Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) has been linked to a dysmorphic construction of self that is closely tied to mental illness (Bhar & Kyrios, 2007). Although associations have been found, no study has determined the impact of OCD on one's self-perception, to better understand how to resolve patients' dysmorphic construction and fear of oneself. College students (N = 410; M = 20.60, SD = 4.27) completed an anonymous online survey for course credit. The survey consisted of a demographic questionnaire, the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (Foa et al., 2002), theEgo-Dystonicity Questionnaire (Purdon et al., 2007), and the Self-concept Identity Measure (Kaufman et al., 2019). To determine if scores on the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory would predict scores on the Identity Measure and if the Ego-Dystonicity scale would account for a greater percentage of the variation in Identity subscale scores than Obsessing scores alone, multiple regression analyses were utilized. Results suggest that although, symptoms of OCD were useful in predicting variance all of the identity subscales, ego-dystonicity appeared to be particularly useful for establishing incremental validity in the prediction of the lack of identity subscale. Implications for intervention and prevention efforts in regard to the effects of OCD on identity will be discussed.

This dissertation investigated the role of mental habits in well-being. There has been extensive research on how people form behavioural habits related to their physical health (e.g., diet and exercise), but there have been fewer theoretical and empirical attempts to understand how the same habitual processes might underlie mental health. By better understanding the role of habits in mental health, particularly habitual thinking, clinicians and researchers might be able to improve the treatments offered for mental health concerns (e.g., depression and anxiety). In the three studies presented in this dissertation, I aimed to integrate habit research with the study of mental health by examining the extent to which thoughts can be considered habitual. In Study 1, we conducted a scoping review to describe and summarize the existing literature on mental habits (as they relate to mental health). We screened 2817 articles and included 20 in the review. Of these 20 articles, we examined 24 separate studies and 4 commentaries on mental habits. When defining habits, researchers emphasized the importance of automaticity (described in 80% of articles) as a key factor in differentiating mental habits from other thinking processes. Most research studies used correlational research designs (71%) with university student samples (75%) measuring various constructs including negative self-thinking, worry, self-critical thinking, self-stigma, negative body image thinking, and emotion regulation. We found no articles that measured positive mental habits. Lastly, the concept of mental habits has been poorly integrated with related psychological constructs (e.g., automatic thinking, repetitive negative thinking). In Study 2, we developed two new measures of mental habits, the Positive Thought Automaticity Index (PTAI) and Negative Thought Automaticity Index (NTAI), that integrated the strengths of existing mental habit and automatic thought questionnaires. We then used these two measures to tease apart the roles of automaticity and frequency in predicting well-being outcomes. Based on two samples of participants from the United Kingdom and Canada, these new measures demonstrated predictive and concurrent validity, internal consistency reliability, and test-retest reliability. Positive and negative thought automaticity predicted well-being outcomes over and above thought frequency. Thought automaticity partially mediated the relationship between thought frequency and how much participants believe thoughts to be true. Overall, the results of Study 2 provided evidence of the utility of automaticity as a distinct thinking process compared to frequency. In Study 3, we examined a key component of mental habits that has been under-explored in the literature: the cues that precede automatic thoughts. Participants from the United Kingdom completed a questionnaire about the recent and past cues that have preceded their automatic thoughts. We analyzed the results using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Using thematic analysis, we coded participants responses using the PERMA (Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Achievement) framework. We coded 92% of situations preceding negative thoughts and 97% of situations preceding positive thoughts as fitting within the PERMA framework. Participants described multiple cues preceding the same thought, with a median of five cues reported for both positive and negative thoughts. Participants also endorsed experiencing internal (e.g., emotions) and external (e.g., situations) cues as preceding thoughts in similar proportions. The results from Study 3 contribute to the mental habit literature by providing important information about the nature of the events preceding automatic thinking. Overall, this program of research connects several disparate areas of study (e.g., mental habits, automatic thinking) and provides new insights about how the conceptual framework of mental habits may be useful to both clinicians and researchers. By summarizing the existing research on mental habits (Study 1), distinguishing automatic from frequent thinking (Study 2), and better understanding the cues that precede automatic thoughts (Study 3), this dissertation attempts to clarify the role of habitual thinking in mental health. My intention is that the ideas in this dissertation will stimulate further discussions amongst habit researchers and clinicians, which will improve our understanding of mental health problems and how we treat them.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the chronological age of one's diagnosis and dysfunctional career thoughts among college students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. What is currently known about the timing of ADHD diagnosis and how it could potentially impact or have an effect on one's career thoughts as it pertains to making educational and career decisions is nonexistent. Given the increase of ADHD among college students, it was worth exploring the impact that age of one's diagnosis has on career thoughts. / Ph. D.

