L.T.B. Jackson

Psychological strengths and subjective well-being in South African white students

This study investigated the role of individual resources, notably self-efficacy, gratitude, and hope, in subjective well-being of white dormitory students at a historically white institution of higher learning. Using a convenience sample of white students (N = 227), we tested the role of generalised self-efficacy, gratitude, and hope as indicators of a latent factor, labelled personal resources, in a structural equation model with subjective well-being as the latent output variable, measured by self-esteem and satisfaction with life. Path analyses indicated a reasonable fit between the data and our hypothesised theoretical model which proposed positive relations between levels of generalised self-efficacy, gratitude, dispositional hope, self-esteem and satisfaction with life. White students were psychologically doing well, considering above-midpoint levels obtained for levels of generalised self-efficacy, gratitude, dispositional hope, and satisfaction with life However, scores obtained for self-esteem and adult dispositional hope were below the mid-point and neutral respectively, indicating that White students do not agree that they experience high levels of these two psychological strengths. White female students experienced higher levels of hope, gratitude, and life satisfaction, while no significant gender differences were found for generalised self-efficacy and self-esteem. The results of this study highlight the potential for using psychological strengths to promote well-being in racially diverse students.

Adverse Acculturation Conditions and Well-Being of Mine Employees in the North-West Province

The frequency of intercultural contact in the South African workplace has increased after 1994. We investigated relations between adverse acculturation conditions, separation and well-being in Black and White miners. We utilized a cross-sectional design with a convenience sample of 241 Black and White miners. We then considered the effect of race in the experiences of miners and also used multigroup path analysis to determine whether identical relations between multiculturalism, work success, and wellbeing were could be found for Blacks and Whites. Mainstream segregation demands, discrimination, subtle racism and separation were strongly related to ill-health symptoms, but not to work success. In addition, these relationships were identical for Blacks and Whites. Separation fully mediated the relation between segregation and subtle racism and ill-health. Adverse conditions matters for ill-health and well-being and therefore warrant the attention of supervisors in the workplace. Future studies should consider the role of multiculturalism in well-being.

Confirming the structure of the dual process model of diversity amongst public sector South African employees

We set out to validate the structure of the Dual Process Model of Workplace Diversity in a South African work setting contrasting black and white African employees. The study participants were a convenience sample of 296 public service employees (black = 73.3%, female = 59%, 90.7% between the age 18 and 40 years; white = 25.7%, female = 58%, 67.1% between the age of 18 and 40 years). They completed measures of acculturation antecedents (positive and negative conditions), mediators (integration as positive strategy to deal with diversity and separation as negative strategy), and outcomes (work success and ill-health). Using multi-group path analysis, we found race-based invariance of the Dual Process Model, with black employees self-reporting diversity relations in a more favourable way compared to white employees. We conclude that the Dual Process Model is supported for research use in the South African workplaces.

Coping with Diversity in Dormitories in a Historically White Institute of Higher Learning in South Africa

The dormitories of historically white higher learning institutes are becoming diverse in South Africa We were interested in how white students cope with this increased diversity. We consider diversity and multiculturalism as acculturation issues and were interested in how acculturation conditions impact on psychological acculturation outcomes of white students. We propose a dual process model of diversity, consisting of facilitating acculturation resources that lead to satisfaction with life and restricting acculturation demands that lead to ill-health symptoms. Scales of acculturation conditions and outcomes were administered to a convenience sample of 227 Afrikaans-speaking students. Our hypothesized model was confirmed in a path analysis. Acculturation resources were associated with life satisfaction and acculturation demands with ill-health and a reduction in life satisfaction. White Afrikaans females students coped better with diversity compared to their male counterparts. Very negative diversity conditions can erode the benefits of positive acculturation conditions or resources.