Electronic Theses and Dissertations (Masters)

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A Narrative Inquiry into the Sense of Belonging, Alienation and Exclusion of Immigrant Students
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-03) Mpata, Sarah; Graham, Tanya
South Africa is still perceived as a critical higher education destination in Africa, as evidenced by the influx of student migration from neighbouring countries and sub-regions post-apartheid. However, despite possessing diverse knowledge and skills that have the potential to add value to the knowledge production of the country, region and around the globe, many immigrant students still face an array of psychosocial challenges when they come to South Africa to study. This study was crafted through Narrative Inquiry and Critical Race theoretical lenses to explore and understand the experiences of 6 postgraduate immigrant students from DRC, Malawi and Zimbabwe currently studying at the University of the Witwatersrand to identify how these experiences have facilitated or hindered a sense of belonging. The study intends to further contribute to the existing body of knowledge to help improve the lives and well-being of students in culturally diverse communities. A convenient purposive sample drew from a pool of immigrant students fitting the diversity and context of the study. The findings revealed a general impression of diverse experiences from immigrant students. However, many similarities identified in the elements of institutional discrimination, xenophobia and Afrophobia remain significant barriers to the success of immigrant students belonging, primarily manifesting through cultural and language barriers, individual differences in adaptation, social support and diversity inclusion initiatives, access to psychological support and counselling, Racism, Xenophobia and Afrophobia, prejudice and discrimination. Some participants also experienced language barriers and challenges related to institutional support based on how the immigrant student came into the country or was admitted into the institution vis a vis self-sponsorship, government-sponsored, or university scholarship and immigration status also revealed how individuals felt a sense of belonging or excluded. The study concludes that addressing these issues will help improve immigrant students' psychological well-being in their learning environment.
A Phenomenological Analysis of the Experiences of Black Female Volunteer Lay Counsellors from Marginalised Backgrounds in Gauteng!
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-09) Naidoo, Sherwyn; Patel, Ruby
Within the South African context, Volunteer Lay Counsellors (VLCs) play a vital role in providing mental health care. Whilst Black female VLCs from marginalised backgrounds play an essential role in providing these services, there is a paucity of research in understanding their experiences. This study utilised a qualitative approach to explore the experiences of Black female VLCs from marginalised backgrounds in Gauteng. The researcher used non-probability purposive convenience sampling to recruit four participants who volunteered at a non-profit organisation (NPO) in Gauteng. The study collected data through in-depth semi-structured interviews. Insight was provided by this research into participants’ experiences of counselling from a position of their intersectionality to those who embody different intersectional identities. This was done by locating the research within the work of intersectional theorists Crenshaw (1989, 1991), McCall (2005), Tamale (2020), and Petsko and colleagues (2022). In keeping with this, the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) method allowed for an in-depth exploration of participants’ unique experiences through double hermeneutic interpretations. The themes illustrated that participants were motivated by the desperate need for access to mental healthcare in their socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. In addition, volunteering satisfied the prospects of fulfilling their career aspirations lost because of their subjection to gendered, racialised, and class oppression. Thirdly, themes highlighted how clients’ race, class, and gender impacted participants’ counselling experiences. Lastly, themes highlighted the psychological impact of counselling on participants and how helpful coping mechanisms developed from the survival of intersectional oppression and organisational training and support helped mitigate these psychological consequences. The provided understanding of participants’ experiences is essential for both praxis and policy within the area of VLC in South Africa.
