Positive Adaptation in a Community of Postgraduate Students: Applying the Mmogo-method™

This study explored the experiences of postgraduate psychology students exposed to continuous challenges and described their positive adaptation as a community. Three males and 14 females (age range: 23–30 years; 1 black, 3 coloured, 2 Indian and 11 white) took part in the study. Data were obtained through the Mmogo-method?, group discussions on the visual presentations, written texts and an in-depth interview. The findings indicated that threats from outside as well as from within a community have implications for the community's positive adaptation. Positive adaptation develops through cyclical processes. It depends on the availability of tangible (financial, teaching) and personal (humour) resources. Among the outcomes of positive adaptation are that people who share challenging experiences report a sense of belonging and hope and also respect for diversity. Positive adaptation helps a community strengthen and protect its members.     

Identity Maintenance Operations and Group Therapy Process

There is a growing recognition that individuals with eating disorders can benefit from long-term group psychotherapy. This paper describes a cognitive-interpersonal framework for understanding aspects of the pathogenesis and persistence of anorexia nervosa and bulimia that are particularly relevant to the group context. Fundamental characteristics of an open-ended, cognitive-interpersonal eating disorders group are examined. Case illustrations are provided that exemplify the theoretical conceptualization. The relative efficacy of the long-term group, in contrast to the time-limited group, is underscored.     

Voice Expression and Rated Extraversion

Eighteen Ss listened to neutral and emotional passages recorded by 22 speakers who had taken the Eysenck Personality Inventory. The estimates of extraversion arrived at by the 18 listener-judges did not correlate significantly with the EPI measure of extraversion. Despite this lack of criterion validity, some voices were clearly and reliably rated as more introverted or extraverted than others. The judges' own degree of extraversion was not a significant factor in the judgments.     

A Normative Study of an Auditory Projective Technique

The purpose of this study is to provide normative data for the sound effect sequences of the Braverman-Chevigny Auditory Projective Test. The test was administered to 149 college undergraduates in a group setting, who were asked to compose stories to the seven sound sequences. Stories were coded in terms of tone, outcome, number of characters, theme, and identification of “hero.” The stories were predominantly negative in tone, with outcomes generally neutral or unsuccessful. Interscorer reliabilities were all significant beyond the .001 level.