Maretha Visser
Biographic Data
| ID | 3583389 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Maretha Visser |
| GIVEN NAMES | Maretha |
| FAMILY NAME | Visser |
| SIGNATURE | VISSER M |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Pretoria |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-2830-7050 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 46 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 63 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 46 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1985 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 5 |
An exploration of the experiences of adolescents living with HIV
This research endeavours to explore and describe the experiences of adolescents living with HIV that undergoes chronic disease management and aims to describe how these experiences inform their identity. The study was conducted at the Kalafong Hospital's Paediatric HIV Clinic in Pretoria, South Africa. Six adolescents who attend the clinic regularly were interviewed using a social constructionist narrative approach. Data were collected by means o…
Support Group Processes
This study examined the experiences and perceived benefits of support group participation among HIV-infected women in South Africa. From a qualitative analysis of responses, key psychological processes through which support groups are potentially beneficial were identified. These processes included: identification; modeling; acceptance; and empowerment. The participants' consequent life changes were explored in order to associate these processes …
Community psychology in South Africa
Developing a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Model to Assist Women to Deal with HIV and Stigma
A model of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) was developed, implemented, and assessed, in order to assist HIV-positive women deal with HIV and internalised stigma. Interviews with HIV-positive women revealed five common themes in the experience of HIV: feelings of powerlessness; anger and guilt; destructive behaviour; experience of stigma; and uncertainty about the future. These themes were used in the development of an intervention. The interv…
Intervention Groups for HIV-Infected Women
The Kgolo Mmogo study is a randomised controlled intervention trial that examines the effectiveness of a group intervention to enhance resilience in HIV-infected South African mothers ( N = 427) and their young children ( N = 435). We describe here how the severity of psychological and social problems experienced by some of the study participants required referrals for other services and discuss the barriers encountered in facilitating such refer…
Constructions of masculinity among a group of South African men living with HIV/Aids
Male sexuality in Africa is often associated with harmful sexual practices, which, in the context of HIV and AIDS, often positions men as central to the spread of the epidemic. Despite this focus on men's practices, there is a lack of research exploring the subject positions of men living with HIV. This study explores how masculinity is constructed by a group of black South African men who self-identify as heterosexual and are living with HIV. Us…
HIV/Aids stigma in a South African community
HIV/AIDS-related stigma threatens to undermine interventions to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS. To address stigma in a South African community, a thorough understanding of the nature of stigma in the specific cultural context is needed. The goals of this research were to assess the level of stigmatising attitudes among members of a community, compare this to the level of stigma that is perceived to exist within the community and determine to what ext…
To tell or not to tell
HIV-positive pregnant women often do not disclose their serostatus to their partners, family and friends, creating potential barriers to preventing sexual transmission to partners and mother-to-child transmission through breastfeeding. This research explores recently diagnosed HIV-positive pregnant women's reasons for disclosure and non-disclosure of serostatus to various members of their social networks, as well as the consequences of their disc…
Development of Parallel Scales to Measure HIV-Related Stigma
Establishing support groups for HIV-infected women
HIV-infected women need support to deal with their diagnosis as well as with the stigma attached to HIV. As part of their practical training, Master's-level psychology students negotiated with the staff of four clinics in townships in Tshwane, South Africa, to establish support groups for HIV+ women and offered to assist them in facilitating the groups. This study aimed to understand why the implementation of groups was successful in one clinic a…
Substance Abuse and Psychological Well-being of South African Adolescents
This research aimed at identifying patterns of substance abuse among South African adolescents and exploring the relationship between psychological well-being and substance abuse. Psychological well-being was assessed with selected items of the Bar-On EQ-I and Diener's Life Satisfaction scale. Self-reported substance abuse patterns of 1 918 learners between the ages of 12 and 19 from 13 schools in Tshwane were recorded. Schools were selected to r…
