School of Human and Community Development (ETDs)
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Item Remote work and work-life conflict during the Covid-19 pandemic: A scoping review(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Njoli, Lihle; Donald, FionaIn December 2019, the viral respiratory disease ‘Covid-19’ was first identified in Wuhan, China (Buchanan et al., 2021). The virus swiftly spread to neighbouring nations, prompting the global declaration of the Covid-19 pandemic. Due to the alarming rates of death caused by the virus, drastic policy changes needed to be made by organisations around the world. Remote work, which entails employees working anywhere else but the office, such as at home, had to be implemented to try and reduce the rate at which the virus was spreading (Buchanan et al., 2021). Since employees had to work from home while also spending time with their families, including their children, working remotely became a concern for many people (Anderson & Kelliher, 2020). Thus, the current study aimed to examine the relationship between remote work and work-life conflict during the Covid-19 pandemic. To accomplish this, it used a scoping review to examine the body of current literature. The literature was reviewed using the five-stage research technique for scoping reviews developed by Arksey and O'Malley (2005). The study followed the checklist of items and methodology of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta- Analyses (PRISMA) to enhance the reporting of the scoping review and minimise bias (Moher et al., 2009). The conservation of resources theory (Hobfoll, 1989), boundary theory (Bulger et al., 2007), spillover theory (Zedeck & Mosier, 1990), and compensation theory (Edwards & Rothbard, 2000) are the theoretical frameworks that have been used to understand the relationship between remote work and work-life conflict in pre-pandemic literature. Overall, this study aimed to explore the findings that were established on remote work and work life conflict in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. Moreover, it aimed to determine the types of theories, samples, and research designs that were used in the studies. To achieve the aim of this study, a thorough search was conducted, and 14 relevant studies were identified and examined for this scoping review. Based on the findings, it is evident that work-life conflict varied among employees working remotely from home during the pandemic. It is noted that work-life conflict increased for some employees while decreasing for others. The existence or absence of children in the home, the amount of job and personal obligations, and the support system in the household all had an impact on the experiences of work-life conflict among remote workers. The results of this study add to the body of information on the topic and helps identify research gaps and implications for future remote and hybrid work.Item Perceptions of Employee Assistance Practitioners of South Africa on the factors that influence professional ethics in Employee Assistance Programmes(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2022) Ncube, Likwa; Dlamini, BusisiweThe workplace faces various challenges that impact employee functioning and the general mood of the work environment. Employment Assistance Programmes (EAPs), as a workplace response to the human and environmental challenges, have played an important contribution in the South African workplace since 1980. Benefits of using EAPs in the workplace include improved productivity, staff retention, reduced absenteeism and many other economic and social benefits. Professional ethics of EAP vendors in South Africa lack standardisation. Working from a person-in environment (P-I-E) perspective, this qualitative study explored factors that influence professional ethics with sixteen (16) EAP practitioners identified through a non-probability purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews were administered. EAP practitioners were drawn from different work backgrounds and qualifications in Gauteng province, in South Africa. Data was analysed using a thematic analysis approach. The results showed that EAP is making a significant contribution to the South African corporate and government workforce and the workplace. There are several socio-economic benefits linked to having an EAP in the workplace. However, an unlegislated EAP practice, unaccredited EAP programmes and unlicensed EAP practitioners threaten the credibility of the EAP professional ethics and the effectiveness of the interventions. This study recommends that to standardise EAP practice and intervention outcomes, EAP practitioners must be licensed by one professional body. Employee Assistance Professionals Association of South Africa (EAPA- SA) is suggested as a viable option with credible standards and ethics documents that meet international EAP best practice guidelines.Item The experiences of COVID-19 related lockdown and social media usage among the youth in Vosloorus, Mfundo Park, Gauteng(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Dlamini, Lindokuhle Sibahle; Langa, MaloseThis research sought to understand how the COVID-19 lockdown affected young people from the Vosloorus Township as well as their social media usage throughout the lockdown. The study targeted seven individuals, both male and female, through semi-structured interviews to gain