Self-help Books Research Articles

Mobile application for couple relationships: Results of a pilot effectiveness study.

Mobile apps in mental health have seen a significant growth in recent years. Most of them are aimed at treating depression, anxiety, and stress disorders using cognitive behavioural therapy methods and relatively few apps are being developed to address interpersonal issues. This study tested the effectiveness of the iCognito Relationship Program, a self-help application for couple relationships based on the chatbot technology. A between-group experimental study was conducted in Russia using the bibliotherapy as a control condition (N=58, female sample), with results showing that, after 2weeks, iCognito's users had increased satisfaction, tenderness, constructive communication, as well as commitment to the relationship. Also, indicators for relationship self-efficacy, communicative skills in relationships, and self-esteem regarding relationship skills had significantly increased, while level of conflicts had decreased. A medium effect size was reported for most indicators. The participants of an experimental group expressed a high level of satisfaction with the technology and a generally positive attitude towards the idea of working with a "virtual psychologist"-chatbot on their personal issues. Despite the need to reproduce the research results, iCognito program demonstrates that both mobile application and chatbot technologies can be useful for training individuals' relationship satisfaction and communication skills, and that they can be more efficient in increasing satisfaction and reducing conflict in relationships than self-help books.

Neoliberal feminisms, late-night comedy, and the public sphere, or: Samantha Bee takes on Ivanka Trump

ABSTRACT The article analyzes the humor of a 2017 Full Frontal skit concerned with the publication of Ivanka Trump’s “feminist” self-help book Women Who Work. In the skit, Full Frontal’s host Samantha Bee takes issue with how the book misrepresents feminist (labor) politics, and calls out as politically dangerous the alignment of Ivanka’s neoliberal rhetoric of empowerment with the neoconservative or “retrotopian” politics of the Trump administration. The article suggests that the skit performs its critical intervention in two ways: on the one hand, by humorously appropriating Ivanka’s language in order to criticize her neoliberal resignification of feminist politics, and on the other hand, by highlighting the contrast between Ivanka’s composed, traditionally feminine behavior and Bee’s unruly comic bodily comportment. As the article shows, the skit creates humor around this contrast to call attention to the gendered mechanisms that have prevented women’s bodies from appearing both as comedians and as public speakers. The article closes with a caveat, pointing to the recent commodification of humor itself in neoliberal news media contexts, a development that severely curtails the transgressive feminist potential of Bee’s skit.

Depression Literacy of Women and Girls in Terms of Prevention and Interventions.

Objective: Recognizing the status of mental health literacy among women and girls as effective and key individuals in family and society seem to be essential. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate depression literacy among women and girls in Tehran on prevention and effective interventions for improving depression. Method : This study was part of a large mental health literacy project on residents of Tehran in 2017, with a sample size of 1023 girls and women aged 16-68 years. Random Digit Dialing (RDD) sampling was done using the Australian questionnaire, whose Persian version’s validity and reliability was tested in our previous study. Data were analyzed by SPSS 21 software. In order to determine the effect of demographic variables on predicting depression literacy among participants, multiple regression analysis was performed. Results: Receiving counseling, relaxation training, having physical activity, and studying self-help books were the most helpful items, respectively, from the participations’ point of view. More than 70% of participants agreed with avoiding stressful situations and close relationship with family and friends, while only 49.8% agreed with coping skills learning. Based on the regression analysis, only higher education and the history of exposure to a person with similar Vignette problem were able to predict mental health literacy in the area of intervention and prevention. Conclusion: Considering the effects of women’s and girls’ depression on individual, family, and even social life, more attention should be paid to improve depression literacy in this group.

