MPH / Department of Public Health / This study was about work related stress among social workers in the Greater Giyani Municipality, South Africa. Work related stress among social workers globally can be attributed to a number of factors that are either internal or external to the workers. When not addressed, work related stress may have tremendous impact on the workers, their productivity and even health. The aim of this study was to explore the sources of work related stress among social workers in selected offices in Greater Giyani Municipality, South Africa. This study adopted a qualitative research design making use of exploratory approach. The study was conducted at Unigaz social work offices, Greater Giyani Municipality, South Africa. The study sample was chosen from the target population of social workers using non-probability purposive sampling. Data were collected using an interview guide and analyzed using thematic analytical approach. To ensure trustworthiness, credibility and dependability of the study findings, the researcher pre-tested the interview guide to ascertain if it will enable the researcher to get the desired information. The researcher adhered to the following ethical principles: Informed consent, deception of respondents, confidentiality and anonymity, voluntary participation and avoidance of harm to respondents The study revealed that work related stress among social workers results from a variety of factors. These factors are either organisational such as poor remuneration, workload etc. or extra-organisational factors such as lack of support from family members. The study recommends that the Department of Social Development should put in place Employee Wellness Offices in all districts as a measure to curb and deal with work related stress among social workers. / NRF

This study shows that stress is one of the important issues which may have a negative impactboth in physical and mental effects on a nurse's working life. Poor ergonomics of the hospitaland a poor behavior approach of nurses can cause stress. To reduce these stress factors, thisstudy suggests solutions based on gamification that imply activities to create a good workingenvironment and to reduce the stress to ensure the good health and well-being of the nurseswho work different shifts especially in night shifts. To achieve the purpose, qualitative researchis used as a method. For this study, nurses who work in hospitals were interviewed in differentshifts especially in night shifts with some open-ended questions related to stress andgamification. Based on their answers, trying to evaluate and analyze the problem and findings.Based on the findings, a gamification concept was developed to provide recommendations tohandle the stress and to be motivated and engaged to develop the well-being of life. / Denna studie visar att stress är en av de viktigaste frågorna som kan ha en negativ inverkanbåde på fysiska och mentala effekter på sjuksköterskans arbetsliv. Dålig ergonomi på sjukhusetoch sjuksköterskors dåliga beteende kan orsaka stress. För att minska dessa stressfaktorerföreslår denna studie lösningar baserade på gamification som innebär aktiviteter för att skapaen bra arbetsmiljö och för att minska stressen för att säkerställa god hälsa och välbefinnandehos sjuksköterskor som arbetar olika skift, särskilt på nattskift. För att uppnå syftet användskvalitativ forskning som metod. För denna studie intervjuades sjuksköterskor som arbetar påsjukhus i olika skift, särskilt på nattskift med några öppna frågor relaterade till stress ochgamification. Baserat på deras svar, försöker utvärdera och analysera problemet och resultaten.Baserat på resultaten utvecklades ett spelkoncept för att ge rekommendationer för att hanterastress och för att vara motiverad och engagerad för att utveckla livets välbefinnande.

The general aim of this study was to gain insight into the perceptions and experiences of line managers regarding the impact of an employee wellness programme (EWP) on employee wellness and performance at a selected municipality in KwaZulu-Natal. As a purposive sample, ten line managers were selected to participate in the study by means of semi-structured interviews. The literature review aimed to conceptualise wellness, employee wellness and employee performance, as well as to explore the impact of EWPs on employee wellness and performance. The specific empirical study aims were to determine line managers’ level of awareness and knowledge of the municipality EWP and its purpose, to explore the challenges faced by line managers within the EWP, to explore if the line managers perceived and experienced the municipality EWP as being beneficial to employee wellness and whether participating in the EWP improved employee performance. Lastly, the aim was to make recommendations for improvement that can assist the municipality in enhancing the impact of the EWP on employee wellness and performance within the industrial psychology discipline, and in particular when it comes to employee wellness. The research findings reveal that line managers were aware of and had knowledge about the existence of the EWP through marketing campaigns, inductions and activities. They also confirmed they had personal engagement experience through participation in the programme. They perceived the main purpose of the EWP as being to support employees in achieving a work-life balance and providing counselling and advisory services. Participants noted certain challenges with regard to participating in the programme, such as fear of being judged, victimised and stigmatised, and a lack of confidentiality and trust, which affects employees’ privacy and security. Also, they doubted wellness officer competence, which included the necessary skills and training for dealing with complex cases. Lastly, gender and cultural beliefs also posed challenges. Line managers found it beneficial to participate in the EWP. It improved employee wellness and performance. Employees developed mechanisms to cope with work, personal and emotional problems. Wellness officer availability, competence and skills were recommended by participants as ways of enhancing the EWP. Involvement of other stakeholders was another recommendation for improvement. This involvement would include wellness champions, organised labour and line managers. Programme managers should consider increasing EWP awareness by improving marketing, while emphasising programme benefits and confidentiality. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com (Industrial and Organizational Psychology)

