Resilience and coping experiences among master's professional psychology students in South Africa

Abstract

A longitudinal, five year study, with a qualitative, phenomenological approach, investigated resilience and coping experiences of 47 professional psychology master's degree students in their first year of training in South Africa. There were 12 men and 31 women, with a mean age of 26 years and an age range from 21 to 51 years. Findings revealed four main resilience themes of struggle experiences, personal resilience experiences, life management experiences and study experiences, and eight overlapping coping themes involving support from peers, friends, family and spouses; time management; personal skills; study skills; exercise, sport and recreation; personal therapy; spiritual and religious activities; and rest and relaxation. The applicability and value of the findings are discussed in relation to similar local and international studies.