This thesis does not contain the authorship of other individuals unless specifically acknowledged as having been taken from other researchers. From a perspective of resistance theory blended with the traditional African metaphysical framework, the study intended to contribute to filling a gap in the literature by presenting the discursive tools (ie the meanings conveyed through the use of language and interaction) as black South African female students use when they describe their lives of growing up without a father.
Introduction
- Overview of the chapter
- Introduction of the phenomenon
- Statement of the problem
- Conceptual framework for the study
- Purpose of the study
- Research questions
- Significance of the study
- Organisation of the dissertation
How do black South African female students construct their identities in relation to growing up without a father. How do black South African female students construct their careers and future prospects in relation to growing up without a father.
Literature review
- Introduction and overview of chapter
- Paternal absence
- Paternal absence on identity
- Paternal absence on academic performance, career and future prospects
- Paternal absence on relationships and attitudes towards men
- Traditional African metaphysical framework
- Resilience theory (South African Black youth)
- Conclusion
Because of the insufficient paternal love that young women receive in the absence of a father; they may illustrate a longing for male attention and affection (East et al., 2007). It is also clear that little research has been done in South Africa on the interpersonal relationships of women with absent fathers.
Methodology
- Introduction and Overview of Chapter
- Research Design
- Description of the study site
- Sampling strategy
- Description of research participants
- Data collection methods
- Data analysis
- Reliability, validity, transferability and reflexivity
- Validity
- Reliability
- Transferability
- Reflexivity
- Ethical considerations
- Scientific validity
- Social value
- Collaborative partnership
- Favourable risk-benefit analysis
- Informed consent
- Respect for participants and community
- Conclusion
These understandings are established and there is a mutual understanding between the participants in the conversation. For this study, it is suggested that the researcher's theoretical claims are supported by. The study participants could directly benefit from the study as the results of the study were made available to them.
She accomplished this by writing a summary of the study's findings, which was sent to participants via email. To further protect the participants' identities from publication, pseudonyms were used. This chapter has provided a description of the research procedures used to conduct the current study.
Findings
Introduction and Overview of Chapter
Description of the participants
- Participant A
- Participant B
- Participant C
- Participant D
- Participant E
- The researcher
These conflicts apparently involved finances, with Bongi's mother receiving little to no financial benefits from her father's police, "so even though there was some UIF7 or something, but that amount had to be divided by - umm among four women, so we got a little ( .) I would say a small amount” (line 37). Bongi noted that her father's death "made it difficult for my mother just to support five children… because my mother was a housewife" ( line 42); however, she saw education as a way to escape this socio-economic situation. Her father died when she was three years old and her mother also died shortly afterwards.
Gabi said she had been staying with her father's family for as long as she could remember. She indicated that she had no memory of her father's family and was staying with her mother and siblings. She reported that she had met her father's brother before, but not her father or any other member of her father's family.
Findings
- Identity
- Academic performance
- Relationships with men
- Attitudes towards men
- Career
- Future prospects
Sphe's repetition of "I've always been like this" in lines 2-3 indicates that she was unsure of the words to choose and how to formulate the utterance and so she took her time to formulate this version before committing to it. participate (Edwards , 1994). Sphe in line 8 emphasizes the drive she has despite her father's absence having a negative influence on her. The false start and pause "Uhm (0.2)" in line 1 indicates that I tried to formulate my statement before I uttered it to Mbali.
In line 3, Mbali's inhalation at the beginning of her response indicated that she was taking her time to speak. In response to my question, Bongi's inhalations, long and short pauses indicated that she was taking her time to produce this account as it was her reflection of her own thoughts. In line 11, Bongi indicated that it was more important that she be resilient and powerful.
The “Uhm:” in line 13 indicated that Bongi was taking time to think about how to further formulate her argument. In line 3, the excitement was further emphasized by Bongi's laughter and her extended utterance “y:e:bo:::” in accordance with continuing her studies.
Conclusion
In lines 9-10, Bongi indicated that she wants to portray herself as a motivator, a role model and a source of inspiration for those around her. Lines 11, 13, 15 indicated that Bongi's small frame may cause people to underestimate her, so she wants to prove them wrong or surprise them by obtaining a doctoral qualification. She indicated that she not only does it for herself, but that she also does it for others.
Discussion
Introduction and Overview of Chapter
Identity
The family (particularly the close-knit community of both the living and the dead) is an important part of the individual's personal identity and social reality (Holdstock, 2000; Mkhize, 2004). It was put forward that some of the father-absent women defined and identified themselves only with their immediate families, as these were the ones they bonded with. For example, one of the participants was characterized as a deviant case, recognizing her father's influence on her identity (whereas the other participants did not).
