bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Comparability of General Scholastic Aptitude Test Scores across Different Population Groups
Authors: Claassen Nicolaas C.W.
Published: March 2013

The construct validity of the General Scholastic Aptitude Test (GSAT) for certain sub-populations was investigated. A one-factor structure was indicated for all groups considered. Differences between the factor structures of brown and white Afrikaans-speaking children were unacceptably large. It was shown that differences were related to level of achievement. With scholastic achievement in Physical Science and History as criteria, slight differences were observed between the regression lines of these groups. Differences could again be attributed to the general level of achievement of the groups. The findings are interpreted against the background of important differences between the experiential and ecological contexts in which the members of these sub-populations function.
Notions about Culture in Understanding Black Psychopathology: Are We Trying to Raise the Dead?
Authors: Gobodo Pumla
Published: March 2013

Psychologists in a variety of mental health settings in South Africa have to deal with patients from black population groups. The literature on the diagnosis and treatment of black patients has not only been scarce, but has been further diluted by the fact that there is no formalized structure in training institutions in this area. Furthermore, the resistance to discussing the crucial issues pertaining to proper intervention strategies for this group of patients is remarkable. The author argues that cultural relativity is especially important in our pluralistic society and that failure to recognize cultural diversity is reflective of the cultural assumptions of the dominant minority culture. The author further proposes that such assumptions have race and class implications in that they reflect antiquated racial and class attitudes.
Cardiovascular Reactivity Evoked by Means of Psychological and Physical Stressors
Authors: Pretorius P.J. , Malan N.T. , Huisman H.W. , Eloff F.C. , Laubscher P.J. , van der Merwe S.J. , de Klerk F.A.J.
Published: March 2013

Cardiovascular effects of several physical and psychological stressors were investigated. Indirect continuous blood pressure as well as heart-rate were recorded. Systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressure as well as heart-rate were recorded. Different patterns of cardiovascular activation during different stressors were obtained. The Valsalva manoeuvre evoked a basic negative feedback baro-receptor response. Physical exercise (bicycle ergometer stress) evoked an overriding of the baro-reflex sympathetic stimulation to fulfil metabolic needs. Psychological stressors such as a TV-game (‘space invaders’), a binary choice program and mental arithmetic produced a pattern of autonomic nervous stimulation which can be described as extra-metabolic or psychophysiological. Possible differences in reaction patterns between psychological stressors are discussed in the light of a literature study. ‘Active’ and ‘passive’ coping may be of importance.
Voorspellers van etniese houdings in 'n noue kontaksituasie
Authors: van Dyk Alta C.
Published: March 2013

Intergroepkontak en bepaalde voorwaardes waaraan kontaksituasies moet voldoen om gunstige etniese houdings tot gevolg te hê, het reeds baie aandag in navorsing gekry. Daar is egter meestal gefokus op oppervlakkige kontaksituasies, terwyl noue kontaksituasies tussen swart en witmense nie bestudeer is nie. Die doel van hierdie ondersoek was om 'n noue kontaksituasie, naamlik, die huisvrou-huishulp situasie, te bestudeer en om te bepaal watter veranderlikes in hierdie kontaksituasie gunstige houdings teenoor swartmense in die algemeen sal voorspel. Twee-en-negentig ewekansig geselekteerde plattelandse Afrikaans-sprekende vroue wat 'n swart huishulp in diens gehad het, het aan die ondersoek deelgeneem. Data vir die opnamestudie is met behulp van vraelyste ingewin. Dit blyk uit die resultate dat gunstige houdings teenoor swartmense in die algemeen betekenisvol voorspel word deur noue kontak en die sluit van vriendskapsbande tussen die wit huisvrou en haar swart huishulp; 'n gunstige houding teenoor die huishulp; die ervaring van kontak met swartmense as gunstig; en 'n toekomspersepsie van gunstige verhoudinge tussen wit en swartmense in Suid-Afrika.
Achievement Test Item Analysis: A Comparison of Traditional and Modern Methods
Authors: Wolfaardt Johannes B.
Published: March 2013

One of the great advantages of the modern approach to item and test analysis, namely, the Item Response Theory (IRT) over the traditional Classical Test Theory (CTT) is that item statistics such as the difficulty index and the discrimination index are not sample dependent. Very few research findings using IRT models have been published locally. Hoffman is one of the small group of researchers who have implemented IRT models in South Africa. The purpose of the present study was to compare CTT and IRT item and test analysis. Data from the multiple choice part of the 1988 examination paper on research methodology for 538 undergraduate UNISA Industrial Psychology students were used. Results showed that corresponding interpretations of item statistics (CTT) and item parameters (IRT) was possible under the two approaches. More or less the same conclusions could also be drawn with regard to evaluation of test statistics. The near-perfect correlation between test scores (CTT) and ability estimates (IRT) for the one-parameter model indicates that a great similarity exists between them.
The Comparability of the Scores of Blacks and Whites on the South African Personality Questionnaire: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Taylor T.R. , Boeyens J.C.A.
Published: March 2013

