Bereavement care support in a traditionalist South African community setting. Issue 4 (28th August 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Makgahlela, Mpsanyana; Sodi, Tholene
• Is Part Of: Journal of psychology in Africa. Volume 27:Issue 4(2017)
• Page Start: 381
• Page End: 384
• Publication Date: 2017-08-28
• Subjects: bereavement care -- bereavement rituals -- bolebatša -- Lannea Schweinfurthi -- Lippia javanica -- traditional medicine -- traditional herbs; Psychology -- Africa, Sub-Saharan -- Periodicals; Psychology -- Latin America -- Periodicals; Black people -- Latin America -- Psychology -- Periodicals; Black people -- Africa, Sub-Saharan -- Psychology -- Periodicals; 155.8496
• DOI: 10.1080/14330237.2017.1347768
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1433-0237

Abstract

Abstract : The present study investigated the bereavement care support as experienced by 14 Northern Sotho ( n = 14, males = 50%; mean age = 59 years, SD = 13.7 years) community members. The study adopted the descriptive phenomenological approach. Data on participants' lived experiences, related to the use of traditional herbs for bereavement care, were collected by employing semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using Hycner's adapted phenomenological data explicitation method. The participants reported use of traditional herbs in the management of the pain of grief and bereavement alongside other care support expediencies. One particular herb's psychological function is to ease the pain of grief by causing the affected individual to forget the painful memories associated with the deceased.