The research examined the links between intuition, interest in creative thought and the artistic interests of students. Most literature in the past linked intuition with creativity and artistic aptitude, but the question about the specific influence thereof on choosing an artistic career led to many different perspectives. The influence of thoughts and feelings on intuition was examined, as well as their connection to artistic inspiration. The researcher proposed that these factors provide a basis for an artistic career. Research was done on the links between interest in creative thought, artistic interest and intuition. The difference in correlation between intuition and Fine Arts and Performing Arts was also examined. The literature study focused on Jung's typology of personality, and his descriptions of intuition, feelings, thoughts, creative thoughts, art, artistic interest and inspiration, fine arts and performing arts, and their links with intuition. Quantitative research was done as a once-off cross-sectional design. Eight hundred and sixteen students of the University of Pretoria were included in the quantitative research. Intern Psychologists of Student Support Services evaluated these participants with the Jung Personality Questionnaire (JPQ), the South African Vocational Interest Inventory (SAVII) and the 19-Field Interest lnventory (19-FII). Two-directional frequency analyses were used to determine the links between the results of the intuition factor and the feeling and thought factors of the JPQ. The Spearman correlation coefficients were used as measures of the strength of general relation between the results of the intuition factor of the JPQ and the results of Fine Arts, Performing Arts and Creative Thought of the 19-FII and the A 2 (Creative design) and A 3 (Entertainment) of the SAVII. Variance analyses were used to determine the influence of intuition on interest in Fine Arts and Performing Arts. The responses to interview schedules by participants from two focus groups, namely 5 second year Drama students and 5 Fine Arts students, were analysed in the qualitative research. Most participants from the quantitative study fell within the intuition-feeling category and the percentage of participants in the intuition-feeling category was greater than those in the intuition-thought category. Results were supported by the qualitative study. The conclusion was drawn that intuition is more linked to feeling than is thought. Inspiration for art does develop from feeling, but it will be communicated by thoughts, after interplay between intuition and feeling. The quantitative study confirmed that intuition plays a bigger role than sensation when there is interest in careers requiring creative thought. Interest in creative thought also showed a positive link with interests in fine arts and performing arts. The conclusion was drawn that intuition plays an important role in occupations involving interest in creative thought. However, interest in creative thought is still dependent on feeling for verification in the creative process. The research showed that intuition, a personal life-long passion, or love of art were determining factors when an artistic career choice was made. It was therefore concluded that intuition has a strong relation to artistic interest. It was determined that intuition, as well as factors such as a person's strengths and weaknesses, and knowledge of the requirements and demands of success, work together in shaping an artistic career choice. Intuition showed a tendency for a greater correlation with Fine Arts than with Performing Arts. The research had certain deficiencies, as it was only conducted on university students and it did not make provision for environmental influences. The qualitative research was too structured and the JPQ was not developed initially for quantitative analyses. The examination of interest in creative thought could not provide an explanation of the complete creative process. However, the research was of value to counselling psychologists for making career recommendations, as it provided valuable information in artistic careers. It also created a possible framework for future research on the assessment of artists to assist them in developing and reaching their full potential. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

The research examined the links between intuition, interest in creative thought and the artistic interests of students. Most literature in the past linked intuition with creativity and artistic aptitude, but the question about the specific influence thereof on choosing an artistic career led to many different perspectives. The influence of thoughts and feelings on intuition was examined, as well as their connection to artistic inspiration. The researcher proposed that these factors provide a basis for an artistic career. Research was done on the links between interest in creative thought, artistic interest and intuition. The difference in correlation between intuition and Fine Arts and Performing Arts was also examined. The literature study focused on Jung's typology of personality, and his descriptions of intuition, feelings, thoughts, creative thoughts, art, artistic interest and inspiration, fine arts and performing arts, and their links with intuition. Quantitative