AIDS awareness among South African students

The present study explored reported awareness of AIDS among third-year majors in education. The 71 men and 93 women had a mean age of 24.7 yr. (SD = 4.7 yr.). Those who were aware outnumbered those who were not.     

Measuring dimensions of social climate among South African higher education students

We investigated the structure of social climate among university students to characterise the relative importance of personal and interpersonal factors. Participants were 266 students from a school of education of a large South African university (females = 66.5%; black = 53.0%, white = 25.9%; coloured = 7.5%, Asian/Indian = 6.0%; mean age = 28.71 years, SD = 10.51 years). The students completed the Experience of Social Climate Questionnaire (ESCQ). Exploratory principal component factor analysis of the data yielded a three component structure of social climate comprising of (i) Constructive interpersonal relationships, (ii) Unloving towards self, and (iii) Aggression perceptions of self. Relationships and aggression appear to define social climate in a higher education student population.     

Pathways to trust and caution among South African university students

This study sought to characterise lifestyle factors of trust and caution among South African university students (n = 196; females = 78.06%; median age = 21 years). The students completed an online survey on trustworthiness in cultural context. The data were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to construct pathways among the trust and caution with social cynicism, and tolerance for ambiguity. Results indicate social cynicism to predict generalised caution, but not generalised trust. Tolerance for ambiguity was not a significant predictor of generalised trust, nor of generalised caution.     

Sources of life meaning among South African university students

This study explored the sources of meaning in life among a group of 243 South African university students, using a sequential exploratory mixed methods design. First, data from semi-structured questionnaires (n=40) were subjected to qualitative content analysis; next, from the emerging themes, a quantitative questionnaire was developed and administered to 203 students. Mean scores were computed and compared across gender and cultural groups. Relationships, especially with family, as well as hope, education, achievement and religion were found to be most important sources of meaning, followed by service, creative self-expression, material possessions, hobbies, health and pets. The qualitative analysis revealed that most of these sources were valued more for their perceived instrumental utility than for their intrinsic qualities.     

Gratitude,well-being and psychological distress among South African university students

This study investigated the associations between gratitude, measures of well-being, and indicators of psychological distress (depression and negative emotion) among South African university students. Data were collected from 198 first-year university students (female = 69.70%; mean age = 20.55 years, SD = 1.70 years) using measures of gratitude, flourishing, well-being, depression, and negative emotion. The results showed that gratitude is positively associated with measures of well-being, and inversely related to indicators of psychological distress. University-based support programmes should consider gratitude interventions to support student success.     

Unwanted early sexual experiences among Belgian and South African university women students

This study examined the unwanted early sexual experiences of 736 South African and 1,587 Belgian women students. The Early Sexual Experiences Checklist was administered to all consenting women students attending orientation programmes at a Belgian and a South African university. Respondents were Belgians (M age = 18.2 yr., SD = 1.0) and South Africans (M age = 19.6 yr., SD = 4.1). Such experiences were found for 31.3% (231) of South African respondents and 14.2% (226) of Belgian respondents. 64% of South African women indicated that such an experience occurred only once, and 65% of Belgian women reported this also. 34% of Belgian and 32% of South African respondents reported not being bothered at all by the unwanted experience at the time the event took place; 23% of Belgian and 36% of South African respondents were extremely bothered by the experience.     

The prediction of condom use intention among South African university students

A questionnaire was administered to 294 sexually active, unmarried undergraduate students to investigate the role of social norms in the prediction of the intention to use condoms. Components of social cognitive theory and the theory of reasoned action and planned behaviour were integrated with those of the Health Belief Model to predict future intention to use condoms with a new partner. Logistic regression analyses of selected risky sexual behaviours on the intention to use condoms showed that, among males, attitudes towards using condoms and the Health Belief Model component of perceived barriers predicted the intention to use condoms. The Health Belief Model component of perceived benefits could not be interpreted. Attitudes, subjective norms and perceived self-efficacy were associated with female students' intention to use condoms. Implications for strategies of HIV/AIDS prevention are discussed.     

Mindfulness and psychological well-being among black South African university students and their relatives

This study investigated the relationship between mindfulness and psychological well-being in a convenience sample of black South African students (n = 203) and their parents and other relatives (n = 204) (66.1% = female; age range 18–73). The students self-reported on their mindfulness on the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale and psychological well-being on the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Adult Trait Hope Scale and the Meaning in Life Questionnaire. A multivariate regression model was specified and analysed via structural equation modelling in Mplus 7.3. Results revealed that mindfulness scores strongly predicted elevated levels of meaning and positive affect, and lowered levels of negative effect, and were moderately strong predictors of life satisfaction and hope. The findings imply that mindfulness likely plays an important role in relation to the psychological well-being of cross-generational African culture community members.     

Adverse developmental experiences and risky health behaviours among black South African university students

This study examined the relationship between adverse developmental experiences (ADEs) and risky health behaviours among a cross-sectional sample of black South African students (n = 393; females = 58%, M_age = 20.5 years, SD = 2.9). Binary logistic regression was used to model the association between categories of ADEs and risky health behaviours. Findings suggest individual ADEs to significantly predict risky health behaviours. The highest singular ADEs reported were being treated like a child (62%), parents being overprotective (59%), and being driven to be perfectionistic (58%). There was no indication of a general trend of ordered associations between the number of ADEs and risky health behaviours.     

Factors shaping condom use among South African university students: a thematic analysis

This study aimed to investigate contextual influences on condom use by South African university students. Twenty one-to-one, semi-structured interviews were conducted with male and female South African undergraduates. The data were thematically analysed. Results revealed that condom use was transient and often unrelated to disease prevention. Condom use was impeded by closer perceived intimacy, gender dynamics, and social stigma against proposing use of condoms in a presumably committed relationship. Public health policies regarding condom, pill and injection pricing / promotion, and religious toleration also hampered condom use, by encouraging a preference over hormonal contraception or proscribing contraceptive measures altogether. The results provide a basis for considering the impact of immediate and wider social contexts on condom use, as proposed by socio-ecological models of HIV risk behaviour.     

Depression and suicidal preoccupation in South African students

Xhosa, Zulu, and colored students in South Africa did not differ on depression scores, but there was some evidence that the pattern of the symptoms of depression differed among the three groups.     

Personal growth initiative: Relation to Hedonia and Eudaimonia happiness among South African university students

This study examined the relationship between personal growth initiative (PGI) and hedonic and eudaimonic happiness among a sample of South African university students (N = 235; mean age = 20.38, SD = 1.55; female = 61.70%). Students completed measures on personal growth initiative, hedonic happiness, and eudaimonic happiness. Regression analysis indicated personal growth initiative to positively predict students’ reported scores on hedonic and eudaimonic measures. The findings underscore the importance of PGI among student populations in advancing well-being among university students. It is proposed that higher education student development and support services should tap into PGI as a resource for enhancing student self-directed change and happiness.     

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.     

Career counselling intervention efficacy with South African university students

This exploratory study examined the efficacy of a brief career counselling intervention with South African university students (n?=?54; female?=?59%, male?=?40%; black?=?77%, Indian?=?27%, coloured?=?1%, white?=?3%; age range 17 to 19 years). The students completed a brief career development workshop and focus group discussion to address their career self-efficacy, career uncertainty, and anxiety post intervention. Findings suggest the students to have experienced a higher awareness of individual career assets and career self-management competencies from the counselling intervention.