Exploratory Study on Educators' Experiences of the Mental Health Needs of High School Learners in the North West Province
Date
2023-08
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Abstract
In many developing countries, including South Africa, adolescents’ mental health receives little attention within the larger field of mental health. This is despite the probability that developing mental health problems is significantly higher during adolescence than in any other developmental period. In line with the interpretivist paradigm approach, this study employed a qualitative research approach and adopted an exploratory and descriptive research design. The study aimed to explore and describe educators' experiences of the mental health needs of high school learners in the North West province of South Africa (North West). A semi-structured interview was used to collect data from 11 high school educators. Data in this study were analysed using thematic analysis. Understanding psychosocial development in relation to identity development in adolescent mental health and the ecological systems theories served as a theoretical framework for understanding the phenomenon under study. This study's findings indicated that factors affecting learners' mental health include disrupted family structures, child-headed households, poverty, sexual abuse, school violence, bullying, and psychoactive substances among learners. The findings also highlighted the importance of establishing school-community partnerships and the essential role the school-based support team plays in addressing the psychosocial needs of learners. Conversely, mental health stigma, social worker delays in addressing the psychosocial needs of learners, and ancestral calling were identified as barriers to learners seeking and accessing psychosocial services in schools. Based on the findings from this study, some recommendations to contribute to the mental health of high school learners include the development of age-specific and appropriate mental health policies and interventions. Further contributions would be to increase education funding to employ school nurses and social workers and establish positive school-community partnerships.
Description
A Research Report Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Social and Psychological Research in the Department of Psychology, School of Human and Community Development, Faculty of Humanities, at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2023.
Keywords
Mental health, Educator experiences, High school learners, North West province of South Africa (North West), School-based support team, UCTD
Citation
Mziwakhe, Boitumelo. (2023). Exploratory Study on Educators' Experiences of the Mental Health Needs of High School Learners in the North West Province. [Master's dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg]. WIReDSpace. https://hdl.handle.net/10539/39863