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Spousal experiences of living with a gambling disordered partner and intimate partner violence in South Africa: a grounded theory study
Full text linkI have been motivated to conduct this research on a professional and personal level. As an only child, I grew up with individuals who gambled every day of their lives, and the spouses/partners who struggled with being labelled by society as weak to stay with them. Furthermore, I have personal insights into the Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) stories of the women, having been tagged along with my mother who worked at a women’s support centre in our community. I can appreciate the help that these women provide to each other and the perspectives they lend to this study. The insights I bring from my personal experiences have assisted me in making a personal connection with this research area. I became the first in my family to attend university, even though my father was a cleaner and never completed high school. I performed well as an undergraduate and completed my first degree, with Psychology as a major. My master’s degree challenged me to look at spouses’ experiences of the psychological and financial trauma of living with a male gambling disordered partner, and out of it the doctoral thesis of Intimate Partner Violence as a specific form of violence in a gambling disordered relationship was formed. I worked as a researcher for five years at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC). At the HSRC I had come to realise that I had to find a solution for my difficulty in working on projects far removed from Psychology or human interactions. I was always the first person to be nominated to do qualitative interviews and analyse the data, but all in fields far removed from my chosen field of study. However, I do appreciate that if I had not done all those projects, I would not have been ready to embark on my PhD journey. Upon leaving the HSRC, I started as the Senior Programmes and Safe House Manager at a not-for-profit organisation. I do not think that I would have been able to do justice to the stories that many of the individuals have described in this research study, without xvii working for an organisation that advocates for the safety of individuals who find themselves in such circumstances. On a personal level, even though I have never gambled in my life, I believe that gambling is a personal choice. I have volunteered at sober living homes and have seen some of the problems that spouses and their families experience. Because of my own experiences, I decided that the topic for my PhD thesis could explore the way Intimate Partner Violence is socially constructed and the implications of being the spouse of someone who is challenged by a gambling disorder.Thesis (PHD) -- Faculty of Health Science, 202
Food addiction treatment: a systematic review
Full text linkThe proposed study sought to explore what treatments are available for food addiction, by means of systematically reviewing the existing literature. Although food addiction does not have a formal definition in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-V, it has many similarities to substance abuse and has been frequently associated with general, as well as eating disorder-related psychopathology. Exploring the concept of food addiction and the range of treatments available allows for furthering our knowledge of the Food Addiction phenomenon. This systematic review is a synthesis of available research that will aid healthcare practitioners to review what treatments are available for food addiction and what possible referrals can be made. This study critically analysed relevant literature from databases such as EBSCOhost, SAGE Publications, JSTOR, APA PsychINFO and Science Direct consisting of journal articles published in English on food addiction treatment. The researcher followed Uman’s (2011) eight steps for writing a systematic review. The steps proposed by Holly et al. (2011) guided the search strategy to identify relevant studies. The findings of the study will assist practitioners in their understanding of treatment options for food addiction. Treatments that are discussed that is non-psychological are: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), pharmacotherapy, surgery, acupuncture, and ketogenic diets. Treatments that are psychological that were discussed are: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectal Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Interpersonal Therapy, Mindfulness Interventions, Motivational Interviewing, harm reduction and 12-step self-help groups such as Overeaters Anonymous (OA). Combinations of different treatments are also discussed.Thesis (Ma) -- Faculty of Health Science, 202
The contribution of gender bonds towards women’s economic empowerment in South Africa
