bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Intractability of Militarised Masculinity: A Case Study of Former Self-Defence Unit Members in the Kathorus Area, South Africa
Authors: Langa Malose , Eagle Gillian
Published: March 2013

The study explores the struggle to maintain and transform a ‘masculine’ identity acquired primarily as a consequence of serving as part of a township-based paramilitary force in the pre-democratic South Africa. Based on accounts of former Self-Defence Unit (SDU) members from the Kathorus region (a group of townships on the perimeter of Johannesburg), the article explores some of the forces that influenced young men to become involved in political violence, the status this bestowed upon them, and how aspects of their ‘militarised identity have come into conflict with new constructs of masculinity in a post-apartheid South Africa’. Although the experiences of South African ex-combatants have been documented in a number of reports and articles (Gear, 2002; Marks, 2001; Mashike & Mokalobe, 2003; Xaba, 2001), this article seeks to highlight the intractability of a particular form of masculine identity attained during the pivotal stage of early and late adolescent development. The negative consequences of this weddedness to a militarised masculinity for both the men themselves and the broader society are explored, together with some of the dimensions that appear to make this identity so compelling and so difficult to transform. The article draws upon theoretical understandings that suggest that gender and masculinity are socially constructed, and is based on data collected by means of individual interviews and focus groups conducted, with former combatants. The interviews reveal that images of militarised masculinity were popularised and dominant during the liberation struggle against apartheid, particularly amongst urban youth who were recruited into resistance activities. Young combatants were expected to be strong, brave, tough, fearless, aggressive, and violent. In many urban townships, young boys who were not part of the liberation struggle and youth politics were constructed as lacking in masculinity. Post 1994, virtually overnight, young combatants were expected to relinquish their militarised roles and to adopt new forms of masculinity without the facilitation of any demilitarisation programme to address the complexities of this transformation in their social and personal identity. The interviews reveal that many of these former combatants feel betrayed, forgotten, and alienated in post-apartheid South Africa. Some have carried their militarised masculinities into the new democracy, continuing to be involved in violent activities and risk-taking behaviours. Although many of them appear to be suffering from symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other aspects of war trauma, attending counselling is seen as a sign of weakness and as an insult to militarised masculinity. The article argues that interventions to assist with identity transformation and greater social integration of such marginalised young men need to take account of these dynamics.
Conversations with Barney: A Conversation Analysis of Interactions with a Child with Autism
Authors: Geils Catherine , Knoetze Jan
Published: March 2013

This study arose from an intervention programme aimed to develop the communication and social interaction skills of Barney, a six-year-old child diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder (Autistic Spectrum). The approach we take is a social constructionist one that challenges the assumption of a Western psychiatric approach emphasising the impairment and deficits associated with autism. Conversation analysis is employed as a method of elucidating the collaborative mechanisms employed by Barney and his co-participants in making sense of one another. The aim of this study was to closely examine the communicative behaviour and interactive styles of Barney and his co-participants, their implications for communicative success ( co-ordinated interaction) or breakdown ( discordant interaction), and the implications for ways in which the child is positioned within the discourse in relation to his co-participants. Our constructions of the data suggested the following: A playful, activity-based interactive style constituted by non-verbal turns, affection, and short, simple utterances enhanced co-ordinated interaction. Discordant interaction seemed to result from a tendency of the co-participants to dominate the interaction (e.g., frequent and repetitive questioning) which directed and constrained interaction and resulted in the child's withdrawal. Other implications are highlighted. This research informs intervention efforts and encourages co-participants to reflect on ways in which interaction is co-constructed between themselves and the child with autism.
Predictors of Psychological Distress in South African Immigrants to Australia
Authors: Khawaja Nigar G. , Mason Lesleyanne
Published: March 2013

The study investigated the psychological distress experienced by a group of South African immigrants to Australia. Factors predicting distress and the way it was manifested were examined. South African immigrants, who had left South Africa less than five years ago, were asked to complete a battery of questionnaires. Results indicated that, in general, these South African immigrants manifested low levels of distress. Psychological distress was not affected by gender or employment status. However, it differed significantly on the basis of their duration of stay in Australia, with the distress reducing as the length of stay increased. Factors such as grief as a result of immigration, low levels of self-esteem, and finally the experience of crime in South Africa also contributed to the psychological distress experienced by these South African immigrants.
How to Measure the Psychological Contract? A Critical Criteria-Based Review of Measures
Authors: Freese Charissa , Schalk René
Published: March 2013

