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 in Occupational Social Work, August 2017 / Technology is ubiquitous and presents an opportunity for the psychosocial profession to explore and expand the platforms through which counselling and support for employees is offered. The aim of the research study was to explore the perceptions of counsellors regarding the use of online text technologies as a medium for intervention in the workplace environment. Mobile technology globally and in South Africa is growing rapidly, people are connected to information and services more than ever before. More services are being offered and marketed through the use of online technology mediums; these include professional services for mental wellbeing counselling support. Recognising that this is a relatively new field of study, it is valuable to gain insight from experienced counsellors regarding the use of online text based technologies for counselling specifically for workplace environments. Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) is used as a framework that it explains how the object of study being text based counselling technologies are used currently characterised by highly mobile social media use. This study employed a qualitative approach and was contextualised to a specific organisation, the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) because it offers online counselling interventions which include specific programmes for workplace environments on mental health. Purposive sampling was used to select a total of eight counsellors with experience using online text based mediums and two key informants representing management of the organisation. Individual face-to-face interviews were conducted using two semi- structured interview schedules. Thematic content analysis was used for interpretation of the data. The findings show that counsellors do not prefer to use text based online counselling technologies for serious mental health issues. Results indicate that though online text based technologies are relevant as part of employee wellness services in the workplace, the platforms are more suitable for containment, information and referral purposes. Recommendations from the study are for further research to inform standards of practise and formalised and structured training is required for counsellors. / XL2018

M.A. (Clinical Psychology) / The advances in psychopharmacology, as well as the establishment of various 'half-way houses' has changed the nature of psychiatric hospitals. Where once, the emphasis was on long-term, custodial care of patients, the, present emphasis is on short term care. Attempts are made to reintegrate patients into society as soon as possible. This approach has been partially successful. However, it appears that many patients, who were previously discharged as being ready to function and cope with everyday life, return to hospital, having decompensated after relatively short periods of time. The reasons for decompensation are manifold, and vary from individual to individual. It is the contention of this writer that one of the reasons for the limited success of treatment of some patients may lie in the nature of the interdisciplinary team approach to treatment currently operative in many psychiatric hospitals. Interdisciplinary teams are usually composed of psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists and psychiatric nurses. The teams operate on the tacit assumption that no single approach holds the key to successful treatment of a patient...

