MSc (Statistics) / Department of Statistics / See the attached abstract below

MA (Psychology) / Department of Psychology / See the attached abstract below

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of unemployment on the mental well-being of the South African working age population. The implication of exploring this relationship is to indicate the importance of good mental health among persons who are not employed. The present study also aimed atinvestigating the role that government can play in mitigating the impact of unemployment on mental health. This part of the research assessed the effectiveness of government’s social security system. The current study employs a mixed research design whereby both quantitative and qualitative methods of data analysis are used. The relationship between unemployment, mental well-being and government intervention is investigated using a cohort group in which the mental health of persons not employed, aged between 15 and 64 years, are followed over the period, 2004 to 2008. The results are presented using two types of data. First, secondary data from Statistics South Africa’s General Household Survey (GHS) were used to measure the impact of unemployment on mental health and to ascertain the impact of government social assistance on affected individuals’ mental well-being. Secondly, in order to explore individual perceptions around government intervention, the research employed a qualitative phenomenological design. This involved conducting semi-structured personal interviews with four unemployed women residing in Gauteng. The results showed that incidences of self-reported mental health illnesses were most likely to be found among individuals who were not employed as compared to those that were employed. This finding proved to be consistent using both descriptive and multivariate statistics which included predictive models. In terms of government intervention, positive mental well-being was shown to be positively related to access of social welfare services (in the form of social grants). This finding was true for all the years of reporting (i.e., 2004 to 2008). In conclusion, although unemployment was found to have a negative impact of mental well-being, government intervention was shown to positively mitigate this impact, thereby giving hope to an otherwise hopeless situation. Unemployment and its impact on mental well-beingalso proved to be a complex subject, requiring multidisciplinary intervening strategies to solving it. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 238- 250) / People who are Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) in the Gauteng province are faced with a number of challenges that have many detrimental effects. One major issue is the large number of NEET people who are information illiterate to operate information services that are largely web based. Previously, information services used to be more static in nature, but ICT advancement have enabled flexibility in terms of how people actively search for developmental and work opportunities information. Scholars and research institutions have conducted extensive studies on developing the capacity of NEET people. However, there was little evidence of studies that focus on services that serve information to this community of NEET people. Therefore, this thesis aims to propose an information services framework and provide an insightful discussion about information services and NEET people. Data were collected primarily through semi-structured interviews with NEET people and, in the process, observations transpired along, with document analysis. The study adopted qualitative research and the findings were analysed thematically in line with the objectives of the study. The study revealed that intervention programmes are important to support NEET people to gain confidence and prepare them for work by refining their skills. In addition, there are initiatives that offer support and training at no cost. The major findings of the study were that there are inequalities experienced by NEET people because of socio-economic issues. It was also discovered that there are NEET people who are self-taught to utilise information services on ICT platforms. The study concludes that information literacy is important for NEET people to proficiently make use of information services to search for information. Work experience topped the agenda in terms of challenges experienced by NEET people when seeking for work. Furthermore, seeking for work or developmental opportunities information is an emotionally draining exercise for most NEET people. Such that some of the NEET people have indicated that they feel discouraged, particularly when continuously being rejected by potential organisations. Good education remains important as it has the capacity to build the individual’s mind and better place the individual’s mind to demonstrate passion towards what the persons envisage to do. A further study is recommended to investigate the extent to which lack of ICT skills has an impact on increasing the risk of NEET people remaining NEET. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of unemployment on the mental well-being of the South African working age population. The implication of exploring this relationship is to indicate the importance of good mental health among persons who are not employed. The present study also aimed atinvestigating the role that government can play in mitigating the impact of unemployment on mental health. This part of the research assessed the effectiveness of government’s social security system. The current study employs a mixed research design whereby both quantitative and qualitative methods of data analysis are used. The relationship between unemployment, mental well-being and government intervention is investigated using a cohort group in which the mental health of persons not employed, aged between 15 and 64 years, are followed over the period, 2004 to 2008. The results are presented using two types of data. First, secondary data from Statistics South Africa’s General Household Survey (GHS) were used to measure the impact of unemployment on mental health and to ascertain the impact of government social assistance on affected individuals’ mental well-being. Secondly, in order to explore individual perceptions around government intervention, the research employed a qualitative phenomenological design. This involved conducting semi-structured personal interviews with four unemployed women residing in Gauteng. The results showed that incidences of self-reported mental health illnesses were most likely to be found among individuals who were not employed as compared to those that were employed. This finding proved to be consistent using both descriptive and multivariate statistics which included predictive models. In terms of government intervention, positive mental well-being was shown to be positively related to access of social welfare services (in the form of social grants). This finding was true for all the years of reporting (i.e., 2004 to 2008). In conclusion, although unemployment was found to have a negative impact of mental well-being, government intervention was shown to positively mitigate this impact, thereby giving hope to an otherwise hopeless situation. Unemployment and its impact on mental well-beingalso proved to be a complex subject, requiring multidisciplinary intervening strategies to solving it. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

