Masters Degrees (Psychology)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10413/6476

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An investigation of sleep quality, mental health and job satisfaction among shift workers in South African logistics industry.
(2023) Patel, Thuraiyaa.; Madlabana-Luthuli, Cynthia Zandile.
South Africa hosts an immense human population - one that requires goods and service provision on a vast scale and a rapid timeline. Swift goods and service delivery necessitates an expansive logistics industry which operates on a 24/7 timeline. The employees who drive the logistics industry, known as shift workers, are responsible for ensuring that the local and global supply chains are well-oiled and constantly moving. However, the impact of the act of working in shifts denotes that these employees work odd hours, during the night, at different times every day and rest at abnormal hours of the day. Shift workers are known to experience unusual hours of work which can have implications on their physical health. For example, these could be irregular sleeping patterns and unhealthy lifestyles, and simultaneous disruption of their personal lives. The physical impact of shift work often has an unpleasant effect on the mental and emotional health of such employees, further impacting the feelings that a shift worker has toward the job. This study aimed to investigate sleep quality, mental health and job satisfaction of such shift workers in the South African logistics industry, such that a greater understanding can be obtained about the health of such employees in a relatively underexplored realm of South African research. This investigation additionally unearths the relationships between the constructs of sleep quality, mental health and job satisfaction and distinguishes if sleep quality is a mediator between the constructs of mental health and job satisfaction in shift workers. This study followed a quantitative research design, utilising the theoretical frameworks of the Herzberg Two-Factor Analysis, Broaden and Build theory of Positive Emotions and Spielman’s Three-Factor Model. The construct of sleep quality was measured through the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the construct of mental health was measured through the General Health Questionnaire -12 and the construct of job satisfaction was measured through the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire – with the biographical data obtained from a biographical questionnaire. A sample of 102 (N=102) was utilised for this study and was obtained from a national South African logistics company. Results of the study indicate that the levels of sleep quality and mental health of these shift workers were poor, whilst the level of job satisfaction experienced was on the positive and more inclined to good levels of job satisfaction. Additionally, the results of the study indicate that relationships between all three constructs are present and that sleep quality is a mediator of mental health and job satisfaction of such shift workers. A secondary test known as Sobel’s Test, was conducted to confirm that sleep quality is a mediator between mental health and job satisfaction. Limitations presented throughout the study related to the data collection process with physical pen-and-paper questionnaires, the time frame to collect data and the additional external challenge of navigating research during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health Questionnaire -12 and the construct of job satisfaction was measured through the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire – with the biographical data obtained from a biographical questionnaire. A sample of 102 (N=102) was utilised for this study and was obtained from a national South African logistics company. Results of the study indicate that the levels of sleep quality and mental health of these shift workers were poor, whilst the level of job satisfaction experienced was on the positive and more inclined to good levels of job satisfaction. Additionally, the results of the study indicate that relationships between all three constructs are present and that sleep quality is a mediator of mental health and job satisfaction of such shift workers. A secondary test known as Sobel’s Test, was conducted to confirm that sleep quality is a mediator between mental health and job satisfaction. Limitations presented throughout the study related to the data collection process with physical pen-and-paper questionnaires, the time frame to collect data and the additional external challenge of navigating research during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Exploring postgraduate students' experiences of adjusting to Social Sciences degree at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
(2024) Nkosi, Nobuhle Phumelele.; Makhaba, Vukani Luvuyo.
Students encounter various experiences upon enrolling in their new academic levels. One significant experience is the adjustment process, which can impact their postgraduate journey. Adversities can pose a threat to the process of student adjustment, resulting in several challenges that impede their academic pursuit. Students successfully adjusting to their studies allows them to have a smoother academic journey, complete studies within the designated time, and experience minimal attrition rates. Therefore, students must have adequate coping mechanisms to adjust. This study aims to explore the experiences that postgraduate students encounter when adjusting to their studies. A qualitative research approach was employed for this study. The data was collected using semi-structured interviews with eight participants. The participants were all registered at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Howard College Campus, for their Master of Social Science degree. The data collected was analysed using the six-step thematic data analysis. The u-curve theory of adjustment and concepts borrowed from the social learning theory was used as the study’s theoretical framework. Findings reveal that various challenges impact students’ attempts to adjust. These challenges included the (a) nature of the academic support that the participants received and (b) the lack of orientation programs for postgraduate students. Further challenges included (c) the nature of the supervisor/supervisee relationship and (d) the need to balance social and personal responsibilities. As a result of these challenges, the participants faced longer completion times and a higher dropout risk. Participants highlighted how peer and family support positively impacted their academic progress. Some of the participants reported receiving adequate support from the university staff. In contrast, most of the participants yearned for support from the university as they felt isolated. The findings suggest that support from the university was important for the participants, primarily through the provision of resources such as funds and adequate academic support. Participants also acknowledged the vital role they had to play in laying the foundation for their studies in terms of preparations before commencing their studies. Findings suggest that when the university and the students put effort into postgraduate studies, it ensures a healthy adjustment culture within the university for current and future postgraduate students. A qualitative study exploring postgraduate students’ experiences of adjusting to social science higher degrees at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The study’s findings contribute to the body of knowledge by highlighting interventions that the university can implement for future postgraduate students. Part of the intervention also includes the role the students should play to ensure their success and timely completion. The findings also suggest that literature should equally explore postgraduate student experiences as they adjust to their studies. This inclusion will allow for more postgraduate students’ experiences to be recorded and understood.
