Construction and validation of the self-conscious emotions at work scale

The present study reports on the construction and validation of a new assessment instrument for self-conscious emotions in the work context, namely the Self-Conscious Emotions at Work Scale (SCEWS). In eight typical self-conscious work scenarios respondents have to indicate their emotional reaction in terms of 20 appraisals, subjective experiences, and action tendencies that are relevant and representative for the domain of self-conscious emotions. In total 512 students and 467 working adults completed the SCEWS and reported the frequency of positive emotions, anger, anxiety and sadness. In both samples a three-factorial structure emerged with a guilt, a shame/humiliation, and an anger in self-conscious situations factor. These three self-conscious emotion factors correlated differentially and in a predicted way with the frequency of emotions. Guilt-proneness was predicted to be psychologically constructive and correlated to the frequency of positive emotions. The proneness to shame/humiliation was expected to relate to internalising psychopathological tendencies, and positively correlated to a frequency of anxiety and sadness. Proneness to anger in self-conscious situations was expected to relate to externalising psychopathological tendencies and correlated with the frequency of anger in general. The present study demonstrates that self-conscious emotions can be validly measured in the work context. The new instrument allows for the systematic study of the role of self-conscious emotions in work and organisational behaviour

Confirming the Distinctiveness of Complicated Grief from Depression and Anxiety Among Adolescents

Studies in adult populations have shown that symptoms of complicated grief (CG) constitute a form of bereavement-related distress distinct from symptoms of depression and anxiety. The purpose of this article is to replicate these findings in two samples of bereaved adolescents by investigating the latent structure of symptoms of CG, anxiety, and depression measured by self-report questionnaires. The first study (N=245) focuses on one of the most prevalent losses in adolescence, namely the death of a grandparent. In the second study (N=351) the authors further the examination of the distinctiveness question by inspecting not only the latent structure of CG, depression, and anxiety but also whether the distinctiveness of the emerging latent structure holds across subgroups of bereaved adolescents suffering different types of losses. Confirmatory factor analyses in both studies confirm the distinctiveness of CG from depression and anxiety in a younger population

Het 'psychodramatisch actiesociogram' met kinderen vanuit een ontwikkelingsgerichte psychotherapie

In dit artikel wordt beschreven hoe het psychodramatisch actiesociogram kan worden toegepast bij kinderen van ongeveer zes tot 12 jaar. Deze methodiek wordt geïllustreerd door een aantal psychodrama-episodes bij een zwaar getraumatiseerde 11-jarige jongen. In een eerste deel worden de basiskarakteristieken van een ontwikke¬lingsgerichte theorie omschreven vanuit het Fenomenologisch-Dialectisch Persoonsmodel (Fe-Di Pmodel). Het tweede deel introduceert het psychodrama, het psychodramatisch actiesociogram en de vertaling ervan naar kinderen. Het derde deel demonstreert hoe door toepassing van dit aangepast actiesociogram kinderen op speelse wijze met manipuleerbare popjes ruimtelijke psychodramatische scènes kunnen construeren die zichzelf weergeven in relatie tot significante anderen. Binnen deze context worden tevens spontane exteriorisaties van interne (zelf)constructies en (zelf)dialogen mogelijk. Vanuit het theoretisch kader verloopt de constructie van een psychodramatisch actiesociogram volgens dialectische processen die het mentalisatieproces (Ik-Mij reflectie) stimuleren door de integratie van denken, voelen en spreken in een doorleefde situationeel-affectieve actie

Cultural differences in the meaning of guilt and shame

Guilt and shame have been conceptualized in several different ways in the psychological and anthropological literature. This study aims to clarify, whether the meaning of the terms guilt and shame differs systematically as a function of cultural-level characteristics. We found that guilt and shame terms are differentiated in very comparable ways across cultural and linguistic groups, with guilt being characterized by a concern for others and a tendency to set things right, and shame being characterized by a tendency to feel exposed and willingness to withdraw from the social situation. We also found some small cultural differences. However, against the prominent view in the literature, these differences were not related to the collectivism–individualism dimension, but instead to uncertainty avoidance and especially to power distance

When puppets speak: Dialectical psychodrama within developmental child psychotherapy

Rigid relational representations often contribute substantially to children’s psychosocial problems. One of the core tasks of any developmental child psychotherapy is therefore to trace and chart these (relational) representations. The present paper illustrates how a child-oriented protocol of the action sociogram is a valid candidate for dealing with these representations. It outlines the theoretical basis of the protocol, describes the construction and application of the action sociogram and reviews the possibilities offered by the protocol