Self Psychology Research Articles

Disrupting being on an industrial scale: Towards a theorization of Māori ways-of-being

The discipline of psychology grew out of European philosophy into a unique discipline that retained reductionist assumptions regarding knowledge production and ways-of-being. Born out of dissatisfaction with the dominance and ineffectiveness of Anglo-European/American assumptions in psychology, and how the discipline obscured culturally unique ways-of-being and producing knowledge, Indigenous scholars are working to decolonize psychology. This article contributes to this Indigenous project by exploring the ways in which dominant reductionist philosophies in psychology today theorize away Indigenous peoples’ understanding of being. Drawing on the continental and existential philosophical tradition, and Māori (Indigenous peoples of New Zealand) knowledge of being, we provide a critique of how the self has been recast in psychology through a reductionist perspective. We set dominant theorizing and knowledge production regarding the self in psychology against the backdrop of processes of colonization, industrialization, urbanization, and the need for the development of Indigenous psychologies to meet the needs of Indigenous peoples.

The Constructed Self in Law and PsychologyThe Constructed Self in Law and Psychology

The Constructed Self in Law and PsychologyThe Constructed Self in Law and Psychology

Understanding the Self in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD): A Review of Literature.

When the system of self is explored in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs), it is important to measure it via both their own perceptions of the self and their understanding of others’ perceptions on themselves at a multidimensional level. This paper reviews existing research in this area using a three-dimension approach. Researchers have found that impairments in the self-system are usually correlated with these individuals’ social and cognitive functioning levels: high functioning individuals with ASD who have higher IQ are found to have better awareness of their limitations in social and communication domains than those with lower IQ. Many researchers believe that there are impairments in the psychological (but not physical) self in individuals with ASD, such as theory of mind deficits due to social and communicative impairments. On the other hand, some researchers argue that individuals with ASD have selective rather than global impairments in the self. In other words, the impairment usually lies in a specific aspect of functioning in individuals with ASD. Insights from the review of existing literature on this topic may be able to shed some lights on the development of effective intervention programs to improve social communication deficits in this population.

Female Mexican Immigrants in the United States: Cultural Knowledge and Healing

ABSTRACTMexican American immigrant women have faced many adversities historically, resulting in significant injuries to their physical and psychological selves. In attempts to heal from such injuries, these women have long engaged in self-healing through maintenance of their own cultural values, identities, and beliefs and also through working with, or even becoming, traditional healers. Such healing processes can be seen as a form of adjustment to a new culture, as well as a maintenance of native culture (Espin, 1996) and may take the form of a blending of cultures representing a “new indigeneity.” This article highlights such healing practices, including the role of cultural values and beliefs for healing, as well as current efforts to blend cultural healing practices within a framework of equality and respect.

Psychological and Academic Self-Concept Among Non-Arabic Speakers

Objective - Self−concept, which is usually defined as the orientation of the learner to the goal of learning the second language, has a major role in language education and is considered an essential component of L2 acquisition. This paper examines academic and psychological self−concepts and their correlation with Chinese non−Arabic−speaking students in selected Islamic institutes in China. Methodology/Technique - Quantitative data were collected by randomly distributing 250 questionnaires to target students. These questionnaires were designed to measure the extent of psychological and academic self−concepts of the participants. Findings - The study found that Chinese students have an average degree of self−concept. Academic self−concept is significantly positively correlated with psychological self−concept at α ≤ 0.05. Novelty - The study contributes to literature of academic and psychological self−concept using original data. Type of Paper: Empirical Keywords: Psychological; Academic; Self−Concept; Non−Arabic Speakers JEL Classification: I21, I23.

