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In the following we introduce a special issue of the journal Woman & Therapy, titled Women in Their 80s and 90s: Positively Vital. Our intent has been to provide a balance to the prevailing literature on older women which tends to present a negative view of the trials and tribulations of old age. We believe that this information is vital not just for old women but also for feminist psychologists who work with this population and for the world at large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging adults facing chronic socioeconomic stress, especially depression, lack comprehensive research on resilience factors. This study analyzed digital diary entries (n = 338) from 57 individuals aged 18–24 in a South African township from July 2021 to April 2022. Participants highlighted relational, community, and cultural supports regardless of risk levels. Both high and low-risk groups faced challenges like financial instability, limited education, health threats, and lawlessness. However, institutional resource scarcity disproportionately affected higher-risk individuals, worsening issues like infrastructure deficits and violence exposure. Family and peer support emerged as crucial, especially for higher-risk participants. Individuals living in higher risk emphasized collective action and stranger support during infrastructure failures. These findings suggest that greater risk exposure may reinforce reliance on traditional, community-focused coping mechanisms, indicating the importance of studying differential resilience factors among young adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractA resilient identity can buffer against the harmful effects of living in contexts of adversity. This study explored the identity resilience experiences of South African adolescents living in under-resourced communities. Focus group discussions with fifty-four participants (MAge=17.85) were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Participants emphasized the centrality of their sense of self as they navigate through life’s challenges. Personal agency and a resilient mindset played an important role in overcoming adversity. Participants found strength in healthy connections (with families, schools, and religious communities). Interventions to enhance the well-being of adolescents in under-resourced communities should consider personal resources and social structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is scant understanding of what supports African emerging adults who are not in employment, education or training (i.e., NEET) to show resilience to NEET‐related challenges. This article narrows that gap by reporting an iterative phenomenological study with nine African emerging adults (mean age: 23.44; 66% female) who were NEET for the 18‐month duration of the study and living in a resource‐constrained community in South Africa. We interviewed each young person three times (June 2021; December 2021; June 2022). A reflexive thematic analysis of these interview transcripts showed that being NEET is a multifaceted challenge. Supported by a mix of personal, relational and environmental resources, young people managed this challenge by resisting or recuperating from destructive coping mechanisms and believing in a successful future self. These findings point to the importance of young people and their social ecologies (families, peers, service providers and policymakers) recognising and enacting their co‐responsibility for resilience to the compound challenges of being NEET. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It has been proposed that children and young people living in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs) are not only exposed more frequently to trauma but also have a higher likelihood of encountering traumas of greater severity than those living in high‐income countries (HICs). This may lead to higher rates of post‐traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). However, developmental pathways to risk or resilience after trauma exposure in LMICs are underresearched. Methods: We examined early parenting and attachment as potentially important formative factors for later stress reactivity in a longitudinal cohort of South African children (N = 449). Parenting and attachment were assessed at child age 18 months, and interpersonal trauma exposure, PTSS and parenting stress were measured at 13 years (N = 333; core sample with data on all measures: N = 213). Following a vulnerability‐stress approach, separate regression models were run to investigate whether parent–child attachment at 18 months, parental sensitivity and intrusiveness during play at 12 months, and current parenting stress at 13 years, interacted with adolescents' extent of interpersonal trauma exposure to predict their PTSS levels at 13 years. Results: We found no predictive effects of either early attachment or current parenting stress in relation to child PTSS. There was some evidence for predictive influences of parental early intrusiveness and sensitivity on adolescent outcomes, though associations were unexpectedly positive for the latter. No interaction effects supporting a vulnerability‐stress model were found. Conclusions: Overall, we found limited evidence that elements of the early parent–child environment predict child risk/resilience to trauma in LMIC children. Future studies should include more frequent assessments of relevant constructs to capture changes over time and consider further what comprises adaptive parenting in high‐risk contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unemployment is a global phenomenon that is affecting many individuals and families negatively, in particular, their functioning, well-being, and coping mechanisms. Unemployment is thus regarded as a risk factor that places many families in adverse situations. While literature extensively describes family resilience in the face of diverse adversities, little research documents family resilience in the face of unemployment, especially in South Africa. It is within this context that we set out to explore the adversity of unemployment from a resilience perspective with the intention to unmask the embedded protective processes in affected families. This was approached through the loose application of Walsh's family resilience perspective as a theoretical lens. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine participants who were regarded as breadwinners or key family providers. Each participant engaged in two interviews that were four months apart to allow for reflection and member checking. Data were analysed through a hybrid process that incorporated both the inductive and the deductive logic of thematic analysis. Participants described several key protective processes, which aligned with what Walsh proposed. The practice of communicating, the ability to connect, and the use of spirituality were identified as particularly useful. Overall, the findings imply that despite the experienced adverse conditions of unemployment, South African families demonstrate thriving potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the COVID-19 pandemic we sought to determine the relationships between anxiety, hopelessness, alcohol use, perceived vulnerability to infection, resilience, traumatic stress, and satisfaction with life amongst university students at three tertiary higher education institutions in South Africa. Our participants were a convenience sample (N = 803) of South African students attending three universities. Participants completed an online survey that contained a battery of psychological measures that measured fear of COVID-19, Perceived Vulnerability to Disease, Resilience, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Hopelessness, Anxiety, PTSD, Alcohol Use, Traumatic Stress, and worry about infection with COVID-19. The mean age of participants was 25 (SD = 8.22), most of whom were female (51%). An increase in age amongst respondents was significantly positively correlated with hopelessness and life satisfaction, but also significantly negatively associated with symptoms of anxiety, PTSD, and alcohol use. Multivariate analysis showed that women reported significantly higher levels of fear of COVID-19, perceived vulnerability to disease, PTSD, and COVID-19 related worries compared to men and those identifying as "other." Students at the urban university reported higher levels of fear of COVID-19, perceived vulnerability to disease, and COVID-19 related worries but lower levels of anxiety compared to those at the peri-urban and rural university. Students at the rural institution reported greater levels of alcohol use compared to those at the other institutions. Psychological distress among students was exacerbated during the pandemic. It may be useful to identify students in the first term who are struggling academically and to direct them to both academic and counseling support services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During their transition from basic to higher education, first-year undergraduate nursing students need to balance theoretical and clinical requirements, as well as their social life. A significant number of them struggle with this, due to a lack of coping mechanisms due to poor resilience. This study aimed to determine factors that influence resilience among first-year undergraduate nursing students at a South African university. A cross-sectional descriptive research design was followed, with stratified convenient sampling. Data were collected during August 2023 using an adapted self-administered online questionnaire. The reliability and validity of the adapted version was ensured in the context of this study. Principal component analysis and varimax rotation were used to analyse data. A total of 123 participants (47.2% from campus A and 52.8% from campus B) completed the questionnaire. The majority (88%) were females. This study showed that resilience can be dependent on various factors, such as lecturer support, parental support, academic achievement, peer and mentor support, optimism about the future, and self-determination. It is recommended that higher education institutions should consider incorporating the factors presented in this study as part of the broader orientation of first-year undergraduate nursing students when they first arrive at university. