Shazly Savahl - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Shazly Savahl

Research paper thumbnail of Alcohol Use as a Predictor of Risky Sexual Behaviour among Young Adults in the Western Cape Province of South Africa

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between alcohol consumption and risky sexua... more The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between alcohol consumption and risky sexual behaviour (RSB). This study further aimed to examine whether alcohol use, gender, and employment status predicted RSB among young adults in the Cape Flats. A better understanding of these predictors could potentially lead to a more thorough comprehension of the relation between alcohol consumption and RSB among young adults within the South African context. The study employed a cross-sectional correlational survey design, with a sample of 1001 participants aged 18 to 25 (51% women), using the street-intercept method. Participants were selected using purposive sampling, with age and geographical location employed as inclusion criteria. We used the Self-Report Risky Sexual Behaviours Scale (SRSBS) and the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT), which were cognitively tested and modified, in English and Afrikaans. The data were analysed via multivariate multiple regression analy...

Research paper thumbnail of Ideological Constructions of Childhood: Considerations for Children’s Subjective Well-Being

Research paper thumbnail of Child well-being and social justice: findings from a multinational qualitative study

Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks, Jul 21, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of A Social Justice Perspective on Children’s Well-Being: Considerations for Children’s Rights in the Context of COVID-19

Evidence-Based Approaches to Peace and Conflict Studies, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Conducting Participatory Research on Children’s Subjective Well-Being: At the Interface of Ethics and Methods

Research paper thumbnail of Nature as children's space: A systematic review

The Journal of Environmental Education, Sep 19, 2017

ABSTRACT The emerging interest in “spaces of childhood” over the past two decades can be identifi... more ABSTRACT The emerging interest in “spaces of childhood” over the past two decades can be identified across numerous disciplines. A substantial body of research has indicated that children's active engagement within the natural environment is associated with a range of cognitive, physical, affective, and moral developmental benefits. Although research on children's space and place is a burgeoning field, currently only one identified systematic review exists within the literature investigating the benefits of children's engagement in nature. The aim of this article was thus to systematically review and synthesize the findings of children's understandings and engagement with nature as a space. After a systematic search of the literature, 83 articles were included in this review with study samples spanning across children aged 3 to 18 years old. The review underscores four thematic domains derived utilizing thematic analysis. It is ostensible from the results that children's perceptions of and engagement in nature as a space and place are multifarious, benefiting children's well-being in myriad ways. At a foundational level, more research is required to deepen understandings about how children in differing contexts construct nature.

Research paper thumbnail of Children’s Worlds: Domain-Based Subjective Well-Being Scale

Research paper thumbnail of Children’s Worlds: Subjective Well-Being Scale

Research paper thumbnail of Negotiating Safe Spaces: Children’s Discursive Constructions of Safety and Vulnerability in a Context of Violence

Research paper thumbnail of The Subjective and Psychological Well-Being of Children in South Africa: a Population-Based Study

Applied Research in Quality of Life

Objective and subjective indicators reflect distinct but complementary information on children’s ... more Objective and subjective indicators reflect distinct but complementary information on children’s lives. While South Africa has well-developed reporting systems and reasonable data on children’s objective living conditions, there is a substantial lack of data as it relates to subjective indicators – that is what children think and feel, and how they evaluate their overall life and different aspects of their lives. This study is conceptualised to contribute to the data on children’s subjective and psychological well-being. We used a nationally representative population-based sample to provide an analysis of children’s subjective well-being (including context-free cognitive life-satisfaction, domain-based cognitive life-satisfaction, and positive and negative affect) and psychological well-being (eudaimonic perspective) across the nine provincial regions, age (10- to 12-years-old), gender (boys and girls), geographical context (urban and rural), and socio-economic status (low, lower-mi...

Research paper thumbnail of Children’s Worlds: Domain-Based Subjective Well-Being Scale

Research paper thumbnail of Children’s Interactions with Family and Friends in Constrained Contexts: Considerations for Children’s Subjective Well-Being

Applied Research in Quality of Life

The primary aim of the study was to determine the relation between the frequency of children's in... more The primary aim of the study was to determine the relation between the frequency of children's interactions with family and friends and their subjective well-being amongst a sample of children residing in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Within this process, the study further aimed to determine the differential relation of interactions with family and friends across two age groups (10-and 12-year-olds) and gender. The study included a sample of 2252 children between the ages of 10to 12-years (Mage = 11.01, SD = 1.00). The instrument comprised a revised version of the Students' Life Satisfaction Scale and six items representing the frequency of interactions with family and friends. We used confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling to analyse the data, with multi-group structural equation modelling to analyse the data across the two age groups and gender. We found a significant relation between children's frequency of interactions with family and friends and their subjective well-being. While each of the latent constructs made a significant contribution, 'frequency of interactions with family' made the highest contribution to subjective well-being for the overall sample. Multi-group structural equation modelling demonstrated evidence of scalar invariance across age (10-and 12-yearolds) and gender, which endorses comparisons across groups by correlations, regression coefficients and mean scores. The latent variable 'frequency of interactions with family' presented with a stronger contribution for both age groups, as well as for both boys and girls. The study highlights the importance of social relationships on children's lives and well-being.