HIV/Aids prevention through peer education and support in secondary schools in South Africa
The implementation and evaluation of a peer education and support programme in secondary schools to prevent and reduce high-risk sexual behaviour amongst adolescents is discussed.The aims of the programme were to provide accurate information about HIV/AIDS, discuss and reconsider peer group norms, and establish support for learners. In the programme that was implemented in 13 secondary schools in Tshwane, South Africa, peer educators were identif…
Stigmatizing attitudes of the community towards people living with HIV/Aids
This research involved an exploratory study in which a questionnaire was used to investigate the personal stigma and perceived community stigma regarding HIV/AIDS in a South African community. Student fieldworkers interviewed a convenient sample of 901 respondents from different races, gender and age groups, and found that respondents tended towards stigmatizing persons with HIV/AIDS. Yet, this degree of stigmatization was significantly less seve…
Development of structured support groups for HIV-positive women in South Africa
Women living with HIV in a stigmatising community need support to cope with their HIV status. In a process of action research, a structured support group programme was designed to meet the needs of women to cope with their diagnosis and interpersonal relationships. The emphasis was on identifying their needs and developing programme material to address those needs through group participation and interaction. The programme was pilot-tested at two …
Life skills training as HIV/Aids preventive strategy in secondary schools
A life skills and HIV/AIDS education programme was implemented in secondary schools as a strategy to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS among school-going young people in South Africa. As part of a joint effort of the Departments of Health and Education, two teachers per school were trained to implement life skills training and HIV/AIDS education in schools as part of the school curriculum. The implementation of the intervention was evaluated in 24 sc…
Cognitive stimulation in pre-school facilities in a disadvantaged community
The aim of the research was to develop and evaluate a cognitive stimulation programme to promote school readiness in South African pre-school children from a disadvantaged background. Two groups consisting of 23 children each made up the experimental and control groups. A repeated measurement quasi-experimental research design was applied to evaluate the programme using the Herbst Measuring Instrument for Toddlers (Herbst 1994) to assess the cogn…
Implementing peer support in schools
The implementation of a peer support project in 13 schools from a disadvantaged background is discussed using the social ecological, systems and social construction theory as a theoretical guide in action research. The goal was to establish an alternative helping system in schools that was sustainable within the school system. In the implementation of peer support attention was given to the integration of the project into the existing context; en…
Implementing a community intervention to reduce young people's risks for getting HIV
The ineffectiveness of community‐based interventions can often be traced to problems that occur during implementation. In this study, we outline the implementation of a human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) prevention program in an educational setting in South Africa. An action research approach was used in the implementation of the intervention and a process and outcome evaluation, integrating qualitative and…
Evaluation of HIV/Aids Prevention in South African Schools
This article reports on the implementation of a schoolbased HIV/AIDS and life-skills training program to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS among the young people in secondary schools in South Africa. The implementation of the program was evaluated for a period of two years, using process and outcome evaluation and a systems approach to understand the higher-order feedback processes that obstructed the implementation and effectiveness of the interven…
Evaluation of the First Aids Kit, the Aids and Lifestyle Education Programme for Teenagers
The impact of the First AIDS Kit, an AIDS and lifestyle education programme, on secondary school students' behavioural intentions, their knowledge of AIDS as well as attitude towards people with AIDS, was evaluated. The programme was presented by counselling teachers in 11 schools involving 339 students in Stds 6 to 9. The programme was evaluated by means of a questionnaire before and after the programme, as well as by focus group discussions wit…
N Kommunikasie-opleidingsprogram vir studentevoogde
Met die doel om die funksionering van 'n studentevoogde-stelsel (‘n stelsel van student-tot-studenthulpverlening aan eerstejaars in universiteitskoshuise) te verbeter, is 'n kommunikasie-opleidingsprogram vir voogde aangebied en die effek daarvan geëvalueer. Die program het ten doel gehad om voogde se interpersoonlike vaardighede en verhoudings te verbeter, asook om die fokus van die stelsel uit te brei van 'n akademiesgerigte tot 'n verhoudingsg…
