bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of a Uniquely South African Leadership Questionnaire
Authors: Spangenberg Hermann H. , Theron Callie C.
Published: March 2013

This paper describes the development of a leadership questionnaire the aim of which is to assess the behaviours required to lead change and transformation, while at the same time managing organisational unit performance effectively. A Delphi technique was used to facilitate the identification and testing of emerging leadership dimensions and items, starting with a three-stage model of charismatic leadership, The resultant leadership model comprises four stages, measured as 21 dimensions. The research questionnaire consists of 235 items. The questionnaire was field tested by means of 360° assessment conducted amongst 189 unit managers from a diverse group of organisations. Seven hundred and fifty completed questionnaires were obtained. Unrestricted principal component analyses were performed on each of the sub-scales (dimensions) to examine the unidimensionality assumption. This procedure resulted in the formation of three additional sub-scales. Item analyses on each of the sub-scales produced highly satisfactory Cronbach Alpha values. Further confirmatory factor analyses using LISREL were conducted on each of the 24 sub-scales. A series of goodness-of-fit indices generally showed satisfactory results. Overall, results indicate that a 96-item questionnaire format consisting of 24 dimensions with four items each (selected on the basis of factor loadings) could be used with confidence. Recommendations are made for further research.
The Relevance of the New APA Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing for Employment Testing in South Africa
Authors: Huysamen G.K.
Published: March 2013

Some of the major developments, reflected in the most recent revision of the Standards for educational and psychological testing of the American Psychological Association and two other sponsoring organizations, are reviewed. In view of the South African Employment Equity Act of 1998, the focus is on psychometric considerations that have a bearing on employment testing. Topics covered include the, conceptualisation of construct validity as the primary objective in test validation; the introduction of several sources of (construct) validity evidence; the formulation of requirements such as freedom from predictive bias, fairness and consideration of the consequences of testing; approaches to preventing unnecessary subgroup mean differences; and the appropriate use of non-test information when relevant norms are lacking. Finally, the implications of these psychometric developments for the training of local assessment practitioners are pointed out.
Introduction
Authors: Hook Derek
Published: March 2013

The theoretical objectives of this special focus on critical contexts of pathology are briefly examined under four general themes: ‘over-determining psychopathology’, ‘opposing universalizing and/or apolitical trends’, ‘the social logics of discrimination’, and ‘de-essentializing psychopathology’. This discussion links the different papers gathered together here and pin-points an overall critical imperative, that of destabilizing notions of psychopathology as exclusively individualistic, decontexualized, essentialist or organic forms of ‘sickness’. The paper also reflects on the South Africa context and queries how examinations of psychopathology may inflect broader questions of social prejudice and discrimination.
Sachs, Chavafambira, Maggie: Prurience or the Pathology of Social Relations?
Authors: Hayes Grahame
Published: March 2013

Black Hamlet (1937; reprinted 1996) tells the story of Sachs's association with John Chavafambira, a Manyika nganga (traditional healer and diviner), who had come to Johannesburg from his home in Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe). Sachs's fascination with Chavafambira was initially as a “research subject” of a psychoanalytic investigation into the mind of a sane “native”. Over a period of years Sachs became inextricably drawn into the suffering and de-humanization experienced by Chavafambira as a poor, black man in the urban ghettoes that were the South Africa of the 1930s and 1940s. It is easy these days to want to dismiss Sachs's “project” as the prurient gaze of a white, liberal psychiatrist. This would not only be an ahistorical reading of Black Hamlet, but it would also diminish the possibilities offered by what Said (1994) calls, a contrapuntal reading. I shall present a reading of Black Hamlet, focusing on the three main characters - Sachs, Chavafambira, and Maggie (Chavafambira's wife) - as emblematic of the social relations of the other, racial(ised) bodies, and gender.
Psychopathology, Inner Space and the Automotive Death Drive: J.G. Ballard
Authors: Sey James
Published: March 2013

This paper uses a detailed reading of the 1973 novel Crash!, a work of dystopian science fiction by British author J.G. Ballard, to outline a new theory of psychopathology in a thoroughly technologised culture. The paper proposes that, in the light of the evidence of the novel, it may be possible to reconceptualise both trauma and the somatic relationship to pathology, through the mediation of a saturated technoculture, at least in the sense of a closer investigation of the relationship between perversity and aesthetic expression. The argument concludes that there is a privileged relationship between such extreme forms of pathological symptom as are presented in the novel, and the aesthetic form itself, which leads to a more productive understanding of psychopathology.
South African Adolescents' Explanations for Juvenile Delinquency
Authors: Tyson G.A. , Stones C.R.
Published: March 2013

