4. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - Faculties submissions
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Item Exercise dosages for the management of generalized anxiety disorder: A scoping review(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Leander, Natalie; Olivier, BenitaObjective: This review was conducted to map the extent of evidence relating to the dosage of exercise for anxiolytic effect, in youth and adolescents with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Introduction: Exercise is known for its benefit to people living with depression and anxiety in adult populations. Less is known about the differences in exercise prescriptions used for the management of anxiety subtypes in younger populations. The rationale for this topic in adolescents and youths, living with GAD was to ascertain the extent to which this cohort has been studied regarding the use of exercise in the treatment of anxiety and which dosages were used. Inclusion criteria: All studies with participants aged 10-24 years of age with a GAD diagnosis, were considered, where exercise was used as part of the management of their anxiety. No restrictions were placed on study types. A scoping review was performed using the JBI methodology. Databases searched included Pubmed, PEDro, Cochrane database of systematic reviews and Cinahl Ultimate along with grey literature databases. No time restrictions were applied, and all types of research articles were considered. The charted data was tabulated using a modified JBI data extraction instrument. The initial result of 728 results was reduced to four studies that met with inclusion criteria. The final four studies had populations in the upper range of between 18 to 24 only. No applicable data was found in the 10 to 17-year age range. The exercise types used in these four studies were treadmill running, Pilates, lower limb strengthening and dynamic cycling. Two studies incorporated a single bout of vigorous treadmill running for 30 minutes. One study did a single bout of beginner Pilates for 30 minutes and the last study used lower limb strengthening and dynamic cycling biweekly for six weeks. The literature on exercise dosage for the management of GAD in adolescents and youth is severely limited. Data on exercise for specific subtypes of anxiety in adolescents and youth seems to be limited in general as well. This is an important area for research as anxiety starts in early childhood and GAD in particular has a peak age of onset of 15 years. It seems feasible to try and approach anxiety in youth and adolescents with non-invasive therapies such as exercise but there is a definite gap in the literature regarding its use in managing GADItem Implication of Regulated Cannabis Legalisation on Wellbeing and Economic Growth(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2022) Quarshie, Emmanuel; Alagidede, Imhotep PaulThis is a thesis on the cost benefit analysis of cannabis legalisation, public (mis)perception about cannabis usage and cannabis users, the medical application of cannabinoids and their commercial and industrial potential in the new global political economy. The study shows that, although there are misconceptions about cannabis, there is still much to unpack about its effects on human well-being. Drawing on both qualitative and quantitative cross-country dataset from Ghana and South Africa, the study employed a logit model to address the following questions: (a) What does society know about cannabis and its industrial and medical applications? (b) What is the evidence-based scientific claims of cannabis regarding human well-being? (c) What are the existing gaps between perception and knowledge? Among the contributions, this study clarifies the often-misunderstood position of cannabis in society and illuminates the blind side of the role of cannabis as an economic enabler in the post pandemic world. More importantly, while some schools of thought project cannabis as a gateway drug to the infernal realm, this study provides evidenced based on real-time practical experience from well- informed and educated users. The study provides a model for regulated cannabis legalisation, a proper guide on value-added supply chain mechanism, and guiding principles to ensure the model functions properly, based on lessons and best practices from countries that have legalized cannabis, such as the Netherlands, Canada, Lesotho, Malawi, Zambia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. This study further establishes empirical and theoretical foundations for the key thematic subjects of cannabis use, as well as a policy direction pertaining to its regulated legalisation, prohibition, or decriminalization in Ghana and South Africa. Given the disconnect between knowledge and perception about cannabis, the study recommended knowledge enhancement and adequate advocacy on the pros and cons of cannabis for society to enhance understanding of the benefits and its side effects to provide evidence-based guidance on the medical application and industrial potentialsItem A Podcast Original: Feeling out Black Contemporary Masculinity in South Africa(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-08) Mkhwanazi, Vuyiswa Samukelisiwe Nomvula; Kiguwa, PeaceThis research report provides detailed account of the ways in which “Podcast and Chill with MacG” possibly surfaces affective identifications and attachments in its representations of black masculinity. The theoretical explorations are performed with the Millennial and Gen-Z aged masculine audience in mind as they would be the main consumers of this podcast. This study uses affect theory as its theoretical framework - particularly as it is offered by Sara Ahmed in conversation with Tomkins’ work. The study has taken on a qualitative approach. Data collection occurred through purposive sampling of three sixty minute [or longer] episodes of the podcast. The specific episodes feature the following people as interviewees or guests: media personality Jub Jub, comedian and actor Mpho “Popps” Modikane as well as radio personality and reality television star, Dineo Ranaka. The data is analysed and interpreted by means of critical discourse analysis which is focused on studying and analysing spoken and written texts for the purpose of revealing discursive sources of bias, inequality, dominance and power. This paper utilises a culturally responsive relational reflexive ethical framework. The key findings of this paper are that the podcast guest embody one of the following Jungian archetypes: fallen hero [Jub Jub], jester [Mpho Popps] and rebel [Dineo Ranaka]. Furthermore, the fallen hero and jester embody affects of elevation and pride, as well as anxiety respectively. The rebel subverts expectation by rejecting to embody shame and instead uses that rejection as a feminist rallying cry that works to summon a caring masculinity.Item Exploring the pandemic: COVID-19 lockdown response levels as predictor of working memory performance and associated emotional responses(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-11) Oyejide, Aderemi