A qualitative exploration of the career guidance experiences of learners from the rural school Eshowe.
(2023) Mkhize, Njabulo.; Reuben, Shanya.; Bobat, Shaida.
The current study explores the career guidance experiences of learners attending a school situated in a rural area. The researcher's motivation stemmed from her personal interest in the subject matter. Her aim was to make a contribution to the existing body of knowledge that explores the career guidance experiences of young individuals residing in rural regions. The researcher posits that enhancing the caliber of education in rural locales will enable the youth in these regions to make judicious career choices and foster their role as conscientious contributors to the nation's economy. A comprehensive analysis of the existing literature reveals an inadequate amount of information in the South African context pertaining to the career guidance experiences of learners in rural locales. The objective of this study is to ascertain the encounters and obstacles faced by learners enrolled at High School X, situated in a rural locality in Eshowe. The focus is primarily on Grade 12 learners, as there is a dearth of South African research on this particular group of learners in rural schools. This study delved deeper into the methods by which learners obtain career-related information and the limitations they encounter in terms of career guidance counselling and decision making. This research is a qualitative study that employed snowball sampling to select participants from a single rural high school located in Eshowe, KwaZulu Natal. The research utilised semi-structured interviews as a data collection method and applied thematic analysis to analyse the gathered data. The present study was framed by utilising social constructionism and career construction theories as theoretical frameworks. The theory of social constructionism elucidates the cognitive processes through which learners in rural educational institutions perceive, comprehend, and construct their social environment. The aforementioned theory facilitates comprehension of how the rural context influences the professional trajectories of young people. The second theoretical framework, known as "career construction," elucidates the process by which individuals establish a professional trajectory through their actions, which are shaped by the interplay between personal factors and the social milieu. The findings of the research indicate that learners attending rural schools encounter difficulties with regards to career guidance due to various factors such as the unavailability of subject choices and a career guidance counsellor, inadequate financial resources allocated to rural schools, substandard infrastructure, inadequate road networks and transportation, insufficient access to electricity, and a dearth of learning resources. The study highlights several challenges, including the discouragement of female learners in rural schools from pursuing science and engineering professions. The study revealed that participants identified positive career guidance experiences wherein their families, schools, classmates, and friends served as career advisers and role models. These individuals provided support to the participants in selecting their subjects and careers. Research has indicated that young people tend to prioritise the pursuit of their career passions over occupations that are currently in high demand within the job market. Insufficient access to dependable information regarding scarce skills and employment opportunities post-graduation is a prevalent issue among youth residing in rural regions. Additionally, it was found that career fairs, campus tours, and online resources were deemed significant sources of career-oriented information for addressing obstacles related to career guidance. The research suggests that the provision of career guidance counsellors in schools located in rural areas can be an effective strategy to address the negative experiences that young people encounter with regards to career guidance. The research suggests that it would be beneficial to provide assistance and motivation to young people residing in rural regions to pursue professions that necessitate rare abilities and are presently propelling the 21st century economy. These professions include careers in information technology and engineering, among others. It is imperative to implement measures aimed at fostering supportive and enabling working environments for young girls to gain the confidence to make informed career choices while also taking action to address gender discrimination in the workplace. Additional measures ought to be implemented to allocate greater financial resources towards rural educational institutions or to assess the efficacy of the current funding allocation in such schools.
Factors that influence the students’ career choice of Psychology at the University of KwaZulu Natal.
(2025) Mdladla, Sbusisiwe Felicity.; Reuben, Shanya.
