Beeinflusst unsere Variabilität, wie wir über andere denken? Betrifft die Veränderung unserer Persönlichkeitszustände mehr als uns selbst? Wie beeinflussen andere unsere Persönlichkeitsentwicklung? Wie wirkt sich Selbstbezug auf das Denken über andere aus? In dieser Arbeit werden die vielfältigen Beziehungen zwischen unserer Persönlichkeit und der Beziehung zu und Interaktion mit anderen Menschen in verschiedenen Bereichen der Persönlichkeitspsychologie untersucht. Neben der Zusammenfassung der vier Veröffentlichungen, wird der theoriegeleitete Ansatz erläutert und in Persönlichkeitsdynamik und -prozesse eingeführt. Zentral sind die Konzepte der Persönlichkeitsmerkmale, der innerpersonellen Variabilität, der Persönlichkeitsentwicklung, des Selbstfokus, des Egozentrismus und der egozentrischen Verzerrung–im Rahmen ihrer Bedeutung für die Theory of Mind (ToM). Publikation 1 schlägt ein zweistufiges Model vor, wie die innerpersonelle Variabilität die ToM durch Erweiterung und Relativierung des Egozentrismus einer Person erleichtern kann. Publikation 2 fürht die Terminologie und die statistischen Werkzeuge der dynamischen Systemtheorie für die Untersuchung von Persönlichkeitszuständen ein und diskutiert Anwendungsfälle. Publikation 3 stellt ein Klassifizierungssystem vor, mit dem systematisch zwischen persönlichen und kollektiven Lebensereignissen unterschieden werden kann, wobei die unterschiedlichen Mechanismen berücksichtigt werden, durch die beide Arten von Lebensereignissen die Persönlichkeitsentwicklung beeinflussen können. Publikation 4 präsentiert Belege für eine kleine, aber robuste positive Beziehung zwischen achtsamer Selbstfokussierung und ToM. Nach der Reflektion der Beiträge zum Fachgebiet werden drei Forschungsansätze aus dem Risikomanagement, der Persönlichkeitspsychologie und den Neurowissenschaften diskutiert, die auf die Forschung zu innerpersönlicher Variabilität und Persönlichkeitsentwicklung sowie zu Egozentrismus und ToM einzahlen könnten. / Does our own variability affect how we think about others? Do personality states changes involve more than ourselves? How do others affect our personality development? How does focusing on oneself affect thinking about others? This dissertation explores the many relationships between an individual’s personality and ther relation to and interaction with other people across multiple areas of personality psychological research. Before summarizing four publications of this cumulative project, I explain my theory-driven approach and introduce the field of personality dynamics and processes. In particular, I focus on the concepts of personality traits, within-person variability, personality development, self-focus, egocentrism, egocentric bias–often in light of their relevant for Theory of Mind. The first publication proposes a two-tier framework of how within-person variability can facilitate Theory of Mind by broadening and relativizing a person’s egocentrism. The second publication introduces the terminology and statistical tools of dynamic systems theory to the investigation of personality state levels and presents possible use cases. The third publication introduces a classification system to differentiate between personal and collective live events in a systematic way that is sensitive to the different mechanisms by which both kinds of life events can affect personality development. The fourth publication presents evidence for a small but robust positive relationship between mindful self-focus and Theory of Mind. Finally, I reflect on the publications’ contributions to the field and suggest three lines of research stemming from risk management, personality psychology, and neuroscience that could inform research on within-person variability and personality development as well as on egocentrism and Theory of Mind further in the future.

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Despite a high proportion of the population experiencing traumatic events within their lifetime, the number of individuals who go on to develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is comparatively small; herein highlighting the importance of individual differences in imparting risk and resilience towards the development and maintenance of PTSD. Existing literature illustrates that biological and ecological factors are important in predicting PTSD development, with pathological vulnerabilities excepting their effects at pre- peri- and post trauma stages. Whilst cognitive and emotion based models of PTSD account for the role of a minority of known pre-trauma risk factors, individual differences in peri- and post trauma processes are held as critical to the development of PTSD. The broad range of risk factors implicated in the empirical literature, and necessity of traumatic exposure to PTSD, implicates the utility of a diathesis-stress conceptualisation of PTSD development. The current thesis employed an analogue VR-trauma paradigm to investigate the respective importance of vulnerability factors at each stage, in the prediction of analogue PTSD symptoms (memory problems, startle responses, re-exposure fear habituation), whilst measuring affective and electrophysiological concomitance. Findings supported the importance of peri-traumatic responses in the prediction of PTSD, where present, showing increased predictive capacities over pre- and post-trauma factors. Biological and ecological factors also illustrated important predictive associations, with genetic SNPs implicated in reflex startle and cardiac responses towards intrusive memories. Moreover, peri-traumatic HR decelerations and accelerations mediated the association between pre-trauma factors and cued recall inaccuracy and intrusion severity respectively. Results support existing cognitive and emotional models in their emphasis on peri-traumatic processes but suggest the added utility of a diathesis stress conceptualisation of the development of PTSD, in highlighting the importance of pre-trauma biological and ecological risk and resilience factors.