Academic anxiety and a micro-online intervention for enhancing psychological capital
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2022-06) Rambau, Karabo Fellicia; Siemers, Ian
This study investigates the effectiveness of a Psychological Capital (PsyCap) intervention in reducing students’ levels of academic anxiety. In essence, the current study focuses on academic anxiety with the aim of investigating whether a PsyCap intervention is able to reduce students’ perceptions of academic anxiety. Regarding this, the current study also aims to enhance students’ levels of PsyCap so that students can be able to cope with academic anxiety. This study also utilised the Conservation of Resources (CoR) model to frame the relationship between PsyCap and academic anxiety by arguing that the accumulation of personal resources (i.e., PsyCap) could act as a buffer and reduce the experience of academic anxiety among students. It is of paramount importance that students are equipped with the necessary resources or skills that are needed in order to survive and excel within higher education. This is because being a university student can come with countless challenges that are sometimes unbearable. Regarding this, Rehman (2016) have argued that students entering the higher education system often come across numerous issues such as, academic anxiety, academic stress, academic depression, as well as socio-economic hardships. The lack of research regarding enhancing students’ PsyCap in order to help them cope with academic anxiety has motivated the researcher to engage in this topic. In engaging in this topic, the current study adopted a positive psychology approach which focuses on individual’s strengths and capabilities. This study employed a quantitative quasi-experimental research design. Additionally, a non-probability, convenience sampling technique was utilised. Data was collected using a questionnaire, the questionnaire consisted of a self-developed demographic questionnaire, the Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ) (Luthans, Avolio, Avey, & Norman, 2007; Luthans, Youssef, & Avolio, 2007), and the Academic Anxiety Scale (AAS) (Cassady, Pierson & Starling, 2019). The final sample (N=110) consisted of first year Psychology students from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in South Africa. Results of the current study confirm the effectiveness of the PsyCap intervention in enhancing students’ level of PsyCap. This implies that the intervention was effective in enhancing students’ PsyCap. Nonetheless, the intervention was not effective in reducing students’ levels of academic anxiety. The results of the current study also indicated that PsyCap and academic anxiety are related. In this case, a significant, negative relationship was found between PsyCap overall and academic anxiety, in Time 0, Time 1, and in Time 2. The results of the current study were discussed in relation to previous literature and previous research.
Adoption of constructed wetlands in informal settlement
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-08) Jetha, Hemal Girish; Thatcher, Andrew
The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of constructed wetlands as a solution to greywater treatment in the context of water use in Setswetla, Alexandra, an informal settlement in Johannesburg that is characterized by makeshift housing, poor sanitation, and a lack of proper greywater treatment facilities. The lack of such facilities has resulted in the disposal of contaminated greywater across the settlement, which poses serious health risks to its people. The installation of constructed wetlands was considered a feasible solution, given that they can be built without displacing the population. However, the successful implementation of this solution would require a change in the behaviour of the population regarding greywater disposal. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the adoption of constructed wetlands which were installed in one portion of Setswetla, Silvertown to gain a better understanding of whether installing constructed wetlands helps with greywater disposal. The study also sought to determine if there was any difference in water use behaviour before and after the installation of the constructed wetlands. The research revealed that there was not much behaviour change pre- and post-installation of the constructed wetlands. Some of the significant differences found was that more people reported that they do collect the same amount of water during both summer and winter. More participants indicated that they do not collect the same amount of water during the week and weekend. Less participants reported that they could collect water during the day and night.
African Primary School Teachers’ Perceptions of their Role in Identification, Referral, and Intervention Relating to Mental Health Care for Learners
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-03) Abrahams, Caylen; Coetzee, Bronwynè; Eagle, Gillian
Untreated mental health conditions can negatively impact a child’s development and future. Early identification, and management of mental health problems (MHPs) is therefore important for children. This research study aimed to understand and explore teachers’ experiences and perceptions in relation to the identification and provision of mental health aid for primary school learners. The study entailed interviewing 23 primary school teachers from a school in the Western Cape, South Africa located in a low-income community. Semi-structured individual interviews were designed to explore teachers’ experiences and views was recorded and transcribed. The data generated from the interviews was analysed by means of thematic analysis using the computer aided programme, ATLAS.ti v 8. The findings indicated that although teachers struggled to make use of diagnostic terms to describe mental health conditions in their learners, they were able to identify symptoms and behaviours that they associated with poor mental health and to consider possible contributing factors. Acting out and aggressive type behaviours were more easily identified as problematic than behaviours that were less overt. Teachers described frequent experiences of compromised learner mental health, even in the young population with whom they interacted. Teachers saw their role as circumscribed in intervening in relation to MHPs, describing multiple barriers in this regard, including a lack of mental health training, time constraints, large classroom sizes, and academic and pedagogical demands. For this reason, although many teachers were willing to receive additional training and play a more prominent role in mental health aid, their preference was to refer learners and to make use of their school-based mental health services (SBMHS). Teachers noted the efficacy of the SBMHS in aiding their learners but also offered some critical observations about the scale of delivery of services and optimal interfacing between teachers and mental health aid providers.
