Browsing by Department "Department of Psychology"

Now showing 1 - 20 of 921
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    A case study exploration of the therapeutic phenomena of projective identification, transference and countertransference: a brief therapy with a patient with psychotic anxiety
    (1996) Abrahams, Deborah L; Miller, Sheila; Swartz, Sally
    This dissertation reviews the concepts of projective identification, transference and countertransference from an Object Relations theoretical perspective. The developmental mother-infant relationship is explored as a model for understanding the therapist-patient interaction in both its normal and pathological forms. Projective identification is used to illuminate the workings of transference and countertransference. W.R. Bion's conception of the mother-therapist as 'Container' and infant-patient as 'Contained' is presented as pivotal to understanding that interaction. Failures in projective identification - and therefore in symbolic functioning - are explored, with particular focus given to psychotic and psychosomatic manifestations in patients. The relevance of transference and countertransference phenomena to brief psychotherapy is also considered. These concepts are then applied to a specific therapeutic case. The patient was seen as an in-and outpatient over a 5 month period 1-3 times per week. The patient's history and a brief formulation are presented, followed by a discussion of how the above-mentioned theoretical issues manifested in the therapy. The patient operated on the border between psychosis and neurosis and communicated in primitive pre-verbal and powerful symbolic ways. Case illustrations focus on the interplay between her psyche and soma, the impact of the hospital setting as well as particular transference and countertransference difficulties incurred.
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    A comparative study of honest and deceitful school children
    (1948) Slayen, P W; Reyburn, H A
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    A cross-linguistic study of certain temporal features of speech in stuttering and nonstuttering children
    (1986) Oosthuizen, Carol Louise; Du Preez, Peter
    Four experiments were performed to measure temporal coarticulatory speech features in the perceptually fluent speech of 120 South African children. The aim was to test, in a limited way, the postulate that stuttering may be essentially a disorder of speech timing. Comparisons were made between English- and Afrikaans-speakers, between younger (mean age 4.1 years) and older (mean age 6. 7 years) children, and between stutterers and nonstop utterers. Experiment one investigated voice onset time (VOT) of word-initial voiced and voiceless bilabial and apical stop plosives in isolated eve nonsense syllables. The VOTs were measured from oscilloscopic displays. Nonparametric statistical treatment identified certain trends in the data. English-speakers used short- and long-lag categories to express voiced and voiceless initial stops respectively. They showed a developmental trend in the direction of lengthening of VOT for voiceless stops. Afrikaans-speakers used two sets of short-lag VOT without aspiration to produce voiced and voiceless stops. Voicing lead occurred randomly as a stylistic variant. The stuttering children demonstrated longer VOTs than did nonstutterers. In addition, English-speaking stutterers failed to lengthen VOT for voiceless stops in the normal manner. This was attributed to difficulty with the physiological demands of long-lag VOT. Afrikaans speakers, who did not have to contend with the long-lag category, clearly distinguished between voiced and voiceless stops by means of VOT. Experiment two dealt with the categorical labelling of nonsense syllables employing the voicing contrast. In younger nonstuttering subjects, English-speakers performed better than did Afrikaans-speakers, owing to the greater number of perceptual cues available to them. All younger subjects needed a lot of training in order to label correctly, whereas older subjects needed little training. English stutterers performed slightly poorer than did nonstutterers, while even older Afrikaans stutterers performed very poorly. It was postulated that stutterers might be dependent on perceptual cues which become redundant for nonstuttering listeners. Afrikaans stutterers were additionally handicapped by the paucity of perceptual cues in their language. In experiments three and four, medial stop closure duration in vev nonsense syllables and medial vowel durations in eve nonsense syllables were measured. English and Afrikaans nonstutterers had longer stop closure durations on voiceless-than stops and in high vowel compared with low vowel environments. A devel6p:nental trend was identified in the direction of differential stop closure lengthening. Medial vowel durations were also lengthened in voiced and voiced sibilant consonant environments. Subjects showed increasing vowel differential durations with age. Stutterers showed the normal trends towards differential medial stop closure and vowel durations but appeared to have a developmental lag in this respect relative to nonstutterers. Since stutterers did not differ from nonstutterers on measures of whole syllable duration or medial VOT it did not appear as if they were simply moving their articulators slowly. Experiments three and four probably tapped neutrally programmed coarticulatory effects, whereas the VOT measure might reflect a lower aerodynamic-neuromuscular level of speech functioning, the voicing feature being primarily involved at both levels. The possibility exists and is strengthened by the results of the categorical labelling task, that a central timing disorder, manifest as a developmental lag, may have been operating in the stuttering subjects.
