Interpersonal Spheres Research Articles

Effects of positivity training on character strengths, time perspective, and self-awareness in women with depression

Background and objectivesDepression exerts significant negative impacts across various life domains, including social interactions, occupational functioning, and economic well-being. These effects permeate both personal and interpersonal spheres. However, it seems that character strengths, time perspective, and self-awareness play a critical role in promoting mental well-being. The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of positivity training on character strengths, time perspective, and self-awareness in depressed women. MethodPurposive sampling was employed to select 50 participants with depression based on the cut-off point (a score of 20 or greater) in Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI-II). They were then randomly assigned to a control group (n = 25) and an experimental group (n = 25). This quasi-experimental research adopted a pretest-posttest control group design. The experimental group received eight weekly 90-min sessions of positivity training. The control group participants did not receive any specific intervention related to depression management. The character strength scale, time perspective scale, self-awareness scale, and BDI-II were used to collect data. Data analysis methods included descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (ANCOVA). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS software. ResultsThe study included a sample of 50 women diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). The participants' mean age was 38.03 years (SD = 7.96). Positivity training enhanced character strengths in women with depression. Moreover, the positivity intervention affected the time perspective factors of those women. It reduced “past negative” and “present fatalistic” and increased “past positive,” “present hedonistic,” and “future.” Finally, positivity training significantly increased self-awareness in women with depression (p < 0.01). LimitationsThe sample size was relatively small, which limits the statistical inferences. ConclusionsIn conclusion, this study provides promising initial evidence for the potential of positivity training as an intervention to improve character strengths, time perspective, and self-awareness in women with MDD. Further research is warranted to confirm and expand upon these findings, ultimately informing the development of more comprehensive treatment approaches for depression.

MEANINGFULNESS OF LIFE AND SELF-EFFICACY OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Introduction. The article is devoted to an urgent problem in modern reality: the state of self-efficacy and life-meaning orientations among high school students as factors of life achievements, well-being and success in the chosen field.&#x0D; Purpose: to summarize the empirical results of the study of the relationship between self-efficacy and high school students, which will allow psychologists to take into account the revealed facts in working with students aimed at developing their self-efficacy in the personal and activity sphere, based on a real assessment of the meaning of life, life plans and values.&#x0D; The scientific novelty of the presented data is in confirming the fact of the relationship between the types and components of self-efficacy, on the one hand, and the meaning-of-life orientations of the individual, on the other.&#x0D; Methodology and methods. The research was carried out on the basis of subject-activity and humanistic approaches with the implementation of psychodiagnostic and theoretical methods (analysis, comparison, generalization), methods of structural and genetic data analysis.&#x0D; Results. The relevance of identifying and taking into account the relationship of self-efficacy and life-meaning orientations in the context of effective maturation and personality formation of high school students is substantiated; empirical data and their author’s analysis are presented using three methods.&#x0D; The scope of the results: education, development, psychological counseling, psychocorrection, psychoprophylaxis, socio-psychological design.&#x0D; Conclusion. The presented results confirmed that there is a direct relationship between the components of the CSR and the self-efficacy of the individual: the higher the life-sense orientations are developed, the higher the level of self-efficacy in general, self-efficacy in the subject and interpersonal spheres; the higher the self-efficacy of the individual, the more mature the life-sense orientations are.

Gender-Role Features of Identity Crisis in Persons with Non-Traditional Sexual Orientation

The article presents a study of gender-role features of crisis identity in persons with non-traditional sexual orientation. A number of definitions of identity are given based on the analysis of foreign and domestic works. It is noted that the identity of a person is determined by individual typological factors that determine the functioning of the subject in the social space. The characteristic of the identity of persons with non-traditional sexual orientation is given. The results of an empirical study of gender-role features of crisis identity in persons with non-traditional sexual orientation are presented, according to which male persons with non-traditional sexual orientation are characterized by higher indicators of crisis identity compared to women. In the course of the study, gender-role differences of crisis identity were revealed in relation to such components as the presence of negative triggers, relationships in professional, family and interpersonal spheres, as well as in emotional and behavioral aspects.

