Electronic Theses and Dissertations (Masters)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10539/37990

Browse

Filters

2011 - 201972020 - 2024124

Settings

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 10 of 131
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Adverse Childhood Experiences and Psychological Resilience among HIV Positive Youth in South Africa
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Sigoda, Nozipho; Patel, Ruby
    Research has revealed and highlighted the plight of HIV and its effects on individuals, their families and larger communities. Through a qualitative research approach, this study sought to explore the experiences of black South African Youth who are living with HIV and their exposure to Adverse Childhood experiences. Experiences of stigma, inequality and disparity were also explored. The research was largely informed by the resilience theory (Garmezy, 1978) which enabled the researcher to make sense of the participants’ experiences. The researcher then employed a non-probability purposive convenience sampling approach to recruit participants who were either born with HIV or contracted it while they were young. Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was then used to analyse the data that was derived from the semi-structured interviews conducted. Further, the use of IPA allowed the researcher to pay attention to the lived experiences of the participants. The themes extracted from this study suggest that children growing up with HIV in South Africa are often subjected to various adverse experiences that often challenge health and developmental outcomes. This is demonstrated by the dominant themes of navigating changes in identity, experiences of stigma, discrimination and marginalisation, exposure to poor socio-economic conditions and lastly resilience strategies employed to mitigate harm from the experiences.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    A Discourse Analysis of news reports on farm murders in South Africa
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Ntantala, Noxolo; Rafaely, Daniella
    Farm murders in South Africa represent more than isolated incidents of violence, they are symptomatic of deeper societal issues, including socioeconomic disparities and historical injustices. Addressing farm murders requires a nuanced understanding of their broader implications and the underlying power dynamics shaping public discourse surrounding these crimes. Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) offers a valuable lens through which to examine media representations of farm murders. By scrutinizing language use in media discourse, CDA enables researcher to uncover the ways in which power structures and ideological biases influence public perceptions and societal norms (Fairclough, 1995). This analytical approach is particularly apt for studying farm murders, as it allows for the exploration of how media narratives frame these crimes within the socio-political landscape of South Africa. In this research, I have conducted a Critical Discourse Analysis of media representations of farm murders, utilizing Fairclough’s three-dimensional model as my theoretical framework to analyse18 newspaper articles from prominent outlets spanning from the year 2017 to 2023, including The Citizen, Sunday Independent, Cape Argus, Pretoria News Weekend, Diamond field Advertiser and Daily News. The aim was to elucidate how these articles construct and frame the discourse surrounding farm murders. By critically analyzing the language and narratives employed in media coverage, my study sheds light on the underlying power dynamics and ideological influences shaping public perceptions of farm murders. This research unveils media portrayal of farm murders in South Africa, highlighting prevalent direct quotations and sensationalized narratives. While emphasizing farmers’ innocence and law enforcement responsiveness, media disproportionately focuses on victims over perpetrators. These portrayals evoke fear and sympathy, prompting discussions on community cohesion and broader societal impacts
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    The Psychosocial Impacts of COVID-19 on Children: A Parents’ Perspective
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Macingwane, Nontokozo; Mathebula, Mpho
    The societal and psychological repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on children have become a crucial focus, necessitating thorough examination. Given the pandemic's disruptions in various aspects of children's lives, ranging from education to social interactions, a comprehensive investigation is vital to unravel the intricate impacts on their well-being and development. This Qualitative research delves into the psychological and social consequences of COVID-19 on children aged 6-17 in Gauteng, South Africa. Through semi-structured interviews with seven participants, including parents and guardians, the study aimed to discern the psychological and social effects of the pandemic on their children. Employing thematic analysis, six major themes were identified: Psychological and Emotional Impact, Fear and Anxiety, Adjustment to Changes in Routine and Social Contact, Changes in Everyday Functioning, Impact on Learning and Education, and Changes in Behaviour and Emotions Post-Lockdown. The thematic analysis uncovered a range of emotional responses among children during the COVID-19 pandemic, including loneliness due to extended indoor confinement and diverse expressions of fear and anxiety. Furthermore, the findings emphasized the challenges in adapting to changes in social contact and routine, disruptions in everyday functioning, and notable consequences on children's learning and education. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the psychological well-being and social functioning of children, underscoring the need for focused support to enhance their resilience and overall well- being. The findings highlight the importance of prioritizing social connections, adaptive coping mechanisms, effective reintegration into educational settings, and collaborative efforts among stakeholders to support children's psychological resilience and overall well-being during and after the crisis
