Electronic Theses and Dissertations (Masters)
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10539/37990
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Item 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, SumayaMental 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.Item 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, VinithaThe 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.