George P. Prigatano’s contributions to neuropsychological rehabilitation and clinical neuropsychology: A 50-year perspective

In the 1970s and 1980s, a multitude of cognitive rehabilitation programs proliferated to facilitate recovery after brain injury. However only a few programs provided a framework for ameliorating disturbances in the cognitive, psychological, and interpersonal spheres of the brain-injured patient. Greatly influenced by Leonard Diller and Yehuda Ben-Yishay’s ideas and methods, George P. Prigatano began, in early 1980, a holistic neuropsychological rehabilitation program at the Presbyterian Hospital in Oklahoma City (Oklahoma). The objective of this paper is to summarize the contributions of George P. Prigatano to neuropsychological rehabilitation and clinical neuropsychology during his 50th year of practice. The main body of the paper is structured in three sections. The first section briefly explains the history of neuropsychological rehabilitation in the twentieth century and the emergence of holistic neuropsychological rehabilitation programs in the 1970s. The second section describes the contributions of George P. Prigatano to neuropsychological rehabilitation and clinical neuropsychology (written by AGM). In the third section, the second author (GPP) prepared an autobiographical statement, which attempts to summarize some of the personal and professional experiences which influenced his work. George P. Prigatano’s contributions to neuropsychological rehabilitation and clinical neuropsychology are essential to understanding the therapeutic approaches currently used in the treatment of brain-injured patients.

Inclusion of elderly users via virtual spaces in the early stages of the innovation process

This article discusses collaborative innovation during the initial stages of firms' innovation processes via virtual spaces, focusing on a specific group: elderly users. These users represent a large and growing consumer market, which entails opportunities for companies developing products and services for elderly individuals. Firms that intend to meet the real needs of elders must involve those individuals in collaborative innovation processes. However, firms face challenges in the technical and interpersonal spheres when basing their early‐stage innovation activities on the virtual inclusion of elderly individuals, which has received little attention. Focusing on these challenges, this article presents an exploratory case study employing a participatory action research approach, in which the authors were part of a project aimed at the development of a method of including elderly users via virtual spaces. Pilot implementations helped the innovation intermediary develop an improved method to better capture elderly individuals' inputs. We found that special efforts must be made prior to the virtual activity to familiarize elderly individuals with the technology. Additionally, virtual activity demands a more active role from intermediaries for two reasons: first, representatives from client organizations do not feel confident in leading virtual discussions and second, social hints, emotions and feelings are more difficult to grasp in a virtual space than in real‐life interactions, which necessitates more focused and prepared intermediation. Elderly individuals' involvement is driven by their curiosity and desire to learn something new; therefore, the participation of elderly users must be valuable both to the organization's innovation process and to the elderly individuals themselves.

Can't get enough. Addiction to physical exercises: phenomenon, diagnostic criteria, etiology, therapy and research challenges.

Regular exercising has many health benefits and is rightly seen as positive, socially acceptable behavior. However, for the same reason, there is a high risk that patients and clinicians may overlook the danger of exercise addiction that causes harm in the somatic, emotional and interpersonal spheres. The current state of knowledge did not allow the inclusion of exercise addiction as a specific category in the current classifications ICD-10, ICD-11 and DSM-5. However, this disorder meets the general criteria for addiction and is therefore included in the canon of behavioral addiction. The purpose of the article is to present knowledge that will help in recognizing and understanding the physiological and psychological mechanisms associated with addiction to physical exercise and will introduce available methods of psychotherapy. The article is of areview nature and presents terminology, recognition criteria, epidemiological data, mechanisms of developing addiction, the most popular tools helpful in screening diagnosis or self-diagnosis and risk factors of developing exercise addiction. The authors also took into account the specific location of exercise addiction in the context of other mental disorders, controversies, inconsistencies in research results, and gaps in scientific data related to the discussed phenomenon. The summary proposes further research development pathways.

“Remarried military widows” grief in light of social policy upheavals

Military widows’ remarriages and their consequences have scarcely been studied. We examined how legal changes enacted on behalf of remarried war widows, who regained their official rights after many years without them, impacted their life experience. Based upon 29 qualitative interviews, we found that the reinstatement of official recognition of widowhood validated participants’ personal longitudinal grief but also revived painful loss-related feelings, which were expressed in interpersonal spheres. Policy changes allowed some widows a higher measure of independence, alongside upsetting the current couple’s power balance. Social and clinical implications of such interruptions in the longitudinal grief course are discussed.

