Voices of African Traditional Healers: Cultural Context and Implications for the Practice of Counselling in Sub-Saharan Africa

The healing paradigm implicit in many sub-Saharan African cultures is embedded in African cosmology, and thus the recognition of this is essential for understanding Traditional African Healing practices and implementing collaborative counselling practices. To this end, this article focuses on the cultural importance, or voice, of traditional healers in sub-Saharan Africa. The current article uses an ethnographic approach to analyse systematically the cultural context of indigenous healing practices in sub-Saharan Africa. The anthropological importance of Traditional Healing practitioners, the context of healing, and the changing legal and ethical status of Traditional Healers are addressed as pivotal in furthering the development of this crucial, yet under utilized resource. The authors propose that such cultural understanding is highly relevant to the work of professional counselors.     

社区卫生服务中医发展战略

在社区卫生服务中发挥中医药优势,不仅能够提高人民健康水平,而且能够促进机构自身发展,用管理学的SWOT（斯沃特）战略分析法分析了当前中医药在社区卫生服务发展中的优势与劣势、外部机会与威胁,对其发展面临的问题作了综合性的剖析,并提出相应的发展策略。     

Role strain among South African seminarians in the Anglican Church: toward a typology of congregational support

This phenomenological study explored student value perceptions of religious participation among nontraditional South African distance learners who persisted in theological distance education. Four basic types of churches emerged including the Equipping Church, the Empowering Church, the Engaging Church, and the Endangering Church. However, in examining religious coping strategies among South African distance learners, it was discovered that the four women interviewed experienced a deep sense of loneliness in their calling and had to rely almost exclusively on resources outside their local church. These Black South African women’s sense of being called alone is both inconsistent with the theoretical framework of role theory and the theological framework of the Anglican Church as expressed by the official Prayer Book.     

心理资本与建言行为的关系:变革开放性和组织支持感的作用研究

基于积极心理资本理论和情感事件理论相结合的理论视角,研究采用两阶段追踪问卷调查方法收集数据,探讨了心理资本与员工建言行为的关系以及变革开放性和组织支持感在这个过程中的作用机制。数据分析结果表明:员工心理资本显著正向影响建言行为,变革开放性在心理资本与建言行为之间起着部分中介作用,组织支持感显著调节心理资本通过变革开放性影响建言行为的间接效应,在高组织支持感的条件下,变革开放性在心理资本影响建言行为过程中的中介作用显著,但是在低组织支持感的条件下,变革开放性的中介作用不明显。。     

Direct and Indirect Effects of Caregiver Social Support on Adolescent Psychological Outcomes in Two South African AIDS-Affected Communities

Caregiver social support has been shown to be protective for caregiver mental health, parenting and child psychosocial outcomes. This is the first known analysis to quantitatively investigate the relationship between caregiver social support and adolescent psychosocial outcomes in HIV‐endemic, resource–scarce Southern African communities. A cross‐sectional household survey was conducted over 2009–2010 with 2,477 South African adolescents aged 10–17 and their adult caregivers (18 years or older) in one urban and one rural community in South Africa’s KwaZulu‐Natal province. Adolescent adjustment was assessed using adult caregiver reports of the Strengths and Difficulties questionnaire (SDQ), which measures peer problems, hyperactivity, conduct problems, emotional symptoms and child prosocial behavior. Hierarchical linear regressions and multiple mediation analyses, using bootstrapping procedures, were conducted to assess for: (a) direct effects of more caregiver social support on better adolescent psychosocial wellbeing; and (b) indirect effects mediated by better parenting and caregiver mental health. Direct associations (p < .001), and indirect associations mediated through better parenting, were found for all adolescent outcomes. Findings reinforce the importance of social support components within parenting interventions but also point to scope for positive intervention on adolescent psychosocial wellbeing through the broader family social network.     

基于传统人性论的德育思考

传统人性论蕴含着丰富的德育资源,为我们提供了多方厩的经验、教训和启示：教化成善,发挥德育潜移默化的作用;顺乎人性,坚持德育中和适度的原则;修身养性,注重道德主体自觉的培养;以人为本,落实德育科学发展的理念。     

