Journal Of Psychology In Africa Research Articles

A bibliometric review of positive psychology and well-being research in Africa.

Positive Psychology rapidly developed into an influential field of study and intervention, initially situated in Psychology, and later becoming multidisciplinary. Research interest in the study of (psychological) well-being has gained global popularity, with increasing salience in Africa. Although the global trends of these developments are relatively well-known, a bibliometric analysis of positive psychology research in Africa was necessary to shed light on the present hotspots and trends and future trajectories in this region of the world. The data source of the present bibliometric analysis study was Scopus, from which Positive Psychology and well-being research literature from Africa between 1983 and 2023 were searched. Using biblioshiny and VOSviewer, the 622 extracted articles were analysed, from which findings about the current condition, research hotspots, and thematic developmental patterns could be made. Africa experienced an initial slow growth period from 1983 until 2005, after which a rapid growth in research productivity, relevance and impact was experienced. In this regard, the results show that the focal point of scientific productivity is South Africa, with the dominance of South African institutions, particularly the North-West University, from where most positive psychology research is produced and cited. Even with potential access to international journal, African researchers seem to prefer to place their publications in the regional journals such as Journal of Psychology in Africa and South African Journal of Psychology. The research reviewed tends to be characterised by more dominant thematic clusters of positive psychology, psychological well-being, and subjective well-being, with a focus on human individuals. An increasing concern for contextual factors and potential antecedents and dynamics of well-being is also observed. The findings provide a good map from which identification of future research priorities can be deduced. As such, we speculate that future positive psychology research in Africa ought to be concerned with the following: greater distribution and intercountry collaborations across the continent, questions of conceptual clarity of terms, better understanding of contextual factors which influence well-being, and well-being research embracing the complexity of bio-psycho-social-ecological well-being, and science concerned with health-promotion interventions.

Call for Papers: “Work/Organizational Psychology in Africa: Amplifying African Perspectives in the Practice and Research of Work/Organisational Psychology in Africa”

Call for Papers: “Work/Organizational Psychology in Africa: Amplifying African Perspectives in the Practice and Research of Work/Organisational Psychology in Africa”A Topical Issue of International Perspectives in Psychology: Research, Practice, ConsultationCharles Tchagneno, Sandiso Bazana, and Zonke ZunguCharles TchagnenoLaboratory of Psychology, University of Franche-Comté, Besançon, FranceLIP/PC2S, University Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, FranceSearch for more papers by this author, Sandiso BazanaDepartment of People, Organizations and Society, Grenoble Ecole de Management, Grenoble, FrancePsychology Department, Rhodes University, Makhanda, South AfricaSearch for more papers by this author, and Zonke ZunguSchool of Management Studies, University of Cape Town, South AfricaSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:April 12, 2023https://doi.org/10.1027/2157-3891/a000073PDFView Full Text ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInReddit SectionsMoreReferencesChristopher, J. C., & Hickinbottom, S. (2008). Positive psychology, ethnocentrism, and the disguised ideology of individualism. Theory & Psychology, 18(5), 563–589. 10.1177/0959354308093396 First citation in articleCrossref, Google ScholarIslam, G., & Zyphur, M. J. (2006). Critical industrial psychology: What is it and where is it. Psychology in Society, 34, 17–30. https://ssrn.com/abstract=2684636 First citation in articleGoogle ScholarJahoda, G. (2016). On the rise and decline of ‘indigenous psychology. Culture & Psychology, 22(2), 169–181. 10.1177/1354067X16634052 First citation in articleCrossref, Google ScholarKazi, M. T. B., & Indermun, M. V. (2014). Critique and critical theory in industrial psychology: What is it? Where is it? Arabian Journal of Business and Management Review (Nigerian Chapter), 2(4), 88–94. 10.12816/0011585 First citation in articleCrossref, Google ScholarNibafu, E. Q. F., Du Plessis, M., & Abrahams, F. (2021). Contextual relevance and decolonisation of South African industrial psychology training: An exploratory case study. Journal of Psychology in Africa, 31(2), 203–208. 10.1080/14330237.2021.1903155 First citation in articleCrossref, Google ScholarFiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Special Issue: Building an Equitable Global Psychology – Giving Voice to Indigenous Psychology in Southeast AsiaVolume 12Issue 2April 2023ISSN: 2157-3883eISSN: 2157-3891 InformationInternational Perspectives in Psychology (2023), 12, pp. 130-131 https://doi.org/10.1027/2157-3891/a000073.© 2023Hogrefe PublishingPDF download

Call for papers: Special section on HeartMath for Psychology

s and full articles are sought for a special edition of the Journal of Psychology in Africa on the theme of the HeartMath for Psychology (in general and Africa in particular) with special r...