A randomized controlled trial of two 10-session cognitive behaviour therapies for eating disorders: An exploratory investigation of which approach works best for whom

Cognitive behaviour therapy for eating disorders (CBT-ED) outperforms other treatments for non-underweight eating disorders in adults, but we have limited ability to match CBT-ED to individual profiles. We examined if we could identify who benefits most from two forms of 10-session CBT-ED; one emphasizing early behaviour change with substantial content on improving body image (CBT-T), and the other including motivational work and no content on body image using chapters from self-help books (CBTm). Participants were 98 consecutive referrals to the Flinders University Services for Eating Disorders. Fourteen clinical psychology postgraduates delivered the treatment under expert supervision. Outcome measures were completed on five occasions: baseline, 4-, 10-, 14- and 22-weeks post-randomisation. Our primary outcome was global eating psychopathology. Moderators included motivation (readiness and confidence to change) and body avoidance and body checking. Intent-to-treat analyses showed no difference between the groups with a significant main effect of time associated with large effect size improvements, commensurate with longer forms of CBT-ED. Participants with lower readiness to change in CBTm had significantly greater decreases in disordered eating over follow-up compared to those with low motivation in CBT-T. People with lower readiness to change might benefit from the incorporation of motivational work in CBT-ED.

In the mood for disconnection

The needs and desires to disconnect, detox, and log out have been turned into commodities and found their expressions in detox camps, self-help books, and “offline” branded apparel. Disconnection studies have challenged the power of commodified disconnective practices to create real social change. In this article, we build on the notion of affective attunement to explore how disconnection commodities provide differential ways for individuals to respond to the challenges of connectivity, and how they can form larger patterns of resistance that cannot be dismissed as futile. We examine the ambiguity of disconnection commodities through three examples: a smartwatch kill switch and stealth mode features, detox floatation tank therapy, and make-up lines. Our approach turns the perspective from ends to the means of disconnection. We argue that these commodities do not offer hard breaks but they do let users attune to connectivity.

A qualitative exploration of the acceptability of a cognitive behavioural therapy self-help book for people with psychosis in Nicaragua

ABSTRACT Background: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) self-help interventions have become a popular tool in High-Income Countries (HIC) to support people living with psychosis. There is limited research of this in Low–and Middle-Income Country (LMIC) contexts. We report findings of a qualitative investigation of a self-help book for psychosis in Nicaragua in Central America. Methods: Ten service users who self-identified as having psychosis were recruited from a mental health non-governmental organisation (NGO). Participants were given a Spanish version of a popular self-help book developed in the UK. They had four weeks to familiarise themselves with the book. Following this, we asked participants about their experiences of the book via an open ended questionnaire and a focus group discussion. Results: We conducted an inductive content analysis on the data. Evaluations of the book were positive. The book was considered easy to understand. The exercises were useful for coping with symptoms, as well as for recognising and managing relapse. Case studies were perceived useful in terms of reducing stigma and promoting self-acceptance. Conclusion: The data highlight potential acceptability of CBT self-help books in the Nicaraguan context. We make recommendations for further research and evaluation to build on this signal of acceptability.

COVID-19 Infection and Subsequent Psychiatric Morbidity, Sleep Problems and Fatigue: Analysis of an English Primary Care Cohort of 226,521 Positive Patients