开放教育学生金钱态度与主观幸福感的关系:社会支持的中介作用

开放教育是高等教育的重要组成部分,加强开放教育学生学习的同时,提升其幸福指数,注重心理健康发展是开放教育的重要内容。文章采用《金钱态度量表》、《主观幸福感量表》、《社会支持量表》对开放大学系统 345名在校生进了调查并采用中介效应分析。结果表明,(1)社会支持、金钱态度和主观幸福感相关显著;(2)金钱态度因子金钱行为倾向对社会支持、总体幸福感及其因子回归效应显著; 社会支持在金钱行为倾向的基础上,对主观幸福感及其因子精力、对生活的满足和兴趣、对情感和行为的控制回归明显,同时在两者之间起了中介作用。说明金钱态度因子金钱行为倾向直接影响开放教育学生主观幸福感,另一方面通过社会支持影响开放远程教育学生主观幸福感。因此,建议开放教育从建立社会支持系统、师资队伍建设、心理健康教育、金钱观培养四方面着手,提升开放教育学生的幸福指数,促进其全面发展。     

基于服务场景的中国医务社工角色探讨

明确定义中国医务社工的角色内涵与工作职责十分必要。基于入院前、急诊、门诊、住院、出院与安宁疗护六个不同医疗服务场景,仔细梳理并描述医务社工的角色与职责,体现医务社工的角色价值,推动社会、患者及其家属、医生与护士,乃至医务社工自身对该职业的理解与认同。此外,对应不同场景下医务社工的角色与职责,提出该群体需具备的知识与技能,并就如何确保此类知识与技能被中国医务社工牢固掌握提出有关教育与培训的建议。     

The factor structure of the Social Axioms Survey II (SASII) in the South African context

The objective of this study was to validate the new Social Axioms Survey II (SASII). The study sample comprised university students (n = 793) as well as their family members and friends (n = 645). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) following an initial exploratory factor analysis yielded a five-factor model: social cynicism, social complexity, reward for application, religiosity, and fate control. The findings of this study support the use of the new SASII in South Africa for research purposes.     

The theory of the organism-environment system: III. Role of efferent influences on receptors in the formation of knowledge

The present article is an attempt to give—in the frame of the theory of the organism-environment system (jarvilehto, 1998a)—a new interpretation to the role of efferent influences on receptor activity and to the functions of senses in the formation of knowledge. It is argued, on the basis of experimental evidence and theoretical considerations, that the senses are not transmitters of environmental information, but create a direct connection between the organism and the environment, which makes the development of a dynamic living system, the organism-environment system, possible. In this connection process, the efferent influences on receptor activity are of particular significance because, with their help, the receptors may be adjusted in relation to the parts of the environment that are most important in achieving behavioral results. Perception is the process of joining of new parts of the environment to the organism-environment system; thus, the formation of knowledge by perception is based on reorganization (widening and differentiation) of the organism-environment system, and not on transmission of information from the environment. With the help of the efferent influences of receptors, each organism creates its own peculiar world that is simultaneously subjective and objective. The present considerations have far-reaching influences as well on experimental work in neurophysiology and psychology of perception as on philosophical consideration of knowledge formation.     

An Evaluation of the Reliability and Validity of the Self-Appraisal Questionnaire (SAQ) in South African Context

The Self-Appraisal Questionnaire (SAQ: Loza, 2005) is a self-report questionnaire designed to assist with the prediction of violent and nonviolent recidivism among correctional populations. Use of scale could help in the assessment of risk and the identification of factors that could be addressed by programming or other intervention to reduce recidivism risk. Evidence for use of the SAQ in South African settings is needed. The SAQ was administered at two separate occasions and a week apart to a total of 125 male offenders in South Africa to evaluate its psychometric properties. Scores from the SAQ were reliable with South African inmates.     

The Reliability of the Dyadic Satisfaction (DS) Subscale in a Low-income Semi-rural South African Community

This study investigated the reliability of the Dyadic Satisfaction (DS) subscale of the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) in a South African setting. One-hundred heterosexual, coloured, low-income, semi-rural couples with a mean age of 43.59 years and limited formal education participated in the study. To estimate validity, the DS subscale was correlated with the Index of Marital Satisfaction (IMS) and the Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale (KMSS). There appears to be a particularly strong relationship between the DS subscale and the IMS. The DS subscale can be used reliably as a measure of relationship satisfaction in the South African community studied.     

Latent structure of the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) in South African mortuary workers

This study applied confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to determine the dimensionality of PTSD symptoms as measured by the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5, Weathers et al., 2013). Participants were 150 trauma-exposed mortuary workers. Six alternative factor solutions resulted from the CFA; including Dysphoria model (four-factor), Dysphoric Arousal model (five-factor), Anhedonia model (six-factor), Externalising model (six-factor), and Hybrid model (seven-factor). Compared to the other models, the five-factor Dysphoric Arousal model had superior fit to the data. Overall, the current results provide evidence for the factorial validity and reliability of scores for the PCL-5 for research use in the South African context.     