Research paper thumbnail of Training Emerging Researchers in Constrained Contexts: Conducting Quality of Life Research with Children in South Africa

Teaching Quality of Life in Different Domains

The chapter aims to briefly sketch the extent of Quality of Life (QoL) research relating to child... more The chapter aims to briefly sketch the extent of Quality of Life (QoL) research relating to children in South Africa, to introduce the shift to subjective QoL, and to propose a syllabus for training emerging researchers for conducting QoL research with children. It proceeds by elaborating on the shift toward and extent of QoL research in South Africa and introduces the QoL research with children in this context. The focus then shifts to contextualising South Africa, particularly in terms of legislation and objective indicators relating to children. The key aspect of the chapter is to propose a syllabus for teaching QoL research with children. In particular five aspects are put forward, that is: contextualising children and childhood in South Africa; children’s QOL and inequalities; theories of children’s subjective well-being (SWB); methodological considerations; and children’s rights and SWB. To this end, the goal of preparing emerging researchers in this field of study would be to continue working toward improving the lives of children across all spheres.

Research paper thumbnail of Additional file 1 of Prevalence of bullying victimisation among primary school children in South Africa: a population-based study

Additional file 1: Table S1. Proportion of children per province.

Research paper thumbnail of Researching Children’s Subjective Well-Being in South Africa: Considerations for Method, Theory, and Social Policy

Handbook of Quality of Life in African Societies, 2019

In the current South African socio-political framework children have been afforded the highest pr... more In the current South African socio-political framework children have been afforded the highest priority within government. Not only have the rights and needs of children been entrenched in the development strategies of the government, but children themselves have been guaranteed socio-economic rights and protection from abuse, exploitation, and neglect. Subsequently, knowledge and information on the well-being of children have become important pursuits. It has also become increasingly important to obtain an understanding of what children regard as important to their well-being. The current chapter explores the importance of researching children’s subjective perceptions of well-being. It considers the current methods of engaging with children about their subjective perceptions of various aspects of their lives, outlines the status of theoretical advancement, and importantly, considers the implications for social policy. The authors motivate for a focus on participatory methodologies and argue for the increased investment in research using these methodologies. Finally, they recommend that an effective child indicator system should include a consideration of subjective well-being and should follow a ‘rights based’ approach.

Research paper thumbnail of Children’s Hope Scale--Afrikaans Version

Research paper thumbnail of Substitute addictions in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic

Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 2021

The global spread of COVID-19, subsequent stay-at-home requirements, spatial distancing measures,... more The global spread of COVID-19, subsequent stay-at-home requirements, spatial distancing measures, and long-term isolation present additional challenges for persons in recovery. Using an illustrative case from South Africa, we discuss COVID-19 related pornography use through the lens of relapse and substitute addiction. South Africa is the epicenter of the pandemic in Africa, and has issued an alcohol and cigarette ban. Historical examples suggest that responses to forced abstinence may include compliance and abstinence, but also seeking alternatives to the original addiction and substitution. Substitution of alternative activities/objects may provide similar appetitive effects to fill the void of the terminated addictive behavior, temporarily or in the long-term. While substitutes do not necessarily portend a relapse, coupled with isolation and reduced recovery support, they can potentiate relapse to the former or ‘new’ addictive behavior. Addiction professionals should be aware of ...

Research paper thumbnail of Substitute Addictions in Persons with Substance Use Disorders: A Scoping Review

Substance Use & Misuse, 2021

Abstract Background Substitute addictions, addictive behaviors that sequentially replace each oth... more Abstract Background Substitute addictions, addictive behaviors that sequentially replace each other’s functions, have implications for recovery trajectories but remain poorly understood. We sought to scope the extent, range, and characteristics of research on substitute addictions in persons with substance use disorders. Method: Using Arksey and O’Malley’s framework for scoping reviews, a systematic search was conducted to identify publications that referenced substitute addictions up to April 2018. Study characteristics were extracted and summarized to provide an overview of the extant literature. Results: The 63 included studies show that substitute addictions are terminologically and conceptually ambiguous. Much of the available literature is concentrated in developed contexts – and in particular the United States of America. While presentations varied, at least two sub-types of substitute addictions appeared: long-term replacement and temporary replacement. Existing theories suggest a multifactorial etiology. Conclusions: The findings suggest a strong need for: increased awareness of substitute addictions and its potential consequences for recovery; interventions that structure prevention and pre-, during-, and post-treatment interactions as well as future research to explore its nature and dynamics drawing on multiple methods.

