Identity Confusion Research Articles

Sexting Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Hong Kong and Taiwan: Roles of Sensation-Seeking, Gay Identity, and Muscularity Ideal.

Prior studies found that sexting was associated with risky sexual activities and that men who have sex with men (MSM) engaged in more frequent sexting than their heterosexual counterparts. Therefore, it is pertinent to understand what factors are associated with sexting among MSM. This study explored the relationships between sensation-seeking, gay identity confusion, and muscularity ideal with sexting behaviors. An online survey was administered to 355 and 448 18-34-year-old MSM in Hong Kong and Taiwan, respectively. While the number of sexting partners and the frequency of sexting were similar across the two regions, they had different associations with psychological factors. In Hong Kong, sensation-seeking was positively related to the number of sexting partners, while in Taiwan, it was positively related to the frequency of sending sexts. In Hong Kong, MSM who were more confused about their sexual orientation had fewer sexting partners. In both regions, MSM holding a stronger muscularity ideal also had more sexting partners. Gay identity confusion and muscularity ideal were associated with sexting under pressure in Taiwan; all three psychological factors concerned were associated with sexting under pressure in Hong Kong. Overall, these results showed that some MSM found sexting to be a sensation-fulfilling activity, but some were vulnerable to sexting under pressure. Counseling services to MSM about their sexual identity and concern for muscularity are needed to prevent them from becoming victims of forced sexting. Finally, the inconsistent results for the Hong Kong and Taiwanese samples indicated the importance of considering regional specificity in sexting research.

Follow the style or the God? A case study on Religiosity Dynamic among Millennial Hijab-Stylists in Surabaya

Fashionable hijab has been increasingly popular among Muslim Women in Indonesia, the country with the largest Muslim population. For Muslim women, Hijab is not only a matter of religious obligations, but also physical appearance. Wearing hijab causes both physical and spiritual consequences. For the millennials, this can lead to identity confusion between choosing a conventional hijab that follow the Shari'a principles or choosing a trendy hijab to keep them attractive yet viewed less positive by some Muslim community. Using a stylist dressing is sometimes a difficult decision, especially if it violates the principles of Shari'ah. From this background, the present study tried to explore the dynamics of the religiosity of Muslim youth that weab stylist hijab. This study used a qualitative approach with a case study design. Data were collected using interviews to 4 adolescents in Surabaya who chose to use the fashionable hijab. Data were analyzed using the thematic analysis. Some of the themes that emerged were the commitment and effort to consistently perform religious rituals, the belief that the hijab mandatory that should not be abandoned, and the commitment to self-improvement and not seriously violate the Shari'a principle despite using stylist hijab.

The role of identity in the development of depressive, anxiety, and psychosis symptoms in adolescents exposed to childhood adversity.

Childhood adversity is a major risk factor for psychiatric disorders and has especially been associated with an admixture of depressive, anxiety, and psychosis symptoms. Identity formation, a main developmental task during adolescence, may be impacted by these adverse experiences and act as an important process in the association between childhood adversity and psychopathology. We investigated the association between childhood adversity, identity formation, and depressive, anxiety, and psychosis symptoms cross-sectionally in 1913 Flemish adolescents between 11 and 20 years old (mean = 13.76, SD = 1.86). Adolescents completed questionnaires during the first wave of the SIGMA study between January 2018 and May 2019. Childhood interpersonal adversity was associated with increased identity confusion and decreased identity synthesis. Additionally, identity confusion was associated with increased self-reported levels of psychopathology and potentially mediated the association between childhood adversity and psychopathology. This study highlights the importance of promoting healthy identity formation in adolescents with and without exposure to adverse childhood experiences.

The Case Study of Two Girls with Gender Dysphoria

ABSTRACT This paper presents the psychoanalysis of two girls, aged five and 11, both self-described as boys. The first case depicts the incoherence and discontinuity of a core sense of being female with depersonalization, identity confusion, and self-sacrifice. The second case describes gender role identification conflicts. Both children presented as males to protect a disavowed female self. However, their etiology was distinctly different. Gender dysphoria proved to be highly complex. Reliance on the developmental lines of self and gender informed clinical interventions. Merger and twinship transferences were essential for establishing a stable personal identity for these children.

