Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The present study chiefly aimed to explore, identify and clarify the role that familial capabilities, characteristics and resources (collectively referred to as resilience factors) play in cushioning the impact of relocation on the family unit and assisting the family to recover from this crisis. The study emanates from the salutogenic paradigm, focusing on resilience, rather than mere pathology. The main theoretical basis of this investigation resides in the Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment and Adaptation (McCubbin & Thompson, 1991). The study claims distinction in terms of its amalgamation of a combined cross-sectional survey research design and qualitative analysis in identifying and describing the critical familial resilience factors. Self-report questionnaires were completed by either a parent (husband or wife) or by both a parent and an adolescent child as representatives of the family. A total of sixty-eight families completed the questionnaires, including an open-ended question. The results identified (i) traits and abilities of individual family members, (ii) the family system’s internal resources and support, (iii) familial integration and stability, (iv) the family unit’s utilisation of their internal strengths and durability to manage problems outside of their boundaries, (v) social support, as well as (vi) a passive appraisal coping style amidst the crisis, as important resilience-enhancing resources. It is hoped that this information could be used to develop more effective, culture-bound therapeutic intervention programmes that may prevent problems, foster family resilience and affirm the reparative potential of families. In so doing, South African families in need may be supported, strengthened and empowered. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie ondersoek is gefokus op die identifikasie en beskrywing van gesinsvermoëns, eienskappe en hulpbronne (waarna gesamentlik verwys word as veerkragtigheidsfaktore) wat meewerk om die impak van hervestiging op die gesinseenheid te demp en bystand te lewer aan die gesin om van hierdie krisis te herstel. Die studie is gedoen vanuit die salutogeniese paradigma en plaas klem op veerkragtigheid, eerder as op patologie. McCubbin en Thompson (1991) se “Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment and Adaptation” is benut as teoretiese basis. ’n Dwarssnit opname-navorsingsontwerp is gebruik om kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe data te versamel en te ontleed in die identifisering en beskrywing van kritiese gesinsveerkragtigheidsfaktore. Selfrapporteringsvraelyste is voltooi deur òf ’n ouer (man of vrou) òf ’n ouer en adolessente kind, as verteenwoordigers van die gesin. Verteenwoordigers van 68 gesinne het vraelyste sowel as ‘n oop vraag voltooi. Die resultate dui op (i) trekke en vermoëns van individuele gesinslede, (ii) die gesinsisteem se interne hulpbronne en ondersteuning, (iii) gesinsintegrasie en stabiliteit, (iv) die gesinseenheid se benutting van hul interne sterkpunte en duursaamheid om probleme buite die gesinsgrense te hanteer, (v) sosiale ondersteuning, sowel as (vi) ’n passiewe waarderingshanteringstyl temidde van die krisis, as belangrike veerkragtigheidskenmerke. Hierdie bevindinge kan gebruik word om meer effektiewe, kultuurgebonde terapeutiese intervensieprogramme te ontwikkel, wat probleme voorkom, gesinsveerkragtigheid fasiliteer en die herstellende potensiaal van gesinne bevestig. Op dié manier, kan gesinne wat hulle moet hervestig, ondersteun, versterk en bemagtig word.

M.A. / The alarming increase of single parent families in South Africa is distressing. The rising divorce rate and the crisis surrounding divorce was the motivation for the researcher to undertake this study. Many children in South Africa are disadvantaged by the high divorce rate and much documented evidence proves the extensive sociological and psychological effects which this has on these children. Research has shown over and again that divorce is observed from a child's perspective as being stressful. (Wallerstein & Kelly, 1974) It has also been shown that many children are adversely affected by divorce. However the extent to which they are affected depends on various elements, such as age of the child, time since divorce, sex of the child and developmental stage of the child, to mention but a few. The goals of this study were formulated in a response to the need for the eventual development of a support program for adolescent girls experiencing the divorce of their parents. The aim of this study was to select a sample of adolescent girls and interview them by means of a semi-structured interview in order to hear their experiences of their parents' divorces. Research has shown that boys from divorced families are affected differently to girls from divorced families and hence the researcher chose to interview only females so as to exclude any extraneous variables. (Wallerstein & Blakeslee, 1989) The reason for choosing the stage of adolescence in particular is due to the fact that it represents a critical period in the establishment of the self-concept, due to all the changes that accompany adolescence. Adolescence is complicated if it is experienced without the security and care of a stable family structure and the support of both parents. The emotional stability of the single parent and their dealing with single parenthood influences the adolescent and his or her self-concept to a large extent. This study was undertaken within the framework of a qualitative study and qualitative methods of data collection were applied. The research design integrated exploratory, descriptive and evaluative methods. The phenomenon of divorce with specific reference to the effects it has on adolescents and aspects pertaining to the phenomena of coping with parental divorce, were identified and discussed.