As the apartheid system crumbles, test populations become progressively more multi-cultural. Most tests, however, were created and standardized in the days when test populations were made up of a single cultural group. Not surprisingly, questions are increasingly being asked as to the comparability of test scores across cultures. As yet, very little comparability research has been done in the non-cognitive domain. In this article the authors examine the comparability of scores on the South African Personality Questionnaire (SAPQ) in two black and and two white samples. Construct comparability of the five scales was investigated using a number of techniques, including exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis; item bias was investigated through the application of a ‘multimethod-multisample’ strategy. An item analysis was also conducted. The results indicated modest support for the construct comparability of scales in both white and one black sample; but a majority of items failed to satisfy either the no-bias or the item-total correlation criteria. The Rigidity scale performed the worst and the Dominance scale the best. The findings indicate that the SAPQ cannot simply be patched up in order to make it suitable for cross-cultural applications. The authors believe that a clean-sheet approach is needed. They suggest a strategy for the creation of a new personality instrument suitable for cross-cultural use in South Africa.
Determinante van vereensaming tydens vroeë volwassenheid
Authors: Ferns Ilse
Published: March 2013

Hierdie Studie is uitgevoer om spesifieke determinante van vereensaming tydens vroeë volwassenheid te identifiseer. Die ondersoek is gedoen deur middel van vraelyste wat deur 'n ewekansig geselekteerde steekproef van 294 proefpersone tussen die ouderdomme 20 en 34 jaar voltooi is. Betekenisvolle verbande is gevind ten opsigte van vereensaming tydens vroeë volwassenheid en huwelikstatus, ervaring van huidige huwelik, aantal vriende, bestaan van 'n vertroueling al dan nie, kontak met eie familie, verlange na 'n spesifieke persoon en die verbreking van 'n liefdes- of vriendskapsverhouding. Kontak met bure blyk egter nie 'n belangrike determinant van vereensaming te wees nie. Geen betekenisvolle verbande ten opsigte van Jong volwassenes se geslag, woonomgewing, tipe behuising en lewenswyse en die mate van vereensaming wat hulle ervaar, is gevind nie. Gebrek aan sosiale kontak en interaksie blyk dus belangrike determinante van vereensaming tydens vroeë volwassenheid te wees. Dit is egter duidelik dat vereensaming nie 'n eenvoudige verskynsel is nie. Dit blyk eerder 'n verskynsel met vele dimensies in terme van die determinante en die subjektiewe belewing daarvan te wees.
Psychology: The High Road or the Low Road?
Authors: Mauer K.F. , Marais H.C. , Prinsloo R.J.
Published: March 2013

The interests of psychologists in South Africa as reflected in the publications that have appeared during the past five years were assessed by means of a classification in terms of the psychological index terms developed by the American Psychological Association. The authors arrive at the conclusion that while some of the important issues that ought to be addressed in terms of the socio-political problems of the country, and the unique contribution which psychologists are capable of making, receive attention, the level of involvement may be less than is desirable. On the basis of this analysis an advocacy role for South African psychologists is promoted as’ an approach to ensuring that psychology makes the kind of contribution to the country and its people which is in line with its role of a helping profession.
Views of Medical Practitioners and Psychologists on the Inadequacies of the Biomedical Model and the Role of Psychologists in its Extension
Authors: Papaikonomou Maria
Published: March 2013

Today, health providers are reawakening to the significant role that humanism plays in helping people get well and maintaining a high level of well-being. As medical science has rapidly developed with new drugs, treatments and instruments, there is a genuine concern that the humanistic dimensions of health care have not paralleled these scientific achievements. In this article the author indicates that we are faced with the necessity and the challenge of broadening our approach to disease to include the psychosocial, without sacrificing the enormous advantages of the biomedical model. The results of this study indicated that the majority of medical practitioners in urban and rural areas acknowledge psychologists as having an important role to play within the medical setting. These findings are discussed and the importance of psychosomatic medicine, holism and a multidisciplinary approach towards the treatment of medical disorders is emphasized.
Test Bias: The Validity of the Junior Aptitude Tests (JAT) for Various Population Groups in South Africa regarding Constructs Measured
Authors: Owen K.
Published: March 2013

The Junior Aptitude Tests (JAT) were administered to black, white, coloured and Indian pupils in Std 7 to determine whether the test battery measures the same psychological constructs in the various population groups. Factor analyses of the intercorrelations of the JAT test scores showed a three-factor solution for each of the groups. In the case of the white pupils (the reference group) these three factors were tentatively identified as a spatial, a memory and a verbal factor. These constructs were subsequently specified in a LISREL-type model and fitted to the data for all four population groups by means of the computer program RAMONA. Although a poor fit was obtained the same measure of fit was obtained for all four population groups. This finding points firstly to the absence of bias in the construct validity of the JAT and secondly to a greater resemblance between the cognitive structures of the different cultural groups in the RSA than is generally believed. The use of language in tests appears to be a potential source of bias in the case of the black pupils.
Mental Health for all — Moving beyond Rhetoric
Authors: Freeman Melvyn
Published: March 2013

