Preadolescent psychological well-being: determining the association with maternal psychological control and family environment

Background: Methods: Results: Conclusion: Keywords: The family and parents could either provide protective factors or initiate vulnerability for children who are exposed to a high-risk environment such as crime in a community. The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between maternal psychological control, family environment (cohesion and conflict) and the psychological well-being (self-esteem and satisfactionwith life) of preadolescents. A quantitative approach with a cross-sectional correlational design was used to obtain self-reported data from 412 preadolescents. The mean age of participants was 11 years with themajority being female (60%) in Grade 5. The Coopersmith Self-esteem Inventory and the Satisfaction with Life Scale were used to assess the psychological well-being of preadolescents, the Parent Psychological Control Questionnaire for psychologically controlling parenting practices and the Family Environment Scale for family functioning. The results suggest that scores were relatively high on both self-esteem and satisfaction with life. Mothers were not perceived as applying strong psychologically controlling parenting practices. Families were perceived as being more cohesive and had less conflict. Regression analysis results show that the combination of family environment and maternal psychological control accounted for 22% of the variance in self-esteem and 12% of the variance in satisfactionwith life. The findings provide an understanding of how enhancing and hindering environments could predict psychological well-being of children. Interventions for parents should include a broad family-based perspective so as to show parents the implications of their choice of parenting on child well-being

Maternal parenting in single and two-parent families in South Africa from a child's perspective

Single mothers are often perceived and depicted as being ineffective parents in comparison to their married counterparts, but this may not always be the case. A sample consisting of 245 children (72% in married mother families and 28% in single mother families) between 10 and 12 years (M = 11) including 64% females and 36% males participated in the study. The aim in this study was to compare children’s perceptions of their mothers’ parenting within single and married families. The results indicate that mothers were perceived as using more autonomy-supportive than psychologically controlling parenting practices. There were no significant differences between children’s perceptions of maternal parenting in single and married families.Web of Scienc

Body image satisfaction among a sample of black female South African students

Numerous research studies have established a strong relationship between body dissatisfaction and eating disorders. As more and more young people in South Africa embrace Western values, the aspiration to attain the Western body ideal of beauty may be putting some women at risk of developing eating disorders. This study focused on body image satisfaction among a sample of 150 black South African female university students. Data were collected using a revised Body Shape Questionnaire (Cooper, Taylor, Cooper, & Fairburn, 1987). The results showed the majority of the women were satisfied with their body image. However, there was a minority who engaged in unhealthy eating behaviors. Implications of the findings are discussed.Web of Scienc

An application of intervention mapping as a phased approach in developing a family-centred programme to reduce violence in the family

AIM: To describe the application of intervention mapping in the development of a family-centred approach to reduce violence in the family. METHODS: Development towards a family-centred approach is described, in which only the first three steps of the five intervention mapping steps have been detailed. These three steps unpacked as phases. Phase I, a family violence needs assessment which includes a policy analysis. Phase II determines appropriate theoretical and practical approaches through systematic reviews and lastly, Phase III as a Delphi study. RESULTS: Intervention mapping as a form of programme development is inclusive of all relevant stakeholders and allows diverse engagement with family-centred information through its structured development process. CONCLUSION: Family violence should be seen as a holistic phenomenon which affects all members of the family and future interventions must be mindful of this to address family violence effectively

Family-centered interventions for intimate partner violence: A systematic review

The effect of intimate partner violence (IPV) has a spill-over effect on all family members, and as such, any intervention directed at IPV  should include all family members directly affected. The spill-over effect indicates that if one part of the family system (e.g. parents)  experiences discord or conflict, it may affect the other parts of the family system (through e.g. the parent-child relationship). The aim of  this paper was to systematically review family-centered interventions aimed at addressing IPV. Intervention studies were systematically collected from data bases such as PubMed, BioMed Central, SABINET, SocIndex, PsycArticles, and Academic Search Complete for the time period 2005-2015. These studies were methodologically appraised, and results presented according to the RE-AIM framework.  Familycentered interventions focused on IPV yielded long-term positive results in improving parent-child interaction, including reductions in IPV, trauma symptoms of mothers, and problematic child behaviours

Political socialization of the youth: an examination of the family as an agency for youth citizenship in South Africa

This study examined the role of the family in the political socialization of the youth. Two hundred and seventy-five (275) youth completed the self-administered questionnaire that was adapted from the Afrobarometer Round 4. The results show that significant positive relationships between parent-adolescent communication and family active citizenship, youth active citizenship and political attitudes of the youth exist. Family active citizenship was also significantly positively related to active citizenship. Two separate hierarchical regression analyses were conducted. Model 1 predicted active citizenship of youth with the final model accounting for 11% of the variance for youth active citizenship. In Model 2, using political attitudes as the predictor, the final model accounted for 26% of the variance of political attitudes of youth

