Thesis (Th. M.)--Regent College, 2000. / Abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 144-153).

Thesis (M.A.)--Western Conservative Baptist Seminary, 1990. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 63-68).

Thesis (M.T.S.)--Catholic Theological Union, 1984. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 38-40).

Thesis (M.A.)--Denver Conservative Baptist Seminary, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 83-86).

Thesis (M.A.)--Denver Conservative Baptist Seminary, 1996. / This is an electronic reproduction of TREN, #090-0024. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 83-86).

"Rumination" and "Silencing the Self" have both been theorised to explain women�s greater vulnerability to depression. Rumination (Nolen-Hoeksema, e.g., 1987, 1991) refers to a passive focus on mood and symptoms, while Silencing the Self (Jack, 1991) refers to the socially-based belief that, broadly speaking, one should actively suppress one�s negative emotions and thoughts within romantic relationships. This thesis proposes that frequent suppression of negative emotional material within romantic relationships (self-silencing) makes that material more likely to be a target for rumination, resulting in greater depressed mood and depressive symptoms. It seems paradoxical that the more one tries to suppress one�s thoughts, the more one thinks about them. Wenzlaff and Luxton (2003) have demonstrated that frequent suppression may make material more accessible and a more likely target of rumination. Study 1 was a pilot investigation. It was found that self-silencing (the broad construct) and thought suppression (a narrower construct) were related, and that both were positively correlated with rumination. Furthermore, thought suppression contributed to the relationship between self-silencing and rumination for women. It was hypothesised that the more women suppress their negative feelings in romantic relationships (what Jack, 1991, describes as "Silencing the Self"), the more they will ruminate about these feelings and experience symptoms of depression. In Studies 2 and 3, the correlations among rumination, self-silencing and depression in adults and high school students were investigated. There were positive correlations among all the measured variables for adults and teenage girls, supporting the hypotheses. Regression analyses showed that for female adults and teenagers, rumination and self-silencing made unique, additive contributions to the prediction of depressive symptoms. In Studies 4 and 5, the causal relationship among self-silencing, rumination and depressed mood was investigated. Participants were asked either to write about a sad event that had happened in their relationships, or a typical (neutral) event. In Study 4, participants were also instructed to write either factually about these events, or to write in a ruminative way about them. Participants� chronic tendencies to self-silence were measured and they were classed as "high" or "low" self-silencers based on a median split. Female participants who chronically self-silenced more frequently and who ruminated experienced the most dramatic decrease in mood. In Study 5 participants wrote factually or suppressed their feelings about sad or neutral events and their tendency to ruminate was measured. Participants were divided into "high" and "low" ruminators based on a median split of their rumination scores. There was no support for the alternative hypothesis that chronic ruminators who suppressed would report depressed mood. Study 6 confirmed that in women, the combination of both chronic self-silencing in romantic relationships and acute rumination resulted in more severe symptoms of depression. Participants were e-mailed daily for one month about their self-silencing, rumination and negative mood. Chronic self-silencing, rumination and depressive symptoms were measured at the start and end of the month. Again, the combination of chronic self-silencing and acute rumination emerged as a better predictor of depressive symptoms than either variable alone. The six studies reported in this thesis support the hypothesis that self-silencing and rumination together explain short term negative mood as well as depressive symptoms even after one month. These studies explain why certain women are more likely to experience depressed mood in the context of romantic relationships. In particular, the combination of being a high self-silencer and ruminating makes one especially vulnerable to depressed mood and depressive symptoms. Clinically, there are already interventions targeted at rumination that are effective in reducing distress. However, the current research demonstrates that self-silencing may also be a promising target for intervention. Self-silencing is based on a wider understanding of the social context of depression. By targeting self-silencing, as well as rumination, depression may be more effectively treated.