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    A factorial study of arithmetical ability
    (1943) Olckers, Petrus Jacobus; Reyburn, H A
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    A factorial study of inferiority
    (1948) Yates-Benyon, John Wicht; Reyburn, H A
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    A multidimensional study of male transvestite homosexuals and male homosexuals
    (1972) Stanley Rabinowitz; Peter Lambley
    A sample of 12 males, 7 transvestites and 5 homosexuals, obtained mainly from a non-psychiatric population underwent a variety of tests in order to investigate: (1) Early developmental patterns (through the use of an unstructured clinical interview, an Interview Schedule of Money and Primrose 1969 and a questionnaire of early childhood relationships of Evans 1969); (2) The phenomenon of alienation (through the use of Rotter's I-E scale 1966 and Nettler's Alienation Scale 1957); (3) The amount of heterosexual activity (through the use of Bentler's Heterosexual Behaviour Assessment Questionnaire 1968); and (4) Personality dynamics (through the use of the Rorschach, MMPI and CPI). Mention should be made that early developmental patterns were studied only with the transvestite sample. A multi-dimensional approach was used which aimed at obtaining a comprehensive, overall picture of personality. No significant differences were obtained between .the groups on the tests measuring alienation and heterosexual activity. However on all the tests of personality the transvestite sample clearly showed themselves to be more psychologically and socially disturbed than did the homosexuals. The grossly retarded personalities of the transvestites was assumed to have been a result of their grossly disturbed early developmental patterns especially their pathologically dependent relationship with their mothers. A schizophrenic process was clearly evident in the transvestite sample, but was markedly absent from the homosexual sample.
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    A preliminary investigation into the relationship between age, gender, education, occupation and "race" and performance on selected neuropsychological tests in a non-clinical adult sample
    (1990) Ahmed, Rashid; Dawes, Andy
    The present study investigated the relationship between the subject variables Age, Gender, Education level, Occupational Status and "Race" on neuropsychological test performance in a large, convenient, non-clinical sample. The Controlled Oral Word Association Test, Wechsler Paired-Associate Learning Test and Digit Supraspan was administered to 329 adults in the age range 18 - 80. The relationship between the subject variables and test performance was analysed by ANOVA. It was found that a higher level of Education and a higher Occupational level was associated with superior performance, irrespective of "Race". Consistently significant ANOVA results were obtained for Education and Occupation and these variables also produced the most variation in test performance (percentage variance estimates ranged from 7 - 25%). Differences due to "Race" were marked at the lower levels of Education and Occupation and were minimal or absent at the higher levels of Education and Occupation. Age and Gender influenced test performance to a lesser extent. and performed less consistently. One exception was the influence of Age on performance on the Wechsler Paired Associate Learning I Test, where the contribution was relatively large (percentage variance 6 - 7%), where younger subjects (18 - 50) performed better than older subjects (51 - 80). Generally, the results were consistent with previously published data and highlight the need for more complete normative data. Local normative data that takes into account the influence of these variables on neuropsychological test performance needs to be developed.
