A study was conducted to describe and interpret the personal strategies that South African Police Service officers in the Vhembe District, Limpopo Province, use in their line of work. These are strategies to deal with the impact of the primary victims’ critical incidents of rape, domestic violence, murder and road accidents. The focus was on describing the impact of the critical incidents that the officers are exposed to, which manifest in a form of traumatic stress, namely, vicarious traumatisation, and management of this impact. Twenty participants were selected through purposive and theoretical sampling techniques from the family violence, child protection and sexual offences, domestic violence, field training, detective and social crime prevention units. Unstructured open-ended interviews, diaries and follow-up telephone interviews were used as data collection methods and data were collected in the participants’ home languages, Tshivenda and Xitsonga. Data gathered necessitated looking into both the aspects of the officers’ organisational and operational work. Data were thus analysed through the content thematic and constant comparative data analysis methods. The results first presented a profile of police vicarious traumatisation in the Vhembe District, which include the types of critical incidents exposed to, the organisational and operational stressors that lead to vicarious traumatisation, and the description of vicarious traumatisation symptoms. Second, a theoretical framework of the process of police critical incidents impact management (PCIIM) was developed. The framework shows that the management of the impact of the encountered incidents is inspired by various coping needs and subcultures of the officers, and the management takes place through the use of two styles of trauma management, namely, the linear and multilateral styles, which refer to application of coping strategies successively and the combination of horizontal and vertical application of coping strategies, respectively. The coping strategies used by the officers help them to have an objective understanding of the critical incidents encountered, have less severe symptoms of vicarious traumatisation, some symptoms last for shorter periods than before, and other symptoms are no longer experienced. Resilience to the encountered incidents is shown through the development of coping strategies to handle the incidents, facing them, and showing cognitive hardiness. The officers also manage to reflect on the experiences encountered, engage in narratives about them and mutual help thus still working towards attaining posttraumatic growth. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

Homicide-Suicide (H-S) is a rare but violent event in which an individual commits homicide and thereafter commits suicide. The H-S phenomenon appears to be increasing among members of the South African Police Service (SAPS). Although research on H-S is sparse, several SA studies have implicated the SAPS as a high risk occupational group for such killings. However, no systematic research that focuses on police H-S has ever been conducted within the RSA. The aim of this thesis is to determine the underlying causes of police H-S killings. The current national study included thirty-eight (38) police H-S cases over a two-year period (2012-2013). The macro, meso, and micro levels of analysis were utilised to study this phenomenon and to test both the socio-cultural and intrapsychic explanations of H-S. A mixed method approach was utilised, which involved both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Information on H-S was collected via document analysis and interviews with survivors of an H-S attack. The data obtained from the documents were coded on the SAPS “Homicide-Suicide Incidence Coding Form” and the results of this analysis were presented graphically in both tables and charts. Three interviews were conducted with the survivors of these attacks and were qualitatively analysed. The SAPS displayed an H-S incidence rate of 24.27 per 100 000 police officers. A typical police H-S perpetrator is likely to be a black African male who is 35 years old with a Grade 12 education. He would hold the rank of a constable and would have a history of domestic abuse. His victim would usually be an intimate partner of the same race who would be younger than him. She would be employed as an administrative clerk and would be shotand killed multiple times by her amorous jealous boyfriend due to a heated argument or quarrel. The service pistol would be used to commit both H-S killings. Four main themes emerged from the transcripts, namely: Patriarchal dynamics in H-S relationships, Financial issues and the patriarchal order, The death wish (“Thanatos”) of the perpetrator and the H-S survivors as double victims. On the macro level, partial support was found for social integration theory, while the meso and micro levels of analysis supported the psychodynamic perspective. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

