Masters Degrees (Clinical Psychology)

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A scoping review of gender-based violence interventions and programmes targeted at South African men.
(2022) Mavasa, Themba Fotrick.; Mntambo, Ntokozo.
Background: The phenomenon of gender-based violence is a global concern (Tappis, Freeman, Glass & Doocy, 2016). Neither women nor men are immune to gender-based violence (GBV); however, the findings from different studies have found that women are more susceptible to GBV perpetrated against them by men (Peate, 2019; Radzilani-Makatu & Chauke, 2019). South African men play a vital role in perpetuating gender-based violence. Therefore, due to their role as perpetrators or potential perpetrators of gender-based violence, intervention measures targeting them should be prioritized (Navindhra & Nadvi, 2013). Aim: The focus of this study review was on interventions and programmes targeting South African men as a key means for addressing gender-based violence (GBV) against women in South Africa. The aim was to address the following question: “What was the available evidence of interventions and programmes targeting men as a key strategy for the prevention of gender-based violence against women in the South African context?” South Africa has been grappling with GBV for many years. New laws and programmes have been developed since 1994 – yet the scourge seems to worsen (Department of Higher Education and Training, 2019). Despite multiple interventions and research papers conducted on gender-based violence, it was unclear or at least unknown how men were included in these interventions (Tappis et al., 2016). Methods: To 'unlock' these interventions and programmes targeting men, the researcher utilised a scoping review approach. This study looked at 25 studies that included a total of 7 084 participants. Results: Men's participation in gender-based violence interventions had been reviewed extensively and it appeared to have significantly reduced gender-based violence (Gibbs, Dunkle,Mhlongo, Chirwa, Hatcher, Christofides & Jewkes, 2020). The findings indicate that interventions had many positive impacts on participants (Graaff & Heinecken, 2017). Conclusion: Even though the interventions produced positive impact, however, the impact of interventions appeared to be more behavioural than attitudinal, affecting specific 'problematic' behaviours rather than changing men's attitudes regarding gender inequality in general (Graaff & Heinecken, 2017). Some studies argued that this was because men had not rejected their patriarchal power, had difficulty adopting gender-equitable behaviour, as well as sustaining positive change, especially when their emotions were high (Treves-Kagan, Maman, Khoza, MacPhail, Peacock, Twine, Kahn, Lippman & Pettifor, 2020; Graaff & Heinecken, 2017).
The adjustment experiences of the aged when entering a retirement home in South Africa.
(2021) Bussy, Danielle Vivian.; Cartwright, Duncan James.
In our modern society, many elderly people inevitably reach a stage where they have to make the decision to move into a retirement home; which can be a majorly stressful event. Although several overseas studies have explored the adjustment process of the elderly from their previous living situations (either independent or inter-generational living) to a retirement home, literature related to this process for the elderly in South Africa is limited. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the adjustment experiences of the elderly (persons aged 65 and above) into a retirement home in South Africa. The study adopted a qualitative descriptive approach; with a group of ten elderly people (four men and six women) participating in an hour long, semi-structured interview with the researcher at BBGE (name protected for confidentiality) retirement home, Durban, South Africa, to make sense of their adjustment experiences. Research questions aimed to understand; how the elderly made sense of their experiences moving into the home, how they described challenges faced in the process, as well as how the adjustment experience impacted their sense of self-definition and interpersonal relatedness. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to analyse the data gathered in interviews. The findings were filtered into eight super-ordinate themes namely; moving into the home, dealing with different types of loss, dealing with traumatic ruptures in attachment, changes in understandings of self-identity, relationships within the home, institutional living, mindsets and adjustments, and the South African context. It was found that the adjustment process did not necessarily have a significant impact on the elderly’s self-definition or relatedness from a personality perspective, however, lifelong developments of the elderly’s personality styles had an effect on the adjustment process; by either enabling them to adjust with relative ease, or causing distress and ultimately a failure to adjust into the home adequately.
Adult children of alcoholics' experiences of close relationships in adulthood.
(2019) Jamieson, Tyla.; Mitchell, Carol Jean.