Evaluating the effectiveness of the Family Connections program for caregivers of youth with mental health challenges, part II: A qualitative analysis

BackgroundThe Family Connections™ (FC) program is a 12‐week support and skill‐training program for caregivers of youth with mental health challenges. The intervention was originally developed with a focus on borderline personality disorder (BPD). It is important to understand the experiences of caregivers in such interventions, as well as its applicability beyond BPD, for the purposes of evaluation and ongoing program improvement.ObjectiveTo explore and analyse the experiences of caregivers of youth with diverse mental health challenges and who participated in FC.DesignSemi‐structured interviews with thirteen FC‐participating caregivers of youth with mental health challenges.ResultsThematic analysis uncovered three major themes regarding caregivers' experience with FC: (a) FC increased the caregivers' ability to manage their youth's mental health challenges; (b) participating in FC impacted their intra‐ and interpersonal spheres; and (c) improvements to the program were proposed. Following participation in FC, caregivers felt they learned a new approach to understanding themselves, their youth and mental health, and were better able to manage their youth's mental health challenges.Discussion and conclusionFC is a promising intervention for caregivers of youth with mental health challenges, beyond the traditional BPD focus. The intervention has the potential to provide broad‐based benefits for caregivers and should be considered for implementation and scale‐up across youth‐ and caregiver‐serving organizations. Potential areas of intervention flexibility and improvement are discussed.Patient/public contributionCaregivers were involved in the program development and facilitation of FC. A person with lived experience was involved with the analysis.

Suicidal Personality States: Research and Scientific Perspective

This article is written on the basis of dissertation material for the scientific degree of candidate of psychological sciences (PhD), on the basis of handwritten material. The topic of the dissertation is “Social and psychological correction of suicidal conditions in persons of mature age”. Theoretical-methodological analysis of approaches to the problem of the suicidal condition in adults, was carried out in a modern, scientific environment. It is substantiated that the suicidal condition means temporary, situational or internally-conditioned disintegration of a personality which arises when one sees it as impossible to overcome obstacles in achievement of vital goals by using methods formed on the basis of previous life experience. It is indicative that the suicidal condition can be manifested by signs of decrease and inflexibility of social integration that leads to violations in interpersonal, social and professional spheres of the personality. The analysis as conducted allowed identifying characteristic features of suicidal conditions at the current stage of development of social and economic relations and identifying characteristic features of such conditions that indicate suicidal intentions. An important point is that in order to determine the real suicide risk in adults, it is necessary to take into account not only factors that contribute to suicide, but also predictors that deter suicidal states and act as protective factors against suicide. On the basis of the research carried out in the dissertation material marks the connection of actual abilities of the person and ways of processing the conflict, which can lead to the formation and manifestation of behavioral reactions, in consequence of which there can be irreversible consequences in the form of suicide. As a result, the article analyzes the topic of the actual abilities of the person, which help cope with the oppressive situation, seemingly unsolvable. Special attention in the article is paid to the fact that due to actual abilities it is possible to form new views on the conflict leading to suicidal thoughts and to form a new vision of an “intolerable” conflict situation. The characteristic features of the PPT method being conflict-centered are highlighted and described; by applying a positive interpretation of the symptom arising from a highly stressful situation, it becomes possible to change the human condition from “intractable” to “solvable” and deactivate the intensity of suicidal thoughts, consequently lowering the risks and probability of suicidal thoughts to be carried out. Despair and the desire to end one’s life recede, which gives hope for a change in the life situation, through newly developed skills. The principle of hope, is extremely important and is one of the fundamental concepts of PPT. In the article it is traced that through the use of situational encouragement and goal enlargement it becomes possible to identify the individuality and uniqueness of a given person, to clarify the life prospects of the future that will inevitably lead to the discovery of creative potentials inherent in this person, which were displaced or suppressed by situations of acute (macro) or chronic (micro) stress and trauma, resulting in “tunnel thinking”, which created a sense of “hopelessness” and no way out of the current situation On the basis of the study, it was found that the use of the PPT method in work with suicidal people, gives great prospects for changes in the cognitive abilities of the personality, its perception and reaction to stressful situations, as well as the acquisition of new meanings of life and other ideas about its quality.

