An Exploration of Families' Psychosocial Well-Being in a South African Context

2012 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 343-357 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vicki Koen ◽  
Chrizanne van Eeden ◽  
Sebastiaan Rothmann
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Well Being ◽  
South African Context ◽  
African Context

Pathways through homelessness: the perceptions of homeless children in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 141-160
Author(s):  
Anna Wilshire Jones Bornman ◽  
Carol Jean Mitchell
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Well Being ◽  
South African Context ◽  
Homeless Children ◽  
The South ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
African Context

Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore children’s pathways through homelessness within the South African context, with particular attention paid to pathways out of homelessness. This study focusses on factors influencing children’s successful transitions out of homelessness. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative exploratory design was used, using interviews with nine children who had exited or were in the process of exiting homelessness. Interviews were conducted at a children’s shelter in Pietermaritzburg or in the children’s home environments. Interviews were analysed thematically. Findings An ecological framework was used to frame the factors influencing children’s pathways in, through and out of homelessness in the children’s narratives. These included institutions, relationships and intrapersonal strengths and resources. The study suggested that constructive relationships with shelter staff and parental figures, as well as intrapersonal strengths, were the most prominent factors in children successfully negotiating their way through their homelessness. The importance of a relationship with the paternal family within some African cultures was also a point of leverage. Research limitations/implications Implications for policy and practise include the need for systemic change, as well as greater support for shelters and shelter staff. The issue of rivalry in the shelter context and the role of the paternal family in the reintegration process require more research attention. The research is limited to homeless children in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Practical implications This study provided feedback to the shelter regarding their strategies for assisting homeless children off the streets. It further provided evidence for the importance of the work of the shelter, to strengthen advocacy efforts. This may be useful to others in similar circumstances. Social implications This study highlights the importance of macrosystemic interventions in the efforts to assist homeless children, while at the same time not ignoring the inter and intra, personal elements to enhancing their well-being. Originality/value This paper is singular in its exploration of factors influencing children’s successful transitions out of homelessness within the South African context.

scholarly journals Managing employee well-being: A qualitative study exploring job and personal resources of at-risk employees

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecile Gauche ◽  
Leon T. De Beer ◽  
Lizelle Brink
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
South African ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Job Resources ◽  
Personal Resources ◽  
South African Context ◽  
The South ◽  
African Context ◽  
The Impact

Orientation: Job and personal resources influence the well-being of employees. Currently, limited information exists in literature surrounding the experience of these resources in employees identified as at-risk of burnout.Research purpose: To investigate the experience of job and personal resources from the perspectives of employees identified as at-risk of burnout.Motivation for the study: Empirical evidence on the integrative role and influence of job and personal resources on the well-being of employees in the South African context is currently limited. Attaining a better understanding of the manner in which at-risk employees experience resources can empower organisations to actively work towards creating an environment that allows for optimal employee well-being.Research design, approach and method: A phenomenological approach was taken to conduct the study in a South African-based financial services organisation. A combination of purposive and convenience sampling was used, and 26 employees agreed to participate. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data, and data analysis was performed through the use of thematic analysis.Main findings: Employees identified as at-risk of burnout acknowledged both job and personal resources as factors influencing their well-being. Participants in this study elaborated on received job resources as well as lacking job resources. Information was also shared by participants on personal resources through describing used personal resources as well as lacking personal resources.Practical/managerial implications: Knowledge gained from the study will contribute to empower organisations to better understand the impact of resources on the well-being of employees, and allow organisations to adapt workplace resources to ensure adequate and appropriate resources to facilitate optimal employee well-being.Contribution: This study contributes to the limited research available in the South African context regarding the experience of job and personal resources from the perspective of at-risk employees. The study may also enable organisations to create a workplace that is more supportive and empowering with appropriate resources to deliver on expected demands.

scholarly journals Validation of the Short Self-Regulation Questionnaire in a group of Black teachers: The SABPA study