This study endeavoured to gain a deeper and more holistic understanding of how adult children of alcoholic’s (ACoA’s) experience relationships as adults. In addition, the study also aimed to explore and describe the challenges ACoA’s may face within these close relationships and the strategies they use in dealing with issues that arise from being an ACoA. In fulfilling these aims, a qualitative interpretive research design was utilised, which allowed the ACoA’s subjective experiences to be highlighted and explored in an in-depth manner. With the use of snowball and convenience sampling, seven self-identified ACoA’s shared their experiences during a 60-90 minute semi-structured interview. The data obtained from these interviews were analysed using thematic analysis which produced four major themes, including: (1) growing up in a family with alcoholism, (2) linking past relationships to present, (3) managing the unmanageable, (4) making meaning and lessons learned. Broadly, the findings of this study suggested that although ACoA’s desire closeness, they tend to experience their relationships with trepidation. As a result, they reported that they were hyper-vigilant and untrusting in relationships, often finding it hard to open up, share and be vulnerable and, consequently, expressed a difficulty in connecting and reconnecting with others. The strategies that ACoA’s made use of in dealing with issues that arose suggested an overall pattern of emotion-focused coping with some strategies proving to be more useful and adaptive than the ones formed early on in growing up in a family with alcoholism. Many of these experiences, challenges and ways of coping were rooted in their early experiences and centralised around the issue of trust and their inability to establish trust, which is evident throughout their relationship histories. The findings of the current study extended that of previous research in that the relationship experiences and challenges went beyond that of romantic relationships, suggesting that a general pattern of relating and coping may exist for ACoA’s, even across relationship types. This shows the lasting impact and far-reaching effects growing up in such an environment can have on an individual throughout their lives. Lastly, this study brought to light several insights that can be used as a point of departure for future researchers working in the area of ACoA’s as well as various practical implications that may prove helpful to ACoA’s as well as health professionals working with ACoA’s and their families.
Alexithymia, chronic pain and depression.
(1993) Choladja, Clair Anye Louise.; Lindegger, Graham Charles.; Lachenicht, Lance Gary.
Abstract available in PDF.
The application of African psychology to the South African clinical context: a scoping review.
(2021) Kayat, Brandon George.; Cartwright, Duncan James.
This scoping review identifies research on the existing applications of African Psychology to the clinical context in South Africa. This scoping review endorsed the methodology of Arksey and O’Malley (2005) in terms of their six stages of conducting a scoping review. These were identified as the identification of the research question, the identification of literature relevant to this question, the selection of studies through a thorough inclusion and exclusion of sources, the charting of the data, the collection, summarising and reporting of the data and the conducting of a consultation exercise; these were applied accordingly, resulting in 76 sources that were analysed to identify the existing applications, relevant concepts and significant challenges facing African Psychology. Pre-existing applications were observed to include implicit or explicit applications or extensions from African Psychology, adaptations to mainstream models, and the development of unique models endorsing concepts specific to African Psychology (such as uBuntu therapy and Swa Moya), and the collaboration of psychologists with traditional healers, participatory action research, community psychology as well as initiatives in the training of psychologists were also evident. Concepts such as uBuntu, Badimo, uMvelinqanqi, traditional healers and rituals had the highest prevalence in sources embracing African Psychology. In terms of the challenges, multiple definitions and conceptualisations of African Psychology present problems for the standardisation of any particular African Psychology model or framework. Secondly, there exists several epistemological and ontological differences between African and mainstream psychology. This creates a concern for the empirical testing of proposed African Psychology applications in terms of their effectiveness as well as their standardisation. The study found that there remain large gaps in the application of African Psychology to the clinical context, despite the growing interest in African Psychology in South Africa.
Assessing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) specific knowledge in educators and identifying demographic predictors pertaining to educators’ knowledge of ADHD within the South African context.
(2021) Sim, Gina Dionne.; Collings, Steven John.