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about resilience responses to COVID-19 stressors from emerging adults in minority world contexts. In this cross-sectional study, we explored the association between self-reported COVID-19 stressors and capacity for resilience in 351 emerging adults (Meanage = 24.45, SD = 2.57; 68% female) who self-identified as Black African. We were interested in whether age, gender and neighbourhood quality influenced this association. The main findings were that higher pandemic stress was associated with a greater capacity for resilience. Older participants showed higher levels of resilience, while there was no gender difference in this regard. Those who perceived their neighbourhoods as being of a good quality also showed greater capacity for resilience, despite all participants residing in disadvantaged communities. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative study aimed to provide family caregivers with an independent platform to reflect on and identify their needs in the role of dementia caregiver. Thirty caregivers were interviewed using a semi-structured approach, and data analysis followed a reflective thematic analysis method. The study revealed that Black African caregivers in townships require sufficient information and orientation to dementia-specific services, psychoeducation on dementia as a disease and its behavioural manifestations, as well as practical skills to manage the disease process. Caregivers expressed the need for in-depth, accessible education to boost their confidence and resilience in handling the challenges of dementia caregiving. They also proposed community initiatives to raise awareness, promote knowledge, and facilitate early detection and diagnosis of dementia. Additional needs included informational and educational workshops, resources like transportation services and helplines, day care facilities, media campaigns, and collaboration with the government for funding and policy change. New caregivers were advised to seek comprehensive education, support, and services while preserving the dignity of their family members with dementia. Remarkably, the identified needs and community initiatives aligned with the priority areas outlined by ADI for a National Dementia Plan, which South Africa currently lacks. The study highlights the importance of developing a National Dementia Plan in South Africa through collaboration among stakeholders, including communities, policy-makers, and multidisciplinary healthcare teams, while ensuring that individuals and families affected by dementia have a voice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: HIV partner disclosure rates remain low among pregnant women living with HIV in many African countries despite potential benefits for women and their families. Partner disclosure can trigger negative responses like blame, violence, and separation. Women diagnosed with HIV late in pregnancy have limited time to prepare for partner disclosure. We sought to understand challenges around partner disclosure and non-disclosure faced by women diagnosed with HIV late in pregnancy in South Africa and Uganda and to explore pathways to safe partner disclosure. Methods: We conducted in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with pregnant women and lactating mothers living with HIV (n = 109), disaggregated by antenatal care (ANC) initiation before and after 20 weeks of gestation, male partners (n = 87), and health workers (n = 53). All participants were recruited from DolPHIN2 trial sites in Kampala (Uganda) and Gugulethu (South Africa). Topic guides explored barriers to partner disclosure, effects of non-disclosure, strategies for safe disclosure. Using the framework analysis approach, we coded and summarised data based on a socio-ecological model, topic guides, and emerging issues from the data. Data was analysed in NVivo software. Results: Our findings illustrate pregnant women who initiate ANC late experience many difficulties which are compounded by the late HIV diagnosis. Various individual, interpersonal, community, and health system factors complicate partner disclosure among these women. They postpone or decide against partner disclosure mainly for own and baby's safety. Women experience stress and poor mental health because of non-disclosure while demonstrating agency and resilience. We found many similarities and some differences around preferred approaches to safe partner disclosure among female and male participants across countries. Women and male partners preferred healthcare workers to assist with disclosure by identifying the 'right' time to disclose, mentoring women to enhance their confidence and communication skills, and providing professional mediation for partner disclosure and couple testing. Increasing the number of counsellors and training them on safe partner disclosure was deemed necessary for strengthening local health services to improve safe partner disclosure. Conclusion: HIV diagnosis late in pregnancy amplifies existing difficulties among pregnant women. Late ANC initiation is an indicator for the likelihood that a pregnant woman is highly vulnerable and needs safeguarding. Respective health programmes should be prepared to offer women initiating ANC late in pregnancy additional support and referral to complementary programmes to achieve safe partner disclosure and good health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Organisations worldwide encounter three significant and challenging issues related to talent management: intense competition for skilled employees, elevated rates of employee attrition, and the ongoing struggle to attract top-tier talent. This research focused on investigating the interconnected dynamics among factors associated with employee retention, including organisational commitment, job embeddedness, and hardiness, in conjunction with resilience-related behaviours such as resilience and career adaptability. Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was used to gather quantitative data from a convenience sample of employees within the private sector in South Africa (N = 293). The self-assessments of the participants were assessed using a range of well-established and validated instruments. Correlation and regression analyses, followed by structural equation modelling, were utilised to construct a resilience framework designed specifically for private sector organisations in South Africa. Results: The results reveal significant associations between organisational commitment, job embeddedness, and hardiness (as retention-related attributes) and resilience and career adaptability (as resilience-related behavioural capacities). These relationships served as the basis for the development of a resilience framework for employees in South African private organisations. Discussion: In South African private-sector organisations, talent retention is crucial due to a talent shortage. The study found that employees have a strong emotional attachment to their organisations, are highly aligned with their jobs and communities, and display resilience. Organisational commitment, job embeddedness, and hardiness are key factors in reducing turnover, forming an effective retention strategy. This research contributes to the development of a resilience framework for South African private sector organisations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We acknowledge the existing educational inequalities that South Africa faces as a result of differences in developmental and equal educational opportunities. The aim with this study was to investigate the role of non-cognitive learning performance variables that affect the learning performance and success of secondary-school learners. Data were collected from a sample of 395 Grade 9 learners. The proposed learning performance structural model was