Orphan adolescents' lifeworlds on school-based psychosocial support

Abstract

Psychosocial support is an indispensable need of human life and a basic right of all children. Orphan adolescents in this phenomenological study describe their lifeworlds with regard to psychosocial support at school. Data were collected in 2011 from six Namibian orphan adolescents aged between 11 and 16 years through in-depth interviews. Phenomenological design explores how people ascribe meaning to their experiences in their interactions with the environment. Data analysis was done applying phenomenological hermeneutic cycle that constituted reading and re-reading of statements, to find the essence from stories of the participants. The main emergent themes of school-based psychosocial support are discussed under the following: provision of guidance and advice, provision of tangible support and provision of emotional support. The most striking result across all themes was the lack of opportunities for orphan adolescents to experience a one-on-one emotional support from either a class teacher or a life skills teacher or a school counselor. Thus, key implications show that the participants need to be talked to individually in order to express their feelings especially when they returned to school after bereavement. It further implies that the participants are likely to suffer in silence that would result in emotional and psychological problems later in their lives.

Keywords:

• orphans
• adolescents
• phenomenology
• lifeworlds
• psychosocial support

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank the participants of this research for their voluntary participation. Equally, he would acknowledge the assistance provided by the anonymous peer reviewers.

Funding

This research was not funded by any organization or an individual.