Stigmatizing attitudes of the community towards people living with HIV/Aids
This research involved an exploratory study in which a questionnaire was used to investigate the personal stigma and perceived community stigma regarding HIV/AIDS in a South African community. Student fieldworkers interviewed a convenient sample of 901 respondents from different races, gender and age groups, and found that respondents tended towards stigmatizing persons with HIV/AIDS. Yet, this degree of stigmatization was significantly less seve…
University students’ mental health and emotional wellbeing during the Covid-19 pandemic and ensuing lockdown
The COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing lockdown had a profound effect on human life. This research explores the influence of COVID-19-related experiences on the emotional wellbeing and mental health of South African university students 3 months into the pandemic. Research data were obtained from an online survey completed by 5074 students. Students reported difficulties in coping with psychological challenges during the lockdown: 45.6% and 35.0% repor…
Life skills training as HIV/Aids preventive strategy in secondary schools
A life skills and HIV/AIDS education programme was implemented in secondary schools as a strategy to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS among school-going young people in South Africa. As part of a joint effort of the Departments of Health and Education, two teachers per school were trained to implement life skills training and HIV/AIDS education in schools as part of the school curriculum. The implementation of the intervention was evaluated in 24 sc…
Evaluation of the First Aids Kit, the Aids and Lifestyle Education Programme for Teenagers
The impact of the First AIDS Kit, an AIDS and lifestyle education programme, on secondary school students' behavioural intentions, their knowledge of AIDS as well as attitude towards people with AIDS, was evaluated. The programme was presented by counselling teachers in 11 schools involving 339 students in Stds 6 to 9. The programme was evaluated by means of a questionnaire before and after the programme, as well as by focus group discussions wit…
HIV/Aids prevention through peer education and support in secondary schools in South Africa
The implementation and evaluation of a peer education and support programme in secondary schools to prevent and reduce high-risk sexual behaviour amongst adolescents is discussed.The aims of the programme were to provide accurate information about HIV/AIDS, discuss and reconsider peer group norms, and establish support for learners. In the programme that was implemented in 13 secondary schools in Tshwane, South Africa, peer educators were identif…
Support Group Processes
This study examined the experiences and perceived benefits of support group participation among HIV-infected women in South Africa. From a qualitative analysis of responses, key psychological processes through which support groups are potentially beneficial were identified. These processes included: identification; modeling; acceptance; and empowerment. The participants' consequent life changes were explored in order to associate these processes …
Evaluation of HIV/Aids Prevention in South African Schools
This article reports on the implementation of a schoolbased HIV/AIDS and life-skills training program to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS among the young people in secondary schools in South Africa. The implementation of the program was evaluated for a period of two years, using process and outcome evaluation and a systems approach to understand the higher-order feedback processes that obstructed the implementation and effectiveness of the interven…
Developing a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Model to Assist Women to Deal with HIV and Stigma
A model of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) was developed, implemented, and assessed, in order to assist HIV-positive women deal with HIV and internalised stigma. Interviews with HIV-positive women revealed five common themes in the experience of HIV: feelings of powerlessness; anger and guilt; destructive behaviour; experience of stigma; and uncertainty about the future. These themes were used in the development of an intervention. The interv…
Establishing support groups for HIV-infected women
HIV-infected women need support to deal with their diagnosis as well as with the stigma attached to HIV. As part of their practical training, Master's-level psychology students negotiated with the staff of four clinics in townships in Tshwane, South Africa, to establish support groups for HIV+ women and offered to assist them in facilitating the groups. This study aimed to understand why the implementation of groups was successful in one clinic a…
Substance Abuse and Psychological Well-being of South African Adolescents
