Graduation - 2024 - December (Open Access)
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- ItemA Model of the Relationship between PMDD and Suicidal Behaviour, and the Effects of Childhood Abuse among South African University Students(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2024-12) Coetzee, Courtney; Roomaney, Rizwana; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Psychology.Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder is a mood disorder that is characterised by a cluster of debilitating cognitive, behavioural, and somatic symptoms. Studies have shown an inextricable link between exposure to childhood abuse and PMDD. There is a paucity of quantitative research showing relationships between PMDD and all phases on the spectrum of suicidal behaviour. Little research has attempted to predict risk for suicidality in the face of both PMDD symptoms and a history of child abuse in an integrated model. Utilising Joiner’s Interpersonal Psychological Theory of suicide, the study aimed to determine a structural model of the relationships between PMDD symptoms, suicidal behaviour, and child abuse (CA). This cross-sectional study utilised an online survey questionnaire to collect self-report data from a sample of 1218 female students from Stellenbosch University between March and June 2023. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Structural Equation Modeling was used to examine the 10 hypothesized structural relationships between PMDD symptoms, the constructs of IPT, and child abuse. Findings revealed that a positive screening for PMDD symptoms predicted both Thwarted belongingness (TB)and Perceived Burdensomeness (PB). CA had a direct positive effect on both PMDD symptoms and an Acquired Capability for Suicide (ACS). PB also significantly mediated the relationship between PMDD symptoms and an ACS. Additionally, CA moderated the relationship between TB and an ACS. This study provides support for the IPT, emphasizing the roles of PB and CA in the development of an ACS among women who screen positive for PMDD. Future research needs to include additional factors contributing towards suicide risk in future models to provide support for and strengthen the current model.
- ItemExploring forensic psychiatric patients’ subjective experiences of whether a social and therapeutic horticulture intervention assists with their recovery from a serious mental illness(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2024-12) Briar, Isabella Ciara; Lesch, Anthea; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Psychology.Social and therapeutic horticulture (STH) has been well-documented as a viable intervention for the treatment of serious mental illness internationally. There is a dearth of similar research into STH in the South African context. This study used a qualitative research design to explore forensic psychiatric patients' experiences of whether an STH intervention assisted with their recovery from a serious mental illness. Criterion sampling was used to recruit participants from the adult forensic psychiatric wards at a psychiatric hospital in the Western Cape province. All of the participants were living with a serious mental illness although only five were able to name their mental illness as either schizophrenia (n=3) or bipolar disorder (n=2). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 13 participants. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. The findings of this study reveal that participants had predominantly positive experiences of the STH project. They reported feeling happy and relaxed and stress-free in the garden as well as physically and mentally stimulated by the range of tasks that they performed in the garden. Involvement in the STH project helped the participants to develop a sense of identity that was separate from their mental illness as they identified themselves as gardeners through their involvement in the project. The participants’ explanatory models of their mental illness were also explored and their responses were congruent with the existing literature. Casual explanations for their mental illnesses included a genetic predisposition, environmental factors, substance abuse and injuries to the brain. Other key themes that emerged from the data were the importance of social connections with fellow gardeners and staff members as well as a sense of hope for their future. Through working in the garden the participants were able to have an optimistic outlook for their future, including their lives outside of the hospital. The findings of this study demonstrate that STH has many positive effects for participants and that these effects can contribute positively towards recovery from a serious mental illness. This research is furthering our understanding of how STH interventions may be utilized as a cost-effective intervention for the treatment of mental illness within the South African context. The findings of this study suggest that STH can be successfully applied as an intervention within a forensic psychiatric setting. However, further research is required to determine the feasibility of this intervention in other contexts. Further studies should include a mixed-methods design with a larger sample size and could include the perspectives of healthcare workers as well as participants.