"It is like you are in a golden cage": How autistic students experience special education classrooms in general high schools

BackgroundStudents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often grapple with the challenges and demands of a general school environment. To date, studies have focused on inclusion within that environment, not distinguishing the experience of students in ASD special education classrooms within the general school. This study examined the retrospective perceptions of high-functioning autistic high school graduates who had been in ASD special education classrooms in general high schools to understand their experience, learn about their needs, and enhance future educational experiences. MethodUsing interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) as a methodological framework, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 autistic individuals aged 19–27 that were enrolled in those particularized classrooms during high school. Data were analyzed using Thematic Analysis. ResultsThree overarching themes were identified: (1) the challenge of heterogeneity among students in these classrooms; (2) exclusion and labeling; and (3) identity confusion. ConclusionsThe findings of this paper highlight the need for greater attention to the voices and experiences of individuals with ASD regarding this educational model of ASD special education classrooms in general schools. Participants’ perceptions about their educational experience in ASD special education classrooms need to be addressed at all levels of inclusive policy and practice.

Gender- and Sexuality-Minoritised Adolescents in DBT: A Reflexive Thematic Analysis of Minority-Specific Treatment Targets and Experience.

Gender- and sexuality-minoritised (GSM) adolescents are at increased risk of self-harm and suicidal behaviours compared to their cisgender and heterosexual peers. This increased risk is thought to be explained in part by exposure to stigma and societal oppression. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based intervention for self-harm and suicidal behaviour that may have advantages for supporting GSM young people in distress. No study has yet sought to understand what GSM-associated difficulties may be important to consider in DBT for adolescents, or the experiences of GSM young people in a standard DBT programme. Therefore, this study aimed to understand the experiences of GSM young people in DBT and what difficulties and dilemmas associated with their gender and sexuality diversity were thought by them to be important to target in DBT. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 14 GSM young people in a comprehensive DBT programme and were analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. The analysis was supported by two further GSM young people who had finished DBT. The findings were split into three overarching themes (Identity, Impact of Others, and Space for Sexual and Gender Identity in DBT), each with themes within. The identity-based theme included "identity confusion and acceptance"; the relationship-based themes included "cis-Heterosexism" and "community connectedness"; and the space within DBT themes included "negotiating focus and targeting in DBT" and "creating safety in DBT". Findings are discussed in relation to implications and recommendations for therapists working with GSM young people within and outside of DBT.

Incredulity of Grand-Narratives: Dystopic, Alternative, and Suppressed Narratives in Paul Auster’s Man in the Dark

Paul Auster habitually uses multiple narrative structures in his novels and situates the reader in a mesh of narratives in which neither a real narrator is discerned nor the protagonist’s identity is distinguishable. In Man in the Dark, Auster uses two dystopic narrative lines in the novel with undistinguished characters’ identity to question the credulity of grand-narrative. In Lyotard’s theory of postmodernism, credulity of grand narratives is questioned since it disregards different voices in the novels. Brill and Brick are one character but with two functions in the novel. Brill tells a story consciously and tries to recreate a self-made story about Brick who is a semi-fabricated story of Brill who tries to deconstruct alternative America, though political decisions were different. The idea of dystopia, identity confusion, and temporal and spatial confusion in the novel reveals the possibility of a narration in one way or the other. Temporally, the past and present are connected through reinterpretations and imaginations which disproves the credulity of narratives in the present novel. Auster constructs and deconstructs identities and narratives in American setting and implies that most of the unspoken and suppressed aspects of narratives reduce the credulity of grand-narratives.