Abstract B18: Exploring the lived experience of young African American breast cancer survivorship: Early results toward informing a psychoeducational intervention

Abstract Background/Purpose Recent data indicate that 11% of the 230,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer each year are young (18-44). Though the five-year survival rates of these young women are improving, there are large health disparities in breast cancer survivorship among young African American women in the United States (e.g. higher breast cancer incidence and mortality when compared with young Caucasians). Further, young African American breast cancer survivors (YAABCS) report poorer quality of life than young Caucasians. Despite recommendations to provide evidence-based and tailored survivorship care for cancer survivors, there are about 23,000 YAABCS between the ages of 20-49 living in a southern tri-state area (Alabama- AL, Louisiana- LA, and Mississippi- MS) for whom a comprehensive breast cancer survivorship education/support intervention does not exist. As few studies have examined YAABCS's survivorship experiences and/or tested intervention efficacy among this group, further study of their survivorship is warranted to inform the adaptation of an age- and culturally-specific survivorship psychoeducational intervention for YAABCS. As part of an ongoing dissertation study, a Research Tested Intervention Program called the Breast Cancer Education Intervention (BCEi) is being adapted into Y-AMBIENT (the BCEi for YAABCS). The purpose of this abstract is to describe early results of the lived experience of young African American breast cancer survivorship, which will be used to inform the adaptation of Y-AMBIENT. Methods A transcendental phenomenological study design guided by the conceptual framework of the BCEi (Quality of Life Model Applied to Breast Cancer [QOL-BC]) was used. A purposive and snowball sample of YAABCS was recruited from AL, LA, and MS. The study recruitment flyer was disseminated online and via email through breast cancer-affiliated organizations and support groups. Word-of mouth dissemination was also encouraged. Data collected included two semi-structured interviews, a sociodemographic survey, volunteered personal effects from YAABCS, and field/reflective notes. Data were analyzed using NVivo11 Software (qualitative data) and IBM SPSS Software v. 23 (quantitative data), then validated among participating YAABCS. Early Results Early results of the ongoing dissertation study were informed by 7 of 15 YAABCS (mean age= 32 years; mean survivorship= 4 years). These YAABCS perceived survivorship as a labile, new normal. Feeling as though survivorship was a burden, YAABCS described the need to be “strong” for themselves and others. These women actively structured their lives to manage changes to their physical, psychological, social, and spiritual selves. While YAABCS reported successful survivorship management to co-survivors and others, they acknowledged that survivorship was an ongoing “struggle” in which spirituality and survivorship education were key. Discussion/Conclusion Early results indicated a fluid and complex experience of survivorship among YAABCS. While most reported an intensive need for spiritual connection, all reported a need for more comprehensive survivorship education. Thus, a tailored survivorship education intervention may be needed for YAABCS. Future Directions The ongoing dissertation study to adapt Y-AMBIENT will be informed by the lived experience of young African American breast cancer survivorship. Future research examining YAABCS's perceptions of the BCEi and the inter-relation of QOL-BC constructs may inform this and future interventions that aim to decrease quality of life health disparities among YAABCS. Acknowledgements This research is funded by an American Cancer Society Doctoral Degree Scholarship in Cancer Nursing (DSCN-15-073-01), Susan G. Komen Graduate Traineeship in Disparities Research, Jonas Nurse Leaders Scholarship, and Gladys Farmer Colvin Doctoral Fellowship. Citation Format: Timiya S. Nolan, Tiffany L. Carson, Susan Davies, Comfort Enah, Nataliya Ivankova, Karen Meneses. Exploring the lived experience of young African American breast cancer survivorship: Early results toward informing a psychoeducational intervention. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Ninth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2016 Sep 25-28; Fort Lauderdale, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2017;26(2 Suppl):Abstract nr B18.

Metaphysical Resources for the Treatment of Violence: The Self-Action Distinction.