Background: While some people who have had COVID-19 experience fatigue and sleep problems long after the acute phase of the illness, the proportion affected and the length of time symptoms persist remains uncertain. There are also concerns of an increase in psychiatric illness following COVID-19 infection; however evidence of a direct effect is inconclusive.Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study using a UK primary care registry. Adults with a positive PCR COVID-19 test between 1st February and 8th December 2020 were matched to controls based on gender, general practice and year of birth. Separate matched cohorts were assembled for those with and without prior recorded mental illness, fatigue and sleep problems. Cox proportional hazard models estimated the association between a COVID-19 positive test and subsequent psychiatric morbidity (depression, anxiety, psychosis, or self-harm), sleep problems, fatigue or psychotropic prescribing, adjusted for comorbidities, ethnicity, smoking status and BMI. Interaction with age and area-level deprivation were tested for. Additional cohorts examined those with a negative COVID-19 test and those with influenza symptoms (and a negative COVID-19 test).Results: After adjusting for observed confounders, there was an association between testing positive for COVID-19 (n=232,780) and almost all markers of psychiatric morbidity, psychotropic prescribing, fatigue and sleep problems. The adjusted hazard ratio for any indicator of incident psychiatric morbidity was 1.75 (95% CI: 1.56-1.96) and for new psychotropic prescribing 2.17 (95% CI: 2.00-2.35). However, there was an increased risk of incident psychiatric morbidity for those with a negative COVID-19 test of similar magnitude and a larger increase associated with having influenza.Interpretation: Whilst COVID-19 infection appears to be causing sleep problems and fatigue, there is less clear evidence of an effect on subsequent psychiatric morbidity.Funding Information: This work was funded by the NIHR Greater Manchester Patient Safety Translational Research Centre.Declaration of Interests: TC received ad hoc payments for conducting workshops on evidence-based treatments for persistent physical symptoms. TC has received grants from NIHR programme grants, HTA, RfPB, Guy’s and St Thomas Charity, King’s Challenge Fund. Personal financial interests: TC is the author of several self-help books on chronic fatigue and received royalties in the past. TC received expenses for workshops on evidence-based treatments for persistent physical symptoms for BABCP and IAPT services (travel and accommodation). None of the other authors have any conflicts of interest.Ethics Approval Statement: This study was conducted using data from the CPRD obtained under licence from the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The data are provided by patients and collected by the NHS as part of their care and support. The study was approved by the Independent Scientific Advisory Committee for CPRD research (20_094R2).

Self-development Tools Utilized by Plastic Surgeons: A Survey of ASPS Members.

Background:The plastic surgery literature is devoid of research on the topic of professional development tools that may be used to enhance performance as a plastic surgeon. After an extensive review of the medical literature, we selected the most frequently referenced professional development tools utilized by plastic surgeons, which included the following: goal setting, positive visualization, scheduled practice, critically analyzing mistakes, professional development conferences, involvement in sports, motivational videos, podcasts & audiobooks, daily morning routines, self-development books, and advice from mentors.Methods:A 10-question survey was sent to 2542 members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). The algorithm used to select ASPS members to survey was based on member demographics that would best reflect the views of the entire active society membership. Responses were compared based on demographic factors such as type of practice, gender, and age.Results:A total of 286/2542 (11.25%) ASPS members participated in the survey. Analyzing mistakes (96.3%), goal setting (88.51%), and advice from mentors (85.2%) were most commonly attributed to self-development. Respondents in an academic practice favored conferences and advice from mentors. Participants in a solo practice favored self-help books and morning routines. No statistical differences were observed based on training background.Conclusions:ASPS members attribute their professional development to setting measurable goals, carefully analyzing surgical mistakes, and guidance from mentors. This information opens the door for continued analysis of professional development within plastic surgery as well as supplement training practices at the resident and post-graduate level.

Celebrity habitus, confessional style: Self-reflective bodily instruction in Khloé Kardashian’s Strong Looks Better Naked

The article examines Khloé Kardashian’s self-help book Strong Looks Better Naked from the perspective of representing a celebrity-based inspirational guide that extols the values of exercise and healthy living and in terms of key tenets of the autobiography. In this context, the article argues that the book represents an in-depth example of Sean Redmond’s concept of the ‘celebrity confessional’ in that it uses self-reflective disclosures to connect with readers. However, given the confessionals of bodily issues revealed in the book, the article explores how Khloé Kardashian’s narrative critically exhibits, drawing on the work of Bourdieu, a double sense of habitus. This is explored through her insider perspective that articulates the bodily norms and expectations associated with contemporary celebrity culture, and through her revealing of her own relationship with this culture, a factor significantly exacerbated through her membership of the Kardashian family and its extensively mediated celebrity brand.

