The objective of the study was to investigate the relationship between sense of coherence, work locus of control and burnout amongst mid-level managers in underground coal mining, and to determine whether sense of coherence and work locus of control can predict the level of burnout in the sample. A cross-sectional survey design was used and three questionnaires were administered, namely the Orientation to Life questionnaire, The Maslach Burnout Inventory – General Survey and the Work Locus of Control Scale. The sample consisted of 131 mid-level managers from a leading coal mining organisation in Mpumalanga, South Africa. The results indicated low to moderate levels of exhaustion, cynicism and reduced professional efficacy, as subdimensions of burnout, in the sample group. Sense of coherence and internal work locus of control showed statistically significant negative correlations with burnout. The two salutogenic constructs predicted a significant portion of the variance in burnout in the sample group. / Industrial & Organisational Psychology / MCOM (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Limited research has investigated the stress-related experiences of South African nursing students. Moreover, there is a scarcity of empirical studies that have reported on the development and evaluation of psycho-educational stress-management programmes that focus on both pathogenic, as well as positive and meaning-related factors among nursing students. The aim of this investigation was to study compassion fatigue, burnout, compassion satisfaction and meaning in life among a sample of nursing students with the aim of developing, and then empirically evaluating, a psycho-educational stress-management programme. The psycho-educational stress-management programme was articulated from a logotherapy-based perspective. A research design, consisting of three interdependent phases, was used to pursue the aim of the study. The aim of phase 1 was to describe the (1) prevalence of, and (2) correlations between, the deleterious and positive and meaningful effects of caring and among a sample of 80 nursing students (Mage = 22.40 years, SD = 11.1, female = 91.25%). The results indicated that participants may benefit from a logotherapy-based psycho-educational stress-management programme. The purpose of phase 2 of the study was to develop a logotherapy-based psycho-educational stress-management programme for nursing students. The goal of the logotherapy-based psycho-educational stress-management programme was to assist participants to develop the skills, knowledge and abilities that may be required to address deleterious challenges, and enhance positive and meaning-related opportunities. In phase 3 the logotherapy-based psycho-educational stress-management programme was presented to a sample of 42 first year nursing students (Mage = 20.21, SD = 1.57, female = 79.31%). A convergent parallel mixed methods research design was used to evaluate the efficacy of the logotherapy-based psycho-educational stress-management programme. Quantitative results indicated (1) a reduction in compassion fatigue and burnout, and (2) an increase in compassion satisfaction and meaning in life, scores over the course of the programme. Qualitative analysis supported the quantitative results. It was subsequently concluded that the logotherapy-based psycho-educational stress-management programme was effective in assisting participants to address the deleterious , as well embrace the positive and meaning-related effects of caring. However, ongoing support may be required to fully assist nursing students to address stressful challenges. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between burnout and work engagement among employees in the pharmaceutical distribution industry. The research conducted on these concepts was geared towards adding to the knowledge base in the field of industrial and organisational psychology, to enable the current organisation from which the sample was chosen and other organisations in South Africa to focus on the effect that burnout has on employees, which directly affects the company. A quantitative survey using primary data was conducted on a convenience sample (N = 204) of full-time employees in a South African pharmaceutical distribution company. The Maslach Burnout Inventory – General Survey model (MBI-GS) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) model were used to gather data. The work engagement-burnout continuum has received a great deal of research attention (Maslach, Schaufeli, & Leiter, 2001; Schaufeli & Bakker, 2003; Schutte, Toppinen, Kalimo, & Schaufeli, 2000) that has produced contradicting results. One viewpoint regards the core constructs of work engagement and burnout as opposite poles of two continua (vigour-exhaustion and dedication-cynicism), labelled energy and identification, respectively (González-Romá, Schaufeli, Bakker, & Lloret, 2006). Work engagement is ”characterized by a