Research in other parts of the world suggests that adolescents invoke a multiplicity of causes to explain juvenile offending. The extent to which the different explanations are endorsed appears partly to be a function of cultural and demographic characteristics. The aim of this study was to investigate South African adolescents' explanations for delinquency and to examine cultural differences in these explanations. A total of 554 secondary school pupils from two Eastern Cape high schools rated 39 explanations for juvenile offending on a Likert scale. Principal component analysis and a varimax rotation of the responses identified seven factors - Home Environment, Antisocial Tendency, Influencability, Social Control, Emotional Adjustment, Deprivation and Social Alienation. The results showed that there were large differences between the Black and White learners in terms of the perceived importance of a number of the explanatory causes.
Black Teachers' Personality Dimensions and Work-Related Stress Factors
Authors: Ngidi David P. , Sibaya Patrick T.
Published: March 2013

To determine the relationship between black teachers' personalities and their stress levels on work-related factors, the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) and Occupational Stress Inventory for Teachers (OSIT) were used. Participants included 444 black teachers, 186 of whom were male and 258 were female, from 24 randomly selected schools in the KwaZulu-Natal province. The mean scores obtained on teachers' biographical variables were analyzed by means of a three-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results indicate significant regression of personality on the predictor variables such as time pressures, administrative problems and pupil misbehaviour. The extraversion personality dimension shows significant negative correlation with educational changes. A significant positive correlation is found between neuroticism and time pressures, administrative problems and pupil misbehaviour. The results also indicate significant three-way interaction effects for work-related stress factors such as time pressure and pupil misbehaviour. The results are discussed and implications for the psychological adjustment of teachers indicated.
The Effectiveness of the Vignette Methodology: A Comparison of Written and Video Vignettes in Eliciting Responses about Date Rape
Authors: Sleed Michelle , Durrheim Kevin , Kriel Anita , Solomon Vernon , Baxter Veronica
Published: March 2013

Most research addressing issues of victimization, such as date rape, has made use of written vignettes. In this study we investigated whether the same patterns of blame attribution are given for written and video vignettes. Three videos depicting hypothetical heterosexual date rape incidents were made. Each one was based on one of three variables that have been shown to have relevance to evaluations of date rape: “owing”, “leading on” and “alcohol”. The videos were transcribed into written vignettes. Participants were randomly assigned to one of six experimental groups, watched one of the videos or read one of the vignettes, and completed a questionnaire to assess attribution of blame and the degree to which the situation was defined as rape. The two methodologies differed significantly for the alcohol scenario, where participants blamed the victim more and were less likely to define the situation as rape when the written vignette methodology was used. The implications of these findings are discussed with reference to further research and education in the field of date rape.
‘I Feel I Am Not Human’: Investigating the Relationship between Discourse and Subjectivity in the Lives of Persons Experiencing Panic Attacks
Authors: Wilson Kenneth G. , McLuckie Kerry
Published: March 2013

The study described in this paper investigated the ways in which panic and panic disorder are socially constructed, and how these constructions are involved in the formation of the subjectivities of those persons experiencing panic. In adopting a social constructionist perspective, it is proposed that all understandings of panic are informed by the social and historical contexts from which they emerge. The study investigates how linguistic practices, organised into different discourses, construct accounts of panic which go on to constitute particular forms of knowledge about panic. Discourse analysis was used to analyse media articles, radio interviews, and other examples of “panic talk”. The analysis yielded discourses that are involved in the construction and understanding of panic as a phenomenon. It was noted that panic was constructed in terms of abnormality, as a treatable condition, as an internal problem, and as an agent that has the potential to change people. The construction of panic according to these discourses had significant effects on the formation of subjectivity, in that it contributed to the formation of a “compromised” self that was “always-already” different, and abnormal. Lastly it was noted that the construction of subjectivity in these terms was related to discursive practices, involving the regulation of self.
Predictive Testing for Huntington's Disease: How Does it Impact on Cognitive Performance?
Authors: Lucas M.D. , Turnbull O. H. , Berk M. , Fritz V.U.
Published: March 2013

The discovery of a polymorphic DNA marker for Huntington's Disease (HD) in 1983, and the specific gene responsible in 1993, led to predictive testing programmes out of which came research into whether or not cognitive impairment was present presymptomatically in those at risk for HD. The results of these studies have been conflicting and inconclusive. Methodoiogical limitations have probably contributed to the differing findings. The present study attempted to expand upon previous studies by analysing the data in a more comprehensive manner, and with additional control conditions. In this study, 26 individuals, at risk but presymptomatic, for HD were recruited from the Johannesburg Predictive Testing Programme and administered a battery of psychological tests prior to molecular analysis. Of this HD group, 11 were subsequently positive for the gene (the HD+ group) and 15 were negative (HD- group). A carefully chosen control group, (matched for age, sex, and education - Control Group 1) and a group of individuals experiencing a life threatening medical illness (without CNS involvement - Control Group 2) were administered the same battery of psychological tests. Four-way Analysis of Variance between the HD+, HD-, and Control groups was conducted to detect specific differences between the groups. The results indicated that the HD+ group showed mild impairment for declarative memory function. However, it would appear that undergoing the psychological evaluation itself impacted upon the test performance of both the HD+ and HD- groups.
Fair Usage of the 16PF in Personality Assessment in South Africa: A Response to Abrahams and Mauer with Special Reference to Issues of Research Methodology
Authors: Prinsloo Cas H. , Ebersöhn Ingrid
Published: March 2013