rich data for this research. The research used a qualitative approach that allowed the researcher to adequately document these individuals’ life experiences in a naturalistic and interpretive way. Additionally, the interpretive phenomenological approach (IPA) which allowed the researcher to get an in-depth understanding of how the research participants understand or interpret their world, more especially how they describe their personal experiences. The findings have shown that young people from townships have suffered significantly from the impact of the pandemic. They experienced notable psychological distress at the hands of the military and police who were sent to maintain order in the townships during the lockdown. They were forced to adapt to a new way of life which included letting go of traditional burial rituals. The social distancing measures meant that the majority of the population could not express their final goodbyes to relatives who have passed on in order to control the rate of infection. Furthermore, the social recession had a more devastating impact on these young people as they naturally thrive under social interaction for their growth and developmental trajectory. The lack of social and/or physical interaction with peers affected not only their growth, but it also affected their academic performance. Social media became the only digital tool they relied on for any form of learning and communication with peers, relatives as well as educators. Although social media provided these young people with some form of connection to the outside world, it became an eminent threat to their overall welfare. The spread of fake news about the virus caused a lot of confusion, chaos, emotional and psychological stress among these young people.Item On The Nature and Rationality of Desire(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2018) Mtshali, Khondlo; Leon, MarkItem Would You Drink It? An Exploratory Study Gauging the Public’s Perceptions and Attitudes on the Use of Reclaimed Wastewater in South Africa(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2021) Prins, Franciscus X.; Thatcher, Andrew; Etale, AnitaIncreasing population figures globally, and in South Africa, and other factors, such as climate change could result in countries and regions suffering severe water scarcity. Alternative water sources, such as wastewater reclamation, are available which could bridge the supply and demand gap. Historically consumers have been against the use of water from water reclamation plants. This study aimed to determine consumers’ attitudes and key trade-offs toward alternative water sources, and to inform policy-and decision-makers for improved future public engagement. This could potentially improve the support for, and success, of future water reclamation plants. With the use of traditional surveys consumers’ willingness to consider alternative water sources are often determined after having assumed that they have existing knowledge of often complex topics. In this study, a decision pathway design allowed for information provision within an adaptive online survey with a set of linked questions. This encouraged the deliberate construction of opinions and views. In this way, respondents’ choices were more likely to be based on correct information before being asked to provide their opinions. By selecting one pathway information was revealed about respondents’ trade-offs and reasoning processes. Quantitative data were collected, and various demographical variables and responses were explored. Respondents’ most preferred water alternatives were provided at two points (at the start and at the end of the survey). The data revealed that there were changes between respondents most preferred alternative at the start and end of the survey. Furthermore, under situations of severe water scarcity most South African consumers would be in support of direct reclamation, however, respondents’ level of trust in the government, and the associated level of affect, could play a determining factor in the future successful implementation and operationalisation of water reclamation plants.Item Sculpting physical form: Muscular gay men’s subjective engagement with their bodies and training(2020) Cameron, Clinton; Eagle, GillianThe gay male body is defined by society as well as the gay community and culture within that society. Yet it is also defined by the individual gay men that inhabit their bodies. This research study explores the perceptions muscular gay men have of their bodies and the bodies of other men, the training they engage in to achieve their bodies and how the socio-cultural contexts in which they operate influence them. Seven self-identified muscular gay men were interviewed with a semi-structured interview schedule. The transcribed interviews were then analysed by making use of computer-aided critical thematic analysis. The findings suggest that all of the participants agree on the ideal body being muscular, lean and athletic. Even though participants desired the ideal body for themselves, they did not apply the same standards when it came to the bodies of other men, particularly partners with obesity being the exception. Participants were also narcissistically invested in the hard work they had put into their own bodies which remained unquenched by a constant desire for self-improvement. They also feared losing the bodies they had worked for