The psychological impact of child sexual abuse has been widely researched. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a group art therapy intervention designed by the authors aimed at reducing depression, anxiety, sexual trauma and low self-esteem among 25 sexually abused girls aged 8–11 years. The programme was based on existential-humanistic, Gestalt, client-centred and abuse-focused principles. The Solomon four-group design was used to investigate the efficacy of the intervention, and the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children and Human Figure Drawing were used as measures for assessing symptom change. The results indicated that the experimental groups improved significantly compared to the control groups with regard to anxiety and depression. The study adds to the literature on therapeutic approaches that can be applied to sexually abused children and on the use of group art therapy as an intervention technique.
Child sexual abuse is a global phenomenon that affects many families and appears to be increasing dramatically in South Africa. The literature on child sexual abuse focuses mainly on the victims and perpetrators while largely ignoring the experiences of non-offending mothers. The objective of this study was to explore the lived experiences of mothers whose children were sexually abused by their intimate male partners. Existential phenomenology was employed in the study, and Braun and Clarke's (2006) six-phase thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The results indicate that the participants experienced emotions similar to those following loss including disbelief, anger, guilt, depression, trust and blame.
Numerous women experience domestic violence and abuse on a daily basis, and some retaliate and kill their intimate male partners. Our aims in this study were (1) to explore the biographical profile of women who have killed their intimate male partners, and (2) to compare women who used a third party in the murders with those women who did not. Biographical questionnaires were completed by 60 women incarcerated in five prisons in South Africa. The results suggest that various biographical factors may influence a woman's decision to murder her partner. This study adds to the body of knowledge on intimate partner violence in the South African context, and it is hoped that it will lead to early identification programmes of women at risk of killing their intimate male partners.
My aim in this article is to critically reflect on the newly promulgated Scope of Practice for psychologists and to make a moral plea for the profession to become more relevant in South Africa. I draw on the clinical/medical and scientific discourse (Eurocentric vs. Afrocentric) that permeates the profession to demonstrate that a discourse of power operates in the Scope of Practice debates. Thereafter I reflect on the profession of psychology in South Africa and argue that the Scope of Practice is fundamental to the relevance of the profession. I conclude with a moral plea to professionals for the profession to transform from one-on-one counselling, as the sole means of working, to include curative, preventative, and developmental interventions.
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