Rational and Irrational Components of Difficult Life Situation Assessment by Adults (on the example of relatives of children who suffer from serious and life-threatening diseases)

Abstract

The article analyzes the role of rational and rational conscious components in difficult life situations assessment (DLS). Such indicators as meaningful goals, satisfaction of life process and its result, as well as the concept regarding life controllability are referred to the rational conscious aspects. As irrational conscious aspects there are studied indicators of irrational attitudes and religious commitment. The authors have verified the hypothesis about various roles of these indicators in cognitive assessment of difficult life situation of adults who are close relatives of a child who suffers from a serious life threatening disease. Based on the study works there have been a conclusion that a more satisfactory situation assessment more often correlates with higher indicators of life meaningfulness in case of refusing from irrational attitudes. However, in certain cases actualization of irrational attitudes in combination with the emerged religious commitment can be connected with the feeling of encouraging situation clearness (particularly, in cases of elder subjects who are relatives of elder children). The feeling of insolubility of the situation can be accompanied with the disappointment in religion and actualization of obligation towards oneself. In general, religious commitment of a person does not correlate with the felling of controllability of life, but it can reduce the severity of situation experience. The significant factor in perception of the situation severity, connected with the meaningfulness indicators and irrationality, is the age of a child.