ability and desire to nurture others (Dolan et al., 1983). The first nurses were independent figures who performed the duties not only of nurse, but also of nutritionist, pharmacist, physical therapist, and social welfare worker (Dolan et al., 1983). Although their initial response to, and treatment of, illness was intuitive, knowledge about illness and the treatment thereof was continuously being improved upon. Trial and error and basic problem solving resulted in the accumulation of a body of knowledge which gradually developed and expanded.
Projective identification as a form of communication in the therapeutic relationship: A case study
(University of the Western Cape, 1996) Crawford, Michelle; Perkel, Adrian
This dissertation reviews the construct of projective identification and the ways in which it is used as a powerful form of communication by the patient within the therapeutic relationship. The particular model of projective identification explored in this dissertation is that of Bion (1962)_ who, through his model of containment, brought the subtle interactive processes between the mother and infant into the foreground. This has been used as a metaphor for the therapeutic relationship. Some of the theoretical constructs central to an understanding of projective identification are introduced and discussed. Clinical case material from psychodynamic child psychotherapy is used in an attempt to illustrate the patient's use of and therapist's experience of projective identification. The method used is the single case study and material is drawn from 14 sessions. Through an analysis of the therapist's experiences in the countertransference, with the help of ongoing supervision and personal psychotherapy, it is shown that patient's induce feelings and experiences in the therapist in an attempt to communicate aspects of their internal worlds. Self reflection and retrospective analysis has been highlighted with the hope that this may be useful to future neophyte psychotherapists working psychodynamically.
A comparative study of the subjective experiences of hypnosis and meditation amongst a student sample
(University of the Western Cape, 1996) Hekster, Marc Reuben; Broekmann, N
This study reports oi: the nature of subjective experiences of hypnosis and meditation in a sample of volunteer University of the Western Cape students (N = 12). Historical developments in the field of psychology dictated that much of the research conducted during the past three decades into the phenomena of hypnosis and meditation, was concerned with physiological changes. The measurement of physiological responses is more amenable to scientific investigation, in comparison to the measurement of subjective experiences. As a result, investigations into the nature of subjective experiences during hypnosis and meditation, as well as comparisons between the two, remain areas where continued research is encouraged.
Is non sexist childrearing possible? An investigation of the relationship mothering between gender-sensitive and children's use of gender stereotyping
(University of the Western Cape, 1997) Ruiters, Keith
The study investigated the possibilities of non-sexist childrearing practices: it inquires to what extent children can be raised to be relatively free of gender discrimination and prejudice. It examined the relationship between mothering and childrearing as social (-1y constructed) processes and practices with a two-fold purpose. On the one hand, it explored how these two social sites are constructed, represented and interact to form a basis for the acquisition of stereotypes which encourage gender discrimination and inequality among children in particular, and society in general. However, it was also concerned with the extent to which these institutional sites contain possibilities for resisting and challenging dominant social- constructions about the meaning of gender difference. A structured questionnaire with open-ended questions was developed and used Lo form the basis for interviews with eight mothers. Based on the literature reviewed, the questions were designed to elicit the participants' perspectives on the meaning/s and significance of mothering in relation to children's gendered status. The interviews were tape-recorded and transcripts were generated. Thematic analysis was applied to observe and discuss dominant patterns in the participants' responses. Another structured questionnaire was developed and used as the basis for exercises with the (ten) children of these mothers to determine the extent. Lo which the former recognise and make use of gender stereotypes circulating in the wider culture. It was observed to what extent these children made gender-stereotypical associations : in relation to "masculine" and "feminine" colours, ds well as in relation to gender-appropriate tasks, dress, attributes, qualities and forms of p1ay. A simple frequency count of children's responses indicated the extent to which they recognise and use gender stereotypes. The results revealed a general awareness that mothering and childrearing are socially constructed, and not biologically-driven, processes, and hence, subject to revision and change. In addition to the perception that gender differences are socially engineered and reinforced by real constraints of social pressure and conformity, participants felt that men, as fathers should equally share in the responsibility for rearing children. Although the children who partook in the exercises showed a general awareness and use of gender stereotypes, it was pointed out that these can and should be challenged, given the realities of social (peer) pressure, at both the levels of interpersonal interaction and structural constraints. However, there was a generalised difficulty, as far as undoing gender stereotypes are concerned, to conceive of alternative meanings of ,'masculinity,' and "femininity" (as gendered identities) beyond the binary opposites which inform dominant social constructions of gender and gender relationships. As institutional domains for contesting varying and competing discourses on gender and gender relationships which circulate in the wider culture, childrearing and mothering practices are sites of potential resistance: they have the potential to resist and derail dominant patriarchal constructions and practices which generate social relationships based on gender inequality; which, in turn, fosters social oppression and violence. If dominant patriarchal discourses and practices about gender are responsible for generating so much violence, particularly by men as a group against women as a group, then these need to be seriously revisited and challenged. It needs to be challenged at both a social structural level, and at the level of interpersonal interaction. For it is at the level of everyday interpersonal interaction between men and women, men and children, and women and children that the "obviousness" of gender relations are culturally relayed and appropriated. Yet social/power relations structured along differential axes of "race", class , language , religion, ethnicity, sexuality - which inform everyday social interaction - intersect with issues about gender difference to make any simplistic notions of mothering and childrearing problematic.