Efficacy of a Brief, Peer-Delivered Self-management Intervention for Patients With Rare Chronic Diseases

Patients coping with rare diseases need psychosocial support. To evaluate the efficacy of a brief, transdiagnostic, peer-delivered intervention for patients with rare diseases in addition to care as usual (CAU) compared with CAU only. In this 2-group randomized clinical trial conducted from October 5, 2017, to July 12, 2019, patients were recruited via specialized clinics and patient organizations across Germany and participated from home. The study included consecutive adult patients with neurofibromatosis type 1, Marfan syndrome, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and pulmonary arterial hypertension who have limited functionality because of the disease. Exclusion criteria were a life-threatening health status and ongoing psychotherapeutic treatment. Of 143 patients screened for eligibility with a semistructured telephone interview, 54 were excluded, and 89 were randomized: 45 patients were randomly allocated to the peer-delivered intervention group, and 44 to the control group; 87 patients (98%) completed the 6-month follow-up assessment. The analysis was performed using an intention-to-treat principle. Data cleansing and analysis were conducted between April 25, 2019, and February 13, 2020. The 6-week intervention consisted of a self-help book and telephone-based peer counseling in addition to CAU. The control group received CAU alone. Peer counselors received training, structured consultation guidelines, and supervision. The primary outcome was acceptance of the disease as assessed using the Illness Cognition Questionnaire (ICQ; mean sum scores range from 0 to 18, with higher values representing more acceptance) 6 months after the intervention. Secondary outcomes included self-reported coping strategies (Health Education Impact Questionnaire), illness cognition (ICQ and Illness Perception Questionnaire), depression severity (Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item depression scale), anxiety severity (Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale), quality of life (12-Item Short-Form Health Survey), and social support (Social Support Questionnaire). Outcomes were assessed before the intervention, after the intervention, and at a 6-month follow-up. The mean (SD) age of the 89 participating patients was 46.3 (14.9) years; 59 (66%) were women. There were no group differences regarding baseline variables. All patients allocated to the intervention group completed the intervention. Six months after the intervention, but not directly after completing the program, the intervention group had significantly higher rates of acceptance (ICQ) of the disease (primary outcome) compared with the CAU group. Mean (SD) baseline ICQ scores were 9.61 (3.79) in the control group and 9.86 (3.40) in the intervention group. Mean (SE) ICQ scores at 6 months were 10.32 (0.42) for the control group and 11.79 (0.42) for the intervention group, with a significant mean difference of -1.47 (95% CI, -2.63 to -0.31; P = .01). Several secondary outcomes, including different coping strategies, social support, and mental quality of life, were significantly higher after the intervention compared with the control group. In this randomized clinical trial, a self-help and peer counseling intervention improved patients' acceptance of their rare chronic diseases. Self-management and peer support can efficiently address the unique care needs of patients with rare diseases. isrctn.org Identifier: ISRCTN13738704.

A Man in Crisis or Crisis of Men? Masculinity and Societal Challenge in the 1970s in Sweden

‘Individual crisis’, as a psychological term, was introduced in a Swedish context in the late 1960s. In this article, ‘individual crisis’ is analysed as a concept in order to understand how masculinity and emotion came to matter in Sweden in the 1970s—not least to bring about gender equality in Swedish welfare society. With ‘individual crisis’ as the empirical starting point for pinpointing the way men were to create a new identity and how new psychological knowledge circulated in society, it is possible to analyse which masculinity ideals and norms existed at the time. The focus of this article is on self-help and debate books that drove the discussion in the 1970s.

Home and the extended-self: Exploring associations between clutter and wellbeing

Research on clutter in non-clinical populations is scarce. Existing research typically examines clutter's negative effect on quality of life. Assertions from self-help books and lifestyle media that living with less clutter has beneficial health and psychological outcomes have received limited scientific attention. This study aimed to address a significant gap in the literature by exploring the associations between home self-extension variables (subjective clutter, objective clutter, home self-expression and declutter habit) and wellbeing (measured through the PERMA model).A general population sample of 1111 adults (mostly women) participated in this cross-sectional correlational study. Correlation and regression results revealed that home self-extension variables, particularly subjective clutter and psychological home, account for substantial variance of wellbeing. The subjective-objective nature of clutter is discussed and a refined definition of clutter embracing its subjective nature is proposed. We conclude that home self-extension, and clutter in particular, are significant predictors of wellbeing.

