Dealing with trauma in a South African context : can emotional intelligence enhance coping behaviour?

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between Emotional Intelligence (EI) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and the effect thereof on coping in people who have experienced a violent traumatic event. On a daily basis, numerous citizens of South Africa are confronted, either directly or indirectly with violence and crime, which makes the question arise: How do they cope? International research was done on EI and PTSD in veter-ans and people living in war zones. No such studies were done in South Africa with its di-verse population and living conditions (Psychol Trauma, 2017). Facebook and word of mouth were used to get participants. The criteria for selecting the research sample were people who experienced a violent traumatic event more than two (n=2) months ago. The participants’ age group was 25 years and older. The sample size for the qualitative study was five (n=5) and for the quantitative study, 29 (n=29). 17 (n=17) of the participants are living in South Africa and 12 (n=12) are living in Perth, Australia. The aforementioned 12 (n=12) were South Afri-can citizens who were victims of violent crimes in South Africa and emigrated to Australia for a safer living environment. A total of 29 (n=29) participants were therefore questioned. The quantitative questionnaire was compiled according to the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue) (Petrides, 2009) and the Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R) (Horowitz, Wilner, & Avarez, 1979), while the Background Questionnaire, compiled by the researcher, was adapted from published psychological questionnaires. The qualitative data were obtained by face-to-face and telephone interviews. These interviews were recorded and then analysed. The study shows that trait EI is a predictor of PTSD: People with higher EI scores are less likely to experience PTSD symptoms, while emotion regulation is an essential facet for coping with PTSD symptoms.

Die doel van hierdie navorsingstuk is om die verhouding tussen Emosionele Intelligensie en Posttraumatiese Stresversteuring na te vors. Die navorsing word veral toegespits op die slagoffers van gewelddadige traumatiese gebeure. Daagliks word baie inwoners van Suid-Afrika, hetsy direk of indirek met geweld en misdaad gekonfronteer. Dit laat die vraag ont- staan hoe die slagoffers dit hanteer. Daar is baie internasionale navorsing op die Emosionele Intelligensie en Posttraumatiese Stresversteuring van veterane en mense wat in oorlog-geteisterde gebied bly, gedoen. In Suid-Afrika met sy uiteenlopende bevolking en lewensom-standighede, is daar egter nie sulke studies gedoen nie (Psychol Trauma, 2017). Facebook en mondelinge getuienis het gehelp om deelnemers aan die studie te kry. Die maatstaf vir ’n per-soon om gekies te word vir die steekproef was dat die persoon ’n slagoffer van geweld moes wees, wat meer as twee maande (n=2) tevore gebeur het. Die persoon moes 25 jaar of ouer wees. Die grootte van die steekproef vir die kwalitatiewe studie was vyf (n=5) en vir die kwantitatiewe studie, 29 (n=29). 17 (n=17) deelnemers bly in Suid-Afrika en 12 (n=12) in Perth, Australië. Laasgenoemde 12 was Suid-Afrikaanse burgers wat slagoffers van geweld in Suid-Afrika was en toe na Australië geëmigreer het vir hulle eie veiligheid. ’n Totaal van 29 (n=29) deelnemers is dus ondervra. Die kwantitatiewe vraelys is saamgestel volgens die Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue) (Petrides, 2009) en die Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R) (Horowitz, Wilner, & Avarez, 1979), terwyl die Agter-grondvraelys, wat opgestel is deur die navorser, gebruik gemaak het van gepubliseerde sielkundige vraelyste. Die kwalitatiewe data is verkry deur persoonlike en telefoononder-houde. Daardie onderhoude is opgeneem en later ontleed. Die ondersoek toon aan dat ei-enskaplike Emosionele Intelligensie ’n voorspeller van Posttraumatiese Stresversteuring is: Persone met ’n hoë Emosionele Intelligensie-telling is minder vatbaar vir Posttraumatiese Stresversteuring, terwyl die beheer van emosie ’n noodsaaklike faset van die simptome van Posttraumatiese Stresversteuring uitmaak.