OpenUCT :: Browsing by Subject "psychology"

Browsing by Subject "psychology"

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Open Access
A needs assessment for a “gender and disability in practice” programme in Lesotho
(2022) Mychalewicz, Edith; Chapman, Sarah
Background: This study focuses on a Gender and Disability programme. It is being implemented in Lesotho by an Austrian NGO, Diakonie ACT Austria, and the Basotho umbrella organisation of Disabled People's Organisations (DPO). All four DPOs in Lesotho are members of the umbrella body Lesotho National Federation of Organisations of the Disabled (LNFOD) and are supported through capacity building interventions by LNFOD and the Austrian NGO. Objectives: This evaluation explores the capacity building needs of LNFOD and its member DPOs. Moreover, this needs assessments sheds light on the extent to which the Gender and Disability programme is addressing the capacity building needs of LNFOD and the DPOs and the plausibility of the programme theory. Method: A generic qualitative inquiry approach was used as methodological framework. Different qualitative evaluative approaches influenced the research design such as the success case method and the fishbone root cause analysis to identify the performance needs of beneficiaries. Data collection approaches were a stakeholder workshop conducted with staff of Diakonie and LNFOD, and ten semi-structured interviews with staff of all four DPOs and LNFOD. Results: A root cause analysis of the performance needs of DPOs revealed the marginalisation of persons with disabilities (PwD) and DPOs in Lesotho. This was found to lead to a lack of tertiary education of staff and weak governance structures of DPOs. The performance needs of DPOs are “responsiveness to needs of PwD” and “to run their DPOs independently”. Conclusion: The low rate of tertiary education among PwD in Lesotho is an obstacle to establishing strong DPOs that can implement effective programmes independently. It is crucial to strengthen the leadership and M&E capacities of DPOs to assist them to grow and implement effective Gender and Disability programmes. I recommend strengthening the capacities of promising leaders at DPOs, employ a M&E Officer at LNFOD and consider a diverse team of PwD and persons without disabilities at the DPOs and at Diakonie.
Open Access
A participatory action research project on family needs: experiences of formal and informal support services available among Zambian families of children with autism spectrum disorders
(2022) Nyoni, Joachim; Mckenzie, Judith; Harty Michal
Globally, there has been an escalation in the number of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Despite the high prevalence rates, formal and informal support services for children with ASD in Lower and Middle-Income Countries are inadequate due to several challenges. The aim of the study was to understand the experiences of parents with formal and informal support services for families of children with ASD in Zambia and explores ways to address support needs by empowering parents using a PAR approach. The study employed a qualitative Participatory Action Research (PAR) design. A total of 76 participants were purposively sampled from both rural and urban districts of the Lusaka province of Zambia. The study was divided into two phases with phase one focusing on an inquiry into the nature of the problem while phase two was planned for action. In Phase one, a total of 73 participants were recruited— 50 community members and 23 professionals. Parents participated in nine focus group discussions (FGD) while 23 professionals were involved insemistructured interviews. Phase two activities included the five-action cycles in which 17 parents participated and formed a parent-led supported group. These parents worked together for six months to address the identified barriers to ASD. The five-action cycles generated were as follows; action cycle one—forming a parent-led support group; action cycle two—being involved in ASD awareness campaigns to higher institutions of learning; action cycle three— capacity building on how to educate a child with ASD; action cycle four—, being involved in ASD awareness in rural areas; action cycle five—publishing their stories in print media. Verbatim transcription was used and data was analysed thematically. Themes were distilled through interpretive description. The key findings in the study reveal that parents face many barriers to access formal and informal services. These barriers were compounded by scarcity of knowledge about ASD at parent, professional, and community levels. ASD diagnosis and treatment included exploring religious, traditional and western medical treatments. The study found that the ASD diagnostic tools used to confirm ASD diagnosis were not uniform, and often used by poorly trained professionals. Parent-initiated support groups appear to be a positive mechanism to promote ASD awareness in both rural and urban settings. Through a parent-led support group, participants gained empowerment skills as well as a better understanding of barriers to their children unmet needs. Further studies need to extend our understanding of how parents' involvement in PAR methodologies can be used to empower and shape the nature of services that they require in Low- and Middle-income Countries.