In this article we analyse the different ways in which psychological contracts are measured. On the basis of criteria for measurement and scale development psychological contract measurements are put to a test. The criteria are related to the way the measurement is developed and evaluated, and the specific conceptualisations of the content and evaluation of the psychological contract. Existing questionnaires to measure the psychological contract are evaluated. The use of psychological contract measurements of Freese and Schalk, Psycones, or Rousseau is recommended.
Perceived Sleep Quality and Sleepiness in South African University Students
Authors: Reid Alison , Baker Fiona C.
Published: March 2013

Little is known about the sleep habits of South African students. The objectives in this study were to evaluate sleep habits and daytime behaviours of South African university students and to examine possible factors associated with their sleep quality and daytime sleepiness. Nine hundred and eighty-six undergraduate students completed a questionnaire about their sleep and lifestyle habits over the previous month, and their fatigue-related driving history. Sleep habits were similar for male and female students, although male students went to bed later and had fewer night-time awakenings. Black students went to bed significantly later than white and Asian students and woke earlier than white students during the week; consequently they were more likely to have a shorter time in bed than white students. Black students were more likely to nap than white students, possibly to supplement their overall sleep amount. Sleep quality and daytime sleepiness were not influenced by gender or ethnicity. Twenty percent of the students reported having ever fallen asleep while driving and 2% reported having had a fatigue-related accident; these findings have implications for road safety. Eighteen percent of the students reported poor sleep quality, although few students (4%) had consulted a doctor about a sleeping problem. Logistic multiple regression modeling revealed that poor sleep quality was associated with the following factors: long sleep onset latency; night-time awakenings; late bed times; use of sleep medication; not getting enough sleep; and low energy. Based on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, 44% of the students had a high propensity for daytime sleepiness, which was associated with not getting enough sleep, consuming more caffeinated beverages, daytime napping, and having no/little energy. Daytime sleepiness and associated factors in South African students need to be investigated further and it is recommended that students be better informed about sleep problems and their consequences. First-line help-professionals such as psychologists, doctors, and healthcare workers should be better trained to support students with sleep problems.
Influence of Pre-Merger Employment Relations and Individual Characteristics on the Psychological Contract
Authors: Linde Bennie , Schalk René
Published: March 2013

Organisational changes and transformations, in which employees are exposed to mergers, acquisitions and take-overs of their organisations, are a common phenomenon these days. Empirical evidence on the formation of initial trust in new organisational relationships has shown that past experiences are an important determinant of an individual's intention to trust another party. In this article the aim is to assess the influence of a prior employment relationship in a pre-merging workplace on the experience of the psychological contract by the employees of the actually merged institution. The individual characteristics of the employees are also investigated to identify how these characteristics influence the psychological contract. The population consisted of employees of two previously independent universities ( N1 = 887, N2 = 1 649, Ntotal = 2 536) that merged into one university with three campuses (two associated with a historically white university and one with a historically black university). The former universities had very different histories with very dissimilar employment relations, demographic compositions and management structures. One year after the merger, a questionnaire was handed out to a randomly stratified sample ( n1 = 191, n2 = 301, ntotal = 492) at all the workplaces. The questionnaire included a psychological contract measure, assessing the employee's experience of employer obligations (43 items) and employee obligations (21 items), as well as items measuring the influence of the merger on the experience of the psychological contract. Various significant differences were found between the previous universities, especially with respect to the experience of employer obligations not being kept by the employer. The individual characteristics of the respondents had less influence on the experience of the psychological contract than the social context of the previous employment relationships.
Headlines and Discourses in Newspaper Reports on Traffic Accidents
Authors: MacRitchie Victoria , Seedat Mohamed
Published: March 2013

Building on the existing social and health sciences knowledge base, we explore the ways in which traffic accidents on South African roads are constructed by the media and how these constructions are related to the media's role in supporting hegemonic interests, producing public consensus and promoting public agency. Discourse analysis was used to analyse 52 South African newspaper articles that reported on traffic accidents during the Easter weekend and the festive season in 2005/6. The analysis suggests that well-crafted headline messages and multiple discourses, predicated by a range of news-values and specific framing modalities, are interwoven to project the dominant view that over the holiday season South African roads are war-zones. Irresponsible and reckless drivers, in particular taxi drivers, are typecast as ‘unworthy’ citizens and habitual perpetrators of the ‘carnage’ on the roads. Motorists and occupants of public transport vehicles feature prominently as the primary victims of traffic deaths. Pedestrians and motorcyclists are among the less frequently mentioned victims. In contrast to the villains of the road, traffic safety officers are presented as the protectors of law-abiding citizens and emergency care workers, characterised as altruistic and angelic, are described as the rescuers who heal the wounded. Whereas the non-dominant discourse alerts the reader to pedestrian vulnerability, certain contextual determinants of traffic deaths, some successes in traffic safety promotion, and the dominant discourses suggest that the panacea for traffic safety is primarily rooted in proper road behaviour and law-enforcement. The analysis points to silences related to societal, institutional, and corporate responsibility in road safety and highlights the need to engage the print media toward assuring evidence-led reporting of traffic accidents.
Factor Analyses of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children Assessed Longitudinally at 5 and 10 Years
Authors: Jansen Patricia , Greenop Kirston
Published: March 2013

