Dap Louw

An Evaluation of the Training of Psychologists at the University of the Free State

Research on the training of psychologists in South Africa has remained in abeyance for a long time. In view of the diversity of demands made on them by the South African practice, psychologists are concerned that training for the profession may no longer be adequate or relevant. Questionnaires were sent to 61 psychologists who had completed their professional training at the University of the Free State during the period 1990 to 1996 in order to determine how successfully such training had prepared them for practice. Other aspects such as training methods and training in research are also discussed. Although several aspects of the professional training of psychologists at the University of the Free State were rated as very good, there were some aspects of training participants felt that should receive more attention. The article concludes with recommendations on how to improve the professional training of psychologists.

A Profile of Forensic Psychologists in South Africa

Forensic psychology is more exposed to the scrutiny of other professionals and the media than most other fields in psychology. Unfortunately the discipline often falls short of the expectations in this regard. In order to compile a profile of forensic psychologists in South Africa 153 questionnaires were distributed to psychologists who render psycholegal services in court. Aspects covered in the questionnaire were experience and the work setting of the participants, number of reports submitted and appearance as witnesses, types of forensic activities, referral sources, qualifications, other fields of expertise, assessment techniques used by the participants, perception of the legal environment, and forensic training. The findings and implications for forensic psychology in South Africa are discussed.

Prediction of violent behaviour Professionals’ appraisal

This article focuses on the factors that are deemed important by magistrates and psychologists in the prediction of dangerous or violent behaviour. Five case studies, in which the risk of violence came into play, were presented to the respondents (85 magistrates and 52 psychologists) with the aid of a self-compiled questionnaire. The opinions of the legal practitioners and psychologists concerning the risk of violence that was involved in each case study were tested on the basis of two questions: (i) To what degree is the person in the case study a danger to the community? and (ii) Which risk factors were decisive in respect of Question 1? There was agreement between the two professional groups regarding risk factors. However, in certain cases there was a difference between the two professional groups in respect of the weight allocated to the specific risk factors (for example, psychologists attached more value than the legal practitioners to age, race, gender, the absence of a criminal record, the absence of remorse and drug addiction). Another insight-giving finding was that the opinions of the psychologists concerning risk factors are more substantially supported by existing research than those of magistrates.

Clinical manifestations of mental disorders among Sesotho speakers

Objective. The goal of this study was to compare four Sesotho-speaking clinical groups in South Africa concerning the manifestation of mental disorders. Methods. The participants were Sesotho speakers suffering from major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders and substance abuse. The participants (N=407) were assessed and diagnosed by a multi-professional team. A clinical interview was then conducted with each participant and the symptomatology compared with the DSM-IV-TR criteria. Results. Differences among the four clinical groups were found regarding age, gender, marital status, substance abuse and aggressive behavior. Although the symptomatology of all four groups overlapped with that of their counterparts in Western cultures, some differences were noted. For example, delusions and hallucinations seem to be more prevalent in the Sesotho speakers with major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders than in Westernized groups. Traditional medicine remains the first treatment of choice for a significant number of the participants. It is recommended that traditional medicine should be incorporated into the national health system. Conclusion. In multicultural societies such as South Africa, further research regarding cultural differences in the clinical manifestation of mental disorders is urgently needed in order to make the necessary provision for cultural uniqueness.

Psychopathy and its relation to personality psychopathology in a South African female forensic context

There is a paucity of research about personality pathology among female offenders. This study aims to address this gap in the forensic psychology empirical base by examining the relationship between female psychopathy, as measured by the Psychopathy Checklist–Revised, and personality disorders, as measured by the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III in a South African forensic context. Participants included 108 purposively sampled female offenders incarcerated in South Africa. The Kruskal–Wallis H test and Mann–Whitney U test revealed a number of significant differences in levels of personality pathology between groups. Importantly, the results support international findings that significantly higher rates of Cluster B personality pathology are found among psychopathic offenders compared to non-psychopathic offenders.

ADOLESCENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF STRESSORS CONTRIBUTING TO SUICIDAL BEHAVIOUR

South African adolescents show increased levels of suicidal behaviour. This article explores the perceptions of adolescents at risk of suicide regarding the psychosocial stressors they believe contribute to suicidal behaviour among South African adolescents. This study was conducted on 214 adolescents from the Western Cape Province with a high suicide risk. The group was selected on the basis of their high scores on the Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire. A qualitative content analysis was performed with their responses on a question about the reasons for adolescent suicide. The analysis highlighted risk factors relating to substance abuse, negative emotional experiences, lack of self-esteem, problem-solving ability and hope for the future; negative family environment and conflict in family relationships; peer group and romantic relationships; stressful life events; and socioeconomic factors. Guided by the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory suggestions were made for adolescent resource development to counter-act the impact of the various stressors they experience.

THE PERSPECTIVES OF SOUTH AFRICAN LEGAL PROFESSIONALS ON RESTORATIVE JUSTICE: AN EXPLORATIVE QUALITATIVE STUDY

Disillusionment with especially imprisonment has led to the option of implementing restorative justice. However, restorative justice is not currently utilised to its fullest potential extent in South Africa. A possible explanation for the limited application was investigated by exploring the views that legal professionals hold about restorative justice. In order to obtain an in-depth understanding of these opinions, a qualitative research methodology was employed. It revealed a generally positive disposition by the participants towards restorative justice, although some cautionary preconditions were recommended. This exploratory finding opens the door for forensic professionals to consider this option more frequently.

Media consumption: Using social attitudes to segment society – a typology of a South African sample

Abstract In this, the first of a two-article series, an attitudinal typology was developed for use in a subsequent study of media consumption and psychographic variables. The current study used multivariate statistics to identify types of individuals who are similar to one another, across multiple measures of attitudes towards social issues. Agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis of data from 11 533 South Africans, aged 16 years and older, revealed six distinct types based on the component ‘attitudinal variables’. The types were labelled Contemporaries, Conventionals, Unconcerneds, Self-involveds, Old-schoolers and Confidents. Preliminary analysis of available demographic variables revealed significant differences for age, population group, gender, work status, home language, SAARF Lifestages and SAARF Universal Living Standard Measure (SU-LSM®) for the six types. The typology illustrates the possibility of empirical identification of distinct attitudinal types of a South African sample. Methodological limitations and recommendations for further research are discussed.