Open Access
A programme design, theory and implementation evaluation of the Khanyisa Programme
(2019) Guattari-Stafford, Thomas; Chapman, Sarah
This study is a formative evaluation of a youth development programme which places volunteers as 'reading buddies’ in grade 2 classes in schools in the Western Cape. The study assesses the implementation of the school placement component of the programme - comparing the actual and intended implementation, as well as describing the volunteers’ experience thereof. The evaluation uses a mixed methods approach, combining surveys with volunteers and teachers with an electronic volunteer diary and volunteer focus group. Additionally, the evaluation establishes a common understanding of the programme logic (through a comparison of four stakeholder perspectives) and assesses the plausibility of the programme achieving its intended impact considering the available literature. The study includes surveys programme volunteers (n = 23) and school teachers (n = 30), interviews with programme staff (n = 4) and focus groups with programme staff and volunteers (n = 16). Ethical clearance for the study was obtained through the University of Cape Town’s Commerce Faculty Ethics in Research Committee. The evaluation findings indicate that the school component is being implemented as intended. However, volunteers raised concerns of unproductive time spent at schools, a perceived lack of respect from learners and tensions with school staff - especially after incidents where corporal punishment was reported. These findings suggest the need for an improved monitoring system to facilitate real-time responses to challenges experienced by the volunteers, as well as a form of mediation between volunteers and school staff when tensions occur. Regarding the plausibility of the programme logic, the evaluation finds a lack of evidence to suggest the programme’s intended impact is likely to be achieved. As such, revisions to the programme design are suggested.
Open Access
A systematic review and meta-analysis examining the effect of stress at encoding on line-up performance
(2022) Gering, Milton Anthony; Tredoux, Colin G; Nortje, Alicia
Although much research has been conducted on the effect of stress on eyewitness memory, the answer to this question remains unclear. Whereas a previous meta-analysis (Deffenbacher et al., 2004) concluded that stress negatively affects eyewitness identification ability, recent studies have shown a lack of consensus. As most crimes are stressful events and eyewitness evidence is influential in courts; clarity on the effect of stress is important to legal systems around the world. It is difficult to summarise extant research as many studies use differing methods making the source of disagreement unclear. Added to that, many studies report insufficient detail needed to judge the rigour of research designs, and thus the effects of stress. The present systematic review attempts to synthesise the literature and presents an analysis using recent meta-analytic techniques that allow for the influence of moderator variables to be quantified. It shows that the effect of stress at encoding on line-up decisions is not clear, with studies reporting both positive and negative effects, and examines reasons for differences in effects found between studies. A finding of note is that sequential or simultaneous line-up presentation has a moderating effect of stress on line-up performance. Additionally, a multilevel model shows that using continuous, rather than dichotomous, measures of stress may clarify the stress-performance relationship. Recommendations for further research are made in the hope that new studies can answer the important question of whether witnesses who experience high levels of stress at encoding are likely to make better or worse line-up decisions.
Open Access
Behavioural and emotional problems in a Guguletu school: a pilot study
(1991) Walaza, Nomfundo; Swartz, Sally
This paper investigates teachers' perceptions of the prevalence of common emotional and behavioural problems in a black primary school in Cape Town. The rationale in undertaking this study is that there is little epidemiological data pertaining to the incidence and types of particular psychiatric disorders in African children. Also, there were concerns from the staff and students of the Child Guidance Clinic of the University of Cape Town that the facilities and services offered at the clinic are only accessible to a small sector of the community. It is thus hoped that the findings from this study would shape direction for future clinical intervention. A selected review of the relevant literature is given. The needs of the teachers are assessed by finding out the prevalence of emotional and behavioural problems, how they manifest and how teachers perceive them. This is geared towards establishing a hierarchy of priorities for common problems. The analysis is divided into two sections; general pattern of problems and teachers' explanation of problems. Findings reveal that although the problems presented by the teachers in this study are similar to those found in developed or First World countries, teachers use different categories from those normally found in basic psychological or psychiatric texts. Categories are based on the teachers' explanations of a particular behaviour.
