A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Arts in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Masters Of Arts in the Department of Psychology at the University of Zululand, 2017 / The overall aim of the study was to gain insight into what it means for an African man to seek marital therapy when confronted with marital problems. The study also sought to understand the circumstances that often influence African men to consult with marital therapists. The barriers experienced by men towards utilising marital therapy were also explored. The study adopted the qualitative research method, and data were collected using semi-structured interviews. Thirty (30) Black African men participated in the study from the province of KwaZulu-Natal, in the Durban area. The results were analysed thematically, and the findings demonstrated different factors that contributed towards how Black African men give meaning to seeking marital therapy. The results also indicated that marital therapy was considered as the last resort for some of the participants in this study. Perceived stigma, marital status of the therapist, access to marital therapy and the gender of the marital therapist were identified as barriers towards utilising these services. The findings were discussed in relation to pertinent literature, and recommendations for professional practice, training and for future research are offered in the last chapter.

The promotion of women's and children's rights excluded men from the process. The implementation of these rights called for a shift in domestic power relations. Men, especially certain black men, were plunged in predicament as some felt that the changes undermined their cultural and traditional masculine identities and that women and children abused their rights. In many cases the relationships between men, women and children came under pressure. This research is conducted among black men. The aim is to explore and describe black men's experience of their relationship with women and children in the context of women's and children's rights. An empirical study using a qualitative approach was followed to promote understanding of black men's experiences. In-depth interviews and personal notes/letters were used to collect data. The gist of the findings is that these changes are not important to women and children only, but to men too. The findings produced the following six main categories: Black men view women's and children's rights as good if correctly used; black men experience that women and children abuse their rights; black men feel that children do not honour them as they put their own rights above their father's rights; black men feel marginalised and use fight, flight or passiveness as coping strategies; black men experience women's and children's rights as a major cause of family disorganisation; black men suggest that there should be a platform for men and women to talk about their differences and types of power. Guidelines for appropriate service delivery programmes for families are developed from the findings. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

The promotion of women's and children's rights excluded men from the process. The implementation of these rights called for a shift in domestic power relations. Men, especially certain black men, were plunged in predicament as some felt that the changes undermined their cultural and traditional masculine identities and that women and children abused their rights. In many cases the relationships between men, women and children came under pressure. This research is conducted among black men. The aim is to explore and describe black men's experience of their relationship with women and children in the context of women's and children's rights. An empirical study using a qualitative approach was followed to promote understanding of black men's experiences. In-depth interviews and personal notes/letters were used to collect data. The gist of the findings is that these changes are not important to women and children only, but to men too. The findings produced the following six main categories: Black men view women's and children's rights as good if correctly used; black men experience that women and children abuse their rights; black men feel that children do not honour them as they put their own rights above their father's rights; black men feel marginalised and use fight, flight or passiveness as coping strategies; black men experience women's and children's rights as a major cause of family disorganisation; black men suggest that there should be a platform for men and women to talk about their differences and types of power. Guidelines for appropriate service delivery programmes for families are developed from the findings. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