empirically evaluated by using various instruments and was analysed by means of structural equation modelling. The results indicate statistically significant positive relationships between learning performance and cognitive engagement, learning performance and grit, cognitive engagement and conscientiousness, grit and learning motivation, grit and cognitive engagement, learning motivation and parental quality, learning motivation and tenacity, learning motivation and cognitive engagement, and conscientiousness and resilience. Both tenacity and parental quality acted as moderators of the relationship between environmental unfavourableness and cognitive engagement. The selection of variables was more effective in explaining variance in cognitive engagement than in learning performance. The results of the study could be used to facilitate cognitive engagement as a pivotal variable in learning success among secondary-school learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenomenon: Tertiary education in post-apartheid South Africa has faced many challenges regarding class, language, and race. Even though previously white Afrikaans-rooted universities now have a diverse student population, recent student protests have highlighted the ongoing need for decolonization in higher education. In addition, the majority of public hospitals in the country function under significant staffing, infrastructure, and equipment shortages. Although the mistreatment of medical students has been well described internationally, to date no South African data exists. The aim of this study was to identify experiences of mistreatment of medical students by clinicians and academics at a South African university and to describe the type of mistreatment experienced, the perceived mental health effects, and the influence on academic performance, resilience, and students' knowledge of current reporting systems. Approach: A cross-sectional study was conducted through a locally developed online survey of 443 medical students at a South African university in May to June 2018, comprising of both open and closed ended questions. Levels of psychological distress (K10) and resilience (CD-RISC -10) were measured. Chi-square and student t-tests were used for the analysis of associations, and linear regressions were used to assess predictors of psychological distress. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically using the approach described by Braun and Clarke. Findings: Of 800 eligible medical students at Stellenbosch University, 443 students (55.4%) completed the survey. Mistreatment, comprising of being ignored/excluded (83.4%), offensive gestures (75.0%), verbal abuse (65.1%) and discrimination (64.4%), was prevalent and pervasive, and was perpetrated mainly by registrars (46.7%) and other medical staff (43.8%). Mistreatment was associated with psychological distress, which was generally high and more severe for females. Resilience, which was higher for males, moderated the effects of gender and perpetrator type on distress. Only 15% of students who had experienced mistreatment, either directly or indirectly, reported it, of which more than half (52.8%) were not happy with the outcome. Most students (80.9%) were not aware of the systems in place to report mistreatment. Insights: Student mistreatment is more highly prevalent among medical students at a South African university compared with studies conducted internationally. Despite over 20 years of democracy in South Africa, high rates of racial and gender discrimination were reported and descriptions of racial, language and gender discrimination were particularly concerning. Since the findings of this study, an anti-bullying poster-campaign has been initiated at the university as well as an online reporting system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastlines globally are sensitive to the effects of sea-level rise, increased coastal storminess and changes in coastal sediment supply and sediment dynamics in the Anthropocene. Coastlines are also influenced by land use change, urbanization and development of built infrastructure. These changes can affect the dynamics of coastal landforms, weaken coastal resilience and make coasts more sensitive to climate hazards. This study critically examines the properties of coastlines that contribute to coastal biophysical resilience in South Africa, highlighting their relativerates of change and dynamic behaviour in response to physical and human forcing factors. Coastal landforms can be considered as 'green infrastructure' that can buffer the effects of climate change as well as providing ecosystem and environmental services in their own right. Viewing coastal landforms as green infrastructure provides a 'nature-based solution' to mitigate against climate change impacts that can work with – not against – the natural geomorphic, sedimentary and ecological processes of coastlines. Coastal landforms can also contribute to socioecological resilience, where they provide environmental and ecosystem services. The green infrastructure approach to coastal resilience has not been well developed in South Africa but is more effective in supporting coastal sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to identify characteristics and factors that assisted families in the adjustment and adaptation to the chronic illness of breast cancer. A mixed-methods convergent parallel research design was employed. Non-probability convenience sampling was utilized to recruit 104 mothers from a university hospital in the Western Cape province, South Africa. Qualitative data were collected with semi-structured interviews (n = 11), and quantitative data were obtained using seven self-report questionnaires (N = 104). Several family resilience qualities were identified by means of quantitative and qualitative analyses. Findings can be utilized in interventions aimed at strengthening families with mothers who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global rise in mental health disorders has significant social, economic, and physical impacts. Despite advancements in support, cultural beliefs attributing mental illnesses to spiritual causes persist, fostering discrimination and stigmatization. The study aims to explore the understanding and perceptions of mental health in Matsafeni Village, acknowledging the complexity of mental health issues. A qualitative method and a descriptive exploratory design were employed, enabling the researcher to describe, examine, and explore the knowledge and perceptions regarding mental health. Data collection was conducted through unstructured, open-ended interviews, with 15 participants selected through convenience sampling. The data were analyzed through thematic analysis. Measures of rigor were ensured through credibility, transferability, confirmability, and dependability. Participants demonstrated knowledge of mental health disorders, recognizing disruptions in thought patterns and diverse symptoms. They highlighted key signs and behaviors, emphasizing the need for spotting indicators such as untidiness. Perceptions of the causes of mental illness varied, including witchcraft and genetics. Participants unanimously advocated for seeking help from traditional healers, medical facilities, and therapies. Community members shared their views of mental health, covering their understanding, recognition of signs, personal interactions, and observations of behaviors in individuals with mental health conditions. Reported symptoms align with existing research, emphasizing the complexity of managing safety concerns in severe mental illnesses. The study highlights the need for community education to reduce stigma, considering cultural factors in mental health perceptions. Recommendations include early interventions, enhanced mental health services, and collaboration between western and traditional approaches for a holistic and culturally sensitive approach to mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As our understanding of the process of resilience has become more culturally and contextually grounded, researchers have had to seek innovative ways to account for the complex, reciprocal relationship between the many systems that influence young people's capacity to thrive. This paper briefly traces the history of a more contextualized understanding of resilience and then reviews a social–ecological model to explain multisystemic resilience. A case study is then used to show how a multisystemic understanding of resilience can influence the design and implementation of resilience research. The Resilient Youth in Stressed Environments study is a longitudinal mixed methods investigation of adolescents and emerging adults in communities that depend on oil and gas industries in Canada and South Africa. These communities routinely experience stress at individual, family, and institutional levels from macroeconomic factors related to boom-and-bust economic cycles. Building on the project's methods and findings, we discuss how to create better studies of resilience which are able to capture both emic and etic accounts of positive