Relational Frame Research Articles

The sharing practices of utility costs in compound houses in urban Ghana: Examining trust, solidarity and power relations

ABSTRACT Shared housing is a popular housing choice among low- and middle-income individuals in cities worldwide. In Ghana, the compound house, a traditional West African housing typology, presents the most common form of shared housing. While the compound house has been the subject of several past studies, little attention has been given to the sharing practices of utility costs (electricity and water). This article investigates the typologies, experiences and responses of renters to utility cost sharing in urban Ghana. Based on interviews with 35 respondents in compound houses in Asafo, Kumasi, we found that electricity and water costs are primarily shared through gadget-based and point-based systems, respectively. The adoption of these sharing practices is characterized, among others, by renters’ hesitation to declare all their gadgets due to security concerns, restriction on the usage of personal gadgets and instances of delayed or nonpayment of utility costs by certain renters. In response, some renters acquire personal meters to avoid the challenges associated with sharing. Drawing on the concept of social capital, we discuss these findings within the framing of trust, solidarity and power relations in shared housing practices and offer relevant recommendations.

Shame as Affect Regulation in Dissociative Identity Disorder

ABSTRACT The abusive and/or neglectful relational mis-attunement disrupts ongoing developmental growth and binds attachments to abusive caregivers. This shame-based relational frame then becomes a template for subsequent relationships and self-definitions. Shame and dissociation combine to provide a paradoxical and powerful self-protective form of self-regulation via a dis-enlivened existence that enables people with DID to live with otherwise potentially dysregulating affects and relationships. Shame-activated defenses and extreme inhibition of feeling couple with dissociative compartmentalization to limit affective awareness and enable the wounded individual to hide from the life around them and within them.

Репрезентация межличностных отношений в английском деловом дискурсе

The purpose of the study is to find out which components of the frame of interpersonal relations are activated in the projection to the industrial sphere, based on the analysis and systematization of linguistic means of representing interpersonal relations in English business discourse. The work examines the frame of interpersonal relations and identifies those of its characteristics that are activated in a context limited by the work conditions. In this regard, the author analyzes scientific works devoted to the topic of discourse, provides an existing typology of discourse and describes the characteristics of business discourse. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the systematization of lexical units with the semantic component “interpersonal relationships” used in the context of business relations. As a result of the conducted research, it was established that a wide range of linguistic means is used to represent interpersonal relations. It was revealed that in most cases the institutional nature of business discourse is preserved, which is demonstrated by the examples considered. However, in some cases the speaker intentionally allows deviation from the features of business discourse, while maintaining the professional context. This indicates that business discourse has variants of strict and non-strict regulations, which, in turn, refers to the need to work further on classification of discourse.

Brokering war: Afghan interpreters, western soldiers and unequal encounters in crisis

ABSTRACT Crisis scholarship has so far remained inattentive to the uneven entanglements and encounters that operate in what are designated as times or spaces of crisis, such as conflict and war. Indeed, scholarship on crisis suffers from a division between scholars who study the effect of crisis on privileged groups and locations and those who research marginalized communities. This has led the first to approach crisis as an exceptional moment, and the latter to argue that crisis is a semi-permanent condition. The lack of exchange between these two bodies of crisis scholarship has resulted in insufficient consideration of the divergent experiences of the nature and temporalities of crisis by unequally situated actors. This article looks at the contact zone forged by the 2001–2021 Afghanistan war to demonstrate that temporalities of crisis manifest themselves in varied and uneven ways, depending on the positionality of actors. Empirically, this article draws on interviews conducted with western Afghanistan veterans and with Afghan interpreters who worked as linguistic and cultural brokers. By contrasting the experiences of Afghan interpreters with that of the international soldiers who were dependent on their brokerage, I show how differential structures of power and privilege shape what constitutes a crisis, who is touched by it and how and when crisis makes itself felt. Close analysis of the narratives of Afghan interpreters also challenges scholarship which presents brokers as crisis opportunists, who subsequently experience an existential crisis and tragic demise (Distiller and Samuelson 2005, Gaskill 2023). Instead, I develop the argument that brokers’ relationship to crisis can be better understood when the relational and spatio-temporal frames to situate their actions are expanded. I suggest that the cliché of the tragic broker is unsettled when tracing the strategies of Afghan interpreters over time and with attention to the interactions with those for whom they broker.