With the prospect of a non-racial democratic society in South Africa in the foreseeable future comes an increased possibility of ‘mental health for all’. Included in the requirements to achieve this are a fundamental commitment from all in the field, and policy leading in this direction. In this article everyone in mental health is challenged, and psychologists in particular, to assist in achieving a society more conducive to mental health and promoting equity in mental health care. It is suggested that psychologists need to be more active in promoting an understanding of mental health (including its relation to social policies) and in influencing government on detrimental psychological effects of political policies. Options through which greater mental health care may become available to all are put forward.
Childhood Sexual Abuse in a Sample of South African University Males: Prevalence and Risk Factors
Authors: Collings Steven J.
Published: March 2013

Using a retrospective questionnaire approach, the current study explored the prevalence of child sexual abuse in a sample of 284 South African university men. The definition of child sexual abuse used in the study included all unwanted contact or non-contact sexual experience involving a child of 17 years or younger. Eighty-two respondents (28,9%) reported a total of 91 experiences of contact (36,3%) and non-contact (63,7%) sexual abuse which met this definition. However, different definitions of abuse yielded markedly different prevalence rates. After controlling for definitional and methodological sources of variation, the prevalence rate obtained for the South African sample did not differ significantly from those reported in studies of American college men. Factors which were found to increase the risk of victimization included respondent's race (i.e. being black), being raised by parents who were punitive or emotionally rejecting, and separation from the natural father for a major portion of childhood.
Steekproefgroottes in plaaslik gepubliseerde psigologiese navorsing
Authors: Huysamen G.K.
Published: March 2013

Die krag van 'n statistiese toets is onder meer 'n funksie van die effekgrootte (d.i. die afwyking van die ware populasiewaarde van dié in die nulhipotese gepostuleer) en steekproefgrootte. In hierdie ondersoek is kragwaardes vir die opsporing van klein, matige en groot effekgroottes soos deur Cohen gedefinieer, bepaal vir elke artikel wat enige van die standaard- statistiese beduidendheidstoetse gebruik het en van 1980 tot 1989 in die Suid-Afrikaanse Tydskrif vir Sielkunde gepubliseer is. 'n Tweekantige toets met α = 0,05 is veronderstel. Die resultate suggereer dat die gemak waarmee proefpersone gehanteer word 'n rol speel in die steekproefgrootte wat plaaslike navorsers gebruik. Gevolglik is die krag van eksperimentele ondersoeke geneig is om te laag te wees, terwyl die hoër krag by groter steekproewe nie by die interpretasie van statisties beduidende resultate in berekening gebring word nie. Wanneer groot steekproewe moeilik haalbaar is, word Cohen se strategie vir die bepaling van die optimale steekproefgrootte aanbeveel om te voorkom dat navorsing met onaanvaarbaar lae krag onderneem word. Hierdie prosedure vereis dat die prakties of teoreties betekenisvolle effekgrootte en die krag om dit op te spoor vooraf gespesifiseer word. Wanneer groot steekproewe maklik hanteerbaar is, word Serlin en Lapsley se benadering voorgestel waarvolgens saamgestelde nulhipoteses wat die betekenisvolle effekgrootte reflekteer, getoets word.
Introduction to the Special Issue: Race, Social Attitudes, and Prejudice
Authors: Duckitt John , Foster Don
Published: March 2013

Although the socio-political circumstances of South Africa have made the issues of race, social attitudes, and prejudice highly salient ones, South African psychologists, with the exception of MacCrone, have not yet made major descriptive or explanatory contributions in the area. Several reasons for this are considered in the context of a brief overview of this work. It is suggested that there are indications that this has begun to change recently, and that this together with important socio-political changes in the country makes this a particularly appropriate time for a special issue of the SAJP on the subject. Finally, some implications of the contributions to this issue for the development of the field are briefly discussed.
Stereotype Reduction Workshop
Authors: Louw-Potgieter J. , Kamfer L. , Boy R.G.
Published: March 2013

In this paper an organizational intervention in intergroup relations, the Stereotype Reduction Workshop, is described. Outlines of the content, group dynamic processes, theoretical underpinnings and impact of the Stereotype Reduction Workshop are presented.
Understanding Intra-Group Variations in Prejudice — The Role of Perceived Legitimacy and Stability
Authors: Finchilescu Gillian , de la Rey Cheryl
Published: March 2013