A study was conducted to describe and interpret the personal strategies that South African Police Service officers in the Vhembe District, Limpopo Province, use in their line of work. These are strategies to deal with the impact of the primary victims’ critical incidents of rape, domestic violence, murder and road accidents. The focus was on describing the impact of the critical incidents that the officers are exposed to, which manifest in a form of traumatic stress, namely, vicarious traumatisation, and management of this impact. Twenty participants were selected through purposive and theoretical sampling techniques from the family violence, child protection and sexual offences, domestic violence, field training, detective and social crime prevention units. Unstructured open-ended interviews, diaries and follow-up telephone interviews were used as data collection methods and data were collected in the participants’ home languages, Tshivenda and Xitsonga. Data gathered necessitated looking into both the aspects of the officers’ organisational and operational work. Data were thus analysed through the content thematic and constant comparative data analysis methods. The results first presented a profile of police vicarious traumatisation in the Vhembe District, which include the types of critical incidents exposed to, the organisational and operational stressors that lead to vicarious traumatisation, and the description of vicarious traumatisation symptoms. Second, a theoretical framework of the process of police critical incidents impact management (PCIIM) was developed. The framework shows that the management of the impact of the encountered incidents is inspired by various coping needs and subcultures of the officers, and the management takes place through the use of two styles of trauma management, namely, the linear and multilateral styles, which refer to application of coping strategies successively and the combination of horizontal and vertical application of coping strategies, respectively. The coping strategies used by the officers help them to have an objective understanding of the critical incidents encountered, have less severe symptoms of vicarious traumatisation, some symptoms last for shorter periods than before, and other symptoms are no longer experienced. Resilience to the encountered incidents is shown through the development of coping strategies to handle the incidents, facing them, and showing cognitive hardiness. The officers also manage to reflect on the experiences encountered, engage in narratives about them and mutual help thus still working towards attaining posttraumatic growth. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

This study examined the validity of the South African Police Service (SAPS) multiple stressor intervention. The multiple stressor was developed for members of their specialised units to address Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Unfortunately, the SAPS multiple stressor intervention lacks scientific evidence to support its possible effectiveness in addressing PTSD. In the current study a deployment and intervention group was compared which employed a pre- test post-test design. The Davidson Trauma Scale and the Revised Impact of Event Scale measured PTSD globally, but also the PTSD dimensions of Intrusion, Avoidance/Numbing, and Hyperarousal. The Wilcoxon signed rank test results indicated that the intervention and deployment was both effective in addressing PTSD although the intervention group revealed the greatest improvement in their overall PTSD scores. The intervention group made significant progress in dealing with all three PTSD symptoms while the deployment group made less progress with their Intrusion and Avoidance/Numbing symptoms, but made significant progress with their Hyperarousal symptoms. The Mann-Whitney u test revealed no significant differences between the post intervention test scores of the two groups, either globally or on the three PTSD dimensions. It appears that deployment was just as effective as the multiple stressor intervention in addressing PTSD. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

