The purpose of this study was to measure the level of self-efficacy in coping methods among people living with HIV/AIDS.

The purpose of this research was to examine specific coping methods used by the elderly as they adjust to the environment of a long-term care facility, and to examine the correlations between these coping methods and levels of depressive symptomatology.

The present study employed a family systems approach to investigate the effects of level of autism severity on family functioning as mediated by parental coping. Participants were mothers of children with autism who were volunteers in an ongoing research program conducted within a university-based treatment center (N=146). Gilliam Autism Rating Scale, Second Edition (GARS-2) scores were available for all of the children and, as part of the broader program, parents completed the Coping Scale for Adults, which assesses a range of coping styles, and the Family Environment Scale, which provides positive and negative indicators of family functioning. Data analyses indicated that nonproductive coping significantly mediated the relationship between level of autism severity and family cohesion and conflict. Results also suggested that level of autism severity was negatively related to family conflict. The study further examined the use of specific coping styles on family cohesion and conflict. Evaluation of findings suggest that parents who have a child diagnosed with severe autism may be employing maladaptive coping strategies, such as wishful thinking, blaming one's self, or avoiding the situation. Implications for intervention approaches for individuals working with families of children with autism are suggested.

This study acknowledges the fact that compassionate witnesses working with traumatised clients suffer from secondary traumatisation. Weingarten (2000, 2001, 2003) and Figley (1995) are some of the authors on this subject. The study is based within the Zimbabwean context, which is going through a period of transition involving political and economic factors. Survivors of political violence seek assistance from counselling agencies like CONNECT and Mopane Trust. Mopane Trust chose to specialise in this work through counselling and research. This study explores how Mopane Trust trauma counsellors cope with secondary trauma. / Practical Theology / M.Th. (Pastoral Therapy)

Although fear is an integral part of normal human functioning, it is important to obtain knowledge of children’s normative fear and defence mechanism in order for parents and caregivers to understand and contribute towards mediating potentially stressful experiences of children in their care. This combined qualitative and quantitative study aimed to identify a dominant defence mechanism for children in their middle childhood in dealing with fear. In order to reach the aim of this study a conceptual framework was done exploring terms central to this study including: development in middle childhood, fear, coping mechanisms and defence mechanisms. Miller and Dollard’s learning theory as a theoretical perspective was applied to the study. Interviews were conducted with eleven children in the southern suburbs of Cape Town. The data was analyzed and several findings were identified and explored. Implications, limitations as well as suggestions are part of the concluding chapter of the report. / Sociology / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: HIV/AIDS places much stress on those living with the disease. An understanding of the processes of stress and coping and how these relate to people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) can inform the nature of services we offer to PLWHAs. Social support has been shown to playa mediatory role in the stress response and is also considered to be a problem-focused coping strategy. This paper presents an overview of the literature on stress, coping and social support with the aim of assisting healthcare workers to understand how these issues relate to HIV/AIDS and to show how healthcare workers, and, specifically psychologists can use their unique competencies and skills to enhance the quality of life of PLWHAs. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: MIVNIGS plaas baie druk op mense wat met die siekte moet saamleef. Insig rakende die prosesse van spanning en hantering daarvan en hoe dit verband hou met mense wat met MIVNIGS moet saamleef, het die potensiaal om die aard van die dienste wat aan die spesifieke populasie gelewer word, in te lig. Sosiale ondersteuning blyk 'n bemiddelende rol te speel in spanningsresponse en word ook beskou as 'n probleemgefokusde hanteringsmeganisme. Die betrokke werkstuk bied 'n oorsig van die literatuur rakende spanning, hantering en sosiale ondersteuning. Dit is gefokus daarop om bystand te verleen aan gesondheidsorg werkers om hulle insig te gee hoe hierdie kwessies met MIVNIGS verband hou. Dit poog ook om aan te toon hoe gesondheidsorgwerkers en spesifiek sielkundiges, hul unieke bevoegdhede en vaardighede kan benut om die wat met MIVNIGS moet saamleef, se kwaliteit van lewe te verryk.