Metaphysical Resources for the Treatment of ViolenceThe Self–Action Distinction Alexandra Pârvan (bio) Keywords Metaphysical care, violent offenders, psychotherapy, Augustine The commentaries by Warren Kinghorn and Giuseppe Butera provide me with the welcome opportunity to reaffirm and briefly address a concern that lies at the core of my work in recent years. It regards the lack of a metaphysical perspective and consequently metaphysically informed interventions, or what I recently came to term 'metaphysical care' (Pârvan, 2015), in psychological and medical treatments when there are identifiable metaphysical assumptions at work both in clinicians and treated persons that affect the treatment and the well-being of both. In the original article, this is exemplified in the failure of both psychotherapists and people affected by violence to operate with a metaphysically grounded self–action distinction which they both need, as it has therapeutic effects for clients and therapists, and which they both ineffectively seek to establish on purely psychological or/and moral grounds. The main questions raised by the commentators are: 1) How is the self-action distinction that I propose different from existing therapeutic methods of distancing self from behavior (Kinghorn, 2017)? 2) In what does or should the distinction consist (Butera, 2017)? 3) Do I need Augustine for it, and reversely, does therapeutic work with Augustine's ideas need it (Kinghorn, 2017)? and 4) Does not Aquinas offer more (Butera, 2017)? Regarding the first issue, no psychological therapy operates with a metaphysical view of the self taken as the human being. The self–action distinction cannot be established from a purely psychological perspective because, taken psychologically, both self and behavior are defined in terms of functioning, which means in terms of a way to act; consequently, self is behavior, and it can only be distinguished from one kind of behavior or another. The distinction, thus, is not between categories of being but kinds of doing. To illustrate this with reference to acceptance and commitment therapy (because Kinghorn wonders how it differs from my metaphysical approach): the self is distinct from unwanted behavior or [End Page 265] avoided psychological contents when it observes them or as an observing self. When the self no longer behaves like that, it is no longer distinct from its productions, and in fact, it no longer exists as an observing self. Moreover, this noticing self is a wise self, it is the self of mindfulness, the self that tames its cognitive and emotional contents and actions and lives in harmony with them all (Hayes, Pistorello, & Levin, 2012). The condition of existence for the many psychological selves is a way of functioning, such that the question about 'what the self is' collapses in 'what the self does.' Metaphysically, the self is not wise; it just is in a way fundamentally distinct from the one in which all its productions (from psychological contents to actions), unwanted and wanted are, as their existence depends on the self. Incorporating in the treatment of violent people a perspective on 'what the self is' besides purely psychological views on 'how it functions,' generates distinct ontologically informed interventions (Pârvan, 2014) and provides metaphysical care to both clients and therapists (Pârvan, 2013). The latter is needed because psychological and ethical frameworks necessarily identify violent individuals as dysfunctional and morally flawed human beings, and therefore do not help either therapists or clients to value (non-conflictually and thus effectively) the latter's self, which is an essential requirement for both therapists' practice and clients' change. In consequence, clinicians either struggle (just as their clients) with an ethical dilemma that deeply affects them as human beings and professionals and cannot be solved ethically, or fail to actually cherish their clients as human beings and hence to properly care for them (Mason, Richman, & Mercer, 2002). A metaphysical view of the self helps both therapists and clients to identify that which is valuable in clients on grounds that are not moral or psychological and, therefore, are neither self-conflicting nor in conflict with psychological and moral assessments, thus facilitating therapeutic alliance, work, and change. This brings me to the second question, which is best answered by a quote from Augustine. One should...

The plural self: An interdisciplinary approach

The paper presents a case study in the interdisciplinary comparison of psychology and a related non-psychological intellectual tradition. Specifically, it will aim to bring into dialogue conceptions of the self in contemporary psychology and Christian theology and look at the growing body of work that brings the two perspectives into dialogue. It will be suggested that it is helpful to distinguish different kinds of psychological theory, such as representational and experiential theories, as the experience of a unitary self can exist alongside representational self-pluralism, and also to distinguish different theological traditions according to what assumptions they make about the origin of the soul. Neither tradition is monolithic in its approach. What at first appears to be a debate between psychology and theology can actually be found within both disciplines.

