Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The deaf community face similar access barriers to health care services and information as do other linguistic minority groups. Amongst others, this includes limited access to English communication, misunderstanding of medical terminology, irregular contact with health care professionals of the same language and cultural background and the need to overcome the challenges experienced by using others as interpreters in a health care setting. Barriers to the written and spoken word limit access to health care information as deaf people cannot overhear conversations, have limited access to mass media and present with low literacy rates. The South African Constitution stipulates that every citizen has an equal right to health care services and should not be unfairly discriminated against, on the basis of language. Unfortunately, despite what is written in the Constitution, the reality is that many South Africans are denied equal access or receive compromised access to health care services because of language barriers. The lack of access to interpreters at health care facilities across South Africa inhibits patients from expressing themselves correctly and limits the providers’ professional ability to make a correct diagnosis and provide relevant information. The current study explores the barriers and facilitators to accessing health care services and health care information for people who are deaf in a relatively well-resourced setting. A sample of deaf participants from the National Institute for the Deaf in Worcester were interviewed to gain an understanding of problems experienced with accessing health care services and health care information. Participants reported communication and socio-economic factors as barriers to accessing health care services. The main barrier to accessing health care information was considered to be the inaccessibility of the mass media. Recommendations were made by participants on ways to improve access to health care services and health care information for the deaf population of South Africa. Keywords: Health care acces, Health care information, Deaf, Worcester, Barriers and facilitators to health care services. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die dowe gemeenskap ervaar soortgelyke struikelblokke as ander linguistiese minderheidsgroepe met toegang tot gesondheidsdienste en inligting. Dit sluit onder andere in beperkte toegang tot Engelse kommunikasie, wanbegrip van mediese terminologie, ongereelde kontak met mediese dienspraktisyne van dieselfde taal en kulturele agtergrond, en die uitdaging wat oorkom moet word om ander mense te gebruik as tussenganger en tolk in ’n mediese situasie. Hindernisse met geskrewe- en spreektaal beperk die toegang tot gesondheidsinligting. Dowe mense kan nie na gesprekke luister nie, het beperkte toegang tot massamedia en vertoon oor die algemeen 'n laer geletterdheidsprofiel. Die Suid Afrikaanse Grondwet stipuleer dat elke burger ’n gelyke reg tot gesondheidsdienste het en verbied onregverdige diskriminasie op grond van taal. Ten spyte van die Grondwet is die realiteit dat baie Suid Afrikaners nie gelyke toegang het nie en ’n laer vlak van mediese dienslewering ervaar as gevolg van taalprobleme. Die ontoereikende beskikbaarheid van tolke by gesondheidsfasiliteite reg oor Suid Afrika beperk die vermoë van pasiënte om hulself behoorlik uit te druk. Dit beperk daarom ook die mediese praktisyn se vermoë om ’n korrekte diagnose te maak en relevante inligting rakende die diagnose aan die pasiënt oor te dra. In die huidige studie is die struikelblokke en fasiliteerders vir toegang tot gesondheidsdienste en inligting ondersoek vir dowe mense in ’n relatief goed toegeruste omgewing. ’n Steekproef van dowe deelnemers is by die Nasionale Instituut vir Dowes in Worcester geselekteer. Deur middel van onderhoude is die probleme wat ondervind word met toegang tot gesondheidsdienste en gesondheidsinformasie geïdentifiseer. Deelnemers het kommunikasie en sosio-ekonomiese faktore as struikelblokke tot die toegang van gesondheidsdienste geïdentifiseer. Die grootste struikelblok met toegang tot mediese inligting was die beperkte toegang tot massamedia. Voorstelle is deur die deelnemers gemaak vir die verbetering van die toeganklikheid tot mediese dienslewering en gesondheidsinligting vir die dowe populasie in Suid Afrika.