Browsing by Author "De Clerk, Carla Christina"
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- ItemThe psychological functioning of patients admitted to a rural western cape hospital following an episode of non-fatal suicidal behaviour: stress, coping and perceived social support(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2019-04) De Clerk, Carla Christina; Somhlaba, Nceba Z.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Psychology.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Suicide is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and is associated with feelings of depression, anxiety and hopelessness, as well as ineffective coping strategies and perceived lack of social support. The data from interviews conducted with 34 patients admitted to a rural Western Cape hospital following an episode of non-fatal suicidal behaviour, was used for this study. The study set out to examine the relationship between stress; determined by depressive symptoms, symptoms of anxiety, and symptoms of hopelessness; and various coping strategies; as well as the relationship between stress, coping and perceived social support. Furthermore, the study aimed to determine whether these relationships offered insight into the roles of coping strategies and social appraisal, and whether these should be addressed in intervention and prevention programmes. Quantitative research was conducted by means of interviewer-administered questionnaires. The results indicate a significant positive relationship between symptoms of depression and anxiety; followed by a significant positive relationship between symptoms of depression and hopelessness; symptoms of anxiety and hopelessness; and symptoms of depression and avoidant coping. The results showed a significant negative correlation between symptoms of depression and social support-seeking coping, and between social support appraisal and anxiety. Hopelessness emerged as a positive predictor of depression. In addition, social support-seeking coping was positively correlated with social support appraisal, which in turn has emerged as a significant negative predictor of stress (symptoms of depression and anxiety). Possible support for Lazarus and Folkman’s stress-coping model and Farberow and Shneidman’s communication theory was established and inferences were made for possible intervention and prevention programmes. It is recommended that further research includes longitudinal studies in order to gain a better understanding of the potentially changing nature of the underlying psychological functioning of patients following an episode of non-fatal suicidal behaviour.