developmental processes in ways that avoid the tendency to homogenize children's experience. Limitations to doing multisystemic resilience research are also highlighted, with special attention to the need for further innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-management programs or interventions focus on self-empowerment to improve skills, abilities and behaviors needed to control a chronic condition and may be of great value for adolescents living with HIV (ALWH). The aim of this study was to develop a self-management intervention called Self-Management in Adolescents to be Resilient and Thrive (S-SMART), for ALWH aged 15 to 19 years using the principles of intervention mapping (IM). We conducted a needs assessment and developed a logic model for change based on factors influencing self-management amongst ALWH on the level of the individual and environment. Program outcomes and objectives were identified based on formative qualitative and quantitative research, a systematic review and theory. We then selected theory-based models and practical strategies and developed a 12-week program consisting of individual activities completed in a workbook or smartphone application, five peer-group sessions and three individual coaching sessions. Content validity was determined by consulting nine local and international experts and 18 key stakeholders (11 ALWH and seven healthcare workers) through four focus groups in the Cape Metropole of the Western Cape, South Africa. The intervention will now be pilot tested for feasibility and acceptability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the emotional resilience of teachers in inclusive classrooms at a selected rural school in Gauteng, South Africa. A qualitative case study research design was adopted for this study. A sample size of six participants including both male and female were selected using purposive and convenience sampling techniques, the participants were drawn from a rural school in Gauteng East District in the Gauteng Province. The participants that were selected for this study possessed teaching experience ranging from 5 to 33 years. Data was collected through a semi-structured in-depth interview and analysed using thematic content analysis. It is expected that the findings from this study will contribute to the body of current knowledge on emotional resilience of teachers in inclusive classrooms and also influence leaners learning and development in inclusive classrooms. In addition, the findings from this study could assist the Department of Basic education to develop a curriculum that prepares pre-service teachers for the long-lasting and enduring cumulative risk in inclusive classrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The youth (15-24 years old) in South Africa remain at high risk of HIV infection despite varied efforts to control the disease. An understanding of the perspectives of relevant stakeholders of HIV-prevention interventions targeting the youth is important to guide research, policy and practice aimed at improving these interventions. This study explores youth and intervention implementers' perceptions of a resilience-based HIV-prevention intervention (You Only Live Once) aimed at reducing risky sexual behaviours among the youth in South Africa. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 young people who participated in the intervention, and four intervention implementers at a not-for-profit organisation in Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality, South Africa. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Three main themes emerged from the data: (1) Acceptability and impact of the intervention; (2) Factors influencing intervention implementation; and (3) Recommendations to improve intervention implementation. These findings provide insights into the acceptability, impact, barriers and facilitators of resiliencebased HIV-prevention interventions for the youth in South Africa and similar contexts, and how implementation of these interventions could be enhanced. The findings can help researchers, policy makers and health care practitioners in the field of HIV prevention to improve interventions targeting young people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing numbers of children of all ages grow up in out-of-home care institutions due to personal and socioecological risk variables that destabilized their families of origin. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic which disrupted lives and development, there is particular interest in how children who grow up in out-of-home care institutions cope and develop. This paper reports the findings of a study that sought to document anchors of resilience in children who resided in a care institution run by a non-governmental, church-based welfare organization in one of the central provinces of South Africa. In line with recent developments in childcare, the organization mainly functions via smaller child and youth group homes across the province (compared to bigger children's homes in the past). In our qualitative, phenomenological study, we used the participatory, child-friendly, and less intrusive draw-and-write technique to generate data. We asked the 20 participating children of one of these group homes to make drawings that mirror their lives, and to write paragraphs in which they described their drawings. All were school-going children in care, aged from 12 to 19. There were 11 girls and 9 boys in the study, and one of these identified as "other." The grades ranged from 7 to 12 and they spoke African languages, namely Afrikaans, Sesotho, Setswana and IsiXhosa. We used inductive content analysis to process the data, and the findings indicate that, notwithstanding personal and socioecological risks during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, the resilience of the participants was anchored by a number of universal personal strengths as well as socioecological resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovative approaches addressing the elevated human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risk among men who have sex with men (MSM) or transgender women (TGW) migrants in South Africa are urgently needed. We sought to present the acceptability, feasibility and preliminary efficacy of 'Externalize and Mobilize!', a multi-session arts- and theatre-based HIV prevention group intervention for MSM and TGW migrants in South Africa. Fourteen participants—MSM (n  = 7; 50%), genderqueer/nonbinary persons (n  = 4; 29%) and TGW (n  = 3; 21%)—in Cape Town were recruited and enrolled in the intervention and administered pre- and post-intervention assessments of HIV knowledge, HIV risk-reduction self-efficacy, stigma and resilience. The intervention, delivered over 4 days, was completed by all 14 participants. Scores on HIV knowledge and HIV risk-reduction self-efficacy were statistically significantly higher at post-intervention compared with pre-intervention. Additionally, participants responded affirmatively (i.e. 'Agree' or 'Strongly agree') on all items assessing intervention acceptability. Findings demonstrate the high acceptability, feasibility and preliminary efficacy of an arts- and theatre-based intervention for increasing HIV knowledge and HIV risk-reduction self-efficacy among MSM and TGW migrants in South Africa. This study provides further support for the use of creative and innovative interventions to address entrenched HIV disparities in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article interrogates the continuing emphasis on personal sources of resilience; it also amends the inattention to the protective factors and processes (PFPs) that support the mental health resilience of African emerging adults. To that end, we report a study that explored which PFPs distinguished risk-exposed South African 18- to 29-year-olds with negligible depression symptoms from those who reported moderate to severe symptoms. Using an arts-based approach, young people volunteered the PFPs they had personally experienced as resilience-enabling. An inductive thematic analysis of visual and narrative data, generated by young people self-reporting high exposure to family and community adversity (n = 233; mean age: 24.63, SD: 2.43), revealed patterns in the PFPs relative to the severity of self-reported depression symptoms. Specifically, young people reporting negligible depression symptoms reported a range of PFPs associated with psychological, social, and ecological systems. In contrast, the PFPs identified by those reporting more serious depression symptoms were mostly restricted to personal strengths and informal relational supports. In the interests of youth mental health, the findings direct society's attention to the criticality of facilitating young people's access to a composite of resources rooted in personal, social, and ecological systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prostate cancer is among the most prevalent forms of cancer worldwide and is reported to have the highest incidence, mortality, and 5-year prevalence rate of all cancers among men living in Africa. Despite