A qualitative study was carried out in Namibia to explore how people infected with HIV cope psychologically with this life-threatening virus. The study was based on the theoretical concept of meaning making as developed by Park and Folkman (1997; Review of General Psychology, 1, 115-44) within the framework of Lazarus' stress and coping theory (e.g., Lazarus, 1993, Psychosomatic Medicine, 55, 245-54). Ten semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with people who were diagnosed as HIV-positive but had not yet developed AIDS. The participants had known about their status for 6 months to 8 years. None of them received antiretroviral therapy. The interviews were analysed by means of the circular deconstruction method (Jaeggi & Faas, 1991, Arbeitsmaterialien aus dem Institut für Psychologie der Technischen Universität Berlin). The findings revealed that all participants had accepted their HIV-infection and that this acceptance enabled them to reconcile with having the virus. All participants felt largely responsible for their HIV-infection and they also felt that they had deserved the contraction of the virus. Self-blame and the experience of 'personal deservedness' (Park & Folkman, 1997) turned out to provide individuals with a sense of control over the causes of their current situation. Almost all participants reported that since being diagnosed with HIV religion became very important to them. Religious beliefs made their HIV-status more meaningful to the participants and brought a purpose to their HIV-infection as well as hope for a good outcome of this event.

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BackgroundResearch has consistently revealed a positive association between external locus of control and depression. Little, if any, research has investigated locus of control and depression in the sociocultural context of Botswana.AimTo explore the relationship between locus of control and depression among undergraduate students in Botswana and to determine the impact of age and gender on this relationship.SettingUniversity of Botswana.MethodsA sample of 272 students was surveyed through a self-administered questionnaire, which included the Levenson’s multidimensional locus of control scale, the Beck Depression Inventory-II and demographic questions. Data analysis utilised descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, independent samples t-tests and standard multiple regression analysis.ResultsOf the 272 participants, 47.3% scored low (minimal) levels of depression, 23.4% scored mild levels, 18.0% scored moderate levels and 11.3% scored severe levels of depression. Students who believed that they were in control of events in their lives were less likely to present with depressive symptoms (r = -0.29, p = 0.000), while students who believed that chance (r = 0.45, p = 0.000) or powerful others (r = 0.40, p = 0.000) controlled their lives were more likely to have high depression scores. Both internal and external locus of control, together with age, explained 31% of the variance in depression scores; gender made no significant contribution to levels of depression.ConclusionThe study results draw attention to locus of control as one of the cognitive variables associated with depression. Further research is needed to determine how locus of control can be addressed in the treatment and prevention of depression in university contexts.

The Setswana GHQ-28 represents a valid instrument of screening for psychological distress in a primary healthcare setting in Botswana.

Little is known about sexting behaviours among young people living in African countries. This exploratory study investigated sexting behaviours among undergraduate students in Botswana (N = 309, 64.5% female; mean age = 20.3 years