In this study the authors investigated the use of the Bender Gestalt test within the South African context by evaluating the applicability of the existing norms (Koppitz) and by exploring how the variables age, sex, educationallevel, and geographical area affect test performance in Zulu-speaking school children. Zulu-speaking subjects (N = 882) ranging in age from 6-18 years, completed the test. The test was administered in group form and independently scored. The study sample's performance was compared to Koppitz's norms and some significant discrepancies were apparent, suggesting that these foreign norms are inappropriate for use with Zulu-speaking children. Further exploration revealed that age was very strongly related to performance, accounting for 31% of the variance. Sex and geographical area were also significantly related to performance but their respective effect sizes were small. Initial normative data are presented for Zulu-speaking children. The implications of these findings for further clinical use of the Bender Gestalt are considered.In hierdie navorsing is die gebruik van die Bender Gestalt toets in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks ondersoek deur die toepaslikheid van bestaande norms (Koppitz) te evalueer, en deur vas te stel hoe die veranderlikes ouderdom, geslag, opvoedkundige peil, en geografiese omgewing die toetsprestasie van Zoeloe-sprekende skoolkinders beinvloed. Zoeloesprekende proefpersone (N = 882) tussen die ouderdom van 6-18 jaar het die toets voltooi. Die toets is in groepverband afgeneem, en onafhanklik nagesien. Die prestasie van die huidige steekproef is vergelyk met die norms van Koppitz, en 'n aantal beduidende verskiile is aangetoon, wat daarop dui dat die oorsese norms ontoepaslik is vir Zoeloe-sprekende kinders. Verdere ondersoek het aangetoon dat ouderdom sterk verwand was aan prestasie -31% van die variansie is daardeur verklaar. Geslag en geograflese omgewing het ook 'n beduidende verband getoon met prestasie, maar die grootte van die effekte was klein. Aanvanklike normatiewe data vir Zoeloe-sprekende kinders word gegee. Die implikasies van hierdie bevindinge vir verdere kliniese gebruik van die Bender Gestalt word bespreek.

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In the psychopharmacological treatment of depression in cancer patients, mianserin appears to have advantages over other antidepressants. However, it is, claimed to be associated with an unacceptably high incidence of neutropenia. This claim was assessed by investigating the frequency of reported cases of mianserin‐related neutropenia against the estimated prescription figures in South Africa. Simultaneously, a more specific assessment was carried out in the form of a 10‐year retrospective analysis of all patients presenting with neutropenia to the Department of Haematology, Groote Schuur Hospital, South Africa. Ten patients (18% of the total) demonstrated a psychotropic drug‐related neutropenia, and in no instance could mianserin be incriminated. The haematological lesion reversed upon withdrawal of the drug in eight out of these patients as opposed to 12 out of 22 in the non‐drug‐related, idiopathic group. It would appear that the incidence of mianserin‐related neutropenia is no higher than with other psychotropic drugs and, similarly, the condition is reversible. It is concluded that mianserin would therefore be an appropriate first‐line agent in the treatment of depression in cancer patients, subject to suggested conditions.