this widespread burden in the African continent, little is known about the perspectives and experience of prostate cancer among African men. To further understand experiences among patients living in urban South Africa, we conducted in-depth, semi-structured qualitative interviews to examine the perceptions and experiences of 28 Black African prostate cancer patients receiving treatment at a major tertiary hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa. Our data explored four major areas of patients' experiences with prostate cancer: detection, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care. Our results showed that the experience of living with prostate cancer among low-income, Black South African men is a stressful and emotionally painful experience due in part to men feeling that they had insufficient knowledge about their own condition and feeling disempowered or ill-equipped to manage their cancer. These feelings were strongly associated with distrust or dissatisfaction with physicians and the health care system. Resilience factors include social support from family, friends, and religious communities, acceptance of their diagnosis, religion, and positive appraisals of their medical care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore 232 service providers' and policymakers' experiences of supporting children's well-being during the pandemic, across sectors, in 22 countries – including Kenya, the Philippines, South Africa, India, Scotland, Sweden, Canada and the USA, in the last quarter of 2020. Design/methodology/approach: A smartphone survey delivered via a custom-built app containing mostly open-ended questions was used. Respondents were recruited via professional networks, newsletters and social media. Qualitative content analysis was used. Findings: The findings reveal numerous system-level challenges to supporting children's well-being, particularly virus containment measures, resource deficiencies and inadequate governance and stakeholder coordination. Those challenges compounded preexisting inequalities and poorly affected the quality, effectiveness and reach of services. As a result, children's rights to an adequate standard of living; protection from violence; education; play; and right to be heard were impinged upon. Concurrently, the findings illustrate a range of adaptive and innovative practices in humanitarian and subsistence support; child protection; capacity-building; advocacy; digitalisation; and psychosocial and educational support. Respondents identified several priority areas – increasing service capacity and equity; expanding technology use; mobilising cross-sectoral partnerships; involving children in decision-making; and ensuring more effective child protection mechanisms. Practical implications: This study seeks to inform resilience-enabling policies and practices that foster equity, child and community empowerment and organisational resilience and innovation, particularly in anticipation of future crises. Originality/value: Using a novel approach to gather in-the-moment insights remotely, this study offers a unique international and multi-sectoral perspective, particularly from low- and middle-income countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child protection social workers (CPSWs) perform statutory duties and often work in hostile work contexts. Nevertheless, some CPSWs are reportedly resilient, thus adjusting well despite exposure to occupational adversities. We followed a qualitative descriptive design in which twenty CPSWs from the Western Cape and the Free State provinces described their sources of occupational resilience during semi-structured interviews. Their self-reported sources of resilience were informed by (1) a high degree of personal agency; (2) navigating a responsive and supportive ecology; (3) commitment to a meaningful purpose; (4) prioritising self-care and (5) religious practices. These sources of resilience confirm what we already know, but our findings go beyond earlier reports and contribute towards a more nuanced understanding of how hardiness and grit fundamentally drive the occupational resilience of CPSWs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of strategies to enable primary health care nurses, social workers, and psychologists (referred to in this article as health and social care professionals) to improve care and support for children who have become AIDS orphans living in township communities in South Africa. Method: Developing these strategies comprised four steps; 1) A scoping literature review was undertaken to establish the legislative and policy frameworks that inform the South African Government's policy directives concerning children living in South Africa, 2) Secondary data analysis of 24 scoping interviews with primary health care nurses (n = 10), social workers (n = 8) and psychologists (n = 6), was undertaken by (SF) to identify strategies and recommendations made by these participants to improve care and support for these vulnerable children. Steps 3 and 4 were conducted using the results from the literature review and the results from this secondary data analysis, 3) The development of a conceptual framework, and 4) the development and population of the strategies. Results: The following strategies were identified, developed, and reviewed by an expert panel comprising academics and professionals from psychology, social work, and primary health care nursing. The grand strategies identified were 1) Strengthening existing legislative and policy frameworks, 2) Enhancing the resilience of professionals, 3) Developing interdisciplinary collaborations and 4) Facilitating an empowering environment for professionals. The expert panel appraised these strategies as having clarity, being comprehensive, implementable, and generalisable, in township communities in South Africa, and being significant. Conclusion: Comprehensive and implementable research-based strategies were developed which could be implemented to improve care and support for these vulnerable children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In South Africa, youth leaving care can be considered a vulnerable group given the limited preparation and support they tend to receive for independent living, exacerbated by the high numbers of young people who are not in employment, education or training. The study explored challenges experienced, coping mechanisms employed, and support provided to care leavers who had transitioned from state residential care to independent living in Johannesburg, South Africa. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 12 care leavers. Key findings included the challenge of housing problems; insufficient food and clothing; and struggles to continue with their education and find employment. Care leavers exercised agency and resilience by drawing on personal motivation; crying; spirituality; and networking. Factors in the social-ecological environment that contributed to care leavers' challenges included not qualifying for help after reaching 18 years of age; and a lack of formal emotional and material support or preparation before, during and after the transition These findings represents an issue of social justice and have implications for policy, practice and further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self report measures have been widely used in research to illustrate high rates of exposure to violence among youth in trauma-saturated regions, such as Cape Town, South Africa. To better understand the risk and resilience factors of youth who have been exposed to, witnessed, or directly experienced violence, the current study used a multi-method assessment in a naturalistic setting that included heart rate variability (an index of regulatory flexibility and cardiovascular health), a computerized risk-taking task, and self report measures. Youth (N = 83) from Cape Town, South Africa, participated in a psychobiological assessment. Findings suggest elevated age-adjusted heart rate variability compared to age related norms, which is indicative of overregulation of behavior and emotion. Additionally, youth, all of whom had witnessed or experienced violence at least once, demonstrated a low risk taking and reward seeking propensity. Low risk taking in the context of elevated heart rate variability may reflect youth's affective and behavioral inhibition, suggestive of stress among children who have an overgeneralized threat response. These results both demonstrate the feasibility of psychophysiological research in community youth settings, and counter the traditional narrative that there is an overarching lack of capacity to regulate and a high propensity to risk in violence-exposed youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescence and emerging adulthood are times of heightened adversity for South African girls and young women due to structural disadvantage. In this mixed-methods study, we explored lived experiences of resilience among a sample of 377 South African girls and young women (15–24 years) who completed a quantitative cross-sectional survey that included a validated