This qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual study was aimed at exploring and describing secondary teachers’ experiences in dealing with adolescent learners displaying mental distress in Gaborone. Moreover, recommendations were proposed for the support needed by secondary teachers who interact with adolescents learners in order to curb mental distress in schools. The sampling method that was used to identify 21 secondary school teachers who participated in this study was purposive. Focus group discussions, as well as field notes, were used to collect data, which were analysed using a thematic analysis. An array of factors that could lead to delays in identifying adolescent learners with mental distress, such as large student numbers and insufficient resources to meet their needs, learners showing signs of mental distress not being taken seriously, lack of parental involvement, relegating parental duties and lack of trust were revealed by the findings. The researcher observed that approaches to support, such as policy guides, parental involvement, peer education and life skills training were best suited to address mental distress in schools as noted by participants. The participants shared the various ways they employed to deal with mental distress in adolescent learners, and suggested strategies that they, together with parents and other stakeholders, could engage in to address these factors. The identified strategies provided a contextual way of establishing recommendations to overcome adolescent mental distress. These included, but were not limitted to, the engagement by parents in mental health problems in schools, as well as policy reviews, and restructuring the referral system. / Health Studies / M. P. H.

The purpose of this study was to analyse the support systems for refugees in Southern Africa with specific reference to the Republic of Botswana. Qualitative framework as described by Lofland and Lofland (1984), Schensus and Schensus (1992) was used to conduct the investigation. Interviews were conducted with thirty refugees who currently living in Botswana as a refugee or asylum seeker. Focus group discussion was also held with twenty-six refugee workers. Interview findings were derived using Glaser and Straus' (1976) and Van Maanen, (1979) constant comparative method of qualitative analysis and were grouped into four major categories. Among the most significant findings were that the subjects agreed that on paper and by design, there are structures for providing the different services to refugees but refugees are not provided with adequate services. The second finding is that the support systems for refugees in Botswana are more focused on the provision of material support with little attention given to the psychosocial needs of the refugees. The third finding is that the Botswana government withheld some of the Articles of the 1951 UN refugee Convention, which deal with the socio-economic rights of refugees in Botswana. The fourth finding is that refugee workers need specialised training to enable them to address a wide rage of psychosocial issues affecting refugees. Last major finding is that there is no established clear system of service delivery in the participating agencies. The researcher concluded that because of trauma and stress experienced by refugees and refugee workers, there is a need to improve on the psychosocial support provided to refugees and refugee workers in Botswana by improving the knowledge and skills of refugee workers and promoting refugee participation. The researcher recommends two urgent actions that should be taken. First, the refugee management in Botswana need to improve on its service quality control mechanism, including evaluating its legal and operational framework. Second, psychosocial components need to be integrated into every aspect of the refugee programmes. This will support recovery for the many traumatised refugees and refugee workers in Botswana. / Social work / DPHIL (SOCIAL WORK)

Against the perspectives of the mental health needs of the people of Africa, this study explored and compared the models of psychiatric-mental health nursing education in two sub-Saharan African countries - Botswana and Nigeria. The primary purpose of the study was to assess the design, the implementation, the factors that influence and the perceived usefulness of psychiatric-mental health nursing education programmes in developing African countries, using Nigeria and Botswana as examples. A self-reporting questionnaire, administered to psychiatric nurse educators from the two countries of concern, provided the primary source of data. A curriculum evaluation checklist based on Horan, Knight, McAtee and Westrick (1984) was used to assess the components of the existing psychiatric nursing education curricula from the two countries. Discussions were also held with practising psychiatric nurses and officials of the nursing regulatory bodies from the two countries. Data from both countries revealed that participants used various terms to describe the same model for psychiatric-mental health nursing education adopted in their countries. Botswana, however, adopted a more functional generalist basic diploma nursing education approach which encouraged a more advanced post-basic diploma specialisation and practice in community psychiatric-mental health nursing. Nigeria's model leaned towards a hospital centred basic specialisation with no defined role for the generalist nurse within the psychiatric-mental health nursing care system. Community theme occurred in both countries' curricula with varying degrees of emphasis, as all the programmes claimed the intent to make psychiatric-mental health nursing service available to individuals, families and the communities at all levels of care. Psychiatric-mental health nursing education programmes of the two countries had been influenced at different times by war, colonial history, changing standards of health care delivery, government health policies, economic status of the country, professional status of nursing and the changing standard of education. A model that streamlined psychiatric-mental health nursing education within the general system of education in both countries was proposed. It was stressed that one key concept that must underlie the development of psychiatric-mental health nursing education was the need to create a mental health nursing role that would be appropriate for people's health needs rather than the needs of the health care system. / Advanced Nursing Science / D.Litt. et Phil.