The availability of test instruments that can reflect cultural differences and environmental influences and maintain their factor structure is problematic when working in multilingual environments. The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) has been considered as an assessment tool of preference for researchers working in cross cultural environments. The K-ABC, but specifically the two processing scales (Sequential and Simultaneous), has been used in a number of cross cultural studies. These scales were administered to 199 children living in Soweto, South Africa at the age of 5 years and again at 10 years. The children were participants in a longitudinal study in Johannesburg. Principal component analyses showed a two factor solution on both occasions which has been observed in other cross cultural studies with the K-ABC processing scales. However, changes in the factors loading were observed at both age stages. Separate factor analyses for boys ( n = 97) and girls ( n = 102) in the group showed variation in developmental processing patterns and subtest loadings. Changes in children's processing styles have implications for teaching and learning. This study supports the two factor solution underlying the K-ABC scores in an African paediatric population.
Masekitlana: South African Traditional Play as a Therapeutic Tool in Child Psychotherapy
Authors: Kekae-Moletsane Mokgadi
Published: March 2013

In this article I address and explore the importance of the use of a South African indigenous game (masekitlana) in child psychotherapy. I take the reader on the journey of a child whose mother and grandmother were killed in front of him but who managed to overcome the resultant trauma after several sessions of playing masekitlana. The participant refused to play and be assessed with the standardised tests that were available but chose masekitlana, which requires only two small stones. Data were collected through a literature review, clinical interviews, and play narratives. The observations were noted. In the case study masekitlana played a significant role in assisting the participant to come to terms with the fears to which he was vulnerable. The effectiveness of masekitlana as a therapeutic tool in child psychotherapy is highlighted.
The Relationship between Senior South African Individual Scale — Revised (SSAIS-R) Subtests and Reading Ability
Authors: Cockcroft Kate , Blackburn Marie
Published: March 2013

In this paper we discuss the results of a study that identified the relationships between different cognitive functions, as measured by selected subtests of the Senior South African Individual Scale — Revised (SSAIS-R) and the Neale Analysis of Reading Ability — Revised (Neale). The SSAIS-R subtests included Vocabulary, Similarities, Story Memory, and Coding. The Neale assesses three different components of reading, namely, rate, accuracy, and comprehension. The sample consisted of 32 Grade 2 boys attending an English-medium, private school in Gauteng and a matched group of girls attending the sister school. Moderate, significant correlations were found between the Vocabulary and Similarities subtests and components of the Neale for both girls and boys. The Story Memory subtest was correlated with components of the Neale for the girls sample only, while no significant relationship was found between the Coding subtest and any aspects of reading for either gender group. The boys scored significantly higher than the girls on the Vocabulary and Similarities subtests, as well as on the reading comprehension component of the Neale, while the girls scored significantly higher on the non-verbal Coding subtest. The implications of these findings are discussed.
The Development and Utilisation of a Suicide Risk Assessment Interview Schedule
Authors: Bantjes Jason , van Ommen Clifford
Published: March 2013

Suicide is increasingly widespread in South Africa and is considered to constitute a serious public health problem. It is not only the most common emergency encountered by mental health care professionals but also has the distinction of being one of the few potentially fatal psychological conditions. The accurate determination of suicide risk in clinical practice is difficult. Despite vast amounts of research, no one assessment tool or method, when applied to individual clients, has been demonstrated to be ultimately superior in helping clinicians to accurately estimate risk. A clinician's failure to adequately assess suicide risk may result in morbidity or mortality, and has the added complication of leaving the clinician to face negative emotional, personal, professional, and legal consequences. This article illustrates how research findings and empirical studies have been utilised to formulate a Suicide Risk Assessment Interview Schedule (SRAIS) designed to assist the clinician to make a thorough assessment of suicide risk by avoiding errors of omission. Two case vignettes are included to illustrate how the SRAIS has been used to guide the process of risk assessment and management.
Borderline Personality Disorder: What do We Know? Diagnosis, Course, Co-Morbidity, and Aetiology
Authors: Cartwright Duncan
Published: March 2013