measure of resilience. Quantitative analyses included descriptive statistics and an independent sample t-test to assess differences in resilience. These analyses informed the development of a semi-structured qualitative interview agenda. A purposive sample of 21 South African girls and young women (15–24 years) from the same survey area participated in in-depth interviews. Interviews were analyzed for perceptions of difference in resilience by age and narratives of resilience during transitions to adulthood. Survey results indicated younger participants (15–17 years) perceived themselves to be less resilient than older participants (18–24 years). Qualitative interview results supported the survey results, and pointed to a broader difference in perceived resilience between younger women and older women. Programming and policy implications for future resilience research among this population are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic had a global impact on family social and economic well-being. Individuals and families sought alternative living arrangements as a result of the financial crisis, health implications, and housing insecurity, with many joining multigenerational households. However, it is unknown how multigenerational family life affects children's well-being. Therefore, this qualitative study explored risks and resilience-building opportunities for children's psychological and social well-being in resource-constrained multigenerational households during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa. Five multigenerational families were selected through snowball sampling and case design. The three generations of participants were grandparents (n = 5), parents (n = 7), and children (n = 4). Data were gathered through a questionnaire and interviews. The study received institutional ethics approval. After thematic analysis, two themes and six sub-themes were identified. Risks were related to interpersonal conflict, family collective fear of COVID-19, and children's multiple other fears. Opportunities were identified as academic support, shared responsibilities, life skills and values acquisition, and family cohesion. Results demonstrated the potential risks and resilience-building opportunities multigenerational households present for children's psychosocial well-being. Multisystemic influences in a multigenerational household contribute to children's adjustment. These outcomes necessitate systemic school psychology interventions. Longitudinal studies are recommended to explore child well-being trends in multigenerational households in varying socioeconomic contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Does historic school engagement buffer the threats of disrupted schooling – such as those associated with the widespread COVID-19-related school closures – to school engagement equally for female and male high school students? This article responds to that pressing question. To do so, it reports a study that was conducted in 2018 and 2020 with the same sample of South African students (n = 172; 66.30% female; average age in 2020: 18.13). A moderated moderation model of the 2018 and 2020 data showed that historic levels of school engagement buffered the negative effects of disrupted schooling on subsequent school engagement (R ² =.43, β = −5.09, p <.05). This protective effect was significant for girl students at moderate and high levels of historic school engagement, but not at lower levels of historic school engagement. Disrupted schooling did not significantly affect school engagement for male students at any level of historic school engagement. In addition, student perceptions of teacher kindness were associated with higher school engagement and having experienced an adverse event at school with lower school engagement. The results point to the importance of facilitating school engagement and enabling school environments – also when schooling is disrupted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies have highlighted the mental health challenges of children and youth during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown period, especially, in relation to an escalation of depression, anxiety, and stress. Whilst this may be the reality, it is unfortunate that most of the studies adopt a psychopathological point of departure often portraying doom and gloom. Adopting a social ecological resilience perspective the author focuses on the resilience of school-attending black South African youth during the COVID-19 lockdown period. The Child and Youth Resilience Measurement (CYRM-28) was completed by 4165 respondents in grades 4 to 12 (females = 2431, 58.4%; males = 1734, 41.6%) from the Gauteng, Mpumalanga and North-West provinces in South Africa. The findings indicate that school psychologists must consider gender, age and school levels when they design school-based resilience programmes for black South African children. Particular emphasis should be placed on contextual resilience highlighting spiritual, religious, cultural and educational factors. A major lesson for school psychologists is to ensure that school-based resiliency programmes adopt a whole school approach that includes children, their families and local communities for the successful promotion of resilience during adverse situations as postulated by the social ecological resilience model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In contrast to alarming reports of exhaustion and burnout amongst healthcare workers in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, we noticed surprisingly positive staff experiences of working in a COVID-19 field hospital in South Africa. The 862-bed "Hospital of Hope" was established at the Cape Town International Convention Centre specifically to cope with the effects of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Cape Town. Methods: We aimed to systematically describe and assess the effects on staff and the local health system. A cross-sectional descriptive study design was employed using mixed methods including record reviews and interviews with key informants. Results: Quantitative results confirmed high job satisfaction and low staff infection rates. The emerging themes from the qualitative data are grouped around a "bull's eye" of the common purpose of person-centeredness, from both patient and staff perspectives, and include staff safety and support, rapid communication, continuous learning and adaptability, underpinned by excellent teamwork. The explanations for the positive feedback included good disaster planning, adequate resources, and an extraordinary responsiveness to the need. Conclusions: The "Hospital of Hope" staff experience produced valuable lessons for designing and managing routine health services outside of a disaster. The adaptability and responsiveness of the facility and its staff were largely a product of the unprecedented nature of the pandemic, but such approaches could benefit routine health services enormously, as individual hospitals and health facilities realize their place in a system that is "more than the sum of its parts". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resilience, or multilevel processes related to thriving, offers a strengths-based approach to reducing HIV and sexual risk behaviors among girls and young women. Processes of resilience may change based on the experience of living with HIV. However, little is known about how resilience and serologically verified HIV status influence sexual health. Using weighted cross-sectional data collected during 2017–2018 from South African girls and young women aged 15–24 (N = 7237), this article examines associations between resilience and three sexual risk behaviors among those living with and without HIV. Logistic regression models indicated greater resilience scores were associated with reduced odds of engaging in transactional sex and early sexual debut. Results also identified differing associations between resilience and sexual risk behaviors by HIV status. Findings provide implications for programming to prevent HIV and improve sexual health while underscoring the need for tailored resilience-promoting interventions for South African girls and young women living with HIV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While attention has been drawn to the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the mental health of healthcare workers generally, little is known regarding mental health changes over time in frontline and non-frontline physiotherapists during this period. Objectives: Our study aimed to investigate differences in mental health trends among frontline and non-frontline physiotherapists across three time periods during the pandemic. Method: Survey-based data were collected from 366 practising physiotherapists across three time periods during the pandemic (Time 1: n = 171; Time 2: n = 101; Time 3: n = 94). Variations in reported mental health of frontline and non-frontline respondents generally and over time were analysed using comparative statistical techniques and trend analysis. Results: Frontline physiotherapists reported