THE USE OF EXISTENTIAL CRITERION FOR ASSESSING THE PERSONALITY OF THE OVERPROTECTING AND OVEREXACTING PARENTS IN FAMILIES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSULTATION CLIENTS FOR PARENT-CHILD PROBLEMS

Abstract

The article presents the results of applying of existential criterion of normal and abnormal personality to assess the personality of the overprotecting and overexacting parents in 176 families, who visited psychological consultation. It is shown that the styles of parenting “overprotection” and “overexactingness” indicate the one-sidedness of parental position in the education of their children concerning the certain existential dichotomies. Overprotecting parent’s position is one-sided towards existential dichotomy help and autonomy. Overexacting parent’s position is one-sided simultaneously towards the three classical existential dichotomies: nature and culture, self-actualization and conventional values, determinism and self-determination. Test for assessment of interpersonal relations by Sobchik L.N. was used to identify the characteristics of interpersonal relationships progenitors with parents in childhood. M. Luscher’s test was used to identify the characteristics of parent personalities. The results of these tests allowed to suppose that such one-sided educational positions of the overprotecting and overexacting parents has been formed under the influence of “excessively interfering” educational progenitors positions, which were irrationally assigned and later reproduced in the education of their children in the form of overprotection and overexactingness. Pointed out special aspects of the educational positions of the overprotecting and overexacting parents allow us in accordance with existential criterion to conclude about the abnormality of their personality.