Proceedings of The 10th International Conference on Research in Behavioral and Social Sciences
Year: 2022
DOI:
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“We can manage this Corona disaster”: Psycho-social Experiences of a diverse suburban middle-class community in South Africa: interview-based study
Susanne Jacobs
ABSTRACT:
The study interest is about psycho-social domains, experienced in the context of a suburban diverse middle-class community, reporting the most positive cases and deep suffering, interacting towards adaptation in stressful situations such as Corona. This study used qualitative descriptive design, with a strengths-based perspective directing a two-phase method. Through non-probability convenience sampling, 80 participants completed a web-based qualitative questionnaire (phase one), from those, 20 purposely selected volunteers participated in individual face-to-face open-ended unstructured interviews (phase 2). Themes interpreted as one set show that, although anticipated reflection on multiple burdens shaped by the pandemic, how strengths and resilience appear despite extreme shock and uncertainty. Transitional processes show positive transformation in psycho-social spheres revealed through conscious decisions towards dynamic engagement, embracing change, reflection on life’s value and recovery, regarding novel meaningful priorities in contrast with “before”. Most prominent is the relational sphere, human connections in the inner circle (close) and outer (community) circle. This paper recommends a combination of theoretically, empirically, and ethically healthy methods: appreciative inquiry and narrative interview (storytelling). The underlying theory of constructivism and positivism of this qualitative paper signifies a social perspective regarding domains including families and community in the environment on the micro/ mezzo/ macro level and contributes to knowledge about relations, strengths, and resilience, the phenomenon is mental health influenced by the pandemic. Interpreted inductively, described meaning in abstracted knowledge can be transferred to and integrated with other contexts, identifying new initiatives and debate across trans-, multi-, and inter-disciplinary, mitigating psycho-social consequences and fostering resilience during disasters.
Keywords: Appreciative inquiry, narrative stories, psycho-social spheres, resilience, strengths-based.