The Experiences of the First South African Community Service Clinical Psychologists

Abstract

The year 2003 saw the introduction of community service for all graduating clinical psychologists in South Africa. While this year of compulsory service in government health facilities brought the promise of much-needed mental health care to underserved areas, the incumbents' experiences and feedback are a vital source of information for the further development and improvement of this innovation. The present study attempted to survey the experiences of the country's entire first group of community service clinical psychologists. Over two-thirds ( n = 52) of the group responded to the mail survey. Among the findings was that more than half the respondents experienced difficulty in finding accommodation. Office equipment, psychological tests and play therapy materials were not available in many cases. About half the sample felt their role was unclear to them and to others, and more than half the respondents were not proficient in the primary language spoken by their patients. Nearly three-quarters of the respondents managed to access supervisory assistance, at least telephonically. Mood disorders, suicidal behaviours and sexual violence were the most common problems encountered. Notwithstanding the difficulties, around 90% of the sample believed they made a difference in the communities they served and that their confidence levels improved during the community service. The results are discussed with recommendations.