- ItemCoping with Change during the Covid-19 Pandemic: South African Caregivers with Preschoolers’ Experiences of changes in Family routines(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2024-12) Botha, Michael; Kagee, Ashraf; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Psychology.Introduction: Since the emergence of the Covid-19 virus in 2020, life for all has been irrevocably altered. As a health-protecting measure, new regulations and restrictions were enforced, which affected central aspects to caregivers’ pre-pandemic lives, such as the closure of preschool facilities, the transition to remote working, and the cessation of in-person socialisation. These implications presented caregivers with new barriers and stressors, forcing caregivers to navigate a newly uncertain and challenging time. Although current literature has corroborated the relative change caregivers experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic, currently there is a lack of enquiry into the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on caregivers in the South African context. Accordingly, this study aims to explore South African caregivers with preschoolers’ experiences of coping with changes to their daily and family routines during the Covid-19 pandemic. Methods: Fifteen caregivers with preschoolers were recruited through purposive sampling between October 2022 and May 2023 to participate in the current study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted both face-to-face and through Microsoft Teams to elucidate the participants’ experiences of the Covid-19 pandemic. These interviews were recorded, transcribed, and thematically analysed with the use of computer-assisted software, ATLAS.ti. Findings: Overall, five themes, with numerous subthemes, emerged, which effectively encompassed the participants’ experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic. The themes are as follows: (1) Change to Daily Life: The Stress of Covid-19 Restrictions, (2) Caregivers’ Adaptation to Change during the Covid-19 Pandemic, (3) Caregiver Coping during the Covid-19 Pandemic, (4) Outcome of the Covid-19 Pandemic: Positive Developments, and (5) Outcome of the Covid-19 Pandemic: Negative Developments. The findings are presented in a stepwise structure, first uncovering the relative changes experienced and sources of stress, followed by the ways in which caregivers coped and adapted to these forced disruptions and lastly both the negative and positive implications of the Covid-19 pandemic. Finally, based on the writings of Lazarus and Folkman, the study produced a conceptual model of caregivers experiences of the Covid-19 pandemic. Discussion: The participants experienced a great deal of change due to the Covid-19 pandemic and its implemented restrictions, with many of these changes inducing new sources of stress. Accordingly, the participants found unique ways to cope and adapt to these forced changes, noting crucial aspects that either aided or hindered their coping ability. Although negative outcomes were associated with the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly compromised development in their children, it appeared that the socio-economic privilege of the participants largely buffered them from more severe consequences of the pandemic. Nevertheless, despite these new sources of stress, participants exhibited clear signs of resiliency and found positives in inherently challenging and uncertain times. Understanding and documenting the experiences of how caregivers overcame adversity is crucial in uncovering the long-lasting impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. This study adds valuable contributions to the global knowledge-base of the Covid-19 pandemic, which provides the necessary insight to aid professionals and policymakers in mitigating the negative impacts of future scenarios similar to the Covid-19 pandemic.
- ItemCaring for people living with Motor Neuron Disease: A qualitative study of challenges and coping among informal caregivers in South Africa(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2024-12) Allan, Bailey Claire Isabella; Kagee, Ashraf; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Psychology.Motor neuron disease (MND) is a progressive and fatal neurodegenerative condition that is increasingly impacting individuals and their families globally. Despite being relatively rare, the prevalence is rising due to an aging population, with significant socioeconomic consequences, particularly in countries with fragmented healthcare systems, financial challenges, and limited resources and skills, such as South Africa. Family members often assume the caregiving role, leading to substantial caregiver burden in a context where support is lacking. Against this backdrop, and given the scarcity of research on MND within South African communities, this study aimed to investigate the challenges faced by caregivers of individuals with MND and the coping strategies they employ. The study adopted an exploratory and qualitative approach to gain an in-depth understanding of lived experiences. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 informal caregivers of MND patients across South Africa. The data, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis, revealed insights into the caregiver burden through Lazarus' Objective and Subjective Burden of Care perspective. The narratives emerging from this framework included objective burden being physical strain, the impact on caregivers' social environments, and difficulties with healthcare services, while the subjective burden encompassed perceived loss of love and self, guilt, and emotional impact. The study also identified coping strategies using the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping, with emotion-focused strategies encompassing religion, acceptance, and denial, while problem-focused strategies included healthcare support, support groups, self-education, and family support. The findings indicate that caregivers of individuals with MND undergo an intensive burden of care with limited support, therefore proposing a call for further research to address these gaps and improve support for informal MND caregivers and those they care for.
- ItemInvestigating compliance challenges in the environmental legal framework for the diamond mining sector in Lesotho. A case study of the Kao community council area(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2024-12) Khoete, Rethabile Millicent; Muller, J. I.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public LeadershipThis is a study on mining challenges, the role of environmental legal frameworks and regulations, how a lack of environmental regulations or the lack of compliance thereof affects the environment and the well-being of societies. Proper disposal of effluent has been a problem since the early days of diamond mining in Lesotho. Informal, artisanal diamond mining in Lesotho happened since the 1930s, but first became public knowledge in 1954 when a Mosotho woman died by falling into a pit while digging for diamonds in the Kao area. This began an era of expanded diamond mining in Lesotho. However, this mining has also been marked with unprecedented challenges relating to the biosphere and the communities which live close to these mining sites. This study sought to find out what the environmental legal framework in Lesotho was, and whether it was being enforced. The study used a case study methodology to try and understand and measure the perceptions of various role-players regarding mining challenges, the role of environmental legal frameworks and regulations, making use of a variety of sources of secondary and primary data. Qualitative methods was used for data collection, with interviews/questionaires as the primary methods of collecting information. Secondary data was also used, such as newspaper articles, other mining studies, data from nongovernmental reports and other documentary sources. The study findings conclude that lack of an adequate environmental legal framework in relation to mining projects, and weak institutional capacity and a lack of political will to enforce the framework were major challenges which made the living situation very difficult for residents in the Kao community council area. The study ends by making recommendations on how the government and mining companies can improve the situation.