research was done as a once-off cross-sectional design. Eight hundred and sixteen students of the University of Pretoria were included in the quantitative research. Intern Psychologists of Student Support Services evaluated these participants with the Jung Personality Questionnaire (JPQ), the South African Vocational Interest Inventory (SAVII) and the 19-Field Interest lnventory (19-FII). Two-directional frequency analyses were used to determine the links between the results of the intuition factor and the feeling and thought factors of the JPQ. The Spearman correlation coefficients were used as measures of the strength of general relation between the results of the intuition factor of the JPQ and the results of Fine Arts, Performing Arts and Creative Thought of the 19-FII and the A 2 (Creative design) and A 3 (Entertainment) of the SAVII. Variance analyses were used to determine the influence of intuition on interest in Fine Arts and Performing Arts. The responses to interview schedules by participants from two focus groups, namely 5 second year Drama students and 5 Fine Arts students, were analysed in the qualitative research. Most participants from the quantitative study fell within the intuition-feeling category and the percentage of participants in the intuition-feeling category was greater than those in the intuition-thought category. Results were supported by the qualitative study. The conclusion was drawn that intuition is more linked to feeling than is thought. Inspiration for art does develop from feeling, but it will be communicated by thoughts, after interplay between intuition and feeling. The quantitative study confirmed that intuition plays a bigger role than sensation when there is interest in careers requiring creative thought. Interest in creative thought also showed a positive link with interests in fine arts and performing arts. The conclusion was drawn that intuition plays an important role in occupations involving interest in creative thought. However, interest in creative thought is still dependent on feeling for verification in the creative process. The research showed that intuition, a personal life-long passion, or love of art were determining factors when an artistic career choice was made. It was therefore concluded that intuition has a strong relation to artistic interest. It was determined that intuition, as well as factors such as a person's strengths and weaknesses, and knowledge of the requirements and demands of success, work together in shaping an artistic career choice. Intuition showed a tendency for a greater correlation with Fine Arts than with Performing Arts. The research had certain deficiencies, as it was only conducted on university students and it did not make provision for environmental influences. The qualitative research was too structured and the JPQ was not developed initially for quantitative analyses. The examination of interest in creative thought could not provide an explanation of the complete creative process. However, the research was of value to counselling psychologists for making career recommendations, as it provided valuable information in artistic careers. It also created a possible framework for future research on the assessment of artists to assist them in developing and reaching their full potential. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

Afrikaans text / Skuldgevoelens is 'n emosie wat aile mense een of ander tyd in hulle lewens ervaar. Daar is egter diegene wat daagliks gebuk gaan onder skuldgevoelens en met die gevolge daarvan worstel, byvoorbeeld depressie, angsversteurings, woede-uitbarstings, ensovoorts. Skuldgevoelens se simptome demonstreer heelwat destruktiwiteit en raak persone se totale funksionering, dit is die liggaamlike, affektiewe, kognitiewe, en geestelike aspekte van menswees. Die huidige psigoterapeutiese intervensies fokus op die behandeling van die simptome van skuldgevoelens. Simptoombehandeling bring egter slegs tydelike verligting, aangesien daar met verloop van tyd ander simptome ontwikkel en/ofterugvalle voorkom. Buiten die fokus op simptome van skuldgevoelens is dit belangrik om ook as terapeut te verstaan, wat maak een persoon meer kwesbaar as 'n ander om skuldgevoelens te ontwikkel en waarom die skuldgevoelens instand gehou word. Die behandeling moet derhalwe verskuifword vanaf simptoombehandeling, na die oplossing van die oorsaak en instandhouding. Navorsing oor skuldgevoelens is hoofsaaklik gerig op die effek wat skuldgevoelens op die individu se persoonsvorming het (onder andere die ontwikkeling van patologie). Min navorsing is egter gedoen oor die oorsaak van skuldgevoelens en by name onderbewustelike skuldgevoelens. Die oorkoepelende doel van hierdie navorsing is om die dinamiese verloop van onderbewustelike skuldgevoelens in retrospek bloot te le. 