scholarly journals Self-Transcendence as a Buffer Against COVID-19 Suffering: The Development and Validation of the Self-Transcendence Measure-B

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul T. P. Wong ◽  
Gökmen Arslan ◽  
Victoria L. Bowers ◽  
Edward J. Peacock ◽  
Oscar Nils Erik Kjell ◽  
...  

The age of COVID-19 calls for a different approach toward global well-being and flourishing through the transcendence suffering as advocated by existential positive psychology. In the present study, we primarily explained what self-transcendence is and why it represents the most promising path for human beings to flourish through the transformation of suffering in a difficult and uncertain world. After reviewing the literature on self-transcendence experiences, we concluded that the model of self-transcendence presented by Frankl is able to integrate both of the characteristics associated with self-transcendence. Afterward, we discussed how the self-transcendence paradigm proposed by Wong, an extension of the model by Frankl, may help awaken our innate capacity for connections with the true self, with others, and with God or something larger than oneself. We presented self-transcendence as a less-traveled but more promising route to achieve personal growth and mental health in troubled times. Finally, we presented the history of the development and psychometrics of the Self-Transcendence Measure-Brief (STM-B) and reported the empirical evidence that self-transcendence served as a buffer against COVID-19 suffering. The presented data in the current study suggested that the best way to overcome pandemic suffering and mental health crises is to cultivate self-transcendence.

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S2) ◽  
pp. 1711-1711
Author(s):  
R.F. D'Souza

Northern Psychiatry Research Centre, Melbourne University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia Mental health professionals and their patients are increasingly aware of the basic need of all human beings for a source of meaning that is greater than one's self. This growth in awareness is driven by the professional's practical goal of reducing disability from mental disorders and by the heart felt wishes of the suffering for their therapists to recognize of the need for self transcendence. This has resulted in mental health professionals and the general public's growing awareness of the need to foster spirituality and well-being in clinical practice. We now see a groundswell of professional work to focus on the development of health and happiness, rather than merely to fight disease and distress.This presentation will consider the practical necessity to reduce disability, and understanding the science of well-being including the stages of self-awareness on the path to well-being. Considering the interpersonal neurobiology view of well-being. Ultimately discussing the developing of well-being through therapies such as Cloninger's “The happy life- Voyages to well-being” and D'Souza's Evidence based East-West Spiritually Augmented Well-being therapy. seven catalylectic exercises for each day of the week. This allows attention to spirituality based on principles of psychobiology with roots in compassion and tolerance, rather than on the basis of dogmatic judgments that are rooted in fear and intolerance. Thus only by addressing spirituality in a scientific and non judgmental manner can we make psychology and psychiatry into a science of well-being that is able to reduce stigma and disability of psychological disorders


Author(s):  
Israel Escudero-Castillo ◽  
Fco. Javier Mato-Díaz ◽  
Ana Rodriguez-Alvarez

As a consequence of the Spring 2020 lockdown that occurred in Spain due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many people lost their jobs or had to be furloughed. The objective of this study is to analyse the influence of the latter changes in labour market status on psychological well-being. For this purpose, an ad-hoc questionnaire featuring socio-demographic and mental health criteria was created. Granted that the pandemic can be viewed as an exogenous shock, the bias caused by the bidirectional problems between the work situation and mental well-being can be tackled. Results indicate that the lockdown exerted a greater negative effect on the self-perceived well-being of unemployed and furloughed persons than on those in employment. Moreover, among those in continuous employment, teleworkers experienced a lesser degree of self-perceived well-being post lockdown as compared to those people remaining in the same work location throughout the COVID-19 crisis. Finally, the lockdown provoked worse effects on the self-perceived well-being of women as compared to men, a result that appears to be related to gender differences in household production. In conclusion, these results could be especially relevant given that the evolution of the pandemic is having ongoing effects on employment and, therefore, on the mental health of workers.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 108-121
Author(s):  
Idi Warsah