The aim of this study was to explore factors that influence the career choice of psychology students in the University of KwaZulu Natal. This study explored the personal, social and environmental factors that influence career choice. Literature reveals that career decision making is not a straight-forward process, rather, it is a process that is affected by a number of factors (Kulcsar et al, 2019 ). Literature also revealed that in a context such as the South African context career choice is also directly affected by its socio-political context (Chinyamurindi, 2016). The theoretical framework that was used in this research study is the theory of reciprocal determinism coined by Albert Bandura, which suggests that a person’s behaviour is influenced by their personal factors, their environment, and the behaviour itself (Bandura, 1978). This theoretical framework was used for this study because it allows for an exploration of how a person’s behaviour is influenced or affected by different factors such as their personal factors and environmental factors. The study adopted a qualitative approach in exploring these factors. This current study used purposive sampling to gather a sample. The sample consisted of a total of eight participants of which were completing their Honours Degree at the time they participated in the study. All of the participants of this study were studying general psychology. A thematic analysis was used to analyse the data collected by the researcher in order to show the perceptions of psychology students in the University of KwaZulu Natal. Different themes were formed from this data to present the different interpretations of the participants. The central themes that were discovered from the findings include social influences and personal determinants of career choice; university factors shaping career paths and perceived career outcomes and expectations. These findings indicated the interconnection between various factors that influence a participants' career choice. They showed the importance of career counselling at the university as it helped students make informed decisions about their study paths and future careers. Receiving such professional career counselling at the university thus has a great impact on one’s career choice. Social and industry influence were also expressed as a push factor in furthering participants education to a master’s degree level which would make it easier for them to be registered psychologists. Furthermore, the findings implied that career choices were also a result of personal interests which motivated one to pursue opportunities in a particular field.
Exploring the work perceptions and experiences of gig workers globally: a scoping review.
(2025) Hussain, Sameera.; Reuben, Shanya.; Meyer-Weitz, Anna.
Background: The gig economy is growing rapidly all around the world, which highlights the significance of more research in this field noting the possible ramifications for platform owners and legislators. Despite extensive global research, a synthesis of the current results is required as the last review was conducted in 2017 and is now outdated. By providing a current overview of the latest information, this review aims to close this gap. Objectives: This scoping review explores the current state of the perceptions and experiences of gig workers on a global scale in order to update the findings from the previous review by Bajwa et al. (2018). This review followed the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines. Insights essential for the development of more robust policy and support strategies for gig workers globally will be provided. Eligibility criteria: Full-text research, in the English language, on the perceptions and experiences of gig workers around the world from 2018 to 2024 were included. Every study design and piece of grey literature was taken into account. Non-English, full-text unavailable, studies without pertinent content, and those published prior to 2018 were excluded. Sources of evidence: A comprehensive search was conducted across multiple electronic databases, including EBSCOhost, Scopus, Sage, Springer, Taylor & Francis, Wiley, and Google Scholar. Relevant grey literature and policy documents were also retrieved from websites such as the International Labour Organization (ILO), World Bank, and National Bureau of Economic Research. Charting methods: Data from the included 26 studies were extracted and organized using a descriptive charting process based on the requirements of a standard scoping review methodology. Key information such as authors, publication year, country, study aims, methodology, and findings on gig workers’ perceptions and experiences were systematically recorded and analyzed using Microsoft Excel. Results: In keeping with the findings of the previous review by Bajwa et al. (2018), this review found that gig workers, especially younger generations, enjoy the freedom and flexibility that is associated with gig work which remain attractive features of the gig economy. However, gig workers continue to face numerous challenges, some of which have been worsened by the 21 COVID-19 pandemic. These challenges include social isolation, absence of employment benefits, increased competition for jobs, algorithmic control implications, job insecurity, as well as mental health issues. Additionally, this review offered insights into the role of education and skills development in relation to job satisfaction as it was found that those workers who possess higher education levels, experience greater job satisfaction in comparison to those with lower levels of education. Findings also highlighted that geographic and gender disparities play a role in the perceptions and experiences of gig workers, specifically in lower-income countries such as sub-Saharan Africa. Conclusions: This study highlights how crucial it is that platform owners and legislators develop improved rules, practices, and actions to improve gig workers' working conditions and the available psychosocial support.
Navigating the new normal: small, medium, and micro enterprise managers’ lived experiences with telework during the Covid-19 pandemic in South Africa.
(2023) Gumede, Akhonamandla.; Madlabana-Luthuli, Zandile.
The Covid-19 pandemic has placed organisational managers at the forefront with their ability to lead organisations successfully during the crisis. Telework being a rare approach in South Africa and the pandemic a never-experienced phenomenon, managers faced several challenges. Most literature on the impact on organisations of the Covid-19 pandemic focuses on employees’ experiences and limited attention to managers. Specifically, research on small, medium, and micro enterprise (SMME) managers is scarce. Thus, this study explores SMME managers’ experiences with teleworking during the Covid-19 pandemic in the South African context. The study used in-depth semi-structured interviews to collect data, following a case study approach. It is revealed that SMME managers experienced a balance in challenges and opportunities in the effect of the pandemic. As a result, there is a great need for training and development for SMME managers to better cope during and post the Covid-19 pandemic. SMME managers recognised the criticality of obtaining training in resilience, emotional intelligence, change management, and leadership development in adverse times. The findings have contributed to a South African conceptualisation of teleworking. Hence, the study recommends the exploration of gender differences in managers’ experiences of teleworking in this context and the impact of the availability of energy resources to facilitate telework in developing economies.
