Korta interventioner kopplade till psykologiska processer har visats kunna öka idrottares prestation under pressade situationer. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka effekten av en 90 minuter lång ACT-baserad intervention på golfares faktiska och upplevda prestation under en golfsimulatortävling. Interventionen bestod av en workshop med syfte att introducera fenomenet psykologisk flexibilitet. Urvalet inkluderade elever från ett svenskt elitidrottsgymnasium. Med den icke-parametriska motsvarigheten till parat t-test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, jämfördes data från en tävling innan interventionen med en tävling efter. För att undersöka tillförlitliga individuella skillnader utfördes Reliable change index (RCI). Information som användes i analyserna var deskriptiv information om deltagarna som exempelvis ålder, kön och erfarenhet, deltagarnas prestation samt självskattad data i form av emotioner, psykologisk flexibilitet och stresshantering. Resultaten av Wilcoxon signed-rank test påvisade inga skillnader i prestation eller psykologisk flexibilitet, däremot uppmättes skillnader i ilska och nervositet. Ilskan hos deltagarna ökade och nervositeten minskade. Resultaten av RCI påvisade tillförlitliga individuella förändringar för samtliga utfallsmått förutom förmåga att hantera problematiska situationer under stress (stresshantering 2). Resultatet och möjliga förklaringar diskuteras i relation till tidigare forskning inom ämnet.

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Many individuals who are incarcerated have co-occurring substance use disorders that can lead to continued substance use and criminal activity post-release. The insidious and cyclic nature of substance use disorder limits the ability of these individuals fulfill meaningful life roles and engage in an occupationally rich life upon their return to the community. The current field of research examining effective in-prison treatment for those with substance use disorders highlights the need for evidence-based, occupation-focused treatment programs to address substance use disorder in an incarcerated population. After a review of recent literature, it was found that effective substance use treatment programs in correctional settings are occupation-focused, gender-responsive, and trauma-informed; include multiple treatment modalities and an aftercare component; and facilitate the creation of trust-based relationships. The author considered these essential elements while creating The Power to Choose, a 16-session manualized group treatment protocol that is occupation-focused and recovery-oriented. The protocol was reviewed by field experts to determine social validity. Recommendations from experts were implemented into the final version of the group treatment protocol and submitted to the correctional facility for program implementation and evaluation.

Thesis advisor: David L. Blustein / This study aimed to illuminate a piece of complexity behind vocational identity development in emerging adulthood. While identity development involves changes across various areas within one’s life, the establishment of a vocational identity is thought to be among the most vital and daunting tasks to manage during the transition from adolescence to adulthood (e.g., Erikson, 1959). For those fortunate enough to experience positive developments in this aspect of their identity, a plethora of positive life- and career outcomes are associated with them (Diemer & Blustein, 2007; Hirschi, 2011a; Hirschi, 2011c; Klotz et al., 2014; Luyckx et al., 2010). While this form of identity development is historically understood to be among the most challenging, evolving changes in “macrostructural conditions” (i.e., technological innovation and AI) have further complicated things, leading some to feel discouraged from taking an “active engagement in the exploratory process,” likely followed by a delay in making an occupational choice (Mortimer, 2002, p. 442). Despite the prominent role that establishing a vocational identity has in a young person’s maturation process (Erikson, 1959), this phenomenon has yet to be introduced and examined in a modern career development theory, and more specifically, within psychology of working theory (PWT; Duffy et al., 2016). The current study postulates that both original and new PWT career variables: economic constraints, marginalization, work volition, career adaptability, and psychological flexibility, interact and contribute to the overall development of an emerging adult’s vocational identity. The purpose of the present study was to demarcate how specific paths of PWT (Duffy et al., 2016) were connected to vocational identity development for those within emerging adulthood (ranging in ages 18-25). Broadly, it was hypothesized that work volition and career adaptability would predict vocational identity development and that these relationships would be moderated by psychological flexibility. Additional exploratory models, which placed psychological flexibility in two other locations, were also assessed. These relationships were examined by surveying 283 emerging adults via an online survey tool. These participants responded to questions about their vocational identity, levels of psychological flexibility, work volition, career adaptability, experiences of macro-level barriers, and demographic characteristics. Data were analyzed using hierarchical linear regression. Findings revealed that the primary hypothesized model describing work volition and career adaptability to predict vocational identity was an excellent fit to the data. Additionally, the model results indicate that psychological flexibility did not moderate these relationships. However, it does play a significant role in overall vocational identity development, career adaptability, and work volition independent of other variables. Among demographic variables, SES differences were found within the sample. These results are discussed and grounded in their unique contribution to the existing literature on vocational identity development, psychological flexibility, and career development. Theoretical, policy, and practical implications are discussed. Future directions and limitations of the study are also considered. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2022. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Counseling, Developmental and Educational Psychology.

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Cognitive performance is a central part of a range of daily activities. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) interventions may improve cognitive performance by enhancing psychological flexibility. Previous research has found correlations between the constructs of psychological flexibility and cognitive flexibility (Whiting et al., 2017). However, there is a lack of empirical evidence to support the idea that enhancing psychological flexibility could enhance cognitive performance. The current study investigated whether a defusion exercise ‘The Observer’ could enhance cognitive performance in a nonclinical sample of adults (N=71). In addition, the study also sought to investigate whether a defusion exercise could have an effect on experienced levels of stress and also one’s evaluation of one’s own performance in comparison to others. Results indicated that there was no significant difference between the Defusion condition and Control condition regarding cognitive performance. Both conditions performed slightly worse post-intervention. No significant difference was found regarding the evaluations of one's own performance in comparison to others. However, the results showed that the defusion exercise had a positive effect in reducing experienced levels of stress for the Defusion condition compared to the Control condition.