This study examined the validity of the South African Police Service (SAPS) multiple stressor intervention. The multiple stressor was developed for members of their specialised units to address Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Unfortunately, the SAPS multiple stressor intervention lacks scientific evidence to support its possible effectiveness in addressing PTSD. In the current study a deployment and intervention group was compared which employed a pre- test post-test design. The Davidson Trauma Scale and the Revised Impact of Event Scale measured PTSD globally, but also the PTSD dimensions of Intrusion, Avoidance/Numbing, and Hyperarousal. The Wilcoxon signed rank test results indicated that the intervention and deployment was both effective in addressing PTSD although the intervention group revealed the greatest improvement in their overall PTSD scores. The intervention group made significant progress in dealing with all three PTSD symptoms while the deployment group made less progress with their Intrusion and Avoidance/Numbing symptoms, but made significant progress with their Hyperarousal symptoms. The Mann-Whitney u test revealed no significant differences between the post intervention test scores of the two groups, either globally or on the three PTSD dimensions. It appears that deployment was just as effective as the multiple stressor intervention in addressing PTSD. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Text in Afrikaans / The purpose of this research study is to determine how Police Social Workers experience the supportive function in supervision, and how they can be empowered through the strenghts perspective. The respondents were fifteen (15) Police Social Workers in the Western Cape. The findings of the empirical study proved that Police Social Workers also experience the profession to be stressful in nature. The respondents do have inherent strenghts, that can be utilised optimally during supervision, to enhance service delivery to their different client systems. It is recommended that all SAPS social workers be exposed to supervision / consultation, as a stress management mechanism. SAPS supervisors must be empowered, eg. Inservice training, to develop an effective supervion programme. / Die doel van die navorsing is om vas te stel hoe Polisie Maatskaplike Werkers die ondersteuningsfunksie in supervisie ervaar, en hoe hulle bemagtig kan word deur die sterkteperspektief. Die respondente was vyftien (15) maatskaplike werkers indiens van die SAPD in die Wes Kaap. Die empiriese studie het getoon dat Polisie Maatskaplike Werkers ook die professie as stresvol ervaar. Die respondente beskik almal oor inherente sterkpunte en vaardighede, wat optimaal benut kan word tydens supervisie om sodoende 'n effektiewe diens aan hul onderskeie klientsisteme te lewer. Daar word aanbeveel dat alle SAPD maatskaplike werkers aan supervisie / konsultasie blootgestel word, en dat supervisie / konsultasie as 'n streshanteringsmeganisme benut moet word. SAPD supervisors moet ook bemagtig word, deur byvoorbeeld indiensopleiding, om 'n effektiewe supervisie program te ontwikel. / Social work / M.Diac. (Social Work)

Text in Afrikaans / The purpose of this research study is to determine how Police Social Workers experience the supportive function in supervision, and how they can be empowered through the strenghts perspective. The respondents were fifteen (15) Police Social Workers in the Western Cape. The findings of the empirical study proved that Police Social Workers also experience the profession to be stressful in nature. The respondents do have inherent strenghts, that can be utilised optimally during supervision, to enhance service delivery to their different client systems. It is recommended that all SAPS social workers be exposed to supervision / consultation, as a stress management mechanism. SAPS supervisors must be empowered, eg. Inservice training, to develop an effective supervion programme. / Die doel van die navorsing is om vas te stel hoe Polisie Maatskaplike Werkers die ondersteuningsfunksie in supervisie ervaar, en hoe hulle bemagtig kan word deur die sterkteperspektief. Die respondente was vyftien (15) maatskaplike werkers indiens van die SAPD in die Wes Kaap. Die empiriese studie het getoon dat Polisie Maatskaplike Werkers ook die professie as stresvol ervaar. Die respondente beskik almal oor inherente sterkpunte en vaardighede, wat optimaal benut kan word tydens supervisie om sodoende 'n effektiewe diens aan hul onderskeie klientsisteme te lewer. Daar word aanbeveel dat alle SAPD maatskaplike werkers aan supervisie / konsultasie blootgestel word, en dat supervisie / konsultasie as 'n streshanteringsmeganisme benut moet word. SAPD supervisors moet ook bemagtig word, deur byvoorbeeld indiensopleiding, om 'n effektiewe supervisie program te ontwikel. / Social work / M.Diac. (Social Work)

