Current Practice Patterns of Clinical and Counselling Psychologists and Their Attitudes to Transforming Mental Health Polices in South Africa

Abstract

The current political changes in South Africa and the realization that there is a need to transform many institutions have resulted in strident calls for changes to mental health policies. However, it is also recognized that these changes must be coherent, and should enjoy the support of all interested constituencies. The authors surveyed members of the mental health professions, namely, Clinical and Counselling Psychologists to elicit their opińions regarding these changes. The aim was to obtain data on their current practice patterns and attitudes to change in mental health policies designed to meet the needs of the majority of South Africans. In this article the authors discuss results of the survey and emphasize some of the issues that need to be addressed if the mental health needs of the population are to be met.

Die huidige politieke veranderinge in Suid-Afrika en die besef dat daar 'n behoefte is om instellings te transformeer het gelei tot ernstige beroepe om die geestegesondheidsbeleid ter verander. Nietemin word daar besef dat die veranderinge samehangend moet wees, en moet die ondersteuning van alle belangstellende groepe geniet. Om die nodige standpunte van hierdie verskillende groepe te bekom, was die lede van die Kliniese en Raadgewende Sielkundiges oor hul meinings gevra. Die doel was om data te bekom oor die huidige modelle en houdinge in die uitoefening van die beroep met betrekking tot veranderinge tot geestgesondheidsbeleid wat geruk is op die geestegesondheids behoeftes van die meerheid van Suid-Afrikaners. In hierdie artikel bespreek die outeurs die resultante van hierdie ondersoek en beklemtoon sommige van die vraagstukke waarmee rekening gehou moet word indien aan die geestegesondheidsbeloftes van die meerderheid van die bevolking voldoen moet word.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

African National Congress (1994). National Health Plan, Johannesburg: African National Congress.

Bassa

EM.

Schlebusch

(1984). Practice preferences of clinical psychologists in South Africa. South African Journal of Psychology, 14: 118–123.

Ebersohn (1983). Die sielkundiges van die RSA. Report MM-92, Pretoria: Human Sciences Research Council.

Kerlinger

F.N.

(1973). Foundations of behavioural research. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.

Freeman

(1990). Decentralised responsibility — a way forward for ‘homeland’ mental health care. South African Medical Journal, 77: 478–80.

Freeman

(1992). Providing mental health care for all in South Africa - structure and strategy. Johannesburg: The Centre for Health Policy.

Manganyi

N.C.

Louw

(1986). Clinical psychology in South Africa: a comparative study of emerging professional trends. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 17, 171–178.

McIntyre

Bloom

Doherty

Brijlal

(1995). Health expenditure and finance in South Africa. Durban: Health Systems Trust and the World Bank.

Parry

(1994). Prevalence of alcohol misuse in South Africa: a review of empirical research. Urbanisation and Health Newsletter, 21, 33–38.

10.

Parry

C.D.H.

Yach

(1993). Public health in South Africa: the need for greater input from psychologists. Public Health in South Africa, 4, 58–62.

11.

Pillay

Y.G.

(1993). Mental health policy: options for South Africa. Curationis, 16, 50–53.

12.

Rock

B.M.

Hamber

B.E.

(1994). Psychology in a future South Africa: the need for a national psychology development programme. A commissioned research project for the Professional Board of Psychology, South African Medical and Dental Council, Pretoria.

13.

South African Institute of Race Relations (1992). Race Relations Survey, 1991/2, Braamfontein: South African Institute of Race Relations.

14.

Visser

M.J.

(1988). Die sielkundingé se bydrae tot die bevordering van geestegesondheid in the Suid Afrikaanse gemeenskap. Report P-99, Pretoria: Human Sciences Research Council.