'n Voorafgaande literatuurstudie oor skuldgevoelens lei die gevalstudie in. Daar word gepoog om met behulp van 'n gevalstudie die onderbewustelike persepsies en denke van die respondent bloot te le en dit te omskryf, te interpreteer en te verduidelik. Die studie het verder ook ten doel om aanbevelings vir sielkundiges, professionele hulpverleners, ouers en onderwysers te maak rakende die oorsaak en die onderbewustelike dinamiese verloop van skuldgevoelens, sodat kliente se overte gedrag binne die konteks van bulle volledige psigodinamika verstaan kan word. Literatuur oor die praktiese verloop van hipnoterapie en die motivering van die terapeut se gedagtegang en terapeutiese handeling is yl. Die navorsing poog om op hierdie gebied 'n bydrae te Iewer, aangesien die volledige terapeutiese interaksie opgeskryf is. / Guilt is an emotion which all people experience at times through the course of their lives. There are however, those who experience guilt all the time and struggle with the effects of it, for example depression, anxiety, anger, etcetera. The symptoms of guilt demonstrate destruction and influence the complete functioning of a person - body, emotions, mind, and spirit. The current psychotherapeutic interventions focus on the treatment of the symptoms of guilt. Symptom treatment brings only tempor ry relief, which is usually followed by new symptoms developing or relapses. Apart from the focus on the symptoms of guilt, it is also important that the therapist should understand why one person is more vulnerable than another person to develop guilt, and why is guilt preserved. Accordingly treatment can be shifted from symptom treatment to solving the problems of the cause and maintenance of guilt. Research on guilt focuses primarily on the effect of guilt on personality development (pathology among others). Less research has been done on the cause of guilt - especially subconscious guilt. The overall aim of this study is to uncover the dynamic course of subconscious guilt retroperspectively. A literature study on guilt serves as introduction to the case study. The research is done by means of a case study to uncover the subconscious perceptions and thoughts of the respondent, which will be described, interpreted and explained. The research will establish recommendations for Educational Psychologists, psychologists in other categories, parents and teachers to understand the cause and subconscious dynamic course of guilt. That will enable them to interpret the overt behaviour in the context of the complete psychodynamics. Literature on the practical course of therapy and the train of thoughts of the therapist is in short supply. This research seeks to contribute to filling this gap when the complete therapeutic interaction between the therapist and the client is put down in writing. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Sielkundige Opvoedkunde)

Background: Leading researchers have called for more sophisticated research designs in caregiver intervention research; by using theoretically grounded interventions, considering the likely mechanism of action and using appropriate outcome measures. This thesis comprises a systematic review which evaluates the match between psychosocial interventions for dementia caregiver burden and the burden measure used to evaluate them and an empirical study which tests the psychometric properties of two caregiving outcome measures developed in Spain (Caregiver Guilt Questionnaire - CGQ and Dysfunctional Thoughts about Caregiving Questionnaire - DTACQ). The empirical study also considers the role of guilt and cognition (conceptualized as dysfunctional thoughts in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and cognitive fusion in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) in predicting depression in dementia caregivers. Systematic review: Results for the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions to reduce dementia caregiver burden are mixed. Caregiver burden is inconsistently defined and measured, which may contribute to the mixed results. This review sought to systematically evaluate the match between psychosocial interventions for dementia caregiver burden and the burden measure used to evaluate them. A systematic search identified 15 studies using the 22 item Zarit Burden Interview as an outcome measure. A systematic review using specified quality criteria indicated a low level of congruence between the content of the psychosocial interventions and the content of the Zarit Burden Interview used to evaluate the interventions in the majority of studies. Methods: 221 informal familial dementia caregivers completed a cross sectional postal questionnaire survey. Results: Using exploratory factor analysis, the factor structures of the CGQ and DTACQ identified in the Spanish development studies were replicated in this study. Adequate internal consistencies were found for both scales. Convergent validity was established for the CGQ with the measures of guilt and depression. The DTACQ correlated positively with general dysfunctional attitudes and negatively with amount of support received as predicted, but did not correlate significantly with depression. A multiple regression analysis identified caregiver guilt and cognitive fusion, but not dysfunctional attitudes as significant predictors of depression in dementia caregivers. Conclusion: The CGQ appears to be a reliable and valid measure of caregiver guilt in a British population of dementia caregivers, although further research is recommended to develop the DTACQ. The relative strength of cognitive fusion as a predictor of caregiver depression suggests that the way in which an individual relates to their thoughts should be tested as a mechanism of change in dementia caregiver interventions.