This study investigated the relationship between specific psychosocial factors and susceptibility to the common cold in a sample of 124 distance runners. A cross-sectional survey design was used to assess the role of life events, coping, hardiness, training workload and competition frequency in the athlete's risk of infection. Using correlational statistical techniques, it was found that the magnitude of recent life changes and the avoidance coping strategy of denial were positively related to self-reported symptoms of the common cold. Furthermore, a significant inverse correlation was observed between hardiness and symptom duration scores. However, approach coping, training workload and competition frequency were not significantly related to the dependent measures. The results of this study suggest that certain stress-related psychosocial factors are associated with susceptibility to the common cold in distance runners. Several strategies for the prevention and treatment of upper respiratory tract infections in this group are implied by these findings. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Text in Afrikaans / In this study an instrument is suggested for implementation by the Educational Psychologist to design a support programme, aimed at handling family members' stress where a child has sustained a brain injury. Attention was paid to the phenomenon "brain injured child" to ascertain demands and needs (physical, cognitive, psychological and emotional). Specific note was taken of the toll on each family member in their observance, experience, assistance and giving· meaning to the child. Reference was made to existing support programmes for such family members from the acute care phase to the final acceptance and readjustment of the family. With this study the need for a continuous support programme and the contents of such a programme was addressed. Using these guidelines the Educational Psychologist will be able to prepare the family for the stress possibilities in dealing with the brain injured child. / Met hierdie studie is 'n instrument daargestel vir die ontwerp van 'n hulpverleningsprogram vir gebruik deur die Opvoedkundige Sielkundige. Hierdie hulpprogram het as doel, die hantering van stres, deur die gesin van 'n kind, wat 'n breinbesering opgedoen het. In die studie is aandag gegee aan die tipiese gedrag wat oor die algemeen van 'n breinbeseerde kind verwag kan word. Daar is ook gepoog om te bepaal hoe elke lid van die gesin die breinbeseerde kind beleef, aan hom betekenis gee, en hom probeer help ten opsigte van die eise (fisiek en emosioneel) wat hy stel. Verder is daar gekyk na bestaande hulpverlening (gerig op die hantering van stres) aan die gesinslede van 'n breinbeseerde kind vanaf die akute versorgingsfase tot en met die aanpassing en herorganisering van die gesin. Met hierdie studie is 'n behoefte aan 'n kontinue hulpverleningsprogram en die inhoud van so 'n program by gesinslede aangespreek. Aan die hand van die riglyne sal die Opvoedkundige Sielkundige 'n gesin kan voorberei op die stres wat hulle ten opsigte van die hantering van 'n breinbeseerde kind te wagte kan wees. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Voorligting)

本研究主要在探討大學生的生活壓力、社會支持與生命意義各層面的相互關係，最後瞭解生活壓力、社會支持對生命意義的預測情形。本研究採問卷調查法的方式，以台灣北部地區576名大學生為研究對象，邀請大學生填寫「生命意義量表」、「大學生生活壓力量表」及「社會支持量表」三種量表。資料蒐集完畢後，以描述性統計、獨立樣本t考驗、皮爾森積差相關、逐步迴歸分析、階層迴歸分析進行資料分析。研究主要發現如下： 一、大學生普遍具有追尋生命意義的動機，但約有四分之一的學生對個人的生命意義主觀感受是欠缺的或不確定的。 二、不同性別大學生的生命意義感、意義追尋動機無顯著差異。 三、有宗教信仰的大學生其生命意義感較無宗教信仰者高，且信仰越虔誠則生命意義感越高。 四、大學生的生命意義感與意義追尋動機為正相關。 五、日常困擾、重大負向生活事件兩者的發生件數、影響程度，分別和生命意義感呈負相關。 六、社會支持、日常困擾影響程度與意義追尋動機為正向關係。 七、大學生的社會支持、日常困擾程度、重大負向生活事件發生件數、是否有宗教信仰，對生命意義感具顯著預測力。 八、大學生的社會支持、日常困擾程度、日常困擾發生件數，能夠顯著預測意義追尋動機。 九、有宗教信仰的大學生，信仰虔誠度對生命意義感預測力高於生活壓力。 十、大學生的社會支持並沒有產生調節生活壓力對生命意義之效果。 根據研究結果，建議可藉由協助大學生探索其生命意義、發展個人的靈性或宗教信仰、建立個人的社會網絡、學習因應日常困擾之能力、嘗試從苦難中找尋生命意義，以獲得較高的生命意義感。最後提出對未來相關研究的建議。 / The study examined the relative contributions of life stress and social support to the prediction of life meaning among Taiwan college students. This study employed three questionnaires to collect data, including Meaning in life Questionnaire, Life Stress Scale, and Social Support Scale. The participants of the study were 576 college students of northern Taiwan. The descriptive statistic, t-test, Pearson’s correlation analysis, stepwise multiple regression and hierarchical multiple regression analysis were used to analyze data. The main findings of this study were: 1. College students generally had the motivation of searching for meaning, but about 1/4 students had deficient or uncertain subjective experience to the presence of life meaning. 2. Male and female students had no significant differentiation in the presence and search for the meaning in life. 3. College students with religious beliefs had higher presence of meaning in life than those who didn’t have religious beliefs. Moreover the higher the dedication in religion a student had the higher meaning in life. 4. There was a positive correlation between the presence of meaning in life and the search for meaning in college students. 