68 research outputs found
Mental Health Problems and Perceived Barriers in Seeking Psychological Help: A Survey of Students at the University of the Witwatersrand
No full textA research report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Social and Psychological Research (PSYC7022), in the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, School of Human and Community Development, at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023.Aim: The study examined help-seeking behaviours and attitudes among students at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. The goal was to investigate students' referred sources of help while they were experiencing psychological distress, as well as the perceived barriers to getting psychological care. The Health Belief Model (HBM) was used as the theoretical framework, which attempted to discover whether the HBM variables predict formal help-seeking among students. Methods: The data was acquired from a suitable sample of 165 students using a cross-sectional survey design. A demographic questionnaire, a list of different sources of assistance, the Health Beliefs about Mental Illness (HBMI) instrument, the Barriers to Care Evaluation (BACE) scale, and the Barriers to Help Seeking (BHSS) scale were all included in the survey. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS, version 27) was used to analyse the data. Results: The findings revealed that only one-third (33.3%) of the students preferred seeking help from a mental health professional. The most important barriers identified were students preferring to deal with psychological issues on their own as they perceived symptoms not to be serious enough to warrant professional intervention; stress and anxiety were considered a normal part of life, and many students were unaware of helping resources and how to access them. The logistic regression analysis indicated that only the perceived benefits made a unique statistically significant contribution to the model, recording an odds ratio of 2.99. The results revealed that the odds of seeking formal help are about 3 times greater for students who perceive seeking formal help as beneficial compared to those who perceive formal help-seeking as not beneficial (OR 2.99; 95% CI: 1.45-6.20; p = 0.003). Conclusion: Understanding barriers to psychological help-seeking is imperative to ensuring early access to psychological services and improving mental well-being. Therefore, the current findings suggest that strategies and initiatives such as psycho-educational programs and awareness campaigns highlighting the availability and purpose of psychological services on campuses, as well as the benefits of utilizing psychological services, are necessary. This would make psychological services more desirable to students, thereby reducing the identified barriers.MM202
Breaking the Chains of Intergenerational Childhood Poverty: A Narrative Retrospective Study of Resilience
No full textA research report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of f Master of Arts in Community-Based Counseling Psychology to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024The experience of poverty is well-documented, however, there is a notable gap in the existing research concerning the unique narratives of university students who have undergone experiences of poverty during childhood. These students have been successful in gaining admission into university despite facing major financial hardships stemming from their experiences of intergenerational childhood poverty. These university students identified with having experiences of childhood poverty as well as resilience, thus becoming an important and under-researched sample. This qualitative study aims to explore these students’ narratives of childhood impoverishment, with an emphasis on the identification and understanding of resilience within these experiences. This topic was investigated through the utilisation of the resilience theoretical framework. The study employed a Narrative Analysis (NA) to assess the experiential and retrospective narrative accounts of emerging adults within the university student demographic using semi-structured interviews. Three overarching themes were identified: (1) narratives within the living environment; (2) the nexus of poverty, education, and opportunity; and (3) participants’ constructions of resilience. The results illustrated that the narrative experience of childhood poverty contained great levels of experienced difficulties within the home and schooling environment, and with emotional implications of poverty resulting in difficulties with coping and social exclusion. However among this plethora of hardship, participants constructions of resilience related to motivation, strength, acceptance, adaptation, and rewriting the narrative towards positive meaning-making. Therefore this study provided further subjective insight into the topic of poverty and resilience by way of presenting the data as experienced by the research participants, as well as having made recommendations for future research.GM202
Respiratory symptoms and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease : prevalence and risk factors in a predominantly low-income urban area of Cape Town, South Africa