The purpose of this study was to analyse the support systems for refugees in Southern Africa with specific reference to the Republic of Botswana. Qualitative framework as described by Lofland and Lofland (1984), Schensus and Schensus (1992) was used to conduct the investigation. Interviews were conducted with thirty refugees who currently living in Botswana as a refugee or asylum seeker. Focus group discussion was also held with twenty-six refugee workers. Interview findings were derived using Glaser and Straus' (1976) and Van Maanen, (1979) constant comparative method of qualitative analysis and were grouped into four major categories. Among the most significant findings were that the subjects agreed that on paper and by design, there are structures for providing the different services to refugees but refugees are not provided with adequate services. The second finding is that the support systems for refugees in Botswana are more focused on the provision of material support with little attention given to the psychosocial needs of the refugees. The third finding is that the Botswana government withheld some of the Articles of the 1951 UN refugee Convention, which deal with the socio-economic rights of refugees in Botswana. The fourth finding is that refugee workers need specialised training to enable them to address a wide rage of psychosocial issues affecting refugees. Last major finding is that there is no established clear system of service delivery in the participating agencies. The researcher concluded that because of trauma and stress experienced by refugees and refugee workers, there is a need to improve on the psychosocial support provided to refugees and refugee workers in Botswana by improving the knowledge and skills of refugee workers and promoting refugee participation. The researcher recommends two urgent actions that should be taken. First, the refugee management in Botswana need to improve on its service quality control mechanism, including evaluating its legal and operational framework. Second, psychosocial components need to be integrated into every aspect of the refugee programmes. This will support recovery for the many traumatised refugees and refugee workers in Botswana. / Social work / DPHIL (SOCIAL WORK)

Against the perspectives of the mental health needs of the people of Africa, this study explored and compared the models of psychiatric-mental health nursing education in two sub-Saharan African countries - Botswana and Nigeria. The primary purpose of the study was to assess the design, the implementation, the factors that influence and the perceived usefulness of psychiatric-mental health nursing education programmes in developing African countries, using Nigeria and Botswana as examples. A self-reporting questionnaire, administered to psychiatric nurse educators from the two countries of concern, provided the primary source of data. A curriculum evaluation checklist based on Horan, Knight, McAtee and Westrick (1984) was used to assess the components of the existing psychiatric nursing education curricula from the two countries. Discussions were also held with practising psychiatric nurses and officials of the nursing regulatory bodies from the two countries. Data from both countries revealed that participants used various terms to describe the same model for psychiatric-mental health nursing education adopted in their countries. Botswana, however, adopted a more functional generalist basic diploma nursing education approach which encouraged a more advanced post-basic diploma specialisation and practice in community psychiatric-mental health nursing. Nigeria's model leaned towards a hospital centred basic specialisation with no defined role for the generalist nurse within the psychiatric-mental health nursing care system. Community theme occurred in both countries' curricula with varying degrees of emphasis, as all the programmes claimed the intent to make psychiatric-mental health nursing service available to individuals, families and the communities at all levels of care. Psychiatric-mental health nursing education programmes of the two countries had been influenced at different times by war, colonial history, changing standards of health care delivery, government health policies, economic status of the country, professional status of nursing and the changing standard of education. A model that streamlined psychiatric-mental health nursing education within the general system of education in both countries was proposed. It was stressed that one key concept that must underlie the development of psychiatric-mental health nursing education was the need to create a mental health nursing role that would be appropriate for people's health needs rather than the needs of the health care system. / Advanced Nursing Science / D.Litt. et Phil.