Browsing by Author "Schomer, Helgo"
- ItemOpen AccessBarking up the wrong tree : pet therapy in South Africa(2003) Naidoo, Pevashnee; Schomer, HelgoThere exists but one local detailed, documented study by Bergensen (1989) that focused on the effects of pet facilitated therapy on the self-esteem and socialisation of primary school children. In addition, a handful of articles have been published in South African journals. It is rather perturbing to note that a proven, highly effective adjunct to conventional therapeutic intervention is lacking in the South African therapeutic milieu. The marked ignorance and defence behind practitioners scorn for this form of therapy is rather perplexing, especially in light of its official existence for over thirty years. This dissertation probes the concept of pet-facilitated therapy by referring to extensive studies, focusing on various sub-populations, and concludes with a study investigating local opposition to pet therapy.
- ItemOpen AccessConditions for health behaviour change(1992) Wadlow, Sarah Jane; Schomer, HelgoThe impact of an academic course in health psychology on students' health behaviour is assessed. It was contended that this course motivated students to improve their personal health behaviours, as it contained all the elements necessary for persuasion. It was hypothesised that (a) self-reported health behaviour would improve from pre- to post-course assessment, (b) any improvements would not have been maintained at the follow-up evaluation, (c) the components of the Health Belief Model (HBM) would predict the various health behaviours. The subjects were all third year psychology students at the University of Cape Town, attending an optional course in health psychology. They completed a self-report health behaviour questionnaire (Lifestyle Evaluation Questionnaire) prior to commencement of the course and again at the end of the six week course. At a follow-up, eight months after the completion of the course, (86) students who had completed both previous questions were mailed another (LEQ) questionnaire. They were also requested to complete a questionnaire (based on the HBM), assessing their beliefs about health behaviour (the Lifestyle Beliefs Questionnaire). 42 (49%) subjects returned the questionnaires. At-test of mean differences was conducted to determine if the four Lifestyle Evaluation Questionnaire (LEQ) factors - food, exercise, drugs and care - had changed significantly over time. Exercise, food and care behaviour had improved significantly from pre- to post-course assessment to follow-up (p < .05). Hypothesis one was, therefore, partially supported, and hypothesis two was not supported by the findings. A number of explanations for these findings are proposed. In short, it appears that exercising is regarded as more enjoyable and beneficial by a young population than other preventive health behaviours. The HBM components of benefits, barriers, susceptibility, motivation, cues to action, attitude, and enabling variables were regressed against the four LEQ factors to determine if these HBM components could predict the health behaviours. Benefits predicted exercise and drug use, barriers predicted exercise behaviour, and susceptibility predicted drug use. These three HBM components were found by Janz & Becker's (1984) review to be the most powerful predictors of health behaviours. Limitations of this "naturalistic" study are discussed and it is concluded that persuasive communication is necessary to motivate young, healthy adults to practise positive health behaviours.
- ItemOpen AccessExertion therapy for the mentally subnormal child.(1981) Schomer, Helgo; Du Preez, PeterThe use of physical exercise as a therapeutic technique was explored with special reference to the mentally subnormal child. Advances in intellectual capability and social maturity were discussed in direct relation to .progress in motor skill and physical fitness. The prerequisites for a successful physical exercise programme for increasing intellectual and social functioning were outlined. An investigation was carried out to examine the effects of dynamic physical exertion therapy on the intellectual and social functioning of mentally subnormal children. A static physical exertion therapy condition served as control intervention. Thirty two institutionalised children matched on age, sex and diagnostic classification, participated in the 30-week programme. Heart rate at rest, heart rate at sub minimal workload and maximal oxygen consumption rate estimates served as measures of physical fitness. Changes in intellectual and social functioning were assessed by means of the Vineland Social Maturity Scale, Old South African Individual Scale, and Goodenough Draw-A-Man. Test. Highly significant improvements were recorded for the dynamic physical exertion therapy condition. Changes due to the static physical exertion therapy were less significant. The results supported the hypotheses that intensive, regular cardiovascular endurance exercises bring about marked increases in physical fitness associated with increases in intellectual and social functioning. Implications of the present study were examined and future research needs put forward.
- ItemOpen AccessHealth belief model interpretations of sociopsychological factors associated with compliance for weight loss and cardiac rehabilitation programmes(1991) Frewen, Sharon H; Schomer, HelgoFour aims were formulated for the present study. The first was to construct a questionnaire, using the Health Belief Model (HBM) as an organizing rubric, and to test its psychometric properties in a pilot study. The second was to utilize the questionnaire to understand why individuals did or did not comply on the University of Cape Town Weight Loss and Heart Foundation Cardiac Rehabilitation programmes during the period 1987 to 1989. A third aim was to establish possible commonalities and/or differences between and within groups of weight loss and cardiac compliers and non-compliers on these programmes. This would address the gap in most studies which have only looked at one particular health behaviour at a time. The fourth aim was to accumulate information about the current health activities (or long-term compliance) and beliefs of individuals and to compare how these had changed over a period of time.