Peculiarities of translating self-help book titles into the uzbek language

Peculiarities of translating self-help book titles into the uzbek language

Semantics of evaluation in self-help book blurbs

Semantics of evaluation in self-help book blurbs

Rhetorics of the Cognitive Vernacular: Blame Amid the Opioid Crisis

ABSTRACT In public discourse, lay cognitive precepts are invoked at every turn. People regularly speak of believing, thinking, knowing, and so forth, ascribing those states to themselves and others alike. This essay identifies the cognitive vernacular as a discernible dimension of public discourse, one that includes such regularly deployed lay precepts as well as popularized psychological and neuroscientific ideas. The cognitive vernacular may find expression in focal texts (e.g., a self-help book on positive thinking), but also pervasively, and somewhat elusively, takes shape in discussions that are otherwise overtly concerned. This essay takes the public discussion regarding the discovery of a teenage heroin ring in Centreville, Virginia, in 2008, a single episode within the large-scale and enduring American opioid crisis, as a focal site to investigate the cognitive vernacular. In doing so, it discerns how lay precepts concerning choice and knowledge are wielded as rhetorical resources to both cast and mitigate blame.

Quem tramou Yoritomo-Tashi? Ser ou não ser

O presente artigo oferece um estudo de caso centrado na receção, no início do século XX, de Yoritomo-Tashiem Portugal. Trata-se de um pretenso filósofo japonês, que foi dado a conhecer através do trabalho de edição de B. Dangennes, um dos pseudónimos de uma escritora francesa de livros de auto-ajuda, de nome verdadeiro Berthe Blanchard (18[-]–1940). Analisa-se a receção a partir dos paratextos das traduções portuguesas, entendidos como mecanismos de (re)enquadramento que contam diferentes histórias sobre um mesmo autor e os seus livros, os quais, em última análise, constroem o sistema literário e cultural a que Yoritomo-Tashi pertence. A primeira tradução a circular em português(europeu), pela mão de Bernardo de Alcobaça em 1912, e cujo paratexto sugere um (con)texto de partida japonês, será discutida como uma tradução assumida de um original (japonês) que não existe, ilustrando um caso de pseudo tradução indireta. As outras três adaptações existentes datam do final da década de 1920e foram produzidas por um agente diferente(A. Victor Machado), que parece estar a par de que Yoritomo-Tashié um pseudónimo, devolvendo gradualmente, por via do paratexto, Yoritomo-Tashi/Dangennes ao sistema literário francês. Os tradutores portugueses serão também questionados quanto à sua conivência como projeto de tradução fictícia de Dangennes/Blanchard.Mostrar-se-á em que medida esta conivência, conforme moldada pelo paratexto, influencia a efetiva pertença do trabalho de um autor ao sistema de tradução japonês-português, para além de funcionar como vestígio do exotismo patente na Europa do início do século XX.

A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Guided Self-Help for Overweight and Obese Adults High in Weight Self-Stigma.

Weight self-stigma, in which individuals internalize stigmatizing messages about weight, is a prevalent problem that contributes to poor quality of life and health. This pilot randomized controlled trial evaluated acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) guided self-help using The Diet Trap for 55 overweight/obese adults high in weight self-stigma. Participants were randomized to the ACT self-help book plus phone coaching (GSH-P; n = 17), self-help book plus email prompts only (GSH-E; n = 20), or a waitlist condition (n = 18), with online self-report assessments at baseline and posttreatment (8 weeks later). Participants reported high satisfaction ratings and engagement with the ACT self-help book, with no differences between GSH-P and GSH-E. Both GSH-P and GSH-E improved weight self-stigma relative to waitlist with large effect sizes. There were mixed findings for health outcomes. The GSH-P condition improved more on healthy eating behaviors and general physical activity, but neither ACT condition improved more than waitlist on self-reported body mass index, emotional eating, and a second measure of physical activity. Results suggest an ACT self-help book with email prompts can reduce weight self-stigma and potentially improve some health behavior outcomes. Phone coaching may provide additional benefits for generalizing ACT to diet and physical activity.

