Thematic Apperception Test Research Articles

The different shades of borderline personality disorder: a study based on the thematic apperception test

The different shades of borderline personality disorder: a study based on the thematic apperception test

Development and standardization of a qualitative tool to measure the attitude of farmers towards the conservation of Nattukuttai cattle

Indigenous breeds of cattle play a significant role in the livelihood of resource poor farmers in rural areas of India. Nattukuttai cattle are short and stout cattle reared under zero input system in North Eastern agro-climatic zone of Tamil Nadu. A qualitative tool consisting of four projective techniques, viz. Sentence completion test, Verbal projection test, Story completion test and Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) to measure the attitude of the farmers towards the conservation of Nattukuttai cattle was developed and standardized as per the standard protocol. The study was carried out for a period of one year 2021-22 in the selected districts of North Eastern agro-climatic zone of Tamil Nadu. Nearly two third of the respondents had favourable to most favourable attitude towards the conservation of Nattukuttai cattle breed. This study discusses the methodology of developing projective tools and their importance in measuring the attitude of farmers towards conservation of Nattukuttai cattle.

Hologram – An Enquiry on Neurocleanliness: A Mixed Method Study

People often explore who they are through the dynamic forces of relationships. Through each relationship, people find themselves and commit to an unconscious process that unfolds and start to adapt to patterns that eventually become habitual. The purpose of the current study is to explore if Holograms or role images, unresolved issues and patterns of behaviours adopted through the various processes always influence communication in current relationships. The study also hypothesized that there will be a relationship between Archetypes and Perception of Self; between Perception of Self and Perception of Mother and Father. The sample consisted of 30 participants in the age range of 20 to 45 years. The Pearson-Marr Archetype Indicator was used to assess Archetypes; California Adult Q-sort was used to assess Perception of Self, Mother and Father and the Thematic Apperception Test was administered to assess if participants would project the parental role images, unfinished business and patterns of behaviour. A bivariate correlational analysis carried out between Archetypes and Perception of Self-showed no significant correlation while a bivariate correlation between Perception of Self and Perception of Mother and Father respectively showed a positive moderate correlation. The interpretation of 15 participants’ TAT stories indicated projection of unresolved issues, parental role images and patterns of behaviour or the Holograms.

Bullying na Adolescência: Avaliação Psicológica com Métodos Projetivos (Escola de Paris)

ABSTRACT This work aims to assess the psychological impact of school bullying on adolescents. This study is about an exploratory clinical-qualitative research with multiple case studies of four teenagers, who had been victimized by bullying acts aged between 15 and 17 years old. This study applied the following instruments: Semi-structured interview; SCL-90-R scale; Rorschach Method and Thematic Apperception Test (Parisian School). The results show depression, anxiety, non-suicidal self-injury and suicidal attempts. On the SCL-90-R Scale, five out of nine psychopathological factors stood out in two cases. On Rorschach, the coercion and extroversion predominate as a Type of Intimate Resonance. Thematic Apperception Test results points lability and rigidity. The presence of bullying points to an own psychological dynamic in each case.

Phebe K. Cramer (1936-2021).

This article memorializes Phebe K. Cramer (1936-2021). Phebe K. Cramer was a consummate researcher, clinician, administrator, and athlete. Her most notable contribution as a psychologist was the creation and validation of a model of defense mechanism development and 30+ years of experimental, longitudinal, and cross-sectional research providing empirical support for the model. Her Defense Mechanism Manual (DMM) permits interscorer-reliable coding of developmentally anchored defenses in thematic apperception test (TAT) stories, and her longitudinal publications demonstrate the impact of defenses on personality development from adolescence through adulthood. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

A contrastive analysis of emotions and thoughts across Arabic and English as foreign languages in narratives written by bilingual Jordanian university students studying in Hungary

The present study aimed to explore bilinguals’ narratives in their two languages by examining their emotions by comparing the number of adjectives and adverbs used to describe a photo. The study also examines whether the thoughts expressed in their narratives are similar in Arabic and English. Data were collected from 18 Jordanian Arabic-English bilingual university students residing in Hungary, through narratives formed to describe a thematic apperception test photo. To compare the number of adjectives and adverbs, data were analyzed using SPSS 20, and qualitative thematic analysis was conducted to explore the themes in the narratives. The results of this study indicate that when participants used their first language (L1), they did not tend to employ a greater number of adjectives and adverbs in their writing. In other words, the use of adjectives and adverbs in L1 does not appear to be more frequent than in other languages. Findings also indicate that participants would describe the same photo differently by presenting different thoughts when using their L1 and L2. This study presents further evidence that bilinguals use their two languages differently.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy untuk mengurangi perilaku melukai diri pada individu dengan gangguan depresi mayor