Full text linkGender inequalities in developing countries continue to hinder the potential of women globally. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated gender inequalities in developing countries. The United Nations emphasises the need to empower women and girls by providing economic resources to achieve sustainable development. Because gender bonds are still in their early stages of development, there is no primary data on them in South Africa, hence a secondary data approach was used. The primary goal of this research was to explore the impact of gender bonds on women's economic empowerment in South Africa. Data were acquired from two impact reports, eight International Capital Markets Association frameworks, two country reports, seven YouTube success stories, two second-party opinion reports, two disbursement reports, three issuance toolkits, two external reviewers' reports, and academic articles which were utilised to analyse the outcomes, outputs and impacts of the gender bonds. The analysis revealed that gender bonds contribute towards women’s economic empowerment. Furthermore, South Africa should consider issuing a gender bond that prioritises rural women, working in productive sectors, coupled with technical skills development, and should consider the South African context when considering borrowers by business size and borrowers by age, and bond issuers should collaborate on social impact investing. This study showed that gender bonds contribute not just to SDG 5 (gender equality), but to many other SDGs such as SDG 2 (zero hunger), SDG 3 (good health and well-being), SDG 4 (quality basic education), SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth), SDG 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure) SDG 10 (Reducing Inequalities) and SDG 12 (responsible consumption). The study contributes to the limited body of knowledge on gender bonds and women’s economic empowerment in South Africa.Thesis (MPhil) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, School of Economics, Development and Tourism, 202
The economic empowerment of women in rural arts and crafts making: the case of Cegcuwana village
Full text linkThis study focuses on the contribution of arts and crafts projects to the Cegcuwana Village in Umtata, in the Eastern Cape. The key research questions are as follows: Which challenges are women facing with regard to arts and crafts projects in Cengcuwana? What is the relationship between these projects and women's empowerment in the village? How do women make sense of these projects, and how do they respond to the fact that they work in a space dominated by men? In this study, the data were collected using a qualitative research method. This involved conducting interviews with 15 participants from the Cegcuwana Village in Umtata, in the Eastern Cape. The interviews were conducted physically; with the researcher going into the field to interact with the participants to observe and engage them while they were creating their products. The data were recorded in IsiXhosa and transcribed into English. The conceptual framework is used to understand the challenges facing women in the Cegcuwana Village regarding gender inequality. Finally, the study reveals that these arts and crafts projects provide them with economic freedom; they also assist them in preserving and promoting their heritage to maintain their identity. It is recommended that further research is necessary to investigate the challenges facing these projectsThesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Governmental and Social Science, 202
Indima edlalwa ngumdlalo okhethiweyo wesiXhosa kumabonakude ekuphuhliseni nasekulondolozeni isiXhosa
No full textKule nkulungwane yamashumi amabini ananye sele kuthenjelwe kwizixhobo ezithile ezifana noomabonakude, iincwadi noonomathotholo njengezona zixhobo zokulondoloza ulwimi lungafi. Kwakhona ukufundwa kweencwadi sele kudodobala ngamandla kuba abantu bachitha ixesha elide bebukele amabalana kwimiboniso bhanyabhanya efana noomabonakude. Esi simo senza ukufundwa kweencwadi kungathathelwa ngqalelo ingako. Ababhali beencwadi bebesenza ngako konke okusemandleni abo ukugcina iilwimi zikumgangatho onguwo. Ngoku umabonakude ngoyena udlala indima enkulu kulwimi kuba indlela abadlali abasebenzisa ngayo ulwimi kwiinkqubo zabo ithi ibe nefuthe elimandla ekusetyenzisweni kolo lwimi lwaloo mdlali ngababukeli abamthandayo. Ukuba umdlali usebenzisa izinto ezithile ukuhombisa iintetha zakhe, loo nto ingenza ukuba ababukeli basebenzise ezo zinto nabo. Ezi nkqubo zikamabonakude zithi zibe nefuthe elimandla ekusetyenzisweni kolwimi. Olu phando lukhangela ukuba yeyiphi indima edlalwa ngumdlalo okhethiweyo wesiXhosa kumabonakude ekuphuhliseni nasekulondolozeni isiXhosa xa kujongwa ulwimi olusetyenziswayo, iindlela zokuthetha kwakunye nemiba echaphazela inkcubeko. Kwiziphumo uphando lufumanise ukuba umdlalo okhethiweyo awenzi ngokwaneleyo ukuphuhlisa nokulondoloza isiXhosa. Uphando luqhutywe kusetyenziswa indlela yophando eluhlahlelo hlobo.Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Language, Media and Communication, 202
Exploring teachers’ pedagogical approaches in teaching multilingual learners in the foundation phase in ex-model c schools in Gqeberha