Ontwerp en evaluering van 'n psigoontwikkelingsprogram vir huweliksverryking.
(University of the Western Cape, 1997) Daniels, Lito Errol; Laubscher, L
Psychological interventions can take place in a number of ways. The familiar one-to-one therapeutic approach is appropriate in most cases, but within certain contexts the following can be considered as disadvantages of such an approach: it is expensive; it can only involve a small number (one or two) people at any given time. The result is that only a few people can afford this type of service, as well as the under-utilization of professional people's ingenuity and expertise. This is especially the state of affairs pervasive within the South African context, where there exists a great need to involve more clients simultaneously. The latter can be achieved by using the model of the Psycho development process. As a result, Psycho-development programmes has become increasingly relevant in Psychology, Education and associated disciplines. Family Psychology is a field which presents a number of possibilities, concerning the social development of married couples. The development of psycho-social life-skills of married couples, is a specific area in which little research has been done to date - a fact which should be noted. The purpose of the present study was to devise a programme for the development of psycho-social life-skills for married couples. In addition, the results of the programme on an experimental group of married couples were ascertained. For evaluation of the effectiveness of the 'programme, a qualitative evaluation was done by conducting informal discussions with couples who participated. in the programme. 287 In conclusion, the general applicability of the programme for continued use, was assessed. The motivation for the present research was two-folded. Firstly, the author observed deficiencies in the psycho-social life-skills of couples. This observation was reinforced and confirmed through discussions with married couples, social workers and psychologists. Secondly, the assumption that the development of psycho-social life-skills should receive more attention, was confirmed through relevant literature. Most of the existing enrichment-programmes have limited attraction for potential couples. The programme that has been developed to address the problem of deficient psycho-social life-skills of couples, consists of the following sections, namely, "Getting acquainted and listing of strength "Why couples argue II j "Win-Win conflict negotiation" j "Understanding one another and communicating love to your parner"j "Sharing your feelings with your partner and assessing your sexual relationship". The assumption was that there would be a significant difference between couples that took part in a intervention programme (experimental group) and couples that did not take part in a intervention programme (control group). This was operationalised by involving 38 couples (sample) of which 18 couples (experimental group) took part in the intervention programme and 20 couples (control group) who did not take part in the intervention programme. During evaluation the fuctioning of couples was used as criteria, using the Dyadic Adjustment scale (Spanier, 1976) as the evaluation-instrument. The programme was implemented at the beginning of 1996 by applying it to an experimental group. Both the randomly selected experimental group and the control group (N = 76) were assessed by using the standardized measuring instrument. After pre-testing, the programme was implemented over a period of five weeks. Re-measurement (post-testing) occurred during the following two weeks and the follow-on measurement (post-posttesting), 17 weeks after the implementation of the program. Statistical analysis (quantitative investigation) after the implementation of the programme, indicated that the experimental group derived considerable benefit from the programme. This group obtained significantly better results than the control group in every section covered by the programme. These conclusions agree with the predominantly positive comments of the. participants about the quality and suitability of the programme. In conclusion it can be said that the main objectives of the research were accomplished, namely to devise a functional programme for the development of psycho-social life-skills for married couples, and that the validity of the programme has been established, both quantitatively and qualitatively.