No full textIncludes bibliographical references.The continuing worldwide increase in the incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has led to international initiatives to improve surveillance and identify preventable risk factors for this and related chronic lung diseases. The studies reported here aimed to examine the prevalence and risk factors for respiratory symptoms and COPD; to introduce and test surveillance methodologies; and to inform treatment and control measures for this disease. The Lung Health Survey 2002 sampled 3512 individuals aged ≥ 15 years from an urban population of 36,334 in the predominantly low-income area of Ravensmead and Uitsig, Cape Town, South Africa. Information on respiratory symptoms, risk factors and healthcare utilisation was collected using a respiratory questionnaire which included questions that had been validated elsewhere. In 2005, a subsample of 960 persons aged ≥ 40 years participated in the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study comprised of a questionnaire and pre and postbronchodilator spirometry, in order to assess the prevalence of COPD. A high prevalence of respiratory symptoms of 38.3% was reported. Tobacco smoking showed a consistent positive association with chronic bronchitis, wheeze, dyspnoea and cough. Strong associations with cannabis smoking, pulmonary tuberculosis, occupational exposures and low socioeconomic status were found. The association of cannabis smoking with respiratory symptoms suggest that it may be a risk factor for COPD. The BOLD study revealed an exceptionally high prevalence of COPD in both men and women aged 40 years and older (29% and 20%, respectively) reflecting the very high prevalence of smoking in both sexes in the test area. The majority of those affected had moderate to severe disease, that is, symptoms with spirometric impairment (GOLD Stage II and higher). Even non-smoking women had a comparatively high prevalence of CO PO (12.6%), attributable to other risk factors such as tuberculosis and occupational exposures. Previous pulmonary tuberculosis was shown to be a strong predictor of COPD, which warrants further study. Review of healthcare utilisation confirmed significant under-recognition and under-treatment within local health services. These results confirm the need to prioritise preventative and treatment strategies for obstructive lung disease in South Africa
How Undergraduate Students at the University of Witwatersrand Make Meaning of Non -Disclosure of Suicidal Ideation
No full textA research report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the field of Social and Psychological, Research by Coursework and Research Report to the Faculty of Humanities, School of Human and Community Development, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2022.The self-concealment of suicidality poses a significant threat to the well-being of university students around the globe. Suicidal concealment greatly exacerbates emotional and psychological distress within this cohort and unabated leads to a suicide death. Suicidality concealment within the university student population presents a perplexing and unique problem to university stakeholders, clinicians, and researchers. University students are in proximity to psychological care that is freely offered on university campuses, and yet more than half of students who contemplate and eventually die by suicide do not take up these services. Even more vexing is that students choose to deny and conceal suicidal distress from intimate support networks. There is an undeniable need to explore the factors that influence students’ decision to conceal suicidal ideation as well as the factors that facilitate disclosure of suicidality within this population. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach the present study explored understanding of concealment concerning suicidal ideation among university students. It focussed on understanding the personal narratives and lived experiences that motivate students to conceal their suicidal thoughts, feelings, and intentions. Focus groups were used to make sense of students’ understanding and meaning making of suicidal thoughts and why talking about suicidal desires is so challenging. The study concluded that suicide and concealment among university students are multifaceted. The reasons for concealing suicidal thoughts reflect both internal motivations, such as feelings of shame, helplessness, feeling isolated, and mental health concerns, and external motivations, such as fear of consequences that may result from telling others. Attitudinal factors, such as being a burden to others, stigma and its consequences, lack of perceived need for help, mistrust, and desire to be self-reliant, emerged more frequently than structural factors, such as lack of access to help. Additionally, several reasons unique to university life, such as academic competence, performance-related anxiety, financial difficulties, and a sense of belonging, emerged. Student voices echoed the need for mental health and suicide literacy programs and greater cohesiveness and a sense of belonging within the university community could encourage greater engagement with emotional distress.MM202
Trainee psychologists’ experiences of professional development during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa
No full textA research report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Community-Based Counseling Psychology to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024The declaration of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in March 2020 resulted in unprecedented and transformational effects on professional psychology programs. Professional psychology programs were confronted with several legal, practical, and ethical challenges associated with delivering appropriate training while also ensuring the safety of trainees, supervisors, and clients. An emergency remote teaching and supervision plan was launched to mitigate these challenges. However, the online platforms were a foreign territory for most trainees and trainers and required familiarisation before mastery. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of trainee psychologists’ professional development during the COVID-19 pandemic in South African universities. The current study was also undertaken to explore trainees’ experiences of online practical work. Participants in this study were distinctive because they were the first cohort of professional trainees to be exclusively trained online. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of twelve intern psychologists. Subsequently, the data was analysed using thematic content analysis. The findings suggested that only the delivery mode in which learning and teaching took place changed, but the curriculum remained the same. However, the change in delivery had implications for trainees’ mental health, academic goals and expectations. Trainees reported initial anxiety and uncertainty associated with the unknown use of online platforms. Despite support from the university and their lecturers, they noted challenges related to constant academic changes that were implemented on a trial-and-error basis, studying from home in suboptimal environments, managing home and work balance, and counselling clients in a new and different therapeutic framework. Psychological assessments and community work were difficult to adapt to online platforms. In addition to the challenges faced, however, there were unexpected opportunities that positively impacted trainees’ learning and acquisition of profession-wide competencies.GM202
Risk factors for tuberculosis in a low-income urban area of Cape Town, South Africa, with particular reference to the role of cannabis smoking
No full textBackground: The association between Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and tobacco smoking has recently been highlighted. The reason for this association remains unclear, but is postulated to result from the effects of smoking on pulmonary host defences. Cannabis impairs the immune function of alveolar macrophages and has been reported to increase susceptibility to respiratory infections. Aim: To examine risk factors for both Mycobacterium tuberculosis disease and infection, in particular the effects of cannabis smoking. Methods: A cross-sectional population survey of 3512 persons aged ≥15 years was performed in a predominantly low-income urban area of Cape Town, South Africa. Information on a history of tuberculosis and various risk factors including cannabis smoking was collected by means of an administered questionnaire. Ziehl-Neelson stained sputum smears were examined for acid fast bacilli and cultured on Lowenstein Jensen slants. Tuberculin skin testing (TST) was performed and an induration of ≥10mm read after 48-72 hours was considered positive. One joint year is defined as one joint per day for one year. Results: The prevalence of ever smoking cannabis was 11.3% (23% in men; 2.6% in women) and 6.4% were current smokers. A history of tuberculosis was reported by 9.7%; current disease confirmed in 1 %, and 76% had a positive TST. After adjusting for age, sex, tobacco smoking, income, education, occupational exposure, incarceration, alcohol use and body mass index, persons with a cumulative cannabis exposure of >70 joint years (approximately equivalent to 20 tobacco packyears) had an increased risk of past/current tuberculosis disease (OR 3.2; Cl:1.8 - 5.6). Cannabis joint years did not show an association with tuberculosis infection. Conclusions: This population study shows that cannabis smoking is positively associated with past/current tuberculosis disease, suggesting that cannabis may be a risk factor in the development of tuberculous disease
Indian family businesses in Durban
No full textFrom introduction: This is a study of Indian family businesses in the central business district of Durban, a sea port on the coast of Natal, in South Africa
An exploratory study to understand the mental health care needs of university students
No full textA research report submitted A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy to the Faculty of Humanities, Department of Psychology, School of Human and Community Development, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023.Background: Despite high levels of psychological distress, university students are reluctant to seek counselling on campus. University students have easy access to data and regularly use their phones for academic and personal purposes. A mental health application (app) designed specifically for university students has the potential to address mental health challenges and promote help-seeking amongst university students. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of psychological distress amongst university students, the sources of their distress and common coping strategies. The study then investigated students’ and counsellors’ perceptions of using a mental health app as a coping mechanism for psychological distress. Finally, the study developed, tested, and evaluated a mental health app specifically designed for university students. Methods: A multiphase mixed methods research design comprising three phases was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data through surveys, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions. Data were collected, analysed and interpreted within the technology acceptance model (TAM) and cognitive behavioural theoretical frameworks. Phase 1 collected data to determine the prevalence of psychological distress, common coping strategies and mobile phone use amongst university students. Phase 2 integrated quantitative and qualitative data from Phase 1 to determine the feasibility of a mental health app, and thereafter developed the mental health app. Phase 3 tested and evaluated the usability of a mental health app with students and counsellors. All quantitative data were collected using the web-based application, Research Electronic Data Capture, and analysed using Statistical Analytics Software Enterprise Guide 7.1. All qualitative data were analysed through thematic analysis and by using NVivo version 12 Pro. Results: Overall, 1 221 students and nine counsellors were enrolled in the study. Phase 1 enrolled 1 100 students in an exploratory