Full text linkMultilingual education has always been a controversial issue in South Africa since most South Africans’ Home Languages are different from that of the language of learning and teaching (LOLT) in schools. The influx of diverse learners attending ex-Model C schools, whose Home Language is not the medium of instruction, raises the question of how these schools and teachers are supporting predominantly non-English mother tongue learners in the classroom. This study aimed to explore the pedagogical approaches that teachers use in multilingual classes with a view to understand how such learners are catered for when the LOLT is different from the learners’ Home Languages This study adopted an interpretivist paradigm, was qualitative in nature and used interviews and observation as data collection tools. The accumulated data were analysed thematically based on a study of the emerging patterns and themes. The findings, emerging from the study, indicate that although teachers embrace multilingual teaching and learning, they do not feel equipped to teach multilingual learners in their classes, and consequently use the medium of instruction, which is English, to teach these learners. This study recommends that the Department of Basic Education (DBE) should arrange more hands-on workshops for in-service teachers so that they could acquire more enhanced skills in teaching multilingual learners. Furthermore, teacher training programmes offered by universities should incorporate modules with a specific focus on how to teach multilingual learners.Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, School of Secondary School Education, 202
Role of large carcasses on the structure and functioning of the vertebrate scavenger guild
Full text linkScavengers depend on carrion for dietary supplements, and in African savannas, large herbivore carcasses provide an important ephemeral resource for the scavenger guild. In Hwange National Park (HNP), Zimbabwe, an abundant elephant (Loxodonta africana) population results in frequent large carcass accumulation. This study, carried out in HNP, used camera trap data to explore the effects of the naturally occurring pulses of elephant carcasses on the structure and functioning of the vertebrate scavengers while they forage on them. A camera trap study was done in the dry season of 2022 and 2023 where 12 elephant carcasses were monitored, including 5 adult and 7 juveniles (categorised as large and small carcasses respectfully). The first objective of the study was to thoroughly describe the vertebrate scavenger guild, through assessing the species richness, diversity, abundance, nestedness, and temporal structure for large and small elephant carcasses, across different stages of decomposition. The second objective was to document the co-occurrence patterns of the scavengers to assess their potential feeding interactions and dominance patterns. We found that species richness was influenced by decomposition stages, larger elephant carcasses supported a greater species diversity and a more nested structure of scavenger assemblages. Temporal dynamics revealed diurnal feeding patterns dominated by avian scavengers, like white-backed vultures (Gyps africanus), hooded vultures (Necrosyrtes monachus) and marabou storks (Leptoptilos crumenifer), which also showed a high overlap, suggesting a cooperative feeding strategy. Conversely, nocturnal mammals, such as lions (Panthera leo) and spotted hyaenas (Crocuta crocuta), showed a low level of overlap, suggesting that they avoid direct interactions (case of competitive exclusion). Behavioural analyses revealed that larger carcasses facilitated higher probabilities of feeding and longer feeding durations, particularly for species with strong diet niche overlap, like the avian scavengers. We observed specialised behaviours by hooded vultures and marabou storks, showcasing adaptive strategies to reduce competition. These findings highlight the importance of large herbivores in protected areas, as they provide forage for highly competitive scavengers that are endangered by anthropogenic pressure, so they can perform their ecosystem functions in nutrient cycling and disease regulation.Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Environmental Sciences, 202
Rugby union and strength and conditioning coaches’ perspectives and practices on visual and auditory skills training
Full text linkRugby union (RU) is a high intensity contact sport, popular around the world, incorporating running, passing, physical collisions, and prompt decisions, designed to outscore opponents. The testing and training of visual skills (VS) and auditory skills (AS) within the realms of RU and strength and conditioning (SC) coaching constitutes a pivotal, yet underexplored, domain in sports science. The efficacy of coaching strategies in enhancing athletes' VS and AS remains a critical factor in optimizing athletic performance on the field. This study aims to explore and describe rugby union and strength and conditioning, coaches’ visual and auditory training perspectives and practices. A quantitative, comparative, explorative research design, using a descriptive survey methodology, was used. The target population comprised of male RU coaches and SC coaches with a minimum of 2 years’ coaching experience, with 15 participants completed the survey. A self-administrated, mailed survey was selected due to its convenience and suitability for largescale distribution. The survey was disseminated electronically via email, facilitated by an identified gatekeeper and through a national SC coaches’ WhatsApp group. Descriptive data was presented as mean (95% confidence intervals). Open-ended answers of participants were lemmatized and disambiguated and then transformed into a term-document matrix (TDM). The results were discussed under seven sections adapted from the study’s objectives, namely: employment status vs responsibility within the team, the relation between these variables was not statistically significant, X2 (1, N = 15), p = 0.497; coaching qualification obtained vs responsibility within the team, the relation between these variables was not statistically significant, X2 (1, N = 15), p = 0.06; qualification obtained vs employment status, the relation between these variables was not