Against the backdrop of the influence exerted in recent years in South Africa by new legislation and regulatory authorities on personality assessment research and instrument development, the present article highlights important research methodology issues pertaining to the cultural fairness of the 16PF®. The article is a deliberate comment upon the work of Abrahams (1996) and Abrahams and Mauer (1999a, 1999b). As a result, the relevant aspects are illustrated practically and empirically by referring to recent, current and intended South African research. Personality assessment research and instrument development are assumed to require a symbiotic relationship between test developers and test users. The relevant roles and responsibilities of each of the two groups are discussed. A particularly salient brief is to find common ground about methodological issues, the practical usefulness of the relevant assessment devices, user proficiency in administering and interpreting tests, and understanding how research processes intend ensuring quality tools. Some of the issues illustrated in more detail by referring to HSRC and other research on the SA92 and Fifth Editions of the 16PF® are mean scores and their meaning, subgroup differences, language proficiency, research samples and target populations, statistical techniques, and test material as such.
Psychopharmacology in the Treatment of Conduct Disorder Children and Adolescents: Rationale, Prospects, and Ethics
Authors: Mpofu Elias
Published: March 2013

The rationale for psychopharmacological treatments of conduct disorder (CD) in children and adolescent is discussed with reference to the presumed neurophysiological basis of the disorder. Specific psychopharmacological treatments for children with CD are identified and briefly evaluated in terms of their empirical foundations. The lack of a secure knowledge base on the biochemical basis of CD and the efficacy of psychopharmacological treatments with children and adolescents suggests the need for caution in the wide use of pharmacotherapy with these populations. Psychopharmacological treatments with children and adolescents with CD are particularly indicated for reactive aggression, and CD with comordid conditions. Conceptual and methodological improvements in use of psychotropic medications with children and adolescents are discussed as well as the associated ethical considerations.
Evaluation of the Quality of Care for Sexually Transmitted Infections in Primary Health Care Centres in South Africa
Authors: Shabalala Nokuthula , Strebel Anna , Shefer Tammy , Simbayi Leickness , Wilson Tanya , Ratele Kopano , Andipatin Michelle , Potgieter Cheryl
Published: March 2013

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are one of the most common illnesses among adolescents and adults in developing countries. While research from other countries indicates that a lack of financial, infra-structural and human resources are central determinants of the quality of care for STIs, South African studies suggest that there are also problems in health workers' interactions with STI patients. This study investigates the quality of care for STIs at 24 primary health care (PHC) centres in four provinces of South Africa (SA). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with STI patients and health providers. In addition, in-depth interviews were conducted with a sample of STI patients, and focus group discussions were held with diverse community groupings. Simulated patients also completed questionnaires on the care they received at the centres. Frequencies were computed on close-ended questions in order to describe patterns and trends in the data. Cross-tabulations were calculated to check for gender, provincial and urban-rural differences. Composite scores were also generated for the purpose of comparing quality of care across the different participating groups. Finally, the depth interviews and focus groups were analysed thematically. The results show that PHC centres in SA are relatively well-resourced. However, problems were found in the actual encounter between health workers and STI patients, which severely undermines the quality and effectiveness of treatment. It is strongly recommended that attention be given to health providers, in particular through the provision of further training and support in relation to effective STI management.
The Incidence of Traumatic Events and Trauma-Associated Symptoms/Experiences Amongst Tertiary Students
Authors: Hoffmann Willem A.
Published: March 2013

Few epidemiological studies of traumatic events amongst tertiary students have been conducted in South Africa. The aims of this study were to quantify the number of traumatic events experienced by Technikon Pretoria students in the preceeding year and to record the types of trauma symptoms experienced as a result of these traumatic events. The incidence of 10 traumatic event categories have been measured by means of the Traumatic Stress Schedule in a convenience sample (N = 245). The sample consisted of females (n = 183) and males (n = 61). It was found that more than two thirds (70,6%) of the sample reported one or more traumatic events during the preceeding year, with the most frequent traumatic event categories being the death of a loved one, negative change in life circumstances and witness to injury/death. The least frequent traumatic event categories were natural disasters and motor vehicle accidents. Females reported a significantly higher incidence of unwanted sexual activity than males. Intrusive thoughts, particularly amongst female students, was the most frequent symptom associated with 8 of the 10 traumatic event categories, while physical injuries was the least frequent symptom associated with all the traumatic event categories.
Diabolical Discourses: Demonic Possession and Evil in Modern Psychopathology
Authors: Ivey Gavin
Published: March 2013