Background and Aim: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the leading cancer diagnosis amongst South African men. The incidence of PCa is 68.0 per 100 000 Age Standardized Rate (ASR) and the mortality rates are 27.9 per 100 000 ASR; Globocan 2018. Diagnosis of PCa is based on a combination of digital rectal examination, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and histology. Several biomarkers have been used to increase the sensitivity and specificity of PSA in distinguishing patients with PCa from those with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). These include fractionated PSA, free/total PSA ratio, −2proPSA, prostate cancer antigen 3 and prostate health index amongst others. Biomarkers are needed to differentiate BPH from PCa due to a lack of specificity of these markers with PSA levels above 4.0 ng/ml. The aim of this study is to investigate gene expression patterns of South African men in 9 PCa and 10 BPH patients in order to distinguish between the two groups. Methods: Ethical approval was obtained (HREC 454/2012). Patients scheduled for transurethral resection of the prostate were recruited from the Western Cape. RNA was extracted from prostate tissue using the AllPrep DNA/RNA/miRNA Universal Kit (Qiagen). Complementary DNA was synthesized from RNA using the SuperScript IV VILO Master Mix (Thermo Fischer Scientific). Gene expression was analyzed with the Human Prostate Cancer RT2 Profiler PCR Array and SYBR Green Master Mix. Data were analyzed with the GeneGlobe RT2 and miScript PCR Array Data Analysis Centre from Qiagen. Results: The cohort included patients from different ethnic groups namely, Caucasians, Mixedand African ancestry. The PCa group has an age range from 56 to 75 years (mean 65) while the BPH group was slight older ranging from 60 to 76 years (mean 68). PSA levels range from 24 to 5000 ng/ml (mean 1252 ng/ml, median 185) for the PCa group and 11 to 58 ng/mL (mean 25 ng/ml, median 22) for the BPH group. The following genes were downregulated 2-fold in the PCa group with p values s <0.05; IGF1, PTEN, GSTP1, SOCS3, EGR3, GPX3, TIMP3, ZNF185, DKK3, PTGS2, FOXO1, ARNTL, TNFRSF10D, CCND1, and DLC1, upregulated genes included; CDH1, MKI67, TMPRSS2, ERG, CDKN2A, FASN, and AR but were not statistically significant. At a fold change threshold of 1.5, the following additional genes were downregulated in the PCa group with p values <0.05; DAXX, EGFR, RASSF1, SOX4, and TIMP2, upregulated genes were ACACA, AR, CDKN2A, ERG and FASN but were also not statistically significant. The study shows similarly differentially expressed genes as seen in international studies. Of note PTEN, MKI67 and FASN which are associated with poor prognosis. EGR3 was downregulated in our study and this has been associated aggressive disease and predict relapse after PCa treatment. This could explain the high mortality demonstrated in South African epidemiological studies. Conclusion: We identified a group of differentially expressed genes that have potential in distinguishing PCa and BPH patients with PSA values above 10 ng/ml. A larger population study is needed to further evaluate the clinical significance of our findings.

The purpose of this research is to explore a mode of resilience within the context of the traditional African divorced men. A qualitative methodological design was followed, allowing unique experiences to emerge. Four men were interviewed and an in-depth qualitative analysis undertaken, in order to explore the subjective experience of resilience during and after the period of separation and divorce. The study‘s results were presented in the form of integrated and descriptive text. The participants stories were re-encountered through the researcher‘s owns frame of reference in which common themes of the divorced process were constructed. These were elaborated on and a comparative analysis was undertaken to link them to the available literature. This information gained from the research could contribute to the existing research on the impact of divorce and the ability to bounce back positively aftermath of divorce by offering this new perspective from traditional men. This project was done within the selected areas of Vatsonga speaking tribes in the Limpopo province. It was found that the most pivotal aspect of resilience as reported were social support, family support and new environment. Apart from this, the research further explored the biblical teaching on the phenomenon and discovered that:<ul><li> The prevalent universality of marriage seems to confirm the biblical traditional marriage as the divine way of recreating humanity. Furthermore, the bible in both the Old and New Testaments view divorce as contrary to the divine intent. It was noted that Deut 24 does not command or encourage divorce; rather, it simply regulates divorce since it was already happening. </li><li> After a thorough exegesis of the passage and survey of the relevant interpretations in (Matthews), it is clear that Jesus forbade divorce for any reason except adultery. Divorce is unthinkable because it destroys the intended order of creation and God‘s creative act in bringing a man and a woman together in accordance with his order. God is the author of marriage; therefore, he inscribed the call to marriage in our very being by creating us as male and female. Marriage is governed by his laws, faithfully transmitted by his bride, which is the Church. </li></ul> / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Practical Theology / unrestricted

