Individual Psychology During Times of the Coronavirus

Abstract

Individual Psychology During Times of the Coronavirus Jon Sperry and Len Sperry This issue highlights research and clinical applications of Individual Psychology in six articles. These editors’ notes were written in the United States in April 2020, as COVID-19 cases were spiking around the country. During such unprecedented times, the principles and practices covered in this issue are more relevant than ever. The socially embedded element of Individual Psychology is ever present during this pandemic. Social distancing recommendations around the globe created significant obstacles for individuals to connect to others and community. The World Health Organization (WHO) even recommended using the term physical distancing in mid-March 2020 to suggest that social support is essential during a pandemic but must be done thorough physically distanced means such as telephone, texting, and video calls. Individuals and groups that follow and practice Adlerian theory sought ways to demonstrate social interest during the coronavirus pandemic. As editors, we believe that physical distancing is an example of social interest because it helps reduce the spread of coronavirus simply by staying home and preventing infection, particularly for at-risk populations. Additional examples of these efforts include the North American Society of Adlerian Psychology (NASAP) and the International Adlerian Summer Schools and Institutes (ICASSI), which have made efforts to gather participants for social gatherings on Zoom and to assemble a fully online conference under the direction of NASAP’s president Dr. Susan Belangee. In line with managing major or minor challenges in life, the first article by Paul Rasmussen and Erin Schuyler, “Life Tasks and Psychological Muscle,” discusses how to navigate life challenges through Adlerian principles. The authors discuss the three tasks of life relative to the personal qualities necessary for successful satisfaction of each task. They also highlight how psychological muscle is an amalgamation of responsibility, cooperation, and respect. [End Page 305] The second article, by Evan Ripley-McNeil and Kenneth Cramer, makes an empirical link between social interest and perceived well-being. Their article, titled “Can Group Membership and Volunteering Predict Well-Being in the World Values Survey: Correlates, Sex Differences, and Age Moderation,” examined Wave 6 of the World Values Survey (2010–2014), which included 89,564 respondents from 60 nations. They explored social interest and well-being as measured by perceived group membership and volunteering and found a positive correlation to perceived well-being (as measured by both perceived happiness and perceived health). The next article, by Rebecca Dickinson and Ellen Daly, titled “Using Personality Priorities in Adlerian Play Therapy Parent Consultation,” examines the use of personality priorities of children and of parents and caregivers as part of parent consultation in Adlerian play therapy. The article provides theoretical insight and clinical procedures to guide the use of personality priorities with families and children. The authors also provide a case vignette to demonstrate the use of the “top card” activity by Nelsen and Lott in a family Adlerian play therapy session followed by a parent consultation. Courtney Evans’s article, titled “A Fear Come True: An Autobiographical Narrative Inquiry of Birth Trauma Through an Adlerian Lens,” examines the impact of traumatic birth on mother’s and child’s well-being. The use of autobiographical narrative inquiry is used to examine the themes related to the labor and delivery of twins through an unplanned cesarean section. The themes included helplessness or lack of control; guilt; anxiety, fear, or terror; lack of memory or dissociation; lack of medical support or empathy; and inability to be present focused. The article articulates clinical and theoretical implications when considering factors like control, support, and lifestyle convictions when applied to traumatic birth experiences. Ashley Koerick Sauer and Carman Gill offer an exciting integration of equine therapy and Adlerian therapy in their article “Treating Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder: An Integrated Adlerian and Equine Therapy Approach.” The authors describe the integration of equine therapy assessment, skills, and intervention into the Adlerian psychotherapy framework. The authors provide a compelling case example illustrating how equine therapy from an Adlerian theoretical orientation can assist in treatment of a teenager with the diagnosis of disruptive mood dysregulation disorder. The final piece in the issue is the second of a two-part article discussing Adler...