Evidence regarding the diagnostic dilemmas, course, co-morbidity, and aetiology of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is reviewed. After considering problems that the clinician and researcher face in using BPD as a diagnostic category, I argue that current evidence indicates that there is reason to be more optimistic about the course of BPD. Emerging dilemmas in considering co-morbidity in the BPD patient are considered. Aetiological factors are presented in support of a ‘multiple pathways’ model of aetiology where characterological and temperamental characteristics interact in complex idiosyncratic ways.
Perceived Supervisory Support and Organisational Citizenship Behaviours: Is Job Satisfaction a Mediator?
Authors: Ladebo Olugbenga J.
Published: March 2013

The mediating influence of job satisfaction on the relationship between perceived supervisory support (PSS) and organisational citizenship behaviours (OCB) was examined. We hypothesised that perceived supervisory support would be positively related to employee satisfaction, which in turn would be associated with performance of citizenship behaviours. Results from two agricultural organisations ( N = 270) indicated that job satisfaction partially mediated the PSS-OCB linkage. The implications of the results are discussed.
Mental Disorder in People Living with HIV/Aids in South Africa
Authors: Freeman Melvyn , Nkomo Nkululeko , Kafaar Zuhayr , Kelly Kevin
Published: March 2013

We investigate the prevalence of mental disorder in people living with HIV/AIDS in a developing country context and examine the relationship between the presence of mental disorder and various independent variables. Nine-hundred HIV positive people were interviewed in 18 recruitment sites across five provinces in South Africa, using a cross-culturally validated diagnostic instrument and a structured socio-demographic and health information questionnaire. Prevalence of mental disorder was established using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). Chi-square, Fischer exact test, and binary logistic regression examined the relationship between mental health disorders and demographic characteristics, disease stage, CD4 count, and whether the person was on anti-retroviral treatment. A number of respondents (43.7%) were found to have a diagnosable mental disorder. Depression was the most common disorder (11.1% major and 29.9% mild depression), followed by alcohol abuse disorder (12.4%). The presence of mental disorder was significantly associated with gender, employment status, having children, and the clinical stage of the disease. Gender and the stage of disease were the best predictors of mental disorder. Rates of mental disorder were substantially higher in people living with HIV/AIDS than generally found in populations in developing countries and similar to HIV positive groupings in developed countries. Viral impacts on the brain, psychological reactions, and social conditions all contributed to the higher prevalence rates. Mental health interventions need to become a central part of comprehensive HIV/AIDS support, care, and treatment programmes.
Characterizing Score Reliability for the South Oaks Gambling Screen
Authors: Vassar Matt
Published: March 2013

Accurate measurement of problem gambling and subsequent interpretation of results require that assessment devices yield strong psychometric properties. In terms of consistent measurement, reliability estimates must be calculated with each administration, as changes in sample characteristics may alter the scale's ability to generate reliable scores. The purpose in the present study was to explore reliability reporting practices and variability in reliability estimates on a frequently used problem gambling detection measure, the South Oaks Gambling Screen. All empirical research employing the South Oaks Gambling Screen was retained for analysis. Of the 121 studies used in the present study, only 13 (10.7%) reported reliability for the data at hand. The remaining studies either induced reliability (42%) or did not cite reliability at all (46%). The median internal consistency estimate across 15 samples was .86, ranging from .69 to .97. Predictor variables did not demonstrate significant relationships with score reliability. Results from this study indicate wide variability in reliability coefficients across studies. Therefore, it is suggested that further psychometric analysis be conducted on the SOGS in order to yield more consistent and accurate measurement of problem gambling.
“Making a Perfect Man”: Traditional Masculine Ideology and Perfectionism among Adolescent Boys
Authors: Adams Leigh Andrea , Govender Kaymarlin
Published: March 2013

We examine adolescent males' subscription to traditional masculine norms, and its effect on acquisition of perfectionist tendencies. These constructs were measured by the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (1990) and the Traditional Masculine Ideology Scale (TMI). The masculinity and perfectionism constructs are also considered in the light of boys' relationships with their fathers. Questionnaires were administered to 141 Grades 10, 11, and 12 boys at a public single-sex high school. Analysis revealed positive and significant correlations between TMI and Total Perfectionism, as well as with TMI and the ‘Concern over Mistakes’, ‘Parental Expectations’ and ‘Personal Standards’ subscales. These findings are discussed in terms of the construction of male identity in modernity.
Factors That Influence the Forming of Self-Evaluation and Self-Efficacy Perceptions
Authors: Steyn Renier , Mynhardt Johan
Published: March 2013

