lived experiences related to the identity of black african adolescents

487 Pages·2014·5.47 MB·English

Running title: LIVED EXPERIENCES RELATED TO IDENTITY

LIVED EXPERIENCES RELATED TO THE
IDENTITY OF BLACK AFRICAN
ADOLESCENTS

by

NATASHA ARNDT

This thesis is submitted in accordance with the requirements for
the degree

Philosophiae Doctor

in the
DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY
FACULTY OF THE HUMANITIES

at the
UNIVERSITY OF THE FREE STATE
BLOEMFONTEIN

Promoter: Dr L Naudé
January 2014
LIVED EXPERIENCES RELATED TO IDENTITY ii

DECLARATION

I, NATASHA ARNDT declare that the thesis hereby submitted by me for the Philosophiae
Doctor degree at the University of the Free State is my own independent work and has not
previously been submitted by me to another university / faculty.

I furthermore cede copyright of the thesis in favour of the University of the Free State.

SIGNATURE:

DATE:
LIVED EXPERIENCES RELATED TO IDENTITY iii

PROOF OF LANGUAGE EDITOR

To: Ms Natasha Arndt
5 John Knox street
Parkwest
Bloemfontein
9301

13 Conde Street
Bayswater
Bloemfontein
9301
06/01/2014
Statement by language editor
I hereby declare that I language edited a doctoral thesis authored by Ms Natasha Arndt titled
“LIVED EXPERIENCES RELATED TO THE IDENTITY OF BLACK AFRICAN
ADOLESCENTS”. The text was edited for matters of writing style and grammar. Should there
be any enquiries in this regard I can be contacted as below:
Mobile phone: [phone]
E-mail address:
LIVED EXPERIENCES RELATED TO IDENTITY iv

EDITORIAL STYLE

This thesis employs the editorial style of the American Psychological Association (APA) as
th
detailed in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6 edition).

However, the thesis uses British English spelling, except for when direct quotes are used which
may use American English spelling.
LIVED EXPERIENCES RELATED TO IDENTITY v

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

"It takes a village to raise a child"
- African proverb
My sincere thanks to the village of significant influences in my life that helped me raise this
PhD:
I would firstly like to thank my supervisor, Dr Luzelle Naudé, for her continuous support and
guidance over the years. You are a very special person and I owe you a special debt of gratitude
for the encouragement and direction given during this time – Thank You!
I thank all of the adolescents who have participated in the discussions. Without their honesty and
willingness to discuss their lived experiences, this study would not have been possible.
My sincere thanks to Mabatho for your eager willingness to act as co-facilitator, as well as the
support and assistance given during the discussions and translations.
Thank you Jenny, Trish and Eloise for all your technical assistance and editing.
I thank my closest friends for their support and patience, especially in difficult times.
I would like to thank my psychotherapist, Dr Kobus, for his guiding light in my own
understanding of who I am.
I thank God that helped me through difficulties and problems I faced. He shaped my character
through this process. He gave me grace to complete the work that He wanted me to do.
I thank my family, especially my sister Tanya, for her encouragement and her example of
perseverance. Your wisdom and humility strengthened me to continue with this degree.
To my Gran, Ouma Wessie, and Elra, thanks for always motivating, supporting and loving me
throughout my studies.

I thank my dad, Andries, for influencing the person that I am, and I thank and cherish you for
allowing me to be that person without judgement or criticism.
Last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank my best friend and husband, Jannie, who has
been instrumental in making my hopes and dreams come true. Thank you for your love, support
and for believing in me.
LIVED EXPERIENCES RELATED TO IDENTITY vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Declaration ii
Proof of language editor iii
Editorial style iv
Acknowledgements v
Table of Contents vi
Abstract xiv

CHAPTER 1 – General orientation to the study 1
1.1 Research context 1
1.2 Research rationale and aim 5
1.3 Research framework 6
1.3.1 Microsystems 7
1.3.2 Mesosystems 8
1.3.3 Exosystems 8
1.3.4 Macrosystems 9
1.3.5 Chronosystems 9
1.4 Research design and methods 11
1.5 Delineation of the chapters 13
1.6 Chapter conclusion 13