The influence of the dimensions of perfectionism on the formation of emotional maladjustment

The growing complexity of the medical profession places increased demands on the future physician’s adaptive capacity. The problem of the relationship of the aff ective spectrum disorders with such a dysfunctional personality trait as perfectionism is intensively discussed in clinical psychology. Medical students are in a more diffi cult position than others. It’s related to their future profession requires a high level of training and also associated with a high responsibility for the lives and patient’s health. High pace, intense workload, stress of life makes increased demands on the compensatory mechanisms of the medical student’s psyche, failure of which leads to psychological and social confl icts. The paper presents an empirical study of the severity of symptoms of depression, anxiety, and daily stress as the main components of emotional maladaptation, depending on the level of perfectionism in the medical student environment in conditions of increased psychological stress and pre-examination stress. Subjects with a low level of perfectionism are as emotionally prosperous as possible - they have no signs of depression in 89% of cases. In the group of subjects with a medium level of perfectionism, the number of respondents in whom there are no signs of depression decreases and the number with mild, moderate and high levels of depression increases. In the group with a high level of perfectionism, the number of people without signs of depression is half of the whole group, a sharp increase in the number of subjects with moderate and high levels of depression. The level of depression in all three groups is statistically signifi cantly diff erent from each other: the lowest in the group with a low level of perfectionism and the highest in the group with a high level of perfectionism (p &lt;0.001). Positive correlations between the general indicator of perfectionism, its separate parameters and indicators of depression, anxiety and daily stress in the studied groups are revealed. The data obtained as a result of the study confi rm the high level of emotional maladaptation of medical students. In the academic student medical environment, respondents with a pronounced level of perfectionism experience more high-intensity, daily stress (both in the interpersonal and academic spheres of student life) compared to respondents with moderate and low levels of perfectionism.

PSYCHOLOGICAL TIME AND SELF-EFFICACY OF THE INDIVIDUAL

Background: The article presents the features of psychological time as one of the factors of self-efficacy of the individual. The belief in the efficacy of one’s own actions is an indicator of the potential success of a person. Attention is paid to various aspects of psychological time, which provide a high subject and interpersonal self-efficacy of the individual. Aim. This paper aims to determine the relationship between the self-efficacy of the individual and the components of psychological time, including the features of time perspective, personal competence in time and exposure to time disruptors. Materials and methods. The following questionnaires were used: the subject and interpersonal self-efficacy test, the time perspective questionnaire, the diagnostics of personal disorganizers and personal competence in time. The data obtained were subjected to correlation analysis with the Spearman coefficient. Results. The self-efficacy of a person is higher in the following conditions: goals and plans for the future are more expressed; perception of ones own past as filled with negativity and disappointments is less pronounced; the attitude to the present as independent of the subject's will is less pronounced. Interpersonal self-efficacy of a person is promoted by: orientation to setting life goals and future prospects; ability to getting one’s affairs in order, problem concentrating, showing interest in life and work. Conclusion. Subjects with high indicators of self-efficacy in both the subject and interpersonal spheres are characterized by: a high level of personal competence in time; low indicators of time disruptors. Subjects with high self-efficacy only in subject activities are characterized by: a high level of focus on the future; acceptance of their past without pain and frustration; perception of their present as dependent on their will and aspirations. Subjects with primary self-efficacy in interpersonal relationships are characterized by: the formation of life goals and intentions, the ability to see personal perspectives, an indifferent attitude to work, and the desire for activity. The results of the study can be used for correctional, developmental, and advisory psychological support for improving self-efficacy in individuals.

