Die ontwikkeling en evaluering van 'n multikulturele aanvaardingsprogram in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks

Abstract

One of the most important problems with which the industrial psychologist occupies himself, is the one of optimal application of the human resource in the work situation. In the South African work situation one is confronted with the reality of a highly diversified labour force in terms of race, language, culture, gender and level of education. A gross deficiency in theory building in the behavioural sciences resides in the fact that although it presents a diagnostic-explanatory view of human interactional phenomena, the practical application in terms of programmes to remediate human problems is often left to laymen. South African researchers then have the formidable task regarding the development of scientifically-based and workable programmes with which problems resulting from cultural diversity may be addressed. The objective of this research was to theoretically delineate multiculturality, to operationalize diversity awareness in a structured way and to determine the effect of such operationalization in the work environment in terms of harmonious relations. With a number of theoretical frameworks within which the phenomenon of multicultural contact could be analyzed as a point of departure, a workshop type programme intervention aimed at making participants of different cultural backgrounds at the cognitive level more aware of each other's cultural goods. The evaluation of the intervention was done by way of a two-group experimental design, using pre-, post- and post-post measurement. Operational personnel of the

Potchefstroom Hospital were randomly and stratified assigned to an experimental and a control group. The measuring instruments that were used for the evaluation of the intervention were: The racial identity scales of Helms, the lngroup-outgroup Perception and the Communication Perception Scale of Du Toit and the Social Identity Scale of Luhtanen and Crocker. Additionally use was made of unstructured interviews with participants to determine qualitative results. Statistically significant results indicating change could not be obtained. The results, however, have shown that both racial groups taking part in the research, experience a near-pathological racial identity crisis that should in all probability be handled on a therapy level in order to bring about growth. Qualitative results have shown the participants were not untouched by the intervention. However, the intervention should have concentrated more intensively on the affective level to have obtained more decisive results. Recommendations on the redesign of future interventions were made, as well as recommendations for future research.