Positive Psychology in Sub-Saharan Africa

Fadiji, Angelina Wilson; Wissing, Marié P.

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-57354-6_11

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 103 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…There has been a proliferation of positive psychology research that focused on a range of dimensions from theory development, evaluation of positive psychology interventions, and instrument testing [23]. However, despite the relevance of positive psychology as a tool to promote health and prevent illness (especially in the context of low-resourced settings), the majority of such research has been done in Western contexts, with only small pockets of evidence emerging in the global South [23]. Furthermore, despite the increased focus on positive mental health, a challenge of the field is the lack of consensus on how mental wellness should be conceptualized [1].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Asking the Experts: Using Cognitive Interview Techniques to Explore the Face Validity of the Mental Wellness Measure for Adolescents Living with HIV

Orth

Wyk

2023

IJERPH

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

There has been an increased focus on the mental health of adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV), because evidence shows that poor mental health outcomes are associated with lower rates of adherence and retention in HIV care. However, the research to date has predominantly focused on addressing mental health problems and reducing symptoms of mental illness rather than strengthening mental wellness [positive mental health]. Consequently, little is known about the critical mental wellness indicators that should be targeted in services for ALHIV. There is a need for valid and appropriate measures of mental wellness to drive research and provide evidence on the mental wellness needs of ALHIV that would inform service delivery as well as the monitoring and evaluation of treatment outcomes. To this end, we developed the Mental Wellness Measure for Adolescents Living with HIV (MWM-ALHIV) for ALHIV in the South African context. In this paper, we report on the findings from a cognitive interview study with nine ALHIV aged 15–19 years receiving treatment at a public healthcare facility in the Cape Metropole, South Africa. Through interviews, participants identified key issues related to the wording, relevance and understanding of the items and provided suggestions to improve the instrument’s overall face validity.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Asking the Experts: Using Cognitive Interview Techniques to Explore the Face Validity of the Mental Wellness Measure for Adolescents Living with HIV

Orth

Wyk

2023

IJERPH

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

A bibliometric review of positive psychology and well-being research in Africa

Fadiji,

Khumalo,

Wissing

et al. 2024

Front. Psychol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Positive Psychology rapidly developed into an influential field of study and intervention, initially situated in Psychology, and later becoming multidisciplinary. Research interest in the study of (psychological) well-being has gained global popularity, with increasing salience in Africa. Although the global trends of these developments are relatively well-known, a bibliometric analysis of positive psychology research in Africa was necessary to shed light on the present hotspots and trends and future trajectories in this region of the world. The data source of the present bibliometric analysis study was Scopus, from which Positive Psychology and well-being research literature from Africa between 1983 and 2023 were searched. Using biblioshiny and VOSviewer, the 622 extracted articles were analysed, from which findings about the current condition, research hotspots, and thematic developmental patterns could be made. Africa experienced an initial slow growth period from 1983 until 2005, after which a rapid growth in research productivity, relevance and impact was experienced. In this regard, the results show that the focal point of scientific productivity is South Africa, with the dominance of South African institutions, particularly the North-West University, from where most positive psychology research is produced and cited. Even with potential access to international journal, African researchers seem to prefer to place their publications in the regional journals such as Journal of Psychology in Africa and South African Journal of Psychology. The research reviewed tends to be characterised by more dominant thematic clusters of positive psychology, psychological well-being, and subjective well-being, with a focus on human individuals. An increasing concern for contextual factors and potential antecedents and dynamics of well-being is also observed. The findings provide a good map from which identification of future research priorities can be deduced. As such, we speculate that future positive psychology research in Africa ought to be concerned with the following: greater distribution and intercountry collaborations across the continent, questions of conceptual clarity of terms, better understanding of contextual factors which influence well-being, and well-being research embracing the complexity of bio-psycho-social-ecological well-being, and science concerned with health-promotion interventions.

show abstract

Positive Psychology in Sub-Saharan Africa

Cited by 2 publications

References 103 publications

Asking the Experts: Using Cognitive Interview Techniques to Explore the Face Validity of the Mental Wellness Measure for Adolescents Living with HIV

Asking the Experts: Using Cognitive Interview Techniques to Explore the Face Validity of the Mental Wellness Measure for Adolescents Living with HIV

A bibliometric review of positive psychology and well-being research in Africa

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About