The effectiveness of emotion-oriented therapy on the treatment of patients with borderline personality disorder

Background and Aim: Considering the complexity and importance of borderline personality disorder as well as the relatively high prevalence rate of this disorder in the society, this research was conducted with the aim of investigating the effectiveness of emotion-oriented therapy on the treatment of patients with borderline personality disorder. Methods: The method of this quasi-experimental research and the design used to examine the hypotheses in this research was a pre-test-post-test design with an experimental group and a control group. The statistical population of this research was made up of all people with borderline personality disorder who visited two counseling centers in one area of Tehran in 2020. 30 people with borderline personality disorder were selected by purposive sampling method and then these people were placed in two groups of 15 people (emotional treatment experimental group and control group) by matching method. The experimental group received 12 sessions of 120 minutes on a weekly basis and the control group did not receive the treatment. The tool for collecting information in this research was the borderline personality questionnaire (Leichsenring, 1999). Due to the quantitative nature of the research, data analysis was done using descriptive and inferential statistics methods (analysis of covariance test). Results: The findings showed that the observed F value for the borderline personality and its dimensions in the adjusted model (by adjusting the pre-test effect) for the whole scale, identity confusion, primary defense mechanism, reality testing, fear of intimacy and borderline personality respectively, is equal to: 33.275, 8.123, 7.902, 10.025 and 72.865. Moreover, its significance level (sig) is equal to 0.000, which indicates the existence of a significant difference between the post-test score in the experimental group and the control group, so the main effect of the group variable is significant, which means that emotion-oriented treatment is effective in the treatment of patients with borderline personality. Conclusion: Therefore, it can be concluded that emotion-oriented therapy can be a useful method for treating patients with borderline personality disorders, so it is suggested that specialists benefit from it in their work.

Linguistic markers and basic self-disturbances among adolescents at risk of psychosis. A qualitative study.

Language impairments are key features of schizophrenia spectrum disorders, and have also been suggested to signal enhanced psychosis risk. Incoherence, derailment, and monotonous speaking are however closely related to psychosis onset, and thus not very early markers. Recent phenomenologic-psychiatric studies claim that basic self-disturbance (BSD) may represent more useful early markers. We searched for distinctive irregular linguistics of 30 CHR outpatient adolescents, aged 12-18 years. Standard instruments established psychosis risk and BSD. Participants chose three personal and well manifested BSD phenomena. Ninety verbatim statements were analyzed and grouped into higher order clusters of linguistic irregularities. We identified five clusters of irregular language features: distinctive words, describing an atmosphere of unreality; irregular use of prepositions, indicating experiential detachment; shifts of personal pronouns, indicating identity confusion; near-literal use of metaphors and conjunctions indicating existential insecurity, and idiosyncratic use of adjectives indicating perceptual transcendence. The adolescents provided naturalistic descriptions of experiences that were markedly twisted and almost ineffable. This unique irregular "BSD -language" was highly meaningful in its proper context, expressing informative characteristics of first-personal experiential alterations, essential for early detection. The features may additionally represent precursors of psychosis transition, useful for clinical decision-making. Foundation Dam, Oslo, Norway (Grant Number 2017/FO143368).

The effectiveness of emotion regulation training on strengthening adolescent identity base and family relationships in adolescent girls

Background and Aim: Adolescence is a period of profound changes that separates a child from an adult, and considerable changes take place in the concept of self. The purpose of this research was to determine the effectiveness of group therapy based on emotion regulation training on strengthening adolescent identity base and increasing family relationships on adolescent girls in Isfahan city. Methods: The research method was semi-experimental with a pre-test-post-test design and a three-month follow-up with the experimental and control groups. The statistical population of all girls aged 15 to 18, studying in secondary schools, about 40 people were selected by available sampling method and were randomly divided into two groups of 20 people, experimental and control. The research tools included the identity questionnaire of Benyon and Adams (1986) and family relationships (Ritchie & Fitzpatrick, 1990), which were completed in three stages: pre-test, post-test and follow-up by both groups. Barlow's Emotion Regulation Training Program (Allen, McHugh & Barlow, 2009). It was conducted in 12 weekly sessions of 90 minutes for the experimental group. The data were analyzed with the help of descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (variance analysis with repeated measures). Results: The results of the research showed that there is a significant difference between the average scores of the dimensions of identity behaviors (postponed identity, confused identity, early formed identity and advanced identity) and family relationships (dialogue orientation and conformity orientation) in the two stages of pre-test and post-test. Conclusion: The results showed that education based on emotion regulation had a significant and positive effect on increasing the score of the identity database and family relationships. The follow-up phase also remained stable.

Experiences of Early and Enhanced Clinical Exposure for Postgraduate Neonatal Nursing Students at the University of Zambia, School of Nursing Sciences: Lessons and Implications for the Future.