Open Access
Chronic illness and the personal construction of self: the case of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
(1992) Weinberg, Mark; Louw, Johann
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) has attracted a great deal of media attention in recent years, resulting in a fallacious term, 'Yuppie Flu', being publicly identified with the syndrome. In addition, many studies have identified ME as psychological in origin. Thus, despite increasing evidence that ME has a viral, immunological or neurological aetiology, such negative p_ublicity has led to people with ME experiencing negative reactions from medical doctors and lay-people who have regarded them as depressed at best, an,d malingerers at worst. Hence, a number of questions arise; including: What is the effect of·such negative reaction on the self-concepts of sufferers? Did diagnosis improve self-concept? What effect does a negative public view of ME have on the self-concepts of sufferers? To test these questions, a rating-style repertory grid was drawn up after semistructured interviews with a sample of fifteen diagnosed ME sufferers and was administered to a larger sample of fifty people with ME. The results of this retrospective study indicate that a change in self-concept had indeed occurred since contracting ME, but diagnosis has no effect on this change in self-concept and ME sufferers actually identify themselves in the same terms as they perceive their public stereotype. Reasons for these findings are discussed with reference to both Personal Construct Theory and, as a post hoc explanatory tool, Social Identity Theory.
Open Access
Do South African mothers shake their babies? incidence and risk factors for infant abuse in Cape Town
(2019) Nefdt, Kirsten C; Ward, Catherine L
Abusive head trauma from shaking is a recognised common cause of fatal head injury in young children globally, although there is little evidence of its occurrence in South Africa. This is perplexing given that the country has amongst the highest reported under-five child mortality and infanticide rates worldwide. To determine whether infants under one-year are violently shaken, a cross-sectional study was conducted with 385 mothers and other primary female caregivers (ages 18 to 60 years; mean age = 27 years) from three high-risk communities in Cape Town. Semi-structured interviews were used to examine: (1) the incidence of shaking, (2) the triggers for shaking, (3) the risk factors for shaking, thoughts of shaking, and knowledge of the dangers of shaking, and (4) the methods used to console crying infants. Results showed that 13.2% (n = 51) of all participants self-reported violent shaking, and 20% (n = 77) had thoughts of shaking their infants. Following a content analysis, three primary triggers for shaking were identified, these were: inconsolable infant crying, feeling angry or frustrated, and being stressed. Findings from a thematic analysis also showed that shaking occurred during a momentary loss of control, and participants seemed to have limited support at the time. The results from three hierarchical logistic regression analyses showed that (1) alcohol use, infant age, a lower knowledge of the dangers of shaking, inconsolable crying, and having thoughts of shaking, predicted shaking, (2) caregiver age, infant age, knowledge of the dangers of shaking, and caregiver responses to infant crying, predicted having thoughts of shaking, and (3) social support, caregiver history of childhood abuse, and having thoughts of shaking, predicted knowledge of the dangers of shaking. Finally, a content analysis revealed three protective factors for infant crying, these were: (1) having easy, contented children, (2) not feeling stressed in response to infant crying, and (3) leaving an infant alone to self-soothe. Taken together, the current findings have programmatic implications that may help prevent the violent shaking of young children in South Africa.
Open Access
The Epic of Gilgamesh
(2012) David, Julian
The Epic of Gilgamesh was translated early in the twentieth century from baked clay tablets dug out of the sands of Iraq. These audio lectures will be of interest to Summer School students who attended this lecture series and others interested in this topic.
Open Access
The Human Question
(2014-09-23) Nattrass, Nicoli
Lecture series coordinated by Professor Nicoli Nattrass, School of Economics, University of Cape Town. The question of what it means to be human is an old one, and of central importance to the social sciences. Our powerful brains and complex cultural and economic lives distinguish us from other animals, yet recent developments in neuroscience are placing new emphasis on the mammalian nature of human brains. This poses challenges for how the social sciences view the question of being human. The first lecture of this course will focus on the implications of recent neuroscience for psychology and for how we understand human behaviour. The lectures that follow will explore how the social sciences have engaged with the issue of what it means to be human, covering classical understandings as well as recent evidence from the biological and behavioural sciences. The second lecture will discuss the way in which the human has been conceptualised by neoclassical economics as ‘homo-economicus’ and how recent developments in behavioural economics are shifting our understanding. The third lecture will discuss classical political thinking (primarily Locke and Rousseau) and then turn to empirical research on power, authority, hierarchy and obedience among humans and other primates. The fourth lecture will look at the issue of sociality and antisociality by posing the question of how we understand the criminal. The course will conclude with a panel discussion reflecting on the key challenges that neuroscience poses for social science and vice versa. LECTURE TITLES: *1. The animal mind within us Mark Solms, Dept of Psychology; *2. Homo-economicus? Prof Nicoli Nattrass, School of Economics; *3. Humans, hierarchies and the study of political power, Prof Jeremy Seekings, Depts of Political Studies & Sociology (podcast not available due to technical error); *4. Who is the criminal? Prof Clifford Shearing, Centre of Criminology; *5. Economics, politics, criminology and the brain Panel discussion.
