The presence of both parents in a family is often considered vital for the holistic development of children; however, the absence of a father can significantly disrupt this process. Guided by Bowen’s family systems theory, this study explored the lived experiences and perceptions of university students raised in father-absent households, focusing on the emotional, social, and financial consequences of father absence. A hermeneutic phenomenological design was adopted, with 12 participants purposively selected from five academic schools within one public university in Gauteng province, South Africa. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed thematically. Findings revealed that father absence was linked to emotional neglect, financial strain, and physical abandonment, which fostered resentment and anger toward absent fathers and jealousy toward peers with present fathers. These experiences highlight the profound psychological and social impact of father absence on young adults. Bowen’s theory, comprising eight interlocking systems differentiation of self, triangles, the nuclear family emotional system, the family projection process, emotional cut-off, the multigenerational transmission process, sibling position, and societal regression provided a valuable lens for interpreting these dynamics. The study concluded that children raised in father-absent environments require sustained support from available relatives, particularly mothers, to mitigate emotional distress and foster resilience.

This study investigates the alignment between teacher allocation and learner enrolment patterns in Eswatini high schools following the 2023 teacher allocation policy, assessing whether deployment corresponds to learner demand and to the policy goals of equity and efficiency. Guided by the Theory of Compensating Differences, it analysed disparities in enrolment and teacher distribution using documentary evidence from enrolment records, class registers, staffing information, and policy documents from 23 high schools, supplemented by contextual observations. Findings revealed substantial variation: some schools faced overcrowded classrooms, while others had enrolments far below the advised threshold of 400 students required for certain staffing provisions, with several reporting between 172 and 286 students. This raised concerns about the effective use of human and financial resources, particularly in high-density communities where staffing levels did not consistently reflect student numbers. The study concludes that reallocating teachers is necessary but complex, requiring a more responsive and context-sensitive model that goes beyond fixed enrolment thresholds to incorporate regular monitoring, redistribution mechanisms, and consideration of demographic and school-specific conditions. Such an approach would better balance educational equity, resource efficiency, and sustainability of teaching provision. Limitations include reliance on documentary and administrative records from a convenience sample of 23 schools, restricting generalisation to all Eswatini high schools. Nonetheless, the study provides valuable evidence to inform refinement of teacher allocation policy and offers lessons for other resource-constrained education systems experiencing uneven teacher distribution and shifting enrolment patterns.

Medical students often experience high levels of psychological distress and adopt diverse coping strategies to manage its effects. This study examined the associations between coping strategies and psychological distress among medical students in Zimbabwe. A quantitative survey design was employed with 123 respondents selected through stratified and simple random sampling from two emerging medical schools. Data were collected using the Revised Student-Life Stress Inventory and the Coping and Dispositional Inventory, and regression analysis was conducted to assess relationships between coping styles and distress. Findings revealed that problem-focused coping strategies, particularly instrumental social support, planning, and active coping, were significantly and negatively associated with psychological distress, underscoring their protective role. Adaptive emotion-focused strategies such as humour, acceptance, religious coping, and emotional support also contributed to resilience, though their effectiveness was more context-dependent. In contrast, maladaptive strategies, including suppression, disengagement, withdrawal, and venting, were positively associated with distress, highlighting their detrimental impact. Substance use, while present, showed no significant association, possibly reflecting underreporting. The study contributes to Lazarus and Folkman’s transactional model by demonstrating how effective coping depends on stress appraisal and cultural context. In practice, it recommends that medical schools strengthen adaptive coping through structured problem-solving, emotion regulation, and peer support to enhance resilience and reduce reliance on maladaptive strategies.

Psychosocial factors such as diabetes distress, depression, anxiety, social support, stigma, coping styles, and quality of life play a critical role in shaping mental health outcomes among males living with type 2 diabetes. Despite their importance, systematic evidence on how these factors influence mental health remains limited. Objective: This protocol aims to synthesize existing evidence on psychosocial factors associated with mental health outcomes among males living with type 2 diabetes. Eligibility Criteria: Studies will be included if they focus on males aged 18 years and above diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and examine psychosocial factors in relation to mental health outcomes. Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods designs will be considered. Exclusion criteria include studies focused on females, males under 18, or those with type 1 diabetes; studies exclusively evaluating interventions (e.g., CBT trials, self-management programs); non-English publications; and studies published before 2015. Confounders such as co-morbidities and lifestyle factors will be included if reported alongside psychosocial exposures, but studies focusing solely on these without mental health outcomes will be excluded. Information Sources: The search strategy will be guided by the PICO framework, and such searches will be conducted in Scopus, MEDLINE (PubMed), CINAHL, and Web of Science using Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) for articles published in English between January 2016 and December 2026. Risk of Bias: Two independent reviewers will screen studies, with disagreements resolved by a third reviewer. Risk of bias will be assessed using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist. Data Synthesis: Eligible studies will undergo narrative thematic synthesis. Confidence in findings will be evaluated using the JBI ConQual approach. Ethics and Dissemination: Ethical approval is not required. This protocol is registered with PROSPERO (CRD420261299482). Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and conferences. Conclusion: This protocol outlines a transparent plan to review psychosocial factors influencing mental health in men with type 2 diabetes, guiding gender-sensitive strategies that integrate mental health into diabetes care.

The rapid advancement of digital technologies at two Southern African higher education institutions, accelerated by ongoing transformation initiatives, has intensified the need for lecturers to develop strong digital proficiency. Despite widespread adoption of these approaches, lecturers continue to face challenges in effectively embedding digital tools into pedagogy. This study investigates how lecturers' digital proficiency can be supported to integrate online and blended learning approaches into teaching and learning practices. The study employed a qualitative approach and case study design. Face-to-face interviews were used to collect data from ten lecturers who were purposely selected from two higher education institutions in Eswatini and South Africa. Data were analysed using thematic analysis, and the findings indicated that digital proficiency extends beyond individual skill acquisition and requires sustained, contextually relevant engagement through shared learning, peer support, and reflective practice. The study argues that a well-structured community of Practice Theory (CoP) provides an effective framework for aligning technology, pedagogy, and professional collaboration to ensure scalability and long-term sustainability. The study recommends that higher education institutions provide ongoing institutional support, dedicated funding, and strategic engagement mechanisms to strengthen CoP as a vehicle for digital transformation.

Unique psychosocial challenges inherent in the journey to becoming a medical doctor can profoundly affect trainees’ mental well-being and academic achievement. This study explored the lived psychosocial experiences of medical students’ mental well-being and academic achievement at a public university in Zimbabwe and identified adaptive strategies to mitigate these psychosocial challenges. A qualitative approach using a hermeneutic-phenomenological design was employed in this study. Ten participants were purposively recruited from a public university in Zimbabwe. Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were conducted to collect qualitative data, which were subsequently analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. The findings revealed that medical students encounter a wide range of negative emotions arising from financial constraints, heavy academic workload, exposure to critically ill and dying patients, and bereavement due to the loss of close family members. The study concludes that these psychosocial stressors pose significant risks to students’ emotional resilience and academic focus. It is recommended that medical students exposed to such challenges receive psychotherapy and structured psychosocial support to enhance coping mechanisms, strengthen resilience, and sustain academic engagement.