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most researched and controversial of all the childhood-onset disorders. It is also one of the most common disorders, with a high diagnosis rate in South Africa. Research over the last two decades shows a diagnosis prevalence rate of between 5 and 10%, thus making it one of the most commonly occurring disorders affecting South African children and adolescents. Despite its high rate of prevalence, ADHD is a condition that is largely misunderstood amongst parents, educators, and even medical practitioners such as doctors. Research has shown that educators have a basic understanding of ADHD but are not familiar with the more complex details related to its symptoms, treatment and associated features. This raises concern as educators are uniquely placed in the system to perform an instrumental role in the process that leads to ADHD referral and diagnosis. Therefore, this study aimed to measure levels of general knowledge amongst educators in the areas of ADHD associated features, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. It also set out to identify if there were any demographic predictors relating to educators’ level of ADHD knowledge. Knowledge levels were measured using the KADDS Knowledge of Attention Deficit Disorder Scale (KADDS), which is a questionnaire that measures an educator’s level of ADHD knowledge using the categories mentioned above. The KADDS questionnaire was administered along with a demographic questionnaire to 172 educators from primary and secondary schools located in the central Durban area. A demographic questionnaire was also administered to the same sample. Results from this study demonstrated that South African educators based in Durban had an overall level of knowledge rate of 47.14%. The scores obtained during this study fall within the average range of scores obtained from studies using the KADDS instrument, both nationally and internationally. The possible relationship between educators’ level of ADHD knowledge and their demographic characteristics was investigated using correlational analyses. The variable “sex”, which refers to the biological endowment (male/female) was the greatest contributing variable of all the options used in this study. The female sex in this study were found to have greater knowledge of ADHD than their male counterparts. These finding are relevant within the South African context as mental health and the stigma it carries is a barrier to seeking knowledge and being educated on such disorders as ADHD. The findings from this study contribute to the body of knowledge on levels of knowledge among educators in South Africa. Recommendations arising from this study include educators having increased exposure to pre-service and in-service ADHD related training. Educators also require practical experience and exposure to children suffering from ADHD, which will increase their understanding and knowledge of this disorder. Knowledge of self-efficacy as a variable, and its positive association with ADHD knowledge requires further exploration. Finally, it is recommended that further research is conducted on the role that gender plays in terms of the levels of ADHD knowledge among educators.
Barriers and facilitating factors to HIV testing: a survey of tertiary students.
(2005) Mkhize, Ntombifuthi Constance.; Solomon, Vernon Philip.
Research estimates show that almost one in four of South Africa's university undergraduate student population is HIV positive. This study examined the factors that promote and inhibit the uptake of HIV testing among university students. The sample consisted of 602 multicultural students with 74.8% females and 25.2% male students. The current study showed that 48% of University students had an HIV test and 51 % had never been tested before. However, 60% of students claimed to know their status without having been tested for HIV and 40% did not know their status. Chi-square tests showed a significant relationship between inhibiting and promotive factors towards the decision to undertake and not to undertake an HIV test. In this study, we found that university students primarily get tested because they have been engaged in unprotected sex knew someone who died of AIDS and being advised by someone else. All of these reasons suggest reactive rather than proactive reasons to testing. The findings also indicated that students forego testing because they perceive themselves to be at low risk, have abstained, fear a positive result and they see no benefit in testing for HIV. Knowledge of status is the important tool towards the prevention of HIV.
Barriers and facilitating factors to HIV testing: a survey of tertiary students.
(2005) Mkhize, Constance Ntombifuthi.; Solomon, Vernon Philip.
Research estimates show that almost one in four of South Africa's university undergraduate student population is HIV positive. This study examined the factors that promote and inhibit the uptake of HIV testing among university students. The sample consisted of 602 multicultural students with 74.8% females and 25.2% male students. The current study showed that 48% of University students had an HIV test and 51 % had never been tested before. However, 60% of students claimed to know their status without having been tested for HIV and 40% did not know their status. Chi-square tests showed a significant relationship between inhibiting and promotive factors towards the decision to undertake and not to undertake an HIV test. In this study, we found that university students primarily get tested because they have been engaged in unprotected sex knew someone who died of AIDS and being advised by someone else. All of these reasons suggest reactive rather than proactive reasons to testing. The findings also indicated that students forego testing because they perceive themselves to be at low risk, have abstained, fear a positive result and they see no benefit in testing for HIV. Knowledge of status is the important tool towards the prevention of HIV.
Changes in perceptions of others in black and white South African adolescents: the effects of participation in a youth development programme.
(1994) Ferguson, Margaret Gardner.; Basson, Clive James.
Abstract available in PDF.