Special issue on indigenising educational psychology

The Journal of Psychology in Africa (JPA) is a peer-reviewed journal co-published NISC (Pty) Ltd and Informa UK Limited (trading as Taylor & Francis Group) on behalf of Africa Scholarship Development Enterprize. It is accredited by the Department of Higher Education and Training in South Africa and indexed in the ISI Web of Science. The JPA provides an inter-disciplinary forum for the dissemination of psychological research in Africa and related regions in the context of development. Its core mission is to advance psychological research for the social-cultural and health development in Africanist settings, inclusive of the African diaspora communities around the globe. Research that addresses African heritage realities and opportunities is particularly encouraged. Contributions should attempt a synthesis of local and universal methodologies and applications, contributing to the wider body of knowledge in the applied psychological sciences.

Call for Papers: Systemic Family Constellations in African Contexts: New theoretical, Empirical and Practical Insights

(2013). Call for Papers: Systemic Family Constellations in African Contexts: New theoretical, Empirical and Practical Insights. Journal of Psychology in Africa: Vol. 23, No. 3, pp. 541-542.

Men in Africa: Masculinities, Materiality and Meaning

(2010). Men in Africa: Masculinities, Materiality and Meaning. Journal of Psychology in Africa: Vol. 20, No. 4, pp. 511-517.

Career Counselling in the 21st Century: A Reaction Article

This article reviews the articles on career counselling in the special edition of the Journal of Psychology in Africa. A thematic analysis to the content of the articles was conducted and common themes extrapolated. The main themes were (a) the shift toward postmodern career counselling, (b) the importance of cultural sensitivity in career counselling practice and (c) adolescents career development. This is followed by a reaction comment.

Reaction Paper: The Challenge of the Psychology of Poverty in Africa

The content of this abstract is a reaction to the various articles appearing in this special section of the Journal of Psychology in Africa with a focus on the Psychology of Poverty in African countries. The articles deal with the psychology of poverty from different perspectives, as they impact on African children, men and women. Some of the topics covered are focussed on poverty and education, poverty and employment, poverty and marital relationship, poverty in relationship to men and women who are friends on intimate basis. What is clear from the various presentations is that poverty is obviously affecting Africans adversely and presents a serious challenge to men and women. Such a serious challenge must be addressed by all those concerned so that Africans can lead a better life than that which they have been sentenced by poverty.

Researching HIV/AIDS, Education & Childhood in the African Context

This article offers a reflective review of 12 articles and 4 brief reports included in this special issue of the International Journal of Psychology in Africa with the theme, ‘HIV/AIDS, education and childhood in the African context’. Muthukrishna and Ramsuran (2007) have emphasised that the consequences of HIV/AIDS can be far-reaching for children and young people resulting in unequal life chances. It is thus fitting that this special issue should be edited by them in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, in the country (and province) with the highest levels of incidence of HIV/AIDS in Africa. In this article I offer a commentary on how the interpretive lenses of the authors who are located in various disciplines provide a theorised understanding of what shapes knowledge constructions in situated African contexts.

The role of brief–term interventions with South African child trauma survivors

This paper describes an approach to therapeutic intervention with child trauma survivors. Literature is reviewed pertaining to individual treatment approaches in working with traumatised children, including trauma-focussed cognitive-behavioural therapy, play therapy and brief–term interventions. A survey is reported that explores the nature and extent of interventions available in South Africa and highlights the widespread application of modified versions of the Pynoos and Eth interview. Common features across brief-term interventions including a focus on the therapeutic relationship, retelling of the story and a working through or completion phase are highlighted. An integrative intervention model is presented, based on the Pynoos and Eth model, which uses art to facilitate the retelling and working through of the trauma and emphasises creating a narrative for the child that integrates the traumatic experience into a broader life narrative. The approach, which is currently employed with children in a South African clinical setting, is illustrated with a case study. The implications of this approach for the understanding of child trauma survivors and the specific challenges of working within the South African context are explored. The limitations of the approach are addressed and recommendations for a case series, more rigorously exploring the application of this approach are made. Keywords: child, trauma, brief-term intervention, narrative, art Journal of Psychology in Africa 2005, 15(2): 155–163

Critical perspectives on research on post-traumatic stress disorder and implications for the South African context