FEATURES OF THE MANIFESTATION OF REHABILITATIVE ACTIVITY IN PATIENTS WITH PRINCIPAL DISABLING PATHOLOGIES

The article presents the results of a psychological study of patients with principal disabling pathologies that form the main structure of disability in the Russian Federation due to malignant neoplasms: diseases of the circulatory system; diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue; diseases of the endocrine system and metabolic disorders (diabetes mellitus of the first and second types). The article presents the results of studying a sample of patients by various psychological parameters, provides statistical comparisons of psychological characteristics of patients depending on the specifics of their social situation, in which patients either claim to be disabled and are under conditions of medical and social expertise, implying the possibility of changing social status, or patients of the same nosological categories, who do not claim to be disabled and who are rehabilitating on the basis of their own personal and socio-environmental resources outside of the "disabled" status. Psychological techniques are presented, the specificity of emotional and personal parameters is analyzed and characterized, including personality frustration and experience of the significance of the disease in the spheres of life, self-esteem indicators, identification characteristics, strategies that provide rehabilitation adherence, which characterize the activity of patients in the compared groups in many ways. The conceptual position that defines the activity of patients as «rehabilitative» has been substantiated. The results of the study revealed statistically significant differences in psychological indicators in the compared groups of patients rehabilitating outside the "disabled" status and patients claiming to be disabled. The indicators obtained in the study indicate that the personal self-regulation of patients rehabilitating outside the «disabled» status qualitatively differs from the self-regulation of patients claiming disability, in terms of stable self-esteem and belief in the ability to realize life in significant areas of social functioning, in the ability of perspective planning of the future, in active self-realization of social roles, active participation in interpersonal, leisure, professional, household and other spheres, high responsibility for one's health, against the background of stable emotional perception of the current social situation of the disease.

Abuse Characteristics, Multiple Victimisation and Resilience among Young Adult Males with Histories of Childhood Sexual Abuse

Although researchers now concede that one in six men experiences childhood sexual abuse (CSA), this population remains understudied in both the empirical and clinical literature. Little is known about the characteristics of males' CSA experiences (e.g. duration, child‐perpetrator relationship) and about resilient functioning. This study described young adult males' abuse experiences during childhood and their current adaptive functioning. Participants were recruited from across North America through websites geared specifically for males with CSA histories. The sample included 46 males aged 17–25 years who anonymously completed an online questionnaire. Findings indicated that males tended to experience severe CSA, including early age of onset, invasive sexual acts and the use of perpetrator force. Males also reported the co‐occurrence of other forms of childhood maltreatment and adversity, including parental conflict, neglect, physical abuse and emotional maltreatment. Finally, males reported lower rates of resilience on standardised measures, compared with adult community samples in North America. However, scores were consistent with clinical age‐based norms for adolescents with trauma histories. This study contributes to the growing awareness of male CSA, multiple victimisation and its diverse outcomes. Implications of these findings for future research and clinical practice are considered. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.‘Contributes to the growing awareness of male CSA, multiple victimisation and its diverse outcomes’Key Practitioner Messages The experiences of CSA among males were found to be severe and to occur alongside other forms of victimisation and adversity. Males with CSA histories experienced difficulties in their adaptation, in terms of coping with stress and functioning across work, school and interpersonal spheres. It is important that practitioners consider the serious impact of male CSA across multiple areas of functioning and inquire about other forms of victimisation when working with this population.

Potential risks in cross-cultural communication in construction

Cross-cultural communication has many potential risks which occur due to errors in different spheres. In construction, interaction errors are dangerous as they can lead to serious undesirable consequences. Although there are many theoretical works on cross-cultural communication, the practical application of this knowledge is often difficult. This research is aimed to fill this gap by examining a case study with subsequent analysis of the mistakes made, evaluation of potential risks, and recommendations aimed at eliminating or at least reducing such risks. The study revealed that predominantly several errors are committed simultaneously, and by both parties on three levels: non-verbal, verbal communication, and in general behaviour. The findings indicate that possible risks can be significantly reduced or completely eliminated provided that the parties are able to competently navigate the situation. The suggested approach to studying cross-cultural communication can help people enhance the quality of interaction both in professional and interpersonal spheres.

Psychological Aspects of Realizing Individual Educational Activity of Preschool Children

Determining and systemizing children’s typical difficulties in learning the program material of an educational institution, as well as searching for causes of these difficulties emergence. Based on experimental psychological study of informative, emotional and strong-willed and interpersonal spheres as the mechanism of the child’s perception of the world around. For the first time there are revealed and systemized the features of the mental processes formation at the preschool age children experiencing difficulties in leaning the program material of an educational institution. There is defined the mechanism of the difficulties emergence that consists in a variable level of the mental processes development. Based on the results of this study there is possible organization of the purposeful psychological and pedagogical assistance to children experiencing difficulties in leaning the program material of an educational institution. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2016.v7n2p251

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder: General overview, treatment strategies, and focus on sertraline for symptom-onset dosing.

