Attachment styles, coping strategies, personal meaning, and mental health in nonclinical adults
- Authors: Gerber, Ora
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Attachment behavior -- South Africa , Mental illness -- South Africa Psychology, Applied
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/30485 , vital:30950
- Description: Meaning in life can be attained through a variety of sources. A limited amount of research has investigated the association between attachment and personal meaning while no studies have investigated the association between attachment, personal meaning, and sources of meaning. The current study aimed to investigate the association between different attachment styles, personal meaning, and sources of meaning in order to develop a deeper understanding of their relationships. A quantitative exploratory-descriptive design was used to collect the data using standardized questionnaires from 226 participants. Statistical analysis of the data suggests that a secure attachment style is positively associated with personal meaning and presented with meaning sources consisting of breadth and depth. A fearful attachment style was associated with a lack of personal meaning and sources of meaning while a preoccupied attachment style was associated with a lack of personal meaning and presented with sources of meaning lacking in depth and breadth. No significant association was found between a dismissive attachment style and personal meaning, but associations were found with sources of meaning, including feeling financially secure, experiencing personal growth, meeting basic everyday needs, and leaving a legacy for the next generation. Recommendations for psychotherapy based on the findings of the study were offered.
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- Date Issued: 2019
Curiosity, exploration, and strategies for dealing with uncertainty amongst psychologists-in-training
- Authors: Gerber, Ora
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Psychologists -- Training of -- South Africa , Psychology -- Study and teaching , Uncertainty -- Psychological aspects , Positive psychology -- South Africa , Risk-taking (Psychology) -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9883 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1238 , Psychologists -- Training of -- South Africa , Psychology -- Study and teaching , Uncertainty -- Psychological aspects , Positive psychology -- South Africa , Risk-taking (Psychology) -- South Africa
- Description: By adopting a positive psychology framework, the aim of this study was to explore and describe the level of curiosity and exploration amongst psychologists-in-training, and how they dealt with uncertainty in the context of their professional development. A mixed-method exploratory-descriptive research design was employed to collect the quantitative data by means of the Curiosity and Exploratory Inventory. The qualitative data were collected using semistructured interviews to explore how psychologists-in-training have dealt with uncertainty. Purposive-availability sampling was used to select the participants at three South African universities. A total number of 50 participants completed the CEI and six participants were interviewed. The data were analysed using mixed-method data analysis. It was found that participants had moderate-to-high levels of curiosity and exploration, with higher levels of exploration than absorption. The majority of participants reported that they actively sought as much information as they could and frequently looked for new opportunities to grow as persons. The strategies used by the selected group of participants to deal with uncertainty included: reliance on clinical supervision; consultation with peers; self-enhancement; reliance on theory; learning from practical experience; using certain cognitive appraisals; and self-care. Certain conclusions and recommendations were made based on the findings of the study.
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- Date Issued: 2009