South African psychology 20 years into democracy

Abstract

PsySSA, which unified psychology in South Africa (Cooper & Nicholas, 2012) and replaced all previous, often segregated, psychology formations, is an independent, nonracist and nonsexist professional association that relies on member dues and receives no government funding. While membership is voluntary and there is no obligation on the part of psychologists to belong to PsySSA, many join to enable themselves to keep abreast of professional and ethical developments and to network and be exposed to the latest research and intervention techniques that may be relevant to their practice areas (Cooper, 2012). PsySSA interacts with appropriate private sector and government agencies and departments, with many key government departments relying on the advice and insights of psychologists. PsySSA's Annual Psychology Congresses are the platform of choice for academics, practitioners, and students to present their work for peer interrogation. PsySSA has played key roles in legislative changes affecting the role and stature of psychologists. Such legislative intervention prevented psychological testing from being banned with the passage of the Employment Equity Act (Act 55, 1998) (Cooper & Nicholas, 2012), despite the negative findings on the health sector by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. PsySSA lobbied for qualified psychologists to make mental status determinations of accused persons, with the Criminal Procedure Act (Act 51, 1977) being amended accordingly.

Assessing the employability and employment destinations of professional psychology alumni

“…Early career professionals may not have the levels of experience, networks, and financial and social capital required to establish private practices or engage the private sector (DeAngelis, 2011). The findings of this study contradict assertions in the literature that clinical psychologists are clustered in the private sector (Cooper, 2014;Department of Health [DoH], 2013). The apparent contradiction between the findings of this study and general findings in the literature could be attributed to patterned ways in which institutions and demographics contribute to the aggregated employment statistics.…”

“…There is a noted shortage of posts for psychologists within the public health sector (Mashigo, 2017). As such, the access of the population to health care services is limited, as mental health care services are typically clustered in the private sector (Cooper, 2014). According to Pillay and Kramers-Olen (2014), employment patterns for psychologists are racialised and gendered.…”

Queering the history of South African psychology: From apartheid to LGBTI+ affirmative practices.

“…The fall of apartheid also triggered a biographical impulse within the profession, with various (fairly uncontested) histories being narrated. Unfortunately, but perhaps unsurprisingly, LGBTI+ issues are missing in almost all these “standard” histories, overviews, and reflections of South African psychology (Cooper, 2014a, 2014b; Cooper & Nicholas, 2012; Duncan, van Niekerk, de la Rey, & Seedat, 2001; Nicholas, 1990, 2013, 2014; Nicholas & Cooper, 1990; Seedat & Lazarus, 2011; Suffla & Seedat, 2004). For example, Van Ommen and Painter’s (2008) edited book, a formative postapartheid attempt at historicizing psychology in South Africa, omits any mention of LGBTI+ issues altogether.…”

Psychology and health after apartheid: Or, Why there is no health psychology in South Africa.

“…This has, undoubtedly, helped to open and direct resources into spaces for critical thought and innovative psychological research, training, and intervention. Some of these psychologists have shaped, and continue to contribute to national health policy development (e.g., Mahomed, Asmall, & Freeman, 2014), and others have been successful in securing the guild interests of the profession (e.g., Cooper, 2014). Although once their work had been oriented in opposition to the establishment, these psychologists now found themselves working within it, leading to a number of unavoidable tensions and compromises, making ever more salient the need to understand "how particular formulations of scientific and social relevance function to marginalize criticality and critical scholarship" (Seedat, 2010, p. 193).…”