Problem-solving skills used by adolescents and families affected by drought to enhance family resilience

Abstract

Drought is a widespread, natural disaster in South Africa that has systemic impacts on adolescents, their families, and their communities. The effects of drought are subjective, as the perception people attach to lived experiences during droughts and how they respond to this disaster affect their abilities to adapt and adjust to crises. By understanding how drought within the South African context is perceived, knowledge of problem-solving strategies employed by adolescents and their families could be gained. Drought-related resilience research in other countries exists, however, a dearth of knowledge exists regarding how rural South African youth and their families experience drought and, respond to its related stressors. As part of an international multidisciplinary and multisectoral team of researchers, a youth-based, qualitative study was conducted with a participatory, interpretivist design, to gain understanding of the perceptions young people have of drought, as it relates to social-ecological systems and resilience. The data obtained constituted a single-case participatory action research (PAR) study of drought-affected families and young people living in the Govan Mbeki Municipality in Mpumalanga. Sampling was conducted through the use of purposive sampling techniques, focusing on data obtained from 43 youth participant co-researchers, aged between 15 and 25. The study utilised qualitative, exploratory arts-based activities and focus group interviews as the primary sources of direct data collection. The data was subsequently analysed using inductive, thematic analysis, identifying individual, familial and community-based problem-solving similarities and differences.