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Optimal adherence to antiretroviral medication is essential for effective treatment of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and ensuring high levels of adherence has proven to be a major challenge in the fight against HIV. As funding for antiretroviral treatment (ART) programs is limited, ensuring optimal adherence is critical, not only to decrease patient mortality and improve quality of life, but also to make these ART programs financially sustainable. In recent years a small but growing body of literature on the associations between social support, common mental disorders and adherence to ART has emerged. This thesis builds on the burgeoning body of studies by seeking to test the associations between level of perceived social support, symptoms of common mental disorders, and adherence to ART among a South African sample of ART users. The study investigated a convenience sample of 101 patients living with HIV, and receiving ART from a state funded HIV clinic in the Overberg region of the Western Cape, South Africa. A cross-sectional survey design was used to gather self-report data on the level of perceived social support, severity of symptoms of common mental disorders, and adherence to ART. Bivariate correlations demonstrated significant negative associations between perceived social support and severity of symptoms of common mental disorders, specifically symptoms of depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Biserial correlations and logistic regression analysis indicated an inverse relationship between severity of symptoms of depression and self-reported ART adherence. However, when symptoms of anxiety and PTSD were included as predictors, the association between symptoms of depression and self-reported ART adherence was no longer significant. Furthermore, no significant relationships were found between self-reported ART adherence and symptoms of anxiety and PTSD. Follow-up research is recommended to gain a better understanding of these relationships. A longitudinal experimental research design is recommended to determine the direction of causality with regard to the association between symptoms of depression and adherence to ART. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Optimale nakoming van antiretrovirale medikasie is noodsaaklik vir effektiewe behandeling van die menslike immuniteitsgebreks virus (MIV), en een van die groot uitdagings in die stryd teen MIV is om hoë vlakke van nakoming te verseker. Aangesien die beskikbare fondse vir antiretrovirale behandeling (ARB) beperk is, is dit van kritiese belang om optimale nakoming te verseker, nie net om sterftes te verminder en lewenskwaliteit te verbeter nie, maar ook om ARB programme finansieël volhoubaar te maak. In die afgelope jare, het daar 'n klein maar groeiende liggaam van literatuur oor die assosiasies tussen sosiale ondersteuning, algemene geestesversteurings, en nakoming van ARB na vore gekom. Hierdie proefskrif bou voort op die groeiende liggaam van studies deur om die verhoudings tussen waargenome sosiale ondersteuning, simptome van algemene geestesversteurings, en nakoming van ARB onder 'n Suid-Afrikaanse steekproef van ARB gebruikers te toets. Die studie het ondersoek gedoen op 'n gerieflikheidsteekproef van 101 pasiënte wat MIV positief is, en ARB ontvang by 'n staats befondse MIV-kliniek in die Overberg-streek van die Wes-Kaap, Suid-Afrika. 'n Deursnee-opname ontwerp is gebruik om self-verslag data te kry oor die vlak van waargenome sosiale ondersteuning, simptome van algemene geestesversteurings, en nakoming van ARB. Tweeveranderlike korrelasies het gedui op 'n beduidende negatiewe verhouding tussen waargenome sosiale ondersteuning and simptome van algemene geestesversteurings, spesifiek simptome van depressie, angs en post-traumatiese stresversteuring (PTSS). Biseriale korrelasies and logistieke regressie-analise het 'n beduidende inverse verhouding tussen simptome van depressie and self-gerapporteerde ARB nakoming getoon. Die verhouding tussen simptome van depressie and self-gerapporteerde ARB nakoming was egter nie meer beduidend na die symptome van angs en PTSS as voorspellers ingesluit was nie. Verder was daar geen beduidende verhoudings gevind tussen self-gerapporteerde ARB nakoming en simptome van angs en PTSS nie. Verdere navorsing word aanbeveel om 'n beter begrip van hierdie verhoudings te verkry. 'n Longitudinale eksperimentele ontwerp word aanbeveel om vas te stel wat die rigting van oorsaaklikheid is ten opsigte van die verhouding tussen simptome van depressie en nakoming van ARB.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The family life cycle perspective (McGoldrick & Carter, 2003) recognises that one normative life stressor for families is the transition to parenthood. Still, the Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment and Adaptation (McCubbin & McCubbin, 1996) holds that one protective resource that could help the family in the face of a stressor is family routines. Even though the Ecological-cultural Niche Model (Gallimore, Goldenberg & Weisner, 1993) gives us some understanding of the family routine as a psychological construct, many gaps exist in the literature. The aim of this qualitative grounded theory study was to better understand family routines as a resilience resource during the transition to parenthood. This aim was broken down into five research questions: (1) What do daily routines look like in the lives of firsttime parents? (2) Why are these family routines important to first-time parents? (3) What challenges do first-time parents face in sustaining their daily routines? (4) What assists firsttime parents in maintaining their daily routines? (5) What accommodations do first-time parents make to adapt to the arrival of their first child? In terms of methodology, ten Coloured couples whose first child was between one and four years