Difficulties for extending Wegner and colleagues’ model of the sense of agency to deficits in delusions of alien control

Author(s): Glenn Carruthers / Language(s): English Issue: 3/2014

Wegner and colleagues have offered an explanation of the sense of agency over one’s bodily actions. If the orthodox view is correct and there is a sense of agency deficit associated with delusions of alien control, then Wegner and colleagues’ model ought to extend to an explanation of this deficit. Data from intentional binding studies opens up the possibility that an abnormality in representing the timing of mental events leads to a violation of the principle of priority in those suffering from delusions of alien control. However, the model ultimately fails as it is unable to accommodate action monitoring deficits associated with delusions of alien control, in particular the theory of mind deficiencies predicted by such accounts have not materialised. There are theory of mind problems associated with schizophrenia but they are not associated with delusions of alien control. Such accounts thereby fail to adequately explain delusions of alien control.

Attitudes towards euthanasia in the context of fear of death among physiotherapists and caregivers of patients with paresis

Author(s): Alicja Głębocka / Language(s): English Issue: 3/2017

Background: The permissibility of euthanasia raises many moral dilemmas, dividing the general public on thismatter. Attitudes towards euthanasia depend on socio-cultural (age, beliefs) and individual factors (personalitytraits or working in medical professions).Aim of the study: The aim of the study was to establish attitudes towards euthanasia and the level of anxietybefore death among people in close contact with persons suffering from paresis. The hypotheses assumed thatcontact with disabled patients, who require constant care, and the type of such contact, modify the perceivedfear of death and attitudes towards euthanasia.Material and methods: Two clinical groups were involved in the study: physiotherapists dealing with strokerehabilitation, family caregivers permanently taking care of close relatives of cerebral stroke survivors. Theresults of the two groups were compared to those of the control group, who were individuals with no personalexperience in the care of patients with paresis. Attitudes towards euthanasia were measured in three dimensions:information support, liberal attitudes and conservative attitudes.Results: The results showed no intergroup differences in two dimensions: liberal attitude and the fear of death.Physiotherapists were the least conservative in their attitudes in comparison to other participants and theyappreciated the information support more than participants from the control group. Conclusions: The results indicated that everyday contact with the patients suffering from paresis can increase conservative attitudes toward euthanasia but only among caregivers

DISTINKTIVNOST U OKVIRU POZITIVNOG I NEGATIVNOG AFEKTA: VALIDACIJA SRPSKE ADAPTACIJE INVENTARA ZA PROCENU POZITIVNOG I NEGATIVNOG AFEKTA (PANAS)

Author(s): Emilija Drobnjaković,Bojana Dinić,Ljiljana Mihić / Language(s): Serbian Issue: 2/2017

In previous research convergent and divergent validity of the Serbian adaptation of Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) were confirmed via correlations with personality traits and via induction of sadness and awe feeling. In this research further validation of the PA-NAS was tested, considering the content of specific subscales rather then general positive (PA) or general negative affect (NA). Two studies were conducted. In the first study (n = 410 students), the relationships between the PANAS and the HEXACO–PI–R subscales were tested. Results showed that the main correlate of the PANAS subscales is ex-traversion, and its facets, while certain facets from the other personality scales had low or moderate correlations with the PANAS subscales. Results showed that there was a compatibility between affects and traits. Also, it is noticed that the fear subscale from the PANAS had a higher correlation with the anxiety facet, compared to the fearfulness facet, both from the HEXACO–PI–R. In the second study, we investigated changes in the PANAS subscales before and after induction of anger, fear, hap-piness, and neutral affect. In this experiment, 87 students participated, and they were divided into four groups, depending on induced affect. Induction was conducted using movie clips. Results showed that the fear and happiness subscales were successful in catching changes in their respective affects. Namely, there was a significant change on these subscales when compatible affect was induced, whereas no changes were detected in other subscales within the same affect domain (PA or NA). However, in the induction of anger, there was a significant increase in scores on the fear subscale, but scores on the hostility subscale re-mained the same. When analyzing the items within the fear subscale with a significant change, it was noticed that their content was referring to behavioral tension, but not directly to the fear affect. Moreover, scores on the attentiveness subscale were high before and after induction, which could indicate that this aspect of positive affect is different from others. Results showed that the Serbian adaptation of the PANAS is a valid affect measure. However, the caution is needed when interpreting scores on the NA scale, because its subscales share some characteris-tics such as behavioral tension.

