Department of Psychology

Prof MA Gumani

College of Human Sciences
School of Social Sciences
Department: Psychology
Associate Professor
Tel: 012 429 8267
E-mail: gumanma@unisa.ac.za

Qualifications

  • DLitt Et Phil, Psychology (UNISA, 2012)

  • Psychometry (HPCSA)

Fields of academic interests

  • Violence and trauma, including gender-based violence (GBV)/intimate partner violence (IPV) and human trafficking
  • Policing and corrections research
  • Coping and victim empowerment in rural communities
  • Christian spirituality and mental health

Field of Specialisation

  • Qualitative research
  • Psychometry
  • Community psychology

Journal articles

  1. Gumani, M. A. (2022). Police interventions in victims’ encounters of intimate partner violence in a rural setting. South African Journal of Psychology, xx(x), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1177/008124632210863
  2. Gumani, M. A. (2022). Work stressors and vicarious trauma among South African Police Service members. Journal of Psychology in Africa, 32(3). https://doi.org/10.1080/14330237.2022.2031630  
  3. Gumani, M. A. (2019). Organisational stressors influence on the wellbeing and performance of operational police members. South African Journal of Industrial Psychology, 45(0), a1674. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajip.v45i0.1674.
  4. Gumani, M. A. (2017). Vicarious traumatisation experiences among South African Police Service members in a rural setting: An exploratory study. Journal of Psychology in Africa, 27(5), 433-437.
  5. Gumani M. A. (2014). Concepts of multifaceted social support in operational work in the lives of SAPS members. South African Journal of Industrial Psychology, 40(2), Art. #1209, 11 pages. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/sajip.vXiX.1209.
  6. Gumani, M. A., Fourie, E., & Terre Blanche, M. (2013). Inner strategies of coping with operational work among SAPS officers. South African Journal of Industrial Psychology, 39(2), Art. #1151, 10 pages.
  7. Gumani, M. A., Fourie, E., & Terre Blanche, M. (2013). Critical incidents impact management among South African Police Service officers. Journal of Psychology in Africa, 23(3), 481-488.
  8. Shivambu, D. T., Gumani, M., & Mudhovozi, P. (2013). Gender-based violence: Opportunities and coping resources for women in abusive unions. Gender and Behaviour, 11(2), 5569-5578.
  9. Gumani, M. A. (2012). The role of spirituality in the cessation of suicide ideation among the church-going youth in a rural community in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. In Advanced Research in Scientific Areas: The 1st Virtual International Conference, 03-07 December 2012 (pp. 822-828). Zilina, Slovakia: Thomson Ltd.
  10. Mudhovozi, P., Gumani, M. A., Maunganidze, L., & Sodi, T. (2010). Causal attribution: Actor-observer bias in academic achievement among students at an institution of higher learning. South African Journal of Higher Education, 24(4), 585-601.
  11. Gumani, M. A., & Sodi, T. (2009). Experiences of Vhavenda women involved in polygamous marriages. Journal of Psychology in Africa, 19(2), 199-205.

 

Paper presentations

21-23 September 2016: Psychological Society of South Africa (PSYSSA) National Conference, The role of SAPS members as referral agents in the victim empowerment programme, Emperors Palace, Kempton Park

27-30 May 2016: 6th International Conference on Community Psychology, Young adult male ex-offenders’ experiences of the transition from incarceration to the estranged family, Inkosi Albert Luthuli Convention Centre, Durban

15-18 September 2015: Psychological Society of South Africa (PSYSSA) National Conference, Critical incidents impact management among South African Police Service Officers Emperors Palace, Kempton Park

02-03 September 2015: College of Human Sciences: School of Social Sciences Conference – Alternative visions of society: Negotiating the future impact of the social sciences, The selfish giant: Learning about community psychology within and beyond Unisa’s walled garden, University of South Africa, Pretoria

22-26 June 2015: 4th Southern African Students’ Psychology Conference: Psychology in Communities, Young adult male ex-offenders’ experiences of the transition from incarceration to the estranged family: A literature review, University of South Africa regional campus, Polokwane

22-26 June 2015: 4th Southern African Students’ Psychology Conference: Psychology in Communities, Young adult male ex-offenders’ experiences of the transition from incarceration to the estranged family: A literature review, University of South Africa regional campus, Polokwane

16-19 September 2014: Psychological Society of South Africa (PSYSSA) National Conference Internal strategies of coping with operational work amongst SAPS officers, Inkosi Albert Luthuli Convention Centre, Durban

03-07 December 2012: The 1st Virtual International Conference on Advanced Research in Scientific Areas (ARSA), The role of spirituality in the cessation of suicide ideation among church-going youth in a rural community in the Limpopo Province, South Africa, Slovakia

29-30 October 2012: Department of Correctional Services and the University of Venda Consultative Conference, The road to recovery for sexual offenders            University of Venda, Thohoyandou