5. Daily hassles, number of major life events, and the degree of influence had negative relationship with the presence of life meaning. 6. Positive relationship between social support, degree of influence of daily hassles and the search for meaning in life were found. 7. College students’ social support, degree of influence of daily hassles, number of major life events, and religious beliefs could significantly predict the presence of meaning in life. 8. College students’ social support, degree of influence of daily hassles, and number of daily hassles could significantly predict the search for meaning in life. 9. The dedication level in religion had higher prediction than life stress on the presence of meaning in life among college students who had religious beliefs. 10. The college students' social support had no buffering effect between stress and the meaning of life. According to the findings, researcher suggested that college students could obtain higher levels of life meaning by exploring their meaning of life, developing spirituality or religious beliefs, learning the ability to cope with daily hassles, and finding meaning in sufferings. Finally, suggestions for further research were proposed.

This study investigated the relationship between specific psychosocial factors and susceptibility to the common cold in a sample of 124 distance runners. A cross-sectional survey design was used to assess the role of life events, coping, hardiness, training workload and competition frequency in the athlete's risk of infection. Using correlational statistical techniques, it was found that the magnitude of recent life changes and the avoidance coping strategy of denial were positively related to self-reported symptoms of the common cold. Furthermore, a significant inverse correlation was observed between hardiness and symptom duration scores. However, approach coping, training workload and competition frequency were not significantly related to the dependent measures. The results of this study suggest that certain stress-related psychosocial factors are associated with susceptibility to the common cold in distance runners. Several strategies for the prevention and treatment of upper respiratory tract infections in this group are implied by these findings. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Text in Afrikaans / In this study an instrument is suggested for implementation by the Educational Psychologist to design a support programme, aimed at handling family members' stress where a child has sustained a brain injury. Attention was paid to the phenomenon "brain injured child" to ascertain demands and needs (physical, cognitive, psychological and emotional). Specific note was taken of the toll on each family member in their observance, experience, assistance and giving· meaning to the child. Reference was made to existing support programmes for such family members from the acute care phase to the final acceptance and readjustment of the family. With this study the need for a continuous support programme and the contents of such a programme was addressed. Using these guidelines the Educational Psychologist will be able to prepare the family for the stress possibilities in dealing with the brain injured child. / Met hierdie studie is 'n instrument daargestel vir die ontwerp van 'n hulpverleningsprogram vir gebruik deur die Opvoedkundige Sielkundige. Hierdie hulpprogram het as doel, die hantering van stres, deur die gesin van 'n kind, wat 'n breinbesering opgedoen het. In die studie is aandag gegee aan die tipiese gedrag wat oor die algemeen van 'n breinbeseerde kind verwag kan word. Daar is ook gepoog om te bepaal hoe elke lid van die gesin die breinbeseerde kind beleef, aan hom betekenis gee, en hom probeer help ten opsigte van die eise (fisiek en emosioneel) wat hy stel. Verder is daar gekyk na bestaande hulpverlening (gerig op die hantering van stres) aan die gesinslede van 'n breinbeseerde kind vanaf die akute versorgingsfase tot en met die aanpassing en herorganisering van die gesin. Met hierdie studie is 'n behoefte aan 'n kontinue hulpverleningsprogram en die inhoud van so 'n program by gesinslede aangespreek. Aan die hand van die riglyne sal die Opvoedkundige Sielkundige 'n gesin kan voorberei op die stres wat hulle ten opsigte van die hantering van 'n breinbeseerde kind te wagte kan wees. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Voorligting)