Children in residential care: an evaluation of current practice and recommendations for differential placements.
(1994) Chaloner, Ann Jillian.; Killian, Beverley Janet.
Abstract available in PDF.
Church leaders' understandings of how Christian beliefs inform mental illness identification and remediation in effected members: a scoping review.
(2021) Nhlumayo, Lethukuthula Nkanyiso.; Valjee, Sachet Rabindranath.
Introduction: Christianity is the world’s leading religion with an estimated 2.3 billion followers, with evidence of influence both in the developing world and amongst developed nations throughout the globe. Literature has demonstrated that church clergy across varying contexts and communities serve the function of mental health gatekeepers and are often the first access point for their community, particularly among people living in low socio-economic settings without adequate access to professional mental health services.However, some issues raised by previous studies were that certain Christian beliefs have been linked with promoting stigma, internalized shame and delayed help-seeking. This study aims to synthesize and map past research that investigated church leader’s representation of how Christian beliefs inform mental illness identification and remediation (referral pathways) in vulnerable church members. Method and Analysis: A scoping review was performed to gain an overview of the available evidence from literature concerning this topic. The data was screened using the PRISMA-ScR flow diagram according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Relevant databases were sourced for literature and a total of 11 studies were eligible for final review. Results and Discussion: Data from the literature was synthesized in table format according to: Author(s) and Year, Study Title, Aims and Objectives, Operational Definition of Concepts, Methodology, and Results. Thematic analysis was used on the data to describe the existing literature and gaps in narrative format. Four themes were identified from the data; 1) Clergy’s conceptualisation of mental illness, 2) Role of Clergy in remediation/intervention regarding suspected cases of mental health issues (referral pathways) 3) Impact of socio-cultural context, 4) Reviewed Study’s Recommendation. These themes were found to be prominent dynamics among studies that investigated clergy’s representation and treatment of mental illness. Conclusion and Recommendations: Four overarching themes were identified among studies that investigated church clergy’s representation and remediation pathways of mental illness for vulnerable church members. Future research should focus on researching the usefulness of clergy and mental health practitioner collaborations in mental health treatment, which can benefit vulnerable church members.
The colour of rage and political opinion: An exploratory study of factors of moral outrage for the South African context.
(2018) Dlamini, Siphesihle Zanele.; Durrheim, Kevin Locksley.
Background: Societies had expected that the transition from crude forms of racial prejudice and oppressive governments would lead to democratic governments that catered for everyone. While policies for racial redress have been implemented, no significant change in social positioning between various race groups has occurred. Various race groups have, as a result, engaged in political movements to express their stance regarding the continued political injustice towards themselves and their race group. Symbolic racism and moral outrage have been used to explain the phenomena of protest actions against politics and policies of racial redress. Objective: The study aimed to develop a reliable and valid moral outrage (MO) scale. It then aimed to use the scale to explore the relationship between this moral outrage and racial prejudice and self-interest. Method: A questionnaire was distributed to black (N=103), Indian (N=45) and white (N=18) participants at UKZN (PMB). Only the black and Indian sample outcomes were used in the study due to the small size of the white sample. SPSS was used to analyse the data. Findings: The results indicated that the developed moral outrage scale is reliable to use (ɑ= 0.72). The study found that participants were morally outraged by racial privilege, government corruption, land ownership, social dominance and out-group threat. Racial privilege was a reliable measure for moral outrage for both black participants (ɑ= 0.78) and Indian participants (ɑ= 0.74) and government corruption was reliable for Indian participants (ɑ= 0.74). Racial discrimination and self-interest did not significantly correlate to MO for black participants, racial discrimination did however have a relationship with racial privilege for Indian participants. Conclusion: A salient group identity is a crucial driving force that mobilizes public reactions to policies as there is shared suffering and perceived infringement of rights. The emotions that black participants have towards white people and that Indian participants hold about their own race that were good predictors for moral outrage.
Community caregivers: a thematic analysis of the perceived psychological impact that community caregiving has on the caregivers.
(2016) Mncube, Zamalotshwa.; Buthelezi, Nontobeko Precious Angela.
