An Exploration of Families' Psychosocial Well-Being in a South African Context

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore and describe aspects that contribute to the psychosocial well-being of families from diverse cultures in a South African context by analysing data obtained through narratives, drawings and interviews with families. Participant families took part voluntarily in family interviews (N=36), written narratives (N=23) and drawings (N=14). These different methods of data collection provided rich data on family psychosocial well-being in a South African context with culturally diverse families, as well as on those aspects that influence family psychosocial well-being. The findings suggest that communication, mutual support, togetherness as a family and spirituality are the most prominent contributing factors, while financial difficulties and interpersonal conflicts or arguments are the most prominent hindering factors with regard to family psychosocial well-being in this group of participants.

Die doel van hierdie studie was om aspekte wat bydra tot die psigososiale welstand van families van diverse kulture in 'n Suid Afrikaanse konteks te ondersoek en te beskryf deur data wat verkry was deur geskrewe narratiewe ervarings, sketse en onderhoude met families te ontleed. Deelnemende families het vrywillig deelgeneem aan familie onderhoude (N=36), narratiewe ervarings (N=23) en sketse (N=14). Hierdie verskillende metodes van data insameling het ryk data verskaf oor families se psigososiale welstand in 'n Suid-Afrikaanse konteks met kulturele diverse families asook die aspekte wat families se psigososiale welstand beïnvloed. Die bevindinge dui daarop dat kommunikasie, wedersydse ondersteuning, samesyn as 'n familie en spiritualiteit die mees prominente bydraende faktore is terwyl finansiële probleme en interpersoonlike konflik of argumente die mees prominente verhinderende of belemmerde faktore is ten opsigte van families se psigososiale welstand in hierdie groep van respondente.

Keywords:

• family
• families
• psychosocial well-being
• South African families
• well-being

Sleutelwoorde:

• familie
• families
• psigososiale welstand
• Suid Afrikaanse families
• welstand