Optimistic self-evaluation regarding the ability to carry out tasks is important for success in various fields of human endeavour. When people do such self-evaluations and form self-efficacy perceptions, they make use of information from various sources. According to theories relating to self-evaluation, people engaged in forming such perceptions about themselves largely depend on information gained through social comparison. However, theories of self-efficacy emphasise the importance of self-referenced information, such as those formed through mastery experiences. The purpose in this study is to examine the sources of information used in forming self-efficacy perceptions. In an experiment ( N =1 723) modelled on the Solomon Four-group Design, three types of information likely to influence perceptions were supplied to three experimental groups; there were five control groups. The effects of the interventions were measured by means of a questionnaire. Results indicated that perceptions of self-efficacy are more profoundly influenced by self-referenced information than by social comparisons. It was also found that additional information did not have a cumulative effect during the forming of self-efficacy perceptions. Finally, the implications of the results with respect to practical and theoretical viewpoints are discussed.
Depression, Mothers' Concerns and Life-Events Experienced by HIV-Positive, HIV-Negative and Mothers with Unknown HIV Status in Soweto
Authors: Kasese-Hara Mambwe , Mayekiso Tokozile , Modipa Oscar , Mzobe Nokwazi , Mango Thabiso
Published: March 2013

The study was quasi-experimental in design and was aimed at investigating the differences between two groups of mothers, regarding their concern's depressive symptoms, life-events, and social standing. The sample comprised 40 mothers, each with at least one child aged 3 years or less, selected from the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Johannesburg. Twenty mothers were HIV-positive and were attending an HIV clinic for mothers and babies, and the other 20 were either HIV-negative or did not know their status (and live a seemingly normal life). The latter group served as the control group and was comparable to the study group in terms of demographic characteristics. The study revealed no significant difference between the two groups in all the variables included in the study. The results suggest that a positive HIV status is not a significant stressor in relation to the other stressors. It is recommended that interventions for mothers in Soweto need to address the broad spectrum of life-events experienced by Soweton mothers.
The Development of the Sexual Responsiveness Scale for Adolescents and Young Adults: Putting a Definition of Sexual Orientation to the Test
Authors: Heath Lance , Euvrard George
Published: March 2013

Published work has pointed to the need for the development of a psychometrically sound measure of sexual orientation in order to enable empirical research in this area to advance. Such a measure could contribute towards greater standardization of an operational definition of sexual orientation necessary for comparison of results in otherwise similarly focused research studies in future. To contribute to this process, a new questionnaire, the Sexual Responsiveness Scale (SRS), which takes cognizance of existing measures, was developed and its psychometric properties examined. The SRS complies with the criteria of a ‘new paradigm’ conceptualization of sexual orientation and therefore measures same and opposite sex responsiveness separately, eliciting both intensity and frequency responses over the entire lifespan as well as over the most recent 30 days. Sexual responsiveness as manifested in fantasy, attraction, contact, and emotion is assessed. The scale was completed by a convenience sample of 835 South African adolescents and young adults.
Comparison of Integrated Cognitive Restructuring plus Exposure with Exposure Alone in Group Treatment of Generalised Social Anxiety Disorder
Authors: Nortje Charl , Posthumus Tanya , Möller André T.
Published: March 2013

In this study we compared the efficacy of integrated cognitive restructuring plus exposure with exposure alone in the treatment of social anxiety disorder (social phobia). Compared to a wait-list control condition, both treatments resulted in significant improvements and maintained their effects on some dependent variables. Although no significant differences were found between the effects of the two active treatments, effect size analysis did suggest certain effect differences.
Factors Affecting Vulnerability to Depression among Gay Men and Lesbian Women in Gauteng, South Africa
Authors: Polders Louise A. , Nel Juan A. , Kruger Piet , Wells Helen L.
Published: March 2013

In this study we explored factors affecting vulnerability to depression among gay men and lesbian women in metropolitan Gauteng, South Africa. Risk factors consistently cited in the literature on depression among gay men and lesbian women, namely, self-esteem, level of social integration, frequency of the experience of hate speech, frequency of the experience of physical victimisation, fear of victimisation and alcohol and drug abuse, were examined to determine their ability to predict vulnerability to depression. Data were collected from 385 participants who self-identified as lesbian or gay, using a purposive quota sampling technique to promote representation across age, gender, race and socio-economic status lines. Multiple methods of recruitment were used to maximise the sample size obtained. Questionnaires were administered in either face-to-face interviews or distributed in person, by mail or via the internet. Multiple regression analysis indicated that lowered self-esteem and more frequent experiences of hate speech were the only significant predictors of vulnerability to depression. The regression model accounted for 21.7% of the variance in vulnerability to depression scores.
The Theory of Planned Behaviour as Predictor of Entrepreneurial Intent Amongst Final-Year University Students
Authors: Gird Anthony , Bagraim Jeffrey J.
Published: March 2013