This study focused on the impact of community caregiving work on caregivers. The HIV/AIDS pandemic and other health crises have led to an increased number of orphans and vulnerable children in South Africa. There is hence a growing need for community care workers to assist vulnerable families and children. While it is acknowledged that community caregivers face difficult and ambiguous situations in their work environment, there is a paucity of research on the impact of their work on CCGs. This study adopted a qualitative approach to explore the work experiences of CCGs and the impact of these experiences on their well-being. Motivational theory and the effort reward model were adopted to provide a framework to examine this question. Twenty eight community caregivers participated in focus group discussions in Pietermaritzburg, KwaMashu, and Osizweni in KwaZulu-Natal. The findings indicate that community caregivers’ psychological well-being is negatively affected by the challenges they encounter in their work. These leave them feeling exploited, undermined, and vulnerable to harm. The study concludes that poorly functioning referral systems, undermining of caregivers’ roles, a lack of adequate support to deal with work-related stress, and inadequate rewards are some of the challenges that lead to distress among community caregivers. The caregivers felt that increased recognition, adequate rewards, psychological support, and ensuring their safety would have a positive impact on their well-being. While the findings are generalizable, future studies could sample caregivers from various non-governmental organisations and across sectors to strengthen generalizability.
The construction of masculinity by the seminarians of the Roman Catholic Church: “a South African study”
(2016) Khwepe, Nontsokile Maria Emmanuela.; Lindegger, Graham Charles.
Masculinity has been a topic of interest for many academic institutions in the last few decades. For the Roman Catholic Church, the topic of masculinity comes with a particular complication. Candidates for Roman Catholic priesthood are trained within hierarchical structures that are inescapably masculine, whether these are the structure of the Church itself or the structure of the lay society within which the Church exists or through which it is sustained. The study found, particularly in its discussion of seminarians and priests, that gender, power, the status of priesthood and organisational culture emerge as problematic in seminarians’ construction of masculinity. This study aimed to explore how the seminarians of the Roman Catholic Church construct masculinity and how their construction has impacted on their perception of the Roman Catholic priesthood and vice versa, with particular reference to priestly celibacy. Participants between the ages of 22 and 33 were interviewed, all of which were candidates for priesthood at the St. Joseph’s Theological Institute at Cedara. The study was positioned within two theoretical frameworks: social construction theory and the gender theory of priesthood. The study employed a qualitative research methodology to broadly explore seminarians’ construction of masculinity and the impact of this in their living of priestly masculinity. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the interview data. The interviews were conducted among ten seminarians to investigate their position in relation to their construction of priestly masculinity and its challenges, while negotiating the construction of masculinity and priesthood. The findings indicate that masculinity construction and priesthood is complex, multiple and changing. It was evident that some of the seminarians’ descriptions of priestly masculinity point to an adherence to traditional and cultural practices. Their descriptions can be understood as constituting a discourse of priests drawing on dominant, hierarchical and patriarchal masculinities which Connell’s (1987; 1995) hegemonic masculinity refers to as a privileged, vi powerful and aggressive masculinity. On the other hand, priesthood masculinity is also constructed as patient, strong, serving, and enduring and sacrificing, which are also regarded as the characteristics of a “real man”. In this regard, for some seminarians to be a man and to be a priest cannot be different from one another since masculinity is seen as a prerequisite for priesthood masculinity and vice versa. This study calls for seminarians and priests to engage meaningfully in the transformation of gender discourses in the Catholic Church and the formation of seminarians in particular. The study calls for the authority of the Church to challenge the structurally privileged status occupied by priests in the Church. In this view, it calls on priests and seminarians to be more involved in an alternative construction of masculinity, which is more consistent with the religious values and commitment of their vocation.
Eating disorder symptomatology among black female teenagers in a rural area of KwaZulu-Natal: a cross-sectional study.
(2021) Munyai, Neani Patrick.; Wassenaar, Douglas Richard.
