Editorial

Special Edition on Positive Psychology and Phenomenolog

Book ReviewOwen’s Intentionality Model in Integrative PsychotherapyBy Ian Rory Owen (2009)

Talk, Action, Belief: How the Intentionality Model Combines Attachment-Oriented Psychodynamic Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. New York: iUniverse Inc. Paperback (435 pages). ISBN : 978-1-4401-0538-8Indo-Pacific Journal of Phenomenology, May 2010, Volume 10, Edition

The effect of contemplation and meditation on ‘great compassion’ on the psychological well-being of adolescents

Abstract: Please refer to full text to view abstrac

Validation of the scale of positive and negative experience in a South African student sample

Abstract: This study investigated the validity of the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE) in a South Africa context using a sample of 992 university students. Item fit and unidimensionality of the Positive and Negative Experience subscales were examined using a process of Rasch analysis. Reliability of the subscales was evaluated and correlations were between the SPANE, the Mental Health Continuum – Short Form (MHC-SF) and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), were examined. In general, the SPANE exhibited good Rasch fit and reliability. However, there were two items, one from each the Positive and Negative Experience subscales respectively that exhibited some problems with Rasch fit. While the substantive effect of these problematic items on reliability was marginal, their identification as problematic corroborated analysis in another study, enjoining, if not their removal, certainly a direction for future research. Overall, the findings serve to both support the notion that in its present form the SPANE is a psychometrically sound instrument to measure positive and negative experience as a facet of well-being among South African university students, and to indicate directions for further research on the scale

A solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) intervention model to facilitate hope and subjective well-being among trauma survivors

There are increasing calls for brief, strength-based trauma interventions. We propose a Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) intervention model that may facilitate hope and subjective well-being among trauma survivors. Based on our research among South African trauma survivors, the proposed model, “Journey of Possibilities”, focuses on eliciting clients’ desired outcome, describing the presence of their desired outcome, and utilising clients’ resources to move towards the desired outcome. It is distinct from other SFBT models, as it explicitly identifies the therapeutic relationship and collaborative language process as essential components of building hope and subjective well-being. Strength- and resource-orientated questions, especially relational questions, are also highlighted. We suggest that the model has the potential to facilitate hope and subjective well-being among trauma survivors and may inform psychological practice in the context of trauma.The University of Pretoriahttp://link.springer.com/journal/10879hj2022Psycholog

Validation of the children’s hope scale in a sample of South African adolescents

Abstract: The aim of this study was to examine the validity of the Children’s Hope Scale (CHS) (Snyder et al. 1997) among South African adolescents. Participants (n = 1062) in the greater Johannesburg area completed the CHS as well as measures of psychological well-being, coping self-efficacy, positive affect and negative affect. The CHS total score showed satisfactory reliability for research purposes (Cronbach’s α = .73). Criterion related validity was demonstrated as evident from statistically significant correlations between the CHS, its subscales (agency and pathways) and the criterion measures. Snyder’s two-factor model of hope was supported through confirmatory factor analysis. In accord with previous studies, results showed that item 5 loaded the pathways factor rather than the hypothesized agency factor. The results indicate that the CHS has satisfactory psychometric properties and can be implemented as measure of hope among South African adolescents using the total score rather than interpreting the subscale scores. The findings extend the application and measurement of constructs from the field of positive psychology to the African context

Can dimensions of parenting style contribute to self-compassion among South African adolescents?

Please read abstract in the article.https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rjfs20hj2023Psycholog

Motivation for solitude : a cross-cultural examination of adolescents from collectivist and individualist cultures in South Africa

Abstract: Solitude during adolescence is a potentially double edged sword. Involuntary (non-self-determined solitude) is associated with loneliness, which is known to predict many forms of psychological ill-being. In contrast, freely chosen (self-determined solitude) is associated with healthy developmental outcomes. It is possible that cultural attitudes towards solitude could influence the way adolescents think about and engage in solitude. The present study examined whether South African adolescents from individualist and collectivist cultures differ in their motivations for solitude, using the Motivation for Solitude Scale (MSS-SF). Respondents included 426 adolescents from collectivist and 266 from individualist cultures, between 14 and 18 years of age (mean age = 15.7). For valid cross-cultural comparisons, measurement equivalence was established using invariance and differential item functioning analysis. Results for the measurement invariance analysis (MI) marginally failed to support scalar invariance. Given criticism that MI is overly restrictive, Rasch analysis was used to test for uniform DIF, which supported invariance. Next, Bayesian analysis was used to investigate group differences. There was no difference between the cultural groups for non-self-determined solitude, but, adolescents from individualist cultures were less likely to engage in self-determined solitude. Results support the cross-cultural application of the MSS-SF, and point to a possible cultural bias against self-determined solitude in individualist cultures, despite its potential benefits