Influências da Psicanálise neofreudiana na psicoterapia de Carl Rogers

Resumo Este artigo, de cunho ensaistico e historico, objetiva revisitar didaticamente alguns aspectos presentes no contexto estadunidense de ideias psicanaliticas que influenciaram Carl Rogers, durante a composicao da terapia centrada no cliente, nas decadas de 1920 – 1950. Rogers indicou, especificamente, influencias das psicanalises neofreudianas de Otto Rank e Karen Horney. Destarte, disserta-se sobre os momentos historicos do surgimento da psicanalise nos EUA. Em seguida, aprofundam-se algumas concepcoes clinicas de Rank e Horney. Finalmente, demarca-se o que Rogers contatou e apropriou das ideias desses psicanalistas. Conclui-se que Rogers esteve atento aos debates psicoterapeuticos estadunidenses e que estes o ajudaram a compor elementos da terapia centrada no cliente. Apontam-se, finalmente, outras possibilidades de estudos sobre o legado de Rogers.Palavras-chave: escola neofreudiana, psicologia do self, terapia centrada no cliente.

Self Esteem, Anxiety, Depression and Stress among Physically Disabled People

Background: The aim of the present study is to investigate the self esteem, anxiety, stress and level of depression among the individuals who are differently able. The study investigated the psychological stressors, mental health and self image of the physically challenged people. Any physical disability leads to feelings of inadequacy which results in the feelings of depression, anxiety and low levels of tolerance. Material And Method: 50 physically challenged and 50 normal women and men were taken for the study. Result And Discussion: It was found that physically disabled people have low level of self esteem and high level of depression, stress and anxiety in comparison to normal population.

"I Will Never Know the Person Who I Could Have Become": Perceived Changes in Self-Identity Among Adult Survivors of Clergy-Perpetrated Sexual Abuse.

Clergy-perpetrated sexual abuse (CPSA) during childhood represents a tragic betrayal of trust that inflicts damage on the survivor, the family, and the parish community. Survivors often report CPSA has a disturbing impact on their self-identity. Despite intense media coverage of clergy abuse globally in the Catholic Church (and other faith communities) over several decades, relatively few empirical studies have been conducted with survivors. Beyond clinical observations and advocacy group reports, very little is known about survivors' perceptions of how the abuse impacted their long-term self-identity. Using data collected during the 2010 Health and Well-Being Survey, this qualitative analysis represents one of the first large-scale studies with a non-clinical sample of adult male survivors of CPSA from childhood (N = 205). The negative effects of the sexual abuse on participants were expressed across six domains of self-identity: (a) total self, (b) psychological self, (c) relational self, (d) gendered self, (e) aspirational self, and (f) spiritual self. These findings highlight the range and depth of self-suffering inflicted by this pernicious form of sexual violence. The findings are useful for developing clinical services for survivors, shaping public and institutional policies to address clergy-perpetrated sexual abuse, and guiding future research with this population.

Research on the Relationship between Self Concept and Subjective Well- being of Normal University Students

In order to get a deep understanding of the relationship between self concept and subjective well being of normal university students, improve the level of normal university students’ subjective well being, strengthen the normal university students’ education and training, this paper adopted the Tennessee self concept scale and Index of well being sc ale to test a random sample of 234 students in China West normal university. The results showed that normal university students have a clear self concept and are at a high level of subjective well being. In addition to self criticism, normal university stu dents’ various dimensions of self concept and subjective well being were significantly positively correlated. The psychological self, self identity and moral self factor included in Normal university students’ self concept have significant regression effec t with subjective well being.

The relationships among psychological stress, emotion regulation type and job burnout in military stationed in Xinjiang

