Browsing by Author "Kometsi, Molelekoa Johannes."

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An investigation of the relationship between self-esteem and risk-taking behaviour among adolescent students studying at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg campus.
(2015) Manzini, Themba Trust.; Kometsi, Molelekoa Johannes.
This study sought to investigate the relationship between self-esteem and risk-taking behaviour among adolescent students studying at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg Campus. A total of 188 adolescent students within the age range of 18 and 22 from different race, academic level and genders were sampled from the student population. The study was conducted using a quantitative method, using correlational statistics. Self-esteem and risk-taking behaviour were the main variables studied. Research shows that adolescents’ engagement in risk-taking behaviour is prevalent and on the rise both locally and internationally. Negotiating adolescence involves many challenges and adjustment problems. Those who experience difficulties may resort to risktaking behaviour. Only a few studies have linked low self-esteem to risk-taking behaviour. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data and it comprised of items from two separate questionnaires: (1) the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (RSS); and (2) a Risk-Taking Behaviour Assessment Scale. Data were computed and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). This study found that self-esteem and risk-taking behaviour did not correlate significantly. Thus the null-hypothesis was proved to be true, indicating that self-esteem did not correlate with risk-taking behaviour, possibly because adolescent risk-taking behaviour is a complex phenomenon with multiple determinants or etiological factors. Detailed findings also revealed different patterns and levels of risk-engagement, and how they related to demographics. For example, alcohol use was found to be the most common form of risk behaviour amongst the participants. Risk-taking behaviour was higher amongst males than females. The findings of the present study provide information and possible understanding of the nature of the relationship between self-esteem and risk-taking behaviour among adolescent students. This has possible implications for further research, prevention and treatment strategies for counselling centre staff at local universities.
Mental health literacy : conceptions and attitudes toward mental disorders and beliefs about treatment among African residents of Sisonke district in KwaZulu-Natal.
(2016) Kometsi, Molelekoa Johannes.; Mkhize, Nhlanhla Jerome.
Nearly 1 in 10 people have a mental disorder worldwide, and there are many people with chronic or severe mental disorders who are unaware that they have a diagnosable disorder or that effective treatment is available. This may lead to delays in appropriate help-seeking and negative attitudes toward patients with mental illness. It is plausible that this is largely because of the public’s non-alignment of biomedical understanding of mental illness which may imply lack of mental health literacy. Such assumptions, however, do not take into consideration the fact that various societies draw their knowledge from different worldviews, which in turn informs their conceptualisation of mental illness. This study investigated conceptions and attitudes toward three mental disorders, namely, depression, schizophrenia, and alcohol dependency, and beliefs about their treatment among African residents of Sisonke District in KwaZulu-Natal. The sample was drawn from two municipalities of Sisonke District (Kokstad and Kwa Sani) using a survey. In total, 787 African participants of both genders were randomly recruited, and they completed a self-administered questionnaire. Data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences for Windows, Version 24.0. The results show an endorsement of multiple explanatory models of illness, thus suggesting an embracement of both Western and indigenous influences in conceptualisation of mental illness. This study found that participants did not use standard psychological nomenclature to describe mental illness, but instead used very broad, over-encompassing terms which may be indicative of their worldview. Of the three disorders investigated, depression was mainly conceptualised using psychological and medical terms, and schizophrenia and alcohol dependency were conceptualised in psychological and social terms. In addition, only schizophrenia, among the three disorders investigated was conceptualised using supernatural descriptions such as bewitchment and ukuthwasa. The results also show that conceptualisation of mental illness is not haphazard; but is viewed as holistic and as encompassing social, psychological and physical factors. The results of the current study also revealed that participants’ conceptions of mental illness are significantly related to their aetiological beliefs. The results of this study highlighted the strong preference among the respondents for professional help-seeking, particularly from social workers and medical practitioners, for the treatment of depression and alcohol dependency. However, traditional healing was seen as more helpful for treating schizophrenia. Furthermore, the results indicate that vitamins, minerals and tonics, pain relievers, antibiotics as well as tranquilisers were considered more helpful for the treatment of depression. Regarding attitudes towards mental illness, the key findings in this study indicate that negative attitudes towards people with mental illness are widely maintained. Of the three disorders investigated in this study, most of the participants attributed stigmatising attitudes more toward alcohol dependency. Furthermore, the results suggest a general willingness to have a closer social distance with mentally ill individuals, especially when the relationship is perceived as less intimate. However, this finding was converse when the relationship was perceived to be more intimate. The results of this study highlight the importance of awareness campaigns that take into consideration and respect the cultural differences of the people, collaboration between traditional and medical practitioners. Suggestions for future research, emphasising the use of discourse analysis to further explore indigenous communities’ constructions of mental illness and their beliefs about its causes and treatment are recommended.
Substance use and risky sexual behaviour among adolescents at a tertiary institution and those who are neither studying nor employed in Pietermaritzburg.
(2017) Nene, Sabelo Sipho.; Kometsi, Molelekoa Johannes.
Using quantitative-cross sectional research design, this study investigated the relationship between substance use and risky sexual behaviour among adolescents studying at a tertiary institution and adolescents who are not studying and are also unemployed in Pietermaritzburg. It was hypothesized that adolescents who are neither studying nor employed would engage in substance use and risky sexual behaviour more than their student counterparts as a result of negotiating challenges brought by adolescent stage in face of socio-economic difficulties. Using convenience sampling method, a total of 400 (N) adolescents from both genders, who were within the age range of 18 and 21 were sampled, of the 400, 200 were first year adolescent students from University of KwaZulu Natal, Pietermaritzburg, while the other 200 were sampled from adolescents who are not studying and also not employed in Pietermaritzburg Central Business District (CBD), Imbali Township, Northdale and woodlands. A self-administered Risk-Taking Behaviour questionnaire was used as data collection tool. This study found that there were no significant differences between student adolescents and those who are neither studying nor employed in engagement in substance use and risky sexual behaviour. Alcohol was identified as the prime predictor of adolescents’ involvement in risky sexual behaviour. Detailed results showed different patterns of engagement in risk-taking behaviours and how they relate to demographic factors. For example, significantly more males than females have smoked cigarettes and dagga; early age of dagga smoking onset was reported more by females than males. Results of this study highlight the complexity of adolescents’ risk taking behaviours and their multifaceted etiological factors. In essence, findings of this study revealed that adolescents’ substance use and risky sexual behaviour is a reality and they also confirmed that adolescent risk taking behaviour is prevalent and on the rise both locally and globally, regardless of socio-economic or historical background. This study also highlighted the plight of South African adolescents from previously disadvantaged communities who have to negotiate this stage in the face of socio-economic difficulties. More larger qualitative studies on this subject are recommended to document subjective experiences of adolescents’ engagement in risky-behaviours.