Research into the psychological consequences of natural disasters in South Africa
remains largely unexplored. This is surprising, given the devastating economical and
psychological ramifications that result from major catastrophic events. No research has been
done relating specifically to the experiences and coping strategies of fanners who have
experienced a veld fire disaster in South Africa. Farmers constitute an important sub-group
for study as they may be psychologically at risk to the effects of disasters. In the international
research arena exploration of the long-term consequences of disasters is lacking. In
considering the question of coping following a disaster, few studies have focused on the
influence of temporal dynan1ics, which would seem to be crucial to the outcomes of coping
strategies.
This study aims to address these gaps in the literature by exploring the experiences and
coping strategies of farmers who have experienced a veld fire disaster which occurred in the
North West Province of South Africa on 23 August 2011. The total financial loss as a result
of the fire amounted to R42 276 I 71. The fires were allegedly caused by damaged power
lines, which produced sparks and ignited the nearby veld.
This study used a qualitative design. This methodological approach was adopted for
its ability to capture the complex and time-sensitive dynamics of coping strategies. This was
combined with a case study approach, based on the experiences and coping strategies of eight
farmers who had experienced a veld fire disaster within the boundaries of one geographical
area. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the farmers in their homes and were
recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed.
The results of the analysis showed that the farmers progressed through three time
periods with distinct patterns of experience and corresponding coping strategies. The person environment relationship, as well as transitioning situational demands inherent in this
relationship, were found to be crucial in determining the outcomes of the fanners•
experiences and coping strategies. The results also suggest that successful coping is reliant on the individual’s ability to continually adapt their coping strategies in a context-appropriate manner. It is recommended that psychological debriefing should be avoided and that crisis intervention teams (CIT) should focus on the long-term consequences of the veld fire. Future coping research needs to take the temporal aspects of coping into account. / MA (Research Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:NWUBOLOKA1/oai:dspace.nwu.ac.za:10394/10825 |
| Date | January 2014 |
| Creators | Becker, Herman Christiaan Johannes |
| Source Sets | North-West University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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