An experimental study of the effectiveness of group therapeutic techniques in improving black-white relations among university students.
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Date
1990
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Abstract
The need for an effective group programme to improve Black-White relations on
desegregated university campuses in South Africa was identified as the focal area of
concern of this study. A particularly urgent need to address the issue of Black-White
relations in the University of Natal was shown to exist in view of its rapidly increasing
multiracial student composition relative to other South African university campuses.
Local and international literature was reviewed to provide guidelines for the
construction and evaluation of appropriate programmes that reflected the dominant
approaches that characterise group therapeutic strategies of improving intergroup
relations. A significant absence of rigorous scientific evaluation of intervention
strategies was noted. Two longitudinal, biracial group programmes were selected for evaluation viz. Group
Programme A and Group Programme B. Programme A was reflective of a
confrontational approach and Programme B was reflective of a non-confrontational
approach. The programmes were based on the assumptions of humanistic
psychotherapy, social psychological and sociological theories of prejudice formation
and racism, and social learning theory. The project utilised an experimental before and after control group design. Forty five
Black and 45 White students were randomly selected from a pool of first-year
university students who fulfilled designated selection criteria. Fifteen Black and 15
White students were randomly assigned to Groups A, B and C. Groups A and B were
subjected to Programmes A and B respectively while Group C was used as the control
group. Four evaluation measures were used pretest and posttest viz. the Philosophy
of Human Nature Scale, Heimler Scale of Social Functioning, Racial Discomfort
Questionnaire and a Behavioural Interaction Change assessment. All four research hypotheses adopted were confirmed by the data analysis. The study highlighted the effectiveness of Group Programme A in improving Black-White
relations. It was demonstrated that contact per se was not sufficient to improve race
relations among university students. The central importance of developing insight
into barriers in interracial communication was emphasised. While both Black and
White students benefitted significantly from their participation in the Group
Programmes, Black students derived fewer benefits than White students.
Several recommendations were made for the utilisation of the research findings in
university and wider communities. Further research possibilities arising from the
present study were explored.
Description
Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1990.
Keywords
Students--South Africa--Attitudes., Group psychotherapy., Social change., South Africa--Race relations., Theses--Social work.