The theory of planned behaviour (TPB) was tested as a predictor of entrepreneurial intent amongst final-year commerce students at two universities in the Western Cape ( n = 247). The theoretical sufficiency of the theory was examined by considering four additional factors that are believed to influence entrepreneurial intention (i.e. personality traits, situational factors, prior exposure to entrepreneurship, and demographics). The results of the multivariate data analysis indicate that the TPB significantly explains 27% of the variance in students' entrepreneurial intentions. Of all the other purported predictors of entrepreneurial intent examined in this study, only prior exposure to entrepreneurship was found to significantly add to the predictive power of TPB in explaining entrepreneurship intention. Personality traits, demographic factors and situational factors did not add significantly to the variance explained by TPB. The findings therefore suggest that TPB is a valuable tool for predicting entrepreneurial intent.
Shifting Research Dynamics: Addressing Power and Maximising Participation through Participatory Research Techniques in Participatory Research
Authors: van der Riet Mary , Boettiger Merridy
Published: March 2013

Power dynamics in the research interaction are inevitable, particularly in research in rural contexts. Hierarchical and heterogeneous research groups, and the disproportionate power of the researcher in relation to the research participants, are some of the problems that create particular challenges for the social science researcher. Power relations within the research context also affect the way in which knowledge is generated. Participatory research (PR) acknowledges and actively addresses many of these power dynamics. Through the use of novel techniques, PR processes focus on maximising participation and facilitating the expression of multiple voices within the research context. The use of visual representations de-emphasises verbal fluency and also creates the potential for change. PR also has a specific focus on accessing the more marginalized and most disempowered sections of a community. Despite the power dynamics, PR methods enable participants to articulate, extend, and analyse their local knowledge. Using photographs of participatory activities, drawn from the Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tradition, several ways in which participatory research techniques alter some of these research dynamics are illustrated, e.g. who talks and who acts in the process; whose knowledge dominates in the process; whose language is used as a medium in the process; and how is the knowledge produced. The potential of participatory research engagements to enable participation, access local knowledge, and facilitate critical reflection is discussed. The combination of these factors activates the agency of the research participants, potentially effecting change.
Validation of a Test Battery for the Selection of Call Centre Operators in a Communications Company
Authors: Nicholls Michelle , Viviers A.M. , Visser Deléne
Published: March 2013

Our aim was to determine whether personality and ability measures can predict job performance of call centre operators in a South African communications company. The predictors were personality variables measured by the Customer Contact Styles Questionnaire, Basic Checking and Audio Checking ability tests. These measures were completed by 140 operators. Supervisors completed the Customer Contact Competency Inventory for the operators as a measure of job performance. Additional criterion data were utilised by obtaining performance statistics regarding call handling time and quality of responding. Correlations and multiple regression analyses revealed statistically significant small to medium effect size correlations between the predictors and criteria.
Manufacturing Willingness: Parents and Young People Talking about Sex in an HIV&AIDS Epidemic
Authors: Wilbraham Lindy
Published: March 2013

Responsive to the perceived high risks of HIV-infection by sexually active youth, several South African sexual health promotion campaigns have used media targeting parents/mothers, instructing them on how sex should be talked about with their children/youth to ‘risk-proof’ them. In this paper I examine how conversations about sex between apparently unwilling parents and young people are fabricated in selected loveLife print-media texts. A Foucauldian analysis of subject positioning explores how expert communication techniques are offered to set up ‘discussions’. I examine the implications for intergenerational communication of loveLife's use of a youth-culture discourse about adolescent agency alongside the familiar storm-and-stress discourse about adolescent deficits. I also explore how power is masked in figuring ‘open’, ‘willing’ and ‘conflict-free’ conversations about sexual issues.
Conceptual Considerations regarding Self-Disclosure: A Relational Psychoanalytic Perspective
Authors: Knight Zelda G.
Published: March 2013

Postmodernism opens up a new way of thinking about how life is understood and how knowledge is structured, and as such, it demands that one must accept that there have been major shifts in psychoanalytic thinking since Freud's time. The relational psychoanalytic perspective understands and structures knowledge differently from traditional psychoanalysis, as described by Freud, and it is not possible to reconcile these two paradigms. Consequently, both present a method for working with patients that is in stark contrast to each other. The relational perspective views the analytical relationship as mutual but asymmetrical, bi-directional, co-created and involves the dynamic inter-play of multiple subjectivities and multiple self-representations. Within this approach, I argue that self-disclosure is a respected technique, inevitable and a co-construction. In addition, there are objections to its use, regardless of theoretical approach, and they are presented and addressed.
Registered Counsellors and Professional Work in South African Psychology
Authors: Abel Esther , Louw Johann
Published: March 2013