Thesis (M Social Work (Social Work))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: An exploratory and descriptive research design, in combination with quantitative and qualitative research approaches were utilised to elucidate the experiences of newly qualified social workers in NGOs, with regards to occupational stress and the coping strategies employed by these workers in response. The motivation for this study came from a distinct lack of research related to the experience of occupational stress by newly qualified social workers working within NGOs. The goal of this study is thus to gain a better understanding of the experiences of occupational stress by newly qualified social workers practicing in NGOs, as well as elucidating the coping strategies they employ, so as to make recommendations focussing on key areas, where alleviation of occupational stress is vital. The literature study first focussed on the South African NGO, and the newly qualified social worker within the NGO, to provide a contextual basis for the experience of occupational stress by newly qualified social workers. The literature study then explored the range of occupational stressors that might be experienced by newly qualified social workers, to gain a better understanding of the diversity of stressors present within NGOs, and their aetiology. Lastly, the literature study focussed on the variety of coping strategies available to newly qualified social workers, for coping with, and alleviation of occupational stress. The researcher utilises a purposive sample of 20 newly qualified social workers, These workers had practiced for up to 24 months, in the Boland area of the Western Cape. An interview schedule was used as measuring instrument. The result of the investigation confirmed that particular occupational stressors affecting newly qualified social workers Whilst there were a wide spectrum of stressors experienced by newly qualified social workers on an occasional basis, occupational stressors such as very heavy workloads, unsatisfactory remuneration and the multivariate problems of the client population stood out as stressors experienced on a very frequent basis. The second conclusion to be drawn from this study was that personality traits may play less of a role than expected in determining how much newly qualified social workers experience occupational stress. The third conclusion to be drawn from this study was that a wide range of coping strategies were not only available to newly qualified social workers but that a great deal were effective in helping newly qualified social workers to alleviate their occupational stress. Recommendations made by this study pointed to the importance of NGOs as well as government targeting stressors such as heavy workloads and remuneration, with the aim of retaining skilled social workers just entering into the industry. Another recommendation focussed on the fact that newly qualified social workers have to take ownership over their occupational stress, and actively work to alleviate it in a positive manner. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: ‘n Verkennende en beskrywende navorsingsontwerp, sowel as 'n gekombineerde kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering is benut om die ervarings van pas gekwalifiseerde maatskaplike werkers in nie-regeringsorganisasies se werkstres en streshanteringstrategieë te ondersoek. Die studie is gemotiveer deur 'n gebrek aan navorsing oor die ervarings van werksverwante stres by pas gekwalifiseerde maatskaplike werkers wat by NROs werksaam is. Die doel van die studie was dus om 'n beter begrip vir die ervarings van werksverwante stres by pas gekwalifiseerde maatskaplike werkers in NROs te ontwikkel, sowel as om die betrokke maatskaplike werkers se streshanteringstrategieë te belig, ten einde aanbevelings te kan maak oor sleutelareas waarop gefokus behoort te word in die verligting van werksverwante stres. Die literatuurstudie fokus op die NRO-sektor in Suid-Afrika en die pas gekwalifiseerde maatskaplike werker, ten einde 'n kontekstuele grondslag vir die ervarings van die betrokke maatskaplike werkers se stressors te bied. Die literatuurstudie eksploreer voorts die reeks van stressors wat deur die betrokke maatskaplike werkers ervaar kan word, ten einde 'n beter begrip van die diversiteit van stressors en die etiologie van die stressors te ontwikkel. Die studie fokus ook op die verskeidenheid strategieë wat beskikbaar is aan pas gekwalifiseerde maatskaplike werkers, om hulle werksverwante stres te verminder. Die navorser het 'n doelbeswuste steekproef van 20 pas gekwalifiseerde maatskaplike werkers benut. Hierdie werkers is almal die afgelope 24 maande werksaam in die Boland area van die Wes-Kaap. 'n Onderhoudskedule is as navorsingsinstrument benut. Die bevindinge van die navorsing bevestig dat die pas gekwalifiseerde maatskaplike werker wel spesifieke werksverwante stressors beleef. Alhoewel 'n groot verskeidenheid stressors soms aanwesig is, kom werksverwante stressors soos groot werksladings, onbevredigende numerering en die verskeidenheid van die verbruikersisteem se probleme meer algemeen voor. Die tweede bevinding vanuit hierdie studie dui daarop dat persoonlikheidstrekke speel waarskynlik 'n mindere rol as wat verwag word, in die aanwesigheid van stres by die pas gekwalifiseerde maatskaplike werker. Die derde bevinding dui daarop dat 'n groot verskeidenheid stresverligtingstrategieë beskikbaar is om werksverwante stres te verlig en dat hierdie strategieë wel effektief aangewend kan word. Die aanbevelings vanuit hierdie studie wys op die belangrikheid daarvan dat NRO's en die regering stressors soos groot werksladings en numerering verlig, ten einde pas gekwalifiseerde maatskaplike werkers vir die praktyk te werf. Ander aanbevelings fokus op die feit dat pas gekwalifiseerde maatskaplike werkers eienaarskap van hulle werksverwante stressors moet aanvaar deur aktief hulle werkstres op 'n positiewe wyse te hanteer.

Thesis (MEdPsych (Educational Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / This study is aimed at exploring the resilient attributes of youth in a high-risk community. The primary aims were to identify the challenges that youth perceived to be significant to them in their community and then to identify their coping strategies and other supports that helped them to deal with these challenges and to maintain their positive lifestyle. A basic interpretive, qualitative research design was used. Data were gathered through six semi-structured individual interviews, a focus-group interview, observations and a literature study. The participants comprised four boys and two girls, their ages ranging between 14 years and 19 years. Content analysis was used to analyse the data. The findings of this study indicate that the youth perceived their environment as posing challenges to them in a number of areas, these included community resources, safety, barriers to community development, the negative stereotyping of youth and the specific dangers to the well-being of youth. Furthermore, the participants identified several coping strategies that they employed in dealing with these challenges. These strategies were related to their choices about friendships, to the strategies that they used to protect themselves, to their attitude to others, to respect, to their orientation towards the future, to work ethic, to successful role-models and to education. In addition, individual, family and community resources emerged as factors that supported the youth in maintaining their positive lifestyle. The individual resources that were identified were the belief of the youth in the value of friendships, their view of their family, religion, their ability to deal with difficulties, an altruistic attitude, self-awareness and self-esteem, their personal beliefs, personal attributes and their attitude to life. The family resources that were identified were effective parenting and family communication. The community resources that were identified were support from a positive adult. These findings confirm that many factors influence an individual's resilience and that resilience should therefore be understood as a dynamic and fluctuating process that is best understood from an ecosystemic perspective. The implications of these findings are that, in order to support youth in a high-risk environment to cope with their challenges, the focus should be on reducing risk and increasing assets and protective factors. This could be achieved through, for example, the provision of resources for extracurricular activities, programmes for the support and development of parental skills, training and support for schools in order to increase their effectiveness as a source of support and mechanisms for the community to support community members to care for their youth.

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work