Helping soccer players help themselves: Effectiveness of a psychoeducational book in reducing perfectionism

Building on research that has shown psychoeducational or self-help books to be effective in reducing perfectionism outside of sport, the current study examined the effectiveness of a self-help book (“When Perfect Isn’t Good Enough”) in reducing perfectionism among athletes. One hundred and fifteen soccer players (male = 44, female = 71, M age = 21.62 years, SD = 5.03) were randomly allocated to a self-help intervention group (n = 55) or a control group (n = 60). Participants completed the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, Perfectionistic Cognitions Inventory-10, Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help-Short Form and Sport Emotion Questionnaire pre-intervention, post-intervention (8-weeks later) and at follow-up (5-weeks later). A 2 (group) × 3 (time) factorial ANOVA revealed a significant group × time interaction for socially prescribed perfectionism, perfectionistic cognitions, and negative pre-competition emotions (anxiety, anger, and dejection). Post-intervention, moderate-to-large between-group differences were evident for perfectionistic cognitions and anxiety (d = 0.75 and 0.59). At follow-up, moderate-to-large between-group differences were evident for socially prescribed perfectionism, perfectionistic cognitions, and anxiety (d = 0.51, 1.15, and 0.70). The findings suggest that self-help books may be useful for reducing perfectionism among athletes.

The Development of Self-Help Book as A Media in Career Planning for Undergraduate Student in Indonesia

This research aims to develop a self-help book to inform the students about the steps in career planning. This research uses The Research and Development method developed by Borg and Gall. The research was classified as a small scale R & D research because the research was carried out using only a few steps. The steps are research and collect information, planning, development of the initial product format, initial product validation, and product revisions. In the validation step the product is assessed by three expert validators, the media expert validator, the material expert validator, and also assessed by the user's validator, the students in SMAN 1 Tulungagung. This research produces a self-help book entitled “Kamu Mau Jadi Apa?”. The contents of the self-help book in career planning are Know Yourself: Who You Are; Find Out the Talent; Recognize the Interest; My Dream Goals; My Future, Specify the Goals, Recognize the Personal Values; Continue Studying to the College Successfully; Join the Work World Successfully. The percentage of book feasibility results from each validator is, the media expert validator is 92,5% (very feasible), the material expert validator is 70,83% (feasible), and the user validator or the students is 86,41 (very feasible). The conclusion of this research is this book is categorized as very feasible with an average percentage of 82%. It is hoped that this self-help book about career planning can be applied effectively, and also hopefully this research can be applied in other schools

Türkçede Kişisel Gelişim Çevirilerine Tarihsel Açıdan Bir Bakış: Kültürel Bir Alanın Doğuşu

This study offers a succinct account of the translation history of self-help books in Turkish, starting from the early decades of the Republic until the 2000s, by touching upon the translations of bestsellers. Employing the concept of field theorized by Pierre Bourdieu in his sociology of culture, the study illustrates that self-help as a field of production arose in the cultural atmosphere of Turkey in the 1930s and 1940s mainly through translations. This newly emerging genre gradually developed towards the 1990s and went through a remarkable expansion in the following decades, mostly due to the translated works as well as works written in Turkish. The number of translations continues to exceed the amount of works written in Turkish in the first decade of 2000s, and it seems this tendency will continue in a similar fashion. The underlying factors behind the expansion of this field, regarding the social, economic and political changes in Turkey are also described in the study, to shed light on the popularity of self-help and its growth in the target culture. The study also challenges some scholarly analyses that associate the beginning of self-help in Turkish with the works of some Turkish authors, totally ignoring the translation history.