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    The influence of children displaying characteristics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) on the lives of working parents: a case of the Northern Cape Province (NC) South Africa
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Botha, Noluthando Daleen Elizabeth; Pretorius, Edmarie
    Raising children displaying characteristics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) leads to various experiences for the working caregiver. The prevalence of ASD is globally estimated that one in every 160 children has ASD. The prevalence rate for ASD in Africa is not known. Based on qualitative research conducted with nine participants in the Northern Cape Province, South Africa, explores the experiences of working caregivers. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory underpins the study. Purposive sampling, a type of non-probability sampling was used to select the nine participants who participated in the study. Semi-structured interview schedule comprising of open-ended questions was used to collect the data. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The main findings from the study are that caregivers living and caring for a child with ASD characteristics are emotionally demanding and affect the quality of life and well-being of the working caregivers. Living and caring for a child with ASD characteristics influences and limits the social context of working caregivers. Living and caring for a child with ASD characteristics affects the work performance and career development of the working caregivers negatively. Working caregivers living and caring for a child with ASD characteristics need available, accessible, and affordable services to care for the child with ASD characteristics. Working caregivers living and caring for a child with ASD characteristics need continuous practical support and guidance in dealing with unforeseen and unknown circumstances they are confronted with. The main conclusion drawn from the study was that the working caregiver, as being the primary caregiver to the child displaying autism spectrum disorder can find themselves in distress if their support structure is not well established.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Primary caregivers’ perceptions of the effect of COVID-19 on the mental well-being of learners at a secondary school in Soweto
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Maseko, Nokuthula; Watermeyer, Jennifer
    During the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 lockdown restrictions were introduced in South Africa and around world. This led to school closures as well. During this period learners around the world experienced mental-health challenges due to the restrictions on gatherings, school attendance as well as social distancing. Some of the mental-health challenges that affected the learners include depression, anxiety, sleeping disorders as well as weight gain. This study explored the perceptions of the primary caregivers of secondary school learners in Soweto on the mental well-being of learners during the COVID-19 lockdown. The study was conducted using an ecological theoretical framework which looked at the relationship of the learner in relation to different systems that they interact with. The researcher used a qualitative research approach and a phenomenographic research design. Purposive sampling was utilised to select the sample of 8 primary caregivers of grade 11 learners at a Secondary School in Soweto. Semi-structured interviews were the method of data collection and a semi-structured interview schedule was used as the research instrument. Data collected was coded, themed, and analysed using reflective thematic analysis. The results from this study showed how COVID-19 had a negative effect on the academic performance of learners. The learners still could not achieve pre-COVID-19 results even after efforts were made for after-school programs and catch-up sessions. The learners' attitudes towards the virus included fear of death or losing loved ones due to COVID-19 as well as confusion and fear of contracting the virus. The learners shared that coughing, sneezing, or the mere sight of a tissue triggers them to date as they associate such symptoms with COVID-19. The learners in this study experienced psycho-social effects such as anxiety and stress as well as physical challenges such as weight gain, migraines, sleeping challenges as well as communication issues with the family members. Social media and technology acted as a buffer for learners as it offered them information, knowledge as well as social connections with teachers, peers, friends, and extended family members. The importance of working in a multi-disciplinary team to support and foster resiliency for the learners is highlighted. The learners in Soweto had their own experiences, but they were similar to those from around the world and therefore one can conclude that pandemic experiences were generic to some extent.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Young Black Women’s Experiences of Negotiating Dominant Cultures in Corporate South Africa
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Makube, Mpho; Bradbury, Jill