This paper aims to explore, within a contemporary psychoanalytic framework, the meaning of two historically related concepts: demonic possession and evil. These dramatic and age-old portrayals of psychological abnormality are worth investigating for two reasons; firstly, because of their persistence within a Western culture ostensibly dominated by rational and scientific discourses and, secondly, because their supernatural status has traditionally served to insulate them from secular psychological interpretation. This paper will argue that evil and demonic possession are useful metaphors for understanding destructive aspects of human psychological functioning, and that, despite their historical location in supernatural discourses, they are comprehensible in secular psychological terms. Psychoanalysis employs rational concepts to understand these ‘supernatural’ phenomena. However, this paper concludes by questioning whether the ontological status of the internal world portrayed by psychoanalysis is fundamentally different to the mythical universe of supernatural forces and demonic entities.
Race and Family Placement: A Case Report and Review
Authors: Szabo Christopher P. , Ritchken Davne A.
Published: March 2013

Transracial placement (adoption/fostering) is a contentious issue. A case is presented and issues related to placement of a transracial and informal nature are addressed. Caution should be exercised regarding the ascribing of problems within the context of a transracial placement to racial factors.
Reading Geldenhuys: Constructing and Deconstructing the Norwood Killer
Authors: Hook Derek
Published: March 2013

This article takes the form of an autocritique, plotting the progression and ultimate dissolution of a developmental psychopathology research project on Kobus Geldenhuys, the notorious Norwood serial killer. The topic is introduced with a detailed case study, which gives way to a classical psychoanalytic interpretation, that is, an engagement that explores Geldenhuys's psychopathology through the interlocking accounts of the zonal stages, the Oedipus complex and the id/ego/superego structural dynamics of personality. This and other similar regularising engagements with the topic are then themselves analysed and critiqued as producing multiple lines of objectification, fictionalisation, prurience and distance. By way of resolution, the article lists a series of concerns about particular trends of attempted knowledge production in psychology.
Anxiety, Depression and Self-Efficacy Levels of Women Undergoing First Trimester Abortion
Authors: Faure Sheila , Loxton Helene
Published: March 2013

This study examined the relationship between anxiety, depression, perceived self-efficacy and biographical variables, before and after the termination of a first trimester pregnancy. Seventy-six participants were recruited from three health facilities in the Western Cape, South Africa. Scores on the State-Trait Anxiety Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory and a Self-Efficacy Scale revealed that high levels of state-anxiety and moderate levels of depression were experienced before abortion. Levels of anxiety and depression generally decreased significantly within a three-week period after the abortion. High self-efficacy was related to lowerlevels of anxiety and depression. Higher levels of education and self-efficacy and low levels of depression, trait-anxiety and gestational age were significantly related to healthy short-term adjustment. It was shown that pre-abortion depression and self-efficacy scores had the power to predict post-abortion depression.
Analysis of Records from an Urban African Psychological Service: Suggestions for Mental Health Systems Research
Authors: Seedat Mohamed , Kruger Piet , Bode Belinda
Published: March 2013

This article represents a modest attempt at encouraging mental health systems research with particular reference to South Africa. Despite the repeated calls for the logical inclusion of psychological services into Primary Health Care (PHC) in low to middle-income countries, such services remain absent or at best peripheral. A review of the literature, data analysis, and associated arguments, in this article, are therefore based on the view that health systems research is vital for informing policy decisions on health funding allocations and mental health service delivery. Accordingly, drawing on the records of a township-based counselling service we seek to investigate the strategic need for sound record management. Data on client service utilization patterns, client demographics, and presentation problems are instructive sources of information in considerations about the structure, management and funding of psychological services. Recognizing the methodological limitations of our study, we conclude our analysis with a broad motivation for further health systems research and a specific call for the establishment of a mental health information system that can provide routine quality data that may be used for multiple purposes.
South African Clinical Psychology, Employment (In)Equity and the “Brain Drain”
Authors: Pillay Anthony L. , Kramers Anne L.
Published: March 2013

