M.A. (Psychology) / The main objective of this study was to determine the influence of career involvement on the psycho-social well-being of the aged. An attempt was made to establish whether there would be any significant differences in life satisfaction, depression and self-concept, between economically active and non-active elderly persons. The research design was of an ex post facto nature. The sample consisted of 128 subjects between the ages of 60 and 80 years and was drawn from a middle to upper socio-economic population in the Witwatersrand area. Fifty of the respondents were still employed full-time, 16 were employed part-time and 62 were retired. Persons who reported poor physical health were excluded from the study. The Life Satisfaction in the Elderly Scale of Salamon and Conte and the Affect Balance Scale of Bradburn were used as measures of life satisfaction; the Centre for Epidemiological StudiesDepression Scale was used to measure depression and Vrey's Selfconcept Scale was used to measure self-concept. One way and two way analysis of variance were used to test the hypotheses...

M.Cur. / Community nurses have a very important role to play in the planning of health promotion programmes and implementation of the necessary interventions for patients and groups with obesity problems. Obesity is one of the health problems that requires signficant behavioural changes in one's lifestyle as part of such interventions. The research study sought to explore the perceptions of both the patients and the community nurses of the phenomenon of obesity as a health risk, and to identify any areas that could give rise to problems when health promotion actions were planned for obese people. It was specifically important to obtain the perceptions of the community nurse of obesity, since the level of knowledge of the health problem as well as her personal attitude towards this problem, will be crucial in the manner and quality of her interventions. The study explored patients' and nurses' perceptions about obesity as a health risk (Phase I and 2). Factors in the internal and external environments of the obese individual were identified and analysed into categories and subcategories. The study is qualitative and explorative in nature, data was collected through the use of semistructured interviews, and Giorgi's method of data analysis was used. Literature control was done to examine how existing literature compared with data obtained from semistructured interviews on the nature of obesity as a health problem. Obesity is clearly a health risk and affects the person's totality of life experiences as demonstrated by the resultant patterns of interactions between the internal and external environments of an obese person. Results of the data analysis and literature control gave rise to the need to structure recommendations to give the community nurse the capacity and support that was identified as necessary for her to be able to carry out her nursing intervention.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Bachelor of Arts (Masters). / As the past decade has witnessed a growing interest in the nature, causes and management of stress reactions in emergency workers, the present study examined emergency workers' reactions to traumatic work related incidents. Furthermore, although Job Dissatisfaction and Increased levels of Turnover have been identified in literature and research on emergency workers as being behavioural manifestations of the traumatic stress associated with emergency work, the effect of occupational trauma on these variables has not been documented extensively in trauma literature or research. A second aim of the study was therefore to provide further insight into the effects of work related trauma on these constructs. Moreover, although literature on emergency workers has not documented the impact of occasional trauma on Job Involvement, the present study undertook to examine the effects of trauma on tnis construct. The study was considered to be exploratory in this regard. By examining how exposure to occupational trauma impacts on Job Satisfaction, Job involvement and Propensity to Leave, it was hoped that this will lead to a better understanding of the effects of occupational trauma and its implications for employees and organisations alike. One hundred full-time paramedics completed a self-report questionnaire. The questionnaire also included questions to obtain demographic variables as it has been documented that the relationship between exposure to traumatic events and the expression of distress is constructed by personal factors. In addition, qualitative data pertaining to the constructs under investigation was obtained from 30 paramedics. The reported symptoms revealed that 17% of the sample was suffering from rrso. Correlational analyses using a non-experimental, cross-sectional design, revealed a significant relationship between PTSD and Job Satisfaction. A non-significant relationship was found between PTSD and both Job Involvement and Propensity to Leave, Of the demographic variables measured, stepwise regression analysis. revealed that gender and previous exposure to trauma were the most efficient predictors of PTSD Content Analyses performed on the qualitative data indicated that paramedics were subjected to numerous job stressors which seemed to associated to Job Involvement and Propensity to Leave. The results of the study are discussed with respect of the literature reviewed and limitations and implications of these findings are discussed thereafter. Lastly implications of the present study for future research are presented. / Andrew Chakane 2018

Text in Afrikaans / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Spesialisering in Voorligting)

This study aims to gain an understanding of the mental health and acculturative experiences of Portuguese women who immigrated to South Africa in the 1960s. A qualitative research design was utilised with semi-structured interviews to gain information from four Portuguese female immigrants. Thematic analysis reveals experiences of acculturative stress and a difficult assimilation process. The main difficulties were: poor proficiency in the host country’s local languages; availability of social and organisational support; access to medical services; and access to mental health services. These factors were linked to the occurrence of the mental health problems of: depression, isolation, and being actively discriminated against by the dominant Afrikaner community during the apartheid years. The respondents’ poor proficiency in English and their unwillingness to learn Afrikaans, combined with a fear of stigmatisation hampered their willingness to access psychological and mental health services. The negative factors were mitigated by the protective factors of: the traditional family structure, formal community organisations (societies and clubs), and the church. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