"Rumination" and "Silencing the Self" have both been theorised to explain women�s greater vulnerability to depression. Rumination (Nolen-Hoeksema, e.g., 1987, 1991) refers to a passive focus on mood and symptoms, while Silencing the Self (Jack, 1991) refers to the socially-based belief that, broadly speaking, one should actively suppress one�s negative emotions and thoughts within romantic relationships. This thesis proposes that frequent suppression of negative emotional material within romantic relationships (self-silencing) makes that material more likely to be a target for rumination, resulting in greater depressed mood and depressive symptoms. It seems paradoxical that the more one tries to suppress one�s thoughts, the more one thinks about them. Wenzlaff and Luxton (2003) have demonstrated that frequent suppression may make material more accessible and a more likely target of rumination. Study 1 was a pilot investigation. It was found that self-silencing (the broad construct) and thought suppression (a narrower construct) were related, and that both were positively correlated with rumination. Furthermore, thought suppression contributed to the relationship between self-silencing and rumination for women. It was hypothesised that the more women suppress their negative feelings in romantic relationships (what Jack, 1991, describes as "Silencing the Self"), the more they will ruminate about these feelings and experience symptoms of depression. In Studies 2 and 3, the correlations among rumination, self-silencing and depression in adults and high school students were investigated. There were positive correlations among all the measured variables for adults and teenage girls, supporting the hypotheses. Regression analyses showed that for female adults and teenagers, rumination and self-silencing made unique, additive contributions to the prediction of depressive symptoms. In Studies 4 and 5, the causal relationship among self-silencing, rumination and depressed mood was investigated. Participants were asked either to write about a sad event that had happened in their relationships, or a typical (neutral) event. In Study 4, participants were also instructed to write either factually about these events, or to write in a ruminative way about them. Participants� chronic tendencies to self-silence were measured and they were classed as "high" or "low" self-silencers based on a median split. Female participants who chronically self-silenced more frequently and who ruminated experienced the most dramatic decrease in mood. In Study 5 participants wrote factually or suppressed their feelings about sad or neutral events and their tendency to ruminate was measured. Participants were divided into "high" and "low" ruminators based on a median split of their rumination scores. There was no support for the alternative hypothesis that chronic ruminators who suppressed would report depressed mood. Study 6 confirmed that in women, the combination of both chronic self-silencing in romantic relationships and acute rumination resulted in more severe symptoms of depression. Participants were e-mailed daily for one month about their self-silencing, rumination and negative mood. Chronic self-silencing, rumination and depressive symptoms were measured at the start and end of the month. Again, the combination of chronic self-silencing and acute rumination emerged as a better predictor of depressive symptoms than either variable alone. The six studies reported in this thesis support the hypothesis that self-silencing and rumination together explain short term negative mood as well as depressive symptoms even after one month. These studies explain why certain women are more likely to experience depressed mood in the context of romantic relationships. In particular, the combination of being a high self-silencer and ruminating makes one especially vulnerable to depressed mood and depressive symptoms. Clinically, there are already interventions targeted at rumination that are effective in reducing distress. However, the current research demonstrates that self-silencing may also be a promising target for intervention. Self-silencing is based on a wider understanding of the social context of depression. By targeting self-silencing, as well as rumination, depression may be more effectively treated.

Thesis (Th. M.)--Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, 1987. / This is an electronic reproduction of TREN, #036-0029. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 140-149).

Thesis (Th. M.)--Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, 1987. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 140-149).

This thesis explores the relationship between a pastor’s personal ministry identity and the church role expectations that he encounters in the local church within which he ministers and takes place in the context of the discipline of “Building up the local church”. It is the hypothesis of this thesis that many Baptist pastors within the Baptist Union of Southern Africa are compromising the integrity of their own personal ministry identities in an attempt to meet the church role expectations of their local churches. The study considers firstly the nature development of personal identity in general as a precursor to understanding the nature of development of a personal ministry identity. At least six key elements are identified as being important in the development of an authentic personal ministry identity namely, spiritual gifting, personality, natural talentsabilities, divine call, congregational influence and finally passion. Pastoral ministry can be understood as an interface of expectations between the church role expectations of the church and the pastor’s expectations derived from his personal ministry identity. The consequences of this interface of expectations may be both positive and negative and may include role confusion, conflict, collusion or congruence. Role negotiation and renegotiation may be used to address some of the negative consequences of this interface. Empirical research results obtained as part of the study that explored the relationship between a pastor’s personal ministry identity, church role expectations and the current approach to ministry, clearly indicate that church role expectations are far more influential on current pastoral practice than are the personal ministry identities, indicating that the identities of these pastors have been undermined by church role expectations. A correct understanding of the Biblical view of self-denial and self-esteem would result in a greater freedom on the part of pastors to resist the undermining of their personal ministry identities. Copyright 2005, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Baston, GA 2005, Rediscovering pastoral identity : the influence of church role expectations in undermining a pastor’s personal ministry identity, MA(Theol) dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-06172005-101131 / > / Dissertation (MA (Theology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Practical Theology / unrestricted