Does family structure matter? comparing the life goals and aspirations of learners in secondary schools

The aim of this study was to compare the goals and aspirations of learners from single- and two-parent families. The study used a quantitative methodology with a cross-sectional comparative group design. The sample consisted of 853 Grade 11 learners from secondary schools in the Northern, Southern and Metro Central education districts in the Western Cape. The data were collected using the Aspirations Index and a short biographical questionnaire. The results suggest that there was a significant main effect of family structure on certain goals and aspirations of learners in secondary schools. These goals and aspirations included wealth, image, personal growth, relationships, and health. Furthermore, learners in single-parent families placed more emphasis on intrinsic goals.Department of HE and Training approved lis

The prevalence of intimate partner violence in the family: a systematic review of the implications for adolescents in Africa

Background. Intimate partner violence (IPV) and its multiple effects are well documented in Western research, but these are not adequately described in Africa. The effects of IPV on adolescent health and well-being are not conclusive. Objective. The aim of this review was to systematically appraise prevalence studies conducted on the African continent to establish the prevalence of IPV and the implications of exposure on adolescents in Africa. Methods. A comprehensive search was conducted in May 2012 for the previous 10 years, using databases such as Ebscohost (Medline, CINAHL, PsyArticles), Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), Project Muse and BioMed Central and also specific journals Lancet, and JSTOR. Two reviewers independently evaluated the methodological quality of the studies reviewed. Results. Seven eligible epidemiological studies were included in this review. Five of the studies were conducted in South Africa, one in Liberia, and another was a multi-country study that included Egypt, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia. The prevalence of IPV in African countries ranged from approximately 26.5% to 48%. All studies reported exposure to family violence during childhood. Conclusion. The findings support the global burden of IPV. There is also a need for standardized tools to determine IPV in Africa and a clear definition that can be used in research to allow comparison with future IPV studies. In addition, the studies point to a need for interventions focusing on adolescents exposed to family violence.Department of HE and Training approved lis

A descriptive study of the perceptions and behaviours of waterpipe use by university students in the Western Cape, South Africa

Background: Waterpipe smoking started as a cultural phenomenon but has become a social phenomenon. Hookah cafes are an increasingly popular venue for socializing. Studies suggest that waterpipe users perceive smoking the waterpipe as less addictive and harmful than cigarette smoking. The aim of this study was to assess the beliefs, and associated behaviours, regarding the health-risk of smoking the waterpipe. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with a sample of first year students at a historically black university in the Western Cape, South Africa. A self-administered questionnaire was constructed from the College Health Behaviour Survey. The final sample was 389 university students, 64% (250) females and 36% (139) males. The sample had a mean age of 22.2 years (SD = 5.04). Results: Waterpipe users perceived the health risks of smoking the waterpipe to be exaggerated (48%) and less addictive (58%) than non-users (13% and 17%, p<.001). Additionally, the findings confirm that waterpipe smoking is conducted in a social setting (61%). This social setting included smoking on campus (28%), in the family home (11%), at a party (9%), at a friend’s place (6%) and in a restaurant (1%). Of concern was the majority of users smoked the waterpipe on a daily basis (70%) and that the tobacco mix was easily available (90%). The most common self-reported reason for smoking the waterpipe was for relaxation. Conclusion: As with previous studies, the results of this study confirm the false perception that smoking the waterpipe is not a health risk and is socially acceptable. Additionally, the findings of the study raise concerns and an awareness of smoking the waterpipe in the family home and implications for children. The results of this study provide important information for tobacco control and substance abuse policies in South Africa. These findings highlight the need for further research to determine the extent of waterpipe smoking at other universities in South Africa

Perceptions of parenting styles in South Africa: The effects of gender and ethnicity

Parenting style is an area of research which is emerging in South Africa. Previous research notes significant differences between ethnic groups in terms of parenting. In a country as diverse as South Africa, which has also evolved from an era of separatism and segregation, comparing parenting styles across ethnic groups is an interesting topic. This is a comparative study using a cross-sectional design. The Parenting Style and Dimension Questionnaire was used to collect the data. The final sample consisted of 746 participants with a mean age of 20.48 (SD = 1.96) years; 36% males and 64% females. The results found maternal authoritative parenting style to be the most prevalent across and within groups, but there were also significant differences between and within groups. Fathers’ parenting style was perceived as significantly different in three ethnic groups, but mothers’ parenting styles were not perceived as significantly different