of age and who resided in one northern suburb of Cape Town took part in semi-structured interviews. In terms of research question one, the data analysis revealed that family routines look like a sequence of unfolding activities and that this sequence is situated within a temporal structure; that the specific sequence and temporal structure are designed by the family to be functional; but that there also is temporal incongruence in the sequence of routines. Related to question two, the participants felt that their routines were important because a family routine is an opportunity to spend time together, and it is an opportunity for improving child development. For question three, the data analysis revealed that the challenges first-time parents face in sustaining their routines are extra-familial and intra-familial barriers that increase the task and temporal complexity of routines. The analysis of question four revealed that what assists parents in maintaining routines are extra-familial and intra-familial resources that decrease the task and temporal complexity of routines. Lastly, themes related to research question five showed that the accommodations that parents make in routines that help them adapt are temporal accommodations and idiosyncratic accommodations. In future, researchers and theorists should not only investigate an individual family routine in isolation (e.g. just dinnertime or just bedtime), but also look at the structure of the entire daily schedule, the scheduling process, and how the functionality of this daily schedule affects the experience of individual routines. Greater emphasis should also be placed on diverse samples from many ecological and cultural contexts in order to identify more extra-familial and intra-familial barriers and resources that affect the maintenance of a satisfying daily schedule. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die gesinslewensiklusraamwerk (McGoldrick & Carter, 2003) beklemtoon dat een normatiewe lewenstressor vir gesinne die oorgang na ouerskap is. Tog dui die Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment and Adaptation (McCubbin & McCubbin, 1996) aan dat gesinsroetines een bron van beskerming is wat die gesin tydens ’n groot lewensstressor kan help. Al bied die Ekologies-kulturele Nismodel (Gallimore, Goldenberg & Weisner, 1993) ons ’n sekere mate van begrip van gesinsroetine as ‘n sielkundige konstruk, is daar steeds leemtes in die literatuur. Die doel van hierdie kwalitatiewe gegronde-teorie navorsing was om beter begrip te ontwikkel van gesinsroetines as ’n veerkragtigheidsfaktor tydens die oorgang na ouerskap. Hierdie doel is in vyf navorsingsvrae verdeel: (1) Hoe lyk daaglikse gesinsroetines in die lewens van nuwe ouers? (2) Hoekom is hierdie gesinsroetines belangrik vir nuwe ouers? (3) Watter uitdagings staar nuwe ouers in die gesig wanneer hulle daaglikse roetines probeer volhou? (4) Wat help nuwe ouers om met hul daaglikse roetines vol te hou? en (5) Watter akkommodasies maak nuwe ouers om aan te pas by die koms van hul eerste kind? Wat metodologie betref het tien bruin ouerpare wat se eerste kind tussen die ouderdom van een en vier jaar was en wat in ’n noordelike voorstad van Kaapstad woon aan semigestruktureerde onderhoude deelgeneem. Wat die eerste navorsingsvraag betref, het die dataontleding onthul dat gesinsroetines ’n reeks opeenvolgende aktiwiteite is wat een na die ander ontvou. Hierdie reeks van roetines is geleë binne ’n tydsraamwerk; dit word deur die gesin ontwerp om funksioneel te wees; maar daar bestaan ook tyd-inkongruensies in die reeks roetines. In verband met vraag twee het die deelnemers gevoel roetines is belangrik omdat dit hulle die geleentheid bied om tyd saam deur te bring en dit verskaf ook ’n geleentheid om die ontwikkeling van die kind te bevorder. Op grond van die derde navorsingsvraag het die dataontleding getoon dat die uitdagings wat nuwe ouers in die gesig staar wanneer hulle probeer om hulle gesinsroetines te volhou, buite-gesins en binne-gesins hindernisse is wat take bemoeilik en tyd-kompleksiteit verhoog. Ontledings na aanleiding van vraag vier het getoon dat dit buite-gesins en binne-gesins bronne is wat help om take makliker te maak en tydskompleksiteid te verminder sodat nuwe ouers met roetines kan volhou. Laastens, temas wat na vore gekom het na aanleiding van die vyfde navorsingsvraag toon dat dit tyd- en idiosinkratiese akkommodasies is wat ouers help om aan te pas. In die toekoms moet navorsers en teoretici nie net ‘n individuele gesinsroetine in isolasie bestudeer nie (bv. net ’n aandete-roetine of net ’n slapenstyd-roetine), maar ook kyk na die struktuur van die hele daaglikse skedule, skeduleringsprosesse, en hoe die funksionaliteit van hierdie daaglikse skedule die ervaring van individuele roetines beïnvloed. Meer klem moet ook geplaas word op steekproewe vanuit ekologies en kultureel diverse kontekste ten einde meer buite-gesins en binne-gesins hindernisse en bronne wat die instandhouding van bevredigende skedules beïnvloed, te identifiseer. Kernwoorde: gesinsroetines, oorgang na ouerskap, gesinsveerkragtigheid, gesinslewenssiklus, Ekologies-kulturele nis.