Promoting educational, classification, treatment, and policy initiatives

Author(s): Mateusz Gola,Marc N. Potenza / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2018

The letter by Kraus et al. (2018) published recently in World Psychiatry presents diagnostic criteria for compulsive sexual behaviors (CSBs). Here, we discuss the potential impact of including CSB disorder in ICD-11 for four areas: educational efforts related to CSB (for both clinicians and patients), investigation of underlying mechanisms and subtypes, development of personalized treatment frameworks, and answering socially important questions and advancing important prevention efforts and effective policies. Each of these four areas has their own challenges that should be addressed, and we briefly describe and discuss them. We hope that this information will help continue a dialog and provide a framework for moving forward in this area.

Latentna struktura skale socijalne anksioznosti i relacije između socijalne anksioznosti i iracionalnih uverenja

Author(s): Snežana Tovilović / Language(s): Serbian Issue: 1/2004

The research which was realized belongs to one of three research fields within framework of rational-emotional-behavioral therapy (REBT) – to the theory of emotional disorders. It was undertaken with the aim to establish presence and nature of relations between social anxiety, treated as dimension and the construct of irrational beliefs from REBT theory. The research was carried out on the sample of 261 students of Novi Sad University, both genders, age 18 to 26. First of all, the latent structure of newly constructed Scale of Social Anxiety (SA) of the author Tovilović S. was tested. SA scale was proved to be of satisfying reliability (α =0.92). Principal-component factor analysis was conducted under gathered data. Four factors of social anxiety, which explain 44,09% of total variance of the items of SA scale, were named: social-evaluation anxiety, inhibition in social-uncertain situations, low self-respect and hypersensitivity on rejection. The other test that was used is Scale of General Attitudes and Beliefs of the author Marić Z. Reliability of the sub-scale of irrational beliefs that was got on our sample is α =0.91 yet the subscale of rational beliefs is α =0.70. Canonical correlational analysis was conducted under manifest variables of both scales. Three pairs of statistically significant canonical factors were got, with correlations within the span between Rc=0.78 and Rc=0.64. We discussed nature of correlation between social anxiety and irrational beliefs in the light of REBT model of social phobia, REBT theory of emotional disorder, researches and model of social anxiety in wider, cognitive-behavioral framework.

Savremene tendencije u psihoterapiji: Specijalizacija prakse i integracija znanja

Author(s): Vesna Gavrilov Jerković / Language(s): Serbian Issue: 1/2003

The paper considers chronological and theoretical development of psychotherapy with the aim of formulating psychotherapeutic paradigm as an expression of scientific improvement in this field, as well as methodological and empirical assumption of integrative models in the psychotherapy. Special attention is paid to the phenomena that have characterised the field of psychotherapy in recent time, such as, on one hand, the emphasis on the increased need for the empirical evaluation of practice and accompanied trend regarding specialisation, and, on the other hand, the strengthening of the trend towards defining and researching general change mechanisms from wider, more integrative and transtheoretical perspective.

Multiple traumatisation as a risk factor of post-traumatic stress disorder

Author(s): Nadežda Savjak / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2003

Paper presents a part of results obtained in 1998 within action study of the psychological effects of war traumatisation in Republika Srpska. Special attention is paid to the additional impact of multiple exposure to war sufferings regarding the degree of the traumatisation (the loss of loved ones, direct life threat, the participation in combats, and the testimony of the death of other people). 229 persons were assessed in 8 towns of Republika Srpska. The comparison of the results of refugees and domicile persons at the Reaction Index – Revised speaks in favour of their significantly higher vulnerability even after three years after the end of war. Total degree of the traumatisation, as well as the symptoms of intrusion, avoidance, and hyperarousal are significantly more frequent. In 42.5% of refugees (in relation to 26.7% of domicile persons) there is PTSP risk. The intensification of criteria proves that 17% of refugees are at high risk (in relation to 5.2% of the domiciled). It is obvious, that refuge presents traumatic event for many people, and not only chronic burden. The results suggest that the effect of direct jeopardy, combat stress, and the testimony of somebody else’s death are fading in time, but that the culmination of tangible, social, and human losses in refuge is serious risk factor for mental health.