Social Identity Theory predicts that the pattern of intergroup behaviour is a function of the relative status of the groups involved, and the perceived security of this hierarchy. Insecurity of social identity arises if the intergroup situation is seen as unstable and/or illegitimate. In this paper the authors suggest that these factors may also contribute to intra-group variations in outgroup discrimination and hostility. This was empirically investigated using black and white students from a South African university, at a time when social change appeared imminent. A measure of perceptions of status, stability and legitimacy was developed, and the effect of these perceptions on attitudes and various measures of discrimination tested. A consistent finding was that of the white subjects, those who perceived the intergroup situation as illegitimate, gave significantly less discriminatory responses than did those who perceived it as legitimate. The results provide support for some of the theoretical predictions.
The Development and Validation of a Subtle Racism Scale in South Africa
Authors: Duckitt John
Published: March 2013

Research on the concept of symbolic or modern racism has shown that transparent and obvious measures of traditional racism no longer adequately reflect racial prejudice in many American sub-populations. There are indications that this may also be the case for certain segments of the white South African population, particularly in the case of university students who have been the typical subjects of research on prejudice. Traditional measures of prejudice may also be viewed as offensive by subjects and elicit antagonistic reactions. The present study therefore set out to develop and validate a new, more indirect, and subtle measure of anti-black racial prejudice designed to overcome these problems. The results ( N = 217) indicated that the Subtle Racism scale was unidimensional, highly reliable, and showed powerful associations with a number of validity criteria. It clearly outperformed a more traditional measure of racism in all respects.
The Reproduction of Racism in South African Mental Health Care
Authors: Swartz Leslie
Published: March 2013

In an attempt to avoid reproducing apartheid ideology, some South African psychologists have tended to minimize cultural differences and emphasize universalism. Relativism and universalism in practice, though, are closely intertwined as an analysis of some local transcultural psychiatry literature shows. Similarly, racist and nonracist mental health care occur together in certain contexts. The development of less racist mental health care in South Africa will depend not solely on the rejection of racism but also on the recognition that traditions of racism are woven into the fabric of care.
Anti-Authoritarianism and Political Activism
Authors: Meloen Jos
Published: March 2013

A relationship between anti-authoritarianism and self-reported overt actions expressing resistance against authorities (demonstrations, boycotts etc.) has been proposed. In a 1985 survey of a national random sample of the Dutch population using a shortened F scale, the relationship did not appear to be particularly strong (0,34), but was nevertheless highly significant and consistent. For some subsamples such as anti-authoritarians, students and the highly educated the relationship was much stronger. Authoritarianism contributed independently to an explanation of resistance behaviour, next to education and political preference. Some 25% of the sample reported having participated in one or more acts of resistance over the previous five years. Some 63% behaved in consistency with their anti-authoritarian or authoritarian predisposition. The results are interpreted as supporting the theory of Adorno et al.
A Life-Span Development Orientation. The Relevance of Chronological Age in Life-Span Developmental Psychology: A Theoretical Observation
Authors: du Toit M.K.
Published: March 2013

An exposition is given of the relative significance of chronological age in human developmental psychology. Some theoretical concepts in life-span developmental psychology are discussed in so far as they relate to age categorization. It is concluded that knowledge of the individual's experience of age deserves greater attention and that this can be accomplished by application of the phenomenological research approach.
An Interactional Approach to Creativity
Authors: Smuts H. Elsabé
Published: March 2013

Traditionally creativity is viewed in an intrapsychic framework: creative persons are seen in isolation and creativity is considered to consist primarily of subjective processes occurring within such people. Creativity is usually explained in linear terms of cause and effect, ignoring the social space which implies other people, relationships and interactions. This traditional approach has resulted in a largely fragmented, diversified, contentious and idiosyncratic field of research. The author, by contrast, works in an interpsychic framework, in terms of which people are continually engaged in relationships and interaction, and creativity as a form of behaviour is motivated interpersonally. Creativity is explained in terms of the circular processes occurring among people through interaction and mutual influencing of behaviour. An interactional definition and a theoretical model of creativity are postulated, offering a more holistic perspective on the phenomenon as a continuous quality involving person, process, product and environment. Such an interactional conception of creativity transcends scientific and professional boundaries as well as the diversity of human activities, actions, responses and products; it also allows for the spirit of the times and cultural and other social variations. Thus there is a shift from an intrapsychic explanatory model to a more pragmatic interpsychic observational model of creativity.
The Limits of a (Classical) Realist Account of the Beliefs, Projects and Life of Self and Others
Authors: Craig A.P.
Published: March 2013

In this paper I unravel the limits of a (classical) realist account of social life. More particularly, I focus on the universes of meaning surrounding a public actor/event: F.W. de Klerk and the 2 February (1990) opening of parliament speech. The results suggest different sources of meaning and a multi-form to personhood which opens the meaningful possibilities exchanged during communication. As an object of meaning, this actor/event is understood by others in ways which underline the possibilities for role conflict; not only between persons but also within a person.
The Tenacity of Sex-Role Stereotypes
Authors: Prinsloo Casper H.
Published: March 2013