Open Access
Intraindividual variability and micro-structural white matter changes in Alzheimer’s disease
(2019) Engelbrecht, Kara; Thomas, Kevin; Combrinck, Marc
The costs associated with diagnosis, treatment and care of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients places a significant financial and social strain on healthcare systems, patients and caregivers, especially in low-and middle-income countries (LAMICs). Traditional methods for diagnosing AD are time consuming and expensive, and treatments are often only effective in the early stages. These factors call for the development of alternative diagnostic methods. One such method that has gained attention due to its neural overlaps with AD is the measurement of intraindividual variability (IIV; the within-person variation in performance over multiple trials of a single task). IIV researchers have highlighted the role of white matter in increased IIV, and micro-structural white matter changes have been implicated in the early stages of AD. The current study examined the relationship between IIV on simple and choice reaction time tasks and micro-structural white matter changes, as indexed by fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (DA) and radial diffusivity (DR) in a sample of 16 AD patients and 20 healthy older adults. Across the entire sample, increased IIV on both the simple and choice reaction time tasks was significantly correlated with lower FA in an area of the right hemisphere inferior longitudinal fasciculus (R-ILF). Increased IIV on the choice reaction time task was significantly correlated with lower DA in the same area. Finally, IIV on the choice reaction time task contributed significantly and uniquely to variance in DA in the same area. These results suggest that further longitudinal studies into the diagnostic utility of IIV for neurological disorders might be of value for clinicians, patients and caregivers.
Open Access
Non-violent discipline options for caregivers and teachers: a systematic overview of the evidence and exploration of the role of attunement
(2020) Quail, Karen; Ward, Catherine
Violence against children is a widespread problem with devastating consequences, and corporal punishment is a risk factor for more serious forms of physical abuse. One reason for the persistence of corporal punishment may be lack of awareness of positive disciplinary alternatives. At the other extreme, lack of awareness of positive options may lead to permissive parenting, which also has negative outcomes for children. The primary objective of this research was to find, and explore the state of the science on, individual non-violent interventions for challenging behavior, in so doing forming a “toolkit” for use by caregivers and teachers. To meet this objective, a systematic overview of systematic reviews was conducted. In the course of the overview, aside from information on the individual discipline tools, data relevant to attunement was collected and explored. Attunement describes sensitive responsiveness of caregivers towards their children, understanding and matching the child's needs and signals with appropriate responses. Results of the overview show that a wide range of evidence-supported interventions exist, many of which have been found effective with severely challenging behavior. Further, evidence was found suggesting the importance of attunement in optimal use of these discipline tools. Practical implications of these findings are discussed and gaps in the research highlighted.
Open Access
Psychology and religion in the search for personal wholeness
(2012) Maree, Johann
These presentations examine the relationship between psychology and religion by exploring the roles they play in helping people grow towards personal wholeness. These lecture slides will be of interest to students who attended this lecture series or other persons who wish to know more about this topic.
Open Access
The association of limbic system activation with dream, bad dream and nightmare generation
(2018) King, Warren; Solms, Mark; Thomas, Kevin
Despite the fact that nightmares occur with regularity in the general population, most previous research has focused on clinical samples, and the genesis of idiopathic nightmares remains poorly understood. The aim of the present research was therefore to investigate the neuropsychological mechanisms of idiopathic bad dream and nightmare generation, with a particular focus on the limbic system. High versus low levels of limbic activation and its effect on the frequency of dream, bad dream, and nightmare recall, characteristics, and content were investigated using retrospective and prospective measures. Psychosocial stress – a phenomenon which increases activity in the limbic system – and its relationship to bad dreams and nightmares was also investigated, using questionnaires and a prospective dream diary study. Oral contraceptive use was included as a moderator variable as previous research has indicated that this may temper reactions to stress. The general hypothesis that greater activation of the limbic system results in a greater frequency of recall of bad dreams and nightmares, and also results in more negative dream content, was confirmed. It was also found that external factors which increase limbic activation such as psychosocial stress lead to a greater recall of bad dreams and nightmares. Although oral contraceptive use did not moderate the relationship between stress and bad dream and nightmare recall frequency, more generally positive dream content was found in users of oral contraceptives compared to non-users. Taken together, the results of the studies indicate that similar neuropsychological mechanisms may underlie the formation of idiopathic nightmares and nightmares in clinical conditions, and also that increased levels of limbic activation may result most commonly in negative dream content.