- ItemOpen AccessLifestyle and mood factors in sport performance(1995) Vergunst, Richard; Schomer, Helgo; Du Preez, PeterElite (n=37), sub-elite (n=37) or non-elite (n=24) sport persons participating in any one of eight individual Olympic recognized sports (archery, fencing, gymnastics, ice skating, swimming, track and field, weightlifting and wrestling) took part in the study. Age and sex of subjects were not controlled. Subjects were given the 'How Healthy a Life do you Lead?', the 'Profile of Mood States' and a general questionnaire to complete. Descriptive analysis portrayed similar lifestyle and mood profiles across the three levels of sport performance while discriminant analysis revealed that lifestyle as well as mood variables could not predict level of sport performance (p < 0.05). The research hypotheses that healthier lifestyle and mood profiles are related to better sport performance were therefore not supported. Other results however revealed that the structure of the lifestyles was related to level of sport performance. Considerations for future research in this area are discussed.
- ItemOpen AccessMental strategies and the perception of effort : implications for the psychological training of marathon runners(1985) Schomer, Helgo[missing pages 7-18] Several attempts have recently been made by psychologists to uncover the mystique that surrounds the superior athletes and their superior performance. Researchers wonder whether continuous participation in a specific sport induces both peak performance and certain mental strategies or whether the perchance or purposeful adoption of a cognitive strategy enhances performance (Cratty, 1983). In their effort to find a causal relationship, psychologists have endeavoured to understand the mental processes of athletes, speculating on how the quality or quantity of their thoughts might contribute to their excellent performance. Yet results have been clouded over by anecdotal reports and rather unsystematic accounts of subjective experiences and views. Tentative explorations into the mind of the marathoner are beginning to set the stage for the unravelling of this highly .complex and.fas~inating realm. This research project sets out to focus on the mental strategies of the marathoner and to discover their contribution to the marathoner's limit of performance.
- ItemOpen AccessNeeds, problems and stress of rural cancer patients : an interpretation according to the biomatrix theory(1988) Edwards, Lynn; Schomer, HelgoThe purpose of this study was to identify the needs and problems that were experienced by rural cancer patients and to investigate the level of emotional stress that they reported. A further purpose was to interpret the main findings of the study according to the Biomatrix Theory. 496 Cancer patients who lived in rural areas of the Western Cape and 140 urban cancer patients were interviewed. The urban cancer patients formed a control group for comparison of the stress data. In order to consider the needs and problems of rural cancer patients from a widespread area, stratified random sampling of magisterial districts was applied and an attempt was made to interview all cancer patients who were living in each of the 21 magisterial districts sampled. Data on needs and problems were collected by use of a questionnaire, and the stress data was collected by administering a modified format of the Stress Evaluation Inventory (SEI). The findings of this study revealed that financial difficulties were the most frequently reported problem while transport difficulties and frustration of emotional support needs were also frequently reported. Patients who reported experiencing these problems also reported statistically significantly higher stress according to the SEI than those who did not.
- ItemOpen AccessPerceptions of success among South African soccer players: An exploratory study(Stellenbosch University, 2004) Dawson-Squibb, John Joe; Schomer, HelgoThis paper evaluates and describes themes surrounding the subjective perceptions of success in players and coaches at a professional South African soccer club. Literature around this topic is limited, particularly concerning the qualitative understandings of South African sportsmen and women, providing ample motivation for this investigation. Semi-structured interviews about success were conducted with professional (n=11) and academy (n=12) players and questionnaires completed by coaches (n=5). This information was coded, drawing out and comparing themes amongst the players, coaches and literature in this field. Results suggest a number of perceptions, as compared with success as an achievement and in the attainment of future goals, therefore success as a likely outcome.
- ItemOpen AccessRheumatoid arthritis : a cognitive-behavioural intervention(1991) Germond, Sean Alan; Schomer, HelgoThis study investigated both the mediating role of psychological adjustment in determining pain experience, disease · status, and immune function in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), and the value of cognitive-behavioural intervention in improving the overall health status of such patients. Two related hypotheses were tested in a matched-random assigned two-groups design, with pre-, mid-, and post-intervention assessment. Fourteen (N = 14) female RA outpatients, selected along established inclusion criteria, were allocated to either treatment (n=8) or control (n=6) groups after being matched on date of disease onset and ratings, of coping efficacy. The treatment group received an eight week Stress Inoculation and Pain Management Training programme (sixteen 2-hour sessions) based on the conceptual approach of Meichenbaum (1985) and adopted from a program by O'Leary, Shoor, Lorig and Holman (1988). The program included educational material, instruction in palliative and cognitive pain management strategies and the application thereof in daily living, goal setting to improve activity function, and group discussion. The program was designed to nurture and develop existing coping skills, and to impart new strategies to cope with daily stress and pain. Pre-intervention correlational analyses tested the extent to which mood disturbance, self-perceptions of coping efficacy, health locus of control and stressful life experience were related to intensity and quality of pain, disease activity, functional status and lymphocyte proliferation rate. Intra- and inter-group analyses were conducted to determine treatment effects in terms of change scores .on the dependent measures, and case studies were conducted to evaluate individual response both to disease and cognitive-behavioural intervention.