This research aimed at identifying patterns of substance abuse among South African adolescents and exploring the relationship between psychological well-being and substance abuse. Psychological well-being was assessed with selected items of the Bar-On EQ-I and Diener's Life Satisfaction scale. Self-reported substance abuse patterns of 1 918 learners between the ages of 12 and 19 from 13 schools in Tshwane were recorded. Schools were selected to r…
Using interactive SMS support groups to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission in South Africa
Although advances have been made in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV, social and psychological factors associated with learning of an HIV diagnosis and living with HIV during pregnancy can impact medication adherence and health outcomes. Mobile technology can increase social support; however, it is unclear if such technology can be used to provide social support to reduce negative psychological outcomes. This study an…
Pathways to sexual health communication between adolescent girls and their female caregivers participating in a structured HIV prevention intervention in South Africa
Findings overall suggest that a holistic intervention approach emphasizing caregiver-adolescent relationship development and designed to support the mental health of both parties may hold significant promise for enhancing sexual health communication
Laughter therapy as an intervention to promote psychological well-being of volunteer community care workers working with HIV-affected families
The study explores the experiences of volunteer community care workers working with HIV-affected families, participating in laughter therapy. Laughter therapy is being used as an intervention to positively influence individuals experiencing various forms of emotional distress. Community care workers play a vital role in the support of the HIV/AIDS-infected and -affected members in communities. The nature of this type of work and their limited tra…
An exploration of the experiences of adolescents living with HIV
This research endeavours to explore and describe the experiences of adolescents living with HIV that undergoes chronic disease management and aims to describe how these experiences inform their identity. The study was conducted at the Kalafong Hospital's Paediatric HIV Clinic in Pretoria, South Africa. Six adolescents who attend the clinic regularly were interviewed using a social constructionist narrative approach. Data were collected by means o…
Development of structured support groups for HIV-positive women in South Africa
Women living with HIV in a stigmatising community need support to cope with their HIV status. In a process of action research, a structured support group programme was designed to meet the needs of women to cope with their diagnosis and interpersonal relationships. The emphasis was on identifying their needs and developing programme material to address those needs through group participation and interaction. The programme was pilot-tested at two …
Implementing peer support in schools
The implementation of a peer support project in 13 schools from a disadvantaged background is discussed using the social ecological, systems and social construction theory as a theoretical guide in action research. The goal was to establish an alternative helping system in schools that was sustainable within the school system. In the implementation of peer support attention was given to the integration of the project into the existing context; en…
Implementing a community intervention to reduce young people's risks for getting HIV
The ineffectiveness of community‐based interventions can often be traced to problems that occur during implementation. In this study, we outline the implementation of a human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) prevention program in an educational setting in South Africa. An action research approach was used in the implementation of the intervention and a process and outcome evaluation, integrating qualitative and…
N Kommunikasie-opleidingsprogram vir studentevoogde
Met die doel om die funksionering van 'n studentevoogde-stelsel (‘n stelsel van student-tot-studenthulpverlening aan eerstejaars in universiteitskoshuise) te verbeter, is 'n kommunikasie-opleidingsprogram vir voogde aangebied en die effek daarvan geëvalueer. Die program het ten doel gehad om voogde se interpersoonlike vaardighede en verhoudings te verbeter, asook om die fokus van die stelsel uit te brei van 'n akademiesgerigte tot 'n verhoudingsg…
Evaluation of the First Aids Kit, the Aids and Lifestyle Education Programme for Teenagers
The impact of the First AIDS Kit, an AIDS and lifestyle education programme, on secondary school students' behavioural intentions, their knowledge of AIDS as well as attitude towards people with AIDS, was evaluated. The programme was presented by counselling teachers in 11 schools involving 339 students in Stds 6 to 9. The programme was evaluated by means of a questionnaire before and after the programme, as well as by focus group discussions wit…
Cognitive stimulation in pre-school facilities in a disadvantaged community