    This study was interested in understanding how young Black African women, through their subjective experiences and the stories they tell about themselves have developed particular (professional) identities and how they negotiate or resist the raced, gendered and class identities. It also aimed to understand their experiences of marginalisation in the corporate/private sector. A qualitative study was conducted where five Black African women between the ages of 25 and 40 from Johannesburg, South Africa, participated in narrative interviews. An adaptation of Wengraf’s (2011) Biographic Narrative Interpretive Method (BNIM) as well as thematic analysis were used to understand the stories of the women’s career journeys. The key findings of the study were that assimilating the values and norms of the dominant class during their schooling years facilitated their transition into tertiary institutions and the workplace. During the recruitment process and once employed, participants felt the assimilative pressure to conform to the dominant culture or risk being excluded or unemployed. Internships and graduate programmes were seen as crucial stepping stones into the workplace. Participants oscillated between feelings of belonging and alienation throughout their career journeys but reported that having supportive managers increased their sense of inclusion and belonging. They also experienced a sense of precarity due to the gendered wage gap and a pervasive sense of job insecurity. There is a need for organisations to understand how women are differently included in the workplace, to provide greater mentorship to those who are starting out, and to have an appreciation of the subtle ways in which the dominant culture works to leave some young women behind.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The Impact of a Psychological Capital Micro-Intervention on Academic Engagement within a Student-University Context
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Passos, Monique
    Although the student experience is commonly praised for its empowerment, learning opportunities, and adventurous nature, it is important to acknowledge that students also face substantial pressure and stress throughout their academic journeys. This has been known to adversely affect student engagement (i.e., vigour, dedication, and absorption) levels, potentially diminishing academic performance and productivity levels, and increasing the likelihood of university dropouts (Jafri, 2017; Kuh et al., 2008). Fortunately, psychological capital (PsyCap); the combination of four psychological capacities (hope, self-efficacy, optimism, and resilience), has been cited as a significant contributor of academic engagement (Luthans et al., 2016; You, 2016). These constructs are explained by the Job Demands- Resources (JD-R) model as well as the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory. However, few studies have considered the relationship between PsyCap and academic engagement amongst first-year university students. This provided a unique and novel context for application, warranting future research. Thus, the purpose of the current study was to examine whether a micro PsyCap intervention had an effect upon the levels of academic engagement experienced by first-year university students. The following three instruments were combined into an online questionnaire and used to collect the necessary data for the current study: 1) A demographic questionnaire was administered to gather information about the sample and sample characteristics; 2) the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for Students (UWES-S) was used to measure academic engagement; 3) the Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ) was used to measure psychological capital and/or personal resources. Data was collected at two different time periods (i.e., pre-intervention/time 0 and post-intervention/time 1), whereby the PCQ was used to measure levels of PsyCap, and the UWES-S was used to measure academic Abstract 6 engagement. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics, correlational analysis, and mixed-model analysis of variance (ANOVA). The final sample (N = 319) consisted of both full-time and part-time first-year students across different faculties of study (i.e., Humanities, Health Sciences, and Commerce, Law, and Management) at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. Results of the current study demonstrated that a positive relationship exists between PsyCap and academic engagement. Specifically, the study revealed that students with higher levels of PsyCap tend to show more energy and enthusiasm (vigour), stronger commitment (dedication), and deeper absorption in their learning (absorption). These findings were supported by previous research. However, the current study also revealed that the proposed PsyCap intervention failed to significantly affect the students’ levels of vigour, dedication, and absorption over time. These results were surprising considering previous research but may be attributed to the inherent difficulties of developing an online intervention in South Africa, where there are significant variations in resource availability and economic status (especially amongst university students). Based on these challenges, future studies should incorporate face-to-face interventions to ensure inclusivity and participation from all participants; use larger and more representative samples; and embrace a mixed-methods approach to gain a deeper understanding of participant experiences. Nevertheless, the study’s result does not invalidate prior research that has demonstrated the effectiveness of PsyCap interventions in enhancing academic engagement amongst university students. Abstract 7 This study confirms a link between psychological capital (PsyCap) and student engagement, underlining the importance of personal resources in the student-university context. Further research is necessary to develop more effective iterations of the proposed PsyCap intervention aimed at effectively enhancing academic engagement and promoting overall student success
