Thesis (M.S.W.)--Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Mass., 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 51-54).

Thesis (M. A. (Psychology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2016 / The aim of this study was to determine the psychological experiences of family caregivers of children with an intellectual disability. The study was conducted along the lines of an exploratory sequential mixed-method design. Firstly, 15 family caregivers were purposively sampled as participants. They described their experiences of caring for children with a formal diagnosis of mild intellectual disability. The research question, which was used as a “grand-tour” question, was: “What are the psychological experiences of family caregivers of children with an intellectual disability?” Themes that emerged included the following: understanding intellectual disability; disclosure of the disability as a result of schooling difficulties; reaction to the disclosure of the disability; challenging behaviour of the child’s integration into the family system, unemployment and financial strains due to the child’s condition and community reaction; social support and stigmatisation. In the quantitative aspect of the study, the researcher used a close-ended questionnaire to collect data from one hundred self-declared primary family caregivers (one per household) of children with an intellectual disability. Results of regression analysis indicated that psychological wellbeing as measured by the Psychological General Well Being Index and its dimensions was predicted mainly by psychological stress and family support. Significant other support and support from friends only predicted life satisfaction. Policy recommendations are advanced based on the findings of the study.

The purpose of this study was to explore the role of family members in support of their relatives who are mentally ill and to develop guidelines for the support of mentally ill relatives by their families in a rural community. The research design was qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual. The research population consisted of families of mentally ill relatives collecting their monthly medications at the Jane Furse Gateway Clinic. Purposive sampling was used to draw the sample. Data was collected by individual in-depth semi-structured interviews that were tape-recorded. The study revealed that families provide physical, psychosocial, financial and developmental support to their relatives. Furthermore, families are faced with frustrations when providing support to their mentally ill relatives / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

The purpose of this study was to explore the role of family members in support of their relatives who are mentally ill and to develop guidelines for the support of mentally ill relatives by their families in a rural community. The research design was qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual. The research population consisted of families of mentally ill relatives collecting their monthly medications at the Jane Furse Gateway Clinic. Purposive sampling was used to draw the sample. Data was collected by individual in-depth semi-structured interviews that were tape-recorded. The study revealed that families provide physical, psychosocial, financial and developmental support to their relatives. Furthermore, families are faced with frustrations when providing support to their mentally ill relatives / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

Thesis (MPhil (Sociology and Social Anthropology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africa has transformed its mental health service provision from in-hospital care to community-based rehabilitation. Although the idea is sound, the process places the caregiving families under an immense pressure. The aim of this study was to explore the impact that the de-institutionalisation process has had on the families as they care for their child with intellectual disability. The study was conducted by means of qualitative, unstructured interviews with families that have had a child de-institutionalised from Alexandra Hospital in the Western Cape. All of the patients were diagnosed with a dual diagnosis of intellectual disability and mental illness. Even though the patients were in group-homes or attended a day care centre, final responsibility for the patients lay with the parents. Three main themes emerged from the interviews that describe the impact of deinstitutionalisation, viz. the characteristics of the family member with intellectual disability (aggressive, abusive and self-destructive behaviour of the patient), the effect that these characteristics had on the family (marital stress and health risks to the care giver), and community and resource factors. The study placed the family central to its environment and discussed the impact deinstitutionalisation had on its environment as a whole. It was concluded that the burden that de-institutionalisation places on the families far exceeded their ability to cope with these circumstances. This status quo could be improved if adequate resources and skills are given to families prior to de-institutional / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In Suid-Afrika is geestesgesondheidsorg van hospitaliserende na gemeenskapsgebaseerde rehabilitasie, omskep. Terwyl hierdie stap wel as lewensvatbaar mag voorkom, plaas die proses ‘n hewige las op die sorggewende gesin. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die omvang van die impak hiervan op ‘n gesin met ’n lid met intellektuele gestremdheid en psiegiatriese siekte, te bepaal – nadat so ‘n pasient uit die inrigting ontslaan is. Die ondersoek is uitgevoer by wyse van kwalitatiewe, ongestruktureerde onderhoude met gesinne wie se lede met die diagnose uitgeplaas is deur die Alexandra Hospitaal in die Wes-Kaap. Elkeen van die pasïente is gediagnoseer met ernstige intellektuele gestremdheid, asook bykomende gedragsafwykings. Ten spyte van die feit dat die betrokke pasïente deur groepshuise of dagsorg eenhede versorg word, bly hulle hul ouers se verantwoordelikheid. Drie temas het ontstaan wat die impak van ontslag uit die inrigting omskryf, te wete die karaktertrekke van die gestremde gesinslid (aggressie, misbruikende en vernielsugtige gedrag van die pasïent), die effek van hierdie karaktertrekke op die gesin (stres op die huwelik en potensiële gesondheidsrisiko wat dit vir die versorger inhou), en die gemeenskap en ondersteunende faktore. Tydens die ondersoek is die gesin sentraal geplaas ten opsigte van die omgewing. Die impak van ontslag van die gediagnoseerde pasïent uit die inrigting op die omgewing as geheel, word bespreek. Daar is tot die slotsom gekom dat die vermoë van die gesin wat die las moet dra as gevolg van die ontslag, ver oorspan word. Hierdie toedrag van sake sou egter verlig kon word indien toereikende hulpbronne en vaardighede aan sulke gesinne beskikbaar gestel word alvorens so ‘n pasïent ontslaan is.

Mental illness remains one of the most devastating condition affecting the social functioning of individuals and families. The affected individuals and their caregivers expressed dissatisfaction in mental health service delivery. The mental health system is medically oriented and does not involve caregivers as partners in the provision of mental health services. Although the developmental approach has been adopted to guide the provision of services recognising human rights and social justice, the medical model remains a challenge in the provision of comprehensive mental health services. This is compounded by the Mental Health Care Act (Act No. 17 of 2002) that is silent on the role of families in the mental health system. Additionally, social workers are unable to provide adequate services due to lack of resources. A qualitative study using the exploratory, descriptive and contextual designs was undertaken. Purposive sampling was used to select 28 participants from three groups, namely ten MHCUs, nine caregivers and nine social workers. The goals of the study were to understand the experiences of MHCUs, caregivers and social workers in mental health service delivery; and to proffer guidelines for social work practice to enhance partnership between the family and mental health care providers. Data was gathered through semi-structured interviews and analysed according to Tesch’s (in Creswell, 2009:186; 2014) framework. Data verification was guided by Lincoln and Guba’s (in Krefting, 1991:214-222) model to enhance trustworthiness. The findings suggest that MHCUs and caregivers received inadequate psychosocial support which is attributed to lack of involvement in service delivery. Furthermore, social workers lack adequate training to provide effective mental health care. As a result, guidelines were developed for the establishment and enhancement of partnership between families and mental health service providers to offer comprehensive and sustainable mental health services. Future exploration of the role of the family in mental health services is required. / Social Work / D. Phil. (Social Work)