From individual to social and relational dimensions in asylum-seekers’ narratives: A multidimensional approach

Taking a psychodynamic perspective, the present exploratory study proposes an integrated approach to explore the forced migratory experience, focusing simultaneously on mental health risk and protective factors and on the quality of the subjective experience of migration. We aimed to evaluate trauma and protective factors and to explore in-depth representations and meanings asylum seekers hosted in Italy attribute to their experiences. Levels of trauma and resilience were first evaluated for twenty asylum seekers hosted in two Reception Centres; then, in-depth interviews were administered. Six out of twenty participants presented with symptoms of trauma and all presented with moderately high resilience levels. The interviews were analysed using a quality-quantitative methodology via T-Lab software, and showed four thematic clusters: A godforsaken place; From death to life across the sea; Memories from the past; Searching for a land of care. In line with the identity fracture highlighted in psychodynamic literature, our results show a breakdown between the deeper and original aspects of participants’ identity and their new cultural identity as migrants, which has many social components. Reflections on the implications of the study will be outlined.     

A qualitative analysis of young people's experiences of receiving a novel,client‐led,psychological therapy in school

Mental health problems often arise in adolescence. Schools have been recognised as a potential hub for support; however, delivering targeted interventions in schools can be difficult due to impracticalities. Subsequently, students have little or no say in the support process. Given the importance of control in well‐being, the current study explored how adolescents experienced Method of Levels, a therapy that allowed them to choose if and when to attend therapy. Interviews with 14 adolescents were conducted and then analysed using thematic analysis. Three main themes were identified; therapy style, therapy experience and exploring problems. An additional overarching theme was generated, regarding choice and control. Findings indicate that adolescents value having choice and control. This made the therapy style accessible, enhanced the therapeutic experience and ultimately facilitated the process of exploring problems.     

不道德传染的心理机制及其影响

不道德传染, 是指道德违法者作为传染源将消极道德品质直接传递给传染对象, 或先传递给道德中性物品, 再由此物品传递给受传染对象, 引起其情绪、认知、生理等方面变化的过程。本文主要讨论了不道德传染发生的心理机制——厌恶, 围绕不道德传染对道德心理领域(道德情绪以及道德认知过程)产生的影响进行梳理; 进而将视角拓宽到非道德层面, 如具身认知、组织管理以及人际互动, 探究其对人类社会的广泛影响。最后, 从不同文化视阈、不同个体差异、传染过程的动态神经机制及正向道德传染等方面为研究提供新的思路。     

政治技能的实施效果及其理论解释

政治技能(Political skill)作为一种重要的社会能力, 是组织核心竞争力的关键, 近年来受到学者广泛关注。根据内容分析法(Content analysis)要求, 深入探讨分析了政治技能的实施效果及其理论解释, 总结出5种理论视角: 社会交换理论、社会影响理论、资源保存理论、社会认知理论和社会资本理论。未来研究应关注中国组织情境下政治技能的概念和测量、探索政治技能的诱因、基于团队层面政治技能的实施效果和基于资源保存理论视角的政治技能实施效果。     

Consciousness,Free Will,and the Sciences of the Mind

In his review of the trio of philosopher-scientist dialogues on the nature and capacities of the human mind, Paul Thagard (2018) advocates clearly and forcefully for a fairly extreme position, which he advances as preferable to an equally extreme alternative. I will suggest a middle path that becomes attractive when one attends not just to the range of data now pouring forth from the sciences of mind but also to our own experience as minded individuals.     

从毕生发展的视角看健康的贫富差距

健康的贫富差距是所有个体从出生到死亡都需要面对的现实, 也是全球所有国家都存在的社会问题。目前已经有相当的理论和实证研究尝试从毕生发展的视角理解健康的贫富差距。在毕生发展研究中, 健康的贫富差距有其独特的概念和测量方式。该领域重要的理论包括累积优(劣)势假设、累积不公平模型和社会阶层文化周期模型。研究者就儿童期、青少年期、成年期和老年期的健康贫富差距开展了大量的实证研究。未来毕生发展研究和实践的可能方向包括早年和当前社会经济地位的交互作用、社会经济地位的稳定特征和情境效应、跨领域实践干预等。毕生发展视角的健康贫富差距研究有助于理解健康贫富差距的发展根源和形成过程, 是促进国民健康和开展健康公平实践工作的理论基础。     

A journey through languages: A systematic literature review on the multilingual experience in counselling and psychotherapy with children and adolescents