Thesis (MOccTher)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Background: The high number of mental health care users requiring care, the quick turnover in psychiatric hospitals and the scarcity of community-based mental health services are some of the factors that have led to a dramatic increase in the number of high frequency users of in-patient psychiatric services. In an attempt to address these issues, an occupational therapy-led day treatment centre was established at Stikland Hospital in the Western Cape province of South Africa. The aim of this study was to determine whether attendance at an occupational therapy-led community day treatment centre for mental health care users affects the use of in-patient services in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Methods: A pre-test/post-test quasi-experimental study design was used to determine the benefits of the occupational therapy-led day treatment centre. Total population sampling was used. Forty four mental health care users participated in the study. The number of admissions and number of days spent in hospital before and after occupational therapy intervention were compared using statistical analysis. Results: The analysis showed a significant difference in the number of admissions (p = .00) and the number of days spent in hospital (p = .00) before and after the occupational therapy intervention. There was a decrease in the number of admissions of 62.3% after intervention. Twenty-five participants (56.8%) had fewer admissions after intervention than before. Total days spent in hospital for the group showed a decrease of 74.6% after intervention. Days spent in hospital became shorter by up to 7 months after occupational therapy intervention. This indicated a medium effect size (r = .436) for number of admissions and a large effect size (r = .504) for number of days spent in hospital after intervention. The frequency of attending the day treatment centre had no influence on number of admissions (p = .410) or on the number of days spent in hospital (p = .579) after intervention. Conclusion: The findings suggest that an occupational therapy-led day treatment centre is effective in reducing the use of in-patient services within the Western Cape, South Africa. In addition providing a range of opportunities for meaningful participation may be more important than the intensity of treatment when promoting recovery. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Agtergrond: Die groot hoeveelhied persone wat psigiatriese sorg benodig, die vinnige omset in psigiatriese hospitale asook die tekort aan gemeenskaps psigiatriese dienste is van die faktore wat lei tot ‘n toename in persone wat gereëlde heropname benodig. As moontlike oplossing vir die probleem is ‘n dagbehandelingsentrum geopen by Stikland Hospitaal in die Wes-Kaap provinsie van Suid Afrika. Die doel van die studie was om vas te stel of ‘n dagbehandelingsentrum, onder leiding van ‘n arbeidsterapeut, effektief is in die Wes-Kaap provinsie van Suid Afrika vir persone met psigiatriese siektes. Metode: ‘n Voortoets-natoets kwasi-eksperimentele studie metode is gebruik om die voordele van ’n arbeidsterapie gedrewe dagbehandelingsentrum te bepaal. Totale bevolking steekproef is gebruik. Vier en veertig persone met ‘n psigiatriese diagnose het deelgeneem aan die studie. Die hoeveelheid opnames asook hoeveelheid dae spandeer in die hospitaal voor en na die arbeidsterapie intervensie is vergelyk. Resultate: Resultate het getoon dat daar ‘n beduidende verskil was tussen die hoeveelheid opnames (p = .00) en die hoeveelheid dae in die hospital (p = .00) voor en na arbeidsterapie intervensie. Die groep se hoeveelheid opnames het met 62.3% gedaal na intervensie. Vyf en twintig deelnemers (56.8%) het minder opnames gehad na intervensie as voor intervensie. Data toon ‘n medium effekgrootte (r = .436). Die totale dae in die hospitaal vir die groep het met 74.6% afgeneem na intervensie. Dae spandeer in die hospitaal het met tot 7maande verkort na arbeidsterapie intervensie. Dit toon‘n groot effekgrootte (r = .504). Die frekwensie van bywoning het geen invloed getoon op die hoeveelheid opnames (p = .410) of hoeveelheid dae in die hospitaal (p = .579) nie. Gevolgtrekking: Die studie het gevind dat, in die Wes-Kaap, ‘n arbeidsterapie gedrewe dagbehandelingsentrum ‘n effektiewe en uitvoerbare opsie is om die druk op binne-pasiënt dienste te verlig. Die studie het verder getoon dat betekenisvolle deelname aan aktiwiteite moontlik belangriker is vir herstel na ‘n psigiatriese siekte as intensiteit van behandeling.

MA ( Psychology) / Department of Psychology

Text in English / Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) is a form of Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) used to treat individuals’ psychological problems. EAP is an interactive process in which a licensed mental health practitioner, a credentialed equine professional and suitable equines work together to address psychotherapy goals. Since the 1990s, research on EAP has grown rapidly in the United States of America (USA) and Europe, however research in the South African context is lacking. This descriptive and exploratory research study explored and described the experiences of licensed mental health practitioners and/or credentialed equine specialists who have included EAP within their practise by focusing on the role that equines play within the psychotherapeutic process. The knowledge of this study was derived from a Constructivistic epistemology. Constructivism argues that humans attain and build knowledge and meaning from their experiences. Participants were selected based on purposeful criterion sampling. Only licensed mental health practitioners or credentialed equine specialists who included EAP within their practise, registered at the Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy Institute of South Africa (EAPISA) or the Equine-Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA) were considered for participation. Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were conducted with six participants. A post-interview follow-up email was used to gain additional feedback from each participant. Finally, data was analysed using thematic analysis. As EAP is a fairly new modality of therapy within South Africa, the contribution of this study is to add to the growing body of professional EAP literature. Thematic analysis identified seven main themes: shifting dynamics in the therapeutic relationship, setting the scene for storytelling, the equine as an intermediary and therapeutic tool, what the equine sees is what you get, instantaneous but lasting results, variations and similarities in approach and activities, the emotive motives of EAP practitioners. These themes are discussed in relation to the research findings. Findings of this study showed substantial agreement in what the equine brings to the psychotherapeutic session: unique equine attributes, opportunities for metaphorical learning, and relational aspects. The participants demonstrated a consensus in the belief that EAP can be beneficial to a large spectrum of psychotherapeutic populations in South Africa. A recommendation for future research is for larger, international studies that explore the viewpoints of psychotherapists who practice equine therapies in other countries in order to expand the knowledge base and address the competency and standards discussion in the EAP field. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)