Research paper thumbnail of Adolescents’ perceptions of health and well-being: Influences of urban contemporary music

Journal of Psychology in Africa, 2016

The study aimed to explore adolescents' perceptions of how urban contemporary music influences he... more The study aimed to explore adolescents' perceptions of how urban contemporary music influences health and well-being among them. Data on health and well-being effects of music consumption were gathered from a convenience sample of 16 participants (male = 50%, females = 50%) between the ages of 15 and 17 in a series of two focus group interviews. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings suggest the adolescents to perceive both positive and negative influences of contemporary music on their health and well-being. Positive influences included emotional well-being and sense of social belongingness. Negative influences included promotion of risky behaviours, including substance use, misogyny, sexual behaviour and violence. The findings suggest that urban contemporary music serves as a tool of normalisation as well as a catalyst for encouraging risky behaviour in adolescence.

Research paper thumbnail of The relation between subjective well‐being and career aspirations amongst a sample of adolescents in low socioeconomic status communities in Cape Town

Journal of Community Psychology, 2020

The study aimed to determine the relation between adolescents' subjective well-being and care... more The study aimed to determine the relation between adolescents' subjective well-being and career aspirations. The study further aimed to determine the extent to which social support mediates this relation. The sample comprised 1082 adolescents in Grades 8-11, selected from schools located in low socioeconomic status communities in Cape Town, South Africa. The overall model demonstrated a nonsignificant relation between adolescents' subjective well-being and career aspirations. Across gender, the results indicated a significant relation between subjective well-being and career aspirations for the male group, but not for females. The results further indicate that social support did not mediate the relation between adolescents' subjective well-being and career aspirations for the pooled sample. However, for females, the study found a significant negative relation between social support and aspirations. We recommend targeting interventions at an institutional level, inclusive of challenging gender roles and providing information about educational and career opportunities for young people.

Research paper thumbnail of Alcohol Use as a Predictor of Risky Sexual Behaviour among Young Adults in the Western Cape Province of South Africa

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between alcohol consumption and risky sexua... more The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between alcohol consumption and risky sexual behaviour (RSB). This study further aimed to examine whether alcohol use, gender, and employment status predicted RSB among young adults in the Cape Flats. A better understanding of these predictors could potentially lead to a more thorough comprehension of the relation between alcohol consumption and RSB among young adults within the South African context. The study employed a cross-sectional correlational survey design, with a sample of 1001 participants aged 18 to 25 (51% women), using the street-intercept method. Participants were selected using purposive sampling, with age and geographical location employed as inclusion criteria. We used the Self-Report Risky Sexual Behaviours Scale (SRSBS) and the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT), which were cognitively tested and modified, in English and Afrikaans. The data were analysed via multivariate multiple regression analy...

Research paper thumbnail of Ideological Constructions of Childhood: Considerations for Children’s Subjective Well-Being

Research paper thumbnail of Child well-being and social justice: findings from a multinational qualitative study

Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks, Jul 21, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of A Social Justice Perspective on Children’s Well-Being: Considerations for Children’s Rights in the Context of COVID-19

Evidence-Based Approaches to Peace and Conflict Studies, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Conducting Participatory Research on Children’s Subjective Well-Being: At the Interface of Ethics and Methods

Research paper thumbnail of Nature as children's space: A systematic review

The Journal of Environmental Education, Sep 19, 2017

ABSTRACT The emerging interest in “spaces of childhood” over the past two decades can be identifi... more ABSTRACT The emerging interest in “spaces of childhood” over the past two decades can be identified across numerous disciplines. A substantial body of research has indicated that children's active engagement within the natural environment is associated with a range of cognitive, physical, affective, and moral developmental benefits. Although research on children's space and place is a burgeoning field, currently only one identified systematic review exists within the literature investigating the benefits of children's engagement in nature. The aim of this article was thus to systematically review and synthesize the findings of children's understandings and engagement with nature as a space. After a systematic search of the literature, 83 articles were included in this review with study samples spanning across children aged 3 to 18 years old. The review underscores four thematic domains derived utilizing thematic analysis. It is ostensible from the results that children's perceptions of and engagement in nature as a space and place are multifarious, benefiting children's well-being in myriad ways. At a foundational level, more research is required to deepen understandings about how children in differing contexts construct nature.