2013 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariette Vosloo ◽  
Johan Potgieter ◽  
Michael Temane ◽  
Suria Ellis ◽  
Tumi Khumalo
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Black Teachers ◽  
South African Context ◽  
The South ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Psychometric Instrument ◽  
African Context ◽  
Total Scale Score

Orientation: Recent literature has emphasised the important role that self-regulation plays in the mental health of individuals. The lack of a validated psychometric instrument to accurately measure self-regulation amongst Black South Africans however limits its potential impact within the challenging South African context.Research purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Short Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SSRQ) when used in a South African context, specifically focusing on Black South Africans.Motivation for the study: By commenting on the ability of the SSRQ to accurately capture the construct of self-regulation amongst Black educators, the current article serves to address and alleviate the lacunae in our understanding of self-regulation as a potentially protective factor.Research design, approach and method: The study was of a quantitative nature, and made use of a cross-sectional design and purposively selected study sample. Participants were urbanised Black teachers (N = 200) who completed the SSRQ and other measures of self-regulation and psychological well-being.Main findings: The reliability of the SSRQ total scale score proved satisfactory. Factor analysis produced five robust sub-constructs that were theoretically interpretable. Significant correlations between the SSRQ and other measures of self-regulation and psychological well-being also indicated good criterion-related validity.Practical/managerial implications: The availability of a reliable and valid instrument for the measurement of self-regulation in the South African context will enable both researchers and practitioners to better understand and utilise self-regulation in the enhancement of individual well-being.Contribution/value-add: The SSRQ’s ability to accurately measure self-regulation will contribute to our understanding of its role as preventive strength in the South African context. Refinement of item content will serve to further strengthen the SSRQ’s factor structure, and improve its validity for use within the Black South African population.

A Model for Psychosocial Well-Being of Families in a South African Context

2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 155-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vicki Koen ◽  
Chrizanne van Eeden ◽  
Sebastiaan Rothmann
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Well Being ◽  
South African Context ◽  
African Context

scholarly journals What should a Universal School-Based Psychoeducational Programme to Support Psychological Well-Being amongst Children and Young People in South Africa Focus on and how should it be Delivered? A Multi-Stakeholder Perspective

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bronwynè J. Coetzee ◽  
Hermine Gericke ◽  
Suzanne Human ◽  
Paul Stallard ◽  
Maria Loades
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Young People ◽  
South African ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
South African Context ◽  
Children And Young People ◽  
School Based ◽  
African Context

AbstractChildren and young people are vulnerable to developing mental health problems. In South Africa, this vulnerability is compounded by contextual risk factors such as community violence and poverty. However, mental health services are scarce and costly, which precludes access for many. Universal school-based mental health programmes can prevent the onset of mental health problems in children and young people and have been implemented to good effect in high-income settings. We sought to understand stakeholder perspectives on what such a programme should focus on and how it could be implemented in practice within the South African context. We interviewed children and young people (n = 22), parents (n = 21), teachers (n = 17), and school mental health counsellors (n = 6) recruited from two schools in the Western Cape, South Africa. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. We generated three overarching themes: ‘the value of a mental health and well-being programme’, ‘content and delivery’, and ‘practicalities and logistics’. Participants were optimistic about the potential value of such a programme. Developing content that was appropriate for group delivery, flexible and timed to fit within the school schedule was important. Finding ways to make activities meaningful for large classes was important logistically, as was determining to what extent leaners would feel comfortable participating alongside their peers. Participants felt that outsiders, as opposed to school staff, should deliver the programme and that parents should be involved where possible. Developing a mental health programme for children and young people in the South African context requires careful understanding of who the key role players in such an intervention will be and how exactly they want to be involved and, how the challenges associated with practicalities and logistics can be overcome.

scholarly journals Conceptualising the professional identity of industrial or organisational psychologists within the South African context

2016 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Llewellyn E. Van Zyl ◽  
Elzabe Nel ◽  
Marius W. Stander ◽  
Sebastiaan Rothmann
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Professional Identity ◽  
South African ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Study Data ◽  
South African Context ◽  
The South ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
African Context