An Exploration of Recovery from Nyaope Addiction Amongst Youth in Alexandra Township
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-06) Morare, Matemane Katlego; Ndimande-Khoza, Nomhle; Langa, Malose
The aim of this study was to explore the journey of recovery from nyaope addiction among youth in Alexandra township, South Africa. The target sample was 8 participants, but the researcher managed to obtain a sample of only 7 participants. These individuals had been through challenging experiences as nyaope addicts, and the researcher conducted interviews with them to find out in detail the factors that had been present in their addiction stages, as well as those had been present in their journey towards overcoming addiction. According to the findings that emerged, the journey towards recovery was filled with challenges that needed to be navigated. Some of these challenges were related to attempts at professional treatment and at self-treatment. In conclusion, it is clear that nyaope addiction is one complex type of addiction, and that recovering is a continuing journey, and that support for those individuals who have come out of treatment should never be ceased.
An exploration of the Lived Mental Health Experiences of psychologists working in the public sector during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Harvey, Zena; Laher, Sumaya
The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted mental health in South Africa, exacerbating the existing mental healthcare treatment gap. Psychologists working at public institutions have been at the forefront of providing mental health care to the public during the crisis. However, psychologists themselves may be considered a vulnerable group at risk of developing adverse mental health outcomes, such as depression, anxiety, burnout and vicarious traumatisation due to the nature of their profession. This vulnerability may have been further amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic. The well-being of psychologists is integral to ensuring high quality patient care and to the overall management of pandemic and other disease outbreaks. There remains a significant dearth in the available literature examining the lived mental health experiences of psychologists, especially those working in the public sector. This study aims to address this pertinent gap by investigating the lived mental health experiences of ten psychologists employed in South African public institutions, amidst COVID-19 pandemic. Semi-structured interviews comprising sixteen questions were conducted with each psychologist. The following five overarching themes emerged from an Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA): ‘The personal effects of COVID-19 on psychologists’, ‘Changes to therapy During COVID-19’, ‘Experiences of COVID-19 exposure in public hospitals’, ‘Coping Mechanisms’ and ‘Survivor Guilt: Privilege during the pandemic’. A discussion of the abovementioned findings highlighted the importance of addressing, prioritising and monitoring the psychological wellbeing of these public sector-psychologists, during pandemic and other disease outbreaks to increase their support structures.
Automatic Racial Assumptions: Investigating the Relationship Between Implicit Racial Bias and Experiences of Affective Reactions to Racialized Others in a South African Population
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-08) Gomes, Stash Briano; Besharati, Sahba
Background: There is evidence to suggest that one’s social context is critical in shaping the automatic affective responses that one has to their own and other racial groups. However, to date, research into explicit and implicit racial biases has largely investigated this phenomenon in predominantly White populations within the global North. Furthermore, while there is evidence to suggest that people possess a tacit awareness of their implicit racial biases, a study is yet to demonstrate a direct link between self-reported experiences of one’s own biases and implicit measures of bias. This may be due problems inherit with existing self-report measures of bias, which focus on beliefs and attitudes regarding race, rather than asking individuals to reflect on their own affective experiences regarding their interactions with people of their own and other races. Aims and Methods: Using an ex post facto correlational design, this study investigated the relationship between implicit racial bias, explicit affective responses to racial groups and consciously held beliefs and attitudes about racial groups, and whether there were any between-group differences across any of these variables within a sample of self-identified Black (N = 25) and White (N = 20) South African adults. Data was collected using an adapted version of the Racial Implicit Association Test (IAT) for use in the South African context and a novel self-report scale that measures both explicit Attitudinal and Affective Racial Bias (AARB), with both measures investigating White- and Black-directed racial biases. Results and Discussion: This study demonstrates significant between-group differences in explicit, but not implicit, measures of racial bias based on self-identified race in this sample. Providing evidence for the distinction between attitudinal and affective forms of explicit racial bias and suggesting that the direct comparison between biases directed towards Black and White racial groups may not be appropriate in diverse settings, given that there is only a relationship between these two forms of racial bias with the White identified participants, but no direct relationship between these biases were found within the sample of Black identified participants. Finally, the results of this study suggest that self-report measures of affective racial bias may demonstrate a stronger correlation with implicit biases as measure by the IAT than traditional measures of attitudinal bias.
