South African Journal Of Psychology Research Articles

Mental Health Considerations in HIV Research Published in the South African Journal of Psychology, 2008–2018

In this study, we explore the themes related to mental health considerations in HIV/AIDS research published in the South African Journal of Psychology (SAJP) from January 2008 to December 2018. Utilising an exploratory research design, we purposively sampled 35 empirical articles from the SAJP to represent general trends. We conducted a thematic content analysis to identify recurring constructs and themes, following established guidelines. Key themes identified include the intersection between stigma, mental health and access to healthcare; the impact of HIV on cognitive functioning and performance; behavioural vulnerabilities and power dynamics; and challenges in healthcare service utilisation. The cumulative evidence from the SAJP highlights the need for targeted, culturally sensitive interventions that deal with systemic inefficiencies and stigma in the healthcare system. Interventions should also consider broader socio-economic factors and promote equitable relationships. In addition, it is vital to ensure that healthcare providers receive ongoing education on legal and ethical matters to aid in sound ethical decision-making. An all-encompassing, coordinated strategy is key to improving the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS in South Africa.

Poverty, protests and pandemics: what can we learn from community resilience?

For example, collective or community hope is more than the sense of individual hope of the members of a particular community. The destruction of property, theft and violence that occurred in South Africa, particularly in KZN and Gauteng in the week of 12 July 2021 had a significant impact on the national psyche. [Extracted from the article] Copyright of South African Journal of Psychology is the property of Sage Publications, Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Call for nominations – Editor: South African Journal of Psychology

Call for nominations – Editor: South African Journal of Psychology

Sacrifice is a step beyond convenience: A review of convenience sampling in psychological research in Africa

Orientation: Articles from three African psychology journals were reviewed to indicate their use and reporting practices of convenience samples.Research purpose: Method-relevant sections of empirical research reports (qualitative, quantitative, mixed method, etc.) were categorised to establish current method use and reporting practices as well as the methodological standards of convenience sampling in three African psychology journals from 2018 to mid-2020.Motivation for the study: Convenience sampling is the most popularly used sampling method in psychology. However, little attention is paid to sampling composition and sampling methods in articles, which influences trustworthiness, generalisability and replication of results. Psychology is also experiencing criticism because of the lack of non-Western, educated, industrialised, rich and democratic (WEIRD) samples.Research approach/design and method: A systematised review design was followed to purposively collect and categorise articles that used convenience samples as a sampling approach (n = 139) from the South African Journal of Industrial Psychology, the South African Journal of Psychology and the Journal of Psychology in Africa.Main findings: General reporting practices included sample size, gender, country, sample source (e.g. university) and age. Other sample characteristics indicate that studies were primarily conducted with South Africans speaking Afrikaans or English. English was mainly used to collect data from primarily black (African) and white (Caucasian) racial groups. Participants were largely female from university or college. Some sample differences such as sample size were also noted between qualitative and quantitative research methods. African journals’ reporting practices of sample characteristics were found to include standards and frequencies similar to or higher than those of international journals.Practical/managerial implications: Journals should pay attention to their role in influencing the reporting practices and standards of convenience samples and consider incorporating the presented categories.Contribution/value-add: The use of convenience sampling in African psychology journals is presented along with the potential of African research to provide non-WEIRD samples in psychology. Recommendations for improving the use of this sampling method are highlighted.

Frequently asked questions about African psychology: another view

The South African Journal of Psychology, in pages 273–279, of 2017, published a very important and commendable editorial by Kopano Ratele aimed at re-igniting the debate on issues surrounding ‘decades-old confusion about the definition, scope, impetus for, and ultimate aims of an African psychology within South Africa (SA)’. His incisive contribution in response to these issues was submitted under the title: Frequently asked questions about African psychology. In attempting to join this debate, the aim is not to challenge but to complement the fine responses made by Ratele (2017b) to the questions he had raised. Specifically, the aim of this article is to keep this important debate about the state of African psychology alive by showing that there are still some unexplored questions about African psychology that need to be raised and responded to. It is the conviction of the present author that it is through such debates that a better understanding of the meaning and scope, and vision and mission of the nascent academic discipline of African psychology could be achieved.