Process-Based Behavior Therapy (PBBT®): Where Relational Frame Theory Meets Clinical Practice

Process-Based Behavior Therapy (PBBT®): Where Relational Frame Theory Meets Clinical Practice

Slovakia’s 2023 Elections: Framing of Foreign Policy Preferences by Populists

In the Slovak 2023 general election, foreign policy was of importance, as parties were divided along the pro-Western and pro-Russian fault line. Our paper analyses how the parties Smer-SD and SNS, major critics of the previous government and then current coalition members, framed foreign policy issues and events during the election campaign. We employ a framework analysis method to identify the main foreign policy related themes of Smer-SD and SNS and how they framed them. Our dataset consists of 145 posts published online by the parties. Our analysis reveals that the main pre-election topics were: the orientation of Slovak foreign policy, attitudes towards the West, and relations with Russia and Ukraine. The parties’ populism was manifested in the framing of their visions of Slovak foreign policy. Smer-SD and SNS shared with other European populists anti-Westernism, the call for multipolarity and a sovereign foreign policy. However, the historical context of both parties reveals that in spite of the populist framing of foreign relations, their government will probably not lead to a turnaround in Slovak foreign policy.

Probing the Dark Universe with Gravitational Waves

Gravitational waves (GWs) are expected to interact with dark energy and dark matter, affecting their propagation on cosmological scales. To model this interaction, we derive a gauge-invariant effective equation and action valid for all GW polarizations. This is achieved by encoding the effects of GW interactions at different orders of perturbation into a polarization-, frequency-, and time-dependent effective speed. The invariance of perturbations under time-dependent conformal transformations and the gauge invariance of GWs allow us to derive the unitary gauge effective action in any conformally related frame, thereby clarifying the relationship between the Einstein and Jordan frames. Tests of the polarization and frequency dependencies in the propagation time and luminosity distance of different GW polarizations allow us to probe the dark Universe, which acts as an effective medium, modeled by the GW effective speed.

A Study of Loss Model Parameter Sensitivity in Compressor Unsteady Flow Simulations

Abstract This article presents results from a comprehensive sensitivity analysis focused on loss models used in a recently developed compressor unsteady mean line flow model for a transonic axial-centrifugal compressor. The mean line flow model treats flow through rotors and stators in their respective reference frames (rotating or stationary), and the compressor performance is determined by the kinetic energy addition and various physics-based loss models in relative frames. In this paper, we describe the modeling approach of the compressor flow model, as well as the loss models that are used to obtain a relatively good match against test data. Sensitivity studies of selected loss model parameters are presented to show the effect of individual loss model parameters on the overall compressor characteristics in the entire speed range. The effects of losses on unsteady flow transients are assessed by comparing the transient responses when a step reduction of throttle area is applied. The comparisons show that the change in loss magnitude has weak effects on transient response if the change of loss does not significantly change the system stability.

System Science Can Relax the Tension Between Data and Theory

The actual hype around machine learning (ML) methods has pushed the old epistemic struggle between data-driven and theory-driven scientific styles well beyond the academic realm. The potential consequences of the widespread adoption of ML in scientific work have fueled a harsh debate between opponents predicting the decay of basic curiosity-driven science and enthusiasts hoping for the advent of a ‘theory-free’ objective science. In this work, I suggest how the system science style of reasoning could drastically de-potentiate this (sometimes deceptive) opposition through the generation of multi-purpose relational theoretical frames stemming from the network paradigm. The recognition of the virtual non-existence of purely ‘theoryfree’ approaches and the need for a careful balancing of theoretical and empirical contributions is the main claim of the present work.

Can't Contracting Be Relational? Comment on "Alignment in the Hospital-Physician Relationship: A Qualitative Multiple Case Study of Medical Specialist Enterprises in the Netherlands".

Ubels and van Raaij provide a valuable account of the operation of novel hospital/medical specialist enterprise (MSE) contracts in a Dutch healthcare system shaped by market reform. However, their analytical distinction between the separate domains of contractual and relational governance frames the contractual domain more narrowly than does the relational contract theory widely deployed in socio-legal studies. The authors' conclusion that contract plays little or no part in governing relations between hospitals and MSEs leads them to underplay a wider realm of contractual practices that develop in the shadow of the written contract. Apparent non-use of contracts in favour of shared planning, compromise and extra-legal solutions only takes the form it does because of the potential application of the available legal framework. Larger qualitative field studies involving a more extensive combination of interviews and observations may be needed to gain fuller insights into the relational dimensions of the contracting process.

Relational visioning and the emerging future: Transforming towards a sustainable local society

The Earth is currently facing unprecedented anthropogenic impacts. In this context of widespread environmental degradation and climate anxiety, there is an urgent need to reimagine our approaches to sustainability. This paper explores how a relational framing of sustainability can be applied to visioning exercises to foster transformative actions in local governance. While relational approaches are increasingly recognized as important to spark transformative change, their benefits and practical applicability to visioning are still under-explored. Drawing on findings from a multi-stakeholder workshop in a Norwegian municipality, we make two main contributions to the existing literature. First, we demonstrate how a relational visioning process can be carried out, identifying three key elements for establishing a relational foundation that can catalyse effective sustainability transformations: 1) the act of listening deeply, 2) integrating values, and 3) defining direction. Second, we contribute with new insights concerning the benefits and practical application in local sustainability governance contexts, highlighting the need for facilitating incremental (yet radical) changes in existing governance frameworks that are sensitive to available bureaucratic resources.