The Feminist Movement, technological developments and economic changes have led to sex-role confusion. This confusion has influenced thinking about sex-role identity and sex-role stereotypes, which are also seen as a form of prejudice. Counsellors, therapists, theologians, employers, spouses and others are regularly confronted by this confusion. South African sex-role stereotypes have never been assessed nor have they been compared with findings from studies in other cultures. Following a careful conceptualization, a theoretical exposition and an overview of existing instruments and research results, data on local sex-role stereotypes were collected by means of a postal survey in order to establish a baseline of the stereotypical nature and social desirability of 171 characteristics. This information is necessary for the construction of a local sex-role identity scale. The findings indicated that local stereotypes are similar to those found in 25 cultures abroad, although African and western respondents evaluated certain stereotypes differently. The implications of the findings are considered.
Meditation — An Adjunct to School Guidance?
Authors: Knight Zelda , Euvrard George
Published: March 2013

One of the major aims of school guidance and counselling programmes is to promote personal growth. A practice which is enjoying continuing attention and is claimed as being a valuable tool for personal growth, is meditation. Could meditation be used profitably in the school situation? This case study reports on the experiences of a high school girl who participated in a three-month Vipassana meditation programme, and documents the personal growth which took place. Some implications of this for school guidance programmes are discussed.
The Cross-Cultural Application of Analytical Psychology: A Consideration of the Research of M. Vera Bührmann
Authors: Roper Ken
Published: March 2013

M. Vera Bührmann has played an influential role in the development of cross-cultural psychiatry in South Africa. The Jungian paradigm on which she bases her work, however, has a racist element which cannot and should not be ignored in the South African context. Bührmann's own interpretation of Jung is not as overtly evolutionist as some of Jung's own writings. Methodological issues pertinent to her work include her use of a subjective perspective, the representativeness of her respondents and her assumptions about their views, and her relative neglect of sociopolitical and economic issues. Bührmann makes an important contribution to local work, but one which has the significant limitation of an essentialist view of culture.
The Cross-Cultural Utility of the SAPQ — Bias or Fruitful Differences?
Authors: Retief Alexis
Published: March 2013

The article is a reply to Taylor and Boeyens's (1990, 1991) investigation of the cross-cultural utility of the SAPQ. Although their conclusions about a lack of evidence favouring utility are agreed with, it is argued that certain important variables operate in the domain of cross-cultural personality assessment, necessitating a different interpretation of traditional concepts relating to bias and item incomparability. The guiding assumption of a search for dimensions that remain unitary or invariant is also questioned. Based on this analysis, a pragmatic test construction strategy is advocated where causes behind differences in patterns of responding are investigated in order to yield core constructs that may vary in cross-cultural application. Such a test construction strategy also has the potential of yielding indices of acculturation.
Development of the Goal Setting Support Scale GSSS: Subordinate Assessment of Supervisory Support in the Goal-Setting Process
Authors: Ballantine Kim , Nunns Christopher G. , Brown Sarah
Published: March 2013

Goal setting has been described as one of the most valid and effective theories of work motivation. In this study the authors report on the development of the Goal Setting Support Scale (GSSS), a self-report measure of supervisory support received, designed specifically for the goal-setting process. Supervisory support is identified as an important element of the goal-setting process, yet existing measures are criticized for being inadequate. To address this, the proposed scale is based conceptually on House's typology of social support. Based on the findings across four managerial samples ( N = 369), the measure evidenced favourable psychometric properties. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Boolean Prediction Analysis under Scrutiny
Authors: Heidema Johannes , Labuschagne Willem A. , Pistorius Martha C.
Published: March 2013

Boolean Prediction Analysis is a method, based on Boolean algebra, for deriving prediction equations. This study examines some limitations of the method and adapts the method accordingly. The modification is achieved with the aid of a probabilistic measure of relevance, which also constitutes a simple tool for determining whether, and how, continuous variables can be dichotomized so as to render Boolean Prediction Analysis applicable. An illustrative application of the new technique is presented for purposes of comparison with the original approach.
The Reliability of Manuscript Evaluation for the South African Journal of Psychology
Authors: Plug Cornells
Published: March 2013

The peer review process is widely used to evaluate manuscripts for publication in scientific journals. Yet the reliability of recommendations about the suitability of manuscripts has been found to be quite low: the weighted mean of the single-reviewer reliability for a variety of journals is only 0,29. This paper describes a study of the evaluation of manuscripts submitted to the South African Journal of Psychology (SAJP) from 1988 to 1990. Single-reviewer reliability was found to be 0,34, slightly (but not significantly) above the mean for high status overseas journals. An investigation of other aspects of the review process indicates that peer review is useful to both authors and editors despite its shortcomings. Most of the recommended improvements of peer review suggested recently were incorporated into the SAJP's review process several years ago.
Options and Directions for Psychology within a Framework for Mental Health Services in South Africa
Authors: Kriegler Susan
Published: March 2013