Determining a Relationship Between Attitude Towards E Learning and Academic Stress Levels in Higher Education Students
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-08) Persello, Byron Franco; Pitman, Michael
E-learning has become more prevalent in higher education institutes, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic that necessitated social distancing as well as the rise in technology application to education. With stress being an important factor in the academic experience, this research report explores the relationship between the experience of stress and attitudes towards e-learning factors in students. The sample was 79 undergraduate students from the University of Witwatersrand who had undergone e-learning during the 2021 academic year. To gather the data, the Student-life Stress Inventory and Scale of Student Attitude towards E-learning was used. The results showed there was no correlation between experienced stress and attitudes towards the e-learning factors, results r = -.178, n = 75, p = .317. Descriptive analysis of the two measure’s items indicates that participants recognised the benefits of e-learning but challenges using the e-learning medium were still relevant to their experience. The overall stress was beyond normal management for 86.11% of the participants, even though social support appeared available.
Does it matter where I work? Examining the effect of Remote Work on employees’ Work Engagement and Burnout
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-08) Tau, Lebogang Tlotlo; Pitman, Michael
The global COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant shift in how and where work is conducted. Governments around the world initiated national lockdowns to enforce certain restrictions to curb the spread of infection and keep society functioning as normal. Businesses and institutions had to adopt flexible, remote working arrangements to achieve their ends during the pandemic. This study examined if remote work had any effect on employees’ work engagement and burnout, and if this relationship would be moderated or mediated by work overload and organisational support in South African organisations. A cross-sectional questionnaire design was utilized to obtain data from the sample. A sample of 103 employees from different organisations in South Africa participated in the study. Work overload and organisational support was measured using their respect subscales on the Job Demands-Resource scale. The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, Oldenburg Burnout Inventory were used to measure the work engagement and burnout respectively. The results indicate that remote work does not predict both work engagement and burnout, nor was this relationship moderated by work overload and organisational support.
Experiences of E-Leadership: A Qualitative Study
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-04) Gilchrist, Chloe; Milner, Karen
Many leaders’ daily work entails practicing leadership in the virtual sphere, yet our understanding of how leadership is enacted in technologically-mediated environments (i.e., e-leadership) is limited. By exploring both leaders’ and employees’ experiences of e-leadership, this study seeks to acquire a deeper understanding of e-leadership. To achieve this, the research utilised a hermeneutic phenomenological qualitative research approach. The sample for the research comprised of employees and leaders, and a snowball sampling strategy was used to recruit the participants. The interviews used a self-developed questionnaire based on the literature, centred on the participant’s subjective meanings, understandings and experiences regarding e-leadership. After the interviews were transcribed, Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was employed to analyse the data. Overall, the key findings indicated that e-leaders need to exert greater effort than traditional leaders in a number of areas, including, establishing and maintaining connection, communication, exposure to knowledge share, trust, engagement and motivation, as well as humanising the work experience (Hertel et al., 2005; Savolainen, 2014; Liu et al., 2018; Van Wart et al., 2017; DasGupta, 2011; Hart & Mcleod, 2003; Kayworth & Leidner 2001). Consequently, merely translating traditional leadership practices into the virtual realm as an e-leader does not suffice.
Explicit Regulation of Positive and Negative Emotion in Pre-Adolescents in a Kenya County
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2021-10) Mwangi, Ruth Waitherero; Kasese-Hara, Mambwe
This study addresses a gap in research on how pre-adolescent boys and girls of age 10-12 explicitly regulate their positive and negative emotion as influenced by social-economic environments of peri-urban Kenya. This study took an explanatory sequential approach, employing quantitative and qualitative tools to respond to two research questions. It investigated pre-adolescents’ application of cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression strategies, based on their awareness and expression of positive and negative emotion. The quantitative results showed that pre-adolescent boys and girls are aware of, express and apply explicit emotion regulation strategies to both positive and negative emotion experiences similarly. Important socio-economic factors were also identified for further qualitative consideration. The qualitative findings revealed that pre-adolescent boys and girls outwardly express positive and negative emotion. This was shown to be variably influenced by pre-adolescents’ school and family contexts, as well as their interaction with teachers, parents and peers.