Psihološki i socio-kulturni činioci nastanka i tretmana anorexiae nervosae

Author(s): Dušanka Đurović / Language(s): Serbian Issue: 1/2003

The paper provides an overview of modern literature on psychological and social-cultural factors of anorexia etiology and psychotherapy. Nutrition problems are pointed out, which are necessary to be solved before any psychotherapeutic intervention, and it also provides the overview of our therapeutic approach efficiency.

Stres i posledice stresa: Prikaz transakcionističkog teorijskog modela

Author(s): Marija Zotović Kostić / Language(s): Serbian Issue: 1-2/2002

The aim of this paper is to discuss the most important questions concerning stress and its effects on mental health. The author accepts transcationist theory, which basic assumptions are presented in the text. Besides transactionist, reductionist, and interactionist models of stress and stress related disorders are explained, as well as the advantages of transactionism. Wider implications and importance of transactionist theory are also pointed.

Phenomenology of Intuitive Judgment: Praecox-Feeling in the Diagnosis of Schizophrenia

Author(s): Marcin Moskalewicz,Michael A. Schwartz,Tudi Gozé / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2018

This paper argues that intuition plays a role in the diagnosis of schizophrenia and presents its phenomenological rationale. A discussion of self-assessment questionnaires and empirical studies in the clinical setting provides evidence that despite the prevalence of operational diagnosis, the intuitive judgment of schizophrenia continues to take place. Two related notions of intuitive diagnosis are presented: Minkowski’s diagnostic by penetration and Rümke’s praecox feeling. Further on, the paper explores and clarifies the phenomenology behind the praecox feeling. First, it is argued, intuitive diagnosis is neither a feeling nor an experience, but a typification operating at an implicit level. Second, it is not simply subjective as spatially it takes place in the in-between of the clinical interaction. Finally, it is not just momentary, but temporally extended, and, hence, partly reflective. The paper suggests that intuitive diagnosis requires critical testing on the side of the psychiatrist to either confirm or falsify it through reflective operations. In conclusion, the merits and shortcomings of intuitive vs. operational diagnosis are presented.

History of autism. The beginnings. Collusions or serendipity

Author(s): Loredana Al Ghazi / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2018

The article presents the first years of the autism and the way it was viewed since the autistic features were first observed until 75 years ago when Leo Kanner coined the term “autism”. It took 36 years to Kanner’s “infantile autism” to be formally recognized by the American Psychiatric Association in the third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (APA, 1980). Fifty years after Hans Asperger published his four cases of “autistic psychopaths”, whose traits were described as early as 1938 in his postdoctoral thesis, APA introduced the Asperger syndrome in the fourth edition of DSM(1994). However, two decades before Kanner and Asperger, a Russian psychiatrist, Grunia Sukhareva, reported six cases of “schizoid psychopathy” in children and used the term autistic to describe their “tendency towards solitude and avoidance of other people” (Wolff, 1996, p. 129). We bring together three recent extensive accounts on autism history and try to establish who was the first to observe, describe, and label the autistic traits as a separate clinical picture from childhood schizophrenia.

Dnevnobolnički psihoterapijski tretman pacijenata

Author(s): Mitra Mirković-Hajdukov,Elvis Bećirović / Language(s): Bosnian,Croatian Issue: 15/2019

Dnevna bolnica predstavlja poliklinički oblik liječenja uz vrlo povoljno rješenje povezivanja šire društvene zajednice i tradicionalne institucionalne psihijatrije, gdje pacijenti svakodnevno dolaze na tretman u bolnicu u jutarnjim satima i borave do poslijepodnevnih sati. Psihoterapijski dnevnobolnički tretman omogućava pacijentimakontinuirano održavanje veze s okolinom, podrazumijeva tretman osoba obaspola, svih dobnih i dijagnostičkih skupina, uz održavanje funkcioniranja pacijentau porodičnoj i socijalnoj sredini. Danas je to standardna forma liječenja u koji jeuključen interdisciplinarni tim stručnjaka. Za pacijente uživaoce alkohola i psihoaktivnihsupstanci, potencijalno homicidalne i suicidalne pacijente, te osobe sa težimtjelesnim oštećenjima, tretaman u dnevnoj bolnici je kontraindikovan (Poredoš Lavor,i sur, 2008.).U radu su objašnjene najčešće primjenjivane psihoterapijske tehnike u liječenjupsihijatrijskih bolesnika Dnevne bolnice Klinike za psihijatriju UKC Tuzla.