This phenomenological study examined the experiences of women in midlife. The primary purpose of the study was to develop and describe a model of health promotion that will facilitate self-care of women in midlife to support them in the attainment of wholeness. A theory-generative, qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual design was utilized to achieve the objectives of the study, namely to explore and describe women's experience of midlife transition; classify concepts of the model; describe the structure and process of a model for support of women during midlife transition, and develop guidelines for operationalization of the model. The study was undertaken in one of the northwest states of the United States of America. Purposive sampling of eight women included women between the ages of 40 and 55 years of age. Women who had undergone surgical menopause were excluded as the influence of prolonged hormone replacement therapy was seen as a bias. Data was collected by using an unstructured interview technique. Data was analyzed according to Tesch's protocol (in Cresswell, 1994:155). Guba's model (in Krefting 1991:215) was utilized to ensure the trustworthiness of the study. Ethical issues were considered throughout and these are reflected in chapter one of the thesis. The study identified two themes: (1) how the women experienced midlife and (2) how they managed it. The experiences of midlife were expressed in physical, psychosocial and spiritual changes while the management of the process was accomplished in two ways, namely self-care and the services of healthcare professionals. The researcher identified that health promotion was essential to facilitate the self-care practices of women in midlife. Essential and related attributes of health promotion were identified, analyzed and synthesized to define health promotion. The process of health promotion was then defined with a description of the structure and process of the model. Concepts identified were classified, defined and placed into relationship statements after which the model was described and evaluated. Guidelines to operationalize the model were then formulated to assist health professionals to support women in self-care for the attainment of wholeness. / Health Studies / D.Litt et Phil (Health Studies)

This sociological study investigates the effects of work stress on family dynamics. Job demands, like heavy workload and working overtime, could have an effect on family members to fulfill role obligations and vital family functions according to Parsons’s, Murdock’s and Merton’s functionalist theories. By employing qualitative research techniques, fifty in-depth interviews guided by an interview schedule are conducted. The three research questions or tentative hypotheses, based on the functionalist theory, are answered by the findings from the data gathered. An inductive strategy is used to gather and interpret data to eventually build new theory. Theory is grounded in the data, hence grounded theory. The findings are categorized in terms of the research questions and describe and explain how the family is affected when work stress is experienced by the employee and family member. Possible explanations are offered as to why this occurs. Recommendations for further research are also made. / Sociology / M.A. (Sociology)

The research posed two questions, namely (a) how much stress, if any, is experienced by house mothers in a childrens' home, and (b) which factors cause such stress. The methodology employed is descriptive research. It covered the total population of ten house mothers in a childres' home. Measuring instruments employed were; the Heimler scale for Social Functioning, the Glazer Stress Control Life Style Questionnaire, the Stress Questionnaire, and a self-formulated questionnaire. The results are as follows: 70% reported average to high stress, but are inclined to deny stress. 30% reported normal stress levels, Possible causes of stress are the work context of the childrens' home, age, period of service, and personality. / Die studie soek antwoorde op twee vrae, naamlik (a) hoeveel sires, indien enige, beleef huismoeders in 'n kinderhuis, en (b) wat veroorsaak sulke sires? Die metode wat gebruik was, is beskrywende navorsing. Die totale populasie van tien huismoeders in die spesifieke kinderhuis is betrek. Die klein omvang maak hierdie studie nie veralgemeenbaar nie. Die volgende meetinstrumente is benut ; die Heimlerskaal vir Maatskaplike Funksionering, die "Glazer Stress Control Life Style Questionnaire'', die "Stress Questionnaire", en 'n selfgeformuleerde vraelys. Die resultate is soos volg: 70% van die huismoeders in die studie vermeld gemiddelde tot hoe mates van stres, maar is geneig om stres te ontken. Dertig persent van die respondente vermeld normale hoeveelhede stres. Moontlike oorsake van sires is aangetoon as: die werkskonteks binne die kinderhuis, ouderdom, tydperk van diens, en persoonlikheid / Social Work / M.A. (Social Work: Mental Health)

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Text in English / A modem "disease", stress is a universal and eternal problem in the pedagogic situation, where the child becomes an aduh, under adult supervision. Stress - a feeling of pressure or strain - is a problem for contemporary South African children, who automatically respond to stressors (causes of stress), in the same way as children of the past, since human beings have not changed psychobiologically over the millennia. Our bodies and minds should return to a calm state, after our initial stress reaction, but we often remain under stress, which results in emotional/ physical symptoms of distress. Yet history has shown that children can be helped to handle stress, making it a stimulus for growth. Although past societies were not directly conscious of the concept of stress, they taught coping mechanisms to their children. Some of these are generally valid, and provide us with solutions to the problem of stress in the pedagogic situation. / Die modeme "siekte", stres, is eintlik 'n universele en altyddurende probleem in die pedagogiese situasie - die· situasie waar die kind besig is om onder volwasse begeleiding 'n volwassene te word. Stres - 'n gevoel van druk en oorspanning - is 'n probleem vir hedendaagse Suid-Afrikaanse kinders wat maar, net soos die kinders in die verlede, outomaties reageer op "stressors" (faktore wat stres veroorsaak). Die afgelope millenniums het immers bewys dat die mens nie psigobiologies verander het nie. Ons liggaam en gees behoort mstig te word na 'n aanvanklike stres reaksie. Die probleem is dat ons meestal onder stres bly leef met emosionele/ psigiese simptome van angs as die resultaat daarvan. Tog het die geskiedenis bewys dat kinders gehe]p kan word om stres te hanteer en dit eerder as 'n stimulus vir ontwikkeling te benut. Ten spyte van die feit dat samelewings in die verlede nie so bewus was van die konsep van stres nie, het hulle tog sekere tegnieke aan hulle kinders oorgedra om hulle te he]p om hulle stres te hanteer. Sommige van hierdie tegnieke is algemeen geldig en voorsien ons dus van oplossings vir die probleem van stres in die pedagogiese situasie. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Educational Studies)