Mapping emotional coping interventions for health care providers: a scoping review.
(2024) Andrew, Alison Teneal.; Petrus, Ruwayda.; Madlabana, Cynthia Zandile.
Background: Primary Health Care (PHC) nurses in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) such as South Africa, are confronted by socio-economic inequalities that impact their health and well-being, and capacity to provide person-centred care (PCC). Concurrently, the organisational/system changes amplified pre-existing emotional strain (i.e., burnout, stress, and compassion fatigue). Through the driving of PCC, Human Resources for Health (HRH) strategies, the implementation of National Health Insurance (NHI) plan and re-engineering of PHC which aim to meet the global health care sector standards. The delivery of emotional coping skill interventions capacitates PHC nurses to cope and provide optimum PCC in PHC. This scoping review focused on broadly reviewing emotional coping skill interventions for health care providers in LMICs. Subsequently, the findings were refined to infer knowledge on building emotional coping skills interventions, particularly for PHC nurses in the South African context. Purpose: To map emotional coping skills interventions for health care providers within LMICs to improve the well-being of the PHC nurses to provide optimum care in PHC. Methods and Analysis: The Arksey and O'Malley’s framework scoping review was used to map evidence on emotional coping skills interventions for health care providers (i.e., nurses) within LMICs. Furthermore, the PRISMA-SCR flowchart and checklist were utilised to depict the search strategy. A narrative review approach was utilised to chart the data, and the database search was recorded as follows; author(s) & year of publication, study location (country), aims and objectives of the study, methodology, study population, intervention type, duration of the intervention, outcome measures, key findings, and limitations. Data were thematically analysed and guided by the Thomas and Harden (2008) thematic framework to identify trends and gaps. Findings: The review distilled 5 eligible articles, published between the years 2015 to 2018. The findings revealed two major themes set by the study's research objectives. Theme 1revealed a gap for context-specific interventions as there was a myriad of factors specific to the South African health care sector to be accounted for in the curation of interventions and a paucity of primary research on emotional coping skill interventions to cope with the adverse “people work” (i.e., burnout, stress, and compassion fatigue). Theme 2 revealed factors that contributed to improved well-being namely, education and training, communication, debriefing/venting, religion and spirituality, social support, humour, and duration of interventions and working hours. Conclusion and Recommendations: The findings of the scoping review substantiate that emotional coping skill interventions exist in LMICs and are beneficial to the well-being of PHC nurses. From an organisational perspective, the findings demonstrate that the existing interventions propose a basis for future emotional coping skill interventions for PHC nurses to be capacitated with the necessary tools to cope. In addition, further primary research is required to propose a South African context of standard of best practice to shape subsequent interventions.
Struggle songs and collective identity.
(2024) Khuzwayo, Bukelwa Fundiswa.; Ndlazi, Adelaide Nozipho.
This qualitative study aimed to explore the role of struggle songs in constructing a collective identity for students who sing struggle songs during student protests. This study was guided by the objective to explore how the discourse strategies employed in struggle songs currently sung by student activists in South Africa are used to construct their collective identities. The theoretical foundations of this study were based on the Afrocentric paradigm, specifically the Afrocentric framework of personhood. A social constructivist research paradigm was adopted in this study. The data in this study was collected through a purposive sampling of N=21 videos of struggle songs available on the YouTube platform from 2015 to 2022. A political discourse analysis (van Dijk, 1997) was used to analyse the data in this research. The research findings indicated that struggle songs are a form of political discourse with discursive strategies that construct the collective identities of the students who sing them. The study found that these discursive strategies included topics, textual schemata, local semantics, lexicon, syntax, rhetoric, expression structures and speech acts. The study found that the struggle songs discursively construct the students' collective identities based on their sense of community belonging, unity, and connection with apartheid activists. This research found that today, discursive strategies are used in struggle songs to construct the student's social, political, communal, racial and socioeconomic collective identities. The findings of this study collaborated with the Afrocentric framework of personhood through the notion that the conceptualisation of a person, their behaviour, and motivations are based on their community existence, unity of being and relation to others. The study's conclusions will be helpful to the government, institutions of higher learning, university management, and, more importantly, the student activists who sing the struggle songs and future students and student activists who will be singing the struggle songs in the near future.
The history and psychology of beauty in South Africa: developing a sense of self as an African woman.
(2024) Khama, Sinqobile.; Ndlazi, Adelaide Nozipho.
