Self-pain enmeshment: Future possible selves, sociotropy, autonomy and adjustment to chronic pain

The aims of this study were to replicate and extend previous observations on the relationship between enmeshment of the self and pain and measures of adjustment [Morley et al., Possible selves in chronic pain: self-pain enmeshment, adjustment and acceptance, Pain 2005;115:84–94], and to test the hypothesis that individual variation in motivational preferences interacts with enmeshment. 82 chronic pain patients completed standardized self-report measures of depression, anxiety, acceptance and the possible selves interview which generated measures of their hoped-for (own and other perspectives) and feared-for selves. They made judgments about the conditionality of each self on the continuing presence of pain as a measure of self-pain enmeshment. A series of hierarchical regression analyses, that adjusted for demographics, pain characteristics and disability, confirmed the relationship between self enmeshment and depression and acceptance. When anxiety was considered, there was no main effect for any of the self aspects but there were specific interactions between the hoped-for (own) and (other) selves and two motivational preferences – autonomy and sociotropy

Family profiles in eating disorders: family functioning and psychopathology

Research has studied family functioning in families of patients suffering from eating disorders (EDs), particularly investigating the associations between mothers’ and daughters’ psychopathological symptoms, but limited studies have examined whether there are specific maladaptive psychological profiles characterizing the family as a whole when it includes adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), and binge eating disorder (BED). Through the collaboration of a network of public and private consultants, we recruited n=181 adolescents diagnosed for EDs (n=61 with AN, n=60 with BN, and n=60 with BEDs) and their parents. Mothers, fathers, and youths were assessed through a self-report measure evaluating family functioning, and adolescents completed a self-report questionnaire assessing psychopathological symptoms. Results showed specific family functioning and psychopathological profiles based on adolescents’ diagnosis. Regression analyses also showed that family functioning characterized by rigidity predicted higher psychopathological symptoms. Our study underlines the importance of involving all members of the family in assessment and intervention programs when adolescent offspring suffer from EDs

Early Maladjustment Schemas in Individuals with and without Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Objective. This study explored Early Maladjustment Schemas (EMSs) among individuals with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus and examined potential moderating roles for gender, level of education, and occupation. Methods. The sample included 371 adult participants (120 patients with diabetes and 251 individuals without diabetes), from Shiraz City, Fars province; Iran. The Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form (YSQ-SF) was used to assess early maladjustment schemas. Results. Findings showed that patients with type 2 diabetes had significantly higher scores than controls on a number of EMSs, including abandonment, failure, vulnerability, enmeshment, self-sacrifice, entitlement, and insufficient self-control schemas as well as the over-vigilance and inhibition schematic domains. However, results did not support roles for gender, the level of education, and occupation on any of EMSs and schematic domains. Conclusions. Medical and health professionals may find these results helpful for assessment, treatment, and prevention goals in patients with type 2 diabetes

Personal constructs of mind-body identity in people who experience medically unexplained symptoms (MUS)

"Medically unexplained symptoms" (MUS) refers to chronic physical symptoms without a clear medical cause, which produce significant levels of distress and functional impairment. This project modified the repertory grid technique to explore how twenty participants experiencing MUS construed self and others in bodily and psychological ways. Findings suggested that symptoms are well integrated within participants' wider mind–body construct systems. Increased distance between how self in general is construed compared to self when symptoms are worst was associated with reduced anxiety. Measuring intrapersonal and interpersonal implicative dilemmas suggested that moral and relational construing of identity is affected by MUS.Peer reviewe

Towards a new theory of practice for community health psychology

The article sets out the value of theorizing collective action from a social science perspective that engages with the messy actuality of practice. It argues that community health psychology relies on an abstract version of Paulo Freire’s earlier writing, the Pedagogy of the Oppressed, which provides scholar-activists with a ‘map’ approach to collective action. The article revisits Freire’s later work, the Pedagogy of Hope, and argues for the importance of developing a ‘journey’ approach to collective action. Theories of practice are discussed for their value in theorizing such journeys, and in bringing maps (intentions) and journeys (actuality) closer together

Towards a domain-specific approach to the study of parental psychological control: distinguishing between dependency-oriented and achievement-oriented psychological control

Theory and research suggest that psychologically controlling parenting can be driven by parental concerns in two different domains, that is, interpersonal closeness and achievement. Three studies addressing this hypothesis are presented. Study 1 provides evidence for the validity of the Dependency-Oriented and Achievement-Oriented Psychological Control Scale (DAPCS), a new measure assessing psychological control in these two domains. Study 2 showed that dependency-oriented and achievement-oriented psychological control were related in expected ways to parental separation anxiety and perfectionism in a sample of mothers and fathers. Finally, Study 3 showed that dependency-oriented and achievement-oriented psychological control were differentially related to middle adolescent dependency and self-criticism and that these personality features act as specific intervening variables between the domain-specific expressions of psychological control and depressive symptoms. It is argued that the distinction between two domain-specific expressions of psychological control may allow for a more intricate analysis of the processes involved in intrusive parenting

Battling on the Home Front: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Conflict Behavior Among Military Couples

This study evaluated interpersonal behavior differences among male military service members with and without PTSD and their female partners. Couples (N = 64) completed a 17-minute videotaped conflict discussion, and their interaction behavior was coded using the circumplex-based Structural Analysis of Social Behavior model (SASB; Benjamin, 1979, 1987, 2000). Within couples, the behavior of partners was very similar. Compared to military couples without PTSD, couples with PTSD displayed more interpersonal hostility and control. Couples with PTSD also exhibited more sulking, blaming, and controlling behavior, and less affirming and connecting behavior, than couples without PTSD. Results advance our understanding of the relational impacts of PTSD on military service members and their partners, and underscore the value of couple-based interventions for PTSD in the context of relationship distress

Still in the “Driver’s Seat”, But for How Long? ASEAN’s Capacity for Leadership in East-Asian International Relations

The Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs is an Open Access publication. It may be read, copied and distributed free of charge according to the conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 License. The online version of this article can be found at: <www.CurrentSoutheastAsianAffairs.org

Interpersonal Behavior in Couple Therapy: Concurrent and Prospective Associations with Depressive Symptoms and Relationship Distress

Objective: This study investigated associations between couples’ interpersonal behavior, depressive symptoms, and relationship distress over the course of couple psychotherapy. Method: After every other session of Integrative Systemic Therapy (M = 13 sessions), N = 100 individuals within 50 couples rated their in-session affiliation and autonomy behavior using the circumplex-based Structural Analysis of Social Behavior Intrex. Concurrent and prospective associations of interpersonal behavior with depressive symptoms and relationship distress were evaluated via multivariate multilevel modeling using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model. Results: An individual’s hostility, as well as the partner’s hostility, positively predicted an individual’s concurrent depressive symptoms and relationship distress, as well as his or her relationship distress at the following session. Partner hostility during one session predicted an individual’s subsequent depressive symptoms. During sessions in which individuals controlled the partner, and separated themselves from the partner, they reported more concurrent depressive symptoms and relationship distress, and more subsequent relationship distress. When partners separated themselves, individuals reported more concurrent depressive symptoms and relationship distress, and more subsequent relationship distress. Conclusions: Results underscore the importance of couples’ in-session affiliation and autonomy behavior in the treatment of depressive symptoms and relationship distress within couple therapy