CHAPTER 2 – Adolescence in context 15
2.1 Defining adolescence 15
2.2 Domains of development 19
2.2.1 Developmental tasks related to the biological domain 20
2.2.1.1 The importance of the biological domain in adolescent development 20
2.2.1.2 Specific changes that occur in the biological domain 20
2.2.1.3 Gender-related differences with regard to the biological domain 23
2.2.1.4 Culture-related differences with regard to the biological domain 24
2.2.2 Developmental tasks related to the social domain 24
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2.2.2.1 The importance of the social domain in adolescent development 25
2.2.2.2 Specific changes that occur in the social domain 26
2.2.2.3 Gender-related differences with regard to the social domain 30
2.2.2.4 Culture-related differences with regard to the social domain 31
2.2.3 Developmental tasks related to the psychological domain 32
2.2.3.1 The importance of the psychological domain in adolescent development 33
2.2.3.2 Specific changes that occur in the psychological domain 34
2.2.3.3 Gender-related differences with regard to the psychological domain 39
2.2.3.4 Culture-related differences with regard to the psychological domain 40
2.2.4 Developmental tasks related to the spiritual domain 40
2.2.4.1 The importance of the spiritual domain in adolescent development 40
2.2.4.2 Specific changes that occur in the spiritual domain 42
2.2.4.3 Gender-related differences with regard to the spiritual domain 44
2.2.4.4 Culture-related differences with regard to the spiritual domain 45
2.3 Factors that influence adolescent development 46
2.3.1 Chronosystemic elements 46
2.3.1.1 Global trends 46
2.3.1.2 Transformation in South Africa 48
2.3.2 Microsystemic and mesosystemic elements 49
2.3.2.1 Families 50
2.3.2.2 Peers 55
2.3.2.3 The school environment 56
2.3.3 Exosystemic and macrosystemic elements 58
2.3.3.1 Neighbourhoods 58
2.3.3.2 The media 62
2.3.3.3 Role models 63
2.3.3.4 Culture 65
2.4 Chapter conclusion 67

CHAPTER 3 – Identity development 68
3.1 Conceptualisation of identity from an ecological perspective 69
3.2 Identity formation 73
3.2.1 General processes of identity formation 74
3.2.1.1 Erikson’s psychosocial stages of development 76
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3.2.1.2 Marcia’s ego-identity status model 78
3.2.1.3 Berzonsky’s identity processing styles 80
3.2.1.4 Loevinger's stages of ego development 83
3.2.2 Gender differences in processes of identity formation 86
3.3 Various dimensions of identity 89
3.3.1 Social identity 89
3.3.2 Gender identity 92
3.3.3 Ethnic identity 94
3.4 Adolescent identity formation 97
3.5 Identity formation in the South African context 100
3.6 Lived experiences and identity 103
3.7 Chapter conclusion 104

CHAPTER 4 – Methodology 105
4.1 Research rationale, purpose and aims 105
4.2 Research design and approach 106
4.3 The role of the researcher in qualitative research 109
4.4 Research participants and sampling procedures 115
4.4.1 Sampling procedures 116
4.4.2 Participant demographics 118
4.5 Procedures of data collection 119
4.5.1 Biographical questionnaire 120
4.5.2 Focus groups 120
4.5.3 Individual in-depth interviews 122
4.5.4 Researcher observations 125
4.6 Data-analysis 127
4.6.1 Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) 127
4.6.2 Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) and the use of focus groups 129
4.6.3 Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) processes 131
4.7 Ethical considerations 133
4.8 Trustworthiness 135
4.8.1 Credibility 137
4.8.2 Transferability 137
4.8.3 Dependability 138
LIVED EXPERIENCES RELATED TO IDENTITY ix

4.8.4 Confirmability 139
4.8.5 Triangulation 139
4.8.6 Applying trustworthiness and triangulation in the study 141
4.9 Chapter conclusion 144

CHAPTER 5 – Results 145
5.1 The researcher’s reflections 145
5.2 General themes 151
5.2.1 Being myself 153
5.2.1.1 Being unique 153
5.2.1.2 Experiencing change 154
5.2.1.3 Longing for freedom 154
5.2.1.4 Responsibility 155
5.2.1.5 Being altruistic 155
5.2.1.6 Being studious 156
5.2.1.7 Emotional reactivity 156
5.2.1.8 Interests 158
5.2.1.9 Physical appearance 158
5.2.2 Being myself in relation to others 159
5.2.2.1 Being myself in relation to my family 159
a) Parents 159
b) Siblings 161
c) Extended family members 163
5.2.2.2 Being myself in relation to peers 165
5.2.3 Being myself in my direct environments 168
5.2.3.1 Being a scholar 168
5.2.3.2 Social networks 169
5.2.3.3 Communities and neighbourhoods 171
5.2.4 Being myself within my set of principles 172
5.2.4.1 Being cultural 172
5.2.4.2 Being religious 176
5.3 Alternative themes 178
5.3.1 Being a teenage mother 178
5.3.2 Being unwanted 180
LIVED EXPERIENCES RELATED TO IDENTITY x

5.3.3 Being addicted to a substance 181
5.4 Chapter conclusion 183

CHAPTER 6 – Discussion of results 184
6.1 Overview of the research framework (ecological systems theory) 184
6.2 The individual as active agent 186
6.3 Primary relations and their interactions 192
6.4 More distant environmental influences 197
6.5 Ideological structures and time 200
6.6 Chapter conclusion 205

CHAPTER 7 – Conclusion and recommendations 206
7.1 Summary of noteworthy findings 206
7.2 Limitations and strengths of this research 209
7.3 Future research and recommendations 212
7.4 Concluding remarks 214

REFERENCES 215