Research paper thumbnail of Children’s Worlds: Domain-Based Subjective Well-Being Scale

Research paper thumbnail of Children’s Worlds: Subjective Well-Being Scale

Research paper thumbnail of Negotiating Safe Spaces: Children’s Discursive Constructions of Safety and Vulnerability in a Context of Violence

Research paper thumbnail of The Subjective and Psychological Well-Being of Children in South Africa: a Population-Based Study

Applied Research in Quality of Life

Objective and subjective indicators reflect distinct but complementary information on children’s ... more Objective and subjective indicators reflect distinct but complementary information on children’s lives. While South Africa has well-developed reporting systems and reasonable data on children’s objective living conditions, there is a substantial lack of data as it relates to subjective indicators – that is what children think and feel, and how they evaluate their overall life and different aspects of their lives. This study is conceptualised to contribute to the data on children’s subjective and psychological well-being. We used a nationally representative population-based sample to provide an analysis of children’s subjective well-being (including context-free cognitive life-satisfaction, domain-based cognitive life-satisfaction, and positive and negative affect) and psychological well-being (eudaimonic perspective) across the nine provincial regions, age (10- to 12-years-old), gender (boys and girls), geographical context (urban and rural), and socio-economic status (low, lower-mi...

Research paper thumbnail of Children’s Worlds: Domain-Based Subjective Well-Being Scale

Research paper thumbnail of Children’s Interactions with Family and Friends in Constrained Contexts: Considerations for Children’s Subjective Well-Being

Applied Research in Quality of Life

The primary aim of the study was to determine the relation between the frequency of children's in... more The primary aim of the study was to determine the relation between the frequency of children's interactions with family and friends and their subjective well-being amongst a sample of children residing in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Within this process, the study further aimed to determine the differential relation of interactions with family and friends across two age groups (10-and 12-year-olds) and gender. The study included a sample of 2252 children between the ages of 10to 12-years (Mage = 11.01, SD = 1.00). The instrument comprised a revised version of the Students' Life Satisfaction Scale and six items representing the frequency of interactions with family and friends. We used confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling to analyse the data, with multi-group structural equation modelling to analyse the data across the two age groups and gender. We found a significant relation between children's frequency of interactions with family and friends and their subjective well-being. While each of the latent constructs made a significant contribution, 'frequency of interactions with family' made the highest contribution to subjective well-being for the overall sample. Multi-group structural equation modelling demonstrated evidence of scalar invariance across age (10-and 12-yearolds) and gender, which endorses comparisons across groups by correlations, regression coefficients and mean scores. The latent variable 'frequency of interactions with family' presented with a stronger contribution for both age groups, as well as for both boys and girls. The study highlights the importance of social relationships on children's lives and well-being.

Research paper thumbnail of Training Emerging Researchers in Constrained Contexts: Conducting Quality of Life Research with Children in South Africa

Teaching Quality of Life in Different Domains

The chapter aims to briefly sketch the extent of Quality of Life (QoL) research relating to child... more The chapter aims to briefly sketch the extent of Quality of Life (QoL) research relating to children in South Africa, to introduce the shift to subjective QoL, and to propose a syllabus for training emerging researchers for conducting QoL research with children. It proceeds by elaborating on the shift toward and extent of QoL research in South Africa and introduces the QoL research with children in this context. The focus then shifts to contextualising South Africa, particularly in terms of legislation and objective indicators relating to children. The key aspect of the chapter is to propose a syllabus for teaching QoL research with children. In particular five aspects are put forward, that is: contextualising children and childhood in South Africa; children’s QOL and inequalities; theories of children’s subjective well-being (SWB); methodological considerations; and children’s rights and SWB. To this end, the goal of preparing emerging researchers in this field of study would be to continue working toward improving the lives of children across all spheres.

Research paper thumbnail of Additional file 1 of Prevalence of bullying victimisation among primary school children in South Africa: a population-based study

Additional file 1: Table S1. Proportion of children per province.