Thesis (MA (Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: With the growing HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa, it is important to understand the sexual behaviours that place youth at risk of HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and unwanted pregnancies in order to develop and implement appropriate health-promoting interventions. Parents are in a unique position to help adolescents to have responsible attitudes and behaviour towards sex, and to educate adolescents into healthy sexual adults. The study aimed to investigate parent-adolescent communication and adolescents’ sexual risk-taking behaviour, and the relationship between them. An exploratory, descriptive research design and a quantitative methodological approach were used. One biographical questionnaire, three measuring scales of parent-adolescent communication and one questionnaire about adolescent sexual risk-taking behaviour were used as measuring instruments. Data from 95 female adolescents who were attending the family planning facilities of two clinics in the Metropole Region of the Western Cape were employed for the study. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Spearman’s correlations, analyses of variance and multiple regression analysis. The findings revealed a high prevalence of sexual risk-taking behaviours among adolescents in the Western Cape. Family environment characteristics, especially the parents’ marital status, play a significant role in both parent-adolescent communication and sexual risk-taking behaviour. Unexpected findings were some significant correlations that were found between different factors of both general and sexual parent-adolescent communication. Spearman’s correlations and best subsets multiple regression analysis were performed on the data to ascertain which factors are significantly correlated or associated with adolescent sexual risk-taking behaviour. In both statistical analyses, the amount of parent-adolescent communication about sexual issues was the most important. A significant negative correlation between adolescents’ sexual risk-taking behaviours and the amount of parent-adolescent communication about sexual issues illustrates the positive influence of amount of parent-adolescent sexual communication on adolescents’ sexual risk-taking behaviour. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Met die groeiende MIV/VIGS epidemie in Suid-Afrika is dit belangrik om te verstaan watter gedrag jong mense in gevaar stel om MIV of ander seksueel oordraagbare siektes op te doen of om ongewens swanger te word om daardeur programme wat hierdie gedrag verminder, te kan ontwikkel en implementeer. Ouers is in ‘n unieke posisie om te verseker dat hulle adolessente kinders verantwoordelike houdings en optrede teenoor seks ontwikkel en om hulle op te voed tot volwassenes wat ‘n gesonde houding tot seks het. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die verhouding tussen ouer-adolessente kommunikasie en die seksuele waaggedrag van jong mense te ondersoek en die verhouding tussen hulle te bepaal. ‘n Ondersoekende, beskrywende navorsingsontwerp en ‘n kwantitatiewe metodologiese benadering is gebruik. ‘n Biografiese vraelys, drie vraelyste oor ouer-adolessente kommunikasie en een vraelys oor die seksuele waaggedrag van jong mense is deur 95 adolessente meisies voltooi wat die gesinsbeplanningsfasiliteite by twee klinieke in die Wes-Kaapse metropool besoek het. Die data is ontleed deur die berekening van Spearman (Rho)-korrelasies, variansieontleding, meervoudige regressie-analise en beskrywende statistiek. Die bevindings dui op ‘n hoë voorkoms van seksuele waaggedrag onder adolessente in die Wes-Kaap. Gesinsomstandighede, veral die ouers se huwelikstatus, speel ‘n belangrike rol in ouer-adolessente kommunikasie en seksuele waaggedrag. Onvoorsiene bevindings was die beduidende korrelasies tussen verskillende faktore van beide algemene en seksuele ouer-adolessente kommunikasie. Spearman-korrelasies en best subsets meervoudige regressie-analise is op die data uitgevoer om te bepaal watter faktore betekenisvol met adolessente waaggedrag korreleer of daarmee geassosieer is. In beide statistiese analises is gevind dat die hoeveelheid ouer-adolessente kommunikasie oor seksuele kwessies die belangrikste was. Daar was ‘n statisties beduidende negatiewe korrelasie tussen die adolessent se seksuele waaggedrag en die hoeveelheid kommunikasie tussen die ouer en adolessent oor seks, wat beteken dat adolessente minder seksuele waaggedrag sal vertoon indien hulle ouers meer met hulle oor seksuele sake sal praat.