Text in English, with abstracts and keywords in English, Afrikaans and isiZulu / The focus of this research is employees’ career development in the South African Police Services (SAPS). The general aim of the research is to develop a valid and reliable measure of career plateauing and to determine whether individuals’ experiences of career plateauing (as antecedent) positively or negatively predict their job satisfaction, motivation, and work engagement (as consequences). The research further aims to investigate whether individuals’ biographical variables (gender, age, race, marital status, rank, and tenure) significantly influence their subjective work experiences (career plateauing, job satisfaction, motivation, and work engagement). A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted on a nonprobability purposive sample of employees (N = 410) from different biographical groups at the SAPS. Descriptive, correlational, and inferential statistics were performed. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis provided evidence of the internal consistency reliability and construct validity of the newly developed career plateauing experiences scale (CPES). Structural equation modelling confirmed the predictive validity of the CPES and showed that job content plateau and hierarchical/structural plateau predicted lower levels of job satisfaction. The psychological plateau predicted lower work engagement levels. Maintenance plateau predicted higher job satisfaction and engagement levels. Tests for significant mean differences indicated that individuals from the various biographical groups differed significantly regarding their career plateauing experiences, job satisfaction, motivation, and work engagement. The research extended career development theory by demonstrating the relevance of the new construct of psychological plateau in relation to traditional forms of career plateauing and work engagement in flat organisational structural contexts. Although still in need of further refinement, the newly developed CPES shows empirically promise to provide useful information for measuring and alleviating negative experiences of career plateauing in the SAPS. The findings further provide valuable insights into the unique career plateauing experiences, job satisfaction, motivation, and work engagement of employees of different age, gender, race, marital status, rank, and tenure groups. The study makes an original contribution to career development theory and research and adds value to career development practice in the contemporary organisational setting. / Hierdie studie handel oor die loopbaanontwikkeling van werknemers in die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens (SAPD). Die doel van die navorsing is om ʼn geldige en betroubare aanduiding dat ʼn loopbaanplato bereik is, te ontwikkel, en om vas te stel of individue se belewing dat hulle loopbaan ʼn plato bereik het (as die antesedent), hulle werksbevrediging, motivering en werksbetrokkenheid (as die gevolge) positief of negatief voorspel. Afgesien hiervan word ondersoek of werknemers se biografiese veranderlikes (geslag, ouderdom, ras, huwelikstatus, rang en dienstyd) ʼn beduidende uitwerking op hulle subjektiewe werksbelewing (loopbaanplato, werksbevrediging, motivering en werksbetrokkenheid) het. ʼn Kwantitatiewe dwarssnitopname van ʼn doelgerigte onwaarskynlikheidsteekproef onder werknemers (N=410) uit verskillende biografiese groepe in die SAPD is gedoen. Deskriptiewe, korrelatiewe en inferensiële statistiek is uitgevoer. ʼn Verkennende en bevestigende faktoranalise het bewys dat die nuut ontwikkelde loopbaanplatobelewingskaal (LPBS) as konstruk geldig, intern konsekwent en betroubaar is. Strukturele vergelykingsmodellering het die voorspellingsgeldigheid van die LPBS bevestig en getoon dat die posinhoud- en hiërargiese/strukturele plato laer vlakke van werksbevrediging voorspel. Die sielkundige plato het laer vlakke van werksbetrokkenheid voorspel, terwyl die handhawingsplato groter werksbevredigings- en -betrokkenheidsvlakke