M.A. (Psychology) / The incidence of hypertension in the geriatric population is very high and is a significant determinant of cardiovascular risk in this group Treatment of hypertension in the elderly is associated with decreased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The tendency for blood pressure to increase with age in westernised societies may depend on environmental and behavioural factors such as diet, stress, and inactivity. Little is known regarding the characteristics of elderly persons who do not exercise. regularly, but generally speaking, our population tends to decrease exercising with increasing age. This lack of knowledge limits the design and marketing of exercise programs to persons who could benefit from regular exercise...

M.A. (Social Work) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Ed. / The problem of truancy is causing a great deal of concern for the communities, for the state, for the family and for the school. The number of students who deliberately stay away from school on certain occasions is on the increase. The fact that absenteeism and truancy have become significant predictors of problem behaviour, troublesomeness and sometimes delinquency in secondary schools, makes it even more vital that the problem of truancy needs to be addressed with the urgency that it deserves. Up to now, very little is known about the contribution made by the curriculum content towards truancy. The structure of the curriculum, methods of instruction, the timetable, examination pressures and extramural activities are some of the possible causes of truancy. School rules, teacher attitude and teacher expectations are also among some of the contributing factors to absenteeism. The purpose of this research, therefore, is to attempt to find out if the curriculum content plays any part in curbing the problem of truancy, and to ascertain if there is a possible contribution of the curriculum content towards truancy. It is also one of the fundamental aims of this survey to learn more about the value orientations of children who do not attend school regularly and to establish curriculum changes that might be needed to alleviate the problem of truancy. In order to investigate the possible contributions made by the curriculum content, and the perceptions of black truants of their schooling, a two-part methodology was devised. In the first place, a questionnaire was formulated and a pilot study was conducted at a school that was not part of the target group. A survey was subsequently carried out at three Mamelodi high schools. The data from the questionnaire were analysed using the first and second order factor analyses, and even a discriminate analysis was applied on the data. The following format has been used in the presentation of the results. First, the findings from the literature study are discussed, and then results obtained from the empirical study are also outlined. From the literature study it was found that the content of the curriculum does not satisfy the needs of the individual student and can therefore lead to truancy. The schools' system such as school rules, timetables, language and methods of instruction sometimes demotivate students from attending school regularly. Teachers and family members also play a role in discouraging students from seeing any value in attending school. The following statistically significant differences were found after the analysis of the respondents' estimates of the applicability of the statements in the literature study as reflected in the questionnaire. If students had a choice, more truants than non-truants would stay away from school. More truants find school and school activities less interesting and most do not know what they want to do with their lives after completing school. More truants than nontruants find school irrelevant and school subjects less important and of less value to their future aspirations. It is against this background that one can conclude that indeed the school curriculum content does not help much in curbing the problem of truancy.

A research report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Masters by Coursework and Research Report in the field of Industrial Organisational Psychology in the faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, 2017 / The purpose of the study was study to investigate relationships of employee psychological empowerment, transformational leadership and resistance to change among employees in Johannesburg, South Africa. There were 51 male participants and 57 female participants. Participants voluntarily participated in the study. The instruments used to collect data were the Multifactor Leadership questionnaire, resistance to change scale and psychological empowerment questionnaire. Data were analysed using correlations and multiple regression analyses. The results showed that employee psychological empowerment and resistance to change, age and resistance to change were the only significant results. Future studies can focus on factors that influence the readiness for change in South Africa which could include the opportunity to participate in the planned change projects, demonstrating the need for change and employee psychological empowerment. In addition, Future studies could also address the interest gap between generation X and Y in terms of implementing rigorous programmes which foster the empowerment of the workforce in organisations for both generations and reduce resistance to change / XL2017