Structural problems in mental health services conjoined with attitudinal barriers are the cause of inadequate mental health care in South Africa. However, the major reason for the failure of psychology to address the needs of the majority lies in training deficiencies. In spite of the potential cost benefits of psychotherapy and prevention by way of counselling and educative interventions, psychologists are not perceived or employed as primary members of mental health teams. In schools they are rapidly losing ground. The profession is disempowered to position itself strategically to become a significant roleplayer in the ‘new’ South Africa. Affirmative action for psychology is needed. Ways in which the state may help are suggested, including the creation of more posts and training opportunities in health care settings, as well as use of the school as a locus for health and mental health care delivery. The author concludes with a call to the profession to get its own house in order by way of self-regenerating actions in the areas of training, addressing political and cross-cultural issues, and service delivery.
Reactions of Black and white Children to TV Violence in South Africa: 1987–1991
Authors: Botha M.P. , van Vuuren D.P.
Published: March 2013

Violence became an upsetting factor within the socio-political realities of South Africa and the struggle for and against apartheid: thousands of people have lost their lives in political violence since the 1980s. Due to severe media restrictions under the emergency regulations in the 1980s, the exact nature of township violence and police actions were seldom shown on local television or reported in the press. Since 2 February 1990 with the repeal of the media regulations, images of mass action, township violence and clashes between the police and demonstrators became an everyday reality on South African television screens. In this transitional society, a new world with a definite culture of violence, issues such as the reactions of black and white adolescents, to scenes of violence and interracial conflict in local television broadcasts were investigated in a research project amongst adolescents from 52 areas in Johannesburg and Pretoria. The correspondence between initial levels of aggression and perceptions regarding fictional and non-fictional programme contents (being measured by means of questionnaires), as well as the differences between the perceptions of the whites and blacks regarding the programme contents, were investigated. It seems that regarding the non-fictional portrayal of violence in the South African media, white adolescents are more desensitized than black adolescents who live within these conditions every day. Black adolescents may enjoy fictional programmes with physical violence more than white adolescents, but they experience more anxiety during exposure to non-fictional portrayals of events similar to the realities in the townships. They therefore tend to rate the level of violence depicted in news broadcasts higher than white adolescents. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Die ontwikkeling en evaluering van 'n ontwikkelingstimulasieprogram vir swart kleuters
Authors: Herbst Ingrid , Schoeman W.J. , Huysamen G.K.
Published: March 2013

Baie swart skoolbeginners is nie skoolgereed nie. Navorsing het aangetoon dat voorkomende optrede deur die blootstel van jong kinders aan gepaste, vroeë stimulerende ervarings 'n waardevolle bydrae tot die ontwikkelingstake wat vir skooltoetrede van belang is, kan lewer. Afgesien van hul waarde, kan bestaande programme nie sonder meer vir die plaaslike populasie gebruik word nie. Probleme soos die lae opvoedkundige kwalifikasies van versorgende personeel, die groot aantal kinders per personeellid en die gebrek aan fondse en speeltoerusting by fasiliteite, het 'n verdere beperkende invloed ten opsigte van effektiewe intervensie. Met inagneming van die behoeftes en omstandighede van die plaaslike populasie, is 'n ontwikkelingstimulasieprogram deur aksienavorsing ontwikkel en by vier ewekansig verkreë, verteenwoordigende fasiliteite vir swart kleuters geïmplementeer. Die program is eenvoudig en prakties van aard, goedkoop om te implementeer, en kan tyd-effektief deur personeellede met minimale kwalifikasies toegepas word. Kovariansieontledings, met ouderdom en voortoetstellings as kovariante, is in 'n tweerigtingontwerp, waarin program versus geen program en opvoedkundige speelgoed versus selfgemaakte speelgoed volledig gekruis is, gedoen. Die resultate suggereer dat die program effektief in die verbetering van sowel kognitiewe as motoriese ontwikkelingstake was en dat gekoopte opvoedkundige speelgoed meer effektief was as tuisgemaakte speelgoed. Aangesien die interaksie nie beduidend was nie, blyk dit dat die program se effektiwiteit nie van die gebruik van gekoopte opvoedkundige speelgoed afhanklik was nie.
Conversation Analysis: What is it, Can Psychologists use it?
Authors: Kottler Amanda E. , Swartz Sally
Published: March 2013