This study explores how Black African women in South Africa view beauty, with an emphasis on how colonial and post-colonial social norms have shaped their sense of self. With a focus on the ways that Eurocentric ideals, disseminated through media, culture, and social structures, have shaped and, in some cases, distorted, the self-concept and body image of African women, this study employs a qualitative methodology with an exploratory design, seeking to understand how older and younger generations of African women define and experience beauty. Two focus groups were formed each consisting of six participants. One focus group comprised older women who experienced apartheid, and the other with younger women who grew up in the years following the end of apartheid. Through the use of semi-structured focus group discussions, each participant was asked to consider how they saw pictures of African women in the media today and how their ideas of beauty had changed. By using thematic analysis to analyse the data, important themes and patterns in the participant narratives were identified. Key findings suggest an ongoing conflict between Eurocentric norms and traditional African beauty ideals, especially when it comes to skin tone, body size, and hair. The elderly participants favoured Eurocentric traits like lighter complexion and smaller bodies, influenced by ideals from the colonial era. On the other hand, the student participants, who were younger in age, demonstrated an increasing desire to embrace natural African traits including dark skin, bigger bodies, and natural hair while being heavily exposed to Western beauty standards through social media. Nonetheless, a significant number of younger individuals encountered coercion to adhere to Western norms, suggesting a persistent internal struggle between embracing African beauty ideals and universal ideals of beauty. This demonstrates the generational shift in views of beauty and the ongoing effects of media and society on African women's identities and self-esteem. By highlighting the internal and external pressures Black African women endure, this research contributes to the limited literature on African beauty. In the face of globalised Eurocentric norms, it highlights the significance of fostering inclusive and diverse beauty standards that validate the identities and self-esteem of African women. This study, viewed through the lens of social constructivism, highlights the intricate relationship among beauty, identity, and self-worth in African countries, providing fresh perspectives on how these women negotiate the contradictory signals surrounding beauty in the contemporary world.
A systematic review of teachers’ perceptions of learners’ intelligence in relation to gender, age, and cultural differences.
(2024) Majola, Happy Maureen.; Munnik, James Barry.
This study investigated teachers’ perceptions of intelligence with particular reference to learners’ gender, age, and cultural differences. A systematic review of relevant existing studies conducted within twenty years (2002 to 2022) on teachers’ perceptions of intelligence was undertaken. To implement the study a protocol referred to as Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and the data search strategy called Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome (PICO), were adopted. Guided by these methodological strategies the study collected and synthesised data qualitatively to answer the key questions of the research. To extract and collate the findings from the different relevant sources included in the sample for the review, a qualitative thematic synthesis was used, which yielded the emerging themes. The findings revealed that: Learners’ intelligence as perceived by teachers is related to age, gender, and culture. Teachers have two different types of mindsets that influence their perceptions of learners’ intelligence which are referred to as implicit theories of intelligence (incremental and entity mindsets or beliefs). Teachers who consider intelligence as malleable/incremental believe that intelligence can develop over time and can suffer interference or improvements from the environment and undergo some changes throughout life. Whereas teachers who consider intelligence as a fixed entity see intelligence as innate and the brain as having little or no plasticity. There is shortage of data and studies that investigate teachers’ perceptions in the field of intelligence, particularly in relation to scholars in the African continent. Such dearth of research is regretted and suggests that there is a need for researchers in the African continent to double their efforts towards conducting studies focusing on teachers’ perceptions of intelligence. Implications of these findings were examined and recommendations for improved policy and further research were proffered.
Does the First-Year Experience Mentorship Program for first-year students at The University of KwaZulu Natal yield positive results? an exploratory study.
(2025) Masemola, Sanah Katlego Malekgala.; Lekeka, Motlalepule Adeline.
This study investigates the First-Year Experience (FYE) Mentorship Programme at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) through the lens of Social Constructivism. The research examines the role of mentorship in facilitating first-year students' academic support, social integration, and retention within the university community. A qualitative methodology was employed, utilising semi-structured interviews with mentees to explore their experiences and needs. The findings highlight the programme's effectiveness in fostering a sense of belonging and providing academic support, consistent with Vygotsky's theory emphasising the importance of social interactions in learning. However, challenges emerged, including limited mentor engagement and inconsistent communication, which negatively impacted mentees' experiences. Participants reported a lack of emotional support and insufficient cultural competency among mentors as significant shortcomings. Recommendations include enhancing mentor training to incorporate emotional support strategies and cultural competency, structuring support sessions, and implementing feedback mechanisms for programme improvement. While the study underscores the potential of mentorship programmes to support first-year students, it acknowledges limitations such as its single-institution focus and qualitative approach, suggesting the need for broader research across multiple institutions.
Encouraging vaccination against Human Papillomavirus: a case study of the Gauteng Department of Health's social media health messaging.
(2024) Hossain, Alifa Dil.; Munro, Nicholas.
