Listening to Black African Psychologists’ Experiences of Social and Academic Inclusion: Incorporating Indigenous Knowledge Systems into the Curriculum

The aim of the current study was to explore Black African registered and intern psychologists’ experiences of academic and social inclusion during their professional training. In particular, the study examined how and if indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) were part of the curriculum. The participants’ experiences of social and cultural inclusion during professional training were also explored. Fourteen registered and intern psychologists participated in the study: 10 females and four males. Purposive and snowball sampling were used. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and were analysed using thematic analysis. The majority of the participants expressed a deep sense of academic and social exclusion during their training. They indicated that there was little coverage of indigenous knowledge systems in their training, with limited or no exposure to psychological perspectives that derive from Africentric or African-centred theoretical, epistemological or axiological frameworks. They detailed the challenges they experienced due to the complex group/racial dynamics between the black and white students, where the majority of the training staff are white. Another challenge was the use of English as the language of instruction, both in terms of their understanding of psychological concepts and their ability to translate these concepts into practice. This resulted in young psychologists experiencing difficulties with their professional identity during and after training. The paper discusses these findings and makes recommendations for the meaningful incorporation of indigenous knowledge systems (IKS), into professional training

Students views on the inclusion of multicultural perspectives into the psychology curriculum at two South African universities : an Afrocentric analysis.

Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2012.This research investigated students‘ views on the inclusion of multicultural perspectives into the psychology curriculum at two South African universities.54 students from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) and a university in the Gauteng province participated in the research. The age of the participants ranged from 20-40 years. Purposive sampling was used to collect the data. Using a competency scale adjusted to suit a South African context participants were asked their views on a) the practice and supervision of psychology b) diversity in student representation c) students were also asked to rate how competent they were in multicultural issues d) research considerations e) if the physical environment reflected diversity. The students were of the view that South African universities have not adequately incorporated multicultural issues, African perspectives in particular, into the curriculum. The recommendations for future research, including curriculum transformation, are highlighted

A review of the integration of traditional, complementary and alternative medicine into the curriculum of South African medical schools

Background: Traditional, complementary and alternative (TCAM) medicine is consumed by a large majority of the South African population. In the context of increasing overall demand for healthcare this paper investigates the extent to which South African medical schools have incorporated TCAM into their curriculum because of the increased legislative and policy interest in formally incorporating TCAM into the health care system since democracy in 1994. Methods: Heads of School from seven South African medical schools were surveyed telephonically. Results: One school was teaching both Traditional African Medicine (TM) and CAM, five were teaching either TM or CAM and another was not teaching any aspect of TCAM. Conclusions: In conclusion, there is a paucity of curricula which incorporate TCAM. Medical schools have not responded to government policies or the contextual realities by incorporating TCAM into the curriculum for their students. South African medical schools need to review their curricula to increase their students' knowledge of TCAM given the demands of the population and the legislative realities

Evaluating traditional healers knowledge and practices related to HIV testing and treatment in South Africa

Background: In a context of inadequate human resources for health, this study investigated whether traditional healers have the knowledge and skill base which could be utilised to assist in the scaling up of HIV prevention and treatment services in South Africa. Methods: Using a cross-sectional research design a total of 186 traditional healers from the Northern Cape province were interviewed. Responses on the following topics were obtained: socio-demographic characteristics; HIV training, experience and practices; and knowledge of HIV transmission, prevention and symptoms. Descriptive statistics and chi square tests were used to analyse the responses. Results: Traditional healers' knowledge of HIV and AIDS was not as high as expected. Less than 50% of both trained and untrained traditional healers would treat a person they suspected of being HIV positive. However, a total of 167 (89%) respondents agreed using a condom can prevent HIV and a majority of respondents also agreed that having one sexual partner (127, 68.8%) and abstaining from sex can prevent HIV (145, 78.8%). Knowledge of treatment practices was better with statistically significant results being obtained. Conclusion: The results indicate that traditional healers could be used for prevention as well as referring HIV positive individuals for treatment. Traditional healers were enthusiastic about the possibility of collaborating with bio-medical practitioners in the prevention and care of HIV and AIDS patients. This is significant considering they already service the health needs of a large percentage of the South African population. However, further development of training programmes and materials for them on HIV and AIDS related issues would seem necessary