Doctoral Degrees (Psychiatry)
Recent Submissions
-
Exploration of parental reflective function and mother-child interaction in a South African sample of women with peri- and postpartum psychosis
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2020-12)ENGLISH SUMMARY : Background: Severe mental illness in the peripartum period may exert a significant and detrimental impact on maternal caregiving and infant attachment. The experience of psychotic symptoms during pregnancy ... -
Internalizing mental disorders in HIV : the role of environment, telomere length and selected genetic variants
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2020-03)ENGLISH SUMMARY : Background: HIV+ children and adolescents (CA-HIV) suffer from a considerable burden of internalizing mental disorders (IMDs), which are associated with negative outcomes, such as poor academic functioning ... -
Hair cortisol as a neuroendocrine biomarker to evaluate the impact of chronic stress on the interaction between neuropsychiatric disorders and metabolic syndrome
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2020-03)ENGLISH SUMMARY : Individuals with neuropsychiatric disorders (NPDs) demonstrate increased rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and metabolic syndrome (MetS). There is evidence of dysregulated hypothalamic pituitary ... -
An investigation of the relationship between PTSD, reflective functioning and caregiving sensitivity amongst mothers misusing substances
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2020-03)ENGLISH SUMMARY : Substance use has increased significantly in South Africa and has been associated with several risk factors for both maternal and infant mental health including dysfunctional parenting practices. Trauma ... -
Cognitive training in patients with Trichotillomania (Hair-pulling Disorder)
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2019-04)ENGLISH SUMMARY : Background: Hair-pulling disorder (HPD), also known as trichotillomania, is a psychiatric condition characterized by recurrent pulling of hair, resulting in hair loss. Patients report repeated but ... -
Understanding and treating trauma and violence-related pathologies in South African townships : emergence and modifiability of epigenetic and neural memories of traumatic stressors and appetitive offending
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2018-12)ENGLISH SUMMARY : Prolonged exposure to traumatic stress results in sustained activation of biological responses, which affect shared similar pathways, leading to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a serious mental ... -
Integrating a trauma-informed psychological intervention for PTSD among PLWH on the Friendship Bench in Zimbabwe : a mixed methods formative study
(2018-12)ENGLISH SUMMARY : Introduction: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other Common Mental Disorders (CMD), such as depression and anxiety disorders, are highly prevalent in people living with HIV (PLWH). In Zimbabwe, ... -
An adapted intervention for problematic alcohol use in people living with AIDS and its impact on alcohol use, general functional ability, quality of life and adherence to HAART : a cluster randomized control trial at Opportunistic Infections Clinics in Zimbabwe
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2018-12)ENGLISH SUMMARY : With the advent of antiretroviral therapy, the HIV pandemic has become a chronic illness requiring lifelong treatment. The 90-90-90 strategy, adopted by UNAIDS, aims for (i) 90% of HIV infected persons ... -
The development and validation of the visual screening tool for anxiety disorders and depression in people living with hypertension and/or diabetes
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2018-12)ENGLISH SUMMARY : People living with hypertension and/or diabetes have an increased prevalence of depression and anxiety disorders. This contributes to functional limitations, poor quality of life, increased financial ... -
Brain structural and white matter changes in first-episode schizophrenia and their demographic, clinical and cognitive correlates
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2018-03)ENGLISH SUMMARY : In schizophrenia, decreased brain volume and altered cortical thinning (especially in the frontal and temporal areas), as well as white matter deficits are described at the first-episode. The relationship ... -
Association between motor timing and treatment outcomes in patients with alcohol and/or cocaine addiction in a rehabilitation programme
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2017-12)ENGLISH SUMMARY : Introduction: Motor timing deficits have been found in DA system related disorders and, more recently, also in individuals with Substance Use Disorders (SUD). Motor timing is fundamental to our ability ... -
Measuring the impact of HIV on the fronto-striatal system
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2016-12)ENGLISH SUMMARY : HIV infection remains a major contributor to the global health burden despite the introduction of effective prevention strategies and the effectiveness of combined antiretroviral therapy (cART). Of ... -
Establishing modified mental health assertive treatment programs in a developing country
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2016-12)ENGLISH SUMMARY : An increasing demand for acute inpatient beds has put pressure on psychiatric services in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. While this is not unusual compared to elsewhere in the world, this ... -
A prospective study of clinical, biological and functional aspects of outcome in first episode psychosis
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015-12)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Prospective, longitudinal clinical studies in first-episode schizophrenia have become relatively commonplace over the past two decades or more and have provided a wealth of useful information regarding ... -
Mechanisms in social anxiety disorder in the context of early developmental trauma : an imaging, neurocognitive and genetics study
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015-12)ENGLISH SUMMARY : The contribution of early developmental trauma (EDT) to the neurobiological mechanisms of social anxiety disorder (SAD) is poorly understood. A cross sectional study was conducted to examine the effects ... -
Neurocognition and thought disorder : it’s association, temporal stability and outcome correlates in first-episode psychosis
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015-04)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Abstract Neurocognitive deficits and thought disorder in schizophrenia have generally been accepted as core features of the illness, yet their underlying relationship, response to treatment, and ... -
Efficacy and mechanism of action of intrahippocampalD-cycloserine in an animal model of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015-03)ENGLISH SUMMARY : Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been described as a persistent (Bremner et al., 1996) and incapacitating (Zatzick et al., 1997; Mendlowicz &Stein 2000) psychiatric disorder which occurs after ... -
The identification of novel susceptibility genes involved in anxiety disorders
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch UniversityStellenbosch University, 2014-12)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The etiology of anxiety disorders remains incompletely understood. Clear evidence for a genetic component has been proposed; however, there is also an increasing focus on environmental factors and the ... -
Trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in women with alcohol abuse and dependence in a community sample in the Western Cape Province, South Africa
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2014-04)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Women in the communities of the Western Cape Province of South Africa are confronted with high levels of trauma exposure and acute stressful life events. Many live in rural communities where violence, ... -
Molecular mechanisms of D-cycloserine in a fear extinction posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) animal model
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2014-04)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a severe, chronic and debilitating psychiatric disorder that can present after the experience of a life-threatening traumatic event. D-cycloserine (DCS), a partial ...