Exploratory Study on Educators' Experiences of the Mental Health Needs of High School Learners in the North West Province
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-08) Mziwakhe, Boitumelo; Amod, Zaytoon
In many developing countries, including South Africa, adolescents’ mental health receives little attention within the larger field of mental health. This is despite the probability that developing mental health problems is significantly higher during adolescence than in any other developmental period. In line with the interpretivist paradigm approach, this study employed a qualitative research approach and adopted an exploratory and descriptive research design. The study aimed to explore and describe educators' experiences of the mental health needs of high school learners in the North West province of South Africa (North West). A semi-structured interview was used to collect data from 11 high school educators. Data in this study were analysed using thematic analysis. Understanding psychosocial development in relation to identity development in adolescent mental health and the ecological systems theories served as a theoretical framework for understanding the phenomenon under study. This study's findings indicated that factors affecting learners' mental health include disrupted family structures, child-headed households, poverty, sexual abuse, school violence, bullying, and psychoactive substances among learners. The findings also highlighted the importance of establishing school-community partnerships and the essential role the school-based support team plays in addressing the psychosocial needs of learners. Conversely, mental health stigma, social worker delays in addressing the psychosocial needs of learners, and ancestral calling were identified as barriers to learners seeking and accessing psychosocial services in schools. Based on the findings from this study, some recommendations to contribute to the mental health of high school learners include the development of age-specific and appropriate mental health policies and interventions. Further contributions would be to increase education funding to employ school nurses and social workers and establish positive school-community partnerships.
Exploring attitudes, aetiology and help-seeking behaviours for Mental illness in the community of Diepsloot
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-02) Mkhize, Sandile Dionne; Laher, Sumaya
Mental illness is a serious nation-wide health concern, with many individuals suffering from mental disorders. This study explored the attitudes of Diepsloot community members towards mental illness, their beliefs about the aetiology of mental illness and their help-seeking behaviours. Further the study explored whether attitudes and aetiology beliefs predict help-seeking behaviours in Diepsloot community members. Furthermore, issues of stigma and poverty were explored as factors contributing to understanding of and help-seeking behaviours for mental illnesses. A convenience sample of 154 community members in Diepsloot completed a questionnaire consisting of a demographics section, the Living Standards Measure, the Public Perceptions of Mental Illness questionnaire and two open ended questions asking about the factors that contribute to mental illness and the kind of advice the participants would give to a person who has mental illness. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analyses. The open-ended questions were analysed qualitatively using thematic analysis. The results indicated that the participants had more neutral attitudes towards mental illness overall but an item-by-item analysis of the attitudes scale indicated negative attitudes. The participants perceived mental illness to be caused by biological and stress related causes but did identify other causes in their responses to the open ended question. In particular, psychological factors, substance use, social components/aspects in their community, financial challenges, biological influences and cultural influences were all identified. Among the participants, there was an endorsement of help-seeking behaviours that were aligned with western medicine, hospitalization, consulting with family and friends, and religion in both the quantitative and qualitative analyses. Seeking help from traditional healers was less dominant in the responses to the open ended question. The multiple regression results, with regard to predicting attitudes towards mental illness, suggested that the participants had positive attitudes towards mental illness if their level of knowledge was higher. A variety of predictors were revealed regarding the various help-seeking behaviours. An overlap was observed among the stress aetiology and the cultural beliefs aetiology as predictors. These results are discussed within the broader context of access to mental healthcare in South Africa as well as the need for more collaborative interventions.
Exploring the Personal, Relational and Communal Role of Religion in Diepsloot
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-08) Thornton, Brenton Stephen; Graham, Tanya
South Africa has a populace that perpetuates diversity in every demographic group. Although there are peaceful aspects to this diversity, there are also conflicts that have been shown historically and contemporaneously. Township communities in South Africa have experienced a particular development over time, due to aspects such as racial discrimination from Apartheid. Religion within this context was explored due to its diverse and consistent presence within South African township communities. Diepsloot is a township with particularly high levels of psychosocial struggles. To understand if religion adversely affects or alleviates these issues, this study examined the role and function of religion in this community. Religious experiences, roles, and the meaning of religion as a meaning making system were explored using a hermeneutic, phenomenological approach in the marginalised township community of Diepsloot. The specific analysis employed was Interpretative Qualitative Analysis (IPA). Data were collected using qualitative, semi-structured interviews with 12 participants. The core theoretical areas of this study that were discussed was attachment theory and social identity theory in the context of religion; while ecological systems theory was also applied but used as a contextual tool to understand and organise the themes for each structural, ecological level of the social environment of Diepsloot. Qualitative findings suggested that there were four main themes of this study; The Personal Relationship with Religion and God, Internal and Interpersonal Religious Conflict, Discrimination Based on Different Beliefs, and Diepsloot Factors Contributing to the Disconnected Community. Within these results and discussion of this paper, religion was shown as a factor that significantly impacts the perceptions, feelings, and behaviours towards the self on a personal level, and others on an interpersonal and communal level. Religion therefore has a significant part to play in social settings, and it is recommended that more studies exploring the phenomenon of religion be explored qualitatively to contribute further to the subjective understanding of the psychology of research within such contexts.
