Department of Psychology
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://197.255.125.131:4000/handle/123456789/5043
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Item Religion as Meaning-Making Resource in Understanding Suicidal Behavior in Ghana and Uganda(Frontiers in Psychology, 2021) Knizek, B.L.; Andoh-Arthur, J.; Osafo, J.; et.alSuicidal behavior is condemned by religions and traditions, and suicide attempts are criminalized by law in several African countries, including Ghana and Uganda. Suicide and suicide attempts may have severe consequences for both the entire family and the community. Religion is known to act as a protective coping force that helps people to make meaning and find comfort when dealing with stressful life events or situations like suicide. In this article, we focus on the cultural interpretations of the dominating religion in Ghana and Uganda, Christianity, and whether these affect attitudes toward suicidal behavior, meaning-making, and coping possibilities for people who have attempted suicide or are bereaved by suicide. This article is based on data material from previous studies on the mentioned topics by the authors.Item Cultural Models of Well-Being Implicit in Four Ghanaian Languages(Frontiers in Psychology, 2020) Osei-Tutu, A.; Dzokoto, V.A.; Affram, A.A.; et.alThis contribution to the collection of articles on “African Cultural Models” considers the topic of well-being. Reflecting modern individualist selfways of North American and European worlds, normative conceptions of well-being in hegemonic psychological science tend to valorize self-acceptance, personal growth, and autonomy. In contrast, given the embedded interdependence of everyday life in many West African worlds, one can hypothesize that cultural models of well-being in many Ghanaian settings will place greater emphasis on sustainability-oriented themes of material sufficiency and successful navigation of normative obligations. To explore this hypothesis, we interviewed local cultural experts who function as custodians of religion and an important source of support for well-being in many Ghanaian settings. We asked participants to identify and explain models of well-being implicit in four Ghanaian languages (Akan, Dagbani, Ewe, and Ga). Participants were 19 men and 15 women (age range 32– 92 years; Mean = 59.83; SD: 14.01). Results reveal some features of local models, including good health and positive affective states, that appear to resonate with standard understandings of well-being in hegemonic psychological science. However, results also provide evidence for other features of local models – specifically, good living (including moral living, material success, and proper relationality) and peace of mind – associated with a sustainability or maintenance orientation to well-being.Item 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.alProverbs 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.Item Conflict Handling in Ghanaian In-law Relationships: Implications for Face Concerns(Journal of Family Communication, 2020) Affram, A.A.; Osei-Tutu, A.; Dzokoto, V.A.We interviewed 34 married individuals between the ages of 32 and 69 in Southern Ghana regarding conflict handling strategies they adopt in their in-law relationships. We conceptualized the strategies around face concerns. Findings from inductive thematic analysis support participant use of five main conflict-handling strategies: human/divine third-party engagements, obsequious behavior, apologizing, ignoring, and confronting. These strategies map onto considerations for other-face concerns as well as mutual-face concerns. Findings offer insights about conflict, face concerns, and in-law relationships within a previously understudied cultural context.Item Effects of a Community-Based Multicomponent Positive Psychology Intervention on Mental Health of Rural Adults in Ghana(Applied Psychology: Health And Well-Being, 2020) Appiah, R.; Wilson-Fadiji, A.; Schutte, L.; Wissing, M.P.There is growing evidence that positive psychology interventions (PPIs) enhance positive mental health and lead to a decrease in symptoms of psychopathology. This study examines the effectiveness of a 10-week multicomponent PPI (the Inspired Life Program; ILP) in promoting positive mental health and reducing symptoms of depression and negative affect in a sample of rural poor adults in Ghana. Methods: Using a quasi-randomized controlled trial design, participants from four rural poor communities were randomly allocated to intervention (n = 40) or control (n = 42) conditions. The intervention group participated in the 10-week ILP. Both groups completed a battery of mental health measures, including the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form, at pre-intervention, immediately after the intervention, and at 3 months follow-up. Hierarchical linear modeling was applied to evaluate whether the intervention was effective. Results: There was a greater improvement in positive mental health, with a marked reduction in symptoms of depression in the intervention group compared to the control group, immediately and 3 months after the intervention. There were also larger increases in the proportion of flourishers in the intervention group compared to the control group, immediately and three months after the intervention. Conclusions: The observed effects of the ILP intervention program suggest that group-based PPIs can promote positive mental health and buffer against psychopathology among people living in rural poor communities in sub-Saharan AfricaItem Self-Harm Among School-Going Adolescent Survivors of Sexual Violence Victimisation: A Cross-Sectional Study(Frontiers in Sociology, 2021) Quarshie, E.N.B.Background: A growing body of evidence from high-income contexts suggests a strong association between sexual violence victimisation self-harm and eventual suicide. However, both sexual violence and self-harm among adolescents are still less researched in sub-Saharan African countries, including Ghana. Objectives: To estimate the 12-month prevalence of self-harm, and to describe the associated factors and reported reasons for self-harm among school-going adolescent survivors of sexual violence victimisation during the previous 12 months in urban Ghana. Methods: Analytic data came from a regional-based representative