The use of research methods in the South African Journal of Psychology

Research methods play an important role in the outcome of research projects and publication, which contribute to various aspects of a country’s development and well-being. This study explored the current use of research methods in psychological research within South Africa. The South African Journal of Psychology was chosen to represent a sample for this investigation. A systematised review was used to discern what research methods are being used, how these methods are being used and for what topics. Thus, 116 articles published in the South African Journal of Psychology from 2013 to 2017 were categorised. Research articles in the selected sample generally provided fewer details with regard to the applied methodology. Therefore, only the reported methodology in these articles is documented in this study. The type of research methods used in the South African Journal of Psychology focused mainly on quantitative and qualitative methods. These methods were typically applied to 10 research topics of which Social Psychology was most dominant, and Education and Learning least dominant. Data collection mostly consisted of questionnaires or interviews using samples of convenience with various techniques of data analysis. The results are discussed from the perspective of a national and an international study to highlight South Africa’s research position with regard to international publications. Overall, this investigation shows the uniqueness of South African research, areas for future study and research development, considering international trends.

Pathways to health: conceptual clarification and appropriate statistical treatment of mediator, moderator, and indirect effects using examples from burnout research

In my role as consulting statistical editor for the South African Journal of Psychology, I have witnessed a steady increase in articles that focused on the presumed role of mediator and moderator variables. While straightforward cause–effect studies have an important explanatory role, our task in the helping profession is to identify those factors that ‘intervene’ and make individuals differentially vulnerable in the cause–effect relationship. However, in a significant number of papers I have reviewed, there appeared to be considerable conceptual confusion about these variables with moderator and mediator often used interchangeably. In addition, no single paper I have reviewed considered indirect effects. This article attempts to differentiate between the various roles that a third variable can play in the adverse condition–wellbeing relationship (e.g., the stress–depression relationship). In addition, the appropriate statistical procedures for testing these roles are demonstrated using burnout research data. In this particular research project, 207 secondary school teachers completed a range of research questionnaires designed to assess among others burnout, work environment, social support, personal competence, coping, and problem-solving appraisal. Using this data, the various roles that third variables can play are demonstrated using hierarchical regression analyses.

South African Journal of Psychology: special section Africa's vulnerabilities, challenges and responses to pandemics like COVID-19.

South African Journal of Psychology: special section Africa's vulnerabilities, challenges and responses to pandemics like COVID-19.

Call for papers: South African Journal of Psychology

Call for papers: <i>South African Journal of Psychology</i>

Performance of Young Children in Rural Guatemala on the Mullen Scales of Early Learning

