Factors contributing to the negation of therapeutic services by emerging adults at a South African university

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Date
2017Author
Van den Berg, M.
Jacobs, I. F.
Weideman, S.
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From a practice point of view it seems as if there are certain factors
that might contribute to the fact that emerging adults tend to negate
therapeutic help and services. It also seems to be specifically true
with regard to emerging adults at university. Help negation seems
to occur albeit the fact that therapeutic intervention is seen as an
effective tool in managing distress. The aim of the study therefore
was to explore which factors contribute to help negation behaviour
in emerging adults at a specific university in South Africa.
A qualitative case study design was employed where participants
who complied with the inclusion criteria set out for the study, were
selected by means of non-probability target and snowball sampling.
Fifteen students residing in campus residences respectively
participated in one of three focus group discussions. Creswell’s
spiral of data analysis was used to analyse the transcribed data.
The data crystallised into four themes, which contribute to help
negation behaviour in emerging adults. Emerging adults have a
fear of being judged, stigmatised, recognised, of not being treated
confidentially and a fear of being vulnerable and hurt. They prefer
to seek help and support from their family and peers and to put
their trust in God and their religion; they have internalised beliefs
about themselves and therapy and a need for independence;
student interns work at the therapeutic centres on campus which
specifically contributes to help negation for emerging adults at the
university. It is crucial that the professionals revisit their strategies
and approaches in order to overcome negation of formal help
and create a more understandable, approachable and effective
therapeutic service to emerging adults, especially at university
therapeutic centres.