Thesis (Psy. D.)--Wheaton College Graduate School, Wheaton, IL, 2003. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 49-53).

The relevance of psychology in Africa is increasingly debated by psychologists. The subject stands accused of continuing a colonial tradition of oppression through its Eurocentrism and failure to attend to the needs of African societies. The relevance debate raises questions around the relationship between power, knowledge, psychology, and African history. This study attempts to excavate the conditions of possibility of the debate, by construing an archaeology of psychological knowledge as technology of power in the African context. It assumes a constructivist stance, employs textual and narrative analogies, and follows Foucault's conceptualisation of the relation between power and knowledge. Five strata of knowledge emerging historically in Africa, each embodying distinctive approaches to knowledge, are described: Indigenous African knowledge, African Islamic knowledge, African Christianity, knowledges of Enlightenment, and knowledges of resistance. These knowledges, their psychological dimensions, as well as the circulation of power within and between them, are explored, and historical processes of subjugation and resistance highlighted. Western psychology, as technology of modern power, is situated within modernism and the narratives ofEnlightenment, which also provided the conditions of possibility of colonialism. The dominant narratives of relevance are related to those of African resistance and the limitations of psychology are conceptualised in terms of those pertaining to modernism. Possible postmodern avenues to the liberation of both psychology and its subjects, that are relevant to African contexts, are suggested. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

The purpose of this study was to compare western family therapy to the "imbizo" system that is used as a kind of family therapy in the black cultural environment. The "imbizo" system is different from western therapy in its composition. Relatives play a more prominent role than in western family therapy. The imbizo system provides unique support and aftercare to its clients. Unlike western therapy, it requires no payment of fees. The "imbizo" excludes children while western family therapy includes every family member as part of the system in the therapeutic process. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three male respondents from the Nguni ethnic group and one male and two females from the Sotho ethnic group. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

A research report submitted in partial fulfilment for the degree Master of Arts in Social and Psychological Research by Coursework and Research Report (PSYC7022) in the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities at the University of the Witwatersrand, February 2017 / The lifetime prevalence of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), as reported for South Africa, is 9.7%. However, significant cultural differences occur in the clinical presentation of MDD which are connected to notions of religion, social principles and norms of relationships. With this in mind, this study explores the extent to which Hindu community members’ knowledge of MDD, their beliefs about the aetiology of MDD and their attitudes towards people with MDD impacted their perceptions on the care and management of MDD as well as their help seeking behaviours. The study also explored the extent to which Hindu religious identity mediates or moderates the relationship between aetiology, knowledge and attitudes towards MDD and the care and management of MDD and help seeking behaviour. A questionnaire consisting of a demographics section, a religious identity scale, a MDD knowledge, attitudes and practices scale and the attitudes towards seeking professional psychological help scale was completed by a convenience sample of 264 Hindus from Johannesburg and surrounding areas. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analyses. Participants in this study had a moderate religious identity and generally positive attitudes towards MDD. This sample believed that stress was the main cause of MDD and that talking to their friends, family and their general practitioner would be the most beneficial in terms of care and management of MDD. Participants also had positive attitudes towards seeking professional help. Two multiple regression analyses were conducted with the attitudes towards professional help seeking as well as all the care and management factors as the dependent variables and religious identity, knowledge of MDD, attitudes towards MDD and all four aetiological factors of MDD as the independent variables. These analyses yielded varying results. Following these analyses, religious identity was explored as both a potential mediator and moderator variable between attitudes towards MDD and help seeking behaviours. These results are discussed within the broader debates on depression and its manifestation across cultures. / XL2018

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (Drama Therapy), 2017 / This mixed case study used a traditional umgidi (stamping ritual) as a dramatic re-enactment within drama therapy to provide a therapeutic space for fostering wellbeing of cultural beings with an African worldview (CBsAW). Culture is considered as a critical resource because it guides individuals in how to achieve wellbeing by using resources from their context. The praxis of umgidi wokulingisa was used in sessions as per guidelines offered through interviews with izinyanga (traditional healers). One session was conducted with two participants in Moutse East. The data was analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Anyalysis (IPA) to discern emerging themes. Two superordinate themes emerged: experiences of a contextual self; and creative and flexible self-regulation. Experiences of a contextual self represents the participants’ cultural context and value system. Creative and flexible self-regulation is the developmental process of musicking in the therapeutic space that allows a participant to be self-conscious. By experiencing umgidi wokulingisa, the two participants appeared to shift their perspective on the accessibility of drama therapy within their cultures. The study was not able to explore the act of ukugiya due to a reluctance of community members to participate in the study. As a result of reluctance to participate in the study, I recommend a community intervention to ascertain how umgidi wokulingisa within drama therapy can manage expectations and concerns of the community within their cultural context and value system. / XL2018

Thesis (M.S.W.)--Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Mass., 2008. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves ).

