Parallel to Frankl's theory of the search for meaning, which posits the separateness but intertwining of the psychological and existential realms, the Purpose In Life Test (PIL) has been found to have a low to moderate relationship with most conceptually related psychological measures. Extending separate correlational studies of the PIL with depression and locus of control the current study inspected the relationship of individual PIL items to groups formed according to Zung Self‐Rating Depression Scale and Rotter Internal‐External Locus Of Control scores. One‐hundred thirty‐four Ss were split into four groups: Depressed external, depressed internals, nondepressed externals, and nondepressed internals. Although ungrouped correlational analysis of PIL items revealed only seven significant relationships with depression and two with locus of control, multiple discriminate analysis was successful in correctly classifying depressed externals about three‐fourths of the time, and the overall „hit rate”︁ for the four groups was above 60%. In addition to further validating the interaction of purpose in life with related psychological and social expectancy variables, results indicated a compounding effect between depression and external perception of reinforcement control with PIL scores in general, and two items ( #4, 12) in particular, which appear to reflect the experience of current congruent involvement between the individual and his world.
The adaptive demands of a physicians' residency program include relocation to another area, mastery of a new organizational system, and a new level of role responsibility, in addition to education and patient care activities. This study examined the prevalence of significant psychiatric symptoms in medical, surgical, and pediatric interns for three four-month intervals. Following a cohort of 39 residents over the course of their first year, using the SCL-90--R, there was an elevated prevalence (M = 35%) of significant anxiety and depression throughout the year. Given the consistent high anxiety and depression, more research needs to be undertaken to understand the interaction of initial and ongoing adaptive demands.
A child growing up in an alcoholic home develops either little self-consolidation (I-ness) and efficacy (I can) or a distorted self (I am insignificant). This results in a desperate search for a soothing-object (We-ness). The sadomasochistic behaviors, which a youth witnesses and is subjected to, become internalized as survival skills, but ultimately fail. These factors set the stage for a destructive modus operandi. When there is peer group attachment pressure, this teen does not find security when questioning, "Who am I?" because there is no "I" and no "We". Instead, this adolescent experiences fear, anxiety, and range, and wonders, "What's going to happen to me?" This propels the youth into frantic behaviors that are meant to confirm a sense of "We-ness" and competence. The result, however, is greater frustration and a mirroring of the opposite. Also, since there is a diminutive capacity for trust and an exiguous chance to reach out or respond to significant others, external soothingness becomes unobtainable. When the adolescent is confronted with aloneness, helplessness, and hopelessness, desperation results and a search for a safe place ensues. Suicide holds such an illusion. It is the embodiment of sadomasochism and permits the cognition "I am capable." A case study illustrates the problems.
Viewing at least the beginnings of personality development beyond culturally stereotypic sex-roles as theoretically related to the openness to confront existential issues in general, the confrontation-avoidance of existential issues for 32 male and 32 female psychiatric inpatients was investigated. Subjects were grouped for analysis of variance by gender and by median splits of Bern Sex-role Inventory scores for masculinity and femininity. Although both male and female stereotypic sex-role groups evidenced the greatest avoidance of existential issues, the only statistically significant trend was found for the interaction of gender by masculinity which was attributable to the endorsement of masculine adjectives by females being associated with the most existential confrontation. Discussed in view of Bern's similar findings regarding flexibility and females' scores for masculine adjective endorsement, the results were viewed as supporting our model for female patients but not for males.
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