This article introduces a special issue of the Journal of Psychology in Africa on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Africa and particularly in South Africa and examines the critical debate that has surrounded PTSD research. It begins with an examination of the meaning of the term trauma, and of its specialised use within the clinical context and with respect to the concept of PTSD. The diagnostic approach to the detection of PTSD is presented, criteria in the DSM-IV-TR and the ICD-10 are summarised and differences between the two manuals are discussed. Arguments presented by critics of the concept of PTSD are presented and discussed. These concern the historical evolution of the concept, concerns about the universality of PTSD cross-culturally, and problems arising from understanding human suffering from a narrow medical perspective. It is concluded that while there are dangers in thinking of the sequelae of trauma as a medical/psychiatric problem, and while the alarming rate of traumatic events needs to be addressed at the political, economic and societal level, there is an important place for the provision of assessment and treatment of PTSD within a psychiatric/psychological clinical setting. Keywords: critical theory, diagnosis, post-traumatic stress disorder, South Africa, trauma, traumatic stressJournal of Psychology in Africa 2005, 15(2): 117–124

Post-traumatic stress disorder as a public health concern in South Africa

This article briefly surveys the extent to which traumatic events are a feature of life all over Africa and provides a comprehensive review of research that documents the pervasiveness of traumatic events in South Africa and the prevalence of PTSD symptoms. The material reviewed includes statistics on crime, violence and accidents, research from clinical settings, and surveys. Several provide evidence for the causal link between traumatic events and the development of PTSD. These studies show that PTSD has been and continues to be a significant problem for public health in South Africa, affecting individuals in all sectors of society and as much a concern with respect to children as to adults. Keywords: Africa, epidemiology, post-traumatic stress disorder, public health, South Africa, trauma Journal of Psychology in Africa 2005, 15(2): 125–134

From trauma debriefing to trauma support: A South African experience of responding to individuals and communities in the aftermath of traumatising events

This paper documents the approach and experience of Traumaclinic, a Cape Town based organisation offering a trauma support service. The controversy over single session debriefing interventions is examined and it is concluded that interventions that invite intense emotional expression should not be offered indiscriminately or forced on those who do not want them. When they do occur, they need to be carefully managed and take place over several sessions. A review of contemporary approaches to intervention following trauma highlights their comprehensive and flexible nature and the inclusion of multiple components that are introduced in a manner responsive to the needs of the situation. This is the basis of the current model used by Traumaclinic. The principles of that model are summarised and examples given of the application of the approach to specific cases. Keywords: acute stress disorder, critical incident stress debriefing, trauma recovery, trauma support Journal of Psychology in Africa 2005, 15(2): 135–142

Grasping the thorn: The impact and supervision of traumatic stress therapy in the South African context

The article examines the usefulness of existing theory for the supervision of clinical trainees at a Johannesburg trauma clinic, a context beset by particular sets of tensions. Concepts that contribute to a practical understanding of how therapists engage with and are affected by trauma clients in South Africa include vicarious traumatisation and countertransference, and the identification of whether therapist responses are evoked by features of the case and the traumatic event or are particular to the individual therapist. Limitations or gaps in existing conceptualisations are identified related to the sociopolitical demands of the context, including questions related to the pairing of client and therapist in terms of race, class and gender features. Factors that interfere with the provision of adequate containment in both supervision and psychotherapy include socioeconomic deprivation, inadequacies in the criminal justice system and the high prevalence of violent crime. Case examples of therapist responses in practice and of supervisory dilemmas are used to illustrate these problems. The article concludes with recommendations for the supervision of traumatic stress psychotherapy in such contexts, including strategies for preparing students for such work, for bringing up sensitive topics for discussion, for managing vicarious traumatisation and for supervisor self-care. Keywords: traumatic stress, psychotherapy, supervision Journal of Psychology in Africa 2005, 15(2): 197–207

The experiences and needs of HIV/AIDS counsellors at a South African hospital

To increase the availability of HIV/AIDS counselling in South Africa, nurses have been trained to serve as counsellors within hospital services. The aim of the study was to document the experiences and needs of nurse HIV/AIDS counsellors at a small South African hospital (with 279 beds and 10 medical doctors on the staff). The design was a qualitative, multiple-case study. The sample consisted of four nurse counsellors and the co-ordinator of HIV/AIDS services at the hospital. Three semi-structured interviews with the counsellors were used as the basis for case narratives of their experiences. These narratives were in turn subjected to content analysis to determine the range and nature of the concerns identified by the counsellors. The counsellors found their HIV/AIDS counselling work to be emotionally demanding and identified several significant problems. These were related to confidentiality, stigmatisation, motional responses to informing clients of their HIV-positive status, cultural and contextual factors and situational stressors related to the organisation of the work environment. They did not feel sufficiently supported by their work infrastructure. It is recommended that in setting up counselling services of this sort, managers need to be aware of the need for ongoing support in the form of facilitated groups, professional supervision, managerial attention to problems in the working environment, and regular in-service training. Keywords: counselling, training, workplace stressors, management Journal of Psychology in Africa 2005, 15(1):1-10

Afrocentric and gendered constructions of psychological well-being in Nigeria: a case study