The aim of the research was to develop and evaluate a cognitive stimulation programme to promote school readiness in South African pre-school children from a disadvantaged background. Two groups consisting of 23 children each made up the experimental and control groups. A repeated measurement quasi-experimental research design was applied to evaluate the programme using the Herbst Measuring Instrument for Toddlers (Herbst 1994) to assess the cogn…
Implementing peer support in schools
The implementation of a peer support project in 13 schools from a disadvantaged background is discussed using the social ecological, systems and social construction theory as a theoretical guide in action research. The goal was to establish an alternative helping system in schools that was sustainable within the school system. In the implementation of peer support attention was given to the integration of the project into the existing context; en…
Implementing a community intervention to reduce young people's risks for getting HIV
The ineffectiveness of community‐based interventions can often be traced to problems that occur during implementation. In this study, we outline the implementation of a human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) prevention program in an educational setting in South Africa. An action research approach was used in the implementation of the intervention and a process and outcome evaluation, integrating qualitative and…
Evaluation of HIV/Aids Prevention in South African Schools
This article reports on the implementation of a schoolbased HIV/AIDS and life-skills training program to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS among the young people in secondary schools in South Africa. The implementation of the program was evaluated for a period of two years, using process and outcome evaluation and a systems approach to understand the higher-order feedback processes that obstructed the implementation and effectiveness of the interven…
Development of structured support groups for HIV-positive women in South Africa
Women living with HIV in a stigmatising community need support to cope with their HIV status. In a process of action research, a structured support group programme was designed to meet the needs of women to cope with their diagnosis and interpersonal relationships. The emphasis was on identifying their needs and developing programme material to address those needs through group participation and interaction. The programme was pilot-tested at two …
Life skills training as HIV/Aids preventive strategy in secondary schools
A life skills and HIV/AIDS education programme was implemented in secondary schools as a strategy to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS among school-going young people in South Africa. As part of a joint effort of the Departments of Health and Education, two teachers per school were trained to implement life skills training and HIV/AIDS education in schools as part of the school curriculum. The implementation of the intervention was evaluated in 24 sc…
Stigmatizing attitudes of the community towards people living with HIV/Aids
This research involved an exploratory study in which a questionnaire was used to investigate the personal stigma and perceived community stigma regarding HIV/AIDS in a South African community. Student fieldworkers interviewed a convenient sample of 901 respondents from different races, gender and age groups, and found that respondents tended towards stigmatizing persons with HIV/AIDS. Yet, this degree of stigmatization was significantly less seve…
Substance Abuse and Psychological Well-being of South African Adolescents
This research aimed at identifying patterns of substance abuse among South African adolescents and exploring the relationship between psychological well-being and substance abuse. Psychological well-being was assessed with selected items of the Bar-On EQ-I and Diener's Life Satisfaction scale. Self-reported substance abuse patterns of 1 918 learners between the ages of 12 and 19 from 13 schools in Tshwane were recorded. Schools were selected to r…
HIV/Aids prevention through peer education and support in secondary schools in South Africa
The implementation and evaluation of a peer education and support programme in secondary schools to prevent and reduce high-risk sexual behaviour amongst adolescents is discussed.The aims of the programme were to provide accurate information about HIV/AIDS, discuss and reconsider peer group norms, and establish support for learners. In the programme that was implemented in 13 secondary schools in Tshwane, South Africa, peer educators were identif…
To tell or not to tell
HIV-positive pregnant women often do not disclose their serostatus to their partners, family and friends, creating potential barriers to preventing sexual transmission to partners and mother-to-child transmission through breastfeeding. This research explores recently diagnosed HIV-positive pregnant women's reasons for disclosure and non-disclosure of serostatus to various members of their social networks, as well as the consequences of their disc…
Development of Parallel Scales to Measure HIV-Related Stigma
Establishing support groups for HIV-infected women