statistically significant, X2 (1 N = 15), p = 1.00; employment status vs highest team coached, the relation between these variables was not statistically significant, X2 (1 N = 15), p = 0.169; (v) qualification obtained vs highest team coached, the relation between these variables was not statistically significant, X2 (1 N = 15), p = 0.723; qualification level vs extent visual and auditory skills covered in qualification, the relation between these variables was not statistically significant, X2 (1 N = 15), p = 0.754; (vii) responsibility within the team vs how coaches consider the importance of visual and auditory skills, the relation between these variables was not statistically significant, X2 (1 N = 15), p = 0.622. The most frequent term used, according to the open-end questions, for describing VS testing was “cones” (27%), while the common term for assessing AS was “voice calls” (60%). Other tools such as BlazePods® were also commonly highlighted for VS testing, while AS testing relied on auditory cues integrated into reaction drills. This study highlights the critical role of VS and AS in enhancing RU players’ decision-making, situational awareness, and overall performance. Despite the recognized importance of these PS, they are superficially assessed and trained in current training programs, with limited integration into formal coaching curricula. The findings reveal a need for integrating PS training into coaching courses offered by organizations like World Rugby and BOKSMART®, as well as tertiary education programs, evidence-based PS training, standardized testing protocols, and the incorporation of advanced tools, such as BlazePods®, to ensure a systematic and measurable approach to VS and AS development.Thesis (MHMS) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Behavioural & Lifestyle Sciences, 202
The psychological effect of witnessing domestic violence by adolescents in South Africa: a systematic review
Full text linkThe adolescent stage of any child is most critical and exposure to domestic violence can have dire consequences on their mental health. Although a lot of work has been done in examining the impact of domestic violence on adolescents, there still exists a deficit in understanding the mediating variables that dictate psychological outcomes. This gap will be filled by undertaking a systematic review of the psychological impact of exposure to domestic violence amongst South African adolescents and the variables that moderate these impacts. Utilizing Petticrew and Roberts’ (2006) systematic review approach, various academic databases like The Campbell Collaboration, The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and Wiley Online Library were sifted for relevant literature. A thematic approach yielded the following psychological outcomes: emotional dysregulation, post traumatic stress disorder or PTSD, and low self-esteem. Findings showed that children’s psychological responses to domestic violence depends largely on their socio-economic standing, the social support systems that exist, and the perceived culture of violence. This study highlights the urgent need for timely mental health policy change and intervention development to address south African adolescents’ domestic violence exposure outcomes. The obtained results aid in structuring the most needed support for South African adolescents.Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Behavioural & Lifestyle Sciences, 202
Perceptions of mental illness among emerging adults who self-identify as Coloured in the Nelson Mandela Bay
Full text linkThe onset of mental health disorders often occurs in the adolescent and/or young adult stage, as this life stage encompasses several challenges due to relationship and career changes. Emerging adulthood has been demarcated as the period between 18 to 29 years of age, which has been identified as a stressful stage. Despite the challenges that the emerging adult faces, they are less likely to seek help, particularly when comparing them to middle-age or older adults. A possible reason for this is the stigma associated with seeking help, as stigmas negatively influence help-seeking behaviour. It is known that poorer mental health outcomes are linked to ethnic minority groups, and a possible cause is due to the stigma amongst the ethnic minority populations. When considering perceptions of mental illness, there appears a need for research to be conducted to explore cultural and system-level barriers. Considering the proposition that Coloured peoples’ identities are unique due to their heritage and being a minority group, the researcher opted to gather data about the perceptions of mental illness among emerging adults who self-identify as Coloured. The research design employed a qualitative, interpretivism, and ethnographic approach; whereby a purposive and the non-probability strategy was employed. As a result, nine participants who participated in a semi-structured interview made up the sample for this study. The study finds that, while it is the view of the participants that there is resistance within the Coloured community to normalize and fully accept mental illness, there is also a degree of acceptance when individuals have personal experience with it, either directly or through a loved one. Mental illness is recognized as a real issue, though its full complexity is not yet fully understood.Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Behavioural & Lifestyle Sciences, 202