The current study investigated race, gender and the “brain drain” in the Midlands Hospital (Pietermaritzburg) intern clinical psychology training programme. During the 20-year period between 1981 and 2000 a total of 128 interns were accepted into the programme. Almost three-quarters of the interns were White, and the majority of the sample was unskilled in the predominant language spoken in the region. Approximately 60% of the interns trained were female. No significant increase in the intake of Black interns was observed during the post-apartheid period (i.e.1994 to 2000). However, a significant increase in female interns was noted during that period. At the time of writing this article, almost one-quarter of the interns were working outside South Africa, the majority in Europe. Considering the findings, it is imperative that the profession re-examines its goals in post-apartheid South Africa, and makes concerted efforts to develop the mechanism to attain these. In addition, the profession and government need to take very seriously the “brain drain” problem and jointly develop acceptable ways of alleviating it.
Determining Selection Criteria for South African Dentistry Students
Authors: Ebersöhn Liesel , Maree Jacobus G.
Published: March 2013

The aim of this study was to determine selection criteria for prospective dentistry students at the University of Pretoria. A study of the relevant literature was undertaken, and experts at universities in South Africa and Britain were interviewed. A job analysis questionnaire was used to identify the relevant job requirements that could serve as selection criteria. Potential selection criteria that were identified include physical potential (e.g. visual-spatial and mechanical ability), cognitive potential (e.g. above-average intellectual potential, aptitude in the mathematical, science and technical fields), personality (e.g. patience with routine activities and repetition) and interpersonal potential (e.g. communication and leadership skills). These criteria were used as the point of departure for designing a draft selection programme.
Resilience and Burnout: A Stitch That Could save Nine
Authors: Strümpfer D. J. W.
Published: March 2013

The central argument in this article is that there are psychological variables, subsumed here under the generic heading of resilience, that advance fortigenesis and thus create tendencies contrary to those that produce burnout, or favourable to its antipode of engagement. In a literature review, five theoretical variables are presented: engagement, meaningfulness, subjective well-being, positive emotions, and proactive coping, as well as five somewhat practical suggestions: personal strategic planning, restorative places, optimal experience (flow), interpersonal flourishing, and Balint groups. Some comments are made about research needs.
Nurses Caring for Patients with Alzheimer's Disease: Their Strengths and Risk of Burnout
Authors: Heyns Pieter M. , Venter Jan H. , Esterhuyse Karel G. , Bam Roosmarie H. , Odendaal Dirk C.
Published: March 2013

This study focused on the relationship between psychofortigenic factors and psychological burnout among nursing staff at institutions where patients with Alzheimer's disease, as well as other conditions, are hospitalized. Psychofortigenesis relates to the term ‘salutogenesis’ and refers to the origin of psychological strengths. It can thus be regarded as the opposite of psychopathogenesis. There is evidence of high levels of burnout among nursing staff in South Africa and thus the question arises as to which psychofortigenic factors would enable them to cope. The study group consisted of 226 South African nurses from 21 institutions involved in the care of Alzheimer's patients. Questionnaires administered to the group included the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Sense of Coherence Scale and the Fortitude Questionnaire. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed negative correlations between burnout and the psychofortigenic factors: Sense of Coherence and Fortitude. These findings have implications for personnel management at institutions caring for sufferers of Alzheimer's disease.
Resilience among Families Where a Parent Accepted a Voluntary Teacher's Retrenchment Package
Authors: der Kinderen Susan , Greeff Abraham P.
Published: March 2013

Teachers who accepted the voluntary severance package from the South African Department of Education between 1996 and 1998 were approached to take part in this study on behalf of their families. Thirty participants completed a biographical questionnaire and the Family Index of Regenerativity and Adaptation (FIRA-G) developed by McCubbin and Thompson (1991). The results confirmed the relationship between family stressors, family strains and family distress, implying that if stressors and strains are not managed, they pile up, deplete resources and lead to family tension and stress. The results also highlighted the protective nature of good financial management, suggesting that there are measurable factors which act as crisis-meeting resources, diminish the negative impact and degree of the stressor and ultimately foster resilience and facilitate recovery. Social support was highlighted as a resilience variable.
The Construct Comparability of the PIB/SpEEx Stress Index for Job Applicants from Diverse Cultural Groups in South Africa
Authors: Schaap P.
Published: March 2013

The aim of the study was to determine the construct comparability of the PIB/SpEEx Stress Index for entry-level job applicants from diverse cultural groups in the public safety and security sector in South Africa. Psychometric instruments in South Africa are frequently criticised for being largely based on the values and knowledge of White minority groups, construct biased and therefore less valid for other cultural groups. It is therefore important for the construct comparability of tests for diverse cultural groups to receive greater attention. In this study, Black, Asian, White and Coloured groups were included to determine the intercultural comparability of the PIB/SpEEx Stress Index. The results indicate that the PIB/SpEEx Stress Index is comparable and non-biased for the groups included in the study.
“What is the Point of Knowing?”: Psychosocial Barriers to HIV/AIDS Voluntary Counselling and Testing Programmes in South Africa
Authors: van Dyk Alta C. , van Dyk Peet J.
Published: March 2013

Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) programmes are regarded as an important strategy in the management of the HIV/AIDS pandemic worldwide. Such programmes, however, often have limited success due to various problems such as the existence of attitudes and beliefs that act as psychosocial barriers. This article, which presents a study of attitudes towards VCT in South Africa, attempts to ascertain the reasons for people's continued resistance to VCT programmes. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to survey the views of 1422 people. The results indicate that while the research participants, in principle, were not opposed to VCT, they professed a deep mistrust of health-care professionals, and feared discrimination and rejection by the latter, their sexual partners, and their communities. Participants did not know how to disclose their HIV-positive status, and were concerned about testing that did not include treatment and/or follow-up support, as well as their ability to deal with the ensuing psychological turmoil in the event of testing HIV-positive. The authors proposed various suggestions concerning how to improve VCT services in South Africa.
The Prevalence of Suicidal Behaviours among Secondary School Adolescents in the Limpopo Province, South Africa
Authors: Madu S. N. , Matla M. P.
Published: March 2013

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of suicidal behaviours among secondary school adolescents in the Limpopo Province. The participants in this study were 435 secondary school adolescents from Polokwane and surrounds. Two hundred and forty-three (56%) participants were female, and 192 (44%) were male. They were aged between 15 and 19 years, with a mean age of 17.25 years ( SD = 1.34). A questionnaire was used to record participants' demographic data and suicidal behaviours, including suicidal thoughts and threats, plans, and attempts to commit suicide). Thirty-seven percent of the secondary school adolescents surveyed indicated having thought of taking their own lives; 17% had made threats or informed others about their suicidal intentions; 16% had made plans to take their own lives but did not carry them through; 21% reported having attempted to take their own lives. These results indicate that a higher percentage of males than females had attempted suicide. The most frequent method used for attempting suicide was self-poisoning (44% of the attempters), followed by drug overdoses (25.3%), hanging (22%), self-stabbing (2.2%), and other methods, such as, jumping from heights, starvation, and drug abuse (6.6%).
Voluntary Termination of Pregnancy: Moral Concerns and Emotional Experiences among Black South African Adolescents
Authors: Mojapelo-Batka E. M. , Schoeman J. B.
Published: March 2013

The purpose of this study was to describe black adolescent women's moral concerns and emotional reactions to the voluntary termination of their pregnancies. Personal, semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven women (between the ages 16 and 19 years) who had legal, induced abortions, between one day and three months prior to the interview. A qualitative analysis of the results revealed that moral concerns were based on social, ecclesiastic and cultural values, as well as a sense of accountability towards the self. The women's emotional reactions predominantly involved the negative emotions of shame and embarrassment, as well as guilt and sadness linked to a sense of loss.
The “E” in Rave: A Profile of Young Ecstasy (MDMA) Users
Authors: Zervogiannis F. H. , Bester G. , Wiechers E.
Published: March 2013

The use of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) or Ecstasy is a phenomenon that has established itself In the widespread Rave culture. Ecstasy use causes physical, social and psychological problems in the development of adolescents and it may also influence their concentration and learning abilities. To prevent these problems, educators should be well-informed regarding current drug use trends and also be capable of assisting adolescents. Research regarding the nature of Ecstasy use is lacking nationally. The purpose of this research was therefore to furnish educators with accurate information that will enable them to obtain a reference point from which assistance can be offered to young Ecstasy users and potential Ecstasy users.
Methodological Issues in Research on Child Sexual Abuse Attributions
Authors: Collings Steven J. , Bodill Brigitte M. M. P.
Published: March 2013

The purpose of the study was to investigate methodological influences in research on child sexual abuse attributions. Two hundred and forty respondents were exposed to a newspaper report of a child sexual abuse incident. Methodological influences on attributional thinking were assessed using a 2 (population: university students vs. general population) x 2 (lexical description of abuse: the language of abusive vs. consensual sexual activity) x 2 (probe questions: closed vs. open-ended) factorial design with attributions of culpability being entered as dependent measures. The results showed that respondents were significantly more likely to attribute some degree of culpability: (a) to the victim when closed probe questions were used, when the language of consensual sexual activity was used to describe the abuse, and when the respondent was a university student; (b) to the offender when closed probe questions were used; (c) to the non-offending parent when closed probe questions were used and when respondents were drawn from the general population; and (d) to society in general when closed probe questions were used, when ‘abusive’ language was used to describe the abuse incident, and when respondents were drawn from the general population.
Social Competence in Rural and Urban Children with Mental Retardation: Preliminary Findings
Authors: Pillay A. L.
Published: March 2013