All registered counsellors on the database of the Professional Board for Psychology of the Health Professions Council of South Africa were surveyed to establish their demographic characteristics and the nature of their employment. A relatively low number of counsellors (N = 256) have registered since the creation of the category “registered counsellor”, and not many register each year. Responses were from 82 counsellors (response rate 32.8%). Of the sample, only 46% are actually working as registered counsellors. The majority are white women who work in urban areas. Results also indicate that only 12 of them are working as full-time registered counsellors, while the rest work in some part-time capacity. The majority are quite negative about their chosen profession and about the role of the Professional Board. These results cast serious doubt on the likelihood that the category will live up to initial expectations.
Sexual Harassment of Women in the South African Navy
Authors: van Wijk Charles , Finchilescu Gillian , Tredoux Colin
Published: March 2013

We report on a study that investigated sexual harassment within the South African Navy. We firstly used a survey to examine the prevalence of sexual harassment in the shore-based fleet, just prior to the gender integration of naval ships, and found evidence of widespread sexual harassment. Secondly, we used interviews and focus groups to examine the experiences of sexual harassment on ships one year after gender integration, and found a relative absence of sexual harassment. A number of contributing factors are considered (e.g. methodological issues, organisational factors, contextual constructions of masculinity), before informal mechanisms of behaviour regulation (e.g. the enactment of informal discipline, and sailors' use of metaphors) are introduced as mechanisms to understand the differences between the survey and interview findings. We argue that using divergent methodological approaches would lead to a more nuanced understanding of the experiences around sexual harassment on navy ships.
South African Psychologists' Judgments of Widely Held Beliefs about Psychological Phenomena
Authors: Kagee Ashraf
Published: March 2013

Lay understandings of human cognition, affect, and behaviour often diverge from those informed by the findings of scientific investigations. In the present study I examined South African psychologists' judgments about the factual correctness of statements of psychological phenomena that have been demonstrated to be incorrect by empirical research. Forty-five psychologists responded to a mail survey and completed a questionnaire that required them to decide on the validity of a list of empirically untrue statements. The results show that a large proportion of psychologists indicated that they believed many incorrect statements to be probably or definitely true. These results are discussed with reference to the curricula of South African psychology training courses and the influence of popular culture on beliefs about human behaviour.
The Psychometric Properties of a Translated Version of the Survey Work-Home Interaction — Nijmegen (SWING) Instrument
Authors: Marais Carin , Mostert Karina , Geurts Sabine , Taris Toon
Published: March 2013

In this study we examined (1) the construct validity, construct equivalence, and reliability of two translations of the Survey Work-Home Interaction — Nijmegen (SWING); (2) the prevalence of work-home interaction; and (3) validity evidence based on relations with theoretically relevant external variables (i.e. job characteristics and indicators of well-being). The SWING questionnaire and a biographical questionnaire were translated into Afrikaans and Setswana and were administered, together with the original English version, among a cross-sectional sample of 685 members of the South African Police Service in North West Province. Structural equation modelling showed that a four-factor model, distinguishing between the direction (work-to-home vs. home-to-work) and the quality (positive vs. negative) of interaction, fitted the data best. The SWING was equivalent and reliable for the three language groups and relevant sub-groups. Participants reported more negative work-home interaction (WHI) than negative home-work interaction (HWI), and more positive HWI than positive WHI. Validity evidence was also provided based on the relations with external variables. In general, high levels of negative WHI were associated with job demands and a lack of job resources, while high levels of positive WHI were associated with lower demands and more job resources. Evidence was also provided for the relations between the SWING scales and four indicators of well-being (i.e. exhaustion, cynicism, professional efficacy and engagement). It is concluded that the SWING is a reliable and valid instrument to measure work-home interaction in South Africa.
Strangers, Patients, Monsters, Jailers, or Children: How South African Caregivers View Their Partners with Manganese Poisoning
Authors: Theron Linda C. , Gilgun Jane F.
Published: March 2013

Manganese poisoning (MP) is one of many chronic, degenerative conditions that result in spousal caregiver stress. Partners who were once fully functioning become strangers to those who love them. In time, spousal caregivers may come to view their erstwhile partners as patients, jailers, monsters, or bratty children. We explore spousal caregiver perceptions of loved ones with MP, based on the narrated experiences of five full-time South African carers and develop a typology of carer experiences, which contributes to an understanding of manganese poisoning, in particular, and to caregiving theory, in general. The findings contribute to practice by providing service providers with a rich understanding of carer stress and coping, in general, and the stress of those caring for partners with MP, in particular. Such richer understanding should extend service provider empathy and encourage appropriate, supportive intervention.
Exploring Religion, Race and Gender as Factors in the Life Satisfaction and Religiosity of Young South African Adults
Authors: Patel Cynthia J. , Ramgoon Sarojini , Paruk Zubeda
Published: March 2013