Gravitational redshift revisited: Inertia, geometry, and charge

Gravitational redshift effects undoubtedly exist; moreover, the experimental setups which confirm the existence of these effects—the most famous of which being the Pound–Rebka experiment—are extremely well-known. Nonetheless—and perhaps surprisingly—there remains a great deal of confusion in the literature regarding what these experiments really establish. Our goal in the present article is to clarify these issues, in three concrete ways. First, although (i) Brown and Read (2016) are correct to point out that, given their sensitivity, the outcomes of experimental setups such as the original Pound–Rebka configuration can be accounted for using solely the machinery of accelerating frames in special relativity (barring some subtleties due to the Rindler spacetime necessary to model the effects rigorously), nevertheless (ii) an explanation of the results of more sensitive gravitational redshift outcomes does in fact require more. Second, although typically this ‘more’ is understood as the invocation of spacetime curvature within the framework of general relativity, in light of the so-called ‘geometric trinity’ of gravitational theories, in fact curvature is not necessary to explain even these results. Thus (a) one can often explain the results of these experiments using only the resources of special relativity, and (b) even when one cannot, one need not invoke spacetime curvature. And third: while one might think that the absence of gravitational redshift effects would imply that spacetime is flat (indeed, Minkowskian), this can be called into question given the possibility of the cancelling of gravitational redshift effects by charge in the context of the Reissner–Nordström metric. This argument is shown to be valid and both attractive forces as well as redshift effects can be effectively shielded (and even be repulsive or blueshifted, respectively) in the charged setting. Thus, it is not the case that the absence of gravitational effects implies a Minkowskian spacetime setting.

K problematice stejnopohlavních vztahů: Manželství a partnerství

The article is based on the differentiation between marriage as the institutional dimension and partnership as the relational dimension of an intimate relation of two people. While marriage is a historically changing and multiform social institution, an intimate partnership is a phenomenon permanently present in the history. Based on the modern deeper understanding of human nature including homosexuality as an “other normal”, the article shows that the category of partnership can and should be opened to same-sex relations as well. These – as any other intimate relationships – cannot be reduced to sexual dimension only. And precisely therefore, it is not possible to apply any biblical mentions of same-sex intercourse to this debate, because the biblical testimonies do not know homosexuality in the contemporary meaning and speak only about same-sex intercourse without any relational framing. From the perspective of today’s responsible theological stance, there is thus no argument that would hinder to support the same-sex relations and their formal institutional framing also by the churches.

The Emergence of Acceptance and Commitment Sandtray Therapy: A Novel Framework

This paper introduces Acceptance and Commitment Sandtray Therapy (ACST) as a new branch of sand therapy theory. As a novel framework, it offers a fresh approach to conducting sandtray therapy and provides additional avenues for pursuing research. The creation and articulation of ACST is an evolution of my unique experience as an enthusiastic and dedicated student of both Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Sandtray Therapy (STT). Part of this article’s purpose is to introduce ACT’s foundational philosophy and theory. I achieve this by briefly describing radical behaviorism, functional contextualism, and relational frame theory. However, the primary focus of this paper is to highlight the six core psychological processes used in ACST and provide an example using a fictitious client’s tray with those processes in mind. Suggested protocols for implementing this framework, along with therapeutic interventional prompts appropriate for its application, are also offered. This work is significant in that it bridges two worlds: the contextual behavioral science realm of ACT and the interpersonal neurobiology domain of STT. With the emergence of this new model, new possibilities are on the horizon for both professional communities.

Interpersonal Psychotherapy: A Review of Theory, History, and Evidence of Efficacy.

Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) is an empirically validated treatment for mood disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and trauma. IPT is based on the concept of "relational frame"-that an individual's experience of psychological distress impacts those around them, and that their social support network impacts the distressed individual. This concept, along with the specific techniques and tools that flow from it and the theoretical bases of IPT (attachment and interpersonal theory) make IPT unique. In this article we review the theoretical bases of IPT (attachment and communication) and provide a brief history of IPT, as well as the evidence supporting its use for a variety of disorders. We also describe its application to groups, adolescents, and other diverse populations. Future directions for research and treatment development are proposed, particularly research in the area of combining IPT with other psychotherapeutic modalities.

