According to the narrative framework, clients seek therapeutic help due to the constricting nature of problematic self-narratives and psychotherapy should contribute to the elaboration of narrative novelties and innovative self-narratives. We term these narrative novelties as innovative moments (IMs) and developed the Innovative Moments Coding System (IMCS) to study them in psychotherapeutic discourse, differentiating five types of IMs: action, reflection, protest, reconceptualization and performing change IMs. Previous research studies using the IMCS with narrative therapy, emotion-focused therapy and client-centered therapy show that action, reflection and protest IMs appear in good (GO) and also in poor outcome (PO) cases while, reconceptualization and performing change IMs are more typical of good outcome (GO) cases. In this study, we will address how these IMs are co-constructed in the therapeutic dialogue through the discussion of three particular forms of IMs’ emergence in psychotherapy. These forms of emergence refer to different degrees of client and therapist participation: (1) IMs produced by the therapist and accepted by the client; (2) IMs prompted by the therapist and developed by the client; and (3) IMs spontaneously produced by the client. The exploratory analysis of three initial, three middle and three final sessions of contrasting cases (a GO and a PO) of narrative therapy for depression showed that IMs produced by the therapist were more associated to the PO case, while IMs prompted by the therapist were more associated to the GO case.

Across two countries and two languages, this research examined the multidimensional associations of suicide behaviors (i.e., life-time attempts, life-time communication of intent to others, life-time self-harming, life-time suicide notes, and current suicide ideation) and empirically relevant psychological risk factors (i.e., different facets of mental pain, perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, and acquired capability), controlling for depressive symptoms. For the Portuguese sample, two underlying dimensions emerged: an ideation dimension and a behavioral dimension, and for the Canadian sample, three dimensions emerged: an ideation dimension and two behavioral dimensions that can be viewed as a splitting of the Portuguese second dimension. Results highlight possible cultural differences between the two countries and that suicide behaviors should be viewed as a multidimensional phenomenon not as a one-dimensional continuum.

The aims of the present study were to compare a sample of individuals exposed to suicide in their families with a control group, on suicidal ideation, and to test possible potentiating effects for unmet interpersonal needs. Three hundred eighty-six young Portuguese adults participated. Two groups were defined: a group exposed to suicide in the family (n = 38) and a control group (n = 335). Groups differed significantly on suicidal ideation, on depressive symptoms, and on perceived burdensomeness and tended to differ on thwarted belongingness. Results from a hierarchical multiple regression analysis demonstrated that having lost a family member by suicide and perceived burdensomeness each provided a significant unique contribution to explaining variance in suicidal ideation when controlling for levels of depressive symptoms and having had a psychiatric diagnosis. The interaction between group membership and perceived burdensomeness provided a further enhancement to the statistical prediction of suicidal ideation.

No abstract

An increasing prevalence of abusive dynamics in intimate relationships among young people has been reported in recent data. The purposes of this study are to outline the conflict-resolution strategies used in dating relationships, to describe the exposure to violent dynamics in the family of origin, and to analyse the correlation between conflict-resolution tactics in dating and exposure to family violence. This quantitative/cross-sectional study, using self-report instruments (sociodemographic questionnaire; revised conflict tactics scales; children’s natural family environment signalling scale), involved 247 university students (mean age = 21.07; SD = 2.07). The results revealed a high prevalence in the use of abusive conflict-resolution tactics and exposure to family violence. Positive and significant correlations between these two variables were also found. These results raise the possibility of the transgenerational transmission of abusive dynamics and multiple victimisation and signal the need for action (prevention and intervention) on beliefs and expectations that young people have about marital relationships.