Assignment (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This review examines themes related to children, especially children under the age of fifteen, living with HIV/Aids. For review purposes themes include defining children living with HIV/Aids as a vulnerable population, the psychological impact of HIV/Aids on children, children’s coping with and perceptions of HIV/Aids. The global HIV/Aids pandemic has caused major worldwide social change. The impact, especially the psychological impact of HIV/Aids on children appears to be vast and at times disastrous in nature. HIV/Aids is estimated to affect the lives of several generations of children and the impact of the pandemic will therefore characterize their communities for decades to come as the numbers of affected and infected children are on the increase. It has been noted by research done that children living with HIV/Aids become impoverished, their insecurities worsen and their psychosocial and psychological problems increase. In addition their educational and work opportunities decline, their nurturing and support systems disintegrate, and child mortality rates rise. The necessity of psychological support for children affected and infected by HIV/Aids is directly linked to the rights of children listed in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the South African Constitution. Research reviewed points out that a child’s physical and psychological health is intertwined and therefore a child cannot be physically healthy without also being psychologically secure. Research reviewed also points out that it is of the utmost importance that the voices of children who live with HIV/Aids are heard, their involvement in decision making and planning related to HIV/Aids is allowed and that their needs are met, especially their psychological needs in relation to the pandemic. Overall the literature reviewed in the past four years (2003-2006) highlights the significantly under-investigated, under-researched themes such as psychological aspects related to children living with HIV/Aids, both in South Africa and internationally. These aspects surrounding HIV/Aids, as previously mentioned, also seem to be the least tangible and the most difficult for adults to address or comprehend fully and yet they impinge on all aspects of developing children - hence the identified need in this area for adequate research and psychological support, such as program implementation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie literatuuroorsig bied ’n ondersoek na die wêreldwye sosiale verandering en uitwerking wat die globale HIV/vigs-pandemie tot gevolg het. Daar word veral gelet op temas wat verwantskap hou met kinders, veral kinders vyftien jaar oud en jonger wat leef met HIV/vigs. Temas sluit in die definiëring van kinders as weerloos, kinders se hantering van HIV/vigs, hulle persepsies van HIV/vigs en hulle sielkundige behoeftes en ander aspekte met betrekking tot HIV/vigs. Die trefkrag van HIV/vigs blyk omvattend en by tye rampspoedig te wees. Na beraming beïnvloed HIV/vigs verskeie geslagte van kinders en die uitwerking van die pandemie sal dus dekades lank nog deel vorm van hulle gemeenskappe soos die aantal kinders wat geïnfekteer en geaffekteer is, toeneem. Navorsing toon dat kinders wat met HIV/vigs leef, verarm. Verder vererger hulle onsekerhede en hulle psigososiale en sielkundige probleme neem toe. Ook neem die kinders se opvoedkundige en werkgeleenthede af, hulle versorgings- en ondersteuningsnetwerke disintegreer en sterftesyfers neem toe. Die noodsaaklikheid van sielkundige ondersteuning vir kinders wat deur HIV/vigs geïnfekteer en geaffekteer is, word direk in verband gebring met die regte van kinders soos gelys in die Verenigde Nasies se Konvensie oor die Regte van die Kind en die Suid-Afrikaanse Grondwet. Die literatuuroorsig toon dat ‘n kind se fisieke en sielkundige gesondheid ten nouste met mekaar verband hou en daarom kan ’n kind nie fisiek gesond wees sonder om ook sielkundig geborge te wees nie. Verder dui navorsing ook op die kardinale belang daarvan dat kinders wat leef met HIV/vigs se stemme gehoor word, hulle betrokkenheid by besluitneming en beplanning verseker word en