Postdigital Literacies in Everyday Life and Pedagogic Practices

In this article, we contribute to literacy and education studies by proposing three overarching features (elements) of postdigital literacy events, informed by an ecological, relational, and sociomaterial framing of literacy. These features are: (1) entanglement, (2) digital materiality, and (3) spatiotemporality. Entanglement is about how learning entangles with our social, cultural, and material contexts through communicative acts, which include an understanding of media entanglements through interface seams(/seaminess) and transmediality. Digital materiality reminds us that digital media are also material, including notions of digital matter, instantiation, representation, and significance. The feature of spatiotemporality accounts for spatiotemporal flow and presence across online/offline environments, concerned with postdigital reconfigurations of time, space, and place. All three elements incorporate challenges around equity, power, and values. We also advance theory-in-practice by providing examples of how postdigital literacy features/elements manifest in pedagogy and everyday life, based on our experiences as academics working in diverse contexts. This work can support international research, teaching, and knowledge around how media practices interrelate through postdigital communication and literacy experiences, what that means, and with what effects, within a vision of education for mutually enriching planetary futures.

Toward Wild Designing

Abstract Ecological restoration, the practice of intervening in ecosystems to address environmental harms and degradation, offers hope for livable futures. Institutional restoration projects are typically conceptualized as scientific endeavors. Yet, Western scientific framings for restoration often leave out that which is relational, subjective, and human in this work—considerations that are just as important as biophysical attributes. Framing restoration as not only a scientific intervention but also a design activity can address this gap. In this article, I review historical and contemporary understandings of design in the context of ecological restoration. Restoration often uses a mechanistic approach to design, yet new postures for restoration design are emerging. By confronting nature–human dualisms, a relational design framing for restoration offers hope that our futures will be livable and just for all.

Exploring The Efficacy Of Acceptance And Commitment Therapy (ACT) Group Sessions In Reducing Maternal Stress Among Mothers With Autism

This study investigates the impact of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) group sessions on maternal stress among six mothers of children diagnosed with autism, in India. The sessions were facilitated by a team consisting of a clinical psychologist and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst who implemented evidence based techniques combining Relational Frame Theory and culturally modified ACT. Maternal stress is a critical concern, particularly in the context of individuals with autism, where ASD specific challenges may amplify the daily pressures both social and parenting that is experienced by mothers. The study utilized a pre-post intervention design, assessing maternal stress levels before and after participants attended ACT based group sessions. The results revealed a significant reduction in maternal stress scores following participation in the ACT group sessions, measured using tools such as the Autism Parenting Stress Index (APSI) and The Family Adjustment to Childhood Developmental Disability (FICD). The findings suggest that the structured and supportive environment provided by ACT counselling sessions contributed to a meaningful decrease in stress levels among the mothers who participated in the study. The cultural context of India adds depth to the understanding of how therapeutic interventions can be adapted to diverse populations, emphasizing the need for use of evidence based methods such as ACT in parent training and counselling. Additionally, the use of this method furthers the parent’s acceptance of Autism as a lifelong condition and transforms their parenting approach. This research not only contributes to the growing body of literature on interventions for individuals with autism and their families but also underscores the adaptability of evidence-based practices in diverse cultural settings. Further exploration and replication of these findings with larger sample sizes are recommended to strengthen the evidence supporting the use of ACT group sessions as a valuable tool in mitigating maternal stress among mothers with autism in the Indian context.

A Laboratory Evaluation of the Effects of Empathy Training on Racial Bias

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effects of behavioral procedures, including relational training and multiple exemplar training on empathic responding of individuals who display racial bias. In particular, this study used a multielement design with five adult participants to evaluate whether the presentation of relational frames of coordination and distinction between the participants’ values and the values of a person belonging to a group for which a bias existed altered empathic responses toward people belonging to such groups. The results showed empathic responding was higher when relational frames of coordination were presented and lower when relational frames of distinction were presented. This study provides preliminary data suggesting that relational training may result in altered patterns of empathic responses toward people belonging to different racial groups for which a bias previously was observed.

How to encourage consumers' ongoing participation in physical exercise via feedback: Evidence from a longitudinal field experiment

Improving consumers' ongoing participation in physical activity is crucial to enhance consumer well-being. While many consumers may begin an exercise program, sustaining their continued participation often presents a significant challenge. This study tests the effectiveness of providing different ex post feedback reminders to motivate consumers' ongoing exercise. We developed feedback reminders across two dimensions. One dimension varied the feedback messages according to whether the messages attributed performance to participants' own efforts, and the other dimension used different personal pronouns to examine whether the deictic relational framing of the feedback mattered. We developed an exercise recording application embedded in WeChat to conduct an 8-week longitudinal field experiment in China. We find that when feedback messages were provided, participants in the “I/We” frame and “You frame + effort emphasized” treatment groups achieved their weekly exercise goals more frequently, especially for subjects with low self-regulation. However, when feedback was no longer provided, the influence of the “You frame + effort emphasized” treatment was even reversed.