Depression is a mood disorder characterized by the absence of hope, prolonged sadness, excessive feelings of helplessness, inability to make decisions, inability to concentrate, loss of enthusiasm for life, feelings of tension and desire to end life or hurt oneself. The purpose of this study was to see whether self-harm behavior in depression could be reduced after giving cognitive behavioral therapy. The assessment was carried out using interviews, observation, WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS), Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS), Graphic tests (Draw a Person, BAUM, House Tree Person) and Thematic Apperception Test (TAT). The result shows that cognitive behavioral therapy is effective in reduce self-harm into positive copping mechanism behavior and can reduce negative thinking in people with depression.

Value of the Relationship and Motivation to Forgive Based on Future Anxiety

Abstract Forgiveness, understood as reestablishing a physical and emotional relationship with the harm-doer, may sometimes be dangerous, especially when the harm-doer is not worthy of the trust. This study investigated the relation between value of the relationship with the harm-doer, future anxiety, and the motivation to forgive. In the first experiment, participants described a situation of harm depicted in one of the Thematic Apperception Test pictures. In the second experiment, participants were asked to write about an experience of harm from their own past. The Dark Future Scale to assess future anxiety and the Transgression-Related Interpersonal Motivations to assess forgiveness were used. Future anxiety was the moderator of the relation between the perception of the value of the relationship with the harm-doer and the motivation to forgive. In the case of a strong future anxiety, there was a greater positive relation between the value of the relationship with the harm-doer and the motivation to forgive than when there was weak future anxiety. The results indicate that a harmed person with strong future anxiety will try to keep close to the harm-doer despite the fact that the harm-doer acted with the intention to harm and showed no remorse. Supplemental materials for this article are available at https://files.press.uillinois.edu/journals/supplemental/ajp/sobol/index.html

Analysis of Thematic Appesception Test (TAT) to Identify Student Self-Endurance

This study aims to describe students' self-endurance through Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) analysis. This research is descriptive. The sample in this study was high school/vocational students in Singaraja City, and data reduction was carried out using random sampling. Obtained a sample of 120 students from 3 schools. Data was collected using the Thematic Apperception Test. Data analysis categorizes the total score obtained by respondents based on TAT answers. Based on the results of the study, the average self-endurance indicators were obtained as follows: controlling the problem by 80%; finding the root of the problem by 85%; limiting the scope of the problem by 73%; survive and endure the problem by 82%. So it can be concluded that the TAT analysis can be used to identify students' self-endurance. The results of this study can be initial findings as an assessment method for educational institutions and related agencies in developing student character.

Sounds of Accompaniment

Sounds of Accompaniment

البناء النفسى لمدمن متعافى من إدمان بعض المواد ذات التأثیر النفسی ( دراسة حالة )

The Researcher through This Research aims to reveal the psychological structure of recovering addict in order to reach Know The symptoms of psychological disorder that contribute to the relapse of the recovering addict. The main factors in the resilience of the recovering from addiction a case study of covering addict for more than 12 year using the TAT Thematic Apperception test. The study revealed a relationship between the psychological structure of the recovering person and his addiction of narcotics.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy untuk mengurangi perilaku melukai diri pada kasus depresi

Depression is a mood disorder characterized by the absence of hope, prolonged sadness, excessive feelings of helplessness, inability to make decisions, inability to concentrate, loss of enthusiasm for life, feelings of tension and a desire to end life or hurt oneself. The purpose of this study was to see whether self-injury behavior in depression could be reduced after giving Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. The subject is twenty-three years old woman; suffer from depression and often self-harm. The assessments used were clinical interviews, observation, Beck Depression Inventory, graphic tests, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Thematic Apperception Test, and WHODAS. Frequency self -injury behavior subject was three times a week average. The intervention given is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to reduce the frequency of self-injury by 10 sessions. The result shows that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is effective in reducing self-injury behavior and can reduce negative thinking in people with depression.