and found particular enjoyment and affirmation in the admiration others had for their bodies. Participants also found training to be either a pleasure or a chore. Interestingly, those that found it a pleasure were also more likely to find a sense of community at gym. Participants also located their bodies as a way to belong or defend themselves within hegemonic masculinity.Item Perceptions of secondary school teachers on the proposed grade nine exit plan policy: the case of two secondary schools in Johannesburg, Gauteng(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2022-06) Mohammed, Adillah Abdallah; Pretorius, EdmarieThe Department of Basic Education (DBE) intends to introduce the General Education Certificate (GEC). The GEC would allow learners to exit the mainstream schooling system at the end of grade nine for vocational training or jobs. The GEC policy aims to reduce the high dropout rates between grades ten and eleven. This study sets out to establish the perceptions of grade nine teachers on the introduction of GEC. The critical theory framework underpinned the study, which questioned how the education system can best offer education to all learners irrespective of their socioeconomic status. This study used a qualitative research approach. The study sample comprised of fourteen participants from two public schools in Johannesburg. Seven participants from each of the two schools. Purposive sampling was utilised to select the participants. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. Face-to-face interviews were conducted on an individual basis. The data was analysed utilising thematic analysis. The participants perceive the GEC to be inclusive in nature as it accommodates all leaners with different learning needs and abilities. The GEC is perceived as a path to implementing inclusive education for equitable opportunities for all learners, for a just and less discriminative society. A noted concern was that the learners may use the GEC as an exit ticket from the schooling system. Participants indicated that a mechanism to ensure that all learners leaving the schooling system get absorbed in technical colleges for further training is required. They noted that the learners are too young to decide on their career paths at grade nine. A selection criterion to guide the identification of learners permitted to exit at grade nine, further engagement with key stakeholders, expansion and opening of more skills-based colleges, training, and funding of schools and skills-based colleges were recommended.Item South African Audiologists’ Perceived Knowledge, Views and Reported Practice in the Realm of Fall Risk Screening with Older Adults(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-06) Van Rie, Kayla Jade; Kanji, Amisha; Naudé, AlidaBackground: Falling in older adults has contributed significantly to injury and loss of life worldwide, thus, warranting the development of fall screening and prevention measures. Audiologists routinely evaluate older adults and are also key role players in balance disorders. The effectiveness of FRS and prevention is believed to depend on the healthcare professional's level of knowledge and practice in fall prevention. Little is however known about South African (SA) audiologists’ views, perceived knowledge, and practice in the realm of fall risk with older adults. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the perceived knowledge, views and reported practices of SA audiologists in the realm of FRS with older adults. Method: A mixed methods approach with a sequential triangulation design was utilised. The participants recruited for this study were SA audiologists who were registered with the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) and had experience with older adults. The systematic review was used to inform the data collection tools. The data was then collected via online surveys and online interviews. Purposive sampling was used as the survey Uniform Resource Locator (URL) link and interview invitations were distributed via email to the SA Association of Audiologists (SAAA) and, the National Speech Therapy and Audiology databases and was also distributed via audiology-specific social media platforms. One hundred and six (n=106) participants completed the online survey and eighteen (n=18) participated in the online interviews. Data from the survey was analysed using descriptive and correlation statistics, and a deductive thematic analysis was used for interview data. Results: The research study findings indicated a strong motivation among audiologists to learn more about supporting older adults at risk of falling, as almost 100% (n=102) expressed a desire for further training. Notably, the results showed that 83% (n=88) of participants XVIII believed that audiologists lacked sufficient training in FRS during their undergraduate curriculum, aligning with their perception of limited knowledge in conducting FRSs. In light of these results, it is, however, encouraging that 68% (n=73) of participants believed that audiologists had an important role to play in FRS and 58% (n=62) believed that it should be within the audiologist’s scope of practice. Ninety percent (n=95) of participants believed that incorporating FRS would change clinical practice and may provide the profession with an opportunity for expansion. Several challenges which could influence the perceived feasibility of