The application of psychological expertise in post-apartheid South Africa : a tracer study of masters graduates from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.Nikolas Rose, heavily influenced by Foucault's concept of "governmentality", has proposed that psychological expertise has come to play an important role in governing conduct in liberal democracies. This study was an empirical attempt to explore these theoretical arguments in South Africa, a developing democracy. Recent debates on the practice of psychology in South Africa, occurring amidst socio/political initiatives of reconstruction and development, have focused on the relevance of the discipline given its involvement in the apartheid context. The current study reflected on some of the changes in application that have resulted from calls for relevance. The participants of the study were Masters Graduates from the University ofKwaZulu-Natal, previously University of Natal and University of Durban-Westville, in the period from 19932003. Influenced by Rose's theoretical ideas advocating a history of problematizations, the data collection focussed on understanding the practical problems psychologists deal with in their work contexts and the practices used to solve these problems. Results suggest a growing application towards socially relevant problems, which include socio/economic and public health issues. Furthermore psychological expertise predominantly intervenes with individualized technologies of the self, encouraging "self-government". The governmentality framework exposes some limitations of the application of psychology in the developing world context

Factores de riesgo y protectores en la salud mental de adolascentes con VIH en Namibia

Tesis inédita de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Facultad de Psicología, Departamento de Personalidad, Evaluación y Tratamiento Psicológico I (Personalidad, Evaluación y Psicología Clínica), leída el 18-01-2016"Introducción": A pesar de que el 90% de los adolescentes con VIH en el mundo viven en África subsahariana, pocos estudios han examinado el impacto que tiene el hecho de estar infectados por VIH sobre su salud mental en este región. Además, los adolescentes con VIH en contextos de escasos recursos se enfrentan con factores de riesgo adicionales, como la pobreza, la falta de apoyo social y el estigma relacionado con el VIH. Este estudio examina la salud mental de los adolescentes que viven con el VIH en Namibia, un país con una de las prevalencias de VIH más altas del mundo. El estudio examina si estos adolescentes muestran mayores problemas de salud mental respecto a un grupo de comparación de la comunidad. Asimismo, el estudio evalúa los factores que predicen problemas de salud mental con el fin de identificar las potenciales áreas de intervención que permitan mejorar dichos problemas. Métodos: En una fase piloto, se organizan grupos de discusión con 34 adolescentes y entrevistas con ocho informantes clave para explorar las percepciones locales sobre los problemas de salud mental, así como sus factores de riesgo y factores de proteccion. Dado que las propiedades psicométricas del instrumento seleccionado para medir salud mental, el cuestionario Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire/ Cuestionario de Capacidades y Dificultades (SDQ), nunca habían sido exploradas antes en Namibia, se decidió administrarlo a 236 participantes con edades comprendidas entre 12 y 18 años en una fase piloto cuantitativa..."Background": Despite the fact that 90% of the world‘s HIV-positive adolescents live in sub- Saharan Africa, little research in this region has examined the impact of HIV status on their mental health. Furthermore, HIV-positive adolescents in resource poor contexts face additional risk factors, such as poverty, poor social support and HIV-related stigma. This study examines the mental health of adolescents living with HIV in Namibia, a country with one of the highest HIV prevalence in the world. The study examines whether these adolescents show increased mental health problems when compared to a community comparison group and assesses which factors predict negative mental health outcomes in order to identify potential areas of intervention for improving mental health. Methods: Group discussions with 34 adolescents and interviews with eight key informants explored local perceptions of mental health problems as well as risk and protective factors for mental health problems in a pilot phase. As the psychometric properties of the mental health instrument, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), had never been explored in Namibia, it was administered to 236 participants between the ages of 12 and 18 prior to administration to the study sample. For the main study, 99 fully disclosed HIV-positive adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18 were interviewed at a State Hospital in Windhoek between July 2013 and March 2014, using a standardised questionnaire and compared to a randomly selected matched community comparison group (n=159). Interviews assessed emotional and behavioural symptoms of distress, using the SDQ, and risk factors including poverty, social support, orphan status and HIV-related stigma. Data were analysed with t-tests, chi-squares, ANOVAs and regression analysis...Depto. de Personalidad, Evaluación y Psicología ClínicaFac. de PsicologíaTRUEunpu

Clinical Instructor Perceptions of the Collaborative Clinical Education Model: Providing Solutions for Success in Physical Therapy Education