The purpose of this research was to address the gap in the existing literature on the multilingual aspect of language in psychotherapy with children and adolescents. This research aimed at interpreting possible meanings for clients of being multilingual in the therapeutic process as well as reflect on the influence of clients’ multilingualism in the therapeutic relationship. The researcher used a systematic literature review (PRISMA guidelines, 2009) to select articles based on empirical qualitative/mixed studies with participants up to 25 years old or adults referring to childhood/adolescence. The researcher used thematic synthesis (Thomas & Harden, 2008) to extract, analyse and interpret data. The rigour of this study was enhanced by the use of auto-ethnography as a source of evidence (McLeod, 2015). The auto-etnography documents self-reflections on personal experience of being multilingual contributing to deeper contextualised knowledge. The findings confirm previous research on the existence of a link between multilingualism and “identity” (Costa, 2020, p. 5). This research suggests that the meaning a client gives to bilingualism can be co-constructed within an attuned therapeutic relationship. In this co-construction journey, there is a significant opportunity for children and young people in finding their way through languages, hence reaching emancipation and affirmation in the world. The main limitation of this research relates to the fact that there are not many studies with children/young people. This led the researcher to also include studies based on a mixed sample and with adults referring to childhood/adolescence, which might have influenced the interpretation of findings.     

Supervisees' perspectives on the contribution of supervision to psychotherapy outcomes

Objective

The aim of this study was to examine supervisees' perspectives about the contribution of two predefined aspects of supervision, supervisory bond (SB) and didactic input of supervisor (DI), to their ascribed outcome of therapy.

Method

Supervisees anonymously assessed the SB, supervisors' DI and their contribution to therapy outcome. Assessment was quantitative and qualitative. The supervisory aspects were assessed using a questionnaire constructed for this study. Perceived contribution was evaluated by two scaled questions, and themes generated by an open question. Supervisees (n = 111) evaluated 16 supervisors and supervision’s contribution to psychotherapy outcomes of 111 clients.

Findings

Hierarchical regression showed that supervisees' age, supervisors' status and frequency of supervision accounted for 24% of the variance ascribed to outcome. SB and DI accounted for 51% of the variance. These values, which are higher than reported in the literature, may be attributed to the assessment of predefined aspects of supervision by the same assessor. Thematic analysis of the didactic input produced more themes than for the supervisory bond.

Conclusion

Sociodemographic variables and supervisory relationship variables determine supervisees' evaluations of supervision’s contribution to outcome.

Implications for practice

Training and supervision may benefit from information obtained from quantitative and qualitative measures regarding these and other predefined variables related to supervision. The in-depth look at views and experiences shared by supervisees may advance training, practice and research.     

The psychological benefit of future vividness in goal persistence: An illustrative case of the class of 2020 before & during COVID-19

Graduating during COVID-19, the Class of 2020 had difficulty pursuing their future goals. This research examined the likelihood of academic and career goal change early in the pandemic, disparities in persistence by socioeconomic status (SES), and how psychological resources mitigated goal change during the early stages of the pandemic. This 4-year study surveyed students in the Class of 2020 eight times from their first week in college (Fall 2016) to their last semester before graduation (Spring 2020; N = 115; 20% below middle SES, 80% middle SES or above). Even in the first weeks of COVID-19, a quarter of students changed goals. Lower SES students were less likely to persist in their post-graduation plans. Nevertheless, students who entered college with a vivid image of their future were more likely to have secured a graduate school or job prospect prior to COVID-19, and, in turn, were less likely to change goals.     

Perceptions of dual career development among elite level swimmers and basketball players

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to (1) examine swimmers' and basketball players' perceptions of their dual career development (2) explore these perceptions for possible differences between male and female participants as well as between swimmers and basketball players.Design and methodSemi-structured interviews with 12 retired Slovene elite level swimmers and basketball players (six males and six females) were used to discuss about transitions, demands and challenges which occurred throughout their dual career development. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using the qualitative analytic software program Nvivo 10.ResultsQualitative analysis of interviews revealed that athletes perceived their athletic career in strong and reciprocal connection to other domains in their lives, i.e. academic/vocational, psychological, psychosocial, financial level. Some of the transitions occurring in their dual career were experienced as particularly important (e.g., transition to university, finishing university study) and connected to several challenges occurring at different levels of development. Differences between male and female participants, swimmers and basketball players in this study were identified.ConclusionThe study revealed a usefulness of using a holistic perspective when investigating athletes' dual career development, and a reciprocal nature of transitions occurring at different levels of athletes' development.