Adolescents' experiences of living with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) within a South African context : a qualitative study

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dc.contributor.advisorCoetzee, Bronwyneen_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorLochner, Christineen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorPestana, Katiaen_ZA
dc.contributor.otherStellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Department of Psychology.en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2023-10-25T09:45:04Zen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2024-01-08T13:20:28Zen_ZA
dc.date.available2023-10-25T09:45:04Zen_ZA
dc.date.available2024-01-08T13:20:28Zen_ZA
dc.date.issued2023-10en_ZA
dc.descriptionThesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractENGLISH ABSTRACT: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric disorder characterised by recurrent, repetitive and intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and/ or repetitive behaviours or mental acts (compulsions). The obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms cause substantial impairment and distress; in children, they interfere with developmental adaptation and daily functioning. The 2019 coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) may have triggered and reinforced obsessive thinking and compulsive behaviours, and such aggravation might, in turn, correlate with poorer functioning and worsening of quality of life (QOL) of individuals with OCD. Available literature regarding the impact of OCD on everyday functioning and QOL has been mainly quantitative in nature. Moreover, research studies mostly include adults with OCD. There are currently no published qualitative studies that attempt to explore the influence of COVID19 on the everyday lives of children and adolescents with OCD. Therefore, the present study aimed to qualitatively explore the subjective experience of living with OCD from the perspectives of adolescents (12-18 years old) and their parents within a South African context. The second aim was to qualitatively explore how COVID-19 has impacted South African adolescents with OCD from their own perspectives as well as that of their parents. Eight adolescents (6 females and 2 males) and eight parents (8 females) took part in online semi-structured interviews. All the participants provided written informed consent and assent, and were given assurance that their identities would be kept strictly confidential and anonymous. The interviews were conducted online via Zoom or MS Teams and were audio-recorded with permission. Thereafter, the interviews were transcribed verbatim and entered into a qualitative software programme and thematically analysed. In total, 8 themes and 17 sub-themes were identified and analysed through the lens of the Ecological Systems Theory (EST). The thematic analysis uncovered participants’ subjective experiences of living with OCD. This is the first study to qualitatively explore how OCD impacts on the everyday life of youth, also within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown phases, from the perspectives of adolescents and their parent/s. The findings were that OCD is debilitating, with a substantial impact on all domains, including home, social functioning, and schoolwork. Adolescents with OCD (and their parents) reported extreme guilt and shame because of OC symptoms and an inability “to be themselves.” Results on the impact of COVID-19 were mixed. Some participants reported exacerbated symptoms (e.g., worse contamination fears and increased compulsive washing) in this context, whereas others denied any impact. Overall, these findings offer deeper insight into the subjective experiences of living with OCD, also during the COVID-19 pandemic, from the perspectives of adolescents and their parents. The findings highlight the importance of involving parents in treatment strategies and emphasizes the need for well-defined guidelines to assist parents in effectively implementing at-home reinforcement of therapeutic teachings. Moreover, the data accentuate the importance of psychoeducational programs at schools and in the community, to increase awareness and coping with OCD, specifically in children and adolescents.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractAFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Obsessief-kompulsiewe steuring (OKS) is 'n psigiatriese toestand wat gekenmerk word deur herhalende en indringende gedagtes (obsessies) en/of herhalende gedrag (kompulsies). Die obsessief-kompulsiewe (OK) simptome veroorsaak aansienlike inperking en distres; by kinders meng dit in met ontwikkelingsaanpassing en daaglikse funksionering. Die 2019- koronaviruspandemie (COVID-19) kon obsessiewe gedagtes en kompulsiewe gedrag gesneller of vererger het, en dit kon weer met swakker funksionering en lewenskwaliteit (LK) in individue met OKS korreleer. Beskikbare literatuur oor die impak van OKS op alledaagse funksionering en LK is hoofsaaklik kwantitatief van aard. Boonop sluit navorsing studies meestal volwassenes met OKS in. Verder is daar tans geen gepubliseerde kwalitatiewe studies wat poog om die invloed van COVID19 op die alledaagse lewens van kinders en adolessente met OKS te ondersoek nie. Daarom het die huidige studie ten doel gehad om die subjektiewe ervaring van lewe met OKS kwalitatief te verken vanuit die perspektiewe van adolessente (12-18 jaar oud) en hul ouers binne 'n Suid-Afrikaanse konteks. Die tweede doel was om kwalitatief die invloed van COVID-19 op Suid-Afrikaanse adolessente met OKS te ondersoek, uit hul eie perspektiewe sowel as dié van hul ouers. Agt adolessente (6 meisies en 2 seuns) en agt ouers (8 vroue) het aan aanlyn semigestruktureerde onderhoude deelgeneem. Al die deelnemers het skriftelike ingeligte toestemming en instemming verskaf, en is die versekering gegee dat hul identiteite streng vertroulik en anoniem gehou sal word. Die onderhoude is aanlyn via Zoom of MS Teams gevoer en is opgeneem. Daarna is die onderhoude woordeliks getranskribeer en in 'n kwalitatiewe sagtewareprogram opgeneem en tematies ontleed. In totaal is 8 temas en 17 sub-temas geïdentifiseer en deur die lens van die Ekologiese Stelselteorie (EST) ontleed. Die tematiese analise het deelnemers se subjektiewe ervarings van lewe met OKS ontbloot. Hierdie is die eerste studie om die impak van OKS op die alledaagse lewe van die jeug het, ook binne die konteks van die COVID-19-pandemie, vanuit die perspektiewe van adolessente en hul ouer/s. Die bevindinge was dat OKS aftakelend is, met 'n aansienlike impak op alle domeine, insluitend die huis, sosiale funksionering en skoolwerk. Adolessente met OKS (en hul ouers) het uiterste skuldgevoelens en skaamte weens OKS rapporteer, sowel as ʼn onvermoë om “hulleself te wees.” Resultate oor die impak van COVID-19 was uiteenlopend. Sommige deelnemers het ‘n verergering van simptome (bv., verhoogde besmettingsvrese en meer kompulsiewe skoonmaak) in hierdie konteks gerapporteer, terwyl ander deelnemers enige impak ontken het. Oor die algemeen bied hierdie bevindinge dieper insigte in die subjektiewe ervarings van ʼn lewe met OKS, ook tydens die COVID-pandemie, vanuit perspektief van adolessente en hulle ouers. Die bevindinge beklemtoon die belang daarvan om ouers by behandelingstrategieë te betrek en beklemtoon die behoefte aan goed-gedefinieërde riglyne om ouers by te staan in die effektiewe implementering van versterking van terapeutiese leringe by die huis. Boonop beklemtoon die data die belang van psigo-opvoedkundige programme by skole en in die gemeenskap, om bewustheid van OKS by kinders en adolessente te verhoog en die hantering daarvan te verbeter.af_ZA
dc.description.versionMastersen_ZA
dc.format.extentxvi, 171 pagesen_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttps://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/128850en_ZA
dc.language.isoen_ZAen_ZA
dc.language.isoen_ZAen_ZA
dc.publisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.rights.holderStellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshObsessive-compulsive disorder in adolescenceen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshQuality of life -- Western Cape (South Africa)en_ZA
dc.subject.lcshAdolescent psychology -- Western Cape (South Africa)en_ZA
dc.subject.lcshCOVID-19 Pandemic, 2020- -- Influence -- Western Cape (South Africa)en_ZA
dc.subject.lcshParent and teenager -- Western Cape (South Africa)en_ZA
dc.titleAdolescents' experiences of living with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) within a South African context : a qualitative studyen_ZA
dc.typeThesisen_ZA
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