Some father-absent women presented themselves as independent and distanced from father's family. Despite the absent paternal connection, most of the participants portrayed themselves as empowered and able to leave a situation (eg, pursuing relationships with an absent father's family) that they could see was not productive not. Most of the participants emphasized their mothers as their primary provider and supporter in all aspects of their lives.
Academic performance
It can be suggested that some black college students without fathers can be seen to have resilient qualities and a vision for improvement when studying at a college institution despite their difficulties. Resilient local Black youth appear to be accepting of the challenges they face, are more likely to make good educational progress, and are guided by values-driven behavior and scholasticism. Some black father absent women emphasized that they were determined and thrived strictly and wholeheartedly to do well.
The statement shows that some women without fathers want to change their problems through education. The resilience of fatherless women may be influenced by their mothers' democratic-authoritative parenting style, which promotes responsibility and reasoning (Theron & Theron, 2010). Supportive family relationships also encourage Black youth to accept or be content with their poor circumstances and prefer to improve in finding solutions to their problems (Theron & Theron, 2010).
Relationships and attitudes towards men
However, there was one participant who acknowledged that her father's absence had a negative impact on her current relationships with men. Interestingly, the results contradicted research suggesting that fathers' absence can have negative outcomes on a woman's relationship with men (East et al., 2007). On the other hand, some fatherless daughters may tend to distance themselves from men and may struggle to form intimate relationships with men.
Some women who are absent with their fathers may be unsure of the dynamics between men and women in a relationship, as they themselves have not yet witnessed an intimate relationship between a man and a woman (between both parents) and thus may struggle to manage their own relationships with men (East et al., 2007). It is obvious that some women suffer in their relationships with men because they are fatherless. Women's interaction with other men in their community can help them learn how to deal with men, so that they can trust men and accept love and.
Career and future prospects
It goes without saying that family support can play a large role in the prosperous careers and future prospects that some fatherless women can achieve. It has been suggested that females who are fatherless from an early age are more prone to relatively poorer math skills (Hetherington, 1972; Krohn & Bogan, 2001 & Strauss, 2013). Some of the fatherless women who make it to college tend to be underachieving, while others are more successful in their chosen career prospects (Krohn & Bogan, 2001).
It is suggested that these men can also motivate fatherless women to make good career choices. Most of the Black fatherless women were able to complete their secondary and undergraduate studies. It is suggested that having prosperous dreams for the future indicates the hope that the father absent females will triumph over their adversity.
Limitations of the study
Having good careers and future prospects could be an approach that fatherless students use to build their resilience to the challenges they may face growing up fatherless. For example, she says, “I was like uhm (.) looking at my uhh situation, I was like 'God, I know one day I'm gonna change this' (Bongi, interview B, lines 68). Black youth are guided by value-driven behavior usually characterized by academic excellence to advance their lives (Theron et al., 2013).
Most women selected their chosen career fields to earn money, gain prestigious qualifications and be able to free themselves from the hardships they previously experienced (Theron et al., 2013).
Recommendations
Conclusion
Students' views on the inclusion of multicultural perspectives in the psychology curriculum at two South African universities: An Africentric Analysis. Absent fathers: Why men do not feature in stories of families affected by HIV/AIDS in KwaZulu-Natal. Does father absence place daughters at particular risk for early sexual activity and teenage pregnancy.
Talking South African fathers: a critical examination of men's constructions and experiences of fatherhood and fatherlessness. Ufenhoi ngokwazi kwentsha yasemalokishini sukada nisimo esinzima: A South African Study of Resilience among Township Youth.Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America. Towards an African definition of resilience: A rural South African community's view of resilient Basotho youth.
Turnitin originality report
Ethics approval
Notices
Semi-structured interviews
17. Do you think the career you have chosen is due to any circumstances related to your father's absence. How do you think your experiences of being fatherless shaped your behavior and thought patterns and attitudes in relation to men.
Participant consent form
Audio-recording consent form
Gatekeepers approval (UKZN Registrar)
Psychological support for participants (if needed)
The audio clip, and any transcripts and documents resulting from the interview, will be retained by me in secure storage for a period of five years and then destroyed. Unless you specifically request that your identity be known in the study, when transcribing or writing the thesis, no name and student number (and any other identifying data) will be requested from you, nor mentioned or attached to any document. I will be the only person who can link the pseudonym back to the original data source.
I will be able to give you feedback on the study by emailing you a summary of the findings or I can provide a PowerPoint presentation of the findings. There will be immediate counseling available to you if you happen to need counseling immediately. If you experience stress after the session, you can attend sessions at the Child and Family Center or the Student Counseling Service within your College.