cross-sectional survey including in-school youth (N = 1,723) conducted in 2017 within the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Of these, 297 (17.2%) self-reported sexual violence victimisation in the previous 12 months; this proportion of the participants (n = 297) was the focus of the current study. Items measuring sexual violence victimisation, self-harm, and correlates were adopted from the 2012 Ghana WHO–Global School-based Student Health Survey and the Child and Adolescent Self-harm in Europe Study. Data analysis involved multivariable logistic regression models. Results: The estimate of self-harm ideation during the previous 12 months was 45.8% (95% CI: 40–52), whereas the estimate of self-harm behaviour was 38.7% (95% CI: 33–44). About two in five of the participants who reported self-harm wanted to die in their last episode of the behaviour. While bullying victimisation was associated with increased odds of self-harm ideation (aOR = 1.97, 95% CI 1.17, 3.31, p = 0.010) and behaviour (aOR = 2.76, 95% CI 1.59, 4.80, p < 0.001), weekly alcohol use (aOR = 2.56, 95% CI 1.32, 4.93, p = 0.005), conflict with parents (aOR = 2.30, 95% CI 1.28, 4.12, p = 0.005), and physical abuse victimisation (aOR = 1.80, 95% CI 1.03, 3.15, p = 0.037) showed strong associations with increased odds of self-harm behaviour in the past 12 months. Conclusions: The evidence underscores the need for both universal and targeted multi-level intervention and prevention programmes to mitigate the offence of sexual violence and reduce the chances of self-harm among adolescent survivors of sexual violence in urban Ghana.Item Domestic violence in Ghana: Exploring first-hand accounts of incarcerated male perpetrators based in Nsawam prison and views of government officials(2020) Otoo, A.O.Although male perpetration of violence against female partners is a global concern, there continues to be insufficient research attention on this phenomenon. The current study aimed at exploring experiences of male perpetrators of violence against their female partners in intimate relationships. The specific objectives were to get an understanding of the reasons and beliefs contributing towards perpetration of domestic violence, explore the barriers that perpetrators encounter with regard to receiving reformative support, and to suggest possible strategies that can be adopted to reduce or prevent domestic violence. Adopting a qualitative approach, data were obtained through in-depth interviews and participant observations involving 22 convicted male perpetrators in the Nsawam Prisons in the Eastern Region of Ghana, followed by interviews with stakeholders at the offices of the Domestic Violence & Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service. The Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to analyse the data. Each transcript went through a thorough analysis to extract themes which were subsequently Synchronised. Overall, the findings from the present study elucidated some theoretical and practical implications. It reveals the following major themes: perception of inequality between sexes, bride price, childhood experience/witness of abuse, and victim blaming as contributory factors to the phenomenon of male violence against women.Item Common Perinatal Mental Health Problems: Correlates, Birth Outcomes and Quality of Life among Women in Accra(University of Ghana, 2017) Adomako, B.Mental health problems are a key determinant of maternal and child mortality and morbidity, but are not currently recognized in existing initiatives to promote perinatal mental health, resulting in poor health outcomes for women, their children, families and the society as a whole. The main aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between perinatal mental health problems, birth outcomes and quality of life among women in Accra. A three phased iterative sequential mixed methods design was utilized for this research. The setting of this research was the Accra Metropolitan Area. Study One (1), was a phenomenological study with findings indicating, that pregnancy was considered a mix bag of joys and distress. Again, pregnancy was experienced on various levels; through the lens of mother, within family, and within the health system. Furthermore, there was low awareness of perinatal mental disorders. Finally, various coping mechanisms such as faith and engagement in productive activity were employed to deal with the perinatal mental health problems experienced. The results from Study One, fed into Study Two, which was a two-wave prospective panel study, consisting of one hundred and twenty-two (122) purposively sampled women, who were within the perinatal period. Standardized instruments were administered at two time points (during pregnancy and after birth). Results of Study Two indicated that; there was a negative significant relationship between depressive symptomatology and quality of life during pregnancy and after birth with Social Support moderating these relationships. Intimate partner relationship however did not have any moderating effect on those same relationships. Also, there were no lagged effects between CMD‘s during pregnancy and quality of life after birth. A third study (Study Three) was conducted as a follow up to Study Two, in order to explore the contextual factors that might underlie some of its findings. It emerged from this study that participants ‘conceptions of childbirth were shaped by their cultural context. In addition, explanatory models accounting for CMD symptomatology were based on multilevel experiences, with a sense of self efficacy and beliefs in spirituality being used as coping mechanisms. It also emerged from Study Three, that constructions of intimate partner relationship reflected the male hegemony in Ghanaian cultural settings. A further exploration into perinatal mental health care services in Accra showed an unmet need as well as the essence of a culturally competent perinatal mental health service within Accra. The implications of the findings for clinical practice and policy, as well as the limitations and recommendations from this research are addressed.Item Mental Health Competence in two Urban Poor Communities in Accra, Ghana: A Social Psychology of Participation Approach(University of Ghana, 2020-10) Agyei, F.Poor communities in Africa are