Engineers and scientists have to cope with the challenges of a complex work environment. This study investigated the relationship between burnout, coping and sense of coherence amongst engineers and scientists. The Maslach Burnout Inventory, COPE and Sense of Coherence questionnaires were used. The study was conducted with 272 engineers and scientists at a global petro-chemical company with its head office based in South Africa. A theoretical relationship was determined and an empirical investigation provided evidence of such a relationship. The results confirmed a relationship between burnout, coping and sense of coherence amongst engineers and scientists. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Stress, a feeling of pressure, tension, strain or threat, is a problem for contemporary female participants in the primary and secondary educational milieus who automatically respond to stressors (causes of stress), in the same way as women and girls in the past, since human beings have not changed psychologically and biologically over the millennia. Like their ancestors many female educators, learners and caregivers today do not return to a calm mental and physical state after an initial stress reaction. They often remain under stress, which results in emotional, behavioural, physical and cognitive manifestations of stress. Moreover, females may be predisposed to stress because of psychological, biological and social factors that have underpinned their response to time-related stressors that have faced them throughout history. Yet, history has also shown that women and girls taught and learnt successful stress coping mechanisms. Insight into these universal truths may provide educational solutions to a universal problem / Educational Studies / D.Ed. (History of Education)

A case study on drought coping mechanisms was conducted among small-scale farmers in the Motheo District of the Free State Province in Republic of South Africa, to determine how farmers cope with drought effects with or without external influence in terms of drought relief packages from the government and non-governmental organizations. Data was collected by administering a semi-structured questionnaire to 200 farmers. The data were captured and analysed using SPSS to obtain frequency, cross-tab, univariate ANOVA as well as logistic regression analysis. Findings of the study revealed that only 12.5 percent of the respondents were aware of drought, while a larger percentage of 87.5 of the respondents were not aware of a drought incidence before its onset, which made them more vulnerable to the drought disaster; 8.5 percent of them protected water sources for livestock while 91.5 percent of the farmers did not protect water sources for their livestock because they farm on a communal land; 42.5 percent provided supplementary feeds to livestock during the drought, but 57.5 percent did not provide supplementary feed for their animals for lack of funds. Ninety-nine (99.0) percent of the respondents shared grazing lands while only 1 per cent did not because most farmers operates on a communal system of farming; 35.5 percent changed cropping systems; 50.5 percent had alternative water sources for crops which included mini and hand irrigation systems while 49.5 percent of the respondents depended solely on streams and rivers available in the villages; 19.3 percent sold or pledged assets in order to be able to cope with drought effects while most farmers did not pledge or sell assets not because they did not want to, but because they did not have assets to sell. / Envornmental Science / Thesis (M.Sc. (Environmental Management))

As a result of the Zimbabwean socio-economic and political crisis many have joined the Diaspora leaving their children behind in the care of others. Qualitative research in the form of in-depth semi-structured interviews carried out with seventeen adolescent Zimbabwean Diaspora orphans evidenced a number of emerging themes that illuminate how these adolescents view their situation, such as symptomology of depression, feelings of abandonment and rejection, conflicting feelings, lack of social support, the importance of communication, role changes and additions, materialism, challenges presented by relationships with caregivers, and vulnerability to sexual abuse and molestation. Most of the themes do not appear to be country specific but are shared by adolescent Diaspora orphans world-wide. Defence and coping mechanisms employed by these adolescents to cope with parental absence were also identified. Recommendations aimed at optimising their integration in society and suggestions for further research in this field conclude this study. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Dissertation / The aim of this study is to investigate teacher stress and to identify factors that contribute to the stress experienced by township secondary school teachers. Based on an extensive literature study, an inventory, the Teacher Stress Identification Test was developed. The inventory was completed by 368 teachers who live in townships and work in township secondary schools in the Free State. Information thus gained was analysed with the use of a statistical computer programme. It appears from the research that the inventory has both a high reliability coefficient and construct validity. The empirical research revealed that township secondary school teachers experience moderate to high levels of stress. It also gave a clear indication of the factors contributing to the stress experienced by these teachers, allowing the researcher to make several recommendations. Lastly, the manifestations of stress as well as the coping mechanisms of these teachers were briefly investigated. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Die studie foku.s op die verwantskap tussen sin vir koherensie as 'n intrinsieke hanteringsbron aan die een kant, en elk van streshantering, algemene gesondheid en sielkundige uitbranding aan die antler kant. Vraelyste wat hierdie veranderlikes meet is aan 200 bestuurders gegee om te voltooi. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie toon aan dat bestuurders met 'n hoi! sin vir koherensie goeie algemene gesondheid geniet. Die bestuurder met 'n hoi! sin vir koherensie behoon dus meer e.ffektief te junksioneer in die werksiruasie as die bestuurder met 'n lae sin vir koherensie. Voons is ook bevind dar 'n hoi! sin vir koherensie nie noodwendig aanleiding gee tot lae vlakke van stres of van sielkundige uitbranding nie. Aanbevelings word gedoen oor hoe om die negatiewe gevolge van stres en sielkundige uitbranding te venninder en algemene gesondheid te bevorder, ten einde die bestuurder se potensiaal optimaal benut. / This study focuses on the relationship between sense of coherence as an intrinsic coping mechanism. and work stress, general health and psychological burnout. To measure these variables, questionnaires were completed by 200 managers. The findings of this study indicate that managers with a high sense of coherence experience good general health. The manager with a high sense of coherence should therefore junction more efficiently in a work situation·than the manager with a low sense of coherence. It was also found that a high sense of coherence does not necessarily lead to low levels of stress nor of psychological burnout. Recommentfations are made on how to reduce the negative effects of stress and psychological burnout and how to improve general health in order to make optimal use of the manager's potential. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / MCom (Bedryfsielkunde)