high level of energy and strong identification with one’s work”, while burnout is ”characterized by the opposite: A low level of energy combined with poor identification with one’s work” (Schaufeli & Bakker, 2003, p. 5; Bakker, Schaufeli, Leiter, & Taris, 2008). Hence work engagement and burnout can be recognised as inseparable and co-dependent constructs that share more or less 10 to 25% of their variance and are moderately negatively related (Schaufeli & Bakker, 2004; Schaufeli, Salanova, González-Romá, & Bakker, 2002). The second viewpoint regards work engagement and burnout as being strongly related, but fundamentally different in their separation in the work experience. They are therefore not opposite poles of a continuum (Denton, Newton, & Bower, 2008; Huhtala & Parzefall, 2007; Rothmann & Joubert, 2007; Schaufeli & Bakker, 2004; Schaufeli et al., 2002). Work engagement is defined as a ”positive, fulfilling, work-related state of mind that is characterised by vigour, dedication, and absorption” (Schaufeli & Bakker, 2004, p. 295). Burnout, however, is defined by Maslach and Jackson (1981, p. 99) as a ”syndrome of emotional exhaustion and cynicism that occurs frequently amongst individuals who do ‘people-work’ of some kind”. The statistical results of this study confirmed the hypothesis. It was found that there is a significant relationship between burnout and work engagement. Burnout is indeed negatively related to work engagement in the contact centre. However, a definitive relationship between burnout and work engagement in the distribution centre was not established. / Industrial & Organisational Psychology / M. Comm. (Industrial Psychology)

Organisasieverwante stres onder maatskaplike werkers is ‘n internasionale verskynsel (Shweta & Siebert, 2007). Maatskaplike dienslewering gaan gewoonlik gepaard met organisasieverwante eise wat ‘n negatiewe uitwerking op die maatskaplike werker sowel as die kwaliteit van dienslewering kan hê indien dit nie vroegtydig geïdentifiseer en voorkom word nie (Werner, 2007:320). Ten spyte van die feit dat maatskaplike werk as een van die mees stresvolle beroepe beskryf word, het organisasieverwante stres binne die maatskaplike diensveld eers in die laaste paar jaar aandag begin geniet (Dillenburger, 2004:213). In die literatuur word daar na drie vlakke van intervensie verwys, naamlik primêre, sekondêre en tersiêre intervensie (Departement van Arbeid, 2003:14; Cooper, Dewe & O’Driscoll, 2001:189). Sekondêre en tersiêre intervensies word as die mees algemene strategieë vir die bestuur van stres in ‘n organisasie geïdentifiseer (Cooper et al., 2001:190; Grobler, Wärnich, Carrell, Elbert & Hatfield, 2002:441). Kritiek op die genoemde vlakke van intervensie sluit in dat die verantwoordelikheid op die maatskaplike werker alleen geplaas word om sy/haar stres te hanteer. Primêre intervensie behels dat die oorsprong van die probleem voorkom word, in plaas daarvan dat die simptome behandel word nadat dit reeds voorgekom het (Satcher, 1999). Hierdie navorsingstudie plaas die fokus op die primêre-intervensiestrategie, nadat daar ‘n leemte in die literatuur in hierdie verband geïdentifseer was. Die doel van die navorsing was om die aard van voorkoming van organisasieverwante stres onder maatskaplike werkers, deur middel van primêre-intervensiestrategieë deur maatskaplikewerkbestuurders, te verken en te beskryf ten einde ‘n voorkomingsriglyn te ontwikkel. Ten einde die navorsingsdoel te kon bereik is die kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering in hierdie studie gebruik, aangesien dit die mees geskikte wyse sou wees om die verkennende en beskrywende aard van die studie te ondersteun (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2007:12). Die populasies vir hierdie kwalitatiewe studie was: • Alle maatskaplikewerkbestuurders wat by regerings- of nie-regeringsorganisasies werksaam is. • Alle maatskaplike werkers wat by regerings- of nie-regeringsorganisasies werksaam is. Binne die raamwerk van die kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering is daar van ‘n nie-waarskynlikheidsteekproefmetode en die doelgerigte en sneeubal steekproeftegnieke gebruik gemaak. Die navorser wou gebruik maak van haar eie oordeel oor wie die navorsingsvraag die beste sou kon beantwoord. Die steekproefgrootte was bepaal deur data-versadiging wat waargeneem was na nege onderhoude met maatskaplike werkers en nege onderhoude met maatskaplikewerkbestuurders. Die navorser het by beide populasies semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude as die metode van data-insameling benut. Tesch soos aangehaal in Creswell (2009:186), se agt stappe vir kwalitatiewe data-analise het die navorser ondersteun om die data op ‘n sistematiese wyse tot temas en sub-temas te kodeer. Die data is na afloop van die identifisering van die temas en sub-temas beskryf en gekontroleer met bestaande literatuur. Guba het (in Krefting, 1991:214-222) ‘n model saamgestel om met die verifikasie