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The role of executive function and socioeconomic status on risk-taking behaviours in the low-to-middle income context of South Africa
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Lalla, Mayuri; Besharati , Sahba
    Risk taking is a multifaceted construct that can shape our daily decision-making processes. Higher order cognitive processes, specifically executive functioning, underscore risk-taking behaviours, while wider socio-demographic factors, such as socio-economic status, can be related to both executive function and risk-taking. However, the relationship and interplay between these factors is unclear. Accordingly, the primary aim of the study was to investigate how socio-economic status (SES) is associated with executive function (EF), specifically inhibitory control and working memory (WM), and how this association may influence risk- taking behaviour. A non-experimental and cross-sectional study was conducted using a sample of 96 participants, recruited from Johannesburg, Limpopo, and KwaZulu Natal provinces in South Africa. A comprehensive measure of SES was used, drawing on both objective and subjective ratings. Working memory was assessed by the Wechsler Digit Span test and inhibitory control using the Stroop Colour and Word Test. Lastly, a digital task - the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) - was used to assess risk-taking behaviours. Overall, participants presented with good WM abilities but low inhibition. The IGT showed that participants were more inclined to risk-taking behaviours, however they showed a positive shift in decision making throughout the task, with no association found between EF and risk-taking behaviours. Furthermore, SES was not a predictor of EF abilities or risk-taking behaviours within the current sample. Furthermore, EF did not predict risk-taking behaviours. The results of this study are multifaceted and suggest that these constructs are multidimensional in nature and measuring them are associated with methodological challenges. Nevertheless, there is some preliminary evidence to suggest that these constructs play an interrelated role.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Depression Demographic Profiling of Young Adults in South Africa
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Bambo, Matsidiso Princess; Hassem, Tasneem
    In young people aged 15 and 29 years, mental illnesses accounted for 23% of Years Lived with Disability (YLD) and among mental disorders, depressive disorders emerged as the second largest worldwide contributor to YLD at approximately 5.6%. In addition, one in every six individuals suffered from depression in South Africa. However, there is limited recent research about the demographic characteristics of South African emerging adults who may be vulnerable to depression. This research aimed to conduct demographic profiling of emerging adults (N=819) in South Africa who present with depressive symptoms. Additionally, using Pearson’s Product-Moment Correlation, T-test, and ANOVA, this cross- sectional research analysed secondary data from the Africa Long Life Study to determine relationships as well as statistical differences among demographic variables and depressive symptoms. Results indicated a low presence of depression in the sample. Significant relationships were found between depressive symptoms and demographic variables (socioeconomic status and religiosity). While no significant differences were found among language groups, a higher presence of depressive symptoms was found among females and those experiencing moderate to great financial difficulties. The findings emphasised the critical need for mental health policies and initiatives that promote prevention or early detection, prevention, and enhanced access to quality mental healthcare, particularly among vulnerable emerging adults like females and individuals who are economically disadvantaged. Mental health interventions should adopt comprehensive approaches that incorporate aspects of religiosity and spirituality to buffer against the presence of depressive symptoms among emerging adults
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The impact of stalking and harassment in females of intimate partner violence in Johannesburg following the breakup of a relationship
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Du Toit, Marlene; Goldschmidt, Lynne
    Stalking and harassment should be considered a gender-based violence crime. Literature suggests that stalking and harassment often occur post-breakup of a relationship. It is often difficult to prove that a person is being stalked and harassed, hence the lack of legal avenues to protect oneself from stalking and harassment discussed herein. This research focused on stalking and harassment by a former intimate partner. The total number of participants was eight. The participants were recruited via Lifeline, an organisation that offers support to community members. Semi-structured interviews were conducted. The participants narrated their experiences and allowed the researcher to explore further during interviews. The interviews were recorded for analysis purposes. Thematic analysis was chosen as a method of analysis. Findings highlighted a form of abuse within the relationship that continued to evolve into stalking and harassment post the breakup. Former intimate partners sometimes used family members and friends to reach their victims. Technology was also used to reach the victims when unwanted visitation proved to be unsuccessful. Victims suffered psychological and physical distress due to stalking and harassment. Participants employed different coping mechanisms and used resources at their disposal, much outside of the judicial realm. There was a need expressed for the justice system to be more supportive and regard stalking and harassment seriously as a crime.