The need for intervention services for children from abusive households as perceived by their abused mothers: an exploratory study
(University of the Western Cape, 1998) van der Merwe, Karen; Broekmann, N
The high incidence of domestic violence both internationally and locally begs the question as to the impact on and need for intervention services for the children growing up in violent homes. In response to this need for services in this area, the National Institute for the prevention of Crime and Rehabilitation of offenders, Women's Support Centre (NWSC) is currently considering the extension of their current services to the children of their clients who have been exposed to domestic violence. So as to promote and inform more effective intervention services in consultation with the community, the current study explores the range of needs of the children of abused women, establishing whether there is a need for services and how the NWSC can best go about meeting the identified needs as identified by abused mothers who are stakeholders in the NWSC. Action research community psychology and ecosystemic principles play a central role in this research. Participants were all NWSC clients who had experienced abuse in their intimate relationships and who are mothers to children who had been exposed to the domestic violence. Data was collected from two sources, that of Needs Assessment forms (consisting of open-ended and multiple choice questions) and three open-ended,( semi-structured 90 minute focus group interviews which were run at the centre. In both cases, there was collaboration with and input by NWSC staff one of whom co-facilitated in the focus group interviews. Twenty-one women completed the needs assessment forms. Thirteen women participated in the mixed-race focus groups. In this study commonly observed short term effects include deficits in functional and emotional capacity, psychosocial functioning and the implementation of inadequate coping- and problem-solving strategies. Reported long term effects include a propensity to either commit (or be the object of) violence and abuse in subsequent intimate relationships, or to become prone to conduct problems and substance abuse. In addition, many children are involved in multiple ways in the abuse- either by being physically or emotionally abused themselves, being identified as a precipitant for the abuse, or intervening physically or verbally to stop the abuse of their mothers. Children are therefore never mere witnesses. However, not all children are condemned to become abusers themselves or to manifest with maladaptive coping mechanisms in response to their exposure to domestic violence. This is evident in several reports of children's displays of resilience despite their adverse home and family circumstances. The great degree of overlap of coping mechanisms between different children suggests that such variable responses are more likely a function of individual attributes and personality characteristics and the degree of available external support systems rather than a function of age or gender per se. Overall, the findings highlighted that there is a definite need and support by NWSC clients for the proposed extension of the NWSC programme to improve intervention services for children. These findings also expanded on the on the of domestic violence on children by identifying a number of ameliorating and exacerbating influences which mediate its impact and help inform the implementation of future community relevant programmes with such children. Maternal education and support such as the counselling which the NWSC can hopefully provide are amongst such processes which can help to ameliorate the impact of domestic violence on children and foster greater resilience. A number of recommendations are made regarding parent-child programmes, community, legal, government, societal interventions and future research. Ecosystemic theory provides a valuable framework for understanding the impact of domestic violence on children and for informing interventions which address the multiple systemic levels both within and outside of the family which contribute towards the creation and perpetuation of domestic violence. With the extension of intervention services to the children of abused women, the NWSC with the support of its client stakeholders has the potential to contribute much of value in this regard.
Perceptions of Power, Race and Gender in Interracial Rape
(University of the Western Cape, 1998) Rustin, Carmine Jianni; Pretorius, T.B
Violence against women is a profound social problem which has received much attention from feminists, academics, activists, media, and also government. One such form of violence is interracial rape. In South Africa, little is known about interracial rape (rape across race groups). The main aim of this study is to examine students' perceptions of power, gender and race in interracial rape. This thesis also explores what White male and female students said, and what Black male and female students said about power, race and gender when examining interracial rape. This study is based within an interpretive-hermeneutical paradigm, using qualitative methodology. Data was collected in six focus groups, three of which were held at a historically Black university and three at a historically White university. Both men and women participated in these groups. The data was analysed thematically with the aid of a computerised software package, Atlasti. The analysed text identified dominant and minor themes. The main themes that emerged were as follows: 1) a power and domination theme, 2) a justification of rape theme, 3) a race, racism and apartheid theme. The results indicate that power plays an important role in interracial rape. Power underpins both gendered and racial oppression. In interracial rape, racial oppression becomes dominant and takes on more prominence than gender oppression. It is thus fore mostly perceived as a racial issue
Stress-resistant resources: A comparison of hardiness, sense of coherence, potency, fortitude, ego-resilience, and problem-solving appraisal
(University of the Western Cape, 1999) Gibson, Mokgobi Maboe; Pretorius, Tyrone
This study compared the fortigenic constructs of the Sense of Coherence, Fortitude, Potency, Hardiness, Problem-Solving, and Ego-Resilience in terms of three aspects: (i) Psychometric properties of instruments that are used to measure them (ii) Their effects on the relationship between stress and psychological health (iii) To determine the extent to which these constructs have some common underlying dimensions. The sample comprised one-hundred and twenty five male and female undergraduate Psychology students enrolled at the University of the Western Cape. Data were collected by using the following self-report questionnaires: the CBS-Depression Scale , the Short happiness Affect Research Protocol, the Problem-Solving Inventory, the Potency Scale, the Fortitude Questionnaire, the ER89 Questionnaire, the Personal Views Survey, the Orientation to Life Questionnaire, the VOEG, and the Life Experiences Survey.