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    A proposed typology for paedophilia: a grounded theory analysis of online discourse
    (2019) Verrijdt, Andrew; Foster, D H
    Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a human rights issue of interest to both science and society. Many CSA offenders are paedophiles. It follows that a thorough understanding of paedophilia is apposite. Unfortunately, there is disagreement in the literature about paedophilia. This may be because the group is not homogenous. To address this, studies have attempted to construct typologies. However, these suffered from methodological limitations including participant-dishonesty, difficulty in maintaining participant anonymity, small sample sizes and the tendency of clinicians to influence data. The current study attempts to address these. It examines a population of self-identified paedophiles who operated under a high degree of anonymity on a pair of websites (the “Pedophile Support Community”, and “Hurt 2 the Core”) that were hidden on the “dark internet” and accessible only via the anonymizing web browser “TOR”. The study qualitatively analyses participant discussions. Using the principles of grounded theory, it attempts to describe, compare and contrast the two sites’ users, with a view to identifying taxonomic distinctions. Most members of the first site used the platform to construct an identity, using cognitive distortions, that was more favourable to them than the one imposed by society. This was largely informed by the notion that child sexual abuse needn’t be harmful. Others eschewed child sexual abuse, preferring to satisfy their urges by viewing indecent images of children. These subtypes contrast to those who occupied the second site, who sought to enact both paedophilic and sadistic fantasies. The attitudes and actions of the sites' participants led to the construction of a proposed typology of potential child abusers. A distinction between ‘pedosexuals’ and ‘pedosadists’ is proposed. Whilst both are attracted to children, the latter is specifically aroused on the basis of violence (or thoughts of violence) against children, whilst the former explicitly is not. This distinction has implications for societal responses, vis a vis treatment, legal measures and theory.
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    A psychological investigation of the incidence of absenteeism amongst Cape factory workers and the reasons therefor
    (1951) Naude, David B; Reyburn, H A; Taylor, J G
    With the dawn of 1952 great possibilities face South African industrialists. The natural impetus the war gave to industry has passed over to a more gradual expansion, and we are able to look around us and take stock of the situation. The wise industrialist, by every available means at his disposal, with the assistance of the Industrial Psychologist, Sociologist and Engineer, is consolidating his position.
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    A psychological study of children legally removed from parental care
    (1972) Stricklin, Ann Burns; Lambley, Peter
    The problem of the child who is legally removed from their parental care, although it may only be on a temporary basis, is an enormously expensive undertaking, both in terms of financial and emotional expenditure. In every respect, to all concerned, the event is a painful and tragic one. there have been few studies in other countries relative to the child legally removed from parental care. A careful search of the literature failed to bring to light other studies which were of the same nature as the present study. No studies of a psychological nature had been undertaken in South Africa, thus leaving the practitioner in this country with a limited and uncertain knowledge base from which to work with children requiring protective services
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    A psychometric investigation of the Bem sex role inventory among Western Cape psychology one students
    (1989) Betts, John David; Swartz, Leslie
    The purpose of this descriptive study was to explore the performance of the Bern Sex Role Inventory (BSRI) (Bern, 1974) amongst South African students. Little information exists about student sex roles in this country. The BSRI is. widely used as a research instrument in South Africa, without investigation of the applicability of the American norms on which it is based to the behaviour of the instrument in South Africa. The primary aims were twofold: firstly, to describe the inventory's behaviour and establish norms for local students; and secondly, to translate the BSRI into the Afrikaans language and establish norms for Afrikaans students. Subjects were two samples of students (N=lSO, n females = 10.9, n males = 41, each). All subjects were classified '·'white", were full time bona fide Psychology One students from the Universities of Cape Town and Stellenbosch. Stratified random samples were drawn from the student populations. Quantitative methods were used to gather the data, namely the BSRI. The BSRI was translated into Afrikaans using backtranslation and decentring methods. A BSRI protocol, a. letter of motivation, and a stamped, addressed envelope were sent to the subjects by mail. Completed protocols were mailed to the researcher. All results were anonymous. Completed protocols were coded, scored, and analysed using statistical software resident on the UCT Sperry-Univac mainframe. The main findings were that the University of Stellenbosch (US) male students were more masculine sex typed than their University of Cape Town (UCT) counterparts. UCT students were found to be more androgynous than US; the BSRI demonstrated high internal reliability, with subscale internal reliability scores demonstrating strong homogeneity of items. The UCT BSRI protocols were factor analysed into two clearly independent dimensions called masculinity and femininity. It was found that the US BSRI protocols did not factor analyse into two clearly independent dimensions. A large factor in the US sample is representative of an androgynous individual in that the factor loaded with positive masculine and feminine BSRI items that Bern (1974) regarded as indicative of androgyny. The implications of the study are that the BSRI masculinity norms developed in the United States are not applicable to South African students. The Afrikaans translation of the BSRI cannot be used to determine sex roles in the same manner as the original BSRI intends. Future research could ·involve the qualitative assessment of sex role, especially in a multi-cultural design.
