Masters Degrees (Psychiatry)

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Browsing Masters Degrees (Psychiatry) by browse.metadata.advisor "Lochner, Christine"

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    Intimate partner violence and its association with substance use disorder : a qualitative study
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2023-12) Ferreira, Luzette; Roos, Annerine; Lochner, Christine; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Dept. of Psychiatry.
    ENGLISH SUMMARY: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health and social problem affecting a large proportion of women in both developed and developing countries. South Africa has one of the highest prevalence rates of IPV compared to other countries, with significant negative effects on the well-being and mental health of the victims. IPV has been significantly associated with substance use disorder (SUD) and victims of IPV are significantly more prone to abuse multiple substances. There is a lack of rich narrative information within a South African context with regards to women’s experiences of IPV and SUD. My aim was to qualitatively investigate the experiences and challenges of women present with both SUD and IPV. Twelve participants with ages ranging between 18 and 43, in an inpatient unit offering rehabilitation services, were interviewed using a semi-structured interview and several questionnaires to assess type, severity and history of IPV and SUD; to identify risk factors such as mental health symptoms and childhood abuse. After transcription of audiotaped interviews, thematic analysis was used to derive from participants’ narratives three primary themes: i) Substance abuse and relationship development, ii) The relationship became abusive, and iii) Becoming sober and leaving the relationship. Under each primary theme, four subthemes were identified. A history of abuse and mental health problems contributed to increased vulnerability in these participants. Mental health consequences of IPV were mostly undiagnosed and participants identified symptoms of depression, anxiety, and trauma. IPV often went untreated as the primary treatment was for SUD. These findings describe the complexity of IPV and SUD in women within treatment centres as well as the escalation and severity of these two problems when they occur simultaneously. This study adds to the limited literature on South African women’s daily experiences of living with both IPV and SUD. Participants’ narratives provide valuable information that provide a foundation for future investigations among larger populations of women with IPV and SUD; to determine their unique experiences, difficulties and needs for targeted treatment.
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    Problematic use of the internet and family functioning : a quantitative investigation
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2022-04) Van Den Berg, Gizela; Lochner, Christine; Coetzee, Bronwyne; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Dept. of Psychiatry.
    ENGLISH SUMMARY: The internet is intertwined with most aspects of our daily lives and contribute considerably to the progression of humankind. Nevertheless, the excessive and maladaptive use of the internet are linked to serious health concerns and has subsequently been termed problematic use of the internet. Problematic use of the internet (PUI) is widely considered a behavioural addiction and is frequently linked to various psychological, social, academic, and/or professional problems. Many people with PUI present with psychiatric comorbidities such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, autism spectrum disorder, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Moreover, there are many reports suggesting that young people are at particular risk for PUI. Existing literature, mainly conducted in Asia, implicate family functioning in PUI. According to the premise of family systems theory (FST), PUI can only be appraised by examining the complex interactions of family members. The relationship between PUI and family functioning is shown to be reciprocal in nature: PUI may result in unhealthy family functioning, marked by conflict, low levels of cohesion, and poor communication. In turn, unhealthy family functioning may reinforce PUI when members excessively engage with the internet as a coping mechanism. Little research has been done on PUI in general, and none in youth in South Africa (SA). To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the relationship between PUI and family functioning in South African youth between the ages of 18 and 30. There were four research objectives to the present study. The first objective was to determine the demographic profile of our sample of 18-to-30-year-old South Africans with PUI (including PUI prevalence rates). The second objective was to investigate whether there is a relationship between PUI and family functioning. The third objective was to explore whether there is a relationship between time spent on various online activities (e.g., online gaming, online gambling, and online pornography) and family functioning. The fourth objective was to determine whether there is an interaction effect between PUI and comorbid psychiatric disorders (e.g., obsessive-compulsive disorder, autism spectrum disorder, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder) on family functioning. Cross-sectional survey data was collected from 814 South Africans between the ages of 18 and 30 years. Among our sample of 814 respondents (𝑛𝑓𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑙𝑒𝑠 = 531; 𝑛𝑚𝑎𝑙𝑒𝑠 = 278; 𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟/𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 = 5), the prevalence rate of PUI was 15%, indicating that PUI may be a significant mental health issue among our sample. Potential risk factors to PUI in our sample included: being single, having completed high school (grade 12), having some college/university education, and being a university/college student. Results showed that as scores on the JEG internet addiction test (IAT) 10-item instrument increased, scores on the general functioning scale of the family assessment device (GF-FAD) increased linearly, indicating that increased severity of PUI was associated with increased severity of unhealthy family functioning (r = .33, p < .001). There was a significant difference in the GF-FAD scores for individuals with PUI (M = 2.57, SD = .51) and those without PUI (M = 2.13, SD = .61); t(812) = -7.52, p < 0.001, suggesting that individuals with PUI experienced unhealthier family functioning than individuals without PUI. The increased frequency of all but one of the PUI symptoms (i.e., symptom six: “Do you snap, yell, or act annoyed if someone bothers you while you are on-line?”) correlated significantly with severity of unhealthy family functioning. Section B of the internet severity and activities addiction questionnaire (ISAAQ), i.e., the internet activities scale (IAS), indicated that as time spent on social networking (r = .11, p = .003), online pornography (r = .20, p < .001), streaming media (r = .11, p = .003), and cyberbullying (r = .17, p < .001) increased, the severity of unhealthy family functioning increased. No interaction effects of PUI and comorbidities on family functioning were found (p > .05). In conclusion, the current findings suggest that PUI is common in South African youth. This study also sheds light on the nature of the relationship between PUI and unhealthy family functioning among young South Africans. This relationship demands sustained attention and effort from role-players such as parents, schools, clinicians and policymakers alike, to mitigate it and therefore promote the optimal development of youth.