Browsing by Author "Kyei, J.J."

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Emotion Norms, Display Rules, and Regulation in the Akan Society of Ghana: An Exploration Using Proverbs
(Frontiers in Psychology, 2018) Dzokoto, V.A.; Osei-Tutu, A.; Kyei, J.J.; et.al
Proverbs are widely used by the Akan of West Africa. The current study thematically analyzed an Akan proverb compendium for proverbs containing emotional references. Of the identified proverbs, a focus on negative emotions was most typical. Emotion-focused proverbs highlighted four emotion regulation strategies: change in cognition, response modulation, situation modification, and situation selection. A subset of proverbs addressed emotion display rules restricting the expression of emotions such as pride, and emotional contagion associated with emotions such as shame. Additional themes including: social context influences on the expression and experience of emotion; expectations of emotion limits; as well as the nature of emotions were present in the proverb collection. In general, Akan emotion-related proverbs stress individual-level responsibility for affect regulation in interpersonal interactions and societal contexts.
Supernatural belief systems, mental health and perceptions of mental disorders in Ghana
(International Journal of Culture and Mental Health, 2014) Kyei, J.J.; Dueck, A.; Indart, M.J.; Nyarko, N.Y.
Clinical psychology is an underdeveloped profession in Ghana, with insufficient empirical research to guide interventions. In the face of this, it is unclear whether individuals may benefit more from localized interventions that incorporate cultural traditions and spiritual beliefs, rather than solely Westernized interventions. To better inform interventions and advocate for improved mental health policy in Ghana, this study sought to explore possible relationships between depression, anxiety, somatization, general psychological wellbeing and spirituality. The study also explored Ghanaians' subjective self-assessments of spirituality and perceptions of the causes and treatments of mental illness using qualitative in-depth responses. Results from the adult sample of 448 Christians, Muslims and Traditionalists showed significant negative correlations between depression, psychological wellness and spirituality. Qualitative responses revealed that while spiritual interventions for mental disorders was most frequently stated, a large number of responses favored psychological interventions as treatment options as well. The implications of these for treatment and policy are discussed. © 2012 © 2012 Taylor & Francis.
towards improving the utilisation of counselling centre services by Ghanaian university students: an exploratory study
(Journal of Psychology in Africa, 2023) Kyei, J.J.; Nyarko, N.Y.A.
This study sought to explore university students’ expectations from on-campus counselling centres in order to improve service utilisation . A total of 72 Ghanaian students attending a public university in Accra (64% females; 85% undergraduate; 90% in the 18–35 age range) provided written responses of their expectations from their counselling centre . Thematic analyses yielded two essential counselling centre needs: Enhanced counselling centre functions and the elimination of systems barriers . For enhanced counselling centre functions, students reported needing traditional and non-traditional services, as well as advocacy efforts on their behalf . Systems barriers students wanted eliminated were stigma, low awareness and inaccessibility . These findings indicate a need for a holistic approach to service delivery, and elimination of services-seeking barriers to improve counselling centre service utilisation at Ghanaian universities.