Text in Afrikaans / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Spesialisering in Voorligting)

M.A. / The present study explores experiences of loss, disconnection, truth, hurting, healing, non-forgiveness and forgiveness associated with the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Using a social constructionist perspective, the concepts of truth and forgiveness are explored through a theoretical background to psychology and subsequently in the stories and reflections of individuals who participated in the Commission. The issue of truth has been central to debates across the broader intellectual landscape, as well as to the theory and practice of psychology. In the following study, the historical shift from more modernist conceptions of truth to postmodern views is explored through a brief overview of the philosophy of science. These perspectives are explored further in the epistemological shifts underlying therapeutic endeavours and methodology in the field of psychology. Approaches to therapy in South Africa are subsequently reviewed, focusing particularly on positions of truth adopted by the profession in this context. The themes of truth, reconciliation, healing and hurting in the discourse surrounding the Commission are subsequently explored further. This discussion includes some of the literature regarding experiences of people who have been involved with the Commission. Following this, the narratives from interviews held with a group of mothers who attended the Truth Commission and one of the journalists working with the Commission are included. These narratives are related to participants' experiences in having attended/been involved with the Truth Commission and their experiences around truth and forgiveness. A qualitative, reflexive approach to the interviews and analysis thereof, is used. In conclusion, reflections on the process are included. These reflections present a dialectic between the importance of the ongoing nature of the journey in this multi-dimensional context, as well as the author's perspective on the need for the notion of absolute truth in this journeying.

Educational Studies / (M.Tech. (Inclusive Education))

The aim of this study was to demonstrate how postgraduate students cope with the stress induced while adjusting to the various proposal and research report writing phases they are involved in. It is further purported that difficulties in adjusting to the various proposal and research report writing phases and lack of support lead to students experiencing stress. The population consisted of 815 students enrolled for masters and doctoral programmes at Unisa for the 2012 academic year. This study employed the Stress and Support Questionnaire for University Students to determine the stress postgraduate students encountered while adjusting to the proposal and research report writing phases they were in. Furthermore, this questionnaire was also used to understand how these students use support as a coping mechanism. The various research hypotheses were tested using an explanatory mixed method research design. The population consisted of 815 students enrolled for masters and doctoral programmes at Unisa for the 2012 academic year. Data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), Strata software and Microsoft Excel. Statistical analyses included tests, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and chi-square tests. The results demonstrated that students experience stress during the adjustment process to the various research report writing phases. However, masters students showed higher levels of stress while adjusting to the research report writing phases, compared with doctoral students. Some of the doctoral students reported that they felt fewer levels of stress, because they were already exposed to postgraduate studies and were aware of what is expected. Furthermore, students who reported feeling stress to a large extent indicated the reasons to be a lack of support from supervisors, delayed and insufficient feedback, lack of financial support, lack of social support, procrastination, and balancing work and studies. Some of the students iv indicated that they do not feel any stress at all because they have surrounded themselves with people who have travelled the path, and their environment is conducive to study. Support from colleagues at work, supervisors, friends and family have also shown to help students adjust to the research report writing phases of their programmes. Although some of the students indicated that they do not experience stress, it is imperative that interventions be designed for those students who do experience challenges when adjusting to the research report writing phases. / Psychology / MA (Psychology)

Text in English / Police workers have to contend with a variety of traumatic incidents in their daily work. This includes work, personal and socio-economic stressors. These, if not managed, may lead to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The aim of this study was to develop guidelines to assist the South African Police Service (SAPS) organisation to provide appropriate interventions for workers diagnosed with work and non-work-related PTSD in the Mahikeng area of the North West Province in South Africa. The study further sought to assist the workers’ immediate family members to cope with living with a member diagnosed with PTSD. A qualitative research method was used. Data was collected using self-administered in-depth interviews. The study sample comprised of 19 SAPS workers and 23 family members. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. The Excel computer program was used to identify and analyse common themes. A lower PTSD prevalence rate of 0.76% was yielded by the results. Work-related traumatic incidents were linked to possible PTSD development for most SAPS workers. Exposure to traumatic incidents might have had a substantial effect on participants’ health and social lives as most developed varying health conditions post to the PTSD diagnosis. Living with a member diagnosed with PTSD brought trauma, financial problems and constant worry among families. Families coped by supporting each other. The provision of counseling services and active participation in PTSD support groups and sport activities were identified by most participants as fundamental in coping with the effects of PTSD. The provision of sufficient integrated family counseling and life skills programmes by the SAPS organisation was identified as crucial by most families in coping with the effects of living with a member diagnosed with PTSD. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)