Thesis (MA (Counselling Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references.

The purpose of this study was to compare western family therapy to the "imbizo" system that is used as a kind of family therapy in the black cultural environment. The "imbizo" system is different from western therapy in its composition. Relatives play a more prominent role than in western family therapy. The imbizo system provides unique support and aftercare to its clients. Unlike western therapy, it requires no payment of fees. The "imbizo" excludes children while western family therapy includes every family member as part of the system in the therapeutic process. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three male respondents from the Nguni ethnic group and one male and two females from the Sotho ethnic group. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

M. Ed. / This instrumental case study explores the preferred psychotherapeutic interventions used by a purposive sample of Black-African educational psychologists and intern psychologists who had graduated from the same university between 1998 and 2008. The sample also includes the therapeutic interventions lecturer at the university since previous research carried out at the university revealed that Black Educational Psychology students are at a much higher risk of dropping out of the master's course (Holmes, 2006). This research inquiry aims at gaining a better understanding of the therapies that Black-African Educational Psychologists use in their practice of Educational Psychology. The research is done within a critical paradigm using a social constructivist theoretical framework to seek an understanding of the world in which these educational psychologists live and work (Creswell, 2007). The researcher uses an interpretive approach to explore the data on the psychotherapeutic interventions used by the group of Black-African educational psychologists in their respective practices. The research sample comprises eleven Black-African educational psychologists and intern psychologists and the therapeutic interventions lecturer at the University. Once informed consent was obtained, data were generated by means of eleven incomplete sentence questionnaires and six semi-structured interviews which were captured using an audio-recorder. Data were analysed according to the steps outlined by Charmaz (2006; 2008) in her grounded theory approach to qualitative research. Thus, initial data sets were coded using initial and selective coding and then analysed simultaneously using the constant comparative method which generated findings which fall under four sub-themes namely: 1) Using psychotherapeutic interventions trained in, 2) Adapting Eurocentric interventions, 3) Using Indigenous Knowledge and the 4) Need to advance learning. These sub-themes were integrated to form a Culture-sensitive African perspective to psychotherapeutic intervention in South Africa, which became the overarching theme of this study. The themes were confirmed by sending a verification concept map to five participants.

Culture is important to an individual’s understanding of traumatic events and the symptoms that ensue after such events. Cultural understandings also inform how individuals cope with the traumatic stress symptoms they experience. A great deal is known about the understanding of traumatic experiences and effective coping mechanisms used in Western cultures, but non-Western cultures are generally understudied. Valuable lessons are learnt from conducting studies with understudied non-Western cultures. The research sought to explore and describe the culturally informed conceptions of traumatic experience and coping strategies in one such understudied population - the Mole-Dagbon of Ghana. The research used a qualitative exploratory descriptive interpretive methodology. Purposive nonprobability sampling was used to gain access to individuals who could comment on the knowledge objectives of the study. Data was collected using focus group discussions with cultural leaders, and semi-structured interviews with traumatized individuals. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, translated and analyzed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. The findings indicated that traumatic experiences and the coping strategies are influenced by a number of cultural factors. Participants’ understanding of traumatic experiences and symptoms relied heavily on normative traditional African cultural understandings, but explanations also utilized monotheistic (from Islam and Christianity) worldviews. It was also evident that not all explanations were purely spiritual and events and symptoms were also explained using a natural/scientific framework. Some aspects of this system indicated parallels with the Western cognitive understanding of traumatic stress symptoms. The Mole-Dagbon did not focus naturally on explaining the events and symptoms and in the current sample such explanations were often deferred to authoritative individuals in the society (especially the soothsayers from the Traditional African Religion). However, there was an easy focus on coping with the symptoms after a traumatic event and in this last aspect there was a great degree of agreement between participants. A clear hierarchy of coping emerged with community and family social support being considered the most important aspect. Irrespective of religious affiliation, individuals also considered a visit to the soothsayer and completing prescribed rituals as important in the process. Even where an individual did not wish to include this practice from African Traditional Religion because of religious affiliation, they acknowledged the existence and effectiveness of these practices. Finally, it was thought important that a traumatized individual consult a religious leader for counselling (again irrespective of the actual religion). While there were elements of cognitive understanding and a recognition of counselling by religious leaders, Western based treatment modalities were not mentioned as options for the treatment of the symptoms of PTSD. Practitioners that come into contact with the Mole-Dagbon may need to use collaborative treatment strategies that respects and utilizes cultural treatment strategies for PTSD. One interesting element that needs further exploration is whether the cognitive understandings of the Mole-Dagbon can be used in a cognitive therapeutic paradigm. Even though these cognitive appraisals are present in explaining symptoms, there are no direct cultural remedies that rely on them.