The psychofortological experiences of masters degree students in professional psychology programmes: an interpretative phenomenological analysis
Abstract
English: The aim of this qualitative study was to explore and describe the psychofortigenic experiences of
master’s degree students in professional psychology programmes in South Africa. Since most
research on the topic of master’s students in psychology is conducted from a pathogenic
paradigm, this study aimed to describe these students’ experiences from a positive psychology
approach. Eight participants were purposively selected from four universities. The participants
engaged in reflective writings and three semi-structured interviews over a one-year span. Four
rich cases were identified and data were analyzed according to Interpretative Phenomenological
Analysis (IPA). The phenomenological approach of this study was useful in exploring the lived
worlds of the participants. Themes were conceptualized and operationalized within the structure
of psychological well-being (Ryff, 1989), general positive psychology literature, as well as
literature based on the development and dynamics of master’s students in professional
psychology training. Thorough interpretation of the findings yielded eight themes of significance
across the cases, which were all indicative of enhanced levels of psychological well-being as an
outcome of the participants’ experiences. The first theme refers to specific goals and high
motivation levels with regard to becoming a psychologist, which created a strong sense of
meaning and contributed to personal growth in the students. Self-reflection as a trigger for selfawareness
was identified and found to be a powerful element that can contribute to personal
growth and autonomy in these students’ journeys. The findings further indicated that personal
growth is a positive outcome of the experience. Intrapersonal dynamics also aided participants
towards greater self-acceptance. The study showed that participants identified interpersonal
growth as a positive outcome of the experience and that positive relationships with others were
found to be a useful coping mechanism throughout the year; thus, contributing to the
psychological well-being domain of environmental mastery. Supervision practices positively
influenced the psychological well-being domain of autonomy and were also proven to contribute
towards the participants’ personal growth. Furthermore, spiritual deepening resulted from the
experience of being a master’s student in professional psychology and spirituality was employed
as an effective coping mechanism. The group dynamics of the master’s class and the
relationships with class colleagues were found to be crucial factors that positively contributed to
the participants’ psychological well-being, specifically within the domain of autonomy and
positive interpersonal relationships. Lastly, the findings indicated that the participants identified and employed individual coping strategies throughout their journey, which contributed to the
domain of environmental mastery. Overall, the important finding was that, while the experience
of becoming a psychologist is known to be a long and difficult journey, it can also be rewarding
and holds the potential to enhance psychological well-being. The study concluded with a
discussion of the implications, limitations and strengths of the study as well as recommendations
for future research. Afrikaans: Die doel van hierdie kwalitatiewe studie was om die psigofortologiese ervarings van
meestersgraadstudente in professionele sielkundeprogramme in Suid-Afrika te verken en te
beskryf. Aangesien die meeste van die navorsing oor die onderwerp van meestersgraadstudente
in sielkunde vanuit ’n patologiese paradigma gedoen word, poog hierdie studie om die studente
se ervarings vanuit ’n positiewe sielkunde benadering te beskryf. Agt deelnemers van vier
universiteite is deur middel van ’n doelgerigte steekproef gekies. Die deelnemers het reflektiewe
skryfwerk gedoen, asook drie semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude oor ’n tydperk van een jaar
ondergaan. Vier ryk gevalle is geïdentifiseer en die data is deur middel van Interpretatiewe
Fenomenologiese Analise geanaliseer. Die fenomenologiese benadering in hierdie studie het
nuttig geblyk om die leefwêreld van die deelnemers te ondersoek. Temas is gekontekstualiseer
en geoperasionaliseer binne die struktuur van psigologiese welstand (Ryff, 1989), literatuur oor
positiewe sielkunde, asook literatuur gebaseer op die ontwikkeling en dinamika van
meestersgraadstudente in professionele opleiding in sielkunde. Deeglike interpretasie van die
bevindinge het agt beduidende temas tussen die gevalle gelewer, wat almal op hoër vlakke van
psigologiese welsyn as ’n uitkoms van die deelnemers se ervarings gedui het. Die eerste tema
verwys na die spesifieke doelwitte en hoë motiveringsvlakke wat betrokke is in die proses om ’n
sielkundige te word – hierdie twee aspekte skep ’n sterk sin van betekenis en dra by tot
persoonlike groei. Verder is selfrefleksie nie net as sneller vir selfinsig geïdentifiseer nie, maar
ook as ’n kragtige element wat tot persoonlike groei en outonomie in die studente se reis kan
bydra. Die bevindings het verder aangedui dat persoonlike groei ’n positiewe uitkoms van al die
deelnemers se ervarings was. Intrapersoonlike dinamika het ook die deelnemers tot groter
selfaanvaarding bygestaan. Die studie het getoon dat die studente interpersoonlike groei as ’n
positiewe uitkoms van die ervaring geïdentifiseer het en dat positiewe verhoudings met ander as
’n nuttige hanteringsvaardigheid regdeur die jaar gebruik is en dus tot die psigologiese
welstandsdomein van omgewingsbemeestering bygedra het. Supervisiepraktyke het ’n positiewe
invloed op die psigologiese welstandsdomein van outonomie gehad en het ook tot die studente se
persoonlike groei bygedra. Verder het spirituele verdieping gespruit uit die
meestersgraadstudente se ervaring van hulle opleiding in professionele sielkunde, en spiritualiteit is as effektiewe hanteringsmeganisme ingespan. Die groepdinamika van die meestersgraadklas
en die verhoudings met klaskollegas het as belangrike faktore geblyk wat positief tot die
deelnemers se psigologiese welstand bygedra het, spesifiek in die domein van outonomie en
positiewe interpersoonlike verhoudings. Laastens het die bevindinge aangedui dat die
deelnemers individuele praktiese hanteringstrategieë geïdentifiseer en toegepas het, wat tot die
domein van omgewingsbemeestering bygedra het. Oor die algemeen was die belangrikste
bevinding dat, alhoewel die ervaring van die proses om ’n sielkundige te word as ’n lang en
moeilike reis bekend staan, dit ook lonend kan wees en die potensiaal het om psigologiese
welstand te verhoog. Die studie sluit af met ’n bespreking van die implikasies, beperkings en
sterk punte van die studie, asook aanbevelings vir toekomstige navorsing.
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