The investigation compared social maturity levels in rural and urban children with mental retardation (between 40 and 70 IQ points). The magnitude of discrepancy between the subjects' IQ and their social quotients (SQ) was examined using an SQ:IQ ratio. Rural subjects had a significantly higher SQ:IQ ratio than urban ones, and age was also positively correlated with this ratio. No significant gender difference was evident. The rural children's higher social maturity relative to their IQ must be considered in the context of their life experiences, which are in various ways different to that of urban children. From an early age, rural children are involved in household and community responsibilities, such as fetching water, firewood, herding cattle, and other practices that are not as common among urban children. The findings lend support to the idea that even in disadvantaged communities, given appropriate opportunities, children with mental retardation do have the capacity to enhance their social competence, possibly more so than those in less challenging environments.
The Relationship between Inter-Role Conflict, Life Satisfaction and Sense of Coherence in a Sample of Working Mothers
Authors: Diraz Tijen , Ortlepp Karen , Greyling Michael
Published: March 2013

The present study examined the relationship between inter-role conflict and life satisfaction in a sample of working mothers. It also explored Sense of Coherence as a moderating variable in the relationship. Given the exploratory nature of the study, a cross-sectional, correlational design was adopted. Self-report data were collected from 40 working mothers from the northern suburbs of Johannesburg. Statistical analysis found that there was a significant inverse relationship between inter-role conflict and life satisfaction. Sense of Coherence was found to be a significant moderator of the inter-role conflict and life satisfaction relationship. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed in terms of the findings.
Narrating Motherhood: The Transformative Potential of Individual Stories
Authors: Kruger Lou-Marie
Published: March 2013

In contemporary western society, motherhood has acquired a special significance for women: women are expected to find fulfilment and satisfaction in the role of the “ever-bountiful, ever-giving, self-sacrificing mother. Feminists, in attempts to problematise this ”myth of motherhood”, have emphasised the importance of focusing on the subjectivity of women by advocating that women themselves speak of, and reflect on their experiences of motherhood. In this article the narratives of two middle-class tertiary educated women were analysed to see to what extent the personal stories of individual women can serve to subvert such myths and change social realities. It was found that although both participants clearly articulated a profound ambivalence about their pregnancies and the possibility of becoming a mother, both women ended up addressing their ambivalence by simplifying their stories. Furthermore, in their quest for coherence and order, they reverted to reflecting and, in fact, reproducing dominant motherhood ideologies. It is argued that even the most individual stories are also shaped by political realities and that women will not be able to embrace the ambivalence in their stories in a context where such ambivalence is not yet tolerated within the dominant ideologies.
Construction and Psychometric Properties of the Childhood Career Development Scale
Authors: Stead Graham B. , Schultheiss Donna E. Palladino
Published: March 2013

The aim of this study was to construct and psychometrically validate a measure of childhood career development for Grade 4 to Grade 7 children. Super's (1990) nine dimensions of career development (i.e. curiosity, exploration, information, key figures, locus of control, interests, time perspective, self-concept, and planfulness) formed the conceptual basis of the instrument. Eight of Super's constructs were supported by means of principal components analysis, with seven being replicated with a second sample. The relationships between grade, gender and the Childhood Career Development Scale's sub-scale scores are reported, and implications for theory and research are provided.
Assessment of Verbal Fluency in Bilingual Zulu-English Speakers
Authors: Bethlehem Deborah , de Picciotto Janet , Watt Nola
Published: March 2013

This study investigated verbal fluency abilities in a sub-group of Zulu-English bilingual speakers ( n=35). Subjects were required to generate a list of animal names in English-only, Zulu-only, and then in bilingual mode, where both languages could be used. Results were analysed in terms of raw scores and the influence of language mode factors, as well as the effects of age of language acquisition, medium of education, and gender on performance. The results indicate that, if the individual has a high proficiency in both languages, and if both languages can for some reason not be assessed, it appears preferable to test verbal fluency in English (L2).
White Opposition to Racial Transformation. Is it Racism?
Authors: Durrheim Kevin
Published: March 2013

This article endeavours to investigate predictors of opposition to different categories of policy that aim to bring about racial transformation in South Africa. A sample of 134 white university students was used to investigate the structure of racial attitudes and the predictors of racial policy opinion. Factor analysis showed clear distinctions between opinions towards three categories of policy: competitive affirmative action policy, non-competitive reconstruction and development policy, and legislation to outlaw racial discrimination. On the basis of a review of studies conducted in the USA, three sets of variables were included as predictors of racial policy opinion: (a) “symbolic” and “old-fashioned” racism, (b) political and economic intergroup comparisons, and (c) beliefs and values, including egalitarianism and individualism. Regression analysis showed that each type of policy opinion had a different profile of predictors, but that old-fashioned racism was the strongest predictor in all three instances.
Anti-Client and Pro-Client Positions in Interracial Psychotherapy
Authors: Strous Martin , Eagle Gill
Published: March 2013