Assessment of psychological defense mechanisms in women with somatoform disorder using Thematic Apperception Test-Based Measure

IntroductionMaladaptive defense mechanisms can play a role in maintaining the inadequate social and psychological adaptation of patients.ObjectivesThis study aims to establish if denial is one of the central psychological defense mechanisms in patients with somatoform disorder.Methods10 female patients at Moscow Clinical hospital №33 with somatoform disorder and panic attacks (aged 20 to 43) and 20 female participants of the control group (aged 19 to 35) were presented with 10 pictures of the Thematic Apperception Test. Pictures were previously annotated into 4 groups: neutral stimuli (2, 6GF), provoking self-blame / depression ideation stimuli (3GF,14, 15, 17GF), provoking aggression ideation stimuli (8ВМ, 18 GF, 9GF), provoking aggression/self-blame ideation stimuli (13 MF). We conducted content analyses of stories. Mann-Whitney U-test was used.Results Table 1 presents analyses categories, examples of stories, and group differences.Table 1CategoryExamplePatients,% of storiesControl group,% of storiesMann-Whitney U-testDenial of interpersonal/internal conflict«It is a beautiful day. The girl is enjoying the sunlight. Her life is going well» (17GF).90%47%*р<0,01Denial of aggressive ideation«She won`t smother her, she just wants to scare her a little» (18 GF).70%30%р<0,05Denial of depressive /self-blame ideation«Is she dead or not? I think, no. They were having sex and now they are sleepy» (13MF).*Several patients told more than 1 story to a picture.ConclusionsPatients with the somatoform disorder tended to use descriptions without interpersonal or internal conflicts and/or to deny any characters‘ negative intentions or the negative consequences of their actions.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

The End of Adolescence, Becoming an Adult: From Reverie to the Project

ABSTRACT From research into young adults (aged 18–25), this paper investigates the role of the capacity for reverie in psychic work that occurs until the end of adolescence. We postulate that the end of the adolescent process is identifiable through the subjective appropriation of an “adult project” developed through a capacity for reverie. The adult project is introduced here as an intermediate concept situated at the crossroads of internal and external reality, taking into account the importance of societal and environmental factors and the choices made by young adults in their late adolescence. By way of an exploratory study, we adopt a qualitative and projective methodology with a psychoanalytical frame of reference, applying a semi-structured interview and two projective tests (the Rorschach and the Thematic Apperception Test [TAT]) to a small group of participants. The results highlight a difficulty for all subjects in accessing object relations invested in the genital dimension with the other as well as instabilities in gendered identity.

Psychological Assessment with Objective and Projective Techniques along with Self-Report: A Case Study of Young Widow with Major Depressive Disorder

The study investigated the psychological concerns of a young widow, who lost her husband just at the age of 21 and examined how psychotherapeutic techniques helped her overcome them in the present case study. Using a structured clinical interview and a complete report, we documented the impact of this significant loss on both temperament and emotional wellbeing. Including the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), The Standard Progressive Matrices (SPM), Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), Rotter’s Incomplete Sentence Blank (RISB), Bender Gestalt Test (BGT), and Human Figure Drawing Test (HFD). These studies were crucial in assessing a diagnosis as well as a treatment strategy. The girl had a significant depressive episode and met all the diagnostic criteria. In similar circumstances, this mixture of psychological testing could help establish an accurate diagnosis and comprehend the behavioral and psychological consequences of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). The study also indicated that Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment option for people suffering from Major Depressive Disorder. Keywords: objective and projective techniques, cognitive behavior therapy, major depressive disorder

The Development of Motivation to Achieve Students in the Context of Modernization of Educational Content

The article reveals the role of achievement motivation in the context of updating the content of primary education. Based on the analysis of scientific literature, the relevance of the research topic is substantiated, the main conceptual provisions for the study of the psychological characteristics of achievement motivation of primary schoolchildren are formed. The aim is to identify individual differences in the strength of achievement motivation for younger students. In particular, we study the features of the manifestation of motivation for the achievement of junior schoolchildren in educational activities. The article presents the results of an experimental study of the psychological characteristics of the achievement motivation of primary school students. The methodological apparatus for studying the achievement motivation of junior schoolchildren included the most effective research methods of psychology, which were aimed at identifying individual differences in the strength of the achievement motivation of younger schoolchildren. A thematic apperception test, a method of collision of motives, observation of students, conversations with younger students and teachers, analysis of home and control assignments in order to identify how achievement motivation manifests itself in educational activities were used. A quantitative and qualitative analysis of the results of the ascertaining experiment revealed the predominance of middle and low levels of achievement motivation among junior schoolchildren. The results obtained underline the need for further research on the mechanisms of development of achievement motivation in junior schoolchildren.

Longitudinal stability of Social Cognition and Object Relations Scale-Global Rating Method dimensional ratings, score ranges and narrative 'blandness' in a clinical sample.