Gender-Based Violence: Lived experiences of female students at the University of the Witwatersrand
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-08) Kgolane, Serole Joy; Langa, Malose
This research aimed to explore experiences of Gender based violence (GBV) among female students at the University of the Witwatersrand. It sought to ascertain how these experiences unfolded as well as the impact they have had on the students. Intersectionality theory was applied as the theoretical framework to observe the impact of overlapping identities on the students’ experiences of GBV. The study consisted of seven female participants who were selected using a volunteer sampling method. Interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used to analyse the transcribed interviews and derive themes from the collected data. Four themes in total were identified: power relations, internal experience, normalization of GBV, and help-seeking. The objectives of the study were used to guide the analysis of the themes. The findings showed that students face stalking, verbal abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse perpetrated mostly by fellow male students. Moreover, influences of hegemonic masculinity and gendered power imbalances played a role in the perpetration of violence against the female students. Furthermore, the findings indicate that these experiences had adverse effects on the mental well-being of the students and led the students to adopt various coping strategies while often failing to engage in help-seeking behaviour.
How Undergraduate Students at the University of Witwatersrand Make Meaning of Non -Disclosure of Suicidal Ideation
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2022-07) Mboweni, Ntwanano Harnelly Charmain; Jithoo, Vinitha
The self-concealment of suicidality poses a significant threat to the well-being of university students around the globe. Suicidal concealment greatly exacerbates emotional and psychological distress within this cohort and unabated leads to a suicide death. Suicidality concealment within the university student population presents a perplexing and unique problem to university stakeholders, clinicians, and researchers. University students are in proximity to psychological care that is freely offered on university campuses, and yet more than half of students who contemplate and eventually die by suicide do not take up these services. Even more vexing is that students choose to deny and conceal suicidal distress from intimate support networks. There is an undeniable need to explore the factors that influence students’ decision to conceal suicidal ideation as well as the factors that facilitate disclosure of suicidality within this population. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach the present study explored understanding of concealment concerning suicidal ideation among university students. It focussed on understanding the personal narratives and lived experiences that motivate students to conceal their suicidal thoughts, feelings, and intentions. Focus groups were used to make sense of students’ understanding and meaning making of suicidal thoughts and why talking about suicidal desires is so challenging. The study concluded that suicide and concealment among university students are multifaceted. The reasons for concealing suicidal thoughts reflect both internal motivations, such as feelings of shame, helplessness, feeling isolated, and mental health concerns, and external motivations, such as fear of consequences that may result from telling others. Attitudinal factors, such as being a burden to others, stigma and its consequences, lack of perceived need for help, mistrust, and desire to be self-reliant, emerged more frequently than structural factors, such as lack of access to help. Additionally, several reasons unique to university life, such as academic competence, performance-related anxiety, financial difficulties, and a sense of belonging, emerged. Student voices echoed the need for mental health and suicide literacy programs and greater cohesiveness and a sense of belonging within the university community could encourage greater engagement with emotional distress.
