Browsing by Author "Johnson, Laura R."

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    Students and Scientists Connect with Nature in Uganda, East Africa
    (International Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 2014) Johnson-Pynn, Julie S.; Johnson, Laura R.; Kityo, Robert; Lugumya, Douglas
    We studied the impact of environmental education (EE) workshops on Ugandan youth’s (N = 84) perceptions of their relationship with nature, self efficacy, and civic attitudes and skills. Two nature-related measures and two measures related to social competencies were administered before and after EE workshops that were designed to educate youth about environmental conservation through field experiences with university scientists and inquiry-based activities with environmental educators. Pre- and post-workshop scores were analyzed using Mixed Design ANOVAs to determine if EE workshop program format length and setting differentially affected male (n = 43) and female (n = 41) participants’ perceived benefits of EE workshops. Participants’ scores increased following EE workshops, except those in the urban setting, who reported a decrease in their connections to nature compared to those in the rural setting. Longer workshops with more field experiences had the most profound impact on participants’ feelings of connection to nature, social competencies, and commitment to civic action. Males showed increases in self efficacy in the rural workshop and greater connectedness to nature in the longer workshops compared to females. Results underscore the importance of considering geographical and cultural contexts when developing and evaluating EE.
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    Views on Depression From Traditional Healing and Psychiatry Clinics in Uganda: Perspectives From Patients and Their Providers
    (Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 2017) Johnson, Laura R.; Chin, Eu Gene; Kajumba, Mayanja; Kizito, Simon; Bangirana, Paul
    In Uganda, depression is a growing concern, yet mental health professionals are in short supply, and help is often sought from traditional healers. To develop an integrated system of care, we must understand sociocultural aspects of depression including beliefs about help seeking and treatment. In a mixed methods study, we used semi-structured interviews and self-report measures to assess depressed patients (N = 30) seeking treatment in traditional healing (n = 15) and psychiatry clinics (n = 15) near Kampala, Uganda. We assessed demographics, symptoms, treatment characteristics, and explanatory models (EMs) of depression (e.g., labeling the problem, cause, impact on life, best type of treatment). We predicted differences across treatment settings. To further explore EMs, we assessed differences in EMs of patients and their providers by interviewing patient–provider dyads (n = 8 dyads). Patients in both settings were similar in demographics, symptoms, perceived cause, seriousness, and impact of depression. However, patients at traditional clinics were more likely to desire herbal remedies, while those in psychiatry clinics were more likely to desire modern medication. Patient–provider dyads also had different treatment beliefs, with patients desiring financial assistance, social support, and medication, and providers more likely to suggest counseling or advice. The study highlights the need to understand diverse beliefs and treatment trajectories in a multicultural context.