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    A psychometric investigation of the personality traits of a group of migraine sufferers
    (1978) Meyer, Else Carol; Dowdall, Terry
    The aim of this study is to investigate the personality traits of a group of migraine sufferers using the psychometric method. The migraine, normal and psychosomatic control groups were tested on the Hysteroid-Obsessoid Questionnaire, the California Psychological Inventory and the Sixteen Personality Factor Test. The results indicate that the three groups do not differ significantly in terms of scores obtained on any of the three tests. The results are interpreted in terms of previous studies. In certain instances, they are similar to those obtained in other studies. Where the results of this study differ from those of previous studies, these differences are interpreted in terms of sample differences and differences in the nature of the measuring instruments. The results are also interpreted in terms of recent re-evaluations of concepts in psychosomatic medicine and migraine research. Two alternative approaches are suggested for future research. It is suggested that researchers attempt to identify whether meaningful differentiations exist within the migraine population. It is also suggested that researchers adopt a situationally based approach to the understanding of the personality of migraine sufferers.
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    A schistosomiasis health education intervention among rural Malawian school children : lessons learned
    (2000) Bandawe, Chiwoza Rutendo; Foster, Donald
    This thesis is the product of a two-year intervention aimed at controlling the prevalence of schistosomiasis (Bilharzia), a parasitic disease, among school children in a rural area of11angochi District, Malawi between 1996 and 1998. The question this thesis addresses as its focus is, which degree of health education input is the most efficient in controlling schistosomiasis? Guided by the. empirically supported social psychology theories of reasoned action (Ajzen & Fishbein, 1980) and planned behaviour (Ajzen, 1991), three varying degrees of health education input were provided to three primary schools, in the Koche catchment area of Mangochi. Each school was randomly assigned a different input. One school received "minimum" input consisting of basic information provision through a brief talk given by a health professional. Another school was given the "medium" condition which was similar but had the addition of multimedia input to the school through peers in the form of clubs and the third school deemed the "maximum" condition had the addition of pupil interaction with the local community. The framework that guided the intervention was Green's PRECEDE-PROCEED model (Green & Kreuter, 1991). It was used to guide the planning, implementation and evaluation of the intervention. Qualitative and quantitative research methods were employed to assess the three schools pre and post intervention. Comparisons were made across the schools as well as within two of the schools, comparing members of Bilharzia clubs established with non-members. No significant differences were observed across the input conditions. However, a subsection of the participants, the school club members experienced the most positive shifts in knowledge, attitude, behavioural intention and practice, Reduction of the prevalence of the disease was dependent on ongoing medication. It is concluded that the most efficient health education input was intense weekly input through the formation of clubs othenNise a brief lecture has the same effect on knowledge and practice as multimedia campaigns. Intentions of the sample were predominantly under non-native control prompting recommendations for further culturally based research using discursive approaches.
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    A Social Psychological Exploration of Tenure Reform in a Cape Town Housing Project
    (2021) Brusser, Paul; Long, Wahbie
    Research into tenure reform in South Africa, in the form of allocating private property rights in the form of title deeds, has yielded unclear results in terms of economic upliftment of communities. There is a lack of qualitative information about how communities engage with land titling projects, with existing research being largely survey based. This research involved semi-structured interviews with a sample of twelve participants from a land titling project in Vukuzenzele, Cape Town, with the aim of understanding their decision-making process around whether to get their title deeds. Interviews were subjected to a thematic analysis, out of which nine themes emerged: Trust, Security of Ownership, Tyranny and Authority, Money and Cost, Community Mentality and Support, Capacity for Agency, Forms and Norms, Struggle, and Self-Ownership. While land titling has been justified in neoliberal economic terms, this research showed that capital gains were not the primary motivation of participants. The material and psychosocial possibility of security of ownership emerged as a primary motivation. In order to attain that security, the community had to navigate new areas of knowledge and norms, renegotiating social representations of trust and authority. This research could assist stakeholders in understanding how to approach communities and by what metrics the outcome of titling projects could be assessed.
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    "A study of time behaviour in the neurotic"
    (1969) Katz, Lorna; Grover, V M; Danziger, K
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    A systematic assessment of an early Autism intervention
    (2014) Gauntlett, Graham Leonard; Shabalala, Nokuthula