M.A. / There is a critical lack of local, clinical research into this growing problem which threatens to affect all of our lives, either directly or indirectly. The last government-sanctioned study on substance abuse in South Africa was conducted in 1970, and very limited research reports have been published that have reflected on the etiology, maintenance and treatment of the problem, either from a social or therapeutic perspective. This dissertation sets out to address the clinical, therapeutic issues of Substance Abuse disorder, including alcohol, within a South African context. The assumption of the author is that pathological personality styles and disorders underlie the problem of substance abuse in South Africa, as has been established in countries with similar substance abuse issues around the world. As will be seen in the following chapter, a distinct relationship has been established between the disorder of substance abuse, on Axis I and the personality disorders of Axis II, according to the DSM III-R. 4 A review of the literature will demonstrate the different findings surrounding this relationship, and describe the role that pathological personality patterns play in the development and maintenance of Substance Abuse disorder. These pathological personality styles and disorders are then discussed in detail, from the perspective of Millon's theory of personality. It is felt by this author that Millon's theory of personality provides a comprehensive framework for the discussion of the underlying personality issues associated with addiction. The extensive description of Millon's personality styles and disorders, their close association to the personality disorders described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manuals, and their easy quantification through the MCMI II make Millon's theory, coupled with his test of personality the most well suited theory to form a foundation for the discussion and integration of an understanding of the problems associated with substance abuse in South Africa. In order to determine the relevance of foreign- based studies in a South African context, a study into the personality profiles of South African substance abusers was conducted at three rehabilitation centers within the Gauteng province of South Africa.

M.A. / Szasz (1961), in a book entitled, "The Myth of Mental Illness", argues about the age-old debate, whether the diagnosis of mental illness is culturally related or not. In today's multicultural milieu, clinicians are confronted with this same problem. For the purpose of the present qualitative study, Ancestral Possession (AP) and Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD), will be considered. The initial purpose of the study was to explore the fields of Ancestral Possession (AP) and Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD) amongst black subjects, and to explore how these two phenomena are understood within a cultural context. Due to practical problems encountered in finding a black subject diagnosed as suffering from MPD, the subject focus had to be slightly altered. The aim of the study was changed to investigating MPD, as a Western culture diagnosis, and AP, as an African culture diagnosis, and comparing these two phenomena. The phenomenological approach was used as a theoretical basis for the study. It was assumed that since this study focuses on subjective experiences, the phenomenological approach would be more applicable. Two case studies (MPD and AP) comprise the data of this study. A video tape, consisting of interviews of the two case studies, is part of the data, including a literature study on both phenomena. The data analysis focused on comparing the personal background of the two case studies and the manifestation and treatment of both phenomena within their cultural contexts. The differences and similarities that emerge, are discussed. It was found that there are some similarities and also some differences between the two phenomena. Similarities are found, for instance, in the symptom profile of the two phenomena. The core personality in MPD usually presents with a fragile appearance (physical and psychological) and will report losing time (having time that is unaccounted for, because other personalities had taken over). The same thing happens with isiguli (literally, patient), a person who is being called by the ancestors. She looks sick, she will find herself in places without knowing how she got there. In both phenomena the subjects appear tormented before integration. The two conditions are also alike in terms of their effect on the central personality. The ancestral spirits and the alter personalities seem to play the same role of enabling the core personality to be well-functioning. In terms of the differences found between the two phenomena, ancestral possession is socially approved in the African culture whereas multiple personality disorder is considered an illness from the Western perspective. The role of socio-cultural factors seems to complicate matters. As enculturation continues and white South Africans are becoming traditional healers, it would be interesting to see how many black South Africans will in future, be diagnosed as suffering from MPD as there are very few, if any, at present. In terms of etiological factors, MPD is usually a result of trauma whereas ancestral possession is a religious experience. The results were inconclusive in that some aspects, for instance, physiological manifestation of AP could not be clearly explained. This is due to the fact that there has not been any laboratory research done to examine the chemical and physiological changes of traditional healers when under the influence of ancestral spirits. As opposed to that, MPD subjects have been reported to have alter personalities that would indicate different EEGs and some other physiological differences.

