M.A. / The Institute of Child and Parental Guidance at the Rand Afrikaans University presents a training course in Christian Lay Counselling. The aim of the course is to train people with a christian background as lay counsellors so that they can do counselling in a congregation and/or a church environment. This research entails a critical, scientific evaluation of this training programme to determine whether the experimental group's (n = 30) theoretical knowledge, counselling skills and attitudes was significantly enhanced by the training programme in comparison to the control group (n = 30). Chapter one addresses the problem and objective of the project. An overview of lay christian counselling is given in chapter two and in chapter three the training programme for christen lay counsellors of the Rand Afrikaans University is presented. The research procedures of the project are discussed in chapter four and the results of the research are given in chapter five. The results of the research are interpreted, conclusions are drawn, critique and recommendations are made based on the research findings in chapter six. The pass rate for the course in christian lay counselling was 100%. There is a negative correlation (r = -0,254) between the theoretical and practical mark for counselling skills. The growth in counselling skills is measured by using the "Group Assessment of Interpersonal Traits" (GAIT) by menas of pre- and post test procedures. The experimental group showed a marked, positive growth (p = 0,0160) in their application of counselling skills within a counselling framework. The control group showed a marked decline (p = 0,0156) in terms of the application of counselling skills within a counselling framework. The improvement in attitudes (personal growth) is measured by using the "Personal Orientation Inventory" (P01) by means of pre- and post test procedures. The experimental group showed a marked, positive growth in the following four scales of the PO1: Time Competent (Tc)(POI 1)(p = 0,0296), Inner Directed (1)(POI 2)(p = 0,0242), Feeling Reactivity (Fr)(POI 5)(p = 0,0255) and Intimate Contact (C)(POI 12)(p = 0,0013). The control group showed a marked decline (p = 0,0229) in terms of post test scores in relation to the Inner Directed scale (1)(POI 2). It would appear that the training programme for christian lay counsellors did in effect have a distinct positive influence on the experimental group's theoretical knowledge of counselling, the application of counselling skills in practise as well as the personal growth of course attendants.

This study aimed to explore and describe burnout from the perspectives of VLCs who struggled with this phenomenon at some stage during their work as VLCs. Phenomenology provided the epistemological framework and a qualitative research approach was used. Five in-depth interviews were conducted with five participants who are VLCs. The data was analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The participants’ stories were reconstructed as themes. A systematic analysis of the narratives was conducted and then linked to relevant literature. This study created an understanding of the complexity of burnout as it relates to VLCs. The themes highlighted the importance of exploring the experiences of VLCs and giving voice to their stories. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Psychology / unrestricted

Magister Psychologiae - MPsych / This study explored Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) among lay trauma counsellors in Cape Town, South Africa, with a secondary focus on the implications for task shifting. The study supplemented a broader project, which sought to determine correlates between age, gender, and the constructs of ProQOL, using a triangulation design to combine nomothetic and idiographic methods. The current study acted to supplement the primary study with qualitative data, but can be treated as a stand-alone qualitative study.

Student Number : 0009222T - MA research report - School of Human and Community Development - Faculty of Humanities / The aim of this exploratory study was to determine whether victims of crime who have encountered face-to-face interventions with lay counsellors, perceive these interventions as helpful, hindering or having no effect on their ability to cope after a traumatic incident. Five participants were selected for this qualitative study. A semi-structured interview schedule was constructed by the researcher to guide the interview process and thematic content analysis was used to analyse the data. The main emergent themes related to symptoms experienced by participants, time, victim support centres, perceptions of lay counsellors, short-term interventions, the model used and the participants overall perceptions of the services rendered by lay counsellors. Although the results were too varied to conclude the perceived effectiveness of interventions, the results are invaluable in gaining an in-depth understanding of the perceived impact of the services rendered by lay counsellors and what factors influence these perceptions.

Student Number : 0204770E - MEd research report - School of Education - Faculty of Humanities / The present study investigates a bereavement training programme with a group of volunteer lay counsellors. In South Africa, the number of orphans resulting from an increase in parental deaths from natural causes, such as AIDS and nonnatural causes, for example violence, is increasing rapidly. The increasing number of bereaved children is creating a demand for professional support services that cannot be met by the present number of trained professionals. To address this imbalance, the training of lay counsellors is proposed. It is thus relevant to train those who are willing to help with the necessary knowledge and skills in a bereavement training programme. The present study involves ten volunteers from a Community Centre. Qualitative research methods are employed to analyse the data that is gained from the preand post-training responses to the interviews and Case Examples. Content analysis is used to elucidate the themes that emerge from the collected data. The results of the present study indicate that perceptual and developmental changes have occurred within the volunteers following the training programme, however, it is evident that further training is necessary because of the limited ability that the volunteers demonstrate in practically transferring the knowledge to new cases. In terms of this finding it is clear that factors such as language, age, educational level and personal experiences of death are important criteria to consider in the selection of volunteers for a bereavement training programme. Furthermore, traditional African perspectives of death, cultural differences and HIV/AIDS awareness need to be incorporated into future bereavement training programmes. In terms of the outcomes of the study, a positive outcome is the revision of the Bereavement Programme for children, taking cognisance of cultural sensitiveness, to make it more applicable within the local context. The results of the study also highlight the limitations and implications of the present research, which are discussed and recommendations for future research are made.