van kwalitatiewe data te help. Hierdie model is op die volgende vier aspekte gegrond en in hierdie studie benut: geldigheid van die waarheid, toepasbaarheid, bestendigheid en neutraliteit. Die volgende etiese aspekte is tydens die beplanning en uitvoering van hierdie studie in ag geneem: Vermyding van skade; vrywillige deelname; ingeligte toestemming en anonimiteit en konfidensialiteit. Die benutting van bovermelde metodologie het die navorser in staat gestel om voorkomingsriglyne te ontwerp en om gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings te maak. / The goal of this research was to explore and describe the nature of prevention of organisation-related stress among social workers through primary intervention strategies by social work managers to develop a prevention guideline. The qualitative research approach, together with the case study, contextual, explorative and descriptive research designs were used in the study. The two populations included a) all social work managers and b) all social workers that work for government or non-government organisations. Samples from the populations were obtained through the non-probability sampling method and the purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. Tesch’s framework for qualitative research analysis supported the researcher to identify themes and sub-themes, while Guba’s model was used to assist with the verification of qualitative data. The empirical findings provided the foundation for the development of a prevention guideline. / Prevention of organisation-related stress amongst social workers by social work managers / Prevention of organisation related stress amongst social workers by social work managers / Text in Afrikaans, with abstract and title in Afrikaans and English / Department of Social Work / Ph. D. (Social Work)

The objective of the study was to investigate the relationship between sense of coherence, work locus of control and burnout amongst mid-level managers in underground coal mining, and to determine whether sense of coherence and work locus of control can predict the level of burnout in the sample. A cross-sectional survey design was used and three questionnaires were administered, namely the Orientation to Life questionnaire, The Maslach Burnout Inventory – General Survey and the Work Locus of Control Scale. The sample consisted of 131 mid-level managers from a leading coal mining organisation in Mpumalanga, South Africa. The results indicated low to moderate levels of exhaustion, cynicism and reduced professional efficacy, as subdimensions of burnout, in the sample group. Sense of coherence and internal work locus of control showed statistically significant negative correlations with burnout. The two salutogenic constructs predicted a significant portion of the variance in burnout in the sample group. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

The researcher investigated ways of alleviating stress and burnout among secondary school teachers. In this regard, factors causing teacher stress and burnout, the effect of stress and burnout on the quality of teaching and learning, support structures offered by secondary schools, and coping strategies to deal with stress and burnout were relevant. A total of 20 participants consisting of 12 teachers and 8 school management team members were interviewed using individual and focus group interviews, and participant observation. Findings revealed that teachers are experiencing a range of stressors of a consistent and prolonged nature leading to burnout. The allocation of unfamiliar subjects as a stressor appeared to be a new finding not noted in any of the previous literature. Stress and burnout constitute a threat to teacher retention and effective teaching and learning. Support structures offered to teachers are inadequate, resulting in teachers using ineffective stress coping strategies. / Die navorser het maniere ondersoek om spanning en uitbranding by hoërskoolonderwysers te verlig. In hierdie verband was faktore wat spanning en uitbranding tot gevolg het, die effek van spanning en uitbranding op die kwaliteit van onderrig en leer, ondersteuningstrukture wat deur skole aangebied word, en strategieë om spanning en uitbranding te hanteer van toepassing. Onderhoude, individueel en fokusgroep, is met 20 deelnemers, 12 onderwysers en 8 lede van die skoolbeheerraad gevoer. Data is ook met deelnemerwaarneming ingesamel. Navorsingsbevindinge toon aan dat onderwysers volgehoue spanning ervaar wat tot uitbranding lei. Die toewysing van vakke waarmee onderwysers nie vertroud is nie is as ‘n bevinding geïdentifiseer wat nie algemeen in die literatuur opgeteken is nie. Spanning en uitbranding affekteer onderwyserbehoud vir die beroep en goeie kwaliteit onderrig en leer negatief. Ondersteuningstrukture vir onderwysers is onvoldoende met die gevolg dat onderwysers geneig is tot die oneffektiewe hantering van spanning. / Umcwaningi ucwaninge izindlela zokuciphisa