Conflicts are unavoidable in human life. Thus, for human beings, the attitude of forgiveness is of importance to be well-embedded and sustainably constructed. Resting upon the aforesaid premises, the present study conducted a library research to reveal how forgiveness is viewed from the perspectives of positive psychology and Islam. 102 scientific works reviewed, 58 works were finally selected to be scrutinized in depth. This study revealed that the discourses in the field of positive psychology imply that forgiveness attitude is of importance to be embedded in human beings and continuously constructed by virtue of its positive natural impacts on mental health, good relationships, physical health, and positive well-being. Furthermore, as informed by Islamic teachings, the attitude of forgiveness is also suggested to be well and continuously embedded. As the best Islamic role model for the end-time people, the Prophet Muhammad PBUH already exemplified that humans are indeed to always be forgiving and even to pray for others for the sake of good things that Allah SWT will bestow to. It is worth noting that both positive psychology and Islam encourage humans to be forgiving individuals.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Annika McGivern ◽  
Stephen Shannon ◽  
Gavin Breslin

Purpose This paper aims to conduct the first cross-sectional survey on depression, Resilience, well-being, depression symptoms and concussion levels in equestrian athletes and to assess whether past concussion rates were associated with depression, resilience and well-being. Design/methodology/approach In total, 511 participants from Canada, Republic of Ireland, UK, Australia and USA took part in an international cross-sectional, online survey evaluating concussion history, depression symptoms, resilience and well-being. Findings In total, 27.1% of athletes met clinically relevant symptoms of major depressive disorder. Significant differences were shown in the well-being and resilience scores between countries. Significant relationships were observed between reported history of concussion and both high depression scores and low well-being scores. Practical implications Findings highlight the need for mental health promotion and support in equestrian sport. Social implications Results support previous research suggesting a need for enhanced mental health support for equestrians. There is reason to believe that mental illness could still be present in riders with normal levels of resilience and well-being. Originality/value This study examined an understudied athlete group: equestrian athletes and presents important findings with implications for the physical and mental health of this population.


Author(s):  
Moshe Halbertal

This chapter analyzes how the movement of the self to self-transcendence has been articulated in different ways in the history of philosophy. In his phenomenology of the sacrificial aspect of political violence, Paul Kahn observes that the double aspect of sacrifice—self and other—continues to this day. The chapter considers the potential relationship between self-sacrifice and violence in war by briefly analyzing the laws of war. In addition, it studies how origin narratives of states and political or religious communities sometimes refer to heroic sacrifices performed by the founding generation. A past sacrifice can become a binding political constraint on present-day politicians. With the burden of an earlier sacrifice, the issue is not about withdrawing from a losing situation and maximizing utility but is instead a concern about retroactive desecration.


Author(s):  
Timothy Edward A. Barrett

Education and training of medical students and postgraduate residents must undergo a critical review in light of the changing times and attitudes. The demands of life in general are enough to provide significant stressors for today's students in addition to coping with pressures of balancing passing exams with meeting the expectations of family and instructors. This chapter will highlight the realities of the effect of the pressures of study on the students' mental health and well-being. It will then describe several changes that can be made to the way medical students are trained which then shifts the focus to personal growth and development and away from the traditional goals of knowledge, skills and competencies for the goal of passing the exams. In the end, this chapter will challenge readers and institutions to pause and reconsider the current approach to training of medical students.


2011 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 147-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gørill Haugan ◽  
Toril Rannestad ◽  
Helge Garåsen ◽  
Randi Hammervold ◽  
Geir Arild Espnes

Purpose: Self-transcendence, the ability to expand personal boundaries in multiple ways, has been found to provide well-being. The purpose of this study was to examine the dimensionality of the Norwegian version of the Self-Transcendence Scale, which comprises 15 items. Background: Reed’s empirical nursing theory of self-transcendence provided the theoretical framework; self-transcendence includes an interpersonal, intrapersonal, transpersonal, and temporal dimension. Design: Cross-sectional data were obtained from a sample of 202 cognitively intact elderly patients in 44 Norwegian nursing homes. Results: Exploratory factor analysis revealed two and four internally consistent dimensions of self-transcendence, explaining 35.3% (two factors) and 50.7% (four factors) of the variance, respectively. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the hypothesized two- and four-factor models fitted better than the one-factor model (c x2, root mean square error of approximation, standardized root mean square residual, normed fit index, nonnormed fit index, comparative fit index, goodness-of-fit index, and adjusted goodness-of-fit index). Conclusions: The findings indicate self-transcendence as a multifactorial construct; at present, we conclude that the two-factor model might be the most accurate and reasonable measure of self-transcendence. Implications: This research generates insights in the application of the widely used Self-Transcendence Scale by investigating its psychometric properties by applying a confirmatory factor analysis. It also generates new research-questions on the associations between self-transcendence and well-being.