survey, 62 in focus group discussions, and six counsellors for in-depth interviews. Socio-demographic data Phase 1: A majority of participants (72.72%) were female, within the 18–20 age group (64.6%), and in their first-year level of study (46.2%). A vast majority (94.1%) were enrolled at the University of the Witwatersrand, with many enrolled in the faculty of humanities (36.1%). Most participants were South African citizens (95.6%) and from an urban location (61%), and 20.09% had been previously diagnosed with a mental health challenge. Prevalence of psychological distress: The Kessler-10 and student stress inventory were used to determine the prevalence of psychological distress. The results show that most participants (60.5%) reported very high levels of psychological distress, while 53% reported moderate levels of stress. Male students were more likely than female students to have very high levels of psychological distress (71.4%) and mild stress (63.3%). Third-year students were more likely than first- and second-year students to have high levels of psychological distress (65%) and moderate stress (59%). Coping strategies: The Brief-COPE-28 was used to determine common coping strategies amongst students. The results show that students with moderate or severe stress used emotion-focused (mean: 30.6 [SD = 5.71] vs 28.8 [SD = 6.21]; p < .0001) and avoidance coping styles (mean: 16.3 [SD = 3.82] vs 13.2 [SD = 3.51]; p < .0001) more than those with mild stress. A larger proportion of female than male students used denial (mean: 3.50 [SD = 1.77] vs 1.54 [SD = 3.13]; p = 0.001), emotional support (mean: 5.03 [SD = 1.96] vs 4.50 [SD = 1.82]; p = 0.0001), informational support (mean: 2.00 vs 1.88, p = 0.0001), behavioural disengagement, (mean: 3.63 [SD = 1.63] vs 3.82 [SD = 1.52]; p = 0.001), and religion (mean: 5.53 [2.24] vs 4.63 [2.17]; p = 0.001) as coping strategies. Students within the 18–20 age group had higher scores for religion as a coping strategy (mean: 5.53 [SD =2.2 2] vs 4.93 [SD = 2.23]; p = 0.0003). First-years were more likely to use problem-solving coping styles than postgraduate students (mean: 22.5 [SD = 5.86] vs 22.5 [SD = 5.29] p = 0.0165).
Mobile phone use: Results from a sociodemographic questionnaire show that a majority of participants (98.7%) owned a smartphone and 66.9% owned a phone with Android software. Most (81%) reported having easy access to data and only a few (26.6%) had used an online health app for their health needs. Students’ and counsellors’ perceptions of psychological distress and using a mental health app to address mental health challenges: A semi-structured interview guide was used to collect qualitative data. Thematic analysis based on the TAM and cognitive behavioural theory frameworks categorised qualitative data under six main themes: (1) students’ conceptualisation of distress, (2) common mental health challenges, (3) perceptions of factors leading to distress, (4) facilitators of using a mental health app intervention, (5) barriers to using a mental health app intervention, and (6) perceived usefulness of the app. Sociodemographic data Phase 3: Three counsellors and 59 students were enrolled in the survey. Most students (64%) were female, within the 21–24 age group (63%), and in their third year of study (37%). More than half the student participants were enrolled at the University of the Witwatersrand (54%) and 29% within the humanities faculty. App testing: The app had eight categories for participants to test (information, coping strategies, take a test, seek help, journal, podcasts, videos, and settings). A majority of participants assessed coping strategies (73%) and information (69%), followed by the seek help (47%) and take a test (45%) category. Podcasts (23%) and settings (15%) were the least assessed categories. Perceived ease of use: The belief that users will require minimal effort using the technology was assessed using the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS). The overall MARS score showed excellent internal consistency (Cronbach alpha = 0.93) and was highly correlated to the app’s overall star rating (r = 0.72, p < 0.0001). The overall mean for the total MARS scale was 88.1. The MARS subscales were high quality and exceeded the (3.0) mean threshold: engagement (3.84), functionality (3.52), aesthetics (4.25), information (4.36), and subjective quality (3.45). Conclusion: The findings reveal that psychological distress is prevalent amongst university students, suggesting a need for student-friendly mental health interventions. A mental health app has the potential to address this need. This study found that most students own smart mobile phones and have easy access to data, indicating that a mental health app is a viable intervention. The qualitative findings demonstrate students’ willingness to use a mental health app for psychological distress. Barriers to using the app included a lack of face-to-face therapy, over-reliance on the app, fear of misdiagnosis, and lack of accessibility and affordability. Facilitators to using the app included previous experience with apps, convenience, accessibility, and confidentiality. These aspects were considered when designing the app, for it to be student friendly. Students and counsellors suggested that, for the app to be useful, it should provide information and coping strategies, offer support, engagement, and security. Therefore, the mental health app intervention in this study was developed based on these characteristics. The designed mental health app was evaluated by students and counsellors, who rated the app to be of high quality and easy to use. This outcome is positive and should be explored further. Future studies can longitudinally test for the app’s effectiveness with students experiencing psychological distress.• The National Research Fund (NRF) PhD funding.