The extent of psychological distress among battered women attending Nicro women's support centre
(University of the Western Cape, 2000) Normand, Jennifer; Strebel, Anna
The aim of this study was to ascertain the frequency with which battered women attending Nicro Women's Support Centre (NWSC) present with symptoms of psychological distress. The literature centres on debates around the presence or absence of psychological problems amongst battered women. The psychopathological model tends to view women as being in some way responsible for their abuse, Iinking pathology with their personality or characteristics. The feminist perspective places the blame for such violence with the patriarchal nature of society, so that women's responses rue seen as adaptive to their experience of trauma. While recognising the social roots of violence against women, research evidence points to the presence of symptoms such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, suicidal ideation and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in women who have a history of abuse. The risks these symptoms pose to women's mental health cannot be ignored. In this study a survey of a random sample of the 1995 intake files at the NWSC focused on symptoms recorded, using DSM IV criteria as a guide. Evidence of a history of, or referral for psychological treatment, and certain demographic data, were also recorded. More than a third of the women were found to have symptoms of psychological distress, suggestive of a need for resources for their treatment. Recommendations for the assessment and management of these women were made, including the provision of longer term counselling so as to reduce the need to refer women elsewhere.
Adolescents' perceptions and attitudes about violence on television
(University of the Western Cape, 2001) Taylor, Ashley; Ahmed, Rashid
The idea that television contributes to aggressive behaviour, and the argument that violence on television on may instigate aggressive behaviour, has been a heavily debated issue for many years. Most of the research done however , has been done in the area of the role that television violence has on influencing behaviour, rather than on how people who the behaviour is impacting on, perceive the violence television. The aim of this study was to look at perceptions and attitudes adolescents have towards the violence that they exposed to on television. The present research aimed to find out what adolescents regarded as violence' what their attitudes, perceptions and knowledge was surrounding violence on television, whether they thought that television violence affected their interpersonal behaviour, and what solutions and strategies they imagined would be successful in combating violent behaviour. This study was done with a convenient sample comprising 25 adolescents who took part in four focus groups comprising 8 participants in 2 groups 9 in 1 group' and 7 in the other group. The participants were provided with a vignette depicting a violent incident and discussion was facilitated around what their perceptions were with regards to the vignette and televised violence. The data was then analysed through a process of thematic content analysis to identify the themes that gave an understanding of the participants belief television violence and perceptions with regards to television violence. Several possibilities emerged as explanations for the perceived limited effect television violence had on adolescents among, these being their ability to distinguish between fantasy and reality. The other primary reason that participants gave for the limited effect that television violence had on them was the fact that they were exposed to violence in their Iives on a daily basis, and that this has minimised the effect that television violence has furthermore the findings revealed that they saw violence as being primarily physical and that the main solution for them was individual responsibility and how the person perceives and interprets what they see. The main reason violence was seen as being primarily physical seemed to be the "graphicness" of violence that participants could see as opposed to more 'abstract' emotional or psychological violence which they could not see. To counteract violence, participants felt that the main solution lies in the individual taking responsibility foe his /her actions.
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.