Validation of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) in a non-clinical sample of South African working adults

This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) in a non-clinical sample of working people. Working South African persons (N = 269; females = 62%; mean age = 33, SD = 11.5) completed the DASS-21, as well as the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-Revised (CESD-R) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 (GAD-7). Results following Confirmatory Factor Analysis and correlational analysis yielded a three-factor structure (depression, anxiety, and stress) for the DASS-21. The evidence for discriminant and convergent validity was strong. Additionally, we found good reliabilities for the overall scale as well as the subscales. The DASS-21 appears a valid and reliable instrument for measuring depression, anxiety, and stress in the workplace. Future studies should investigate differential item functioning and equivalence of items among South African working populations.     

美国高等临床药学教育体系宏观结构变迁研究（1965年～2015年）

研究了1965年~2015年美国高等临床药学教育体系的层次结构、形式结构和分布结构等宏观结构的变迁情况。从临床药学实践、药师动态短缺、产业结构基础、办学经费来源、人口地理分布等方面,对半个世纪以来美国临床药学教育体系宏观结构变迁情况进行归因分析。在总结并肯定美国高等临床药学教育体系极高的市场敏感性和较强的结构优化灵活性的同时,探讨了美国高等临床药学教育体系宏观结构变迁过程中需要注意的问题。     

Psychological validation of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) in South Africa: Method effects and dimensionality in black African and white university students

The study examined the factor structure and cross-cultural validity of the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (RSES) in a sample of South African students (N = 862; black African = 67%, female = 71.5%). Alternative a priori CFA models (unidimensional, bi-dimensional and unidimensional models comprising either latent method factor or correlated residuals) were evaluated. Results indicated that the RSES in black and white South African university students is represented by a unidimensional model with correlated residuals of negatively and positively phrased items. Findings also suggested method effects on black African students to be significantly associated with negatively worded items compared to white students. Method bias effects appear to show for some RSES items and this may have important implications for the cross-cultural utility of the RSES in South Africa.     

HIV-positive pregnant women attending the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS (PMTCT) services in Ethiopia: economic productivity losses across urban-rural settings

HIV/AIDS impacts significantly on pregnant women and on children in Ethiopia. This impact has a multiplier effect on household economies and on productivity losses, and is expected to vary across rural and urban settings. Applying the human capital approach to data collected from 131 respondents, this study estimated productivity losses per HIV-positive pregnant woman–infant pair across urban and rural health facilities in Ethiopia, which in turn were used to estimate the national productivity loss. The study found that the annual productivity loss per woman–infant pair was Ethiopian birr (ETB) 7,433 or United States dollar (US$) 378 and ETB 625 (US$ 32) in urban and rural settings, respectively. The mean patient days lost per year due to inpatient admission at hospitals/health centres was 11 in urban and 22 in rural health facilities. On average, urban home care-givers spent 20 (SD = 21) days annually providing home care services, while their rural counterparts spent 23 days (SD = 26). The productivity loss accounted for 16% and 7% of household income in urban and rural settings, respectively. These high and varying productivity losses require preventive interventions that are appropriate to each setting to ensure the welfare of women and children in Ethiopia.     

Change in the moving bodymind: Quantitative results from a pilot study on the use of the BodyMind approach (BMA) to psychotherapeutic group work with patients with medically unexplained symptoms (MUSs)

Background: This article reports quantitative results from a pilot study in primary care (PC) undertaken from 2004–2007. The intervention programme, derived from movement psychotherapy, was termed ‘Learning groups: the BodyMind approach (BMA),’ and emphasised a verbal and non-verbal integrated model, awareness of the inter-relationship between body and mind and a self-managing framework. Aim: To evaluate systematically the outcomes of a 12-week group BMA intervention programme with patients suffering from anxiety/depression with at least one chronic (over two years) medically unexplained symptom (MUS), another term for a psychosomatic condition or somatoform disorder. Method: A mixed method was applied to a single-case design. Outcome measures completed at baseline, mid-, post- intervention and three-month follow-up were the Measure Yourself Medical Outcome Profile (MYMOP) and the Counselling Outcome Routine Evaluation (CORE). Results: Increased activity levels and well-being; more effective coping/functioning strategies; reduction in anxiety/depression, GP-consultation and medication usage, and symptom distress. All changes were maintained at three-month follow-up.