The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most widely spread Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) and frequent exposure can cause cervical cancer in women, often resulting in death. Due to the high incidence of cervical cancer fatalities, the World Health Organisation (WHO), recommended the HPV vaccine as a prevention strategy. In South Africa, cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women. Since 2014, the South African government rolled out a free HPV vaccine, to girls attending public schools in grade 5 aged 9 years or older, in an attempt to reduce their risk of developing cervical cancer. Despite initial programme success within the first few years of the rollout, the HPV vaccine uptake has decreased since and especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was found that ‘anti-vaxxer’ attitudes further impacted all vaccine initiatives and that these attitudes and opinions tended to be most vocal on the variety of social media platforms available today. Social media has become a main mode of communication and a primary source of information for many across the world. This study aimed to explore the social media health messaging regarding the HPV vaccine programme for schoolgirls and public’s reactions to these health messages on the Gauteng Department of Health’s (GDOH) social media handles and official website. The GDOH was specifically chosen for this study due being the most populous province and the economic hub of the country. Grounded in the Health Belief Model (HBM), this qualitative study aimed to analyse health messaging conveyed by the GDOH, how it was received by the public, and what health beliefs were elicited from the HPV vaccine programme’s health messaging. It was found that the GDOH used timing, repetition, combining the HPV vaccine programme with other health initiatives, and education regarding HPV vaccine prevention against cancer, as health communication strategies to increase and motivate for HPV vaccine uptake. It is identified that the public became disinterested from the use of repetitive posts, demanded further education and information pertaining to the HPV vaccine, contested the age group chosen, and viewed the HPV vaccine programme as gendered. Data from the GDOH’s social media and official website indicate that all six constructs of the HBM were strategically implemented to motivate parents and guardians to consent for the HPV vaccine. However, the GDOH needs to engage and collaborate with the public further to effectively increase and improve HPV vaccination uptake among schoolgirls.
A systematic review of the impact of physical abuse on the mental health of children and adolescents in South Africa.
(2024) Ganywamulume, Nshobole.; Nene, Khanyisile.
Physical abuse against children is a global concern that affects children and adolescents worldwide, South Africa is not an exception to this global phenomenon. This systematic review study examines studies published on the impact of physical abuse on the mental health of children and adolescents in South Africa. It also reviews the interventional methods used to mitigate the mental health effects of physical abuse. This systematic review is guided by two specific research objectives: (i) to identify the impacts that physical abuse has on the mental health of children and adolescents’ mental health in South Africa; and (ii) to identify interventional methods that are currently available and used to enhance the mental health of children and adolescents impacted by physical abuse in South Africa. A mixed methods was carried out for this study. It covered studies published between 2013 - 2023 in South Africa’s four provinces - Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu - Natal, and Gauteng. It covered the age groups between 6 years and 16 years. Google Scholar along with Pub Med, SAGE, Ebscohost, APA Psych Info, and Web of Science databases were used for this review. Twelve studies were included in the review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis screening guidelines. Thematic analysis was used to identify five major themes - (i) the psychological impact of corporal punishment (ii) behavioural consequences, (iii) the cycle of violence (iv) conflict resolution, and (v) parents and caregivers’ interventional methods. Results indicated that participants were abused in their respective homes and their institutional settings. There were substantial connotations between the experience of child physical abuse and corporal punishment with poor mental health adjustment. The overall results demonstrated that there is lifelong adverse health, social and economic consequences for survivors. Based on the findings, the study recommends a multidisciplinary approach to reduce the existing gap in knowledge on studies that explore physical abuse and its impact on the mental health of children and adolescents in South Africa. Future studies can inform policy changes and legal reforms to better protect children. It can help identify gaps in existing child protection laws and policies, leading to improvements in the legal framework. These policies should consider physical abuse and child protection as a human right issue.
Exploring mental health literacy and awareness of help-seeking behaviour including barriers thereof, among Hindu students' at UKZN.
(2023) Moodley, Melissa.; Mtwentula-Ndlovu, Ntombekhaya Antoinette.
Background: There exists, in the developing world, a lack of research concerning mental health awareness and help-seeking behaviour, and South Africa is no different. Within the South African context, there is a diverse range of people from different religions. Culture and religion can influence the way people view mental health and help-seeking therefore, further research regarding religious influences in the understanding of mental disorders is urgently required to better accommodate cultural uniqueness. This study investigated mental health literacy and awareness of help-seeking behaviour among Hindu students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Method: A qualitative research approach was used to frame this research. Thirteen (n=13) Hindu participants aged 18 to 25 years old were sampled, consisting of both male and female students. To select the participants, the researcher used both purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Data was collected through a predetermined interview schedule, administered during semi-structured interviews. Data was analysed using thematic analysis. Findings: The researcher established that there exists a lack of mental health awareness among Hindu students at UKZN which may result in barriers to help-seeking. Stigma linked to mental health awareness was identified as the main barrier to help-seeking. A link between religion (Hinduism) and the way mental health is perceived has been highlighted. Additionally, findings highlighted that prior history/exposure to others with mental health conditions positively influenced mental health awareness and help-seeking behaviour. Conclusion: It can be concluded that more needs to be done to promote mental health and educate students on campus, however it also highlights, the key to increasing help-seeking and mental health awareness among students may be targeting their communities first. This may lead to decreased stigma and misconceptions and encourage help-seeking behaviour.