HIV-infected women need support to deal with their diagnosis as well as with the stigma attached to HIV. As part of their practical training, Master's-level psychology students negotiated with the staff of four clinics in townships in Tshwane, South Africa, to establish support groups for HIV+ women and offered to assist them in facilitating the groups. This study aimed to understand why the implementation of groups was successful in one clinic a…
HIV/Aids stigma in a South African community
HIV/AIDS-related stigma threatens to undermine interventions to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS. To address stigma in a South African community, a thorough understanding of the nature of stigma in the specific cultural context is needed. The goals of this research were to assess the level of stigmatising attitudes among members of a community, compare this to the level of stigma that is perceived to exist within the community and determine to what ext…
Constructions of masculinity among a group of South African men living with HIV/Aids
Male sexuality in Africa is often associated with harmful sexual practices, which, in the context of HIV and AIDS, often positions men as central to the spread of the epidemic. Despite this focus on men's practices, there is a lack of research exploring the subject positions of men living with HIV. This study explores how masculinity is constructed by a group of black South African men who self-identify as heterosexual and are living with HIV. Us…
Developing a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Model to Assist Women to Deal with HIV and Stigma
A model of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) was developed, implemented, and assessed, in order to assist HIV-positive women deal with HIV and internalised stigma. Interviews with HIV-positive women revealed five common themes in the experience of HIV: feelings of powerlessness; anger and guilt; destructive behaviour; experience of stigma; and uncertainty about the future. These themes were used in the development of an intervention. The interv…
Intervention Groups for HIV-Infected Women
The Kgolo Mmogo study is a randomised controlled intervention trial that examines the effectiveness of a group intervention to enhance resilience in HIV-infected South African mothers ( N = 427) and their young children ( N = 435). We describe here how the severity of psychological and social problems experienced by some of the study participants required referrals for other services and discuss the barriers encountered in facilitating such refer…
Psychosocial Variables Associated with Coping of HIV-Positive Women Diagnosed During Pregnancy
An exploration of the experiences of adolescents living with HIV
This research endeavours to explore and describe the experiences of adolescents living with HIV that undergoes chronic disease management and aims to describe how these experiences inform their identity. The study was conducted at the Kalafong Hospital's Paediatric HIV Clinic in Pretoria, South Africa. Six adolescents who attend the clinic regularly were interviewed using a social constructionist narrative approach. Data were collected by means o…
Support Group Processes
This study examined the experiences and perceived benefits of support group participation among HIV-infected women in South Africa. From a qualitative analysis of responses, key psychological processes through which support groups are potentially beneficial were identified. These processes included: identification; modeling; acceptance; and empowerment. The participants' consequent life changes were explored in order to associate these processes …
Community psychology in South Africa
Behavior and psychological functioning of young children of HIV-positive mothers in South Africa
Adults with HIV are living longer due to earlier diagnosis and increased access to antiretroviral medications. Therefore, fewer young children are being orphaned and instead, are being cared for by parents who know they are HIV positive, although they may be asymptomatic. Presently, it is unclear whether the psychological functioning of these young children is likely to be affected or, alternatively, whether it is only when a mother is ill, that …
The coping strategies used over a two-year period by HIV-positive women who had been diagnosed during pregnancy
Structured interviews were conducted with 224 HIV-positive women diagnosed during pregnancy, at antenatal clinics in Tshwane, South Africa, in order to investigate the use of coping strategies during the first two years after diagnosis. Interviews were conducted between one and four weeks after diagnosis during pregnancy, with three follow-up interviews conducted post-partum. Coping strategies were assessed with an adapted version of the Brief CO…
The Role of Parenting in Affecting the Behavior and Adaptive Functioning of Young Children of HIV-Infected Mothers in South Africa
Psychology (39 works) · Medicine (34 works) · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (27 works) · Psychiatry (23 works) · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions (22 works) · Family medicine (18 works) · Clinical Psychology (16 works) · Psychological intervention (16 works) · Sociology (14 works) · Social Psychology (13 works)