Professional counselling is scarcely available and hardly affordable for the vast majority of the South African society. However, clergy could be a source of help available for those who may not afford treatment expenses for consulting psychologists and psychiatrists. This study looked at the role that clergy working in pastoral situations in a mainline church in the province of KwaZulu-Natal play in the provision of mental health. A questionnaire survey was distributed to 52 licensed clergy investigating the types of problems presented to clergy, how clergy respond to their parishioners’ emotional and psychological problems, and how confident and how competent they feel in dealing with the problems presented to them. It investigated factors that enhance and hinder the helping process. To analyze and interpret the data, a series of statistical procedures were run using Statistical Package for Social Sciences and qualitative content analysis. Findings indicated that a wide variety of emotional and psychological problems were presented to clergy, including bereavement, alcohol or substance abuse, marital conflict, divorce and relationship problems. Clergy had a very positive attitude towards their role in counselling, and its importance in their ministry; however, the training of clergy has been considered insufficient to meet the needs of parishioners with emotional and psychological problems. Clergy reported a high level of perceived self-efficacy that seemed inconsistent with the training clergy have in emotional and psychological difficulties. Clergy tended to refer more severe psychological difficulties to either government, Non-Governmental Organisations or Faith-Based Organisations for specialised intervention. No formal support was reported to be available to clergy who engage in counselling although a large proportion of clergy mentioned getting support from fellow priests. The discussion of findings is focussed on empowering clergy to continue providing counselling for common emotional and psychological difficulties for their parishioners. Clergy may be a valuable resource in promoting mental health of their community members. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.

Intelligence as a psychological construct has received vast attention from professionals and lay persons. The theory of multiple intelligences as a perspective of understanding intelligence has enjoyed extensive research. The present study took advantage of the theory of multiple intelligences as stipulated by Gardner (1983), which puts fourth seven types of intelligences (verbal/linguistic, bodily – kinesthetic, musical, logical/mathematical, spatial, interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence). The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between these types of intelligences and gender, age and education. Participants comprised of 83 female and 75 male university students between the ages of 18 years and 50 years. Participants were requested to estimate their own and their parents’ scores for the seven multiple intelligences and overall intelligence. For parents’ estimates on overall and multiple intelligences, there was no statistically significant difference in those types of intelligences traditionally associated with females (musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal intelligences) and those traditionally associated with males (logical and verbal intelligences). Parents’ level of education had a significant impact on their estimated levels of intelligence; those parents in the Diploma/Degree category were rated as statistically significantly more intelligent than those in the No Diploma/Degree category. The mothers in the Diploma/Degree category were rated as significantly more intelligent on overall, verbal, logical, spatial, musical, and interpersonal intelligences, while the fathers in the same category were estimated as significantly more intelligent on overall, verbal and logical intelligences. Future studies on lay persons’ conceptions of intelligence should include more refined measures of socio-economic status and level of education. Qualitative investigations into the meaning of intelligence in different cultural contexts are also needed. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sci.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.

Thesis (MA (Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / The South African government has legalised abortion with the intention of reducing deaths from clandestine and illegally performed abortions. With this Act came the freedom of choice regarding termination of pregnancies for most women who found themselves in the midst of unintended pregnancies and could not carry them to term. The aims of this study were to examine the process of decision making, the role of perceived support and women's psychological outcomes to abortion taking into consideration the accessibility to psychological interventions and mental stability prior to the procedure. Personal, semi-structured interviews were conducted with five women aged between 22 and 24 years who had legal, induced abortions within the first trimester of their pregnancies. Interviews were conducted within at least two months after the abortion had been performed. A qualitative analysis of the findings revealed that responses to abortion are influenced by the decision-making process, perceived social support, and the dynamics of the relationships in which the child is conceived. These factors play a vital role in the ultimate psychological outcome and adjustment to the abortion process. The women's responses involved negative and positive emotions towards the resolution of the unintended pregnancy. Negative emotions included among others, feelings of shame, embarrassment, guilt and sadness. These were associated with the loss. The predominantly expressed positive emotion was relief. The conclusion yielded was that the relationship between the two consenting adults is significant and it is influential in the decision making, perceived support and therefore the response to abortion.

