When working from the systems psychodynamic stance, consultants experience that they become part of the group dynamics through projection, projective identification, transference and counter-transference. This research was undertaken to explore the impact on consultants doing systems psychodynamic consultation in their own formal system within a large financial institution in South Africa. Findings were that primary (race, gender and age), and secondary (social identity, language and skills, or level of expertise in this consulting stance) diversity factors strongly impact on them. Consultants play a strong containment role. Consultants experienced the effect at all levels of their lives, including intellectual (struggling to function and think clearly), physical (insomnia, eating disorders, usual exercise not helping), emotional (crying and anger) and social (their work not being understood by friends and family, growing apart from loved ones). For all of them the positive spin-off was the personal growth on the journey that they embarked on. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Comm. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Imago relationship therapy was originally applied to couples counselling by Dr Hendrix (1992, 1993). This model was applied to a group of senior managers from the Lonmin Platinum Mine to create an understanding of intrapersonal and interpersonal dynamics to reduce the conflict levels they experienced in the workplace. Imago theory is applicable to the workplace because of the influence of intrapersonal processes on interpersonal dynamics, which is the same influence that causes conflict in romantic relationships. Love relationships consist of three stages, namely romantic love, the power struggle stage, and the real love stage. In the organisational context, these stages are the initial excitement phase, the power struggle stage, and the conscious relating stage. The study aimed to obtain quantitative and qualitative data on the effects of the Imago theory programme presented to the group of managers. The study thus aimed to determine whether the managers experienced a shift in their consciousness after the programme had been presented. Furthermore, the study aimed to determine whether such a shift in consciousness would have an effect on the individuals’ overall emotional wellbeing and if it would increase their overall life satisfaction. Furthermore, the study investigates if the programme had a positive effect on their interpersonal relationships (particularly with their subordinates). Twenty-two senior managers and 22 subordinates participated in the study. Certain pre-tests were conducted, followed by the seven-module intervention. The same post-tests were conducted after the training had taken place. Quantitative and qualitative results were obtained. The quantitative results showed that the participants’ problem solving abilities improved and that they experienced marginally higher levels of life satisfaction. The reactivity levels experienced by the participants during conflict situations decreased, and their levels of marital satisfaction improved. The results also showed that the managers responded more positively to their subordinates after the intervention. Furthermore, the subordinates experienced their managers as being more flexible after the intervention. The qualitative results indicated that a shift in consciousness did take place as envisaged. The group understood both intrapersonal and interpersonal psychodynamics. They also willingly applied Imago concepts to improve their functioning in the organisational context. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

This paper presents the Social Phobia Psychotherapy Research Network. The research program encompasses a coordinated group of studies adopting a standard protocol and an agreed-on set of standardized measures for the assessment and treatment of social phobia (SP). In the central project (study A), a multicenter randomized controlled trial, refined models of manualized cognitive-behavioral therapy and manualized short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy are compared in the treatment of SP. A sample of 512 outpatients will be randomized to either cognitive-behavioral therapy, short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy or waiting list. Assessments will be made at baseline, at the end of treatment and 6 and 12 months after the end of treatment. For quality assurance and treatment integrity, a specific project using highly elaborated measures has been established (project Q). Study A is complemented by 4 interrelated add-on projects focusing on attachment style (study B1), on cost-effectiveness (study B2), on variation in the serotonin transporter gene in SP (study C1) and on structural and functional deviations of the hippocampus and amygdala (study C2). Thus, the Social Phobia Psychotherapy Research Network program enables a highly interdisciplinary research into SP. The unique sample size achieved by the multicenter approach allows for studies of subgroups (e.g. comorbid disorders, isolated vs. generalized SP), of responders and nonresponders of each treatment approach, for generalization of results and for a sufficient power to detect differences between treatments. Psychological and biological parameters will be related to treatment outcome, and variables for differential treatment indication will be gained. Thus, the results provided by the network may have an important impact on the treatment of SP and on the development of treatment guidelines for SP. / Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG-geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.