• iThemba Foundation non-profit organisation.
• The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) through the Health Systems Unit.
• Prof. Dietrich’s Post-PhD NRF Thuthuka research.MM202
The psychosocial effects of cancer on children and their families.
No full textThesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2004.Psychosocial oncology is well established in Europe and in America. Similar
initiatives are, however, rare in Africa. On the African continent, psychosocial
services are scarce and often a luxury although the importance of psychosocial
variables as mediators in the paediatric cancer outcomes have been widely
recognised. The apartheid system in South Africa was instrumental in causing
major disparities in health, education and socioeconomic status. In order to
provide a more holistic service it becomes imperative to assess not only the
psychosocial needs and resources of both children and parents who endure the
disease but also the influence of socio-demographic variables such as race,
educational level and socioeconomic status. This research was limited to
collecting baseline information on how parents and children communicate
about the illness, emotional responses and the psychological resources
that they utilise to deal with the childhood cancer trajectory. The study group
consisted of 100 children between the ages of 5 and 16 years who had been
diagnosed with cancer and one or both parents of those children. Data was
collected through semi-structured interviews and standardised self-report
measures. The results of the study indicate that both parents and children did
not suffer disabling psychopathology, but certainly evidenced symptoms of depression
and anxiety indicative of adjustment difficulties. Communicating
about the illness was generally limited to physiological aspects of the disease
and medically related matters, while emotional issues were rarely articulated.
Children, parents and their siblings relied heavily on medical staff for their
information needs. The age of the child was a significant factor with reference
to amount and complexity of information imparted to children: adolescents
were given more information about the treatment and prognosis; while
younger children were given a limited amount of information. Race,
socioeconomic status and educational levels of parents not only influenced
the meanings and beliefs families developed around the cancer experience, but
also the manner in which they expressed their emotions and the coping strategies that they employed
Contested meanings of mental health and well-being among university students
No full text Emerging adults are an important group not only because their opinions and knowledge will determine future attitudes but also because of the emergence of mental health problems during young adulthood. In order to provide relevant support, academics, health care providers as well as policy makers need to be more cognisant of how emerging adults make meaning of their psycho-social developmental context. The objective of the study was to explore how a cohort of 150 university students made meaning of emotional well-being and mental illness, the causes of mental health problems, the negative connotations associated with mental ill health, help-seeking behaviours, and how culture was used as a lens through which mental well-being was understood. The main findings indicate that students struggle to fully understand these concepts mainly because it is shrouded in mystery and complexity and not engaged with freely because of stigma and stereotypical attitudes, and while culture provides a lens to understand the causes and interventions, emerging adults often adopt a level of scepticism and are beginning to vacillate between tradition and modernity. Emerging adults face many barriers to accessing health care services including limited knowledge and stigma related to services, lack of confidentiality, fear of mistreatment, location of facilities, and the high cost of services. Universities and government should actively engage with research evidence to inform policies and programmes to improve the health and well-being of emerging adults. </jats:p
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