The purpose of the study was to investigate factors influencing psychological well-being in adults (17 men and 23 women) (mean age = 55.7; SD = 14.2) and 31 children (17 boys and 14 girls) (mean age = 12.5; SD = 3.4) drawn from five farming communities in Ogun State, Nigeria, through purposive sampling. The participants were all Yorubas, the dominant ethnic group in south-west Nigeria. Data collection methods included life histories, in-depth individual interviews, focus group interviews and observation. While there were no variations in factors influencing the psychological well-being of boy- and girl-children, the data revealed gender differences in factors influencing the psychological well-being of parents. The findings pose a challenge to African scholars andfeminists about the need to develop culture-specific and Afrocentric paradigms in their research in order to make their findings more useful and applicable. Keywords: farm families, ifozanbale, socio-cultural constructions, Yorubas Journal of Psychology in Africa 2005, 15(1): 31–40

AIDS/HIV: low prevalence, moderate knowledge and liberal attitudes— a study of youths in Mauritius

This exploratory study examines the HIV/AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes and perception of personal risk of 160 youths in Mauritius. Data was gathered with the help of a structured interview schedule. Results indicate that more than half of the sample had moderate knowledge of AIDS and liberal attitudes toward people with AIDS. However, the relationship between knowledge and attitudes was not significant, indicating that being knowledgeable about AIDS does not necessarily lead to positive attitudes. The majority of the students perceived themselves at risk of acquiring AIDS. Accurate knowledge of AIDS significantly related to perceptions of risk, indicating that those who had moderate knowledge of the disease were more concerned about contracting the disease. Keywords: perceived susceptibility, self risk Journal of Psychology in Africa 2005, 15(1): 25–30

Correlates of drug use in rural Africa: drug/substance use and sexual behaviour in Mankweng District, South Africa

The results of a study on drug/substance use and sexual behaviours are reported for 1 573 teenagers from a rural district of South Africa (males = 834; females = 692; mean age = 16.27 years and SD = 2.77 years). The teenagers reported on their drug/substance use, use of condoms, experience with anal sex and number of sexual partners. The analyses considered the prevalence of drug/substance use, condom use and anal sex within sexually-active cohorts and the prevalence of drug/substance use in a sexually-inactive cohort. Drug/substance use and non-use of condoms were more prevalent among the sexually-active than the sexually-inactive. Within the sexually-active cohort, those with multiple sexual partners were more likely to use drugs/substances or not to use condoms. Anal sex occurred in both males and females to a greater extent than could be attributed to chance.Keywords: prevalence, health-risk, partners, teenagers Journal of Psychology in Africa 2005, 15(1): 11–15

Sexuality of black South African university students in the context of HIV/AIDS

The aim of this study was to better understand the sexuality of youth in the context of HIV/AIDS in South Africa. The sample included 206 male and 202 female third-year African/black South African university students, with a mean age of 22.5 years (SD = 1.9), chosen from one university in a classroom setting. Results indicate that more women than men engage in steady relationships lasting on average more than a year, while most men and many women have sexual affairs and also concurrent relationships outside the steady relationships. Much of sexual intercourse did not take place in steady relationships but in concurrent or serial relationships. While almost all students were sexually experienced a significant minority did not currently wish to be in a steady relationship. There was a lack of condom use and moderate HIV risk perception. By better linking HIV prevention to research on human sexuality, it should prove possible to advance the effectiveness of HIV/AIDS prevention efforts. Keywords: attitudes, condom use, HIV risk, relationship, sexual behaviour, youth Journal of Psychology in Africa 2005, 15(1): 17–24

Gender, perceived economic status and personality factors influencing attitudes to buying insurance services: a study of some selected Nigerians

This study concerns gender, perceived economic class and personality attributes as factors influencing consumers' attitudes to insurance services in Nigeria. Personality attributes studied were Type A–Type B and introversion-extraversion, which were examined as high or low. Standardized psychological scales were administered to 223 bank customers as respondents. The 2 x 2 analysis of variance (ANOVA) results showed that individuals low in Type A–Type B and introversion-extraversion measures were least favourably disposed to insurance services, while those high on type A but low on extraversion, and those low on type A but high on extraversion, were most disposed to insurance services. While 60.54% of the total respondents indicated non-ownership of insurance services, only 39.46% indicated ownership. More males than females indicated ownership, while more high economic status individuals as against low or middle economic groups indicated use. The conclusion is that there is a low rate in patronage of insurance services in Nigeria, which might be attributed to the inability of the insurance personnel to identify target patrons and adopt different marketing strategies, based on an individual's gender, economic status and personality, in marketing insurance services. Journal of Psychology in Africa 2004, 14(2): 127–137