The article reports on the findings of a study designed to explore the thoughts, feelings and fantasies of white South African therapists working interracially. The research was couched within an expanded understanding of Pedersen's Model for training in multicultural psychotherapy. More specifically, it investigates how therapists' therapy-hindering (‘anti-client’) statements reflect aspects of racial prejudice in South Africa and South African psychology, how their therapy-facilitating (‘pro-client’) statements reflect racial sensitivity, and how these competing attitudes are negotiated when therapists reflect on them. The contribution of the study is the explication of both positive and negative therapist self-talk in interracial contexts. Implications of the findings are discussed and the development of an Anti-client-Pro-client Model for counsellor sensitivity training is recommended as an extension of the framework promulgated by Pedersen (1985, 2000).
Rites of Passage: Identity and the Training of Clinical Psychologists in the Current South African Context
Authors: Kottler Amanda , Swartz Sally
Published: March 2013

This article attempts to make sense of the clinical psychology training experience, as a negotiation of personal and professional identity. It suggests that the training, particularly in the first year, is a rite of passage, in many respects similar to an initiation process. Rites of passage can be seen as processes marking shifts in status and social identity. In the case of training to be a psychologist this change involves the movement from lay to professional status. There are three phases involved in the transitional process. The first involves separation from other groups of postgraduate students, and also in different ways from friends and family through involvement in course material that is often both esoteric and confidential. The second phase is marked by a fluid and often confusing marginal state between student and professional identity. The third phase involves a reintegration back into society as a fully-fledged professional, once the training is over. This article focuses on the ambiguities of the marginal state as the primary identity position during training, and explores the implications of this, both for those being trained and for trainers.
Thoughts on Ethics, Psychotherapy and Postmodernism
Authors: Snyman Sonja , Fasser Robyn
Published: March 2013

The purpose of this article is to describe some postmodern implications for the ethical conduct of psychotherapists. In our opinion, one of the overriding implications is the increase in the ethical responsibility held by psychotherapists. In a context that rejects objectivity, redefines boundaries and broadens the notion of the client, the ‘buck stops' with the psychotherapist. Consequentially, with an increased emphasis on the ethical responsibility of psychotherapists, training, curricula and ethical codes have to be revisited. This article is a postmodern discourse. In deconstructing the text, the reader engages in, and assigns meaning to, it. This process is an echo of the therapeutic relationship in which psychotherapist and client engage each other and assign meaning to the texts presented in psychotherapy. All behaviour in this dynamic relationship has ethical implications that psychotherapists need to manage. Thus, the postmodern psychotherapist ‘is the ethics’.
A Thematic Content Analysis of Psychologists' Reports in Child Custody Evaluations
Authors: Brandt R. , Dawes A. , Africa A. , Swartz L.
Published: March 2013

The key objective of this study was to examine empirically the substantive issues that inform psychologists' decision-making in custody evaluations. The study draws on a relatively small convenience sample of 39 reports from eight different psychologists who represented key informants in the field in Cape Town. Jameson, Ehrenberg and Hunter's (1997) Best Interests of the Child Assessment model was revised and used as a template for a thematic content analysis. The results of the study indicate that psychologists tend to adopt a child-centred approach, with the child's basic and developmentally related needs ranked as the most commonly employed criterion (reflected in 95% of reports). The child's rights and wishes were reflected in 54% of the reports, and socio-economic resources were the lowest-ranked criterion, reflected in only 18% of the reports. The results of the study are discussed in terms of the need to formulate the implications of a child rights orientation, to negotiate referral questions and to adapt report writing styles to the legal-judicial context. Further, the implications of the findings for future research and professional practice are discussed and recommendations made.
Attendance at Psychological Consultations following Non-Fatal Suicidal Behaviour: An Ethical Dilemma
Authors: Pillay Anthony L. , Wassenaar Douglas R. , Kramers Anne L.
Published: March 2013

Rates of out-patient psychotherapy follow-up after hospitalisation for non-fatal suicidal behaviour (NFSB) are reported to be poor internationally. A study at a South African general hospital revealed that over a 12-month period 201 patients were admitted and referred for psychological consultation following NFSB. All first appointments were kept. However, only 43.5% of the 191 patients given subsequent out-patient appointments attended. No significant gender or age effects were noted. The results are discussed in the context of possible explanations for the high rate of non-attendance and the clinical value of the first in-patient psychological session. The authors also discuss some of the circumstances surrounding the first consultation and the ethical issues associated with the in-patient management of NFSB. We argue that the benefits of a first in-patient psychological consultation without explicit informed consent appear to outweigh the risks and harms, based on the ethical obligation of responsible caring.