This phenomenological study examined the experiences of women in midlife. The primary purpose of the study was to develop and describe a model of health promotion that will facilitate self-care of women in midlife to support them in the attainment of wholeness. A theory-generative, qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual design was utilized to achieve the objectives of the study, namely to explore and describe women's experience of midlife transition; classify concepts of the model; describe the structure and process of a model for support of women during midlife transition, and develop guidelines for operationalization of the model. The study was undertaken in one of the northwest states of the United States of America. Purposive sampling of eight women included women between the ages of 40 and 55 years of age. Women who had undergone surgical menopause were excluded as the influence of prolonged hormone replacement therapy was seen as a bias. Data was collected by using an unstructured interview technique. Data was analyzed according to Tesch's protocol (in Cresswell, 1994:155). Guba's model (in Krefting 1991:215) was utilized to ensure the trustworthiness of the study. Ethical issues were considered throughout and these are reflected in chapter one of the thesis. The study identified two themes: (1) how the women experienced midlife and (2) how they managed it. The experiences of midlife were expressed in physical, psychosocial and spiritual changes while the management of the process was accomplished in two ways, namely self-care and the services of healthcare professionals. The researcher identified that health promotion was essential to facilitate the self-care practices of women in midlife. Essential and related attributes of health promotion were identified, analyzed and synthesized to define health promotion. The process of health promotion was then defined with a description of the structure and process of the model. Concepts identified were classified, defined and placed into relationship statements after which the model was described and evaluated. Guidelines to operationalize the model were then formulated to assist health professionals to support women in self-care for the attainment of wholeness. / Health Studies / D.Litt et Phil (Health Studies)

This sociological study investigates the effects of work stress on family dynamics. Job demands, like heavy workload and working overtime, could have an effect on family members to fulfill role obligations and vital family functions according to Parsons’s, Murdock’s and Merton’s functionalist theories. By employing qualitative research techniques, fifty in-depth interviews guided by an interview schedule are conducted. The three research questions or tentative hypotheses, based on the functionalist theory, are answered by the findings from the data gathered. An inductive strategy is used to gather and interpret data to eventually build new theory. Theory is grounded in the data, hence grounded theory. The findings are categorized in terms of the research questions and describe and explain how the family is affected when work stress is experienced by the employee and family member. Possible explanations are offered as to why this occurs. Recommendations for further research are also made. / Sociology / M.A. (Sociology)

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Text in English / A modem "disease", stress is a universal and eternal problem in the pedagogic situation, where the child becomes an aduh, under adult supervision. Stress - a feeling of pressure or strain - is a problem for contemporary South African children, who automatically respond to stressors (causes of stress), in the same way as children of the past, since human beings have not changed psychobiologically over the millennia. Our bodies and minds should return to a calm state, after our initial stress reaction, but we often remain under stress, which results in emotional/ physical symptoms of distress. Yet history has shown that children can be helped to handle stress, making it a stimulus for growth. Although past societies were not directly conscious of the concept of stress, they taught coping mechanisms to their children. Some of these are generally valid, and provide us with solutions to the problem of stress in the pedagogic situation. / Die modeme "siekte", stres, is eintlik 'n universele en altyddurende probleem in die pedagogiese situasie - die· situasie waar die kind besig is om onder volwasse begeleiding 'n volwassene te word. Stres - 'n gevoel van druk en oorspanning - is 'n probleem vir hedendaagse Suid-Afrikaanse kinders wat maar, net soos die kinders in die verlede, outomaties reageer op "stressors" (faktore wat stres veroorsaak). Die afgelope millenniums het immers bewys dat die mens nie psigobiologies verander het nie. Ons liggaam en gees behoort mstig te word na 'n aanvanklike stres reaksie. Die probleem is dat ons meestal onder stres bly leef met emosionele/ psigiese simptome van angs as die resultaat daarvan. Tog het die geskiedenis bewys dat kinders gehe]p kan word om stres te hanteer en dit eerder as 'n stimulus vir ontwikkeling te benut. Ten spyte van die feit dat samelewings in die verlede nie so bewus was van die konsep van stres nie, het hulle tog sekere tegnieke aan hulle kinders oorgedra om hulle te he]p om hulle stres te hanteer. Sommige van hierdie tegnieke is algemeen geldig en voorsien ons dus van oplossings vir die probleem van stres in die pedagogiese situasie. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Educational Studies)