Objective To explore the relationship among psychological stress, emotion regulation type and job burnout of military stationed in Xinjiang, and provide theoretical basis for intervening job burnout in military stationed in Xinjiang. Methods 757 soldiers were chosen by random cluster sampling method and measured with the job burnout scale for military personnel, the psychological stress self-evaluation test and the questionnaire of the soldier’s emotion regulation type. Results ①The scores of somatization, self-evaluation, passive work slowdown and job burnout of the only-child soldiers(respectively(6.34±4.86), (7.66±4.16), (5.00±3.51), (28.60±15.82)) were significantly higher than those of the non-only-child soldiers(respectively(5.34±4.51), (6.89±4.28), (4.25±3.22), (25.73±15.04) (t=2.804, 2.384, 2.950, 2.446; P<0.05 or P<0.01). For the score of the three factors (sense of achievement, somatization, and passive work slowdown), as well as the total score of job burnout, soldiers who had injury history were significantly higher than those who had not (t=3.471, 3.676, 4.222, 3.469; P<0.01). The total score and five factors scores of job burnout among soldiers who had high expectation were significantly lower than those soldier who had normal or less expectation (P<0.05 or P<0.01). ② Psychological stress, cognition attention, self comfort, training expectation and emotional appeal had significant predictive effect on job burnout (t=14.518, 8.241, -4.332, 2.990, -2.695; P< 0.01). ③Cognition attention played a mediating role between psychological stress and job burnout, and the rate of mediating effect was 18.8%. Self comfort played a mediating role between psychological stress and job burnout, and the rate of mediating effect was 4.4%. Conclusion Only-child or not, injury history and training expectation have important influence on job burnout.Cognition attention and self comfort play mediating role between psychological stress and job burnout. Key words: Military stationed in Xinjiang; Job burnout; Psychological stress; Emotion regulation type; Mediating effect

On performing art jewellery: identity play as leisure activity

ABSTRACTAlthough the wearer is central to the understanding of jewellery of all kinds, the ways in which art jewellery is consumed as a leisure activity has received little critical attention. This paper seeks to situate the socially meaningful practices of art jewellery, with reference to social psychology [Markus, H. R., and S. Kitayama. 1999. “Culture and Self: Implications for Cognition, Emotion and Motivation.” In The Self in Social Psychology, edited by R. F. Baumeister ] and the sociology of Giddens [1991. Modernity and Self-identity: Self and Society in the Late Modern Age. Cambridge: Polity Press] and Goffman [[1959] 1990. The Presentation of the Self in Everyday Life. London: Penguin Books], as well as Butler's [[1990] 2006. Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. Abingdon: Routledge Classics] concept of performativity, in order to explore how jewellery is used to articulate aspects of the self. The paper draws on a small-scale primary research project, in which participants – new to this kind of adornment – wore, discussed and responded to both their own precious, traditional jewellery and a range of pieces of art jewellery. Whereas discussion of the participants’ own jewellery illustrates how it serves to lock them into place within their network of family and friends, their experiences of engaging with the art jewellery exemplifies their status as autonomous, bounded individuals. Trying on and responding to the art jewellery serves as a kind of identity play, extending the range of embodied practices available to the participants and allowing them to engage with non-normative performances of the self. This suggests that wearing art jewellery may serve as a form of performative leisure, disrupting the range of corporeal experiences open to women and creating the potential for change. The novelty of this approach stems from interrogating data derived from creative research methods using a conceptual framework that examines the mechanisms by which the self is constituted, establishing this as a new contribution to the fields of both leisure research and art jewellery.

The refugee crisis in Greece

As the Syrian refugee crisis continues unabated, Greece remains one of the first ports of sanctuary. While the country is still gripped by one of the worst financial and societal crises of the past 40 years, little attention or funding was available to provide mental health and psychosocial support to migrants or refugees. In 2007, Nikolaos Gkionakis, along with other colleagues, founded the Babel Day Centre to provide mental health care and psychosocial support for migrants and refugees. When the current crisis began, he was perfectly placed as one of the trainers for a project training border security, police, volunteers and aid workers in psychological first aid and self care for carers in Greece. This personal reflection gives context and background to the crisis, discusses the Babel Day Centre, and highlights and details the psychological first aid project, which was supported by both the War Trauma Foundation and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.