PhD (Linguistics)) / Department of Communication and Applied Language Studies

The pathways to manhood for young adult African men in urban settings are based more on socio-economic demands than socio-cultural expectations of being a man. This study was a qualitative explorative research on the perceptions of HIV-prevention practitioners on the different pathways to manhood among young adult African men in urban settings in Gauteng, South Africa. From the findings it was clear that there are diverse socio-cultural and socio-economic pathways to manhood, including the media, older men, peers, religion and women. These pathways affirm, confirm, validate and value a man as a man and not a boy in urban settings such as cities and informal settlements in Gauteng. The research concluded that a great deal more could be done to ensure that men get involved in HIV-prevention programmes by ensuring dialogue on manhood and masculinities between men and men, and men and women. / Sociology / M.A. (Social Science)

The pathways to manhood for young adult African men in urban settings are based more on socio-economic demands than socio-cultural expectations of being a man. This study was a qualitative explorative research on the perceptions of HIV-prevention practitioners on the different pathways to manhood among young adult African men in urban settings in Gauteng, South Africa. From the findings it was clear that there are diverse socio-cultural and socio-economic pathways to manhood, including the media, older men, peers, religion and women. These pathways affirm, confirm, validate and value a man as a man and not a boy in urban settings such as cities and informal settlements in Gauteng. The research concluded that a great deal more could be done to ensure that men get involved in HIV-prevention programmes by ensuring dialogue on manhood and masculinities between men and men, and men and women. / Sociology / M. A. (Social Science)

This thesis explored the fathering practices of precariously employed African men with the study objectives including understanding: (1) how precariously employed men construct fatherhood; (2) the fathering practices considered important to them; (3) in what way precarious employment impacts on their fathering practices; and (4) how precariously employed men negotiate between their children’s economic as well as socio-emotional needs. This research focused particularly on the experiences of roadside work-seekers in Parow, Cape Town, seeking to understand how they construct fatherhood within their precarious working conditions. What these men think about fatherhood is important particularly in South Africa where not only unemployment is high, but also the rates of children growing up without their fathers. An ethnographic study was conducted during which data was collected using both participant observation and semi-structured interview methods. This thesis reports on interviews conducted with 46 men over a period of seventeen weeks. The findings reveal that the majority of roadside work-seekers are migrants (both internal and cross border) who have families to provide for. This study also revealed having children as one of the main reasons men engage in precarious work activities. Also highlighted is the extent to which precarious work impact the lives of those involved to the extent that it affects their relationships with their children, families and intimate partners. The majority of day labourers, due to being unemployed also do not live with their children, with many being denied access as a result of a breakdown in their relationship with the mother of the child, but also as a result of being unable to fulfil certain traditional requirements expected of men who impregnate women out of wedlock in some African cultures. Finally, this study confirmed the various ways in which men engaged in precarious employment are exposed to high levels of poverty, homelessness, substance abuse, violence and crime, and racism, discrimination and exploitation. / Psychology / D. Phil. (Psychology)

This thesis explored the fathering practices of precariously employed African men with the study objectives including understanding: (1) how precariously employed men construct fatherhood; (2) the fathering practices considered important to them; (3) in what way precarious employment impacts on their fathering practices; and (4) how precariously employed men negotiate between their children’s economic as well as socio-emotional needs. This research focused particularly on the experiences of roadside work-seekers in Parow, Cape Town, seeking to understand how they construct fatherhood within their precarious working conditions. What these men think about fatherhood is important particularly in South Africa where not only unemployment is high, but also the rates of children growing up without their fathers. An ethnographic study was conducted during which data was collected using both participant observation and semi-structured interview methods. This thesis reports on interviews conducted with 46 men over a period of seventeen weeks. The findings reveal that the majority of roadside work-seekers are migrants (both internal and cross border) who have families to provide for. This study also revealed having children as one of the main reasons men engage in precarious work activities. Also highlighted is the extent to which precarious work impact the lives of those involved to the extent that it affects their relationships with their children, families and intimate partners. The majority of day labourers, due to being unemployed also do not live with their children, with many being denied access as a result of a breakdown in their relationship with the mother of the child, but also as a result of being unable to fulfil certain traditional requirements expected of men who impregnate women out of wedlock in some African cultures. Finally, this study confirmed the various ways in which men engaged in precarious employment are exposed to high levels of poverty, homelessness, substance abuse, violence and crime, and racism, discrimination and exploitation. / Psychology / D. Phil. (Psychology)