significantly lower levels of general mental well-being and resilience, and significantly higher levels of burnout and maladaptive strategy use. Only frontline physiotherapists' general mental well-being and resilience decreased over time, whereas depression decreased over time for both groups. Anxiety decreased over time for non-frontline physiotherapists but initially decreased and then increased for frontline physiotherapists. Burnout increased initially and then decreased for non-frontline physiotherapists. Conclusion: Varying mental health trends were found between frontline and non-frontline physiotherapists over time. Nuanced mental health interventions that consider the period of the pandemic and degree of exposure are needed. Clinical implications: Understandings of the mental health trajectories experienced by physiotherapists across the pandemic can inform long-term, targeted interventions that effectively enhance well-being, retention, and sustainability of practitioners, and thus the care delivered, in the healthcare system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guided by the communication theory of resilience (CTR) and communicated narrative sense-making (CNSM) theory, this study examines narrative resilience--or retrospective storytelling content that reflects a storyteller's ability to reintegrate after difficult circumstances--in South Africans' stories of apartheid. Participants were 17 South Africans who identified as Black, Colored, or Indian and endured the government-sponsored systematic oppression of apartheid. In semistructured interviews, participants told their stories of resilience in the face of the traumas of apartheid. Analyses illuminated four themes of communicated resilience: affirming identity anchor of toughness (i.e., showing strength in the face of adversity), foregrounding productive action (i.e., working to combat apartheid), putting alternative logics to work (i.e., focusing on positivity and hope), and crafting normalcy (i.e., normalizing life in apartheid). These themes support and advance CTR by exploring communicated resilience from a foundation of narrative theorizing and sociocultural understanding. Implications for furthering a social ecological conceptualization of resilience are investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) living with HIV have poor antiretroviral therapy (ART) outcomes. We examined the relationship between psychosocial factors with knowledge of HIV-positive status and antiretroviral therapy exposure among AGYW living with HIV in South Africa. Participants 15–24 years responded to a survey including socio-demographics, psychosocial factors, and HIV testing. Blood was collected to determine HIV status and ART exposure. Multivariable analyses were conducted using R. Of 568 participants with HIV, 356 had knowledge of their HIV-positive status. Social support from family [aOR 1.14 (95% CI 1.04–1.24)] or from a special person [aOR 1.12 (95% CI 1.02–1.23)] was associated with knowledge of HIV-positive status. Resilience [aOR 1.05 (95% CI 1.01–1.08)] was the only psychosocial factor associated with a higher odds of ART exposure. Social support and resilience may increase knowledge of HIV-positive status and ART exposure among South African AGYW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global heating is considered one of the greatest threats to human health and well-being. Supporting human resilience to heating threats is imperative, but under-investigated. In response, this article reports a study that drew together results from quantitative data on perceptions of thermal comfort and mechanisms for coping with thermal discomfort among 406 households in a study in Giyani, Limpopo province. Indoor dwelling and outdoor temperatures were also analysed. Most participants perceived their dwellings to be too hot when it was hot outdoors. People relied on recommended heat health actions such as sitting outdoors in the shade or opening windows. While this agency is meaningful, resilience to climate change requires more than personal action. In light of the climate threats and climate-related disaster risks facing South Africa, an all-encompassing approach, including education campaigns, climate-proofed housing, access to basic services, and financial considerations that will help support resilient coping among South Africans, is urgently required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to explore the contribution of psychosocial vulnerability and resilience to the academic achievement of primary school children attending a low‐fee, private, primary school in a township in Gauteng province, South Africa. In poorer communities, family and community challenges can be overwhelming, compromising the capacity of children to engage in education and achieve academically. The study draws on quantitative data from 116 primary school children, plus at least one family member (mostly mothers), including measures of family vulnerability and resilience, child resilience and reading and spelling scores. Vulnerability on its own had little impact on participants' academic achievement. However, the resilience of the child, as perceived by the family member, did impact academic achievement, but only for children with higher levels of vulnerability. This supports the buffering and differential impact theories in resilience. Implications for school social work practice are set out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth disengagement is a growing concern globally, yet little research has been done to explore participatory approaches that can engage youth as co‐creators of community programs that improve their resilience. The primary objective of the study is to report on the results of an innovative participatory approach used in the Eastern and Western Cape provinces, South Africa, to engage vulnerable youth in needs ranking. Data for this paper were collected in three phases. Using information gleaned from the literature review (Phase I), authors compiled a list of core needs on separate cards. In Phase II, youth discussed and ranked each need in terms of importance for their community. In Phase III, youth participated in focus group discussions on the ranked needs as part of a broader discussion on youth risk behaviours. Thematic analysis was used for qualitative data. Needs ranking data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Although expressed priority needs differed amongst communities, combined data revealed the top expressed priorities as further education (priority 1; 85%), skills development (priority 2; 74%) and career development and training (priority 3; 68%). Differences between critical needs as discussed in the literature and those perceived by youth were noted. Focus group data validated the expressed priority needs and highlighted that vulnerable youth felt valued through the needs ranking activity. Involving youth in the assessment of their needs can improve the value of information obtained, which in turn can facilitate better allocation of community resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historically, in psychology, there was a tendency towards focusing on the individual and intrapsychic pathologisation of LGBTIQA+ persons. Despite a recent shift to affirmative, systemic, interpersonal, and contextual stances, too much emphasis in South African LGBTIQA+ scholarly work remains on adversity. Adversity derived from historical tensions may have accelerated adaptive problem-solving capabilities and solution-focused behaviours in some LGBTIQA+ populations. Certain solutions have generated creative resilience responses inexorably situated in race, ethnicity, culture, religion, gender, history, political oppression, and social class. Resilience science that has similarly evolved from the individual trait conceptualisation may have an important complementary contribution to make in affirming LGBTIQA+ persons and communities and enhancing the understanding of their resilience. Exploring resilience for wellbeing and survival addresses the infinite streams of human experiences of vulnerability and sustainable adaptive solutions. The multisystemic resilience perspective in this article endeavours to summarise current thinking in resilience science and position its applicability to future South African LGBTIQA+ scholarly work, building on existing systematic and critical reviews relating to the resilience of LGBTIQA+ persons. The aim of this position piece, suggesting the expansion of a 'resilience' frame, is to offer an important intervention in the overarching ways in which South African scholars and psychology professionals theorise and conduct research; to inform therapeutic and other psychological services to LGBTIQA+ persons and provide an important counterweight to the more general focus in South African LGBTIQA+ scholarship and psychological practice on adversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resilience shapes the experiences of adolescents living with HIV (ALWH), enabling them to come to terms with their diagnosis, have hope for the future and maintain meaningful