Body Image: Society's Secret Obsession
(University of the Western Cape, 2002) Tommy, Janine; Ahmad, Rashid
Women and their bodies are at the very centre of a prevailing cultural obsession regarding strict standards of body weight, shape and image. The pressure to achieve unattainable body-beautiful standards has given rise to women having a negative relationship with their bodies. This preoccupation with body image has resulted in an increasing sense of body dissatisfaction, chronic dieting and anxieties associated with self-worth and appearance. The primary aim of this thesis is to explore the relationship a group of female participants have with their bodies. The major thrusts of this study are: to explore on a deeper level how they make personal meaning of the concepts of body and body image within their own lives. To explore the way in which women understand their broader social context, as playing a role, in relation to their perceptions and attitudes of their bodies. In this respect, a closer examination of their awareness of the more complex gender issues, will be undertaken, by means of the emerging discourses within the research process. Whilst this study generally locates itself within a social constructionist understanding of body image, it actively draws from feminist theories. The literature review outlines empirical, feminist and social constructionist approaches to body image and explores the social constructionist approach more broadly. It utilises discourse analysis and therefore positions itself within a qualitative paradigm. Three one-and-a-half-hour focus groups were conducted with eight women who are psychology honours students. A discourse analysis was carried out on the transcriptions of the three focus groups. The findings revealed that the participants were aware of the way in which the wider cultural context impacted on their perceptions and attitudes regarding their bodies. They understood the way in which body image is socially constructed and specific to the current cultural context. They identified the current body ideal (norm), to be waif like and very slender. Despite this understanding of the body ideal as socially constructed, they continued on a personal level to evaluate themselves against the body ideal, giving rise to personal feelings of inadequacy and dissatisfaction.
Simulated patients' ratings of sexually transmitted disease care in primary health care clinics
(University of the Western Cape, 2002) Ndlazi, Malala Kgwanyapa; Strebel, Anna
HIV/AIDS is a major health concern internationally and nationally. The sub-Saharan region. South Africa in particular, has some of the highest prevalence rates in the world. This region is also one of the least economically developed regions, and in addition to the HIV/AIDS epidemic it is faced with the challenge of developing the economy for the citizens while maintaining high social services standards. Available literature suggests that the link between STDs and the spread of HIV. and the economic status of most developing countries influenced the World Health Organization's decision to recommend the syndromic case management approach to STD care. Moreover, literature evaluating the quality of STD care indicates that poor communication, counselling and history taking skills, long waiting periods and lack of support for staff contribute to poor quality of care. This study aimed at evaluating the quality of care that sexually transmitted disease patients receive at primary health care clinics from a simulated patients' perspective. Four post-graduate students, two of whom were females and the other two males, visited 24 clinics. After each visit they each completed a semi-structured questionnaire and recorded their experiences in a journal. Results indicate that health care providers are competent in some aspects of service provision, for example with regard to diagnosis and offering appropriate medical treatment. Other aspects of the service that were seen as influencing service provision included poor counselling, condom education and partner notification. It was recommended that future research should evaluate the impact of factors such as motivation and time management skills of health care providers on service provision. Further recommendations included- the possibility of offering continuous support and training to health care providers.
Simulated patients ratings of sexually transmitted disease care in primary health care clinics
(University of the Western Cape, 2002) Ndlazi, Malala Kgwanyapa.; Strebel, Anna
is a major health concern internationally and nationally. The sub-Saharan region. South Africa in particular, has some of the highest prevalence rates in the world. This region is also one of the least economically developed regions, and in addition to the HIV/AIDS epidemic it is faced with the challenge of developing the economy for the citizens while maintaining high social services standards. Available literature suggests that the link between STDs and the spread of HIV. and the economic status of most developing countries influenced the world health organization's decision to recommend the syndromic case management approach to STD care. Moreover, literature evaluating the quality of STD care indicates that poor communication, counselling and history taking skills, long waiting periods and lack of support for staff contribute to poor quality of care. This study aimed at evaluating the quality of care that sexually transmitted disease patients receive at primary health care clinics from a simulated patients' perspective. Four post-graduate students, two of whom were females and the other two males, visited 24 clinics. After each visit they each completed a semi-structured questionnaire and recorded their experiences in a journal. Results indicate that health care providers are competent in some aspects of service provision, for example with regard to diagnosis and offering appropriate medical treatment. Other aspects of the service that were seen as influencing service provision included poor counselling, condom education and partner notification. It was recommended that future research should evaluate the impact of factors such as motivation and time management skills of health care providers on service provision. Further recommendations included- the possibility of offering continuous support and training to health care providers.