To date, the vast literature on theories of psychology, and psychology as a practice, still remains a reflection of Western experiences and conceptions of reality. This is so despite "psychology" and "psychotherapy" being studied and implemented by Africans, dealing with Africa's existential issues, in Africa. In this context, a distorted impression that positions psychology and psychotherapy as irreplaceable and irrefutable Western discoveries is created. This perception creates a tendency in which psychotherapists adopt and use universalised, foreign and imposed theories to explain and deal with African cultural experiences. In recent years, African scholars' quest to advance "African-brewed" conceptions, definitions and practices of "psychology" and "psychotherapy" is gaining momentum. Psychologists dealing with African clients are increasingly confronted with the difficulty, and in some instances the impossibility, of communicating with, and treating local clients using Western conceptions and theories. Adopting the dominant Western epistemological and scientific paradigms constitutes epistemological oppression and alienation. Instead, African conceptions, definitions and practices of "psychology" and "psychotherapy" based on African cultural experiences, epistemology and ontology are argued for. The thesis defended in this study is that the dominant Western paradigm of scientific knowledge in general and, psychology in particular, is anchored in a defective claim to neutrality, objectivity and universality. To demonstrate this, indigenous ways of knowing and doing in the African experience are counterpoised against the Western understanding and construction of scientific knowledge in the fields of psychology and psychotherapy. The conclusion arising from our demonstration is the imperative to rethink psychology and psychotherapy in order to (i) affirm the validity of indigenous African ways of knowing and doing; (ii) show that the exclusion of the indigenous African ways of knowing and doing from the Western paradigm illustrates the tenuous and questionable character of its epistemological and methodological claims to neutrality, objectivity and universality. Indeed the Western claim to scientific knowledge, as described, speaks to its universality at the expense of the ineradicable as well as irreducible v ontological pluriversality of the human experience. This study's aim is to advance the argument for the sensitivity to pluriversality of be-ing and the imperative for wholistic thinking. / Psychology / D. Phil. (Psychology)

When working from the systems psychodynamic stance, consultants experience that they become part of the group dynamics through projection, projective identification, transference and counter-transference. This research was undertaken to explore the impact on consultants doing systems psychodynamic consultation in their own formal system within a large financial institution in South Africa. Findings were that primary (race, gender and age), and secondary (social identity, language and skills, or level of expertise in this consulting stance) diversity factors strongly impact on them. Consultants play a strong containment role. Consultants experienced the effect at all levels of their lives, including intellectual (struggling to function and think clearly), physical (insomnia, eating disorders, usual exercise not helping), emotional (crying and anger) and social (their work not being understood by friends and family, growing apart from loved ones). For all of them the positive spin-off was the personal growth on the journey that they embarked on. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Comm. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

PDT, psykodynamisk psykoterapi, och KBT, kognitiv beteendeterapi, är idag de dominerande psykoterapiinriktningarna i Sverige. Metoderna har i olika skeden rekommenderats av myndigheter och meningsmotsättningar om vilken metod som är mest lämplig har förekommit. Följande studie avsåg att utforska hur sex intervjuade KBT-psykoterapeuter samarbetar med sina PDT-kollegor och utifrån patienters behov eventuellt överväger PDT. En induktiv tematisk analys tillämpades där psykoterapeuterna beskrev upplevelsen av samarbete med PDT-terapeuter i termer av ett positivt dynamiskt utbyte samtsom en negativ upplevelse av fördomsfullt bemötande från PDT-terapeuter och mindre metodologiskt utbyte. Bilden av PDT som komplementär metod hos de intervjuade KBT-psykoterapeuterna speglade ambivalens kring PDT:s effektivitet och användbarhet. Alliansens kvalitet beskrevs som avgörande för om byte sker till PDT-kollega under pågående KBT-behandling. Studiens resultat jämfördes med en tidigare enkätstudie i vilken gruppsykologiska mekanismer antagits påverka samarbetet mellan terapeuter av olika metodinriktning.En tentativ beskrivning ges av processen bakom dessa gruppmekanismer.