ukucindezeleka nokushisa phakathi kwabafundisi besikole esiphakeme. Kulokhu, izici ezidala ukucindezeleka nokushisa kothisa, umphumela wokucindezeleka nokushiswa kumhangatho wokufundisa nokufunda, izakhiwo zokusekela ezininkezwa izikole zamabanga aphezulu, Kanye namaqhinga okubhekana nomphumela wokucindezeleka nokushisa kwakufanele. Ingqikithi yabangu-20 yabahlanganyeli abangothisa abangu-12 kanye namalunga eqembu lesiphathimandla sabaphathi abangu-8 besikole babuzwe imibuzo ngokusebenzisa izingxoxo zanye ngabanye kange neqembu lokugxila, Kanye nokubonwa kwabahlangayeli, Kutholakale ukuthi othisha babona ububanzi bokucindezeleka kwendalo eqhubekayo okungaholela ekusheni. Ukwabiwa kwezihloko ezingajwayelekile njengoba ukucindezeleka kubonakala sengathi kuyinto entsha engatholakali ezincwadini zangaphambilini. Ukucindezeleka nokushisa kwakha umsongelo ekugcinweni kothisa Kanye nokufundisa nokufinda okuphumelelayo. Izakhiwo zokuseleka ezinekezwa othisha azanele, ziholela kothisa besenbenzisa amaqhinga okubhekana nokucindezeleka angasebenzi. / Educational Management and Leadership / M. Ed. (Education Management)

Text in English / The aim of the research was to describe how Generation Y medical doctors working in the South African public health sector at a hospital in the Limpopo Province experienced a coaching intervention for burnout. Generally, there are limited empirically based coaching interventions for burnout, even for at-risk populations such as Generation Y medical doctors working in the South African public health sector. Burnout affects Generation Y medical doctors, the service they offer, private lives, and the recipients of their care. Most research focuses on identifying the risk factors for Generation Y medical doctors working in the debilitating South African public health sector, and rarely on potential intervention. This study offers findings from a coaching intervention that could be incorporated into a bigger burnout intervention strategy in the South African public health sector. This would involve all stakeholders at the different levels to ensure that burnout is combatted on a long-term basis. The study took a phenomenological approach using a collective case study method. The aim was to gather and analyse information to explore the experiences of a coaching intervention for burnout. The study was done in three phases, namely: Phase I – Pre-coaching intervention; Phase II – Coaching intervention; and Phase III – Post-coaching intervention. The study incorporated the Maslach Burnout Inventory to quantify the level of burnout before (Phase I) and after (Phase III) the coaching intervention. The findings emphasised certain structural issues, the impact that neglecting burnout has on medical doctors, including Generation Y medical doctors, and how burnout affects patient care. Certain recommendations were made for the public health sector, future research in the field of coaching psychology, and coaches/consultants working with burnout amongst Generation Y medical doctors. / Psychology / D. Phil. (Consulting Psychology)

Limited research has investigated the stress-related experiences of South African nursing students. Moreover, there is a scarcity of empirical studies that have reported on the development and evaluation of psycho-educational stress-management programmes that focus on both pathogenic, as well as positive and meaning-related factors among nursing students. The aim of this investigation was to study compassion fatigue, burnout, compassion satisfaction and meaning in life among a sample of nursing students with the aim of developing, and then empirically evaluating, a psycho-educational stress-management programme. The psycho-educational stress-management programme was articulated from a logotherapy-based perspective. A research design, consisting of three interdependent phases, was used to pursue the aim of the study. The aim of phase 1 was to describe the (1) prevalence of, and (2) correlations between, the deleterious and positive and meaningful effects of caring and among a sample of 80 nursing students (Mage = 22.40 years, SD = 11.1, female = 91.25%). The results indicated that participants may benefit from a logotherapy-based psycho-educational stress-management programme. The purpose of phase 2 of the study was to develop a logotherapy-based psycho-educational stress-management programme for nursing students. The goal of the logotherapy-based psycho-educational stress-management programme was to assist participants to develop the skills, knowledge and abilities that may be required to address deleterious challenges, and enhance positive and meaning-related opportunities. In phase 3 the logotherapy-based psycho-educational stress-management programme was presented to a sample of 42 first year nursing students (Mage = 20.21, SD = 1.57, female = 79.31%). A convergent parallel mixed methods research design was used to evaluate the efficacy of the logotherapy-based psycho-educational stress-management programme. Quantitative results indicated (1) a reduction in compassion fatigue and burnout, and (2) an increase in compassion satisfaction and meaning in life, scores over the course of the programme. Qualitative analysis supported the quantitative results. It was subsequently concluded that the logotherapy-based psycho-educational stress-management programme was effective in assisting participants to address the deleterious , as well embrace the positive and meaning-related effects of caring. However, ongoing support may be required to fully assist nursing students to address stressful challenges. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

