Prof David Maree is a professor in the Department of Psychology in the Faculty of Humanities. He started working as a researcher in Traffic Research at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) in 1987. He worked in the field of psychometrics specifically standardizing psychomotor assessment tests and he was appointed as head of Traffic Research in 1995. In 1997 he became director of the Unit for Test Development at the HSRC. In 1999 he moved to the University of Pretoria as full professor in the Department of Psychology. His duties included lecturing research methodology, cognitive psychology, and statistics to graduate students. He was co-ordinator of the MA Research Psychology degree from 2000 to 2012. He is involved in numerous research projects, committees, and workgroups within and outside the University. Prof Maree is a registered Research psychologist, was a member of the Association of Psychological Science (APS), and is an NRF-rated researcher. He acted as Head of Department of Philosophy in 2010/11 and was Head of the Department of Psychology from 2013 to 2016. He was President of the Psychological Society (PsySSA) of South Africa (PsySSA) for the 2013/14 period. He was chair of the psychometrics committee of the Psychology Board at the Health Professions Council for South Africa (HPCSA) from 2015 to 2018.He delivered 40 M students and 12 Ph.D. students to date.
This study examined the prevalence of hope and subjective well-being as well as symptoms of depre... more This study examined the prevalence of hope and subjective well-being as well as symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder among trauma survivors at community-based clinics in Gauteng. We further explored traumatic events and help-seeking behaviour in this context. Using a cross-sectional survey design, we collected demographic information and administered questionnaires measuring hope, well-being, depression, and post-traumatic stress. The sample comprised 120 adults, of whom the majority were Black females. Results showed that participants experienced low levels of hope, positive affect, and life satisfaction as well as high levels of negative affect, depression, and post-traumatic stress. In addition, the majority of participants experienced multiple traumatic events in the past 5 years, which had a negative impact on their well-being. However, receiving professional help and being able to cope in the aftermath of trauma may contribute towards higher levels of well-being and fewer psychopathological symptoms. Our findings thus highlighted the need for effective therapeutic interventions among trauma survivors.
Working memory training (WM-T), as an intervention strategy to improve emotion regulation (ER), h... more Working memory training (WM-T), as an intervention strategy to improve emotion regulation (ER), has become popular in cognitive psychology. However, it poses many different challenges for researchers, and far-transfer effects on subsequent ER have been debated. This systematic exploratory review investigates how the WM-ER dyad is implicated in WM-T as an intervention strategy for improving ER. Systematic review protocols were followed for the selection of studies investigating the relationship between WM and ER, and WM-T to improve ER. An electronic database search following the PRISMA statement was conducted in which 15 studies were considered eligible. The studies were assessed for quality control using an adapted Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) tool for quantitative studies. Studies were analysed using the PVO (population, variables, and outcomes) strategy for systematic exploratory reviews. Five studies included psychological disorders and one study used brain imaging...
This study explored student factors affecting academic success among undergraduate students at a ... more This study explored student factors affecting academic success among undergraduate students at a historically Black and a historically White South African public higher education institution. Qualitative methodology was used. Data were collected through five focus group discussions from 31 undergraduate students. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The following student factors affected participants’ academic success: academic self-efficacy, peer relationships, parental engagement and support, motivation, time management, adjustment, emotional wellbeing, lack of information, socio-economic status, and language proficiency. This study showed that structural, racialised inequalities in South Africa underpin many apparent student factors that influence academic success in higher education.
The leadership of companies influences the organisational climate of companies by creating a cycl... more The leadership of companies influences the organisational climate of companies by creating a cycle of continuous improvement or failing to do so. The same applies to educational leadership in their search for favourable teaching and learning conditions for all learners, especially those of underperforming schools whose academic results are not up to standard. Critical dialogue and new thinking regarding school leadership are mandatory to improve the status quo. It is proposed that the servant leadership paradigm, when practiced by school leadership, may have a significant influence on the school environment. A qualitative approach was utilised to measure the impact of servant school leadership on the organisational climate of private schools in South Africa, with the aim of learning valuable lessons to implement in the public school domain and especially the underperforming school sector. A purposive convenience sampling approach was applied to select participants for three focus gr...
This study examined the prevalence of hope and subjective well-being as well as symptoms of depre... more This study examined the prevalence of hope and subjective well-being as well as symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder among trauma survivors at community-based clinics in Gauteng. We further explored traumatic events and help-seeking behaviour in this context. Using a cross-sectional survey design, we collected demographic information and administered questionnaires measuring hope, well-being, depression, and post-traumatic stress. The sample comprised 120 adults, of whom the majority were Black females. Results showed that participants experienced low levels of hope, positive affect, and life satisfaction as well as high levels of negative affect, depression, and post-traumatic stress. In addition, the majority of participants experienced multiple traumatic events in the past 5 years, which had a negative impact on their well-being. However, receiving professional help and being able to cope in the aftermath of trauma may contribute towards higher levels of well-being and fewer psychopathological symptoms. Our findings thus highlighted the need for effective therapeutic interventions among trauma survivors.
Working memory training (WM-T), as an intervention strategy to improve emotion regulation (ER), h... more Working memory training (WM-T), as an intervention strategy to improve emotion regulation (ER), has become popular in cognitive psychology. However, it poses many different challenges for researchers, and far-transfer effects on subsequent ER have been debated. This systematic exploratory review investigates how the WM-ER dyad is implicated in WM-T as an intervention strategy for improving ER. Systematic review protocols were followed for the selection of studies investigating the relationship between WM and ER, and WM-T to improve ER. An electronic database search following the PRISMA statement was conducted in which 15 studies were considered eligible. The studies were assessed for quality control using an adapted Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) tool for quantitative studies. Studies were analysed using the PVO (population, variables, and outcomes) strategy for systematic exploratory reviews. Five studies included psychological disorders and one study used brain imaging...
This study explored student factors affecting academic success among undergraduate students at a ... more This study explored student factors affecting academic success among undergraduate students at a historically Black and a historically White South African public higher education institution. Qualitative methodology was used. Data were collected through five focus group discussions from 31 undergraduate students. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The following student factors affected participants’ academic success: academic self-efficacy, peer relationships, parental engagement and support, motivation, time management, adjustment, emotional wellbeing, lack of information, socio-economic status, and language proficiency. This study showed that structural, racialised inequalities in South Africa underpin many apparent student factors that influence academic success in higher education.
The leadership of companies influences the organisational climate of companies by creating a cycl... more The leadership of companies influences the organisational climate of companies by creating a cycle of continuous improvement or failing to do so. The same applies to educational leadership in their search for favourable teaching and learning conditions for all learners, especially those of underperforming schools whose academic results are not up to standard. Critical dialogue and new thinking regarding school leadership are mandatory to improve the status quo. It is proposed that the servant leadership paradigm, when practiced by school leadership, may have a significant influence on the school environment. A qualitative approach was utilised to measure the impact of servant school leadership on the organisational climate of private schools in South Africa, with the aim of learning valuable lessons to implement in the public school domain and especially the underperforming school sector. A purposive convenience sampling approach was applied to select participants for three focus gr...
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