Meta-synthesis on learners’ experience of aggression in secondary schools in South Africa

This meta-synthesis is on research conducted by different researchers in a team research project on learners’ experience of aggression in secondary schools in South Africa. The objective was to obtain a broader understanding of their experience of aggression in different contexts in South Africa, as well as possible ways to assist learners to address the experienced aggression. Eleven completed research projects were purposively sampled. Data were collected utilising the following headings: objectives, sampling, research design, research method, and research results, and guidelines. At the end of the meta- synthesis process the results are described, with supporting direct quotations from participants and a literature control. Guidelines for learners to cope with aggression are described

Multivariate differential analyses of adolescents’ experiences of aggression in families

Aggression is part of South African society and has implications for the mental health of persons living in South Africa. If parents are aggressive adolescents are also likely to be aggressive and that will impact negatively on their mental health. In this article the nature and extent of adolescents’ experiences of aggression and aggressive behaviour in the family are investigated. A deductive explorative quantitative approach was followed. Aggression is reasoned to be dependent on aspects such as self-concept, moral reasoning, communication, frustration tolerance and family relationships. To analyse the data from questionnaires of 101 families (95 adolescents, 95 mothers and 91 fathers) Cronbach Alpha, various consecutive first and second order factor analyses, correlations, multiple regression, MANOVA, ANOVA and Scheffè/ Dunnett tests were used. It was found that aggression correlated negatively with the independent variables; and the correlations between adolescents and their parents were significant. Regression analyses indicated that different predictors predicted aggression. Furthermore, differences between adolescents and their parents indicated that the experienced levels of aggression between adolescents and their parents were small. Implications for education are given

Movement as a critical concept in model generation to attain wholeness

Abstract: Movement is an integral aspect of daily living. Movement allows the human being to express, find meaning and reflect a part or the whole of the unfolding of the stories of their lives. The essence of the dialogue is the movement towards caring and healing between the professional nurse and the individual. The purpose of this research is to develop, describe, evaluate and provide guidelines for the operationalisation of a model as a framework of reference for nursing to facilitate the individual faced with mental health challenges as an integral part of wholeness. A model was generated to facilitate the engagement of self through movement, which contributes to and manifests in a mindful way of living to promote mental health as an integral part of wholeness. The findings of the study are applicable to the world of nursing practice, nursing education and research

Patterns of a culture of aggression by adolescents in a rural village of Mpumalanga Province, South Africa

Abstract: Background: Involvement of adolescents in aggressive behaviours and activities is on the rise in rural villages in Mpumalanga Province. There has been increasing concern by the members of the community, teachers, police and parents on the seriousness of adolescents’ aggressive behaviours. Despite its everyday occurrences and its extensiveness, very little is known about the culture of aggression of adolescence in the rural community. There was a need for research in this area as it has been neglected by all institutions, understandably not realising that it could be such a big problem for everyone. Objectives: To explore and describe the culture of aggression as observed in the rural community of Mpumalanga Province displayed by adolescents. Method: A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive, and contextual research design was followed with an ethnographic approach. Purposive sampling was used to select participants. Data collection consisted of observations of ‘rich points’, interviews and field notes, artifacts, personal diaries, documents, health and social related reports, other documents like school reports on behaviour . Thematic data analysis and an independent coder were used. Results: Findings of this study reflected three patterns of a culture of aggression displayed by adolescents, namely patterns of anger, self- destructive behaviours, and disrespect. The bases of these were neglect and lack of knowledge that adolescents model what they see and experience from the environment they live in. Conclusion: The reality of the matter is that aggression is escalating. This high rate of a culture of aggression calls for putting sustainable measures in place to constructively manage a culture of aggression by involving all the stakeholders, such as the parents, teachers, community members, elders and the adolescents. Such involvement will enable all stakeholders to contribute and play their role in the management of the culture of aggression in the rural community in Mpumalanga Province as part and parcel of mental health promotion..

Guidelines to manage aggression and facilitate the mental health of educators in the workplace

Session presented on: Thursday, July 25, 2013: Purpose: To describe a meta-synthesis of research conducted on educators\u27 lived experience of aggression in the workplace in South Africa and guidelines to manage aggression and facilitate mental health. Methods: Qualitative phenomenological interviews, observation and fieldnotes were utilised to collect data from purposefully sampled educators. Data were analysed by means of open coding and re-contexualised within the literature. Measures to ensure trustworthiness were applied through implementation of the strategies of credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability. Ethical principles were applied throughout the research process namely autonomy, non-maleficience, benificience and justice. Results: Educators experience aggression on a personal level as expressed in negative emotions. Educators also experience aggression interpersonally as expressed in: experiencing learners being physically aggressive towards each other in class, disrespectful behaviour from learners and educators. Guidelines were described to manage aggression and facilitate mental health. Intrapersonal guidelines focused on facilitating awareness and value clarification by educators. Interpersonal guidelines focused on facilitating constructive communication, constructive conflict management and resilence of educators. Conclusion: Experienced aggression by educators demonstrate challenges to educators\u27 mental health. Guidelines can be utilised to facilitate educators\u27 awareness, respect, constructive communication and conflict management

Advanced psychiatric nurse practitioners’ ideas and needs for supervision in private practice in South Africa