The Role of Occupational Therapy in Reducing Adverse Symptoms in Diagnostics with Depression

Author(s): Anişoara Sandovici,Constantin Nechifor / Language(s): English Issue: 21/2018

This research has started from the framework objective according to which occupational therapy represents a way to intervene in the activation of psychological and physical resources for persons diagnosed with disorders in the depressive spectrum. The working hypotheses that deplored the intervention were: We assume that by activities that define the roles in the family, society and everyday life of people with depressive disorders we will achieve an increase in satisfaction and performance in our daily life with day. We also assume that through the intervention of occupational therapy, in close connection with the analytical assessment of customer specific needs, the degree of psychological recovery, reintegration and social inclusion of people with depressive disorders increases. At the end of the specific intervention, the client is able to positively activate in the management of personal life.

The Test Anxiety Assessment Inventory-Parallel Form/IAT-III: Normative Data

Author(s): Anișoara Sandovici,Viorel Robu,Lavinia Maria Pruteanu / Language(s): English Issue: 21/2018

Examination stress and test anxiety are pervasive problems in the modern society. Test anxiety generally leads to a gradual decrease of cognitive performance and undermines academic achievement of students of all ages. Therefore, the early identification of test anxiety is important because it can result in a better prognosis to prevent recurrent difficulties. This paper summarizes the main results of a psychometric study aimed to develop norms for the Test Anxiety Asssessment Inventory-Parallel Form/IAT-III (Robu, 2009b) in a sample of Romanian middle school students. Participants were 291 students from 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. A hypothetical metric model of the IAT-III was tested using confirmatory factor analysis. In addition, internal consistency was computed. Descriptive characteristics that justify the chosen norming system were also presented in the paper. Finally, normative data that can be useful to assess test anxiety among middle school students were reported.

BOLESTI DUŠE I TIJELA – IZAZOV SVJESNOSTI

Author(s): Branka Jakelić / Language(s): Croatian Issue: 4/2015

Symptoms of Internet Gaming Disorder and Parenting Styles in Romanian Adolescents

Author(s): Alexandra Maftei,Violeta Enea / Language(s): English Issue: 3/2020

Online video gaming has been endorsed as a potential addictive behavior with negativepsychological and functional consequences and has been extensively studied amongadolescents and young individuals. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to estimate theprevalence of symptoms of the Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) in a sample of 278 Romanianearly adolescents (aged 10 to 14, 52.5% females) and their parents, and to examine the roleof parental styles of parents in predicting the symptoms of IGD in their children. Statisticalanalyses showed that 31 (22%) adolescents had clinically relevant symptoms of IGD. A logisticregression model revealed that a dominant permissive style of parents was substantiallyrelated to symptoms of IGD in their children. Findings highlight a strong correlation betweenparenting styles and symptoms of IGD, emphasizing the importance of parental involvementin both the prevention and development of IGD in early adolescence.

Çok Boyutlu Yaşantısal Kaçınma Ölçeği’nin Türkçe uyarlaması ve psikometrik özellikleri

Author(s): Jülide Ceren Yıldırım,Başak Bahtiyar / Language(s): Turkish Issue: 1/2020

The aim of the current study was to adapt the Multidimensional Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire, which allows to assess various experiential avoidance strategies, into Turkish and to examine its psychometric properties in a non-clinical sample. The study was carried out with 407 volunteer participants (281 female and 126 male) between the ages of 18 and 40 years. In this study, Multidimensional Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire, Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II, Cognitive Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised, Positive and Negative Affect Scale and Flourishing Scale were administered to the participants. The results of the exploratory factor analysis revealed that Turkish version of the scale included 59 items along 5 dimensions, named as Avoidance, Distraction/Suppression, Distress Endurance, Procrastination and Repression/ Denial. Total scale and its subscales demonstrated good internal consistencies. In terms of the validity properties, Turkish version of the scale was significantly correlated with psychological inflexibility, mindfulness, psychological wellbeing, also positive and negative affect in expected directions. Additionally, regression analysis indicated that different experiential avoidance strategies predicted psychological wellbeing above and beyond existing measures of psychological inflexibility and mindfulness. Overall findings of the study demonstrated that Turkish version of the Multidimensional Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire is a valid and reliable instrument to assess different forms of experiential avoidance.