Early and Enhanced Clinical Exposure immediately places postgraduate students in a clinical setting and incorporates continual hands-on instruction throughout their studies. It aims to motivate students by strengthening their academics, improving clinical and communication skills, and increasing their confidence. The underlying principles are to provide a clinical context and to ensure that the patient remains the centre of learning. The School of Nursing Sciences implemented this model in 2021 to produce hands-on Masters-level neonatal practitioners who can work in multidisciplinary clinical contexts. Therefore, this study explored the experiences of postgraduate nursing students on the Early and Enhanced Clinical Exposure model and draw implications for the future. A phenomenological study design was utilized at the University of Zambia, School of Nursing Sciences and comprised of eight Master of Science Neonatal Nursing students in their second year. Convenience sampling was used to select the study site and participants. Data was collected between 15th January 2023 and 31st January 2023 using an in-depth interview guide. Audio recording and notes were transcribed immediately after data collection. Data analysis was conducted using thematic analysis and codes and themes were constructed from the coded data. Ethical clearance and permission were sought before conducting the study. Four major themes emerged from the study: identity and role confusion, challenging and hectic experiences, positive educational experiences, and personal and professional growth. These themes contributed to the promotion of evidence-based practice by helping students to assess, diagnose, and treat various conditions, as well as gain interest, experience, knowledge, and exposure. The model has a significant impact on motivation to learn, as evidenced by reported increased skill level with potential for use in clinical practice. It is recommended that it be implemented in all postgraduate programs for full-time students.

Profiles of Emotional Separation and Parental Trust from Adolescence to Emerging Adulthood: Age Differences and Associations with Identity and Life Satisfaction

Youth become psychologically independent by emotionally separating from their parents and simultaneously developing a sense of trust in them. While these relational components have been addressed separately, studies focusing on the change in dynamics of these components are lacking. This study examined profiles of parent–youth relationship quality based on emotional separation and parental trust, age differences in the prevalence of these profiles, and age differences in the associations between the profiles, identity, and life satisfaction. Participants included 14,428 youth living in Japan from five age groups (44.8% girls/women; Mage = 20.6 years; range = 12–25 years). Six profiles were identified: healthy–independent, unhealthy–independent, balanced, moderate/ambivalent, connected, and distant. The connected profile was predominant among early adolescents, while the healthy–independent profile was predominant among late adolescents and early and middle emerging adults. Among all age groups, identity synthesis was the highest in the healthy–independent profile, and life satisfaction was the highest and identity confusion was the lowest in the healthy–independent and connected profiles. These findings indicate that young people navigate the process of becoming independent from their parents by balancing emotional separation and parental trust, and this balance relates to identity development and life satisfaction.

First do no harm: Principles of care for clients with sexual identity confusion and/or conflict.

Individuals who experience sexual identity confusion and/or conflict face unique stressors and life circumstances for which they may seek psychotherapy; however, little specific guidance exists for therapists working with clients who experience sexual identity confusion and/or conflict. To meet this need, we present a framework for therapists whose clients experience distress related to sexual identity confusion and/or conflict. We first define and describe sexual identity confusion and conflict, situating both in developmental theories of sexual identity. We then review clinical approaches that have been used historically to inform treatment with clients experiencing sexual identity confusion and/or conflict. Next, we discuss guiding ethical and clinical principles to inform such a clinical approach. Then, we provide assessment and treatment recommendations. We conclude by discussing considerations for working with clients who are diverse in gender identity, race/ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, and religious affiliation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Back to Bedlam: is mental health nursing going backwards?

Back to Bedlam: is mental health nursing going backwards?