Byline: Chittaranjan. Andrade Introduction The premenstrual syndrome is a common clinical condition; its prevalence depends on the threshold set for its identification. This article briefly describes its clinical features, examines issues related to its nomenclature and prevalence, considers controversies related to the diagnosis, and discusses its treatment. Special attention is paid to the use of sertraline as a treatment administered specifically within the window of symptom presence. Nomenclature Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) has had a checkered history in the psychiatric nomenclature. Commonly referred to in lay parlance as premenstrual tension, it has been known as the premenstrual syndrome, late luteal phase dysphoric disorder, and now, premenstrual tension syndrome (International Classification of Diseases-10[sup]th revision [ICD-10]) or PMDD (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fifth edition [DSM 5]). The current ICD-10 criteria are broad and easy to endorse;[sup][1] as a result, the current ICD concept would include a substantial proportion of women during their reproductive lifespan. In contrast, the DSM criteria are narrow and specific;[sup][1] as a result, the current DSM concept would identify only women at the severe end of the spectrum. As a striking example, in a sample of college students, the prevalence of the premenstrual syndrome was found to be 3.7% and 91.4%, depending on whether DSM or ICD criteria were applied.[sup][2] Prevalence PMDD is a modestly common condition. The prevalence of PMDD is 3%–9%.[sup][3] Similar numbers have been reported from India. In a small, early study of 62 women, Banerjee et al .[sup][4] obtained a prevalence of 6.4% for PMDD in New Delhi. In a larger, more recent study, Raval et al .[sup][2] identified a prevalence of 3.7% in a sample of 489 college girls in Bhavnagar, Gujarat. Mishra et al .[sup][5] obtained a prevalence of 37% in 100 female medical students residing in hostel facilities in Ahmedabad, Gujarat; this outlying finding may have resulted from the special nature of the sample, selection bias (symptom-free girls not returning the questionnaire), and other methodological issues. Other figures obtained were 4.7% in a sample of 1355 adolescent girls in Anand, Gujarat,[sup][6] 12.2% in a sample of 221 high school girls in Ahmedabad,[sup][7] and 10% in a sample of nursing staff and students in Wardha, Maharashtra.[sup][8] Clinical Features PMDD comprises mood symptoms such as anxiety, depression, irritability, anger, or affective lability; physical symptoms such as bloating or muscle pain; and other symptoms, such as poor concentration, decreased interests, lethargy, and changes in sleep and appetite. The symptoms require to be present across several menstrual cycles, appear in the week before the onset of a menstrual period, and diminish and disappear shortly after the onset of the period. To merit diagnostic status, the symptoms need to cause significant distress or impairment in work, social, or interpersonal spheres of functioning.[sup][9] Controversies PMDD has for long been a controversial diagnosis. It has been considered to stigmatize or marginalize women, to comprise an attempt by the pharmaceutical industry, to medicalize a normal experience, and to represent a culture-specific syndrome rather than a universally prevalent condition. These and other concerns about the research on PMDD were addressed in a detailed review by Hartlage et al .;[sup][10] the authors concluded that PMDD is a global disorder that merits full diagnostic attention. Treatment A large number of treatments have been trialed for PMDD. These include hormonal treatments, psychological treatments (from stress management to formal psychotherapy), physical treatments (e.g. yoga, aerobic exercise), mineral supplements (e.g. calcium), nutritional supplements (e. …

Metamorphoses of alcohol addiction’s pathomorphism and the new approaches to its treatment

