3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
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Item Investigating the body self-relationship in young Black South African women.(2014-06-12) Shelembe, Thulisile BuhleThe purpose of this research was to investigate contemporary conceptions of beauty and bodily modificatory behaviour of young, Black, South African women. In a society where a lot of emphasis has been placed on a woman’s physical appearance, it was important to determine how these young women feel about their bodily appearance and if whether this is influenced by their social milieu. Constructions of beauty are largely constructed around White womanhood, thus Black women might feel marginalised by the White majority’s Western beauty standards. Data for this research report was collected by conducting semi-structured interviews with six female, Black South African, first year psychology students at the University of the Witwatersrand. The participants received a 1% incentive for their participation which contributed to their end of semester mark. The findings of the study show that conformity to Western standards of beauty has a negative bearing on the participants perceptions of how they feel about their bodies. The media has also become influential in changing perceptions of beauty within Black South African contemporary culture. Salient features of beauty, such as hair and skin colour seem to be embedded in the historical processes of oppression.Item Exploring the meanings attached to the sexual identity of Black women-loving-women (WLW) in Soweto.(2014-01-09) Pakade, NomancotshoWomen’s bodies and sexualities across history and race have been subjected to policing by the state, society and men. However, within the context of Black sexuality, black women’s bodies have been subject to silencing during the colonial encounter.This exploratory study set to document the subjective meanings associated with the Black WLW sexual identity of 50 women in Soweto. This study seeks to contribute to the recently emerging body of literature which has documented Black women’s same-sex sexualities as means to render their identities and experiences visible. Furthermore, to capture the terms used to describes samesex practicing women. The Q methodology was used to capture the various expressions along with their subjective representation. Two main distinct accounts emerged from the analysis. The Q analysis results indicated that there are two dominant forms of gender expressions and perceptions of what constitutes a Black WLW sexual identity in Soweto. Factor A distinguished itself through conceptualising this sexual identity in a ‘closed construction’ of attraction, with distinct gender roles. As such women in this factor identified with a sense of being domineering in the relationship, with potential partners expected to cook and clean. On the other hand, women who defined Factor B had a more inclusive construction of the Black WLW. These women placed emphasis on being comfortable with the bodies, particularly their breasts. Additionally, they valued the notion of equality in their relationships from sharing household chores to believing that sex should be about both partners pleasuring each other. The study also unpacked the meaning of self-identifying terms used by WLW in Soweto. In the absence of historically positive terms for same-sex sexualities, specifically indigenous terms, labelling becomes a site that does not prioritise meaning but reflects the negotiation of an oppressed sexual identity. What is in a name becomes a continuous struggle of reclaiming existence and visibility with oneself, the lesbian and gay community and the broader society.Item A narrative understanding of the maternal experience of urban black South African mothers.(2013-04-03) Dale, Lindsay KateThis qualitative study explores the maternal experiences of black South African mothers living in a township in Johannesburg. Extensive research and literature has begun to address the experiences of motherhood from the mother’s perspective, however research into the experiences of black mothers is still limited. In the past psychological literature on South African motherhood tended to focus on at-risk mothers and children rather than exploring their personal narratives. This study presents the narratives of six black mothers living in Alexandra township in Johannesburg, Gauteng. The six mothers participated in individual, semi-structured interviews. The data was analysed using the narrative analysis technique. The analysis provides insight into the personal experiences of motherhood and highlights the central narratives that these mothers told. What emerged is that mothers have individual and unique stories to tell, their stories about becoming a mother are central to their narratives on motherhood and the context in which mothers mother is pivotal in shaping their mothering experiences.Item African mothers experiences of the "New Beginnings" mother-infant group psychotherapy programme : reflecting on mothering while living in a shelter.(2013-03-27) Hardudh-Dass, HasmitaInfant mental health in South Africa has been receiving more attention in recent years. Mothers appear to be the main caregivers of infants but they face many psychosocial, economic and cultural challenges. There exists very little evidence suggesting that mothers living in shelters or institutions have access to the necessary support and education to help them to understand their circumstances and how this may impact on the attachment with their infant. The New Beginnings Programme, as an early intervention model, is aimed at improving attachment between mother and infant so as to reduce the potential risk of mental health problems later in life for the infants, the mothers and future generations. This evidence based intervention focuses on the mother and her capacity for mentalisation, which refers to the mother’s capacity to hold her infant in mind and recognise and respond to the inner states of the infant. The pilot study of the New Beginnings Programme within a South African context took place in two shelters in the Greater Johannesburg area. This particular study formed part of this bigger research effort. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of the mothers who attended the New Beginnings programme. A secondary aim was to explore these mothers’ experiences of the programme within the context of living in a shelter. The adaptation of this programme to a South African context could contribute significantly to bridging the gap in mother-infant attachment which could influence the future mental health of the infant and their ability to foster ongoing healthy attachments later in life. This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews and a narrative analysis from the theoretical perspective of psychoanalytic attachment theory. Thirteen mothers from two shelters participated in this research study.