The prevalence of HIV infection in pregnant women is still on the rise despite existing preventive programmes aimed at reducing HIV-transmission. Voluntary counselling and testing during pregnancy is the key entry point in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (Department of Health, 2000:16; Birdsall et al. 2004:3). Women are often diagnosed as being HIV-positive for the first time when they attend antenatal clinics and consent to HIV testing (UNAIDS, 1997). The objective of this study was to determine the pregnant women's experiences of voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) and to explore and describe the impeding and facilitating factors that played a role in their choice whether or not to consent to HIV testing after having received pre-test counselling. By understanding the impeding and facilitating factors that play a role in the pregnant woman's choice to undergo HIV testing, recommendations could be made to possibly improve the uptake of HIV testing among pregnant women. The population studied in this research consisted of pregnant women making use of antenatal clinics in the Potchefstroom sub-district. Purposive sampling was used to select participants with the assistance of mediators who were working in the local clinics and the hospital. The sample size was determined by data saturation, which was reached after 10 interviews. A qualitative design was used and data was collected by means of semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was carried out simultaneously with data collection. In consensus discussions, the researcher and the co-coder reached consensus on the main and sub-themes. The main themes are the facilitating and impeding factors that play a role in the pregnant women's choice to undergo HIV testing. Based on findings, it was concluded that facilitating and impeding factors that play a role in the pregnant woman's choice to HIV testing do indeed exist. Impeding factors identified were: fear of a positive status; fear of stigmatization and discrimination; fear of lack of support; lack of opportunity to consider their choice to undergo HIV testing; lack of trust that confidentiality will indeed be honoured; fear of knowing possible positive HIV-status that can lead to feelings of depression and mental anguish; differences between counsellors' and pregnant women's characteristics. Facilitating factors consist of the desire to be aware of own HIV status; desire to protect the baby; sufficient information and the importance of trust and confidentiality. Recommendations were subsequently made to make HIV counselling and testing services to pregnant women more user-friendly in order to facilitate the pregnant woman in her choice concerning HIV-testing. Heeding these recommendations will possibly lead to more pregnant women's HIV status being known by the time they go into labour. Recommendations were made that pregnant women be counselled for HIV testing during their first antenatal visit and the HIV-testing being offered to them during the second visit. Research findings reveal that most pregnant women need time to consider their choice to undergo HIV testing and to prepare themselves for the test. Most pregnant women felt that they would possibly consent to HIV testing during their second antenatal visit. / Thesis (M.Cur.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

The prevalence of HIV infection in pregnant women is still on the rise despite existing preventive programmes aimed at reducing HIV-transmission. Voluntary counselling and testing during pregnancy is the key entry point in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (Department of Health, 2000:16; Birdsall et al. 2004:3). Women are often diagnosed as being HIV-positive for the first time when they attend antenatal clinics and consent to HIV testing (UNAIDS, 1997). The objective of this study was to determine the pregnant women's experiences of voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) and to explore and describe the impeding and facilitating factors that played a role in their choice whether or not to consent to HIV testing after having received pre-test counselling. By understanding the impeding and facilitating factors that play a role in the pregnant woman's choice to undergo HIV testing, recommendations could be made to possibly improve the uptake of HIV testing among pregnant women. The population studied in this research consisted of pregnant women making use of antenatal clinics in the Potchefstroom sub-district. Purposive sampling was used to select participants with the assistance of mediators who were working in the local clinics and the hospital. The sample size was determined by data saturation, which was reached after 10 interviews. A qualitative design was used and data was collected by means of semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was carried out simultaneously with data collection. In consensus discussions, the researcher and the co-coder reached consensus on the main and sub-themes. The main themes are the facilitating and impeding factors that play a role in the pregnant women's choice to undergo HIV testing. Based on findings, it was concluded that facilitating and impeding factors that play a role in the pregnant woman's choice to HIV testing do indeed exist. Impeding factors identified were: fear of a positive status; fear of stigmatization and discrimination; fear of lack of support; lack of opportunity to consider their choice to undergo HIV testing; lack of trust that confidentiality will indeed be honoured; fear of knowing possible positive HIV-status that can lead to feelings of depression and mental anguish; differences between counsellors' and pregnant women's characteristics. Facilitating factors consist of the desire to be aware of own HIV status; desire to protect the baby; sufficient information and the importance of trust and confidentiality. Recommendations were subsequently made to make HIV counselling and testing services to pregnant women more user-friendly in order to facilitate the pregnant woman in her choice concerning HIV-testing. Heeding these recommendations will possibly lead to more pregnant women's HIV status being known by the time they go into labour. Recommendations were made that pregnant women be counselled for HIV testing during their first antenatal visit and the HIV-testing being offered to them during the second visit. Research findings reveal that most pregnant women need time to consider their choice to undergo HIV testing and to prepare themselves for the test. Most pregnant women felt that they would possibly consent to HIV testing during their second antenatal visit. / Thesis (M.Cur.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Digitized using a Konica Minolta 211 PCL scanner at 300 dpi. / Thesis (MA (Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / Please refer to full text for abstract.

Department of Advanced Nursing Science / PhD (Health Sciences)