Conversation analysis offers valuable insight into how particular goals are achieved in conversation and is therefore a useful methodology to employ in psychological research. The aim of this article is to introduce the theoretical background and practice of conversation analysis. A review of some of the important literature in the area is introduced, after which the authors give some examples of psychological research which has combined conversation analysis with what is introduced broadly as ‘discourse-analytic research’. The authors' aim is to demonstrate that conversation analysis can and does make a significant contribution to psychological research. This is particularly important in South Africa (and elsewhere) where language is often used to obscure racist discourses and to hide different layers of meaning about conflicting interests. These strategic processes need to be explored, analysed, and published.
The Premenstrual Syndrome: Perceived Stress and Coping Efficacy
Authors: Burrage Janet , Schomer Helgo
Published: March 2013

Twelve women suffering from premenstrual syndrome (PMS) were monitored over eight weeks to focus on the psychological processes involved in this menstrual disorder. PMS symptomatology, perceived stress, and coping efficacy were examined. Significant cyclical changes occurred in all three variables with the highest deviations appearing premenstrually. The relationship between coping strategies and the severity of symptoms was also studied. Qualitative analysis revealed themes pertinent to an understanding of PMS. It is suggested that alternative treatment options besides pharmacological intervention should be made available to PMS sufferers.
Family Therapy Outcome in Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa
Authors: le Grange Daniel
Published: March 2013

Anorexia nervosa is a serious psychosomatic illness which often follows a prolonged course. Recent long-term follow-up studies have indicated high mortality rates. It is therefore necessary to search for effective methods of treatment which could improve the outcome in anorexia nervosa. One controlled trial which evaluated the efficacy of different forms of psychological treatments has shown that family therapy is the superior treatment for patients with an early onset and short duration of illness. In this article I review the development of family therapy for anorexia nervosa with specific emphasis on the controlled family treatment studies at the Maudsley Hospital in London. The efficacy of outpatient family therapy for weight restitution in malnourished anorexia nervosa patients, and some effective ingredients of this treatment approach, are discussed.
Psychodynamic Aspects of Demonic Possession and Satanic Worship
Authors: Ivey Gavin
Published: March 2013

The phenomena of demonic possession and Satanic ritual involvement are understandable within a demonological discourse as the psychic infiltration of malevolent supernatural entities. However, those rejecting the demonological model, but who wish to make psychological sense out of these phenomena, are frustrated by the lack of academically sound psychological material on the subject. In this article I address this lacuna by developing an object relations psychoanalytic model of both involuntary demonic possession, and voluntary Satanic ritual participation. I begin by examining the Freudian understanding of demonic possession, using the classical psychoanalytic paradigm. The Freudian model is criticized as being too limited, and an alternative object relations model, based on the theories of Melanie Klein and Ronald Fairbairn, is proposed. A case study is used to advance the idea that the internalization of a bad paternal object constitutes the developmental nucleus of demonic possession. The intrusive return of the projected bad object relation gives rise to the experience of possession. In voluntary Satanic worship, however, a different dynamic involving the individual's identification with the bad object suggests itself. The unconscious motivation for this identification arises from the child's experience of vulnerability and powerlessness at the hands of the persecutory parent. Identification with this bad object, symbolized by Satan, gives the individual a sense of personal power and control over his/her life. Satanic involvement thus compensates for the original childhood narcissistic injury.
Coping, Androgyny, and Attributional Style
Authors: Spangenberg Judora J. , Lategan Therése P.
Published: March 2013

To examine the impact of androgyny and attributional style on coping ability, a demographic questionnaire, the Zeitlin Coping Inventory, the Bem Sex-role Inventory and the Attributional Style Questionnaire were completed by 301 first-year students at the University of Stellenbosch. It was found that androgynous female subjects displayed significantly better coping abilities than female subjects with feminine, masculine, or undifferentiated sex-role orientations. No significant difference was found between coping abilities of androgynous and masculine male subjects, although both androgynous and masculine males showed significantly better coping abilities than males with feminine or undifferentiated sex-role orientations. Regarding a specific aspect of coping, namely flexibility of coping style, both male and female subjects with androgynous sex-role orientations displayed significantly more flexibility in their coping styles than subjects of any other sex-role type. Regarding attributional style, a significant positive correlation was found between good coping ability and an internal, stable, and global attributional style for positive events. A significant positive correlation was likewise found between good coping ability and an external, unstable, and specific attributional style for negative events. The conclusion was drawn that androgyny and an adaptive attributional style served as important coping resources.
The Psycho-Social Context of Career Counselling in South African Schools
Authors: Naicker Anand
Published: March 2013