Research paper thumbnail of Researching Children’s Subjective Well-Being in South Africa: Considerations for Method, Theory, and Social Policy

Handbook of Quality of Life in African Societies, 2019

In the current South African socio-political framework children have been afforded the highest pr... more In the current South African socio-political framework children have been afforded the highest priority within government. Not only have the rights and needs of children been entrenched in the development strategies of the government, but children themselves have been guaranteed socio-economic rights and protection from abuse, exploitation, and neglect. Subsequently, knowledge and information on the well-being of children have become important pursuits. It has also become increasingly important to obtain an understanding of what children regard as important to their well-being. The current chapter explores the importance of researching children’s subjective perceptions of well-being. It considers the current methods of engaging with children about their subjective perceptions of various aspects of their lives, outlines the status of theoretical advancement, and importantly, considers the implications for social policy. The authors motivate for a focus on participatory methodologies and argue for the increased investment in research using these methodologies. Finally, they recommend that an effective child indicator system should include a consideration of subjective well-being and should follow a ‘rights based’ approach.

Research paper thumbnail of Children’s Hope Scale--Afrikaans Version

Research paper thumbnail of Substitute addictions in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic

Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 2021

The global spread of COVID-19, subsequent stay-at-home requirements, spatial distancing measures,... more The global spread of COVID-19, subsequent stay-at-home requirements, spatial distancing measures, and long-term isolation present additional challenges for persons in recovery. Using an illustrative case from South Africa, we discuss COVID-19 related pornography use through the lens of relapse and substitute addiction. South Africa is the epicenter of the pandemic in Africa, and has issued an alcohol and cigarette ban. Historical examples suggest that responses to forced abstinence may include compliance and abstinence, but also seeking alternatives to the original addiction and substitution. Substitution of alternative activities/objects may provide similar appetitive effects to fill the void of the terminated addictive behavior, temporarily or in the long-term. While substitutes do not necessarily portend a relapse, coupled with isolation and reduced recovery support, they can potentiate relapse to the former or ‘new’ addictive behavior. Addiction professionals should be aware of ...

Research paper thumbnail of Substitute Addictions in Persons with Substance Use Disorders: A Scoping Review

Substance Use & Misuse, 2021

Abstract Background Substitute addictions, addictive behaviors that sequentially replace each oth... more Abstract Background Substitute addictions, addictive behaviors that sequentially replace each other’s functions, have implications for recovery trajectories but remain poorly understood. We sought to scope the extent, range, and characteristics of research on substitute addictions in persons with substance use disorders. Method: Using Arksey and O’Malley’s framework for scoping reviews, a systematic search was conducted to identify publications that referenced substitute addictions up to April 2018. Study characteristics were extracted and summarized to provide an overview of the extant literature. Results: The 63 included studies show that substitute addictions are terminologically and conceptually ambiguous. Much of the available literature is concentrated in developed contexts – and in particular the United States of America. While presentations varied, at least two sub-types of substitute addictions appeared: long-term replacement and temporary replacement. Existing theories suggest a multifactorial etiology. Conclusions: The findings suggest a strong need for: increased awareness of substitute addictions and its potential consequences for recovery; interventions that structure prevention and pre-, during-, and post-treatment interactions as well as future research to explore its nature and dynamics drawing on multiple methods.

Research paper thumbnail of Adolescents’ perceptions of health and well-being: Influences of urban contemporary music

Journal of Psychology in Africa, 2016

The study aimed to explore adolescents' perceptions of how urban contemporary music influences he... more The study aimed to explore adolescents' perceptions of how urban contemporary music influences health and well-being among them. Data on health and well-being effects of music consumption were gathered from a convenience sample of 16 participants (male = 50%, females = 50%) between the ages of 15 and 17 in a series of two focus group interviews. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings suggest the adolescents to perceive both positive and negative influences of contemporary music on their health and well-being. Positive influences included emotional well-being and sense of social belongingness. Negative influences included promotion of risky behaviours, including substance use, misogyny, sexual behaviour and violence. The findings suggest that urban contemporary music serves as a tool of normalisation as well as a catalyst for encouraging risky behaviour in adolescence.

Research paper thumbnail of The relation between subjective well‐being and career aspirations amongst a sample of adolescents in low socioeconomic status communities in Cape Town

Journal of Community Psychology, 2020

The study aimed to determine the relation between adolescents' subjective well-being and care... more The study aimed to determine the relation between adolescents' subjective well-being and career aspirations. The study further aimed to determine the extent to which social support mediates this relation. The sample comprised 1082 adolescents in Grades 8-11, selected from schools located in low socioeconomic status communities in Cape Town, South Africa. The overall model demonstrated a nonsignificant relation between adolescents' subjective well-being and career aspirations. Across gender, the results indicated a significant relation between subjective well-being and career aspirations for the male group, but not for females. The results further indicate that social support did not mediate the relation between adolescents' subjective well-being and career aspirations for the pooled sample. However, for females, the study found a significant negative relation between social support and aspirations. We recommend targeting interventions at an institutional level, inclusive of challenging gender roles and providing information about educational and career opportunities for young people.