Abstract Objective The literature supports using tests developed in high-income countries to assess children in low and lower-middle income countries (LMICs) when carefully translated, adapted, and applied (Holding et al., 2018; Mitchell et al., 2017). Research has shown the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL) to have adequate validity and sensitivity when used in LMICs (Bangirana et al., 2014; Koura et al., 2013), as well as equivalency to the American normative sample in lower risk populations (Bornman et al., 2010). Here, we describe the pattern of MSEL results in rural Guatemala. Participants and Method Children (n = 842; M enrollment age = 15.9 months; range 0-5 years) enrolled in an observational study of postnatal Zika exposure in rural Guatemala were administered an adapted and translated version of the MSEL (Connery et al., in press). To date, 352 children completed one, 393 children completed two, and 97 children completed three MSELs, for a total of 1,429 administrations. Results MSEL composite scores were similar to the American normative sample in children &amp;lt;12 months (M = 93.3, SD = 11.1), but lower for children ages 1-5 years (mean = 71.1, SD = 15.1, p &amp;lt; 0.0001). Moreover, lower scores were observed in children ages 1-5 years for all MSEL subscales, with the largest differences observed in receptive language (&amp;lt;12 years: mean = 47.8, SD = 7.1; 1-5 years: mean = 35.1, SD = 10.0, p &amp;lt; 0.0001). Conclusions Results are consistent with research that demonstrates a widening gap in test performance over time between children from higher and lower risk communities (Fernald et al., 2011; Paxson et al., 2005; Schady et al., 2015). Although findings are not meant to diagnose individual children, they highlight population changes in neurodevelopmental skills and the need for a better understanding of developmental patterns in LMICs. Future analyses will evaluate the impact of developmental risk factors over time and the performance of the MSEL in this population. References Bangirana, P., Opoka, R. O., Boivin, M. J., Idro, R., Hodges, J. S., Romero, R. A., … John, C. C. (2014). Severe Malarial Anemia is Associated With Long-term Neurocognitive Impairment. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 59(3), 336–344. https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciu293. Bornman, J., Sevcik, R. A., Romski, M., &amp; Pae, H. K. (2010). Successfully Translating Language and Culture when Adapting Assessment Measures, ppi_254 111.118. Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1741-1130.2010.00254.x. Fernald, L. C. H., Weber, A., Galasso, E., &amp; Ratsifandrihamanana, L. (2011). Socioeconomic gradients and child development in a very low income population: Evidence from Madagascar. Developmental Science, 14(4), 832–847. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-7687.2010.01032.x. Holding, P., Anum, A., van de Vijver, F. J. R., Vokhiwa, M., Bugase, N., Hossen, T., … Gomes, M. (2018). Can we measure cognitive constructs consistently within and across cultures? Evidence from a test battery in Bangladesh, Ghana, and Tanzania. Applied Neuropsychology: Child, 7(1), 1-13 https://doi.org/10.1080/21622965.2016.1206823. Koura, K. G., Boivin, M. J., Davidson, L. L., Ouédraogo, S., Zoumenou, R., Alao, M. J., … Bodeau-Livinec, F. (2013). Usefulness of child development assessments for low-resource settings in francophone Africa. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics : JDBP, 34(7), 486–93. https://doi.org/10.1097/DBP.0b013e31829d211c. Mitchell, J. M., Tomlinson, M., Bland, R. M., Houle, B., Stein, A., &amp; Rochat, T. J. (2017). Confirmatory factor analysis of the Kaufman assessment battery in a sample of primary school-aged children in rural South Africa. South African Journal of Psychology, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1177/0081246317741822. Paxson, C., Schady, N., Izquierdo, S., León, M., Lucio, R., Ponce, J., … Hall, W. (2005). Cognitive Development among Young Children in Ecuador The Roles of Wealth, Health, and Parenting. Retrieved from http://econ.worldbank.org. Schady, N., Behrman, J., Araujo, M. C., Azuero, R., Bernal, R., Bravo, D., … Vakis, R. (2015). Wealth gradients in early childhood cognitive development in five Latin American countries. The Journal of Human Resources, 50(2), 446–463. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25983344.

Sites of Protest: Rethinking Everyday Spaces as Sites for Protesting the Marginalisation of Difference

Sites of Protest: Rethinking Everyday Spaces as Sites for Protesting the Marginalisation of Difference

Advancing community psychology: a Special Issue of the South African Journal of Psychology

Advancing community psychology: a Special Issue of the <i>South African Journal of Psychology</i>

SOUTH AFRICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL WORK ON BOYS, MEN AND MASCULINITIES: TWO DECADES OF MASCULINITY RESEARCH POST FIRST DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS (1994 – 2011)

The research on masculinities in South Africa has grown rapidly over the last two decades. This paper is an attempt to review of theory and research on masculinities published in South Africa and unpacks the key foci of South African Psychology on masculinities and to analyse the dominant discourses inherent in these work. This paper approaches South African psychology, through the vehicle of the two key journals, the South African Journal of Psychology (SAJP) and Psychology in Society (PINS) published from 1994 to 2011. Our analysis suggests two clear streams of work looking at boys, men and masculinities in South African Psychology. Firstly, there are those that fall into the traditional paradigm of reproducing notions of an essentialised binarism of gender. Secondly, there is the work that focuses on performances of masculinities which draws primarily on current interdisciplinary research generated internationally and locally within the framework of critical men’s studies.