Clients diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) interact with healthcare professionals in compelling ways. By virtue of the symptoms that define BPD, it is likely that the client will challenge the therapist with regards to their theoretical approach or therapeutic style. In addition, clients with BPD are likely to project their need for a therapeutic interaction that is both genuine, empathic and at the same time, flexible. In light of this, it is not uncommon for healthcare practitioners to consider clients with BPD as “difficult” in some way or the other. This study explores how clinical psychologists in Gauteng conceptualise and manage a “difficult” client presenting with Borderline Personality Disorder. Further, coping strategies of the clinician will also be explored. The qualitative study, couched in a social constructionist paradigm, involved interviewing seven clinical psychologists practicing in Gauteng, South Africa. The transcripts of the semi-structured interviews were thematically analysed. The findings of the current study indicated that the difficulties experienced are reflective of the general criteria of the disorder. The picture of the difficult client is painted by personal experience, as well as stereotypes gained from interactions with colleagues and other healthcare professionals. It was further found that management of these patients were viewed and implemented based on the nature of the disorder. In addition, management by the clinician often included supervision and leisure activities. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

Text in English / Staff turnover affects employees, employers and their clients. When counsellors leave a particular employment context, relationships have to be modified or terminated, and in some instances, clients have to start counselling afresh. This study focused on testing whether self-esteem and burnout can be predictors of voluntary turnover. Relating the three variables of self-esteem, employee burnout, and employee turnover intentions among counsellors reveals a dearth in literature and research. This study utilised qualitative and quantitative data. A sample of 200 counsellors received questionnaires to collect quantitative data and 162 questionnaires were analysed. The Intentions-To-Stay Questionnaire by Roodt (2004) measured turnover intention, the Maslach Burnout Inventory (Maslach & Jackson, 1981) measured Burnout and the Rosenberg Self-esteem scale (Rosenberg, 1965) measured self-esteem. Qualitative data collection utilised the focus group interview. 23 participants for one group interview were selected using Convenience sampling. Significant relationship was found between self-esteem and age, gender, marital status, duration of work, academic qualification and job status. Results indicated that the emotional exhaustion subscale has statistically significant relationships with age, academic qualification, marital status and employment status. The depersonalization subscale indicated a statistically significant relationship with age, gender, marital status and employment status. The personal accomplishment subscale indicated statistically significant relationship with gender, academic qualification, marital status, duration of employment and employment status. A statistically significant relationship was found between turnover intention and age, marital status, highest academic qualification of participant and employment status. Further, a statistically significant relationship was found between turnover intention and burnout but not between turnover intention and self-esteem. This analysis confirmed burnout as a predictor variable and self-esteem as not. Study findings revealed three categories of reasons influencing turnover among counsellors; namely diversification reasons, growth and development reasons, and remunerative reasons. Counsellor narratives of burnout revealed three major themes namely: exhaustion, work settings, characteristics, and sources of stress. Workplace and institutional interventions were categorized into two namely developmental and normative. An integrated model of clinical supervision for responding to burnout and turnover intention was presented as part of the discussion. / Psychology / D.Phil. (Psychology)