3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
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Item The extent and some of the vicissitudes of psychological traumatisation at the hands of violent crime in first year university students(2002) Jacobs, Franchelle PaulineA review of the relevant South African trauma literature indicated that very little research into the effects of direct and indirect violent crime exposure has been undertaken. The present study examined some of the psychological sequelae given extremely high levels of violent crime exposure in South Africa (Nedbank ISS Crime Index, 2001 ). This study focused on violent crime in Gauteng, South Africa, as experienced by a sample of 1st year University of the Witwatersrand students. The sample (n = 367) consisted of 1 st year Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Commerce students. A quantitative research methodology was used, in which levels of trauma were assessed by using the Impact of Event Scale (Horowitz et al., 1979). The Dimensions of Trauma Scale (Esprey, 1996) and the Direct and Indirect Exposure to Violent Crime Scales, constructed by the researcher, were used to measure violent crime exposure. The current research adopted an epidemiological lens and focused on the prevalence of both direct and indirect traumatic exposure to violent crime, in a sample of 1 st year South African university students in Gauteng, and the prevalence of any resultant traumatic stress symptomatology. The results of the research yielded high levels of direct and indirect exposure to violent crime. Thirty-five percent of the students reported direct exposure to violent crime and 62 % reported indirect exposure to violent crime. Multiple exposure to trauma was evident in the current study's sample. It was found that 19% of the sample reported substantial levels of PTSD symptomatology on the Impact of Event Scale (Horowitz et al., 1979). 4 A further focus of the current study included an examination of the relationship between the nature of the traumatogenic event (i.e. the nature, severity and subjective perception of the stressor), the posttrauma environment (i.e. counselling, social support and previous exposure to trauma) and personal factors (i.e. demographics, health status, substance abuse, psychiatric and family psychiatric history and a sense of coherence) and both traumatic exposure to violent crime and traumatic symptomatology. The results of the study yielded many statistically significant relationships and statistically significant effects between the factors chosen as part of the relational aspect of the current study. Statistically significant results were found with regards to the nature of the traumatogenic event (e.g. mugging, attempted sexual assault), features of the posttrauma environment (e.g. social support, previous trauma exposure) and personal factors ( e.g. demographics, substance use) in relation to both direct and indirect traumatic exposure to violent crime and traumatic symptomatology. The results of the relational aspect of the current study suggest that many factors are implicated with regards to traumatic exposure and traumatic stress manifestations, highlighting and adding to continuing debates regarding the complex and multifaceted nature of the study of trauma. Finally, the study examined whether there was a relationship between traumatic exposure and traumatic symptomatology. The results of the study found statistically significant relationships between traumatic exposure, in this case, violent crime, and traumatic symptomatology. This result contributes to the body of traumatic stress literature regarding the relationship between the nature of the stressor and traumatic symptomatology. 5 The study added to current knowledge in the field of traumatic stress generally, and more specifically expanded on the effects of criminal violence in South Africa. The study also illustrated the importance of acknowledging the effects of indirect exposure to violent crime. A further, fairly novel contribution of the current study regards the examination of variables in relation to traumatic exposure. Finally, a number of suggestions for future research are discussed.Item Trauma's hide and seek: an exploration of autoethnographic performance as a therapeutic process, with specific reference to women's transgenerational trauma and personal agency(2018) Pankhurst, Margaretha CharlotteThis creative research was a qualitative exploration of the therapeutic value of creating and presenting autoethnographic performance to a carefully selected group of witnesses, with specific reference to women’s transgenerational trauma and personal agency. Three women worked with the researcher/aspirant drama therapist/director exploring whether autoethnographic performance can be used as a form of Drama Therapy. A performance-presentation to carefully selected audience-witnesses was developed using Drama Therapy principles, creative writing and journaling, and visual art installations. This written report is a reflection on the therapeutic discoveries and insights gained through the creation and performancepresentation process. What emerged through post-performance reflection was primarily an increase in personal agency, understanding of personal relationship patterns through exploring ancestral ties and the beginnings of healing of deep personal trauma. The importance of incorporating body-based therapy in relation to trauma recovery and Drama Therapy was central with embodiment forming a portal to unconscious processes. This study asserts that Drama Therapy is uniquely placed to be able to incorporate holistic mind/body/spirit recovery using symbolic, verbal and physical expressionItem Predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder among firefighters(2016-07-28) Nkomo, NeoEmergency first responders such as firefighters are exposed to higher levels of traumatic events through the course of their work. Accordingly, chances of such exposure resulting in negative psychological consequences are elevated. Previous research implicates the experience