Akıllı telefon bağımlılığı, bağlanma ve duygu düzenlemenin ilişkisi: Mizaç ve karakter özelliklerinin aracı rolü

Author(s): Emine Sevinç Sevi Tok,Halime Şenay Güzel / Language(s): Turkish Issue: 1/2020

This study aimed to evaluate the relationships between smartphone usage, attachment, emotion regulation difficulties, and temperament-character traits. It was also aimed to test a developmental etiological model of smartphone addiction examining the mediating effect of temperament and character dimensions in the relationship between attachment style and emotion regulation difficulties and smartphone addiction in early childhood. The sample of the study consisted of 400 university students from Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University and İzmir Kâtip Çelebi University. Smartphone Addiction Scale, Experiences in Close Relationships-II, Temperament and Character Inventory, and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-Short Form were used as data collection tools. In the results, it was found that anxious attachment; strategy and impulsivity subtests of Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale; self-directedness and self-transcendence subscales of character dimensions significantly predicted the level of smartphone addiction. Finally, the path analysis had a very good fit to the data and suggested that self-directedness acted as a mediating role in the relationship between anxious attachment, strategy, impulsivity, and smartphone addiction. This model has revealed that those who are anxiously attachment, whose emotion regulation strategies are insufficient, and those who are impulsive while regulating their emotions have difficulties in self-directedness and that this plays an important role in increasing the likelihood of smartphone addiction. Therefore, it can be said that these findings will be useful in both theoretical and clinical applications.

Do childhood trauma and attachment dimensions predict psychotic-like experiences in a non-clinical sample?

Author(s): Feyzan Ustamehmetoğlu,Oya Mortan Sevi / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2020

Psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) are very common in the healthy population of society and can be seen without being clinically diagnosed. Many studies have emphasized the relationship between PLEs and childhood trauma or attachment dimensions. The purpose of this study was examining the relationship between five sub-dimensions of childhood trauma (emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional neglect, and physical neglect), two dimensions of attachment (model of self and others), and three sub-dimensions of PLEs (positive, negative, and depressive). The Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), and Relationship Questionnaire (RQ) were used as assessment tools. It was assumed that early childhood traumas and attachment dimensions would significantly predict PLEs. The sample was compromised of 412 participants between the ages of 17-65. The results of the study indicated that individuals who had high score on childhood trauma and low score on attachment dimensions (model of self and others) had high score on PLEs. Besides, high scores on emotional abuse and low scores on attachment dimensions (model of self and others) may explain high scores on psychotic-like experiences. The results were discussed in the light of previous research and future directions were proposed for subsequent studies.

Mothers of Unseen Children: The Invisible Child

Author(s): Bharti Mohan / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2019

Losing a child is a very traumatic experience and one that creates different nuances in the lives of those left behind. Survivors or tormented is a matter of perspective. Loss of a child many times reside in the realm of silence. Words or silence or a combination of the two seems to connect the 'Mother' to the 'Absent child' (for the world) with the ever 'Present child' (in the world of the 'Mother' who carry 'The Invisible Child,' along with them every day. The current paper will focus on the identity of a 'Mother' who has lost a child to sudden/unexpected death, their grieving process and the representation of loss in their lives through an exploration of the world of mothers through two interviews undertaken as a part of PhD work in the Indian context. Exploration of Tutter and Wurmser's understanding of grief, Lifton's concept of 'Death Guilt' and 'Psychic Numbing' and Parkes and Prigerson's theory of 'Dual Process of grieving' will assist in understand the lives of mothers engulfed in dealing with their personal losses and continuing to live with/without their children. This exploration includes my personal journey along with these mothers. This paper is an attempt to explore this new world. Mothers were approached directly for participation in the PhD work, context provided and consent was taken to participate and share their life stories of loss of their child/children who provided their accounts largely as a combination of the English and Hindi language.