11-13 September 2011: University of Venda School of Health Sciences National Health Conference: Breaking the Chains: Excellence in Health Care, Medical doctors’ resilience to traumatic somatic conditions, Karibu Lodge, Tzaneen

17-20 May 2011: Association of Psychology and Psychiatry for adults and children (APPAC) International Conference, Prevention of youth suicide ideation: a Christian pastors’ perspective, Hilton Hotel, Athens, Greece

September 2009: Psychological Society of South Africa (PSYSSA) National Conference Strategies for prevention of HIV among married women in the Vhembe District Cape Town International Conference Centre, Cape Town

31 October 2008: University of Venda School of Health Sciences research day

Perceptions of factors crucial to the reduction of HIV infection among married women in a rural African community, University of Venda, Thohoyandou

12-15 September 2006: Psychological Society of South Africa (PSYSSA) National Conference Experiences of Vhavenda women regarding polygamy, Emperors Palace, Kempton Park

Professional positions, fellowships & awards

  • BPsych practicum placement recurriculation coordinator, Unisa (2013-2022)
  • Member of the Department of Psychology Research Ethics Committee, Unisa (2017 to 2021)
  • Deputy chair/secundus of the Department of Psychology Research Ethics Committee, Unisa (2019-2020)
  • Representative at the College Research Ethics Committee (CREC), Unisa (2017 to 2020)
  • Member of the Department of Psychology Research Innovation Committee, Unisa (2017 to date)
  • Deputy chair/secundus of the Department of Psychology Research Innovation Committee, Unisa (2022)
  • Representative at the College Research Innovation Committee (CRIC), Unisa (2022)
  • Coordinator of academic writing retreats for the Department of Psychology Research Innovation Committee, Unisa (2023)
  • Coordinator of SRIPCC reports for the Department of Psychology Research Innovation Committee, Unisa (2023)
  • Chairperson of the Scientific Committee of the 4th Southern African Students’ Psychology Conference: Psychology in Communities (held at the Polokwane regional campus), Unisa (2015)
  • Postdoctoral fellowship support (supported the application of my former doctoral student for postdoctoral fellowship), Unisa (2019)
  • Departmental Higher Degrees Committee reviewer, Unisa (2021 to date)
  • Member of the editorial team and journal article reviewer for New Voices in Psychology, Unisa (2014 to date)
  • Journal article reviewer for the International Journal of Psychology (2022-2023)
  • Member of the editorial board and journal article reviewer for the Universal Journal of Psychology, Horizon Research Publishing (HRPUB) (2013 to date)
  • Non-examining chair (NEC) for Master’s dissertations and Doctoral theses, Unisa (2022-2023)
  • External examiner for Master’s dissertations and Doctoral theses for various national universities (2001 to date)
  • Research article, Gumani, MA (2019). The influence of organisational stressors on the well-being and performance of operational police members. South African Journal of Industrial Psychology, 45(0), a1674, recognised and chosen by AOSIS to be part of SIOPSA for inclusion in their CPD offering – SIOPSA members will be able to do CPD activities developed from the article, which are hosted on the eCPD Healthcare website towards their CEUs (2019)
  • Vice Chancellor’s Prize for Excellence in Research in the category of “Active Researcher” in the form of a certificate, Univen (2009-2012)
  • Gender-based violence team member in the Department of Psychology, Unisa (2021 to date)
  • Associate professors’ matters team member – discussing and strategising on meeting KPA requirements for associate professors, Unisa (2022 to date)
  • College and Departmental staff member mentor, Unisa (2017 to date)
  • Departmental recurriculation module leader (2019 to date)
  • Departmental module leader (2014 to date)
  • Departmental module secundus (2021 to date)
  • Quality assurer of departmental modules (2021 to date)

Projects

  • Project 1: Violence and trauma, including gender-based violence (GBV)/intimate partner violence (IPV) and human trafficking
  • Project 2: Coping and victim empowerment in rural communities

Current research projects:

-        Tigers don’t cry: Examining intimate partner violence against men

-        Exploration of trauma and coping related to human trafficking in African countries

-        Elucidation of the concept of vicarious traumatisation among the police in the South African context

  • Project 3: Policing and corrections research

    Current research projects:

    -        Is caring a harming attribute? Operational police members’ empathic engagements during critical incidents

    -        The benefit of using halfway houses by female ex-offenders in Gauteng

    -        Mapping corrections at Unisa

  • Project 4: Christian spirituality and mental health

    Current research project:

    -        Police members’ experiences of the value of Christian principles in coping with stress and trauma

Other

  • Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6433-3977
  • Google Scholar: Masefako Gumani
  • LinkedIn: Masefako Gumani
  • Publons: U-8103-2019
  • ResearchGate: Masefako Gumani
  • ResearchID: Masefako Gumani
  • Scopus: Gumani, Masefako Andronica