Purpose: The most common approach to physical therapy clinical education is the one-to-one (1:1) model. The collaborative clinical education model (CCEM) offers an alternative and beneficial approach to education but is not widely utilized within physical therapy. The primary aim of this study was to explore the experiences and perceptions of clinical instructors (CIs) teaching within the CCEM while also receiving structured support from an academic program. Methods: This study used semi-structured interviews before and after the CCEM experience to explore CI perceptions. CIs received formalized support that included pre-experience meetings, a CCEM Toolkit resource, scheduled follow-ups during the experience, and a post-clinical debriefing. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a qualitative data analysis program and collaborative coding process. Results: CIs’ perceptions of the CCEM shifted following participation. Participants noted a need to be prepared with appropriate teaching strategies, have frequent communication with the academic program, and have a supportive clinical environment. Conclusion: CI participation in the CCEM is challenged by negative perceptions and lack of experience with collaborative learning. CI perceptions of the CCEM can become more positive after actually teaching in the CCEM; therefore, perceived challenges need to be addressed to increase CI participation. The CCEM may be more widely accepted if CIs’ perceived challenges are addressed in partnership with an academic program with intentional CCEM training and support strategies

A Journey from Patient Care to Jesuit Higher Education: How a Small Group of Healthcare Professionals Navigated the Transition into Academia

In the fall of 2015, four experienced healthcare clinicians met as strangers at an orientation at a Jesuit institution, Regis University. From the professions of occupational therapy, pharmacy, and physical therapy, we felt comfortable with our clinical practice in patient-centered care and our healthcare work environments. Eager to share our knowledge with our students, we needed guidance to perform the key roles of an educator such as creating a syllabus, writing test items, and advising students. As we began our careers in academia, we felt disoriented and chaotic. We directly sought structure to bridge knowledge gaps, establish a sense of community, and identify essential resources necessary for success in academia. We desired to explore our own interpretation of the Jesuit values before trying to infuse them into our teaching. Through the creation of a small professional learning group that combined emotional support and professional growth, we established a structured approach to learning the roles of a professor and found our identities as academicians. We aim to share our journey and provide recommendations for other healthcare clinicians who are inexperienced with academia in the hopes of easing the transition from clinician to educator at a Jesuit University

Addressing Opioid Misuse and Abuse through Interprofessional Engagement and Education

Purpose: The purpose of this initiative was to develop and implement an interprofessional panel aimed to expose a university audience to the magnitude of opioid misuse and abuse, as well as demonstrate each health professional’s role in curbing the epidemic. Further, this experience was to provide a platform for interprofessional discussion and to share with attendees tangible action items to begin combatting the opioid epidemic. Methods: An interdisciplinary committee of healthcare professionals collaborated to initiate a dialogue around opioid misuse and abuse to highlight the power of interprofessional (IP) collaboration in addressing the opioid epidemic. Each panel member shared a personal vignette about his or her professional experience with the epidemic, then the audience members were asked to participate in a question and answer session. Primary outcomes from this IP experience were derived from an eight-item satisfaction survey. The event was held in April 2016. The interdisciplinary committee marketed this event to all students, faculty, and staff in the Rueckert-Hartman College of Health Care Professionals one month before the event through electronic emails and posters. Results: Forty-four (63%) of participants completed the satisfaction survey of which 88.6% were students of healthcare professions. The satisfaction survey evaluative results were positive and referenced the panel as being an excellent IP event that was helpful, informative, and enjoyable. The results support that the initiative successfully increased understanding of the magnitude of the opioid epidemic for the attendees of this pilot event. The target audience of students expressed a greater awareness of the magnitude of the problem (43.2%) and an increased appreciation of the IP aspects of opioid management strategies (36.4%). Attendees also identified the need for ownership of their role as existing and future health care professionals and the need to work as an IP team to address the problem. Conclusion: An interprofessional panel format as an optional extracurricular event is an effective way to communicate key educational messages about opioid misuse and abuse to a target audience of graduate students at a mid-sized college of health professions

Factors affecting resilience in Namibian children exposed to parental divorce: a Q-Methodology study