Fish lack the brains and the psychology for pain

Fish lack the brains and the psychology for pain

Physical and Psychological Self-Care Assessment for Disabled clients attending Emergency Management Center in Erbil City

Background: The World Health Organization's (WHO) framework for measuring health for disability at both levels physical and psychological activities including self-care, attending to one's hygiene, dressing, and eating, also interpersonal interactions and relationships, and social relationships, especially family relationships. Objectives: This study aims to identify and assess the self care activities for disabled patients, and to identify the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics and physical and psychological factors. Methodology: The study is Descriptive study, the study sample were 51 disabled clients who had been attended to emergency management center, the study start in 1/7/2014 to 1/2/2015, Constructed questionnaires were used to obtain the feedback, and interview was used as methods of data collection and data was analyzed using SPSS version 18. Results: The mean age of the participants was (36.66) years. Results revealed that feedback responses as a generalwas good in all factors underline the study, and the lowest score for physical self care was in items related to abilityto do sexual activity while for psychological factors was for item related to concern of having any own personalpsychotherapy . Conclusion: the study concluded that Self care assessment outcomes for disabled were positive for the most of thephysical factors except for sexual intercourse while the psychological self care assessment were negative in manyfactors including haven't own personal psychotherapy, not engage in any intelligence in new area, and ability to read favorite books Recommendation: The study recommended establishing rehabilitation centers for training disabled about physicaland psychological care and informing these negative factors to the emergency management center so the information gained of self care assessment could lead to changes in some of physical and psychological aspect of disabled clients

When Cancer Wakes up Ghosts of the Past

Cancer diagnosis may be considered as a psychosomatic crisis and the disease can be perceived as a part of himself that inexplicably turns into a destructive and mortal non-self. Then the deep psychosomatic crisis linked to cancer is able to produce a process of regression and disorganization of previous defensive structures. Often, memories of particularly traumatic events can be reactivated by successive traumatic experiences at sensory level. WE present the case of a 10 years-old boy, hospitalized at the Department of Hematology suffering from leukemia, who presented an epileptic episode we suspected of psychogenic nature (by conversion). The story revealed a sexual abuse when he was six years old. The analysis of test showed a pre-genital functioning registry, the need for cohesion and inner stability in a boy that, in contrast, feels a lived experience of inner inconsistency and lability. A possible outcome due to poor development of the psychological Self, with consequent separation conflict, is that the body can be used to hold and act mental states, assuming the function of metarepresentation of feelings, ideas and wishes. A good communication is essential to create a therapeutic alliance with the patient. However, it is insufficient and confusing if not based on a deep understanding of the fantasies and emotions with the burden of biological experience with unconscious meanings related to early experiences. Without considering these aspects, communicative distortions may jeopardize the therapeutic alliance, interfering with the process of coping. Working through regression in the areas of the unconscious meanings, allows the patient to understand the significance of his illness instead of exorcising it. This helps the patient to re-establish communication between the mind paralyzed by somatic events and the sick body that needs treatment.

Effect of Yoga Practices in Reducing Aggression and Counterproductive Work Behavior: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Counterproductive work behavior (CWB) in the workplace can take numerous forms, starting from difficult personality traits that harm team cohesion to damaging property that undermines an organization's financial well-being. Aggression has been consistently shown to correlate with incidents of CWB and also mediates the relationship between CWB and its predictors. Yoga is a mind and body practice with a goal of unifying emotional, psychological, and physical selves. Findings of yoga research recommend that yoga based techniques may be helpful for working professionals in moving and managing feelings of anger and frustration. The present study examined the effect of yoga on working professionals in reducing aggression and counterproductive work behavior. A pretest-post test research design of 10-week duration was used for two cohorts, randomized into a yoga group and a control group with 80 subjects in each group. The yoga group practiced asanas, pranayama, meditation, and yogic theory lectures. Mild to moderate physical exercises and management lectures were taught to the control group. The data was analyzed using SPSS, and the results revealed that the yoga group showed statistically significant reduction (p < 0.001) in aggression and counterproductive work behaviors in comparison to the control group. The paper contributes by introducing a cost-effective way to prevent heavy losses organizations are incurring due to counterproductive work behaviors. The results also suggested that having regular yoga sessions at a workplace can result in happier home lives and increased productivity.

BSUJ Acknowledgements 2(1), 2015

This document presents the organization of the Behavioural Sciences Undergraduate Journal and acknowledges a large body of support for the special issue on the psychology of self and social cognition.