the implementation of FRS clinically were reported, including the need for additional training (80%; n=85), lack of time (48%; n=51), difficulty collaborating with multidisciplinary team (MDT) members (38%; n=40) and discomfort with the vestibular portion of their scope of practice (38%; n=40 ). Currently, it appears that very few audiologists are conducting FRSs with older adults. The results clearly suggests an opportunity for audiologists to expand their current perceived scope of practice, enhancing their role in preventative audiology. Conclusion: Overall, this study found that SA audiologists viewed embracing the implementation of FRS positively. A lack of perceived knowledge and anticipated challenges were reported to limit the implementation of FRS clinically.Item Child and Adolescent Mental Health in South Africa: Experiences of Black Psychologists(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-10) Seboka, Kanelo; Amod, ZaytoonThis study explored the experiences of Black psychologists working with children and adolescents within the South African context. The purpose of this investigation was to shed light on these experiences, whose insights could contribute to teaching and training as well as to policy developments in relation to child and adolescent mental health in this country. A descriptive qualitative approach was employed for this study. Individual, semi-structured interviews with ten Black psychologists who are registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) was the primary data collection method, analysed using thematic data analysis. Eight themes were identified: Perceptions of Psychology and Mental Health; Systemic Influence and Understanding; Parent/Caregiver Psychoeducation; Inter-Professional Collaboration; Professional Competence; The ‘Black Culture’ and Context; Indigenous Knowledge and Practices and Mental Health Resources and Policies in South Africa. Findings indicated the need for promotion of the following aspects: mental health psychoeducation to eliminate negative health-seeking behaviours, professional inter collaboration and overall child and adolescent mental health. Findings further indicated the need for more cultural diversity in psychology training programmes as well as the prioritisation of child and adolescent mental health in government policies. Based on this, it is recommended that schools/clinics be reliable sources of mental health information; inter-professional training that has cultural relevance be offered at tertiary level; and for promotive and intervention programmes to be implemented in schools as a form of psychosocial support for the learners, teachers and the broader community.Item Exploring the relationship between job demands, resource, and psychological well-being: A study in the hospitality and tourism industries(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Marks, Joshua Blaine; Donald, FionaIdentified as a key factor contributing to elevated levels of individual performance and thus organisational performance, ensuring ideal levels of individual psychological well-being has grown increasingly important within organisations, especially following the onset and recession of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the pandemic having receded, its initial impact left lasting effects on various industries, particularly the tourism and hospitality industries as these industries saw a drastic reduction in workforce size and revenue generated. This has prompted the implementation of nationwide recovery efforts; however, these have been found to be primarily aimed at addressing the financial and economic impacts of the pandemic with minimal consideration for addressing the psychological impacts of the pandemic. This study aimed at evaluating the current state of individual psychological well-being of individuals working in the tourism and hospitality industries in South Africa. Given the broad nature of the psychological well-being construct, attempts to evaluate it in the work context have proved difficult. Hence it is for this reason that this study evaluated psychological well-being with reference to the experience of work engagement and burnout, as these constructs have been conceptualised as indicators of psychological well-being. Therefore individual psychological well-being was assessed through the exploration of the potential relationships between various job characteristics and the experience of work engagement and burnout. The sample consisted of 65 participants from organisations within the tourism and hospitality industries in South Africa. Participants were required to complete a questionnaire that comprised of a demographic information section, the Job-Demands Resources Scale (JDRS), the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Health Services Survey (MBI-HSS), and the 9-item Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-9). The results generated indicated the presence of significant, weak to moderate relationships between the variables of interest, with few exceptions. Furthermore, the significant regression models generated by the analysis provided insight into the relative contributions of the chosen job characteristics to the experience of work engagement and burnout. The results were discussed within the broader literature on the concepts of job demands and job resources, and the experience of work engagement and burnout.