relationships. Yet, little is known about contextual factors associated with resilience resources in South Africa. We aimed to describe individual, relational and community resilience resources, and identify contextual factors associated with resilience. We recruited 385 adolescents, aged 13–18, over a period of 5 months from 11 different public health HIV clinics. The Child and Youth Resilience Measure (CYRM-12) was used to measure resilience resources. Data on demographic variables, psychological attributes, and environmental factors such as HIV-related stigma and stressful life events were collected. ALWH lacked resilience in some aspects of the individual, relational and community domains. For every one-unit increase in the HIV-related stigma and stressful life events scores, resilience decreased by 0.29 (p = 0.01) and 0.37 (p = 0.04) units, respectively. Higher levels of resilience were associated with being virally suppressed (Mann–Whitney U, p = 0.028) although this association was no longer present in the regression model. Efforts to improve resilience amongst ALWH should be focused on fostering individual coping skills, interconnectedness, and positive relationships, to mitigate adverse environmental factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth resilience is the product of multiple systems. Still, the biological, psychological, social, and environmental system factors that support youth resilience are incompletely understood. How these factors interact, and the situational and cultural dynamics shaping their interconnectedness, are also under-researched. In response, we report a multi-site case study that is instrumental to understanding multisystemic resilience. It draws on the insights of 52 youth from stressed, oil and gas communities in South Africa (13 young men; 8 young women; average age: 20.28) and Canada (19 young women, 12 young men; average age: 20.77). Deductive and inductive analyses show that youth resilience is informed by a biopsychosocial-ecological system of interacting resources that fit situational and cultural dynamics. This has implications for society's championship of youth adaptation to stressed environments, including less emphasis on individual resources and more on contextually responsive, systemic changes that will facilitate meso- and macro-system resistance to significant stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First-year students experience various stressors in their attempt to adapt to their new academic environment, which undoubtedly require them to employ effective coping styles. This study was conducted to examine psychological capital (PsyCap) and happiness as predictors of coping among university students. Using a cross-sectional survey, data were collected using standardised questionnaires from 207 students in a public university in South Africa. Data analysed using both simple and standard multiple regression showed that optimism, hope and resilience were associated with productive coping. The study also found that pleasure and meaningful engagement were significantly related to productive coping. The findings of this study underscore the need for interventions that focus on developing constructive psychological resources that will result in the use of more constructive coping strategies when faced with stressors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School dropout is a concern globally. In South Africa, approximately 60 per cent of young adults drop out before completing secondary school. Although much is known about school dropout, little is known about the factors that enable some learners to re-enter education after a period of dropout. In this qualitative descriptive study with 12 adolescent female learners from a rural school in Mpumalanga, South Africa, we sought to understand the socialecological resilience processes that facilitated their re-entry after one to two years of dropout. The findings indicated several personal and relational resilience processes, including the learners' desire for success and others' encouragement of learners to focus on the future. Informed by the resilience and push-pull theories, the findings suggest that a collective narrative of education as being key to one's future was powerful in facilitating educational re-entry. We argue that school social workers could cultivate this narrative to prevent school dropout and to facilitate the re-entry of dropped-out learners back into school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Up to two-thirds of South African adolescent mothers drop out of school, which increases their HIV risk and other poor health outcomes. Despite variability in adolescent mothers' schooling trajectories, we have a limited understanding of their re-enrollment in school following the life-changing circumstance of childbirth. In this paper, we draw on qualitative interviews (n = 16) and quantitative surveys (n = 109) with adolescent mothers (aged 14–19) who had recently given birth to describe how access to individual and social resources contributes to their resilience following childbirth and thus affects their ability to re-enroll in school. Nearly all the adolescent mothers in our study expressed a desire to return to school, and most of their families also emotionally supported adolescent mothers in these goals. Despite mothers' high hopes and familial emotional support, only half of the adolescent mothers re-enrolled in the first six months following childbirth. Adolescent mothers' re-entry trajectories were strongly affected by institutional support and by family members' provision of instrumental support. To a lesser extent, support from partners and peers also played a role in re-enrollment. Multilevel interventions to maximise resilience following the onset of early motherhood may facilitate return to school and positively influence adolescent mothers' health and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Africa has some of the highest rates of intimate partner and sexual violence globally, with prevalence ranging from 10% to 21% among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). Yet, few studies characterize the relationship between violence and resilience. Identifying factors associated with resilience following exposure to violence can guide the development of strength-based interventions that change modifiable protective factors to bolster resilience. Data were derived from a cross-sectional survey of AGYW aged 15 to 24 years in South Africa that took place from 2017 to 2018. This survey was part of a national evaluation of a South African combination HIV intervention for AGYW funded by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria. A sample of 4,399 observations was achieved through a systematic random sampling frame of 35% of households in districts where AGYW were at highest risk for HIV, and where the intervention was implemented. Resilience was assessed using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale. Intimate partner and sexual violence were assessed using: (a) an adapted version of a questionnaire from the World Health Organization's 2005 multicountry study on domestic violence against women, and (b) questions on lifetime experience of forced sex/rape. Nearly a third of AGYW (29.6%) reported intimate partner emotional and/or physical and/or sexual violence in the past year. Nearly a quarter of AGYW (23.74%) reported emotional violence, 17.48% reported physical violence, and 6.37% reported sexual violence from intimate partners. Nearly 8% (7.72%) reported forced sex/rape from intimate partners and/or nonpartners. More equitable gender norms, higher social support, and hazardous drinking were positively associated with higher resilience among those who experienced physical or sexual violence. This study addresses a gap in the resilience and violence literature. Future research should focus on the development of resilience-promoting interventions for individuals who have experienced violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to present an arts-based campaign as a strategy to glimpse into ‘the fault lines of inequality of access’ through the voices of art students and considers hope and imagination as strategies to engage with and move through the despair and trauma emerging out of the COVID-19 pandemic period. The Lockdown Collection (TLC), established at the start of the first hard lockdown in March 2020, is considered, a case study for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in the South (SOTL). It reveals greater understanding of ways that visual research pedagogies can develop collective strategies for the individual and community to flourish in the face of the pandemic. Such strategies include the capacities to listen to student voices and raise funds for vulnerable artists. Artists find resilience in their ability to make a difference through their own agency to remake and transform internal and external realities through their artwork and imagine different possibilities. The contention is that economic agency is and must be part of the strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]