MSCPNT / Department of Nutrition / Introduction: In the year 2012, South Africa had a prevalence rate of stunting in children aged 1- 3, 4 - 6 and 7 – 9 years at 26.5%, 11.9% and 9.4%, respectively (Shisana et al. (2013). The Greater Sekhukhune District Municipality (GSDM) also showed a high rate of stunting (36%) in children aged 13 to 215 months of age (FIVIMS, 2006). The GSDM had a high unemployment rate of 69% to 82.4% (Statistics SA, 2006; Department of Social Development, 2008).). South Africa has adequate food supplies to feed the entire population at the national level (Labadarios et al., 2011; du Toit et al., 2011); however, there is evidence of under-nutrition caused by lack of purchasing power, and not a shortage of food (Rose and Charlton, 2001). Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between the employment status of the mother, household hunger and the nutritional status of children aged one to twelve years (1-12 years) in households of Sekhukhune District in Limpopo Province. Objectives : The objectives of the study were to determine the socio-economic status of the household; to assess the nutritional status of children using anthropometric measurements; to assess dietary patterns of children in households; to determine household food security using food inventories; to determine the prevalence of household hunger using the standardized hunger scale; to determine the coping strategies to food deprivation used in each household and to determine the association between employment status of the mother, nutritional status of children and household hunger. Methodology: The study design was a cross sectional, exploratory and correlational study. The study used both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. A simple random sampling method was used to select nine villages from Makhuduthamaga local municipality and twenty households per village were selected using the systematic random sampling. Data was collected in households and a sample size of 180 children was selected based on the availability of a child within the selected age group. If there were more than one child within the 1-12 years, each child was then allocated a number and the one with the least number was selected. Biological mothers were the preferred participants, however if the mother was unavailable, the primary caregiver was selected and180 mothers or caregivers Results: The majority (92.2%) of mothers were unemployed and 91% of them had an income of less than R500.00 per month, whereas 33.9% of households had total income of less than R1000.00 About 64.4% and 28.4% borrowed food from neighbours/family/friends and bought food on credit from the local shop. The anthropometric status of children indicated a high prevalence of stunting, a medium prevalence of underweight and a low prevalence of wasting. Most caregivers were overweight or obese. About 66% of children ate three meals per day. Almost 44% of households were food insecure, whereas 33.9% were at risk of hunger and only 21.7% were food secure. There was no association between employment status of the mother, household hunger and anthropometric status indicators. Conclusion: Greater Sekhukhune District Municipality has a high rate of unemployment, poor household income and purchasing power and high level of food insecurity. The employment status of the mother was not associated with the level of wasting, stunting and underweight. Furthermore, employment status was also not associated with the level of hunger. Caregivers employed various strategies to cope with periods of food deprivation

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Text in Afrikaans / Die probleem van armoede is aangespreek deur middel van die groepwerkproses, waardeur mense sodanig bemagtig is dat die kringloop van armoede verbreek kon word. 'n Kwasi-eksperimentele navorsingsontwerp is gebruik met die groepwerkprogram as onafhanklike veranderlike en die algemene tevredenheid en graad van bemagtiging van die groeplede as die afhanklike veranderlikes. Slegs die voorondersoekgroep en twee eksperimentele groepe is aan die program onderwerp, maar nie die kontrolegroepe nie. n Voor- en natoets is deur aldie groeplede voltooi, om kwantitatiewe data te versamel. K walitatiewe data is versamel deur deelnemende waarneming en doelgeribte gesprekvoering. Die belangrikste verskil tussen die resultate van die eksperimentele groepe en die kontrolegroepe, was dat eersgenoemde tot aksie oorgegaan het terwyllaasgenoemde passief gebly het. Die gevolgtrekking kan dus gemaak word dat die groepwerkprogram wei tot die bemagtiging van die groeplede gelei het wat aan die program onderwerp was. Sleutelterme: Armoede, werkloosheid, haweloosheid, kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe navorsing, eksperimentele ontwerp, beskikbaarheidsteekproef, groepwerk, bemagtiging. / The problem of poverty was addressed through the group work process, in order to empower people so that the cycle of poverty could be broken. A quasi-experimental design was used with the group work programme as the independent variable and the general contentment and degree of empowerment of the group members as the dependent variables. Only the pilot study group and the two experimental groups were exposed to the programme, while the two control groups were not. Pre- and posttests were taken of all the group members to gather quantitative data. Qualitative data was gathered by means of participant observation and purposeful conversation. The most important difference between the different groups was that action was taken by the groups subjected to the programme, whereas the control groups remained passive. It can thus be concluded that the group work programme was instrumental in empowering those group members exposed to the programme. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Work)

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Text in Afrikaans / Die probleem van armoede is aangespreek deur middel van die groepwerkproses, waardeur mense sodanig bemagtig is dat die kringloop van armoede verbreek kon word. 'n Kwasi-eksperimentele navorsingsontwerp is gebruik met die groepwerkprogram as onafhanklike veranderlike en die algemene tevredenheid en graad van bemagtiging van die groeplede as die afhanklike veranderlikes. Slegs die voorondersoekgroep en twee eksperimentele groepe is aan die program onderwerp, maar nie die kontrolegroepe nie. n Voor- en natoets is deur aldie groeplede voltooi, om kwantitatiewe data te versamel. K walitatiewe data is versamel deur deelnemende waarneming en doelgeribte gesprekvoering. Die belangrikste verskil tussen die resultate van die eksperimentele groepe en die kontrolegroepe, was dat eersgenoemde tot aksie oorgegaan het terwyllaasgenoemde passief gebly het. Die gevolgtrekking kan dus gemaak word dat die groepwerkprogram wei tot die bemagtiging van die groeplede gelei het wat aan die program onderwerp was. Sleutelterme: Armoede, werkloosheid, haweloosheid, kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe navorsing, eksperimentele ontwerp, beskikbaarheidsteekproef, groepwerk, bemagtiging. / The problem of poverty was addressed through the group work process, in order to empower people so that the cycle of poverty could be broken. A quasi-experimental design was used with the group work programme as the independent variable and the general contentment and degree of empowerment of the group members as the dependent variables. Only the pilot study group and the two experimental groups were exposed to the programme, while the two control groups were not. Pre- and posttests were taken of all the group members to gather quantitative data. Qualitative data was gathered by means of participant observation and purposeful conversation. The most important difference between the different groups was that action was taken by the groups subjected to the programme, whereas the control groups remained passive. It can thus be concluded that the group work programme was instrumental in empowering those group members exposed to the programme. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Work)