Thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology, School of Human and Community Development University of the Witwatersrand, May 2017 / Psychosocial support and wellbeing of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in sub-Saharan Africa receive a lot of attention globally. However, great concerns still persist due to a multiplicity of factors that affect the children’s quality of life. This study examines experiences of psychosocial support and wellbeing of these children in Nairobi, Kenya. While there are few existing studies on the effects of HIV and AIDS on OVC in Kenya, most focus on OVC in primary schools and high schools leaving out infants and preschool aged OVC, as is the case in sub-Saharan Africa. Thus, information that details psychosocial experiences and wellbeing of OVC in preschools in Kenya is lacking. This study focused on OVC aged between 5 and 7 years old within a resilience theoretical perspective; investigated their lived experiences, risk exposure, support structures and other adaptive experiences. A total of 57 participants (45 were children and 12 teachers) from ECDE centres in Nairobi County were purposively sampled for the study. Multiple methods utilised included: visual stimulus illustrations, face-to-face and conversational interviews, thematic drawings, focus group discussions questionnaires and infrastructural and supportive resource assessment. Thematic content analysis (TCA) which was informed by phenomenological hermeneutic approach was used to analyse data. Findings consistently showed that, OVC were not only susceptible to numerous risk experiences due to environmental and care factors at home, but also on their way to and from school, and within ECDE centres. Nonetheless, ECDE centres exposed them to cognitive skills, social networks, safety, alternative care, primary health services, nutrition and resilience nurturance. These findings indicate the crucial role of having a collective action in reduction of adverse experiences and improving resources to empower the OVC in urban ECDE centres. Directions for further research could focus on expanded population-based studies examining poverty, malnutrition, resilience and coping resources among preschool children living with, and affected by HIV and AIDS, using creative multiple qualitative approaches. A more critical understanding on variations in sexes is equally important in intervention strategies for this group of OVC. / MT2018

The objective of this research is to explore the perceptions of rural Samburu women in Kenya with regard to HIV/AIDS in terms of their knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and opinions; to examine several HIV/AIDS awareness channels that have been used to communicate HIV/AIDS messages to the Samburu women to determine how effective they have been in effecting behaviour change.This study is an example of how a communication audit can be carried out on a certain sub-group of a community in order to suggest a tailor-made communication strategy in an effort to stop the spread of HIV among the Samburu women. This study is also a confirmation that the prevention strategies that have been in use to communicate to Samburu women have been inadequate and need to be revised to address the knowledge gaps that exist. The study is located within a relatively new field of health communication where health messages are evaluated to determine whether target audiences are receiving these messages and changing their behaviour in order to live healthier lives. This area of study is also supported by behaviour change models such as the Health Belief Model (HBM), the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), Diffusion of Innovations Theory, Cultural Models, and Strategic Communication. A qualitative study was undertaken in 2008 by way of ten focus group discussions with Samburu women and eleven in-depth interviews with professionals who ran HIV/AIDS programmes in the Samburu district. The focus groups were constituted by means of convenience sampling whereas the snowball strategy was utilised for the selection of participants for in-depth interviews. The questioning route for the focus group discussions for the Samburu women was guided by five themes namely: knowledge levels of the women; cultural aspects that made the women vulnerable to HIV/AIDS; beliefs about HIV/AIDS; attitudes towards HIV/AIDS; and the different channels of communication used to convey HIV/AIDS messages. The interview schedule for the professionals consisted of open-ended questions and face-to-face interviews were carried out using this schedule. / Communication Sciences / D. Litt. et Phil. (Communication)

The objective of this research is to explore the perceptions of rural Samburu women in Kenya with regard to HIV/AIDS in terms of their knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and opinions; to examine several HIV/AIDS awareness channels that have been used to communicate HIV/AIDS messages to the Samburu women to determine how effective they have been in effecting behaviour change.This study is an example of how a communication audit can be carried out on a certain sub-group of a community in order to suggest a tailor-made communication strategy in an effort to stop the spread of HIV among the Samburu women. This study is also a confirmation that the prevention strategies that have been in use to communicate to Samburu women have been inadequate and need to be revised to address the knowledge gaps that exist. The study is located within a relatively new field of health communication where health messages are evaluated to determine whether target audiences are receiving these messages and changing their behaviour in order to live healthier lives. This area of study is also supported by behaviour change models such as the Health Belief Model (HBM), the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), Diffusion of Innovations Theory, Cultural Models, and Strategic Communication. A qualitative study was undertaken in 2008 by way of ten focus group discussions with Samburu women and eleven in-depth interviews with professionals who ran HIV/AIDS programmes in the Samburu district. The focus groups were constituted by means of convenience sampling whereas the snowball strategy was utilised for the selection of participants for in-depth interviews. The questioning route for the focus group discussions for the Samburu women was guided by five themes namely: knowledge levels of the women; cultural aspects that made the women vulnerable to HIV/AIDS; beliefs about HIV/AIDS; attitudes towards HIV/AIDS; and the different channels of communication used to convey HIV/AIDS messages. The interview schedule for the professionals consisted of open-ended questions and face-to-face interviews were carried out using this schedule. / Communication Sciences / D. Litt. et Phil. (Communication)