Open Access
The relationship between multidimensional psychological well-being and poverty
(2019) Oaker, Brandon; Keswell, Malcolm
Evidence from various academic fields indicates that mental health and income are correlated. Additionally, evidence exists that an increase in income improves psychological well-being and evidence that poor psychological well-being negatively impacts income. The difficulty is that there is no definitive work pinpointing the direction of the causal relationship between income and psychological well-being, but studies are attempting to find out. Hence, this paper attempts to contribute to ongoing work with an IV estimation approach to determine the causal effects of psychological well-being on poverty. Using data provided by Haushofer and Shapiro, this paper finds evidence that an increase in income causes a reduction in depression and stress levels, along with increases in happiness and life satisfaction of the study participants. Additionally, it is found that these improvements in psychological well-being lead to increases in monthly household expenditure, especially health care. Furthermore, these findings indicate that when women receive a cash transfer, a significant proportion of that transfer is devoted to health care. All the estimates presented in the paper indicate that an improvement in economic well-being leads to an improvement in the mental health of the poor, which causes them to spend more and focus more on their health care.
Open Access
The theatre of violence: narratives of protagonists in the South African conflict
(HSRC Press, 2005) Foster, Don; Haupt, Paul; De Beer, Marésa
This profound and deeply compassionate study aims to reach into the complexities of political violence in South Africa between 1960 and 1994, and to expand our understanding of the patterns of conflict that almost drew South Africans into a vortex of total disintegration during the apartheid era. This book is used in the teaching of critical and social psychology at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. While many accounts have focused on the victims of state repression, this unique volume documents the often contradictory and confusing stories of those who acknowledge having committed some dreadful deeds. Individuals on various sides of the apartheid divide, from state security structures to the ANC, PAC and grassroots, activists, tell their own stories. The central focus is to give an account of the actions of the perpetrators, here depicted as competing protagonists in an arena of violence. It examines the violence forensically, through its public and popular representations, academically and, finally, through the narrative approach, drawing on a rich analysis of stories from different sides. The authors also offer the first critical examination of the TRC's amnesty process, show how media representations of perpetrators inform public perceptions, and scrutinise international scholarly writings on the issue of political violence. Suggestive and intriguing, The Theatre of Violence opens a fresh examination of the erstwhile taken-for-granted understandings and attempts to address a range of questions that are often not considered, and perhaps cannot be considered, in a dispassionate way. It is in many ways an optimistic study, holding out the possibility of a society that can understand and take steps to minimise the perpetration of gross violations of human rights.
Open Access
What is a Mind Week 1 - Four defining properties of the mind
(2015-08-15) Solms, Mark
In this video, Professor Mark Solms outlines four properties of the mind: subjectivity, consciousness, intentionality, and agency. He briefly explores issues and questions related to these properties and states that he will unpack these properties in more detail in subsequent videos. This is video 3 in Week 1 of the What is a Mind MOOC.
Open Access
What is a Mind Week 1 - Introduction
(2015-08-15) Solms, Mark
In this video, Professor Mark Solms introduces himself and the course. He gives a personal account of how he came to be interested in the topic of the mind. This is video 1 in Week 1 of the What is a Mind MOOC.
Open Access
What is a Mind Week 1 - Thinking and feeling
(2015-08-15) Solms, Mark
In this video, Professor Mark Solms provides a rich outline of the distinction between thinking and feeling. This is video 4 in Week 1 of the What is a Mind MOOC.
Open Access
What is a Mind Week 1 - What are you if not your mind?
(2015-08-15) Solms, Mark
In this video, Professor Mark Solms explores the central question of the course: What is a mind? He discusses the different disciplines, from neurosciences to the Humanities, which have asked this question in different ways, and how they each provide different perspectives on the central question. He unpacks the question in detail and, in doing so, presents further questions which he aims to address in videos that follow. This is video 2 in Week 1 of the What is a Mind MOOC.
Open Access
What is a Mind Week 2 - Empathising with other minds
(2015-08-15) Solms, Mark
In this video, Professor Mark Solms explains how absolute certaintly is not a requirement in everyday life and even in some aspects of science; rather, a systematic common sense approach is often used to test whether something has subjectivity or not. He uses the example of pain to illustrate this idea. This is video 3 in Week 2 of the What is a Mind MOOC.

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