While understanding how internalized representations of others (i.e., object relations) change over the course of treatment is essential for treatment planning and evaluation of progress, few studies have examined the nature of these changes through repeated psychological assessments. In this study, we applied the SCORS-G to Thematic Apperception Test narratives for 61 adult patients with complex psychiatric problems undergoing residential treatment over an 18-month period. Over the course of treatment, patient representations of self and others became more complex, indicating improvements in mentalization. Further, an analysis of default ratings (i.e., an aspect of story 'blandness') suggested that certain shifts in SCORS-G dimensional scores over time were accounted for by greater degree of scorable content across time points, rather than changes specific to the dimensions themselves. Findings from novel exploratory analyses aimed at evaluating the test-retest reliability of both default rating proportion and several emerging alternative scoring approaches (including changes in minimum, maximum and range of scores on individual dimensions) are reported. While the magnitude of change across mean dimensional scores was found to be lower compared to those previously found in outpatient populations, our results suggest that the SCORS-G remains capable of detecting changes in mentalization capacities in individuals contending with longstanding, severe psychiatric impairment and personality-based psychopathology. Implications for treatment, assessment and future research are discussed.

Terapi rasional-emotif perilaku untuk menurunkan tingkat depresi pada wanita

The subject is a college student woman who has changes in functionality in everyday life. Subject has a bad view of herself and tend to like to compare herself with others, especially physical problems. As a result, subject tend to be easily sad, lose interest, often feel tired and sometimes bring up suicidal thoughts. The assessment methods used were clinical interview, observation, and psychological tests, namely the Weschler Adult Intelligence Scale, graphics, Thematic Apperception Test, the Beck Depression Inventory II scale and WHODAS. Subject was diagnosed with major depressive disorder with moderate level of functioning. The intervention used was rational-emotive behavior therapy which was composed of five sessions. This therapy is used with the aim of reducing depression levels through changing irrational beliefs to become more rational. The results of the intervention showed a decrease in the subject's level of depression as indicated by changes in the scores obtained before and after the intervention was given.

Emotional regulation through second language use in dementia

AbstractBackgroundCognitive reserve has been linked to bilingualism, yet the mechanisms are still unknown. Older bilinguals have been shown to benefit from cognitive advantages (Bak et al., 2014), but could dual language use affect emotional processing? Second language use has been shown to facilitate implicit emotional regulation (Morawetz 2017), and thus be a therapeutic tool in treating trauma (Dewaele and Costa 2013), and diminishing levels of distress associated with memories encoded in one’s mother tongue (Dylman and Bjarta 2018). As some dementia patients are unable to control the intensity of their affects, could a second language be employed as a means of emotional continence?MethodWe had three participants with dementia take the Thematic Apperception Test (T.A.T.), a projective personality test, in French, their mother tongue, and in English, their second language. The T.A.T involves telling stories about emotionally charged images, and responses are measured in terms of rigidity, emotional flexibility, conflict avoidance, and primary processes. The participants’ stories were recorded and transcribed, and scored by calculating the percentage of neurotic, borderline, and psychotic defense mechanisms employed.ResultAs a function of the language used, the participants’ scores differed. Most strikingly, the stories told for some of the images were more complex in English than in French. In their non‐dominant tongue, two participants were able to express more disturbing themes such as rivalry, crime, and sexuality, while these topics were avoided in their mother tongue. Finally, for two participants, a more positive interpretation was given to the last card, a blank white image, when described in English as opposed to its description in French.ConclusionThis exploratory study provides some support for the use of a second language as a means of emotional regulation in patients living with dementia. It is interesting in the light of cognitive reserve in older adults, as the use of a second language could potentially have a beneficial effect on cognition and delay the onset of dementia (Bialystok et al., 2004). Moreover, using a second language could also be advantageous from a psychological standpoint, facilitating the verbalization of negative emotions, and changing one’s perspective.

Natural Language Processing markers in first episode psychosis and people at clinical high-risk

Recent work has suggested that disorganised speech might be a powerful predictor of later psychotic illness in clinical high risk subjects. To that end, several automated measures to quantify disorganisation of transcribed speech have been proposed. However, it remains unclear which measures are most strongly associated with psychosis, how different measures are related to each other and what the best strategies are to collect speech data from participants. Here, we assessed whether twelve automated Natural Language Processing markers could differentiate transcribed speech excerpts from subjects at clinical high risk for psychosis, first episode psychosis patients and healthy control subjects (total N = 54). In-line with previous work, several measures showed significant differences between groups, including semantic coherence, speech graph connectivity and a measure of whether speech was on-topic, the latter of which outperformed the related measure of tangentiality. Most NLP measures examined were only weakly related to each other, suggesting they provide complementary information. Finally, we compared the ability of transcribed speech generated using different tasks to differentiate the groups. Speech generated from picture descriptions of the Thematic Apperception Test and a story re-telling task outperformed free speech, suggesting that choice of speech generation method may be an important consideration. Overall, quantitative speech markers represent a promising direction for future clinical applications.