This study examines the impact of gender on the coping mechanisms employed to manage work-related stress. The aim of the investigation was to determine whether male and female professionals differ in terms of the coping mechanisms that they employ in managing work-related stress. In order to achieve this aim an assessment battery containing a Biographical Checklist, the Coping Checklist, the Hassles Scale and the Daily Uplifts Scale was distributed to a sample of professional men and women. The fmdings indicate that male and female professionals differ significantly in only two of the six coping mechanisms measured, namely social support and symptom management; that men and women do not differ significantly in terms of coping repertoire; and that women cope more effectively than their male counterparts with work-related· stress. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial Psychology)

South African palliative care volunteer caregivers play a crucial role in caring for people living with HIV and Aids, but frequently do not receive the support and respect that they deserve. The current study explored the psychosocial challenges and coping mechanisms of palliative care volunteer caregivers for people living with HIV and Aids. The researcher conducted in-depth interviews with 24 participants who also filled in questionnaires. The aim was to explore their experiences, their challenges, and coping mechanisms. Although these volunteer caregivers shared many positive experiences, they also faced multiple challenges in the workplace, their personal lives, financial challenges as well as psychological and emotional ones. Despite these challenges, the caregivers showed only moderate levels of stress on the stress scale. Recommendations for overcoming these challenges were provided to caregivers, organisations and the Department of Health / Psychology / M. Sc. (Psychology)

Die studie foku.s op die verwantskap tussen sin vir koherensie as 'n intrinsieke hanteringsbron aan die een kant, en elk van streshantering, algemene gesondheid en sielkundige uitbranding aan die antler kant. Vraelyste wat hierdie veranderlikes meet is aan 200 bestuurders gegee om te voltooi. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie toon aan dat bestuurders met 'n hoi! sin vir koherensie goeie algemene gesondheid geniet. Die bestuurder met 'n hoi! sin vir koherensie behoon dus meer e.ffektief te junksioneer in die werksiruasie as die bestuurder met 'n lae sin vir koherensie. Voons is ook bevind dar 'n hoi! sin vir koherensie nie noodwendig aanleiding gee tot lae vlakke van stres of van sielkundige uitbranding nie. Aanbevelings word gedoen oor hoe om die negatiewe gevolge van stres en sielkundige uitbranding te venninder en algemene gesondheid te bevorder, ten einde die bestuurder se potensiaal optimaal benut. / This study focuses on the relationship between sense of coherence as an intrinsic coping mechanism. and work stress, general health and psychological burnout. To measure these variables, questionnaires were completed by 200 managers. The findings of this study indicate that managers with a high sense of coherence experience good general health. The manager with a high sense of coherence should therefore junction more efficiently in a work situation·than the manager with a low sense of coherence. It was also found that a high sense of coherence does not necessarily lead to low levels of stress nor of psychological burnout. Recommentfations are made on how to reduce the negative effects of stress and psychological burnout and how to improve general health in order to make optimal use of the manager's potential. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / MCom (Bedryfsielkunde)

THE ABSTRACT It has been shown recently that workload, stress, and burnout syndrome among the staff of the medical rescue service may be major risk factors in terms of triggering the use of psychoactive substances. Representing what is understandably a delicate issue, substance use among emergency medical staff has not been thoroughly studied in our country. Emergency medical workers' difficult working conditions and the chronic stress they are exposed to, in combination with a lack of support and care on the part of their employers, result in exhaustion and general distress, accompanied by the development of symptoms associated with both physical and mental disorders. This condition may lead to the use of psychoactive substances as a negative coping strategy. Consisting of both theoretical background and case studies, the paper points out the relationship between the chronic effect of stressors pertaining to the job of emergency medical workers and the use of psychoactive substances as a way of coping with and compensating for the implications of work-related stress and fatigue. Thorough case studies are presented to demonstrate the onset and development of addictive behaviour within a wider context, with special emphasis being placed on its association with coping with both acute and chronic occupational...