Background: Supervision forms an integral part of psychiatric nursing. The value of clinical supervision has been demonstrated widely in research. Despite efforts made toward advanced psychiatric nursing, supervision seems to be non-existent in this field. Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore and describe advanced psychiatric nurse practitioners’ ideas and needs with regard to supervision in private practice in order to contribute to the new efforts made in advanced psychiatric nursing in South Africa. Method: A qualitative, descriptive, exploratory, and contextual design using a phenomenological approach as research method was utilised in this study. A purposive sampling was used. Eight advanced psychiatric nurse practitioners in private practice described their ideas and needs for supervision during phenomenological interviews. Tesch’s method of open coding was utilised to analyse data. After data analysis the findings were recontextualised within literature. Results: The data analysis generated the following themes – that the supervisor should have or possess: (a) professional competencies, (b) personal competencies and (c) specific facilitative communication skills. The findings indicated that there was a need for supervision of advanced psychiatric nurse practitioners in private practice in South Africa. Conclusion: This study indicates that there is need for supervision and competent supervisors in private practice. Supervision can be beneficial with regard to developing a culture of support for advanced psychiatric practitioners in private practice and also psychiatric nurse practitioners

Experiences of parents of an adolescent with intellectual disability in Giyani, Limpopo province, South Africa

Background: Parents of adolescents with intellectual disability experienced stress caused by challenges that come from having such adolescents. Those challenges affected the parents physically and emotionally, depending on the severity of the adolescent’s intellectual disability. Having an adolescent with an intellectual disability becomes a burden if the challenges were not resolved. Aim: This study aimed to explore and describe the experiences of parents of adolescents with intellectual disability in Giyani. Setting: This study was conducted at the participants’ homes in Giyani, Limpopo province, South Africa. Methods: A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual design was utilised. The main question was ‘How is it to have an adolescent with intellectual disability?’ Eight purposively sampled parents participated, and data were collected through in-depth interviews, observations and field notes. Data were analysed by means of thematic coding and an independent coder was consulted. Results: Four themes were identified. The study revealed that parents of adolescents with intellectual disability experienced negative emotional responses. Most parents reported a lack of support from family members and the community. They also reported caring challenges, yet some showed positive coping mechanisms. Conclusion: Parents of adolescents with intellectual disability experienced various challenges in caring for these children. A collaborative approach from relevant stakeholders could have a positive impact in supporting the parents of adolescents with intellectual disabilities

A model to facilitate the mental health of psychiatric nurses in a forensic unit to manage mental health care users’ hostile behaviour constructively

Background: Hostile behaviour by mental health care users (MHCUs) is prevalent in forensic units in South Africa, and this causes service providers distress and burnout. Psychiatric nurses (PNs) find it difficult to render quality care to MHCUs who are threatening them and also challenging their authority in a forensic unit. Forensic mental health care practitioners may be challenged to engage authentically with MHCUs who constitute a risk to their personal safety or who have committed acts the practitioner finds morally disturbing. There is a need to facilitate the mental health of PNs in a forensic unit to manage hostile behaviour constructively. Objective: The objective of this article is to describe the process that was followed in developing, implementing and evaluating a model that could be used as a framework of reference to facilitate the mental health of PNs in a forensic unit to manage hostile behaviour constructively. Method: A theory-generative, qualitative, exploratory descriptive and contextual study design was used to develop the model. The steps of the process entailed the identification of the central concept, the definition of the central concept and other essential criteria and the classification of the central and related concepts. The model was then described and evaluated. Results: The central concept was identified as the ‘facilitation of empowerment of PNs to manage hostility in a constructive manner’, defined, classified and then described and evaluated. Conclusion: The model as framework of reference could assist PNs in managing hostility in a forensic unit constructively

Psychiatric nurses’ experience of aggression amongst colleagues

Psychiatric nurses run a high risk of being exposed to aggression. They experience aggression from clients as well as fellow colleagues. Aggression in the work environment has an overt negative psychological effect on the nurse. The purpose of this research was to explore and describe how psychiatric nurses experienced aggression amongst colleagues in the work environment. The study used a qualitative, exploratory and descriptive research design. Eight psychiatric nurses exposed to aggression by their colleagues in an academic psychiatric hospital in Johannesburg were purposively sampled to participate in this study. Data were collected by means of in-depth phenomenological interviews, observations and field notes until data saturation was achieved. The following question was asked: ‘What is your experience of aggression amongst colleagues in the work environment?’. The findings indicated that the psychiatric nurses experienced aggression in a passive but harmful manner. The nurses experienced a suspicious and distrustful team environment. Limited support was experienced when colleagues and management did not acknowledge aggression and the nurses applied various coping and defence mechanisms when emotional stress and aggression were experienced. The aggression psychiatric nurses experienced had an effect on their experience on self, team work and providing services to patients

Views of adolescents on addressing violence in semi-rural secondary schools in Mafikeng, North West province

Background: Violence is a public health problem and often an issue of criminal justice.Violence in schools is a worldwide phenomenon and exposes adolescents to premature death.Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore and describe adolescents’ views on addressing violence in semi-rural secondary schools in Mafikeng.Research design and method: A qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual research design was utilised. Purposive sampling was used to select adolescents from semi-rural secondary schools in Mafikeng who fell between the ages of 13 and 20 years and who were involved in community youth groups or associations. In-depth focus group discussion using audiotape, reflexive notes and naïve sketches were used for data collection. The central question which was asked was ‘What are the adolescents’ views on addressing violence in semi-rural secondary schools?’ Data were analysed by means of open coding.Results: The results showed that adolescents understood the complexities associated with violence in this country, and they suggested multiple approaches and interventions. The adolescents were of the opinion that responsible communication patterns in the school environment could build healthy relationships between learners and educators and lead to a decrease in violence in the school setting. They also felt that enforcement of a secure teaching environment through encouragement of behavioural and attitudinal change guided by school codes of conduct and provision of firm security will help reduce violence in schools.</p