BAKGRUND: Barn leker familjeliv på olika sätt, ofta är det mamma-pappa-barn den så kallade kärnfamiljen. I dagens samhälle finns det även samkönade familjer. Med hjälp av forskning och relevant litteratur om familjerelationer har vi undersökt hur familjer levde förr samt hur familjekonstellationer har förändrats. Framförallt har vi fått ta del av barns tankar om familjerelationer.SYFTE: Att undersöka barns tankar kring familjerelationer med fokus på kärnfamilj och samkönad familj.METOD: I vår undersökning har vi använt kvalitativ metod. Vårt redskap är intervjuer både grupp och enskilda intervjuer, 20 barn på en förskola i västra Sverige blev intervjuade. Vi använde oss av en mobiltelefon för ljudupptagning.RESULTAT: Vårt resultat visar att det flesta barnen i vår studie anser att mamman är den viktigaste personen i familjen. Några barn ansåg att samkönad kärlek bara är på låtsas men vuxna av samma kön kan ändå ha barn och bo tillsammans men kan inte vara kära. / Program: Lärarutbildningen

This research project demonstrates the importance of the use of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and its relationship to the frequency of suicidal thoughts in veterans through the use of the positivist paradigm. The correlation that was found showing that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy does reduce the frequency of suicide ideation through the collection of quantitative data, and the understanding of Cognitive Learning Theory it is this study offers clinicians another tool to combat suicide in veterans.

According to Barlow’s model of sexual dysfunction (1986; Sbrocco & Barlow, 1996), anxiety in sexual situations leads to attentional focus on sexual performance at the expense of erotic cues, which compromises sexual arousal. This negative experience will enhance anxiety in future sexual situations, and non-erotic thoughts (NETs) relevant to performance will receive attentional priority. Previous research with student samples (Purdon & Holdaway, 2006; Purdon & Watson, 2009) has found that people experience many types of NETs in addition to performance-relevant thoughts, and that, consistent with Barlow’s model, the frequency of and anxiety evoked by these thoughts is negatively associated with sexual functioning. Extending this previous work, the current study found that in a community sample of women (N= 81) and men (N= 72) in long-term relationships women were more likely to report body image concerns and external consequences of the sexual activity, while men were more likely to report performance-related concerns. Equally likely among men and women were thoughts regarding the emotional consequences of the sexual activity. Regardless of thought content, experiencing more frequent NETs was associated with more sexual problems in both women and men. Moreover, as per Barlow’s model, greater negative affect in anticipation of and during sexual activity predicted greater frequency of NETs and greater anxiety during sex was associated with greater difficulty dismissing the thoughts. However, greater difficulty in refocusing on erotic thoughts during sexual activity uniquely predicted more sexual problems above the frequency and dismissability of NETs. Together these data support the cognitive interference mechanism implicated by Barlow’s causal model of sexual dysfunction and have implications for the treatment of sexual problems.