voorspel het. Toetse vir beduidende gemiddeldeverskille het aangedui dat werknemers uit verskillende biografiese groepe beduidende verskille getoon het met betrekking tot hul loopbaanplatobelewing, werksbevrediging, motivering en werksbetrokkenheid. Die navorsing het die loopbaanontwikkelingsteorie verryk deur die relevansie van die nuwe konstruk van ʼn sielkundige plato vir die tradisionele vorme van loopbaanplato’s en werksbetrokkenheid in plat maatskappystrukture te demonstreer. Ofskoon die nuwe LPBS verfyn moet word, beloof dit veel wat betref inligting waarmee die negatiewe belewing van loopbaanplato’s in die SAPD gemeet en verander kan word. Voorts bied die bevindings waardevolle insigte in die unieke loopbaanplatobelewings, werksbevrediging, -motivering en -betrokkenheid van werknemers ongeag hul ouderdomsgroep, geslag, ras, huwelikstatus, rang en dienstyd. Hierdie studie lewer ʼn bydrae tot die loopbaanontwikkelingsteorie en -navorsing, en voeg waarde toe tot die loopbaanontwikkelingspraktyk in eietydse organisasies. / Lolu cwaningo lugxile ekuthuthukiseni ubizo lomsebenzi wabasebenzi boPhiko lwezaMaphoyisa eNingizimu Afrika (SAPS). Inhloso enkulu yocwaningo wukuthuthukisa uhlelo lokulinganisa uhlelo olufanele noluthembekayo lobizo lomsebenzi kanye nokuqondisisa ukuthi ngabe isimo somuntu ahlangabezana naso, isimo sesiqongolo sobizo lomsebenzi (as antecedent), njengesilinganiso esikwazi ukubikezela kahle noma kabi izinga lokwaneliswa umsebenzi, izinto ezikhuthaza isisebenzi kanye nokuzibandakanya kwesisebenzi emsebenzini. (njengomphumela). Ngaphezu kwalokho ucwaningo luhlose ukuphenya ukuthi ngabe izimpawu zempilo yomuntu (ubulili, iminyaka yomuntu, inhlobo yohlanga lomuntu, isimo somshado, isikhundla kanye nelungelo lobunikazi) zithinta kakhulu izimpilo zabo zomsebenzi (isiqongolo sobizo lomsebenzi, izinga lokwaneliseka ngokomsebenzi, okukhuthaza isisebenzi Kanye nokubandakanyeka kwesisebenzi emsebenzini. Uhlelo locwaningo lwezigaba olugxile kumanani lwenziwa kusampuli yabasebenzi ngohlelo olungenamathuba okwenzeka olungenanhloso (N = 410), ucwaningo olwenziwe kumaqembu ahlukene ngezimpilo zabasebenzi abasophikweni lwesiphoyisa (SAPS). Kuye kwenziwa uhlelo lwamanani ngendlela yokuchaza, yokuqhathanisa okufanayo kanye nokufunisela. Uhlelo lohlaziyo oluphenyayo kanye nohlelo lohlaziyo oluqinisekisayo lunikeze ubufakazi obuthembekayo bangaphakathi obungaguquki kanti bakha isiqinisekiso z sesilinganiso esisanda kwakhiwa, phecelezi i-Career Experiences Plateauing Scale (CEPS). Imodeli ebizwa phecelezi Structural equation modelling iye yaqinisekisa uhlelo olufanele olubikezelayo lwe-CPES futhi iye yakhombisa ukuthi isigaba sokugcina solwazi lobizo lomsebenzi kanye nohlaka/nesakhiwo sesiqongo sobizo lomsebenzi lubikezele amazing aphansi okwaneliseka ngomsebenzi. Isiqongo sezomqondo siye sabikezela izinga eliphansi lokuzibandakanya kwabasebenzi emsebenzini wabo, kanti isiqongo sobizo lomsebenzi siye sabikezela izinga eliphezulu lokwaneliseka ngokomsebenzi Kanye nangamazinga okubandakanyeka kwabasebenzi emsebenzini wabo. Izinhlelo zokuhlola eziqonde ukuveza umehluko phakathi, phecelezi kwe-mean zibikezele ukuthi abantu abavela kumaqembu ahlukene empilo akhombise ukwehluka mayelana nemisebenzi yesiqongo sobizo lomsebenzi, ukwaneliseka ngokomsebenzi Kanye namazinga okubandakanyeka kwabasebenzi emsebenzini wabo. Ucwaningo luye lwanweba ithiyori yezokuthuthukiswa kobizo lomsebenzi ngokukhombisa izimpawu ezifanayo zesakhiwo esisha zesigaba esiyisiqongo somqondo mayelana nezindlela ezejwayelekile zesiqongo sobizo lomsebenzi kanye nokubandakanyeka kwabasebenzi emsebenzini wabo kwizizinda ezingaguquki zesakhiwo senhlangano. Yize zisadinga ukuhluzwa kabanzi, izinhlelo ezithuthukiswe kabusha ze-CPES zikhombisa isithembiso esiphathekayo sokunikeza ulwazi olusebenzayo lokulinga Kanye nokunciphisa/nokugwema izenzo ezibi zesiqongo sobizo lomsebenzi ophikweni lwe-SAPS. Ulwazi olutholakele luqhubeka nokuveza umnyombo mezenzo zesiqongo sobizo lomsebenzi, ukwaneliseka ngokomsebenzi, izinto ezikhuthaza abasebenzi Kanye nokubandakanyeka kwabasebenzi emsebenzini, okungabasebenzi beminyaka eyehlukene, bobulili, bobuhlanga, besimo somshado, besikhundla kanye namaqembu anobunikazi bempahla eyigugu. Ucwaningo lwenza igalelo langempela kwithiyori ethuthukisa ubizo lomsebenzi Kanye nocwaningo futhi lwengeza ubugugu kwingqubo ethuthukisa ubizo lomsebenzi kwisizinda samanje senhlangano. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / D. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)