Ostinato rigore: establishing methodological rigour in quantitative research

The last 20 years in South Africa and abroad have evidenced huge changes in the ways in which research is accessed and produced. These changes were facilitated by the rapid developments in technology. Collaborating with researchers across the globe and accessing articles and research can be done at the push of a button and response times are as instantaneous. Conducting and communicating one’s own research are also much easier. This led to a veritable explosion of publishers and journals, some of which are legitimate and others predatory. In this climate, the adage of ‘publish or perish’ has become a lived reality placing increasing pressure on scholars to publish. An unintended consequence of this is the increasing lack of methodological rigour in studies. This article advocates for increasing attention to methodological rigour in quantitative research. In so doing, guidelines and suggestions are provided in terms of elements to be considered within each of the broad aspects of a study, namely, sampling, instrumentation, methods, design, and data analysis. These are drawn from the literature as well as the author’s own experiences in teaching quantitative research methods, supervising postgraduate student research, reviewing articles for local and international journals, as well as experiences of reviewing articles located within the quantitative paradigm as Associate Editor for the South African Journal of Psychology. Ultimately, this article seeks to create awareness among researchers around the necessity for methodologically rigorous research to enhance the quality of outputs. This will have the effect of producing impactful research that can confidently inform policy, practice, and training within the discipline.

Two decades of qualitative research in Psychology, Industrial and Organisational Psychology and Human Resource Management within South Africa: A critical review

Orientation: Qualitative research is marked by phenomenal growth and development over the years.Research purpose: This article aims to offer insight into the emerging qualitative methodologies used in the fields of Psychology, Industrial and Organisational Psychology and Human Resource Management.Motivation for the study: The value of qualitative organisational research has been recognised since the 1970s. Regardless of its perceived value, national and international trends show a greater tendency for quantitative research.Research design, approach and method: This article investigates qualitative articles (n = 242) published over two decades in the South African Journal of Industrial Psychology (SAJIP), South African Journal of Psychology (SAJP), and the South African Journal of Human Resource Management (SAJHRM). More specifically, a content analysis was conducted to highlight the trends of paradigms, designs and analysis methods employed in the studies.Main findings: Although there seems to be a slight increase in qualitative publications over the years, qualitative studies show a lower volume than its counterparts. The SAJIP published the least qualitative articles when compared to the SAJP and SAJHRM. There is a pattern of preference for specific paradigms and methods in all the journals. Overall, all the journals carry a large number of articles that do not specifically state their paradigmatic alignment or the designs they used, while some articles omits the methodology used in the studies altogether.Practical/managerial implications: The results indicate a clear need for increased exposure to qualitative methodology, both by publishing more qualitative studies in local journals and by providing formal training opportunities. A publication does not solely rely on authorship, but also on a review process. Therefore certain adjustments in this process may lead to more and better qualitative publications in future.Contribution/value-add: This article provides a critical analysis of the current trends and developments in qualitative research conducted in Industrial and Organisational Psychology(IOP) research in South Africa. The study identifies dominant methodologies in use, and thereby identifies possible opportunities to expand the ‘methodological menu’ of IOP research.