Hybrid working and organisational commitment: the role of perceived organisational support
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-08) Tresidder-Angelo, Miguel Richard; Milner, Karen
Covid-19 has brought about many changes that has affected the workforce both positively and negatively. The major change brought about by Covid-19 is the alteration in the way individuals work. For many years remote working was a concept most employees had dreamed of, but through Covid-19 it became accessible to all. Now that the pandemic is at the point of phasing out and the seriousness of it has lessened, organisations are searching for a new way to maintain, motivate and increase their employees’ performance without losing the flexibility and autonomy that is afforded to remote working. This has come in the form of hybrid work which seeks to blend the benefits of remote work and the benefits of in-office work, to meet the expectations and needs of all employees and improve on both ways of work. This new concept could shape the way of work which is under-researched particularly in terms of how it will affect the employee’s attitudinal outcomes such as perceived job stress and organisational commitment. Therefore, this study explored the relationship between these two variables within a hybrid working context employees will be negative. Traditional organisational research also seemed to suggest that perceived organisational support could moderate this relationship. The aim of this study was therefore to examine the effect of job stress on organisational commitment and whether or not perceived organisational support moderates this relationship within a hybrid working context. This was done through acquiring data through purposive non-probability convenience sampling which allowed the study to obtain a sample of 106 individuals within the IT and Data Management sector. Participants were administered a self-report survey which contained three scales - Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Organisational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ), and Perceived Organisational Support scale (POS). A correlation coefficient test was conducted to determine the association between perceived job stress and organisational commitment and a hierarchical moderated regression was run to determine if perceived organisational support moderates this relationship within a hybrid working context. The results of this found a weak statistically negative relationship between perceived job stress and organisational commitment. Perceived organisational support was found to have a statistically non-significant moderation effect on the relationship between perceived job stress and organisational commitment.
“It’s not you that needs to change, it’s the system that needs to change” – The narratives of South African women professionals working with Gender-Based Violence
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-08) Ramlucken, Roxanne; Kiguwa, Peace
Professional South African women who encounter gender-based violence in their field have important and potentially transformational experiences to share on addressing this issue. These professionals have experience and in-depth knowledge of the realities of working with gender-based violence. They can use their expertise to conceptualise and explain this phenomenon. They understand how gender-based violence is presented in society and their recommendations are informed by pragmatic reasoning. This study utilised a qualitative research method to obtain the narratives of these women that work in psychology, community health work, social work, legal work and journalism. This paper used a combination of three theoretical frameworks: narrative theory, post-structural feminist theory and African feminist theory. The synergies between these three theories prioritised the voice of the participants and allowed for a critical engagement with the narratives. The use of multiple professions accounts for the complex and multidimensional elements that contribute to the levels of gender-based violence in South Africa. The findings suggest the cultural acceptance of violence and patriarchal values are ingrained into the fabric of society. Gender-based violence is a systemic issue that prevails through insufficient implementation of legislation and the lack of accountability by official personnel.
Mental Health Problems and Perceived Barriers in Seeking Psychological Help: A Survey of Students at the University of the Witwatersrand
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2022-09) Ngcobo, Zinhle Penelope; Jithoo, Vinitha
Aim: The study examined help-seeking behaviours and attitudes among students at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. The goal was to investigate students' referred sources of help while they were experiencing psychological distress, as well as the perceived barriers to getting psychological care. The Health Belief Model (HBM) was used as the theoretical framework, which attempted to discover whether the HBM variables predict formal help-seeking among students. Methods: The data was acquired from a suitable sample of 165 students using a cross-sectional survey design. A demographic questionnaire, a list of different sources of assistance, the Health Beliefs about Mental Illness (HBMI) instrument, the Barriers to Care Evaluation (BACE) scale, and the Barriers to Help Seeking (BHSS) scale were all included in the survey. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS, version 27) was used to analyse the data. Results: The findings revealed that only one-third (33.3%) of the students preferred seeking help from a mental health professional. The most important barriers identified were students preferring to deal with psychological issues on their own as they perceived symptoms not to be serious enough to warrant professional intervention; stress and anxiety were considered a normal part of life, and many students were unaware of helping resources and how to access them. The logistic regression analysis indicated that only the perceived benefits made a unique statistically significant contribution to the model, recording an odds ratio of 2.99. The results revealed that the odds of seeking formal help are about 3 times greater for students who perceive seeking formal help as beneficial compared to those who perceive formal help-seeking as not beneficial (OR 2.99; 95% CI: 1.45-6.20; p = 0.003). Conclusion: Understanding barriers to psychological help-seeking is imperative to ensuring early access to psychological services and improving mental well-being. Therefore, the current findings suggest that strategies and initiatives such as psycho-educational programs and awareness campaigns highlighting the availability and purpose of psychological services on campuses, as well as the benefits of utilizing psychological services, are necessary. This would make psychological services more desirable to students, thereby reducing the identified barriers.

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