Oyewunmi; Brooks, Samantha; Besharati, SahbaThe unprecedented outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has altered the course of many lives, resulting in multiple health and social challenges. Due to the speed with which this andemic spread, various public health ‘lockdown’ measures were introduced to mitigate its spread. The outcome of adherence to these measures has revealed the possible influence on ndividuals varying cognitive abilities. Therefore, this study aimed at exploring the predicting relationship between lockdown responses to COVID-19 restrictions and working memory performance and associated emotional responses, while looking at the socio-demographic influences of age, gender, and level of education. Participants were drawn from a secondary dataset of an international online survey study of 1634 individuals between 18 – 75 years across 49 countries. Participants’ demographic questionnaires, working memory measures (free memory recall and digit span forward tasks), and hospital anxiety and depression scale were employed to collect data for analysis. A 4-way MANOVA and hierarchical multiple regression were utilised to explore the mean differences and predicting relationships between the study variables respectively. Significant differences were found in general memory performance, anxiety and depression scores across lockdown groups, but with no significant difference in working memory. The regression analysis indicated socio-demographic variables as non-predictive markers between lockdown responses and memory performance, while age and gender were significant predictors between lockdown responses and anxiety. The current study provides valuable information for interventions that may improve peoples’ psychological appraisals in preparation for any new potential waves or future pandemics.Item Understanding Anxiety, and its Implications for Teaching and Learning: A Perspective on Freud and Others(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-06) Ally, Adila; Aloka, PeterThis dissertation is conceptual in nature rather than empirically-oriented and explores an understanding of learning and motivational theory in an attempt to study various formulations of the concept of anxiety, dating back to those presented by the foundational figure of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud. It is noted that Freud did not develop a single theory of anxiety- but at least three and arguably as many as eight over the lifetime of his career. Such hesitancy and uncertainty is not interpreted by this dissertation as indecision, rather it is read as uncertainty being a core element in the meta-modelling of anxiety itself. Refracted through Lacan -- who performs a reinterpretation of Freud in a way that produces a unique formulation of the concept that seems to invert Freud's own definition -- and through J. B. Watson, this dissertation develops a novel concept of anxiety as being mimetic in nature, relying Girard's concept of mimetic desire for this purpose. Moscovici's social representation theory, Latour's inter-objectivity, Bandura's triadic structure of observational learning, Foot's studies on Double-Effect problems, the Rashōmon Effect in the narrativisation of data and Seligman's learned helplessness are also used in developing the novel concept of mimetic anxiety. Thus after recognising four variants of anxiety -- a unified Freudian "object-loss" anxiety, Lacanian "overabundance" anxiety, Watsonian "commodity" anxiety and the novel concept of "mimetic anxiety" -- this dissertation proceeds to gauge interaction between these and the learning theories of Pavlov, Skinner, Piaget, Vygotsky and Gagné, and the motivational theories of expectancy value, achievement goal, and self-determination theory. In observing a case study of the flipped classroom model of teaching, Gagné and expectancy value seem to predict the emergence of Watsonian anxiety, the only variant of the four which allows for extinction of anxiety. However, the flipped classroom model, expectancy value motivation and Gagné's methodology together continue to address deeper challenges developed by mimetic anxiety and the synetic (not synthetic) demand placed on Girardian interdividual subjects by technology. Further use of the flipped classroom study is made to explore Freud's throwaway comment that economics might explain the concept of anxiety-as-signal, whereupon Hayek is found to introduce the concept of price-as-signal. This synchronicity forms the basis for considering Freud as necessarily heterogeneous and yielding of increased depth if paired with outside disciplines. In conclusion, the Flynn Effect is suggested as a significant driver of Freudian recession into insularity and from digitally mediated interaction, insinuating advocacy for the flipped classroom model.Item Anxiety as a Mediator of the Associations Between Stressful Life Events and Social Media Use Intensity in Young Adults(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2022-05) Ramoroka, Morongwa Rebaabetswe Elina; Price, EstherIntroduction: This study quantitatively explored the associations between SLEs, anxiety, and social media use intensity. The study explores whether anxiety mediates the relationship between SLEs and social media use intensity across all four domains. This study further aims to explore whether social media use intensity, operationalized as an avoidance coping strategy, is possibly due to poor emotional regulation and distress tolerance skills. The first-time undergraduate student population are often inadequately prepared for the transition to university during a critical period of their development. As a result, they may drift towards health compromising behaviours such as intense social media use. The findings will set a precedent for the development of preventative programs and/or interventions in order to assist young adults with emotional regulation. Methods: This was a cross-sectional design that was analysed quantitatively. The participants were invited to participate in online questionnaires which assessed stressful life events, anxiety, and social media use intensity. While a total sample of 402 students completed parts of the online survey questionnaires, a final sample of 360 participants was used in the study as their data sets were complete for all the variables. The Social Readjustment Rating Scale, Beck's Anxiety Inventory, and the Facebook Intensity Scale were the measures used. Results: Positive associations were found between SLEs, anxiety and social media use intensity. Anxiety mediated the relationship between SLEs and social media use intensity across all four domains. This reflected that social media use intensity is a form of avoidance coping mechanism that emerges due to poor emotional regulation and distress tolerance skills. Conclusions: The present study highlights the challenges experienced and how to set a precedent for the development of preventative programs and interventions. Keywords: stressful life events, anxiety, avoidance coping, social media use intensity