al hulle behoeftes bevredig word, veral hulle sielkundige behoeftes wat met die pandemie verband hou. Oor die algemeen beklemtoon die literatuuroorsig wat oor die afgelope vier jaar strek (2003-2006) dat daar nie voldoende navorsing gedoen is met betrekking tot temas wat verwantskap hou met kinders en HIV/vigs nie, nie alleen in Suid-Afrika nie, maar ook internasionaal. Hierdie bevindings is kommerwekkend veral omdat Suid-Afrika ‘n land is met onrusbarende groot getalle kinders wat deur HIV/vigs geïnfekteer is. Dit wil ook voorkom of hierdie aspekte wat te make het met kinders en HIV/vigs nie baie duidelik is vir volwassenes nie en ook die moeilikste is om te hanteer of ten volle te verstaan, hoewel dit alle aspekte van die kind se ontwikkeling raak. Vandaar die behoefte op hierdie gebied aan voldoende navorsing en sielkundige ondersteuning, soos program implementering.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The first objective of the study was to explore whether a correlation exists between anxiety symptoms and stressful life events within a sample of marginalised South African youths. The second objective was to examine the psychometric properties and cross-cultural validation of the Dominic-R when administered within the aforementioned sample. The participants consisted of a sample of 185 children aged between 10- and 15- years. Children completed three self-report questionnaires, namely the Dominic-R, the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale (SCAS), and a modified version of the Major Life Events Checklist (MLEC-M). Results indicated that albeit rather weak, significant positive correlations were nonetheless obtained between the total Dominic-R and SCAS scores, and stressful life events experienced. Furthermore, the psychometric properties of both the Dominic-R and the SCAS were moderate (convergent validity) to acceptable (internal consistency) for the sample. The implications of these results provide tentative evidence for the utilisation of the Dominic-R within South African samples. The limitations and recommendations for future research are discussed / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die eerste doelwit van die studie was om vas te stel of daar ‘n korrelasie bestaan tussen angssimptome en stresvolle lewensgebeure binne ‘n steekproef van gemarginaliseerde Suid-Afrikaanse jeugdiges. Die tweede was om ondersoek in te stel na die psigometriese eienskappe en kruiskulturele validering van die Dominic-R soos toegepas op voorafgenoemde steekproef. Die deelnemers het bestaan uit ‘n steekproef van 185 kinders tussen 10 en 15 jaar oud. Die kinders moes drie selfverslagvraelyste invul, naamlik die Dominic-R, die Spencekinderangsskaal (Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale – SCAS) en die aangepaste weergawe van die Kontrolelys vir Belangrike Lewensgebeure (Major Life Events Checklist – MLECM). Alhoewel redelik swak, het resultate tog getoon dat daar ‘n beduidend positiewe korrelasie was tussen die algehele Dominic-R- en SCAS-tellings. Verder was die psigometriese eienskappe van beide die Dominic-R en die SCAS gemiddeld (konvergente geldigheid) tot aanvaarbaar (interne konsekwentheid) vir die steekproef. Hierdie resultate bewys tentatief dat die Dominic-R bruikbaar is binne Suid-Afrikaanse steekproewe. Die beperkings van die studie en aanbevelings vir verdere navorsing word bespreek.

Thesis (MA (Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / Sexual abuse of individuals with cognitive deficits appears to be an extremely prevalent problem in contemporary society. Although it appears that many cases go unreported and remain unknown to everyone other than the victim and the perpetrator, reported rates of sexual abuse of children, adolescents and adults with cognitive deficits are high. The objective was to create a demographic profile of people with mental retardation who have been sexually abused whom are part of the Sexual Abuse Victim Empowerment (SAVE) programme in the Western Cape. Group comparisons were made between the different levels of mental retardation in terms of sexual knowledge, competence as witness, adaptive functioning and adaptive functioning age equivalents.