The objective of this study is to examine whether the effects of stress on University of KwaZulu Natal first year students’ well being depend on the level of perceived social support. First year students are faced with the challenges of leaving the comfort of their homes in search for education and experience that enhance their growth. This life transition can be a stressful experience that requires social support from other people in order for the student to enjoy a healthy wellbeing. Methods; One hundred and fifty survey packages, which comprised of four measures: The Demographic Survey, The Multidimensional Scale of Perceives Social Support, The Perceived Stress Scale and The WHO (five) Wellbeing Index were distributed. Ninety three (62%) survey packages were anonymously completed and returned by the participants. Hypotheses; Four hypotheses were tested in this study: Whether the level of perceived social support will moderate the effects of stress on wellbeing of university students; whether females will perceive themselves to have more social support as compared with male students; whether younger students will perceive themselves to have more social support than their older counterparts. And lastly to find out whether students who live at home with their family perceive themselves to have more social support as compared to those that live away from their families, either in on-campus accommodation or renting accommodation alone or with other students. Results; The results obtained indicate that the level of perceived social support moderates the effect of stress on students’ wellbeing. The second hypothesis was also supported on the basis that females perceived themselves to have more social support than their male counterparts. The third hypothesis which sought to find out whether students who live at home with their family perceived themselves to have more social support as compared to those that live away from their families, either on on-campus accommodation or renting out a flat alone or with other students has not been clearly confirmed, therefore is an implication for further research. Lastly, the results do not indicate that younger students perceive themselves to have more social support than their older counterparts. Conclusions; It is evident that social support plays a very important role in the life of a first year student, as it assists them in moderating the effects of stress on their wellbeing. The availability and the way that individual perceive social support depends on the gender of an individual. Key words: Perceived Stress; Perceived Social Support; General Wellbeing; Moderating effect; First Year University Students. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.

The association between the experience of depression and the use of religious coping methods has been widely researched in recent studies. However there is a dire need in this area of research in South Africa. Further most of the previous studies have been quantitative in nature limiting the subjective aspect of the depressive experience. The current study was undertaken to explore the perceived impact of religious beliefs on the individual's coping with depression. The sample used was a convenience sample of Christians from various denominations with a history of depression or a current diagnosis of depression. A semi-structured interview was conducted to collect the data from volunteers who agreed to participate, and a thematic analysis method was used to analyze the data. The findings of the research revealed that the use of religious coping methods can have both beneficial and detrimental effects on the individual's experience of depression. Conversely it was found that depression can also have both positive and negative impact on the individual's faith. Furthermore this study has highlighted the importance of the individual's appraisal of their depressive experience which in turn influences the form of religious coping methods (either positive or negative) that would be used. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.

This is a study of the mental health status of black homosexuals from LGTBI social organisations who have disclosed their sexual orientation. One hundred participants participated, fifty homosexuals and fifty heterosexuals. The heterosexual participants were used as comparative group. The General Health Questionnaire-28 and a self-designed categorical choice questionnaire were administered to the homosexual sample out of the closet. The heterosexual sample only answered the General Health Questionnaire-28. The designed questionnaire was tested in the pilot study with homosexual participants. The current study seeks to determine whether there is a relationship between disclosure of sexual orientation and mental health. The results suggested that the homosexual population were mentally healthier than heterosexuals of the current study. Nevertheless homosexual people did face significant challenges in disclosing their sexual orientation. Regarding challenges that homosexuals face, some gender differences between gays and lesbians were found. Lesbians were found to be experiencing fewer challenges than gay participants. Being part of LGTBI social networks was found to be associated with positive mental health for homosexuals. Therefore, the study’s general finding was that there is an association between disclosure and positive mental health for homosexuals belonging to LGTBI social networks. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.