An explorative study on the experiences of Bulimic women who have been sexually abused
(University of the Western Cape, 2002) Roshan, Gadija; Naidoo, Pamela
Eating disorders, rnay be conceived of as a psychological and physiological disorder' which has received a large amount of attention from academics from various disciplines. The incidence rates and aetiological factors involved in the development of eating disorders, specifically anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa have recently been highlighted. A number of researchers have suggested that sexual abuse is a predominant factor in the development of bulimia while other researchers argue that the relationship between sexual abuse and bulimia remains unclear- This study is a qualitative exploration of bulimic women's experiences of sexual abuse and is intended to highlight the 'lived experiences' of these women Thematic content analysis was used to investigate the experiences of the women by using verbatim quotes from the semi-structured interviews that were conducted with the women The women were four participants who were admitted as inpatients into Kenilworth Clinic's Eating Disorders Unit. All four women were diagnosed with Bulimia Nervosa according to the American Psychiatric Association (APA, 1994) criteria and had disclosed to a staff member that they had been sexually abused by either a known or unknown perpetrator. Findings revealed that the participants trad experienced four salient issues that were discussed as themes These themes were anger, issues regarding control the participants' experiences of abusive relationships and feelings of detachment. Based upon the findings of the interviews conducted, recommendations towards enhancing the psychological well being of women who have been sexually abused and diagnosed with bulimia were generated.
Health care-seeking behaviour for sexually transmitted infections in South Africa
(University of the Western Cape, 2003) Jooste, Sean Edwin; Simbayi, Leickness
The main aim of this study was to investigate the health care-seeking behaviour of patients who were diagnosed at primary health care clinics having a sexually transmitted infection (STI). It further aimed to discover whether any significant differences exist between rural and urban populations and between males and females in their health care-seeking behaviour. The study made use of an existing database. The methodology used in this study is referred to as secondary analysis. The data used in this study was obtained from 126 semi-structured interviews conducted with STI patients at 24 chronics, in all nine provinces. In addition, in-depth interviews were conducted with 28 STI patients. This sample consisted of 20 females and eight males. Interviews were unstructured and were aimed at discovering patients' perceptions, experiences and health care-seeking behaviour relating to STIs. All 126 participants were found to be symptomatic when they presented at the clinic sites. The most popular reason given for attending the clinic sites was convenience. Most participants reported that they waited less than 7 days before they presented at the clinic sites. No significant differences were associated with delay in health care-seeking. Most participants had negative emotions regarding their illness. Few participants engaged in alternative treatment strategies. Some of the 28 STI patients who received in-depth interviews stated that they would not reveal their STI status for fear of the stigma associated with the disease. Use of alternate remedies and treatment options of were mentioned. The concern of persuading partners to seek treatment was also highlighted. The implications of these findings for improving the management of sexually transmitted diseases and reducing the spread of the disease are discussed.
Perceptions of educare teachers regarding the effects of disadvantagement on the psychosocial development of historically disadvantaged preschool children
(University of the Western Cape, 2004) Julius Giose, William Chaplin; Adam, Mohamed
The research topic concerns the broad effects of deprived community circumstances that may impact on potentially vulnerable children's holistic psychological, as well as social development. The present study has a primary aim of gathering information about the perceptions that educators hold regarding the effects of disadvantagement on the psychosocial development of historically disadvantaged preschool children. The investigation of the developmental aspects of the preschoolers is informed by the psychosocial theory of Erik Erikson. Qualitative research methods are used in the study. The responses of participants are elicited by means of semi-structured interviews. The participants were six female educate teachers, whose ages range between 20 years and 60 years. They were selected from two preschools in a previously disadvantaged community. The research process occurs within the framework of Grounded theory. Compatible ethnographic methods of research were used to access the personal accounts of the participants' individual perceptions regarding the disadvantagement of preschool children. The ethnographic interview was employed as the primary information-gathering instrument. The analysis of the information gathered is based on an interpretive analysis method, namely, thematic analysis to categorise themes present in the information. The study results regarding the preschool children's psychosocial development highlight the following factors: Hunger/unemployment, crime and drugs, parental influences, as well as preschool socialisation. Recommendations include the need to access existing childcare subsidies, as well as the need to reconstruct educare programmes within the community. The researcher engaged in self-reflexivity throughout the study process and remained aware of the researcher effects that may impact on the participants' information sharing.

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