disproportionately affected by mental disorders globally. Current research proposes that improving mental health in poor communities requires building their mental health competence. There are however limited community mental health competency studies in African context, to inform diagnosis of social realities of mental health in such communities and guide intervention planning. Integrating the social psychology of participation and community mental health competency models into a conceptual framework, this thesis conducted a critical social psychological analysis of the social realities of mental health probkems in Jamestown and Usshertown - two urban poor communities in Accra, Ghana. The conceptual framework explored three social psychological features of community mental health competency; i) symbolic competency – social representations which provides insight into lay mental health knowledge in the communities, ii) material competency – access to concrete material conditions such as money food, shelter and mental healthcare which structure mental illness experience in community context, and iii) relational competency – access to bonding, bridging and linking social capital which provides material and symbolic resources for addressing mental health problems. Mixed-method data were gathered, combining survey, focus group discussion, key informant interviews and situated conversations. Data was gathered from 384 survey respondents and 77 qualitative participants. The qualitative data was analysed using theoretically-driven thematic analysis. The survey data was analysed using chi square, multiple regression and structural equation modelling. Three key insights emerged, in line with the conceptual framework. First, the communities exhibited relatively high symbolic mental health competency, compared to their material and relational competencies. There was general awareness that the prevalent mental health disorders in the communities were depression, anxiety, ‘madness’, epilepsy, substance addiction, suicide, psychosocial stress, excessive anger, worry and frustration. There was also high awareness of the multilevel factors that expose them to these mental health disorders. Mental illness stigma and empathy co-existed simultaneously. Representations of the mental illness were cognitive-emotional, which informed legitimization and illegitimization of some mental health disorders depending on severity of conditions and identity of the sufferers. Second, the communities were extremely low on material mental health competency. Structural poverty and joblessness exposed healthy community members to recurring psychosocial struggles, and also undermined quality of care for individuals and families affected by mental health disorders. Finally, relational mental health competency of the communities was also low. While their bonding social capital was relatively high, there are limited existing bridging and linking social capital targeted at addressing mental health problems within the communities. Nevertheless, there are existing partnerships that offer opportunities for strategic alliances in transforming mental health within the communities. The implications of the insights in the development of participatory mental health interventions to build mental health competency in the research communities are discussed.Item Organizational Integrity And Corruption Decision-Making in The Ghanaian Public Service(University of Ghana, 2020-10) De Souza, M.N.M.Global effort to fight corruption has become more intense because it is considered one of the most complex societal problems. Corruption in Ghana’s public service poses a significant risk to service delivery and national development. The upsurge and deeply rooted nature of corruption in the public service have been attributed to the breakdown of organizational integrity in these institutions. Corruption research in the public service is subsumed mainly under rationalistic assumptions and approached from the premise that corruption is a self-serving behavior of public service workers, therefore organizational integrity management is overly focused on enforcing formal norms. This study argued that the decision to engage in or refute corrupt activities is not solely premised on self-serving rationalistic behavior, but also guided by a multiplicity of complex informal organizational norms. Unfortunately, attention is rarely paid to the role of informal organizational norms in public servants’ corruption decision-making. Using qualitative vignettes, this study was designed to explore how public service workers (PSWs) experience and navigate context-specific formal and informal organizational norms in corruption decision making. Three focus group discussions with 22 public service Directors and semi-structured individual interviews with 26 public service Administrative and Technical staff were conducted. Additionally, 8 individual interviews with anti-corruption activists and retired public service workers were integrated with a document review of grey literature to corroborate findings. Formal and informal organizational norms that influenced organizational integrity and PSWs decision-making included rigid bureaucracy, opportunistic staffing, political praise-singing, apathy towards work, and reciprocal appreciation. Informal organizational norms equally influenced PSWs corruption-decision-making as did the formal norms. However, in the vignette scenarios where the perception of the severity of formal sanctions was under-rated, informal organizational norms displaced formal organizational norms, clouded the organizational interest, putting to the fore the interest of the individual and the corrupt partner. An additional noteworthy finding was that context-specific risk preferences were employed by PSWs as heuristics to navigate corruption in the public service. The findings imply that ensuring compliance with formal organizational norms and regulations is necessary but insufficient to effectively prevent corruption in the Ghanaian public service. To effectively manage organizational integrity to mitigate corruption, there is a need for administrative and structural changes, as well as organizational and social unlearning of dysfunctional formal and informal organizational norms.
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