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Submission information
Submission Number: 133
Submission ID: 957
Submission UUID: fdccf7f5-1eed-4843-8ebb-65bacd03c515
Submission URI: /2025/abstracts
Created: Wed, 05/07/2025 - 07:33
Completed: Wed, 05/07/2025 - 07:37
Changed: Fri, 05/30/2025 - 14:27
Remote IP address: 165.73.187.143
Submitted by: Anonymous
Language: English
Is draft: No
Current page: Complete
Webform: Abstract
Presenters
Prof.
Malan
Hanelie
North-west university
Hanelie Malan is an Associate Professor and Head of the Social Work Department at North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus. She holds a BA (Social Work), BA Honours (Psychology), MA (Industrial Psychology), and PhD (Social Work) from NWU. As programme manager of the Master’s in Social Work: Child Protection, she draws on extensive practice experience in child protection, child and youth care, and medical social work. With a decade of teaching experience, she has presented internationally and published in peer-reviewed journals. Her research focuses on child protection, particularly adoption, assessment tools, and the Signs of Safety approach. She is passionate about supporting social work educators and students.
Yes
Dr.
Sayed
Tasleem
North-West University
Dr. Tasleem Sayed is a senior lecturer in Social Work at North-West University (NWU), South Africa. She holds a PhD in Social Work, with her doctoral research focusing on human resilience during COVID-19. Her areas of expertise include resilience, well-being, positive psychology, and psychosocial support.
Beyond academia, Dr. Sayed mentors students in leadership and community engagement, and facilitates training on ethics, volunteerism, and professional development. She is passionate about bridging research and practice to support vulnerable individuals and communities through evidence-informed and empathetic social work practice.
Beyond academia, Dr. Sayed mentors students in leadership and community engagement, and facilitates training on ethics, volunteerism, and professional development. She is passionate about bridging research and practice to support vulnerable individuals and communities through evidence-informed and empathetic social work practice.
No
Abstract
Enablers of Psychosocial Resilience During COVID-19: Insights from a South African Study
THEME 1: Green Social Work and Climate Resilience: Supporting Vulnerable Communities in the Face of Environmental Crises
SUB 1.3 How social workers support resilience, adaptation, and recovery in affected communities.
Oral Presentation
This qualitative study explores resilience enablers among individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 or exhibited symptoms during the height of the pandemic. Conducted between July and November 2022, the research involved in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 16 participants. While the study documented physical symptoms such as respiratory difficulties, fatigue, and loss of taste or smell, its core focus lay in uncovering the psychosocial mechanisms that supported individual coping and recovery.
Findings revealed that participants drew heavily on three interrelated components of the Sense of Coherence (SOC) framework: comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness. These elements enabled participants to make sense of the crisis, mobilise personal and external resources, and anchor their experiences in a greater sense of purpose. Participants’ ability to understand the evolving nature of the pandemic, access supportive networks, and find meaning in their roles and relationships significantly contributed to their capacity to cope and recover.
In the broader context of climate resilience and green social work, these insights offer valuable parallels. Just as individuals navigated the uncertainty of COVID-19, vulnerable communities facing environmental crises must similarly cultivate psychosocial resilience to withstand and adapt to shocks. The study highlights the importance of integrating mental health, social support, and strengths-based approaches into climate-responsive social work practice. By fostering a strong sense of coherence and drawing on individual and collective strengths, social workers can support communities not only to survive crises but also to emerge stronger.
Findings revealed that participants drew heavily on three interrelated components of the Sense of Coherence (SOC) framework: comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness. These elements enabled participants to make sense of the crisis, mobilise personal and external resources, and anchor their experiences in a greater sense of purpose. Participants’ ability to understand the evolving nature of the pandemic, access supportive networks, and find meaning in their roles and relationships significantly contributed to their capacity to cope and recover.
In the broader context of climate resilience and green social work, these insights offer valuable parallels. Just as individuals navigated the uncertainty of COVID-19, vulnerable communities facing environmental crises must similarly cultivate psychosocial resilience to withstand and adapt to shocks. The study highlights the importance of integrating mental health, social support, and strengths-based approaches into climate-responsive social work practice. By fostering a strong sense of coherence and drawing on individual and collective strengths, social workers can support communities not only to survive crises but also to emerge stronger.
Reviewer ONE Feedback
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Yes
Empirical Research
Accepted
Reviewer TWO Feedback
Prof.
Koketso
Matlakala
Yes
Empirical Research
Accepted