Psychosocial interventions for caregivers of individuals with dementia: a scoping review.
(2023) Nightingale, Kelsey.; Meyer-Weitz, Anna.
Dementia caregivers face increased risk for decreased health, physically, psychologically, and socially. Yet, informal caregivers globally provide the majority of care for people with dementia. While individualised interventions for caregivers have shown positive results, their implementation has been limited. This brings to question what are the content and nature of interventions and also possible barriers that prevent their use. It is therefore important to explore the literature surrounding this topic to determine what evidence there is for current psychosocial interventions for caregivers of individuals living with dementia. A comprehensive search of available literature on psychosocial interventions for dementia carers was conducted through Ebscohost, Google Scholar, Lancet, PubMed, and Wiley Online. A total of nineteen published articles were reviewed and analysed. Eighteen studies (94.7%) were based in high-income countries. Most studies utilised a quantitative methodology (n = 13; 68%) while the others utilised a qualitative (n = 3; 16%) or a mixed-methods approach (n = 3; 16%). Of the interventions utilised, 15 of the 19 studies (79%) incorporated the intervention into a known intervention while four developed a new intervention (21%). The thematic analysis of the data showed themes across the different approaches utilised by the interventions that include psychoeducation, therapeutic, and support. Caregiver burden and depression were the most predominant recorded outcomes across the 19 studies, with other health related aspects also measured, i.e. quality of life, distress, anxiety, self-efficacy, caregiver reaction to problem behaviour, utilisation of resources, and well-being. Caregiver burden was included as an outcome measure in 10 studies (53%), while depression was included as a target intervention measure in nine of the studies (47%). Current research on psychosocial interventions has shown a consistency in content focus. Most studies were conducted in high income countries, were quantitative, used known interventions, included informal caregivers, were professionally administered, and in-person. Comparing psychoeducational and therapeutic interventions, psychoeducational approaches seemed to demonstrate more improvements in outcomes of caregiver burden and depression.
A scoping review of the mental health of university students who use cannabis in South Africa.
(2023) Magagane, Kgothatso Alpheus.; Collings, Steven John.
Cannabis use amongst university students continues to rise and remains a public health concern. It is of paramount importance to find out the impact of cannabis use on students’ mental health. Cannabis use and other substances amongst students is often linked to adverse psychological, health and academic outcomes. The study aimed to conduct a scoping review of the mental health of university students who use cannabis in South Africa. The study used the five steps outlined by Arksey and O’Malley as a methodological framework. A search was conducted on Google scholar, EBSCOhost, PubMed, as well as grey literature on websites such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and government websites to identify scoping review studies. Due to meeting the inclusion criteria, 54 studies were included in the final review. This included mental health of university students who use cannabis. The results showed that cannabis use is linked to several mental health problems and may contribute to cognitive decline. Students were found to hold positive views about cannabis and did not view it as a serious health risk. There are several factors that contribute to the use of cannabis, including peer-influence and parental attitudes, stress, psychosocial stressors, and social milieu. Cannabis use can be reduced using student focused programs, motivational interviewing and drug education. In conclusion, there is a need to educate students through evidenced based research regarding the negative mental health effects of using cannabis.
Exploring the experiences and coping strategies of unemployed registered counsellors in the South African context.
(2023) Jili, Ncebakazi.; Mtwentula-Ndlovu, Ntombekhaya Antoinette.
The Registered Counsellor profession is an HPCSA-recognised professional category in psychology, which was lawfully introduced in December 2003 to limit the shortage of mental healthcare services in disadvantaged areas of South Africa, specifically in primary healthcare. Thus, the Registered Counsellor profession exists in South Africa, although it is a country ranking high in unemployment. Registered Counsellors are not immune to unemployment and its effect on psychosocial well-being. A few studies concerning the Registered Counsellor profession in South Africa have statistically highlighted the drastic challenge of unemployment. As a result, there is a dearth of literature that specifically investigates the subjective experiences and effects of unemployment on the psychosocial well-being of Registered Counsellors. Consequently, this study explored the experiences and coping strategies of unemployed Registered Counsellors in the South African context. A qualitative research approach was adopted to gain an in-depth understanding of subjective experiences, and coping strategies utilised during unemployment. A phenomenological research design was used to guide the study. Purposive sampling was the primary technique applied to select eight individually interviewed participants using a semi-structured interview method. Thematic data analysis of the participants' responses indicated that unemployment is perceived as a difficult and stressful experience. The struggle to secure employment presented an interplay of adverse effects on the participants' psychosocial well-being, mainly due to deprived financial security and social participation. Findings indicated exploring alternative opportunities, leisure activity, optimism, resilience, and social support as coping strategies. Registered Counsellors in this study predominantly applied physical, cognitive, and social resources to cope with the detrimental effects of unemployment.
