Religio-cultural perspectives on the understanding, aetiology and treatment of epilepsy
- Authors: Masilela, Sonto Precious
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Christianity and culture , Epilepsy -- Pathophysiology Epilepsy -- Psychological aspects Epilepsy -- Treatment Epilepsy
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/42650 , vital:36677
- Description: The important role that religious and cultural beliefs have on perceptions of and treatment of various medical and psychological conditions cannot be ignored. Certain cultures and religions believe in supernatural forces and their ability to influence one‟s health and well-being. For example, epilepsy, which is a medical condition, has a set of symptoms that if experienced, would result in its diagnosis by a medical practitioner. However, in various African communities, these symptoms are not viewed as manifestations of a medical condition, but rather as stemming from supernatural causes, such as witchcraft or spirit possession. Kapferer (2003) asserts that the belief in witchcraft is found in different geographical locations; such as Africa, Asia, South-Pacific and the Caribbean. Igwe (2004) supplements this by stating that in Nigeria, witchcraft is common amidst all ethnic and religious backgrounds. He further states that the perceptions of people whose culture/religion incorporates witchcraft are affected by a controlling impact of witchcraft. Witchcraft is considered as an „innate power‟ that may be possessed by certain men and women (Eldam, 2003); and further believed to cause epileptic fits, excessive weight gain, death, illness, accidents, infertility and miscarriages (Igwe, 2004). Instead of medical treatments thus, many individuals seek the aid of traditional healers and religious leaders. This study therefore aims to explore the South African traditional healers‟ and Christian ministers‟ perspectives of understanding the aetiology and treatment of epilepsy. This is not only considered essential for broadening the aetiological understanding, but it is also pertinent as it can contribute to indigenisation as hopefully the knowledge can be incorporated into diagnosis and treatments. The study employed the qualitative approach and one-on-one semi-structured interviews with traditional and religious healers were done. A non-probability purposive sampling technique was used. The transcripts were analysed using thematic content analysis and the researcher reported on themes that were drawn from the data. The findings suggested that epilepsy is understood as manifesting behaviourally through fits, and that as much as there are biological causes, there are also spiritual causes. It was found that where the causes are believed to be spiritual, the treatment is of a spiritual nature and includes but is not limited to interventions such as prayer, traditional ceremonies and/or indications from the ancestors. The implication this understanding poses to comprehensive and integrated mental health treatment in South Africa is made through a discussion of the themes.
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- Date Issued: 2019
The relationship between quality of sleep and mood states among athletes
- Authors: Loock, Nerine
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Sleep -- Psychological aspects Mood (Psychology) , Sports -- Psychological aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/18134 , vital:28579
- Description: Sleep quality is an aspect of sleep on which there is currently a lack of research and, in particular, there is little published data related to the quality of sleep obtained by athletes. Sleep quality is difficult to define because it includes quantitative aspects of sleep such as sleep duration, sleep latency and number of arousals as well as the subjective aspects such as ‘depth’ and ‘restfulness’ of sleep. Athletes require more sleep than the non-athlete population in order to recover from their exertions and, although evidence suggests that athletes are concerned about the impact that inadequate sleep has upon performance, there is a paucity of literature examining how poor sleep patterns affect the athletes’ psychological states during training and competition. Due to the scarcity of literature examining how the quality of sleep affects the psychological states of athletes, very little research has focused on athletes’ sleep and mood within the South African (SA) context. A quantitative research method with a combination of an exploratory and descriptive approach was employed. The sample of this study comprised of 87 athletes. The researcher made use of a purposive, non-randomized sampling technique. A self-report biographical questionnaire, the Profile of Mood States 2 – Adults (POMS 2), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Adults (STAI-A) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was administered once a week on the same day for the duration of 4 weeks. Descriptive and inferential statistics, Pearson R correlation and One-sample t-test were used to analyse the data. The researcher obtained the necessary authorisation to conduct the study and followed the ethical rules of conduct. Results indicated that there were certain relationships between the quality of sleep and mood states among athletes such as fatigue-inertia, anxiety (state and trait), depression-dejection, anger-hostility, vigour-activity and confusion-bewilderment. There was sufficient evidence to conclude that there was a significant between-week (week 1 and 2, 2 and 3, 3 and 4) difference in fatigue-inertia and sleep quality. Apart from differences in fatigue-inertia and sleep quality scores over the four weeks, all other results indicate a constant outcome over the four weeks for mood states and sleep quality. The results also indicated sufficient evidence to conclude that although there was evidence of a relationship between quality of sleep and mood states, it was not possible to make a definitive conclusion regarding whether sleep quality, anxiety, and depression were bi-directionally related. Despite some of the limitations to the study, the findings were thought to contribute in a valuable way to furthering knowledge regarding the quality of sleep and mood states among athletes. The current data suggest that monitoring athletes’ sleep and mood states may be a determining factor for satisfactory performance; therefore, the reasons for poor sleep quality should be identified in order to implement any coping strategies needed.
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- Date Issued: 2017
A psychobiographical study of Christiaan Neethling Barnard
- Authors: Lekhelebana, Vuyokazi
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Barnard, Christiaan, 1922-2001 , Surgeons -- South Africa -- Biography , Self-actualization (Psychology)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/7836 , vital:24310
- Description: Dr. Christiaan Neethling Barnard (Barnard) was a world renowned surgeon who made medical history when he performed the world’s first human heart transplant. Barnard was celebrated by some for his courage and contribution in advancing the field of cardiothoracic surgery, while others believed that the technique of human heart transplantation was not his own. Barnard became known for his controversial lifestyle, and acquired a reputation as a playboy. He died in 2001 at the age of 78, following an asthma attack. The aim of the current study was to explore and describe the personality development of Barnard, by applying Alfred Adler’s theory of Individual Psychology to the context of his lived life. The study used a single case study research design, and purposive sampling was used to select the subject. This selection was made on the basis of the researcher’s interest in Barnard’s life history and his immense contribution to medical science. Data sampled was qualitative, and was collected from primary and secondary data sources. Collected data was analysed in accordance with Alexander’s model of data analysis. The findings of the study indicated that Barnard’s life was in many respects aligned with Adler’s theory and that his striving for significance was largely influenced by his social environment as well as the cultural context in which he lived.
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- Date Issued: 2014