The purpose of this study was to explore the prevalence of eating disorder symptomatology and statistical relationship between eating disorder pathology and body image among Black female teenagers in a rural area of KwaZulu-Natal. Furthermore, the influence of body mass index (BMI) and socioeconomic status were explored. A literature review of eating pathology was conducted and the content thereof was compared to the study hypotheses. Different theories (the vulnerability model, social comparison theory, cognitive behavioural theory and bioecological theory of human development) were adopted to examine multiple potential vulnerabilities and maintenance of eating disorders amongst Black female teenagers in rural areas. Research in this field has revealed that acculturation to a Western value system and body image ideals appear to affect the prevalence of eating disorders among Black women. There is a paucity of South African research on cross-cultural attitudes and behaviours associated with eating disorders among Black teenagers in rural areas. The sample comprised 184 Zulu female public high school learners in a rural area of KwaZulu-Natal between the ages of 13 and 19 years. Data were collected with a demographic questionnaire and the Eating Disorder Inventory. The results showed a possible link between dysfunctional metacognitive beliefs and eating disorders. No correlation was found between socioeconomic status and eating disorders. Most of the participants (52.2%) were classified in the normal weight category (BMI), whereas the remaining participants were classified in the obese class III and underweight, which may suggest that some of the participants may have displayed patterns associated with eating disorders. The results are discussed in relation to the literature, recommendations for future research based on the limitations of this study, are made.
An ecological exploration of how South African university students negotiate their menstruation within the university system.
(2018) Ngubane, Nokubonga Purity.; Frizelle, Kerry Lyn.
Objective of the study The purpose of this study is to contribute to the ‘demedicalisation” of menstruation among university students. It aimed to do this by using a socio-ecological model to explore the way in which a sample of female University residence students experience and negotiate their menstruation within the university context. Method Two focus group interviews were conducted with a sample of nine female participants who resided in the university student residences. Thematic data analysis was used to analyse the data. Findings The findings of this study highlight that there are a number of intersecting factors that impact on how university students experience their menstruation. The findings of this study showed that a number of factors combine to result in menstruation experiences that have a negative impact on the students’ academic performance. For example, their performance is not just affected by internal, physiological factors, but by wider structural issues such as a lack of clean university bathrooms that prevents them from changing their sanitary pads at university and forces them to leave campus early. It was also found that a lack of appropriate education on methods of managing menstrual pain results in students managing their menstrual symptoms by taking medication that causes, for example, drowsiness. This research challenges the medical approach towards menstruation and creates awareness of other factors that impact on students’ experiences of menstruation such as wider socio-cultural discourses, gendered relationships, significant interpersonal relationships, university infrastructure and economic status. Conclusion This research has contributed to a body of research that highlights how contextual factors intersect to influence how university students experience their menstruation. There is a need for structural interventions that acknowledge that students should not be expected to manage menstruation on their own, but should, rather be able to expect their university to provide appropriate resources to improve their menstruation experiences while at university.
The effects of social media over-use on adolescents’ psychological well-being: a scoping review.
(2021) Hlongwane, Phumelela Sibusisiwe.; Valjee, Sachet Rabindranath.
Introduction: The last 10 years have seen an exponential growth in the use of technology, the internet and social media, and while many benefits of social media use have been found, there are also various adverse effects that can be detrimental to mental health. Recent literature indicates a relationship between the overuse of social media and the development of adverse mental health outcomes, such as symptoms of depression and anxiety, amongst the adolescent population who are at a critical and vulnerable stage of their development. This study aims to synthesise and map studies that demonstrate a relationship between social media over-use and adolescents’ psychological well-being. Methods and Analysis: A scoping review was conducted to provide an overview of, and to map, the existing literature within this field of research. The data were screened thoroughly using the PRISMA-ScR flow diagram according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Relevant databases were searched and a total of 11 studies were eligible for final review. Results and Discussion: The data were charted in table form and summarised by: Author(s) and Year, Study Title, Aims and Objectives, Operational Definition of Social Media/Overuse Concepts, Methodology, and Results, and synthesised into a comprehensive report. Identified trends and gaps were analysed thematically to provide a narrative interpretation of existing literature. Studies that investigated relationships between social media overutilization and mental health vulnerabilities were categorized in relation to five overarching themes: Conceptualisations of Overuse, Developmental and Social Factors, Gender Differences, Study Design, and Psychometric Measures. Conclusion and Recommendations: Five specific themes emerged in relation to the various factors that contributed towards the relationship demonstrated between excessive social media use and adverse mental health outcomes. Future research could aim to better understand the challenges faced by adolescents as a result of excessive social media use and provide opportunities to develop cultural and context specific interventions to reduce and remediate these effects.
