3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
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Item The Role of Social Support in the Relationship between Exposure to Traumatic Stressors and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in a Sample of Emergency Care Practitioners(2007-02-22T12:54:15Z) Basedau, Natascha TanyaThe present study served to investigate the way in which continuous exposure to potentially traumatic incidents impacts on the South African Emergency Care Practitioner (ECP). The study sought to investigate the presence of symptoms of posttraumatic stress (PTS) in the sample and the events which appear to pose the greatest threat to these ECPs’ mental health. The notion that individuals exposed to the same traumatic stressors can present with very different posttraumatic responses has led to the acknowledgement that the relationship between exposure and PTS is a complex one. Studies have examined a multitude of variables believed to impact in some way on this relationship, with particular emphasis on individual appraisals and coping styles. Less attention has been afforded the role of social phenomena in the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The attention that has been afforded these phenomena has tended to examine social support as a unidimensional construct, and studies have often measured different social support conceptualisations. Utilising a recognised psychosocial framework, the present study sought to investigate the impact of social support in the relationship between exposure and PTS. It sought to examine three distinct facets of social support, namely: the appraisal of being supported, the perception of available supportive behaviours from family and friends, and an individual’s orientation towards utilising support. The study used a cross-sectional, correlational design to investigate the relationships between exposure, PTSD symptoms and social support. The procedure involved the anonymous completion of several standardised self-report measures by 107 ECPs from Netcare 911, a private South African emergency care organisation. These measures included a revised version of the Paramedic Work Exposure Checklist (PWEC), the Revised Impact of Event Scale (RIES), the Social Support Appraisals Scale (SS-A), the Social Support Behaviours Scale (SS-B) and the Network Orientation Scale (NOS). The events that tended to be rated as having the most negative emotional impact among respondents involved assisting abused or injured children, witnessing the death or injury of a coworker, assisting victims of sexual assault, dealing with equipment failure or the incompetence of others and receiving inadequate or incorrect information when dispatched on a call. The correlational analyses revealed that exposure to events rated as having a negative emotional impact was significantly and positively associated with symptoms of PTSD in the sample. Correlational analyses also revealed that each of the facets of social support measured was significantly negatively associated with symptoms of PTSD. The results indicate that the mode and source of support most significantly associated with symptoms of PTSD in the sample was the perception of available emotional support from friends. In spite of the direct relationships observed between symptoms of PTSD and the facets of social support examined, none of the social support facets investigated emerged as a significant buffer in the relationship between exposure and PTSD. The study highlights the need for additional research, including longitudinal investigation, into the role of multiple facets of social support in the relationship between exposure and PTSD. Some suggestions for future research and the practical application of the findings of the research are offered.Item The prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in school children in a black township(2006-11-13T11:25:48Z) Masitha, HlalaAims The study was based on the premise that the many children in South Africa had been subjected to a number of violent crimes. It was, therefore, assumed that these children would react negatively to the exposure to traumatic events. The researcher thus set out to determine the degree to which crime and other traumatic events were affecting children, particularly those living in the black townships. It was hypothesized that due to the level of violence and other traumatic events occurring in the townships on the one hand and children’s vulnerability on the other, there would be a heightened prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder. Method 797 children from 18 schools in Sebokeng Township, south of Johannesburg, were administered questionnaires to assess the presence of PTSD. While children were selected on the basis of age and availability, selection of schools was random. Children were administered the questionnaires in groups in their classrooms. The researcher, together with an aide was present in the administration in order to help children understand and answer the questions. Findings The study revealed a higher presence and prevalence of PTSD. Significant proportion of children reported to have been suffering from all PTSD criterion groups. Although there were gender differences in the proportion of children who met various PTSD criterion groups, no gender differences existed in the scores obtained by the children. Age was shown to have no relation to PTSD. Using the ANOVA, significant differences existed across schools.