In this article the author examines the role and relevance of career counselling in schools, as an aspect of the school psychological services. In particular, the psycho-social aspects of career counselling are studied against the background of education for democracy in a changing South African society. A major argument advanced in that the training programmes of school career counsellors should be made more relevant to the specific social and educational needs of disadvantaged pupils. This would mean effecting changes in some prevailing practices, and adopting different paradigmatic perspectives when viewing career counselling for a new South African society. In the movement away from rigid social control, mechanistic and behaviouristic tendencies towards emancipatory practices, both psychological as well as sociological perspectives will have to be taken into account. This will enable youngsters to discover their strengths and weaknesses and to be able to respond creatively to the prevailing socio-economic constraints which influence job choices.
Social Identity versus Personal Identity: An Investigation into the Interaction of group and Personal Status with Collective Self-Esteem on Ingroup Favouritism
Authors: Robins E.M. , Foster D.
Published: March 2013

In this study the authors investigated the effects of three independent variables, personal status (high, low, neutral), group status (high, low, neutral) and private collective self-esteem (CSE), on three dependent variables: ingroup favouritism, self-favouritism, and the difference between these two measures — ‘self versus ingroup favouritism’. Personal and group status were manipulated by providing bogus test feedback to 225 school children aged between 13–15 years. It was found that subjects with high CSE showed greater ingroup relative to self-favouritism (‘self vs ingroup favouritism’) than subjects with low CSE but only when group status was neutral or high. When group status was low there was little difference between high and low CSE subjects. A second study on the validity of private collective self-esteem found that it was moderately correlated with Jewish identification, and not correlated with subtle racism.
The Reliability and Factorial Validity of a Multidimensional Measure of Psychological Symptomatology in South Africa
Authors: Duckitt John
Published: March 2013

The Psychiatric Symptom Index (PSI) was originally developed and validated on a large sample of Chicago residents as a 29-item self-report measure of psychological distress (Ilfeld, 1976b). It has a number of advantages that make it suitable for use in community surveys: relative brevity, a clear and meaningful multidimensional structure, and promising initial evidence for reliability and validity. Since there appears to have been little cross-validation of the PSI, the present study set out to assess its reliability and factorial validity in a large, nationally representative sample of white South Africans ( N = 782). The findings indicated good internal consistency reliability, and excellent factorial validity for the four subscales of anger, anxiety, depression, and cognitive disturbance. The PSI scales also showed an appropriate degree of independence from each other except for depression and anxiety where the intercorrelation was somewhat high. It was found that shorter depression and anxiety subscales would be adequately reliable and reduce this overlap. Finally, normative data are reported for use with white South African samples.
Attitudes of Students at the University of Transkei towards Premarital Sex
Authors: Mayekiso Tokozile V.
Published: March 2013

The present study investigated the attitudes of students towards premarital sex. The sample consisted of 90 students residing on campus at the University of Transkei. The Sexual Attitude Inventory (Eysenck, 1971) was used to collect data. The findings suggested a positive attitude of both males and females towards premarital sex. No significant gender-related differences were found in the attitude of the sample towards premarital sex.
AIDS-Risk among Street Children and Youth: Implications for Intervention
Authors: Richter Linda M. , Swart-Kruger Jill
Published: March 2013

With the co-operation of staff and volunteers from non-governmental programmes in nine South African cities, focus group discussions were held with 141 street children and youth, 79 of whom were enrolled in shelter programmes while 62 were still living independently on the streets. The group discussions focused on knowledge about transmission and prevention, attitudes towards AIDS and people with AIDS, and sexual and other behaviours related to AIDS risk. Both quantitative and qualitative information on the topics covered was extracted from the transcriptions of the discussions. The results indicated that, on a superficial level, South African street youth possessed relatively good knowledge about transmission and prevention. However, a more critical analysis showed that knowledge is obscured by moral imputations. In addition, street youth disclosed extremely negative attitudes to condoms and to people with AIDS. Accounts of sexual behaviour confirmed that street children and youth engage in a number of high-risk behaviours. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for intervention and, in particular, the inadequacies of the Health Belief Model and related theories, as the sole theoretical foundation for the design of intervention programmes.
Mothers of Children with Facial Cleft Deformities: Reactions and Effects
Authors: van Staden Fred , Gerhardt Clara
Published: March 2013

This descriptive study deals with maternal reactions to the birth of a child with a facial cleft deformity as well as the effects it had on their family and marital life. An open-ended questionnaire was distributed to a population of 204 mothers of children up to the age of 10 years attending a facial cleft deformity clinic. A response rate of 67,6% was obtained and the research group consisted of 138 married mothers from lower to middle income families with a mean age of 32 years. It was found that initial reactions to their children's deformity coupled with their reappraisals over time reflect a process of mourning where initial shock and disorganization resulted in most cases in a phase of reorganization. A progressive change from loss and threat appraisals to assessing the situation primarily as a challenge was noted. The birth of the child had both straining and strengthening effects on family life and on marital relations. In descending order, the effects on family life were reported to have influenced interpersonal relations, organizational aspects of the household, behavioural patterns, social life and personal well-being. Marital relationships were mostly strengthened as a result of taking responsibility for dealing with the child's deformity. Straining effects focused primarily on emotional rejection and behavioural withdrawal.