Being a ‘good mother’: examining the discourse of first-time breastfeeding mothers.
(2023) Bloch, Jennifer Leigh.; Sunjeevan, Kershia.; Van der Riet, Mary Boudine.
This study employs a qualitative research design, using a social constructionist approach to examine how first-time South African mothers position breastfeeding as an imperative of good mothering. Six first-time mothers participated in the study using purposive sampling from a private baby clinic site in KwaZulu-Natal. They were interviewed online due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The interviews were transcribed in detail and analysed using discourse analysis. The research findings examined how mothers demonstrated good mothering through their commitment to breastfeeding. The mothers constructed breastfeeding as a project and positioned their bodies as sites that they needed to manage, to work to attain these good mothering standards. The findings showed that the mothers positioned experts as fundamental for breastfeeding success to receive advice, guidance, and reassurance, especially when they experienced difficulties. In the sample, three of the mothers introduced formula, which was positioned as the alternative to breastfeeding. This was accompanied by mothers constructing their failure to fulfil an exclusive breastfeeding ideal and they experienced feelings of guilt, shame, and inadequacy. These three mothers re-negotiated the standard of breastfeeding as an imperative of good mothering by drawing on a counter-discourse that positioned their babies as happy and healthy when using formula. The research concludes that the mothers in the study defined their motherhood identity through their socially constructed successes and failures in breastfeeding. Breastfeeding ideals considerably influenced them, and they constantly measured themselves against these medical and social standards. The impact is that these sociocultural norms position breastfeeding as an essential act of good mothering and contribute to a state of intensive mothering that renders mothers vulnerable to shame and guilt. The findings recommend challenging sociocultural infant feeding constructs and the discourses shaping modern-day motherhood.
Visualising undergraduate students’ achievement emotions: family, technology and aesthetics.
(2023) Shuttleworth, Terry.; Munro, Nicholas.
In the educational context, achievement emotions are the range of emotions that a student may experience during and use for the purposes of academic achievement and outcome-oriented activities (e.g., studying for a test, writing a test, and obtaining the results on a test). Achievement emotions can therefore be understood as important mediators that, if recognised and managed appropriately, could transform a student’s educational efforts and outcomes. Grounded in Pekrun’s Control Value Theory of achievement emotions, this dissertation explores achievement emotions among university students, and presents these emotions as individually and socio-culturally mediated processes which add depth to conceptualising the ways in which students can achieve at university. Using Photovoice as a participant driven and empowering data production strategy and reflexive thematic analysis to analyse the data produced, the researcher explores the subjective meanings that six students gave to the variety of achievement emotions they experienced in their learning journeys. Three main themes suggest that family, technology, and an aesthetic learning space underpin and facilitate the students’ achievement emotions of enjoyment, excitement, hope frustration, defeat, and anxiety. The findings indicate that photovoice as a data production strategy conscientised participants to their achievement emotions, speaking to the emancipatory nature of this method.
Perceptions of racial microaggressions among university students: the notion of ‘white’ and ‘black’ cafes at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Howard College Campus.
(2023) Dladla, Vuyelwa Lungile Nokwanda.; Cartwright, Duncan James.
While institutionalised racism was abolished in the 1990’s in South Africa, racism is still widely prevalent in our society. Although explicit forms of racism are often frowned upon today, more subtle and covert forms of racism exist and often go unnoticed. These subtle forms of racism are referred to as racial microaggressions, which, although hidden, communicate derogatory and racist ideas. There has been a wide range of research studies on racial microaggressions; however, most of these studies have been conducted with racial minorities in United States of America. Research on within-group racial microaggressions is fairly limited in the South African context, and the dynamics of minority versus majority groups are different. This study aims to explore how Black African students in a South African university perceive and experience racial microaggressions related to the racial division of spaces on campus, namely the notion of the ‘white’ café and ‘black’ café. An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach was used to capture students' perceptions and experiences through in-depth one-on-one semi-structured interviews with eleven black African students from various academic disciplines on the Howard College Campus. All interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using the IPA approach. Findings from this study suggest that the cafeterias serve as symbols of racial tensions among students on the campus and manifest in various ways, such as through intergroup dynamics, racial stereotypes and the general feeling of participants toward the racial division of spaces. Furthermore, data also suggests that the notion of ‘white’ café and ‘black’ café reflects South Africa's political history and the generational impact of centuries of racial oppression. Additionally, coupled with racial tensions and historical dynamics, the data further suggests that the idea of racialized spaces is associated with socioeconomic background, which speaks to issues of social class and wealth.

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