Psychological Approach in Personality Development of Theodore Decker’s Character in “The Goldfinch”

<p>The research aims to describe the personality and the personality development of Theodore Decker through psychosocial development perspectives in the main character of The Goldfinch novel. His personality becomes an example of how family and social environment contribute to the development of one’s personality. The research method used in understanding and in analysing the novel was descriptive qualitative. The research results are: According to Erik Erikson’s eight stages in psychosocial development theory, Theo has passed four major stages they are the stages of initiative vs guilt (14%), industry vs inferiority (14%), identity vs role confusion (46%), and intimacy vs isolation (29%). Theo struggles to pass the stage of identity vs role confusion. It has led him to the situation where he faces difficulties on understanding his identity and role within society. Theo is grown up as a person with less empathy for others, struggles with his drug addiction, and has trouble making commitments; Erik Erikson’s psychosocial development of the personality emphasizes the social influences in the development of the ego. Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development has eight distinct stages. Completing each step results in a healthy personality and the acquisition of the ego to resolve subsequent crises. Conversely, failure to complete a set will lead to ability reduction in completing further stages and an unhealthier personality and sense of self. Instead of focusing on sexual development, this theory is interesting in how children socialize and how social environment affects their senses.</p>

Geleneksel Sokak Karakterini Oluşturan Fiziksel Bileşenlerin Bahtiyar Yokuşu ve Hacı Osman Sokak Üzerinden Değerlendirilmesi

Hızlı nüfus artışı, sanayileşme, sosyal yaşam koşullarındaki değişimler, bilinçsiz müdahale ve restorasyonlar, koruma amaçlı imar planlarının yetersiz olması ve hızlı teknolojik gelişmeler kentlerde bir kimlik kargaşasının oluşmasına yol açmaktadır. Bu kontrolsüz kentleşme ve yenidünya şartlarına uyum sağlama çabası sonucunda kentlerin mekânsal kimliğini yansıtan dokularda tahribatlar yaşanmaktadır. Buna bağlı olarak kentlerimizin geleneksel sokak dokuları da bozulma eğilimine girmektedir. Kahramanmaraş’ın geleneksel sokaklarında da bu bozulma gözlenebilir. Son yıllarda kimlik kavramının gündemde olması ile, yerel yönetimlerin kentlerin tarihini canlandırmak üzere yaptıkları çalışmalarda bir artış söz konusudur. Bu durum, geleneksel kentsel mekân ve konutların koruma ve onarım çalışmalarına görsel ve kültürel açıdan daha anlaşılabilir olmasını sağlayan diğer fiziksel bileşenlerin dâhil edilmesi gerekliliğini arttırmaktadır. Bu bağlamda çalışma, Kahramanmaraş’ın geleneksel sokaklarının en belirgin iki örneği olan Bahtiyar Yokuşu ve Hacı Osman Sokak karakterlerinin oluşumuna katkıda bulunan fiziksel bileşenlerin ve niteliklerinin belirlenmesi üzerine kurgulanmıştır. Çalışmanın yöntemi üç aşamadan oluşmaktadır. Öncelikle çalışma kapsamında, sokakların karakterini belirleyen fiziksel bileşenler hakkında detaylı bir literatür taraması gerçekleştirilmiştir. Bu taramalarda, konut-avlu/bahçe-sokak düzeninin geleneksel sokak karakterini oluşturan bileşenler arasında en dışavurumcu unsurlar olduğu ortaya çıkmaktadır. Çalışmanın ikinci aşamasında, araştırma alanının fiziksel bileşenlerinin nitelik ve nicelikleri belirlenmiştir. Son aşamada ise, geleneksel sokak dokusuna katkıda bulunan fiziksel bileşenlerin ilişkileri değerlendirilmiştir. Çalışma sonucunda Kahramanmaraş’ın geleneksel sokak dokusunu tarihi konutlar şekillendirmekte olup bu dokuyu karakterize eden en önemli fiziksel bileşenin ise kapı (%86) olduğu belirlenmiştir.

The Multidimensional Inventory of Dissociation (MID) in Depersonalization Disorder: General Findings with a Clinical Emphasis on Memory and Identity Disturbances

