Social work

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Marital conflict among Hindus in the Durban metropolitan area.
(1985) Ramphal, Ritha.; Anderson, W. W.
This is a thesis on marital conflict among Hindu South Africans, a community in which the divorce rate is steadily rising. This study aims to gather objective and scientific information on some of the more important factors responsible for this conflict. Identification of high risk factors would provide valuable pointers about what needs to be done to prevent serious marital discord from arising in the first place, or, having arisen, what can be done about resolving them satisfactorily before relationships have been irreparably harmed. The sample comprised two groups of couples who were differentiated from each other by the quality of their marriages, one whose marriages have been generally stable and happy (the SM group) and the other whose marriages have been showing obvious signs of strain and instability over a period of at least six months (the UM group). At the time of the study the 100 couples who comprised the UM sample were receiving professional assistance at some welfare agency, hospital or marriage guidance centre. The 50 couples who comprised the SM sample were recommended by social workers on account of their very happy marriages. Data from the two groups were obtained through the use of an interview schedule. Their responses were compared so as to determine whether, and in what respects, the two groups of spouses differed from each other. The following factors were found to be associated with poor marital adjustment : marriage at an early age; low educational, occupational and socioeconomic levels; quarrelsome parents; hasty unions; marriage against parents' wishes; pre-marital pregnancy; periodic unemployment of breadwinner, and frequent change of occupation; debts; disadvantaged housing, short courtship period; marked age differences between partners; a more idealised, less realistic set of expectations regarding married life; unplanned pregnancies, too close or too little attachment with one's parents; a negative attitude toward in-laws; parents' disapproval of prospective partner; absence of friends; conflict over the choice of friends; activities which jeopardise a family's limited resources such as drinking and gambling; poor communication between spouses; sexual problems; and disagreement over division of labour in the home. The following factors were associated with good marital functioning: some conflict with one's parents, but not too much; visiting in-laws together; joint participation in outside interests; wholesome personality traits; freedom to communicate one's real feelings to the spouse without fear of retribution; constructive ways of handling conflict; wise handling of family's finances; democratic relationships; sexual compatibility; and a circle of mutual friends. A call is made for a National Family Programme (which will include the Hindu community) whereby the quality of family and married life can be improved. Joint contributions need to be made by the central government, universities, schools, the media, business and industry, as well as welfare, cultural, religious and service organisations.
Parole in South Africa.
(1982) Graser, Roland Rudolf.; Anderson, W. W.
While imprisonment developed as a more humanitarian alternative to the brutal forms of punishments which prevailed throughout history, it became increasingly evident that it had dysfunctional consequences in respect of the ability of prisoners to achieve a socially acceptable adjustment after their release from incarceration. As a result, the practice of releasing prisoners conditionally, before their sentences had expired, gradually developed. The historical roots of this practice, which became known as 'parole' - from the French concept of 'parole d'honneur', meaning word of honour - lie mainly in the practice of releasing prisoners on ticket-of-leave, developed by Maconochie at the Norfolk Island penal colony, and in the more refined conditional release system introduced into Ireland by Crofton. From the English-speaking world, the concept of parole soon spread to other countries in the Western World, and gradually became an important penological technique. Although provision was made for the conditional release of prisoners in the South African Prisons and Reformatories Act of 1911, the formal and systematic application of parole only really started coming into its own in the early 1950's. With the increasing emphasis on rehabilitation in the Prison Service, came the appointment of growing numbers of social workers and psychologists in prisons. This, in turn led to the development of a more structured and formal parole system. Yet, considerable discontent grew, especially among the judiciary, in respect of the application of parole. It was the large-scale release of short-term prisoners on so-called 'parole ' virtually immediately after their admission to prison, which incensed particularly the magistrates. An attitude survey regarding parole among judges, magistrates, the categories of prison personnel mainly responsible for the treatment of prisoners, and NICRO social workers revealed considerable disenchantment with the way in which parole was applied. What was particularly significant was that a large number of magistrates regarded parole as representing interference with the judicial decision. Furthermore, it emerged that the majority of persons from all categories of respondents felt that parole supervision was inadequate. A study of the nature and extent of parole supervision as conducted by the National Institute for Crime Prevention and Rehabilitation of Offenders (NICRO), as the only specialised private prison aftercare agency, revealed that such supervision is not of a sufficiently high standard. However, it emerged from a survey of the role of NICRO in the pre-release preparation of parolees that the organisation's involvement in such preparation was only marginal. This, it is felt, together with other factors over which NICRO had little or no control, play an important part in the inadequacy of parole supervision generally. In order to gain a comparative perspective, the Canadian parole system was also studied. It emerged that, while the complex federal-provincial relations render the Canadian parole system somewhat cumbersome, it is generally a sophisticated system, various aspects of which are worthy of emulation. This is particularly true of the variety of flexible conditional release procedures, and of the clearly structured and well administered parole system generally. However, the most valuable lesson that can be gleaned from the Canadian parole practice probably lies in the involvement of a variety of private citizens in the parole decision-making process. A number of recommendations are made in respect of the possible improvement of the South African parole system. These concern the promulgation of a parole act and parole regulations, the establishment of a national parole board, selection of prisoners for conditional release, adequate pre-release preparation of prospective parolees, release of prisoners on parole, supervision of parolees, parole conditions, suspension and revocation of parole, professional staff, liaison between all those involved in the parole system, the immediate release of short-term prisoners, and mandatory supervision.
Stressful life situations of duodenal ulcer patients and the role of the medical social worker.
(1983) Mason, Jean Beatrice.; Anderson, W. W.; Schlemmer, Lawrence.
A study was undertaken of the stressful life situations of 87 duodenal ulcer patients (50 Indian and 37 Black males) and a control group of 75 non-ulcer patients (43 Indian and 32 Black males). The majority of the control group were orthopaedic patients selected on the grounds that they were not hospitalised for a psychosomatic complaint. The group emerged, however, as highly stressed in relation to possible work and income loss, because of their injuries. The duodenal ulcer and non-ulcer groups were similar in many demographic details and in several stressful life situations. There was a significantly higher reporting of stress in family life, in the work situation and as a result of the illness itself, by duodenal ulcer patients compared with the controls. The initial hypothesis that there would be more areas perceived of as stressful in the case of duodenal ulcer patients than controls was confirmed in the study. A minor hypothesis that there would be cross-cultural differences in the perception of stress was also confirmed. The follow-up study of Indian duodenal ulcer patients demonstrated the development of an "illness career" consisting of a periodic response to stress with onset or recurrence of duodenal ulcer symptoms accompanied by changes in the individual's family system. Minuchin's (1978) concept of enmeshment or disengagement in family systems was found to be applicable to the duodenal ulcer patient. The symptom served to maintain family homeostasis by transforming family conflict into care and concern, or by legitamising the under-functioning of the sick person. The role of social work intervention in relation to duodenal ulcer disease was explored through the establishment of a medical social work programme at the Gastro-Intestinal Unit, King Edward VIII Hospital, Durban. It was shown that the psychosocial aspects of duodenal ulcer disease must receive attention, together with medical treatment, if comprehensive patient care is to be achieved. Intervention should emphasise self management of stress through behaviour modification and cognitive restructuring. Family therapy is essential in cases where the symptom has a function in the family system. Many systems are involved in the aetiology and treatment of duodenal ulcer disease. A general systems approach is therefore useful in promoting a holistic view of the person and the illness.

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Browsing Social work by Author "Anderson, W. W."