Submitted in accordance with the partial requirements for the degree of Masters in Community Based Counselling Psychology in the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Witwatersrand, 2017 / Although research on violence has gained momentum over the last 3 decades, very little work on situational factors involved in violent enactments has been undertaken in South Africa. As a means to address this limitation, the aim of this project was to better understand the phenomenology of violence. Embedded in a psychosocial approach, the study subjected data collected through three staggered semi-structured interviews with nineteen incarcerated perpetrators of violent crime to a twostage secondary data analysis using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The first phase, aimed to provide a broad general phenomenological reading of these fifty-seven interviews. Thereafter, a more strategic and theory driven analysis was performed, building on the broader reports of the phenomenology of violence and the perceived situational factors. The evidence suggests that neoliberal policies and ideology may have a significant role in production of violent crime in the South African context, informing not only the behavioural repertoire of its constituency, but, also coming to shape the way in which perpetrators make meaning of their lifeworld and perpetration of violent crime. The analysis also found that impairments in mentalization appeared to play a role as a situational determinant in violent enactments, and interestingly it appeared to be influenced by a number of other relevant situational factors (e.g. the presence and use of illicit substances, peer and social presence and pressure, indicators of a possible threat to their wellbeing, the presence of gangsters, the presence of indicators of conspicuous consumption, as well as, indicators of the presence of moral disengagement). As such, this study provides strong support for further research aimed at understanding the ways in which violence comes to be produced by the structural processes of neoliberalism, it’s influence on the subjectivity of individuals in neoliberalized contexts, and its arguably corrosive effect on marginalized communities by way of its divestment, as well as, its arguably negative sociocultural impact. The project’s overall contribution to psychosocial approaches to violence lies in its demonstration of the value of bridging theories that span work on moral disengagement, conspicuous consumption, neoliberalism, mentalization theory, phenomenology, and violence. / XL2018

A research report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology In the faculty of Humanities at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg July 2017 / This research project is a part of a larger umbrella study that aims to explore the perceived psychological effects of Silent Protest day at the University of Witwatersrand. The research participants were students that participated in the event, whether or not they have been victims of sexual violence, or participated to show support for those who have. The intention of this research project was to identify factors that influence the disclosure of sexual violence on the Silent Protest day but also in general, and to explore the process of, and reasons for keeping silent about or disclosing the experience of sexual violence (whether to one person or to many). Sexual violence is a considerably big problem in South Africa, and unfortunately the majority of sexual offences go unreported. It has been shown that survivors of sexual violence often display signs of psychological distress and might develop a psychological disorder. The silence and stigma around sexual violence can prevent victim-survivors from reporting incidents and most importantly from seeking help. Research has shown that emotional inhibition about and/or nondisclosure of traumatic events is significantly associated with psychological problems such as dissociation, anxiety, depression, PTSD and mood disorders. The aims of this research project were therefore to get a better understanding of the nuances surrounding the actual process of disclosure on Silent protest day and in victim-survivors lives, to explore why individuals decide to, or not to, disclose sexual violence, and the emotional and psychological aspects and effects that are elicited and experienced within that process. Five participants that had participated in the 2015 Silent Protest were interviewed. The themes that emerged from the research were: factors that may prevent disclosure; factors that may facilitate disclosure; factors that appear to have a mixed effect on disclosure; and the researcher’s reflections on participants’ disclosure to her. Underlying these themes were various sub-themes such as feelings of shame, not knowing how to disclose, fear, having the opportunity to disclose; the nature of the relationship to the perpetrator; anticipated reaction from others; the survivor’s general feelings on disclosure, and their views of other survivors’ experiences of disclosure. The findings imply that the ability to tease out and understand the survivors’ internal processes from the external factors is key in aiding the actual process of disclosure in a supportive manner. / XL2018

The research was premised on the notion that gender is a social construct that is inextricably linked with masculinity and violence. This view of gender was used in an attempt to understand how masculinity and violence are constructed in the tabloid newspaper, the Daily Sun. The research used a discourse analysis, specifically looking at the various subject positions that are afforded to both men and women in this publication and how such positions foreclose other ways of thinking about and understanding gendered violence. The data set consisted of 23 information rich articles that were selected through the use of a purposeful sampling strategy. Results suggest while the Daily Sun positions itself as a medium that aims to ‘educate’ men (particularly working class men) against committing gendered violence, the Daily Sun may serve to reinforce the system of patriarchy that it claims to want to dismantle. In particular, the report highlights the problematic nature and implications of providing individual psychological explanations for gendered violence without acknowledging the contextual issues that are at play.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, for the Degree of Master of Arts / This dissertation explores the mental models applied when computers are used by tertiary sector 'clerical' employees from different backgrounds and with different levels of experience with, and knowledge of computers. The study was conducted in three stages. In STAGE 1, interviews were conducted to categorise the level of knowledge and experience of the users, and to establish their socio-cultural backgrounds. STAGE 2 established their 'mental models' of the inside of a computer by means of sketches. STAGE 3 assessed sketches of subjects' mental models of the dynamic operations of the computer saving a file. Cluster analysis was conduded to establish groupings of subjects with similar usership background and sketches. Further analysis was conducted on the resulting cluster solutions. (Abbreviation abstract) / Andrew Chakane 2018