Are bad experiences stronger than good ones in mentoring relationships? Evidence from the protégé and mentor perspective

Two studies examined the relative importance of good versus bad mentoring experiences in predicting subjective states associated with the mentoring relationship. Study 1 examined the protégé perspective and found general support for the proposition that, on average, bad is stronger than good in predicting protégé outcomes. Study 2 adopted the mentor perspective and found mixed support for the prediction that, on average, bad is stronger than good. The results are discussed in terms of advancing research and theory on the relational processes associated with mentoring in the workplace and the need to consider the relational context to more fully understand the relative predictive power of good and bad mentoring experiences.     

Envy and difference

This paper explores five examples of envy, examining the similarities and differences between the clinical situations. The theory relating to envy is extensively reviewed and a critique of the Kleinian position is offered, suggesting that the aversion to separation and difference is not only prior to, but also has explanatory precedence over, the functioning of envy. Kleinian examples are explored in this light. The experience of separateness and difference is understood to lead to a number of outcomes: envy, admiration, competitiveness, a sense of low self-esteem and inadequacy, or a fear of being envied. It is argued that the individual's particular personality organization and their associated relational pattern will determine their experience of envy. Examples of schizoid, borderline, narcissistic and hysteric functioning in relation to envy are examined in some depth. The link between these phenomena and the death instinct is touched on.     

Progressing from brief assessments to extended experimental analyses in the evaluation of aberrant behavior

The role of experimental analyses in guiding treatment is well established. However, not all experimental analyses yield conclusive results. Outcomes may be inconclusive due to time limitations that preclude extended observation and detailed experimental manipulations, or may result from interactions across experimental conditions, multiple control, or other unknown factors. In this study, we describe an assessment sequence that moves through four phases beginning with relatively brief (1 to 2 hr) analyses and culminating in extended analyses that may control for experimental confounding effects (e.g., interaction effects). Data illustrating the model are presented for 20 individuals referred for severe behavior problems including self-injury, aggression, stereotypy, and tantrums. Analyses were considered to be complete only when clear and replicable response patterns emerged. Results showed that clear and replicable response patterns emerged for 85% of the participants.