M.A. (Psychology) / A survey of the literature which concerns this study, indicated the tremendous confusion which exists in the field of Sport Psychology. Many researchers investigated various divergent factors and drew conclusions without attempting to formulate links with existing research. The lack of specific cultural research in South Africa, served as motivation for undertaking this research project.The aim of this study was to compare three groups of successful swimmers (Olympic swimmers, successful and unsuccessful provincial swimmers) in relation to certain temperament traits. The research hypothesis suggested that such traits might be the using factors for differential success levels in swimming. These traits included; Sensation Seeking, Nervous System Type, Introversion-Extraversion, and General Anxiety competitive anxiety. Self Concept was also investigated. The sample consisted of 58 competitive swimmers drawn from the 1992 South African Olympic Swimming Team, and the Eastern Transvaal and Transvaal Provincial Swimming Teams. The Olympic Team comprised the most successful group, while the remainder of the sample was subdivided into two groups (Successful and Unsuccessful Groups). The distinction was based on whether the individual swimmers had won medals and made the final of their respective races at the South African National Championships ...

M.A. (Psychology) / This study was motivated by the relative lack of research pertaining to the following aspects ofperfectionism: ~ The differences between the personality structure of high and low perfectionists. ~ The trend in available research in respect of perfectionism to regard the high perfectionist individual as maladapted and the low perfectionist individual as normal. ~ The possible association between parental styles and the development of perfectionist behavior in children. The literature describes perfectionism as a multi-dimensional construct. Perfectionism is perceived as consisting of both intra- and interdimensional aspects. The focus of the perfectionist can either be on the self (self-oriented perfectionism), on others (olher-oriented perfectionism) or on expectations from the outside world (socially prescribed perfectionism) (e.g. Hewitt &Flett, 1991a). According to a number of research studies the perfectionist is lnclned to suppress emotions (e.g. Smith, 1990) and harbour irrational thought patterns (e.g. Flett, Hewitt, Blankstein & Koledin, 1991). Interpersonal problems arise because the perfectionist, for example, isolates herself socially, criticizes others (Smith, 1990) and has an extreme need for control within interpersonal relationships (e.g. Mental Health Net, 1999). In spite of research regarding the association between perfectionism and certain personality traits there remains a dearth of findings concerning personality structure and perfectionism in women...

M.A. / In this study it is assumed that psychological factors are playing an increasingly important role in the success of rugby teams in a professional era. One such a factor is that of group dynamics and specifically that of group cohesion. In this study, the use of another psychological construct, personality, in the improvement of cohesion is investigated. The personality profiles of the players in a particular team are analysed to determine the possible effects that the personalities of the players could have on the cohesion in the team. In this regard, the Jackson Personality Inventory —Revised is used to plot the personality profiles of all the players. Only scales of the inventory, that are relevant to cohesion, are being used. The relevancy of these particular scales are determined by the literary review of the cohesion construct, which includes the definition and essence of cohesion. Correlation studies would have to determine the true correlation between cohesion and the selected scales of the inventory. General tendencies in the team regarding the profiles and consequent influence on cohesion are discussed as well as the individual profiles of each one of the members of the team. In this regard, the possible influence that a particular player's personality profile could have on the cohesion in the team, is indicated and discussed. It is concluded that the use of personality profiles could be seen as a framework from which coaches and managers of rugbyteams could make use of in order to improve the cohesion in the team.

M.A. / The present study was undertaken in an attempt to understand and ascertain the relation between personality traits and posttraumatic stress (PTSD) in the South African Police Service (SAPD) leading to chronic illness and work-related dysfunctions. The specific hypothesis for this study will show that by means of the Comrey Personality Scales (CPS) a statistic significant distinction between police officers with PTSD and police officers without PTSD exists. The testing of the hypothesis entailed a group of 120 functional police officers that consists of white, male nonofficers. They worked in the Pretoria area of the SAPD. The PTSD status of the subjects was assessed by means of the PTDS Interview Guide of Watson, Juba, Manifold, Kucala and Anderson (1991). Police officers that met the criteria for PTSD by means of the PTSD Interview Guide were place in one group (PTSD-group, n = 414. Police officers that did not meet the criteria were placed in another group (Non-PTSD-group, n = 79). Personality traits were measured by means of the CPS. There was a significant difference between the personality traits of the PTSDgroup in comparison with the Non-PTSD-group. The PTSD-group appears to be more compulsive and ordered, more introspective, more neurotic, more sensitive and more defensive in comparison with the Non-PTSD-group. It is postulated that these personality traits can possibly cause policemen to be more susceptible for the development of PTSD.