ABSTRACT The Multidimensional Inventory of Dissociation (MID) was administered to 23 participants diagnosed with DSM-IV-TR Depersonalization Disorder (DDD) by structured interview. The MID has not been previously examined in DDD and does not generate a diagnostic formula for the disorder. Mean MID score for the sample was modestly elevated at 18.54, and was significantly correlated with Dissociative Experiences Scale, Cambridge Depersonalization Scale, and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire scores. Criterion A (General Dissociation) Depersonalization and Depersonalization scale scores were markedly elevated (41.70 and 40.98 respectively), followed by moderate elevations in the Identity Confusion (36.01), Trance (25.44), and Memory Problems (23.30) scales. Criterion B (Intrusions from partly dissociated self-states) mean score was modestly elevated (19.13) and declined to 13.67 once items overlapping with the Depersonalization and Identity Confusion scales were excluded. Criterion C (fully dissociated manifestations of other self-states) mean score was minimally elevated (6.57). Of the 168 pathological dissociation items, 55 were clinically elevated in DDD. Closer examination of the Intrusions and Amnesia items that were modestly elevated in DDD revealed that these items did not reflect the presence of alters, but rather represented known depersonalization-related phenomena. We propose a preliminary formula, based on cutoff scores for Criterion A Depersonalization and/or Derealization, Criterion B, and Criterion C (≥20, ≤28, ≤11) for the sensitive diagnosis of DDD (82.6% of participants), which would require future investigation for replication and determination of specificity vis-à-vis the other dissociative disorders.

The effects of perceived destination restorative qualities on tourists’ self-identity: A tale of two destinations

Isolation and anomie caused by the modern life has created multiple identity threats. Tourists’ destination experience has long been considered as a unique way of identity construction. However, little research has investigated whether and how environmental restoration qualities in the tourism context can possibly reinforce self-identity and counteract the effect of identity confusion. Guided by the Attention Restoration Theory, this study aims to develop and test a model to examine the relationships between the dimensions of perceived destination restorative qualities (PDRQs) and tourist self-identity with two tourist samples in China collected in two distinctive destinations (Sample 1, n = 361; Sample 2, n = 323). Results show that in both samples, the PDRQs dimensions of compatibility and mentally-away positively contributed to self-identity, while the dimension of physically-away had no significant effect on self-identity. In addition, the dimensions of extent and fascination had differentiated effects on self-identity across the two samples. This study provides empirical evidence to show that destinations have the potential to promote tourist identity reconstruction.

근거이론 방법론을 통한 공공 정책 참여에 대한 시민의 경험 해석: 서울특별시 서대문구 지역사회혁신계획을 사례로

This paper analyzes the experiences of citizens' participation in public policy participation through grounded theory for the Local Community Innovation Plan in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul as a case. “The discovery of regional problems and the desire to contribute to the region” was analyzed in a causal condition. The contextual condition appeared “strengthening the authority of citizen and strengthening resident initiative”. The combination of causal and contextual conditions has emerged as a central phenomenon of "resolution of regional problems and expectations for regional change". The moderating condition, which is the condition that mitigates or changes the influence on the central phenomenon, was derived as "confusion of identity about the role of the person". As an action/interaction strategy for the mediating condition of “identity confusion about one’s role,” it was found that they responded through “self-esteem and a sense of achievement in public activities”. “Growth of participating citizens and strengthening local problem-solving capacity” was derived as a result of the public policy participation process. The policy implications through the analysis of the experience of participating citizens on the process of public policy participation are as follows.,First, it is necessary to diversify participation methods and opportunities such as expansion of open recruitment, and to strengthen the promotion of participation through various promotional media such as homepage, banner, poster, and text sending. Second, it is necessary to experience the results of participation and to establish a system in which the results of participation are reflected in policies and systems. Third, it is necessary to activate citizen participation that can be deliberated and publicized in the process of citizen participation. Fourth, it is necessary to design the process of public policy participation as a place of social learning for citizens.

Religiosity, Identity Confusion, and Psychological Well-Being in Turkish University Students: The Moderating Role of Religious Orientation.

Research conducted in industrialized democracies where Christianity is the prevailing religion has suggested that religiosity may play an important role in identity development and well-being. This study examined the associations between religiosity, religious orientation, identity confusion, and psychological well-being in 488 Turkish university students. The results revealed that extrinsic religious orientation was positively associated with identity confusion. On the other hand, religiosity, extrinsic religious orientation, and identity confusion were negatively associated with psychological well-being, while intrinsic religious orientation was positively associated with psychological well-being. Moderation analysis indicated that extrinsic religious orientation could facilitate psychological well-being in the midst of severe identity confusion.