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine patterns of antenatal stressful life events (SLEs) experienced by women in the United States (U.S.) and their association with postpartum depression (PPD). It further explored the role of women's state-level socio-economic status (SES) on PPD; the racial/ethnic dispartites in SLE-PPD relationship; and the role of provider communication on perinatal depression. Data from 2009–11 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) and SES indicators published by the Institute of Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) were used. Latent class analysis (LCA) was performed to identify unobserved class membership based on antenatal SLEs. Multilevel generalized linear mixed models examined whether state-level SES moderated the antenatal SLE-PPD relationship. Of 116,595 respondents to the PRAMS 2009-11, the sample size for our analyses ranged from 78% to 99%. The majority (64%) of participants were in low-stress class. The illness/death related-stress class (13%) had a high prevalence of severe illness (77%) and death (63%) of a family member or someone very close to them, while those in the multiple-stress (22%) class endorsed most other SLEs. Eleven percent had PPD; women who experienced all types of stressors, had the highest odds (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 5.43; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.36, 5.51) of PPD. The odds of PPD decreased with increasing state-level social/economic autonomy index (aOR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.64, 0.88), with significant cross-level interaction between stressors and state-level SES. Among non-Hispanic blacks and non-Hispanic whites, husband/partner not wanting the pregnancy (aOR: 1.47; 95% CI: 1.14, 1.90) and drug/drinking problems of someone close (aOR: 1.37; 95% CI: 1.21, 1.55) were respectively associated with PPD. Provider communication was protective. That 1 out of every 5 and 1 out of every 8 women were in the high- and emotional-stress classes suggests that SLEs are common among pregnant women. Our results suggest that screening for antenatal SLEs might help identify women at risk for PPD. The finding that the odds of PPD decrease with increasing social/economic autonomy, could have policy implications and motivate efforts to improve these indices. This study also indicates the benefits of antenatal health care provider communication on perinatal depression.

Magister Psychologiae - MPsych / The aim of the present study was to determine whether it was possible to identify changes in levels of postpartum depression and maternal adjustment and attitude in primiparae before and after birth. It aimed, furthermore, at assessing certain risk factors that could provide an understanding of the etiological factors (causes, determinants) influencing postpartum levels of depression and maternal adjustment and attitude. The study focused on risk factors among married and unmarried primiparae (first time mothers), with a view to establishing vulnerability profiles of the respective groups. The specific risk factors that formed part of the investigation were social support, personality (neuroticism) and life events. All the subjects investigated were recruited from the Mitchells Plain Maternity and Obstetrics Unit. A sample of 70 subjects, in the third trimester of pregnancy, voluntarily participated in the first part of this study. Of these, 26 belonged to the married group and 44 belonged to the unmarried group. As a result of the attrition factor, 57 subjects constituted the final sample for analysis. The final sample comprised 20 married and 37 unmarried subjects. Subjects were followed up four to eight weeks postpartum. Results revealed that there were no significant changes in levels of depression between the married and unmarried groups, either before or after delivery. Of significance was that with the event of birth, the depression scores amongst women rated high in neuroticism decreased significantly. Married women with high social support satisfaction scores were found to have low depression scores. Similarly, married women who experienced fewer negative life events had lower levels of depression than did the unmarried women who experienced fewer negative life events. The maternal adjustment and attitude scores did not change before or after birth, except in the married group. The married group showed a significant increase in scores on the maternal adjustment and attitude scores after the birth of the child. Regarding personality (neuroticism), the high neuroticism scorers had significantly lower maternal adjustment and attitude than did the low neuroticism scorers. As was the case with social support and depression, married women with high social support had a higher maternal adjustment and attitude. A significant effect of negative life events on maternal adjustment and attitude was only found for the married women (after delivery) who experienced a low number of life events. A stepwise multiple regression analysis was performed, in order to yield a model in which the depression and maternal adjustment and attitude scores would be predicted by risk factors. The finding of this analysis for both depression and maternal attitude and adjustment was not significant. Social Identity theory was suggested as a possible interpretation of these results. Future research which views social identity as a factor in understanding postpartum depression and maternal adjustment and attitude has been proposed .