This paper presents the Social Phobia Psychotherapy Research Network. The research program encompasses a coordinated group of studies adopting a standard protocol and an agreed-on set of standardized measures for the assessment and treatment of social phobia (SP). In the central project (study A), a multicenter randomized controlled trial, refined models of manualized cognitive-behavioral therapy and manualized short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy are compared in the treatment of SP. A sample of 512 outpatients will be randomized to either cognitive-behavioral therapy, short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy or waiting list. Assessments will be made at baseline, at the end of treatment and 6 and 12 months after the end of treatment. For quality assurance and treatment integrity, a specific project using highly elaborated measures has been established (project Q). Study A is complemented by 4 interrelated add-on projects focusing on attachment style (study B1), on cost-effectiveness (study B2), on variation in the serotonin transporter gene in SP (study C1) and on structural and functional deviations of the hippocampus and amygdala (study C2). Thus, the Social Phobia Psychotherapy Research Network program enables a highly interdisciplinary research into SP. The unique sample size achieved by the multicenter approach allows for studies of subgroups (e.g. comorbid disorders, isolated vs. generalized SP), of responders and nonresponders of each treatment approach, for generalization of results and for a sufficient power to detect differences between treatments. Psychological and biological parameters will be related to treatment outcome, and variables for differential treatment indication will be gained. Thus, the results provided by the network may have an important impact on the treatment of SP and on the development of treatment guidelines for SP. / Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG-geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.

Imago relationship therapy was originally applied to couples counselling by Dr Hendrix (1992, 1993). This model was applied to a group of senior managers from the Lonmin Platinum Mine to create an understanding of intrapersonal and interpersonal dynamics to reduce the conflict levels they experienced in the workplace. Imago theory is applicable to the workplace because of the influence of intrapersonal processes on interpersonal dynamics, which is the same influence that causes conflict in romantic relationships. Love relationships consist of three stages, namely romantic love, the power struggle stage, and the real love stage. In the organisational context, these stages are the initial excitement phase, the power struggle stage, and the conscious relating stage. The study aimed to obtain quantitative and qualitative data on the effects of the Imago theory programme presented to the group of managers. The study thus aimed to determine whether the managers experienced a shift in their consciousness after the programme had been presented. Furthermore, the study aimed to determine whether such a shift in consciousness would have an effect on the individuals’ overall emotional wellbeing and if it would increase their overall life satisfaction. Furthermore, the study investigates if the programme had a positive effect on their interpersonal relationships (particularly with their subordinates). Twenty-two senior managers and 22 subordinates participated in the study. Certain pre-tests were conducted, followed by the seven-module intervention. The same post-tests were conducted after the training had taken place. Quantitative and qualitative results were obtained. The quantitative results showed that the participants’ problem solving abilities improved and that they experienced marginally higher levels of life satisfaction. The reactivity levels experienced by the participants during conflict situations decreased, and their levels of marital satisfaction improved. The results also showed that the managers responded more positively to their subordinates after the intervention. Furthermore, the subordinates experienced their managers as being more flexible after the intervention. The qualitative results indicated that a shift in consciousness did take place as envisaged. The group understood both intrapersonal and interpersonal psychodynamics. They also willingly applied Imago concepts to improve their functioning in the organisational context. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

The problem statement of this research is, "What is the· basis of the intergroup relations that potentially lead to ineffective work behaviour, and how does it manifest in groups within a specific consulting organisation, in terms of the premises of the Tavistock model of group relations?" The psychodynamic approach, psychoanalytic technique, open systems theory and object relations theory were used. The unstructured interview and hermeneutic approach were used for collection of data, and analysis and interpretation. The results of the research indicate that groups, in interaction with other groups, may install defences against anxieties which could undermine the success of their work efforts .. Issues of ' . ' nonclarity of task, group boundary and identity issues, authority issues and reactions of projection seemed prevalent. Various hypotheses were developed which could be used as a basis for further research. / Industrial and Organisation Psychology / M.A. (Industrial Psychology)

No description available.