Aim : to elaborate the differentiated system of medical and rehabilitation accompaniment of patients from the position of biopsychosocial approach to the modern pathomorphism of alcohol addiction (AA). Methods : retrospective analysis of medical documentation, clinical and anamnestic, social and demographic, clinical and psychopathologic, psychodiagnostic, statistical. Results . In the research it was proved an existence of such phenomenon as pathomorphism of AA in the modern period, identified its meaning content and marked out its psychosocial, clinical and therapeutic forms that can exist separately or turn from the one to another causing the complication of medical and social effects of AA. It was also established the specificity of clinical and psychopathologic and social peculiarities of AA that were systematized as indicators of intensity of the harmful effects of AA that were united into clusters of signs in aspect of optimization of its complex treatment: minimal, apparent and heavy harmful effects. It was proved the necessity of its detection as a criterion of differentiation of the choice of content and volume of measures of medical and rehabilitation accompaniment of patients with AA depending on heaviness of the harmful effects of an alcohol disease. It was detected the peculiarities of an ability to perception of the social support in persons with alcoholic addiction. Compromise of emotional and volitional features of person and the low communicative and emotional competence that form a personal resource of perception of the social support and also the negative dynamics of the aforesaid phenomenon in patients with AA in progression of disease were defined as the main impact factors on the process of perception of the social support. On the base of analysis and generalization of received data there was elaborated an algorithm of assessment of rehabilitation potential (RP) of patients with AA as a criterion of differentiation of the volume and content of the measures of medical and rehabilitation accompaniment – an integral indicator that includes a standardized assessment of psychosocial, clinical and therapeutic resources of patient. The two-phased system of medical and rehabilitation accompaniment that consists of inpatient and out-patient treatment and differentiated depending on the RP of patient was scientifically ground, elaborated and introduced into clinical practice. Conclusions . An introduction of this system with detection of changes in clinical, psychosocial and personal\interpersonal spheres of patient lives proved its efficiency compared with measures of regulated therapy.

A typology of diversion: legitimating discourses of tourism attraction, oil extraction and climate action in Newfoundland and Labrador

Focusing on the case of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada's easternmost province, we analyse a typology of diversionary techniques that lend legitimacy to the contradictory projects of expanding tourism and fossil fuel use, on the one hand, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, on the other hand. We combine the work of two bodies of legitimacy theory within environmental sociology. First, we draw on techniques of distraction, as detailed by Freudenburg and Alario and Gramling and Freudenburg, to explore how discursive misdirection maintains an incongruous status quo in the public and political spheres. Second, we draw on Norgaard’s work on cultural nonresponse that describes how climate change denial is constructed in private and interpersonal spheres. Informed by policy documents and interviews with stakeholders, we identify and analyse three legitimation techniques – pursuing divergent policies, manipulating timelines and diverting attention – that sustain policy tensions and delay substantive climate action. By combining and extending public and private spheres of legitimation theory, we identify a complex typology of interrelated techniques used by actors to actively construct, and arguably distort, social-ecological relationships.

Creating bridges to the future: The poetic dimension through family life

In their article, Jovchelovitch, Priego-Hernandez, and Glaveanu (2013) document how children from societies characterized by collectivist ideologies, or who experience poverty and/or marginalization, may experience an accelerated process of decentration. In these children, the public world and its complexity are foregrounded in their drawings, and they show a strengthened connection between themselves and the public world relative to normative assumptions for their age. While the target article is largely focused on the outcomes of development, this commentary will further elaborate the processes of development. Process-focused accounts centralize the concept of emergence. We here consider the notion of poetic motion as a metaphor for human development that centralizes the notion of emergence. The study of phenomena circumscribed in this field cannot avoid recognizing the uncertainty that underlies the person's developmental experience—in impoverished environments or otherwise. Novelty emerges from a meaning-making field, within which the developing person moves, negotiating heterogeneous, ambivalent demands. In an everyday context—especially one of “living with fear”—that may be associated with marginalization and poverty, both children and adults act “as-if” the world were different, creating distance from the here-and-now and constructing bridges to the future. This process entails active imagination, in the intra and interpersonal spheres. This paper analyzes a case study to understand meaning-making processes in impoverished conditions. We look at how poverty limits developmental contexts, yet how, simultaneously, there can be psychological novelty in a very positive way, constructed through semiotically mediated, imagination driven, meaning-making processes.

International Child Rights in National Constitutions: Good Sense or Nonsense for Ireland?

This paper explores how international child rights have empowered Ireland's institutions and actors to advocate for the incorporation of child rights into the national constitution. Moreover, the constitution and child rights hold more than legal significance, influencing political, economic, social and interpersonal spheres in a country. Consequently, constitutional child rights should improve respect of and the general situation of children. As part of the research process some children were consulted, and their contributions are incorporated throughout the paper.