Cultural discourses in apartheid-era psychology, 1980–1994

Since the 1970s, “indigenous psychology” has blossomed into a global movement that seeks to tailor psychological knowledge and practices for use in other-than-western contexts. Prompted by the often apolitical presentation of indigenization imperatives in academic discourse, this article critically examines conceptualizations of “culture” in the South African Journal of Psychology and Psychology in Society between 1980 and 1994. In a discourse analysis of 48 journal articles, three cultural discourses are identified. Discourse 1 conceptualizes “culture” on the basis of an essentialist ontology and advocates a position of cultural relativism and Discourse 2 draws on a social constructionist ontology that advances an anti-essentialist position, while Discourse 3 relies on a neo-primordial ontology that favors a pluralist position. By identifying the discursive functions of these formations in relation to the broader South African political context, this article reveals striking parallels between psychological and political cultural discourses.

South African psychology 20 years into democracy

The South African Journal of Psychology (SAJP), originally Psygram (1959-1969), is the largest psychology journal in Africa and is the preferred scientific publication for academics and researchers in psychology in South Africa. It is generalist and has been continuously published over the past 55 years, eventually incorporating the Journal of Behavioural Sciences (1969-1979), Psychologia Africana (1962-1983), and the South African Psychologist (1962-1979). This Special Issue of the SAJP celebrates the 20th anniversaries of both the formation of the Psychological Society of South Africa (PsySSA) and the advent of democracy in South Africa. Unlike the first South African Psychological Association, which was formed in Bloemfontein weeks after the apartheid regime came to power on 26 May 1948, the formation of PsySSA on 21 January 1994 preceded by over 3 months South Africa's historic first general elections of 27 April 1994 (Cooper, 2012).

South African Journal of Psychology: Special 20th Anniversary Issue Call for submissions

South African Journal of Psychology: Special 20th Anniversary Issue Call for submissions

Reflecting on South African Psychology: Published research, ‘relevance’, and social issues

As South Africa prepared to host the 30th International Congress of Psychology in 2012, a call was made to reflect on the strengths of and challenges facing contemporary South African Psychology. This article presents our response to our brief to focus on social issues by presenting the results of a situational analysis of South African Psychology over the last 5 years and comparing this corpus of data to a similar analysis reported in Macleod. Articles appearing in the South African Journal of Psychology and abstracts in PsycINFO with the keyword ‘South Africa’ over a 5.5-year period were analysed. The content of 243 South African Journal of Psychology articles and 1986 PsycINFO abstracts was analysed using the codes developed by Macleod. Results indicate that an increase in the number of articles, a reduction in the percentage of articles using quantitative methodologies and ‘hard’ science theoretical frameworks (particularly in the South African Journal of Psychology), and an increase in qualitative, theoretical, and methodological articles, and articles using systems-oriented theory (particularly in the South African Journal of Psychology). Traditional topics of assessment, stress and psychopathology continue to dominate, with social issues, such as housing, land reform, development programmes, water resources and socio-economic inequities being largely ignored. Most research continues to be conducted in Gauteng, KwaZulu/Natal and the Western Cape, predominantly with adult, urban-based, middle-class participants, sourced mainly from universities, hospitals or clinics, and schools. Collaborations or comparisons with other African, Asian, South American, and Middle East countries have decreased. While the analysis presented in this paper is limited by its exclusion of books, theses, research reports and monographs, it shows that in published research there are some positive trends and some disappointments. The limited number of social issues featuring in published research, the under-representation of certain sectors of the population as participants, and the decrease in collaboration with, or comparison to, countries from the global ‘South’ represent challenges that require systematic attention.

Editorial: A baton change in scholarly psychology in South Africa

The past two decades have witnessed a remarkable growth in research and scholarly work in South African Psychology. This is evident in the increasing number of academic publications by South African scholars and researchers in journals around the world, and, of course, in the South African Journal of Psychology. Clearly, psychological research and authorship in this part of the world is alive, well, and headed in the right direction. Academic institutions are considerably more focused on research output than previously. There is also a greater awareness and interest among those in the early stages of their careers, and a much more progressive agenda is visible in scholarly writing. These are encouraging signs for Psychology in South Africa, and augur for a vibrant future for the discipline.