1992 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 376-388 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. J. Watson ◽  
Ronald J. Morris ◽  
Ralph W. Hood

Current controversies over religious orientation center on issues that appear to be partially nonempirical, normative, and sociological. These issues, in other words, may be ideological. In exploring this possibility, the present study had different religious orientation types evaluate items from the Quest Scale. For a group with an intrinsic commitment, a number of items proved to be antireligious in their implications while one was proreligious. This intrinsic interpretation of Quest also predicted relative mental health, including superior identity formation; and this was especially true for intrinsic subjects themselves. For no other type was the self-definition of Quest as robustly or as discriminatively linked to psychological well-being. The original Quest Scale was tied to poorer self-functioning. Overall, these data demonstrated the importance of measuring not just personal beliefs, but the personal meaning of those beliefs as well.


2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. s280-s281
Author(s):  
D. Cabezas Sánchez ◽  
A. Ramírez Macías ◽  
J. Sáiz Galdós

Introduction“Viaje del Parnaso” is a volunteering project developed at the Day Center Aranjuez2 (CD2) for helping adults with SMI to get a satisfactory and responsible occupation through their implication in a volunteering work in the community, while involved in the maintenance of a green area in the city of Aranjuez.Objectives/aimsThe aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the project on the volunteers’ lives in terms of personal growth and environment conservation and compare its results with non-volunteers also attended at the CD2.MethodsThe project was carried once a week during 45 weeks. 11 volunteers participated on the project, plus 5 non-volunteers were considered as cuasi-control group. The instruments applied were an item on “environment conservation” and 2 subscale items of “Personal Growth” from the Ryff Scales of psychological well-being. Measures were applied at baseline, 6 and 12 months after.ResultsSignificant differences were found on the environment conservation item between volunteers at baseline and 6 months after (P < 0.05). Results also revealed a significant difference (P < 0.05) between volunteers and non-volunteers at both variables (“environment conservation” and “Personal Growth”) in baseline and 6 months after treatment.ConclusionsThe data from this study suggest that a volunteering program seems to be an effective intervention for bringing about improvements in well-being of people with SMI, and also for increasing their environmental awareness. These improvements may also help to change the stigma of SMI reinforcing mental health patient's contributions to society.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.


2004 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
DANIEL KARUS ◽  
VICTORIA H. RAVEIS ◽  
KATHERINE MARCONI ◽  
PETER SELWYN ◽  
CARLA ALEXANDER ◽  
...  

Objective:To describe mental health status and its correlates among clients of three palliative care programs targeting underserved populations.Methods:Mental Health Inventory (MHI-5) scores of clients from programs in Alabama (n= 39), Baltimore (n= 57), and New York City (n= 84) were compared.Results:Mean MHI-5 scores did not differ among sites and were indicative of poor mental health. Significant differences were noted among sites with regard to client sociodemographics, physical functioning, and perceptions of interpersonal relations. Results of multivariate regression models estimated for each site suggest variation in the relative importance of potential predictors among sites. Whereas poorer mental health was primarily associated with history of drug dependence at Baltimore and more physical symptomatology at New York, better mental health was most strongly correlated with more positive perceptions of interpersonal relationships at Baltimore and increasing age and more positive perceptions of meaning and purpose in life at New York.Significance of results:The data presented suggest the importance of assessing clients' history of and current need for mental health services. Evidence of a relationship between positive perceptions of meaning and purpose and better psychological function underscores the importance of existential issues for the overall well-being of those who are seriously ill.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document