Parenting in high violence communities in South Africa: an exploratory study

dc.contributor.advisorKaminer, Debra
dc.contributor.authorSader, Uzma
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-17T09:18:59Z
dc.date.available2026-07-17T09:18:59Z
dc.date.issued2026
dc.date.updated2026-07-17T09:16:36Z
dc.description.abstractParents living in high-violence communities face unique challenges as they strive to raise and protect their children in environments marked by crime, substance abuse, and systemic injustices. While research has extensively explored the effects of community violence on children, there is limited understanding of how parents adapt their parenting practices and manage the stressors associated with parenting in these contexts. This study aimed to explore the experiences of South African parents in high-violence communities by focusing on the strategies they employed to protect their children, the challenges they faced, and the coping mechanisms they adopted. The study used a qualitative design to conduct semi-structured interviews with 16 parents residing in a Cape Town residential area marked by high levels of community violence. A Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA) yielded four key themes: adaptive parenting practices to ensure safety, the emotional toll of parenting in violent environments, the role of cultural, religious, and community influences in parenting, and the systemic barriers hindering effective parenting. Despite the challenges presented in these findings, parents displayed resilience and a strong desire to ensure the well-being of their children. The study contributes valuable insights into the lived realities of parents in high-violence communities and highlights the importance of tailored interventions that support parents in navigating these adversities. These findings have implications for developing community-based programs and policies aimed at alleviating the impacts of community violence on families in South Africa.
dc.identifier.apacitationSader, U. (2026). <i>Parenting in high violence communities in South Africa: an exploratory study</i>. (). University of Cape Town. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43600en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationSader, Uzma. <i>"Parenting in high violence communities in South Africa: an exploratory study."</i> ., University of Cape Town, 2026. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43600en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationSader, U. 2026. Parenting in high violence communities in South Africa: an exploratory study. . University of Cape Town. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43600en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Sader, Uzma AB - Parents living in high-violence communities face unique challenges as they strive to raise and protect their children in environments marked by crime, substance abuse, and systemic injustices. While research has extensively explored the effects of community violence on children, there is limited understanding of how parents adapt their parenting practices and manage the stressors associated with parenting in these contexts. This study aimed to explore the experiences of South African parents in high-violence communities by focusing on the strategies they employed to protect their children, the challenges they faced, and the coping mechanisms they adopted. The study used a qualitative design to conduct semi-structured interviews with 16 parents residing in a Cape Town residential area marked by high levels of community violence. A Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA) yielded four key themes: adaptive parenting practices to ensure safety, the emotional toll of parenting in violent environments, the role of cultural, religious, and community influences in parenting, and the systemic barriers hindering effective parenting. Despite the challenges presented in these findings, parents displayed resilience and a strong desire to ensure the well-being of their children. The study contributes valuable insights into the lived realities of parents in high-violence communities and highlights the importance of tailored interventions that support parents in navigating these adversities. These findings have implications for developing community-based programs and policies aimed at alleviating the impacts of community violence on families in South Africa. DA - 2026 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town KW - parenting KW - parenting practices KW - community violence KW - high-violence KW - protective strategies KW - resilience KW - South Africa LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2026 T1 - Parenting in high violence communities in South Africa: an exploratory study TI - Parenting in high violence communities in South Africa: an exploratory study UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43600 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/43600
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationSader U. Parenting in high violence communities in South Africa: an exploratory study. []. University of Cape Town, 2026 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43600en_ZA
dc.language.isoen
dc.language.rfc3066eng
dc.publisherUniversity of Cape Town
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Psychology
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Humanities
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subjectparenting
dc.subjectparenting practices
dc.subjectcommunity violence
dc.subjecthigh-violence
dc.subjectprotective strategies
dc.subjectresilience
dc.subjectSouth Africa
dc.titleParenting in high violence communities in South Africa: an exploratory study
dc.typeThesis / Dissertation
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationlevelMA
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