Thesis (MA (Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2008. / Few studies have assessed the prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) associated with the receipt of an HIV-positive diagnosis and no published studies in South Africa have used a structured clinical interview to assess the above-mentioned. The present cross-sectional study assessed the prevalence of HIV-related PTSD among a sample of recently diagnosed patients attending public health clinics in the Boland region of the Western Cape. The PTSD module of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI), together with a battery of self-report instruments assessing symptoms of traumatisation, depression and anxiety were administered to 85 patients who had been diagnosed with HIV in the year preceding data collection. In addition, HIVrelated PTSD and symptomatology were assessed using an adapted version of the PTSD module of the CIDI. The self-report instruments administered were (a) a demographic questionnaire, (b) the Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale (PDS) which assessed current PTSD symptom severity, and (c) the 25-item Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL-25) which assessed psychological distress, and symptoms and intensity of anxiety and depression. The primary aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of HIV-related PTSD among a sample of recently diagnosed HIV-positive individuals attending HIV clinics in the Boland region. The second aim was to determine the lifetime prevalence of PTSD among the sample. The third aim was to determine the percentage of the sample that endorsed the DSM-IV’s PTSD A2 criterion and the subsequent HIV-related PTSD symptomatology among those who did and did not meet full criteria for HIV-related PTSD. The fourth aim was to determine the level of psychological distress reported by the sample. The prevalence of lifetime PTSD was 29.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 20.7% - 39.8%). Sixty-nine of the eighty-five participants (81.2%) endorsed the DSM-IV’s PTSD A2 criterion. Of the total sample, 34 participants (40%) (95% CI, 30.2% - 50.6%) met the full criteria for HIV related PTSD. The majority of participants reported mild PTSD symptom severity (45.8%). Over half the sample (51.4%) experienced clinically significant distress. Of those participants diagnosed with HIV-related PTSD, 82.4% were clinically distressed, and 76.5% and 58.8% experienced high levels of depression and anxiety, respectively. The present study’s findings suggest that receiving an HIV-positive diagnosis and/or being HIVpositive may be considered a traumatic stressor that frequently results in HIV-related PTSD. Findings of the present study indicate the need for adequate support and care for HIV-positive individuals. Given the various barriers to efficient mental health interventions and services in South Africa, there are significant challenges that need to be addressed in order to ensure that the mental health and welfare of HIV-positive individuals are both adequately assessed and appropriately maintained.

Thesis (MSc (Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / Treatment adherence is a great problem in low socio-economic communities of South Africa. The failure to adhere to medication instructions has a negative impact on the patient’s health, social interaction, and on the economy of a nation. The primary aim of this study was to test the Theory of Planned Behaviour. The second aim was to test whether the inclusion of social support of family and friends, as well as psychological factors, improves the Theory of Planned Behaviour’s ability to predict intensions to adhere to treatment instructions. The third aim was to test the relationship between the involved variables and self-reported behaviour, as well as biological indicator that report treatment adherence. There were 79 hypertension patients, 24 diabetic patients, and 14 patients with both hypertension and diabetics, which completed a battery of questionnaires in primary care clinics in and around Stellenbosch.

Thesis (MA (Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / The aim of this thesis is an exploratory study into the role of emotional intelligence and executive derailment, and on whether the factors of derailment are predictable and surmountable. The study focuses on the role of emotional intelligence and whether the four constructs of emotional intelligence are predictors of derailment. This study also aims to establish whether it is possible to identify potential derailment candidates. The study will also try to establish whether the use of the Occupational Personality Questionnaire 32 Ipsative (OPQ32i), will enable organizations to identify possible derailment easier. This study is an attempt to describe the different components of emotional intelligence. The results of this study indicate that the OPQ32i-measurement instrument is an aid to organisations to proactively measure whether or not their executives are possible candidates for derailment. The results further reveal that the OPQ32i measures those competencies, if any, that may need some attention as to prevent the probability that a candidate may become derailed.