Orientation: Lack in congruence amongst industrial and organisational psychologists (IOPs) as to the conceptualisation of its profession poses a significant risk as to the relevance, longevity and professional identity of the profession within the South African context.Research purpose: This study aimed to explore the professional identity of IOPs within the South African context. Specifically, the aim of this study was four-fold: (1) to develop a contemporary definition for IOP, (2) to investigate IOP roles, (3) to determine how the profession should be labelled and (4) to differentiate IOP from human resource management (HRM) from IOPs’ perspectives within South Africa.Motivation for the study: IOPs do not enjoy the same benefits in stature or status as other professions such as medicine, finances and engineering in the world of work. IOPs need to justify its relevance within organisational contexts as a globally shared understanding of ‘what it is’, ‘what it does’ and ‘what makes it different from other professions’, which is non-existent. In order to enhance its perceived relevance, clarity as to IOPs professional identity is needed.Research design, approach and method: A post-positivistic qualitative content analytic and descriptive research design was employed in this study. Data from practising industrial and organisational psychology (IOP) within South Africa (N = 151) were gathered through an electronic web-based survey and were analysed through thematic content analysis.Main findings: The results indicate that IOP in South Africa seeks to optimise the potential of individuals, groups, organisations and the community by implementing scientific processes to support both individual and organisational wellness and sustainability. ‘Work Psychology’ was considered a more fitting professional designation or label than industrial and/or organisational psychology. The industrial psychologist’s major roles related to the well-being and development of employees. A clear distinction between a more dynamic, pro-active approach of IOP compared to a more transactional approach of HRM was also evident. IOP within South Africa appears to have a community development function.Practical/managerial implications: The longevity, relevance and impact of IOP as a profession requires alignment amongst practitioners as to shared common professional identity.Contribution/value-add: This study provides a contemporary understanding of the roles, functions, labels and unique value proposition of industrial and organisational psychology within the South African context.

scholarly journals An Exploratory Case-Study Approach to Understand Multifunctionality in Urban Green Infrastructure Planning in a South African Context

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Burne Van Zyl ◽  
Louis G. Lategan ◽  
Elizelle J. Cilliers ◽  
Sarel S. Cilliers
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Urban Planning ◽  
South African ◽  
Green Infrastructure ◽  
Well Being ◽  
South African Context ◽  
Planning Practice ◽  
Infrastructure Planning ◽  
African Context

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) intend to encourage liveable urban environments by 2030 with a main focus on strategies to achieve environmental and human well-being. In the same way, the multifunctionality principle of green infrastructure planning aims to develop and protect urban green spaces to provide several ecosystem services to increase human well-being whilst protecting the environment. With this in mind, this paper seeks to gather evidence on the nexus between multifunctionality and green infrastructure planning to achieve the SDGs within a South African context. The implementation of green infrastructure to this effect depends on creating awareness of different typologies of green infrastructure elements and the ecosystem services they provide to strengthen the implementation of the green infrastructure concept in urban planning practice. Within the aim of context-specific considerations to green infrastructure planning, green infrastructure typologies possible for implementation within a South Africa urban planning practice context are considerably more limited. A qualitative research approach is employed using case studies identifying specific examples to explore South African green infrastructure typologies and their multifunctionality. Different multifunctionality concepts are recognized by urban planners in South Africa. The research findings highlighted that multifunctionality achieved through green infrastructure planning should inform urban planning practice to promote the integration of ecological considerations. The paper ultimately provides a deeper insight into the expanding field of green infrastructure research in a South African context by underlining context-based multifunctional green infrastructure typologies and accordingly emphasizes, mainstreaming the ecosystem services concept as part of urban planning practice to address the SDGs locally.

Exploring recidivism in the South African context.

1998 ◽  
Author(s):  
Belinda Bedell ◽  
Nicholas Challis ◽  
Charl Cilliers ◽  
Joy Cole ◽  
Wendy Corry ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
South African Context ◽  
The South ◽  
African Context
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