of trauma incident(s) and other organisational factors, among other factors, as causes of the development of consequences such as posttraumatic stress disorder and the variance thereof. However, research exploring these implications is limited. As a result, firefighters in the Emergency Medical Services were surveyed in the attempt to identify experiences of posttraumatic stress symptoms resulting from history of exposure to work-related traumatic events, perceived life threat during those incidents, general work-related stress and their perceived organisational support. The purpose of this study was to explore the predictive relationship PTSD symptoms and four predictors namely; perceived life threat, perceived organisational support, history of trauma and job-related stress, among Johannesburg firefighters. The sample was drawn from the City of Johannesburg Emergency Medical Services. A sample (N=100) of trauma-exposed firefighters was recruited for the study. Participants were recruited using a non-probability, convenience sampling strategy in which participation in the study was voluntary. The sample was made of 89 male participants and 11 female participants. All variables included in the study were measured using self-report instruments. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire to gather information pertaining to gender, age, organisational tenure and race. The following questionnaires were used to ascertain scores for the predictor variables: Survey of perceived Organisational Support, General Work Stress scale, Life Threat scale and a self-developed history of trauma scale. The Revised Impact of Event scale was used to measure the firefighters’ experience of PTSD related symptoms. Participants reported an average score of 29 on the IES-R scale indicating a stress reaction with the possibility of posttraumatic stress disorder. However, using a multiple regression analysis, this present study found that the four predictor variables explored did not have a substantial impact on the development of PTSD among firefighters. Secondary analyses were conducted to explore the individual association between each independent variable and PTSD. The results are reported. Overall, the results yielded suggest that there are other factors that exert a greater impact on the development of PTSD among firefighters. Future research among firefighters could focus on exploring other risk and protective factors associated with the development of PTSD. Alternatively, if this study is to be replicated, the researcher could employ a longitudinal, qualitative approach to explore the predictive relationship between history of trauma, perceived life threat, perceived organisational support, work-related stress and PTSD related symptoms. KEYWORDS: Post-traumatic stress disorder, perceived life threat, perceived organisational support, job-related stress, history of traumaItem Male crime victims: the social and personal construction of meaning in response to traumatogenic events(2014-03-14) Eagle, GillianThe study was directed at exploring the social and personal construction of meaning of male victims of violent crime. Three inter-related goals were identified: the extension of the nascent narrative/thematic tradition of analysis in the traumatic stress field; the deepening of appreciation of the experience of criminal victimization; and the exploration o f the role of social construction in the cognitive schematic adjustment of victims. In this instance the examination of the role of social construction was focussed centrally on the juxtaposition of the subject roles associated with masculinity and victimization. On the basis of both clinical observation and theory, it was postulated that aspects of masculine identification would create difficulties for men attempting to adjust to involuntary exposure to a context in which they were clearly victimized. The thesis provides comprehensive coverage of theory straddling cognitive adjustment to psychological trauma, mainstream and critical social psychological theory on victimization, developmental and descriptive dimensions of theory on masculinity and a range of literature on criminal victimization. The theoretical conceptualization underpinning the study offers a unique integration of this body of knowledge. In order to investigate the research question, ten adult, white, English speaking,South African men who had experienced a life-threatening, criminally motivated attack were interviewed about the event and their subsequent responses. The study was located within the qualitative research tradition allowing for the development of theory, and fox depth of description and interpretation. Semi-structured interviews were recorded and tnmscribdl w batim . Interview transcripts were subjected to a thematic content analysis by means of a computer-aided text interpretation. Frequency figures were calculated, but the emphasis of the analysis was in the area of descriptive and interpretive dimensions. Three central themes emerged as signi fi cant; those of Control, Disillusionment and Anger. Multiple facets of each theme are addressed, including centrally the interface between thematic dimensions and the social construction of masculinity. A meta-theoretical discourse analytic commentary is provided, addressing for example, the rob of the “hero” discourse in interviewee’s reports. In addition, the clinical implications of the data are explored. The study provides evidence of the inter-relationship between social and personal construction o f meaning in the aftermath of tramatization. It is suggested that in the context of victimization the social construction of masculinity is both more intractable and more permeable than might be supposed.Item Post-traumatic stress and dimensions of exposure to violence: the individual response(1996) Esprey, YvetteAt a primary level the current study sought to investigate the post-traumatic stress responses of a sample of black township residents who were victims and witnesses of continuous civil violence [Abbreviated abstract. Open document to view full version]