The study investigates the profile of rape in Pietermaritzburg and surrounding area. The data were generated by retrospective review of 691 rape survivors' records from October 2002 to December 2004. Numerous variables were analyzed using frequencies, chi-square and multiple regression. Patterns that emerged from the data help to describe rape as recorded by staff at the local Rape Crisis Centre where the administration of anti-retroviral and Postexposure Prophylaxis medication following rape is monitored. The mv status of the survivors was analyzed and incidence found to be comparable to UNAIDS (2006) statistics. Many patterns were identified in the data. For example, survivor age was associated with other variables including; race of the perpetrator, day of the week, type of violence used, location and relationship between survivor and perpetrator. Furthermore, relationship to perpetrator was found to impact on time delay before reporting, location and number of perpetrators. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007.

Thesis (MA (Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / This paper examines the notion of forgiveness by highlighting the personal psychological experience that may be discarded in the moral and political debate. Faced with his dilemma of whether or not to forgive the heinous crimes of a dying man, Simon Wiesenthal’s invites readers of his personal story in The Sunflower to ask themselves what they would have done in his place. Most respondents have considered this a moral, theological or political issue. This paper chooses to view his question from a psychological perspective. By analysing his autobiographical account in The Sunflower and process model of forgiveness developed by Enright and the Human Development Study Group (1991, 1994), Wiesenthal’s psychological responses have been investigated on behavioural, cognitive and emotional levels.

This study explored the content, tone and amount of graffiti produced in South African bathrooms in KwaZulu-Natal. Raw graffiti was collected during 2008 from „institutions of higher education?. One of the primary aims of this study was to investigate if gender identities continue to operate in private, anonymous contexts. Politeness theory is utilized as a theoretical framework to generate hypotheses about the direction of influence gender may exert on graffiti if it continues to operate in private contexts. Inscriptions were written down in books. Thematic analysis was then applied, which led to the generation of content categories in content analysis on which chi-squared statistical procedures were applied. The categories were analysed in terms of amount, dominant content and tone, and were stratified in relation to gender. Ecosystems theory was used in an attempt to more holistically understand our sample within the context in which it was created. This study has found that gender had a significant influence on the amount, content, and tone of the graffiti produced. It was found that males dominantly produced tags and political graffiti content, and were more likely than females to produce neutral and negatively toned graffiti. Females produced significantly more graffiti than males and dominantly produced interpersonal content. We hypothesised that our findings were due to gender roles being internalised and continuing to operate in private contexts, especially in contexts where gender is salient, like a bathroom. We argued that the cognitive representation of an inscriber?s gendered audience influences them to behave in gendertypical ways, and in this behaviour their gender is performed, even in the private, anonymous context of the bathroom. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sci.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

There is a dire need for psychological tests to be standardized for the African child and for appropriate norms to be developed. This study is part of two larger studies that began in 2008, namely the National Early Learning Standards Age Validation Study (NELDS) (Kvalsvig, Govender & Taylor; 2008) (Principal Investigator – Dr. S. Kauchali), and the INSTAPA Work Package 6 Study (Kvalsvig, Govender & Taylor; 2008) (Principle Investigator – Dr. J.D. Kvalsvig). This study considers aspects of the Kilifi Development Inventory (KDI) as a measurement tool used to provide a structured and standardized procedure for monitoring the cognitive development of children from the age of 6 to 35 months. It is situated in the positivist paradigm and has adopted the classical test theory in attempting to establish the reliability of the Kilifi Developmental Inventory. Stratified purposive sampling techniques were used to select the South African sample, which comprised 120 participants categorized by gender (males and females), age (6 – 18 months and 18 – 35 months) and area (urban and peri urban/rural). The internal reliability of the KDI was investigated. Results from the data analysis (using SPSS 18.0) suggest that the measurement tool as a whole had inadequate internal reliability and therefore, further investigations and modifications have to be undertaken in certain subtests of the measurement tool before the assessment tool can be standardized for the South African population. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.