IntroductionDivorce is a contributor to family instability within sub-Saharan Africa, and specifically within Namibia, an increasing number of children are exposed to its impact. However, not all children react uniformly to the impact of parental divorce, and many children may be resilient. Understanding what promotes resilience in children post-divorce in African contexts is vital, given the unique socio-cultural context. Therefore, this study aimed to understand how some children are capable of resilience despite exposure to parental divorce in Namibia.MethodsA multiple case study design was employed to assess the lived experiences of children aged 9–12 post-parental divorce in Windhoek. Using the Child and Youth Resilience Measurement (CYRM-12) scale, 24 children exposed to parental divorce were screened for resiliency. The Q-Methodology, with visual material, was utilized with a sub-sample of 12 children who scored high on the CYRM (50% girls, mean age = 11) to eliminate some of the challenges associated with gathering qualitative data from younger children. The PQ Method 2.35 software program was used for data analysis.ResultsBy-person factor analysis identified four statistically significant profiles. A third (33%) of participants loaded on a factor emphasizing “quality parent-child relationships” and a further 33% emphasizing “effective parent conflict resolution.” The final two factors emphasized “healthy school attachment” (17%) and “strong community attachment” (17%). All children emphasized a stable, loving familial environment, and frequent visitation with the non-custodial father.DiscussionOur findings suggest that multiple social ecologies nurture resilience in children exposed to parental divorce in Namibia. Support should be extended beyond the perimeters of the nuclear family, and relationships with extended family members, peer groups, school, and the wider community can play an important role in children's adjustment. The study highlights the importance of contextually grounded resilience as some factors that are emphasized for children from more Western communities do not reflect as strongly in the results of this study. Other factors, including a stronger reliance on community and factors such as the school, peers, and extended family members, may play a bigger role in child resilience post-divorce in Namibia

Quality Delivered: How a Pandemic Fostered Innovation and Creative Solutions in Clinical Education

Background: Clinical education placements for students enrolled in healthcare programs were abruptly upended in March 2020 due to COVID-19. Programs were faced with decisions of how to mitigate substantive challenges due to an unforeseen pandemic within timeframes that would align with curricular sequences and graduation dates. Schools quickly modified curriculum formats, implemented alternative teaching and learning instruction and developed safety protocols to protect students, clinical faculty, and patients. Purpose: The aim of this study explored the strategies employed by one physical therapy school’s clinical education team, which resulted in successful completion of clinical course requirements and on-time graduation. Method: Data was collected on a single cohort of eighty (n=80) students who experienced changes in the timing, location, and/or progression of their clinical experiences due to COVID-19 related complications. The use of innovative clinically-oriented teaching strategies including web-based patient case simulation, virtual grand rounds, and other creative learning activities effectively supported student engagement both in and outside of clinical settings. Alternative learning strategies provided students the opportunity to progress through the clinical education curriculum, meet educational objectives, and satisfy the standard requirements by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). Performance on the Clinical Performance Instrument (CPI) for the cohort of students affected by COVID-19 was compared to a cohort from 2019 who were not affected by COVID-19 related issues. Results: Analysis using Mann Whitney U statistics showed there were no significant differences in performance on the CPI between the groups (p=0.874). Conclusion: Looking forward, there is an opportunity for schools to build on what was learned during the pandemic and apply those strategies to other non-pandemic related situations with successful outcomes. Innovative teaching and learning strategies can help to bridge the gap of time out of clinic for any student who may experience an interruption in clinical education due to injury, illness, or other situation, and can provide a way for students to progress successfully through their physical therapy education

The social reproduction of Jamaica Safar in Shashamane, Ethiopia

Since the 1950s, men and women, mainly Rastafari from the West Indies, have moved as repatriates to Shashamane, Ethiopia. This is a spiritually and ideologically oriented journey to the promised land of Ethiopia (Africa) and to the land granted by His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I. Although migration across regions of the global south is less common than migration from the global south to north, this move is even more distinct because it is not primarily motivated by economic concerns. This thesis - the first in-depth ethnographic study of the repatriate population - focuses on the conceptual and pragmatic ways in which repatriates and their Ethiopian-born children “rehome” this area of Shashamane that is now called Jamaica Safar (or village in the Amharic language). There is a simultaneous Rasta identification of themselves as Ethiopians and as His Majesty’s people, which is often contested in legal and civic spheres, with a West Indian social inscription of Shashamane. These dynamics have emerged from a Rastafari re-invention of personhood that was fostered in West Indian Creole society. These ideas converge in a central concern with the inalienability of the land grant that is shared by repatriates, their children and Rastafari outside Ethiopia as well. Accordingly, the repatriate population of Shashamane becomes the centre of international social and economic networks. The children born on this land thus demonstrate the success of their parents’ repatriation. They are the ones who will ensure the Rastafari presence there in perpetuity