We explored differences in religious and existential well-being, religiosity, and life satisfaction among university students across religion, race, and gender, by using an adapted version of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS), the Religious Orientation Test (ROT), and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). A convenience sample of 235 students participated in the study. The females ( n = 188) reported significantly higher levels of religiosity and religious well-being than the males ( n = 47). The white students (n = 43) were found to have lower religiosity levels than their black ( n = 59) and Indian ( n = 133) counterparts and higher life satisfaction scores than the black students. In the Indian sub-sample, the Muslim ( n = 24) as well as the Christian ( n = 29) students had higher levels of religiosity than the Hindu ( n = 80) students. The Christian (Indian) students had significantly higher religious well-being scores than the Hindu (Indian) students. In line with past research, the correlations between life satisfaction, religiosity, and religious well-being were significant. As scores on the SWLS increased, levels of religiosity and religious well-being also increased. The implications of the findings and the limitations of the study are discussed.
A Qualitative Study of the Multiple Impacts of External Workplace Violence in Two Western Cape Communities
Authors: Bowman Brett , Bhamjee Fatima , Eagle Gillian , Crafford Anne
Published: March 2013

We explore the individual, organisational, familial, and community impacts of external workplace violence in a South African telecommunications company, as perceived and experienced by victims of such violence and the members of management mandated to manage and prevent it. Exposure to violence while working dramatically and directly affected the lives of the individual victims. Moreover, its impacts were felt across and within the organisational, familial, and community settings in which these individuals are located daily. The use of conventional crisis management strategies that are traditionally directed at addressing the individual impacts of trauma through specialised psychological interventions were perceived to be ineffective by all of the research participants. Our findings therefore call into question current understandings of the psychologist's role in managing violence in the workplace. Accordingly, ways of re-conceptualising the role and requisite skill set of psychologists working with or in organisations, where violence while working is an everyday reality, are suggested.
Measuring Meaning in Life in South Africa: Validation of an Instrument Developed in the USA
Authors: de Klerk Jeremias J. , Boshoff Adré B. , van Wyk René
Published: March 2013

Investigations into the construct of meaning in life is an important focus area of psychological research. Research has consistently shown a sense of meaning in life to be a significant correlate of mental health and well-being. Most of this research on meaning in life is conducted worldwide with instruments developed in North America. However, inter-cultural measurement of psychological constructs is a concern, as psychometric instruments in one culture are not necessarily transferable to different cultures. In this case study, we examine whether the Life Regard Index (LRI), developed in the USA and a popular scale for measuring meaning in life, is transferable to a sample from South Africa. The results confirm the construct validity of the LRI, but indicate that the LRI's factor structure has changed and two of the original 28 items were not part of the covariance structure. From these results, we conclude that the LRI is transferable to the South African sample, but not irrespectively and without adjustments. It should be used as a one-dimensional instrument with only 26 items before applying it to the South African sample. The study provides evidence that LRI, which was developed in the USA and became a popular instrument for measuring meaning in life, cannot be transferred indiscriminately to a South African sample. This insight contributes to the quality of future research studies in South Africa, not only on the important aspect of life meaning, but also when applying other psychometric instruments developed elsewhere.
Cognitive Processing and Narrative Discourse Production in Children with ADHD
Authors: Moonsamy Sharon , Jordaan Heila , Greenop Kirston
Published: March 2013

Children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have cognitive processing difficulties due to their disinhibition and attention deficits, which influence their scholastic performance. Cognitive processing also impacts on the production of oral narratives, an essential skill required for academic success. Therefore the relationship between cognitive processing and oral narratives is investigated. Thirty males, aged 9–11 years, were selected from English medium remedial schools and were assessed on the Cognitive Assessment System (CAS). The results were correlated to their performance on two narrative tasks, involving a Picture Sequence and a Personal Narrative. Measures of Cohesion and Coherence were analysed quantitatively. Participants' low Planning and Attention scores in this study confirmed the validity of the CAS as a diagnostic device for ADHD but were not significantly related to their oral narrative production. However, their approach to the task indicated insufficient use of planning. The structured task (picture sequence) yielded more complex stories than the unstructured task (personal narrative), which may be reflective of the participants' attention deficits. The findings suggest that narrative measures are useful instruments for oral language evaluation in children with ADHD. In addition, the importance of understanding oral narratives within a therapeutic situation is important for both therapist and child.