The efficacy of client-generated and therapist-generated metaphors in psychotherapy.
(1995) Christelis, Paul James.; Sharratt, Pamela Arlette.
The purpose of the reported research was to determine the efficacy of client-generated and therapist-generated metaphors in psychotherapy. The aim of the study was to ascertain whether client-generated metaphors are more appropriate and effective than a) therapist-generated metaphors and b) conditions in which no metaphors are used (literal conditions). Exploratory aims included examining the impact of counsellor training on subjects' attitudes towards the three conditions and ascertaining the effect of therapists' and clients' sex on these attitudes. The author hypothesized that client-generated metaphors would be perceived as being most effective by subjects in both the Trained group (ie. those subjects who received input on counselling skills) and the Untrained group (ie. those subjects who received no such input) and that therapist-generated metaphors would be rated least effective. A quantitative analysis comprising Kuder Richardson Formula 20 Analyses of Variance and the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient was adopted and a content analysis was performed on the qualitative data. Although the results were not found to be significant, they approached significance and pointed to undeniable trends in the data. Specifically, these trends were that client-generated metaphors were perceived as most effective amongst trained counsellors; that literal communication was favoured by untrained subjects; and that both groups deemed therapist-generated metaphors to be the least effective of the three conditions. The only significant finding on the relationship between sex and attitude towards metaphor, was that female subjects tend to adopt a more positive attitude towards client-generated metaphors than male subjects do. The results showcase the importance of context when using metaphors in psychotherapy, and suggest avenues for future research.
Emerging masculinities: a qualitative analysis of the construction and practice of adolescent masculinities.
(2005) Danckwerts, Sally Ann.; Lindegger, Graham Charles.
This study aimed to investigate how a sample of South African adolescent boys construct and negotiate their masculine identities from the different versions of being male available to them within their particular social and cultural contexts. This study employed a qualitative research design using the semi-structured interview protocol developed by Frosh et al.(2002). The results of this research consistently reveal that masculinity among adolescent boys is dynamic, multiple and continually being made, performed, resisted and contested. The subjects described different ways of being male, often having to negotiate a coherent masculine identity from many competing, often contradictory versions of masculinity. However hegemonic or 'hard' masculinity remains the dominant standard against which other ways of being male are evaluated. These masculinity constructions show remarkable similarities to those of the English adolescent boys in the Frosh, Phoenix and Pattman (2002) study, which suggests that the hegemonic ideal is particularly wide ranging and well-entrenched in the lives of boys.
The experience of burnout among psychologists in South Africa.
(2019) Anderson, Kerry-Leigh Tara.; Cartwright, Duncan James.
Psychologists are at risk for burnout due to the emotional challenges and structural difficulties encountered in their daily work. Given the high prevalence of burnout amongst psychologists, a considerable amount of research has been conducted on the effects, risks and management of burnout. However, despite the proliferation of burnout literature, the majority of research has been restricted to quantitative analysis, with a paucity of studies exploring the phenomenon from a qualitative standpoint. More so, even fewer studies have explored the lived experience of burnout amongst psychologists. Thus, this study explored the experience of burnout among psychologists using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Six psychologists working in South Africa were purposively sampled and interviewed in order to collect rich, detailed accounts of their experience and perceptions of burnout. Five super-ordinate themes emerged from the data: (1) description of burnout reflects inner experience; (2) idealised expectations of self; (3) effects are multi-faceted; (4) risky business (5) the self-protection: a lofty goal. Findings from the study highlighted the uniqueness of individual experience even within commonalities. Findings demonstrated that the impact of burnout is far reaching and affects the psychologist in multiple areas of functioning. Findings also suggested that burnout can be self-sustaining and various processes such as self-stigma and stigma from colleagues intersect to create barriers to protection and effective resolution of burnout. Most notably, research findings suggested that psychologists’ self-concept may be impacted negatively by burnout which, in turn, may cause psychologists to work harder and invest more emotionally, possibly giving rise to a self-perpetuating cycle of burnout. These findings have implications for the training, supervision and support of psychologists in practice in addition to the prevention and management of burnout.

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