Faces of the Aftermath of Visible & Invisible Violence & Loss: Radical Resiliency of Justice & Healing

As a victim/cosurvivor, my experiences with the criminal justice system have called me to confront hard truths and the brutal facts of coming to terms with death, life, meaning, responsibility, and healing in innumerable ways. The real and tangible balance as a practitioner, victim, and healer are oftentimes disconnected from theory, practice, and life and death experiences. What does it mean to be human in the processes of restoration and reconciliation while hosting complexities, contradictions, and complacencies that all too often reduce victims/cosurvivors to being forgotten, dismissed, and neglected within the criminal justice system? Why do communities of people who long for and deserve trauma-informed interconnectedness, restoration, healing, and reconciliation continue to suffer from the absence of them? My multidimensional perspective as a victim and advocate grapples with my role as a practitioner as it relates to bodies of evidence, theories, best practices, and justice policies.

Value and Life Meaning Aspects of the Moral Component of Spiritual Capacities: The Relationship in Russian Students Sample

The article is devoted to the axiological (value-meaning) sphere of Russian students. The author analyzes the definitions and concepts of values and meanings of life in domestic and foreign psychology, pointing out that many researchers note a close relationship between these constructs. The value-meaning aspects of the personality are considered in the context of the study of spiritual capacities, i.e., their moral component. Among the subcomponents of the moral component of spiritual capacities, three blocks are identified: (1) motivational-axiological - value-meaning (spiritual and moral qualities, striving for meaning); (2) affective-motivational - selfless love (spiritual altruistic orientation, empathy); and (3) cognitive-affective - conscience. This work is focused on the motivational-axiological block. The purpose of the study is to identify whether the value-meaning sphere, considered as part of the moral component of spiritual capacities, is balanced in modern student youth, which implies the consistency of the functioning of the spiritual and moral qualities (reflecting an orientation towards higher values), and the aspiration for meaning. The research objectives are to reveal the connections between the spiritual and moral qualities and the components of the value-meaning sphere (life-meaning orientations, value Spiritual satisfaction) among students; to establish the level of manifestation of these qualities in the studied sample; and to determine the differences in all the considered indicators between the male and female respondents. The sample was made up of 196 students (males = 73%; females = 27%; М = 19.76; SD = 1.556). The following inventories were used: The Spiritual Personality Inventory (SPI) by A. Husain, M. Anas (adapted by G.V. Ozhiganova); The Life Meaning Orientation Test (LMOT) by D.A. Leontiev; the scale of Spiritual satisfaction of the Axiological Orientation of a Personality 4.5 (AOP4.5) test by A.V. Kaptsov. The results of the study confirmed the hypothesis: on the sample of students, a significant positive relationship was established between the spiritual and moral qualities, reflecting the orientation of a person towards higher values, with aspirations for meaning and spiritual satisfaction. Gender differences were revealed only on the scale of Spiritual satisfaction - it was higher in girls. In the student sample, an average level of manifestation of spiritual and moral qualities was established.

ART THERAPY IN SEARCH FOR LIFE MEANINGS

An art therapy exercise program is posed in the article. The author has proven the effectiveness of the art therapy program for a person's search for life meanings. Study participants are 59 women aged 18 to 20 years (M=18,63; Std.=0,72), who noticed various manifestations of the state of meaning loss (apathy, emptiness, boredom, etc.). Standardized psychological diagnostic techniques were used in the research. The first psychological diagnostic technique was the test of life-meaning orientations by D. Crumbot and L. Makholik in adaptation of D.A. Leont’ev). This test allows to identify the life guidelines of a person. The second psychological diagnostic technique was the methodology "Scale of psychological well-being" by K. Riff in adaptation of L.V. Zhukovskaya, E.G. Troshikhina. This methodology was used to measure the level of psychological well-being, which was a subjective indicator of the effectiveness of the art therapy program. The empirical base of the study was made up of two groups of respondents. The first group was experimental (E-group, N=25; M=18,50; Std.=0,60), the second one was a control group (С-group, N=22; M=18,76; Std.=0,72). The author used descriptive statistics, difference reliability analysis method (Mann-Whitney U test, Wilcoxon test), correlation analysis by the r-Spearman method. The effectiveness of the developed art therapy program was confirmed for a person's search for life meanings by the results of an empirical research. The indicators of life-meaning orientations and psychological well-being increased, the strength and intensity between both indicators increased because of the strengthening of the creative activity of the person, which contributed to the deep awareness of the participants in the process of their life experience, significant connections with other people and the world in general, fixation on creative images and immersion in personal meanings that filled these creative images.

Wonder, Horror, Mystery: Letters on Cinema and Religion in Malick, Von Trier, and Kieślowski

Wonder, Horror, Mystery is a dialogue between two friends, both notable arts critics, that takes the form of a series of letters about movies and religion. One of the friends, J.M. Tyree, is a film critic, creative writer, and agnostic, while the other, Morgan Meis, is a philosophy PhD, art critic, and practicing Catholic. The question of cinema is raised here in a spirit of friendly friction that binds the personal with the critical and the spiritual. What is film? What’s it for? What does it do? Why do we so intensely love or hate films that dare to broach the subjects of the divine and the diabolical? These questions stimulate further thoughts about life, meaning, philosophy, absurdity, friendship, tragedy, humor, death, and God. The letters focus on three filmmakers who challenged secular assumptions in the late 20th century and early 21st century through various modes of cinematic re-enchantment: Terrence Malick, Lars von Trier, and Krzysztof Kieślowski. The book works backwards in time, giving intensive analysis to Malick’s To The Wonder (2012), Von Trier’s Antichrist (2009), and Kieślowski’s Dekalog (1988), respectively, in each of the book’s three sections. Meis and Tyree discuss the filmmakers and films as well as related ideas about philosophy, theology, and film theory in an accessible but illuminating way. The discussion ranges from the shamelessly intellectual to the embarrassingly personal. Spoiler alert: No conclusions are reached either about God or the movies. Nonetheless, it is a fun ride.

Interconnection of reflexivity and meaningful orientations as a factor in the formation of professional responsibility of future military specialists

The relevance of the study is due to the fact that qualitative changes in military professional activity necessitate high-quality professional training of future military specialists capable of manifesting professional responsibility in the context of constantly changing social and military practices. The purpose of the article is to present the results of a study demonstrating the psychological and pedagogical potential of the relationship between reflexivity and life-meaning orientations in the formation of professional responsibility in future military specialists. To obtain empirical data, the technique for determining the level of reflexivity by A.V.Karpova, a test of life-meaning orientations (in the adaptation of D.A.Leontiev), and also mathematical and statistical methods of data processing. In the course of the study, the interrelation of reflexivity and life-meaning orientations of future military specialists was revealed, which provides an assessment of the productivity of a lived segment of life, the degree of comprehension of prospects and direction of actions; developing the ability to control behavior in professional and life situations; awareness of freedom of choice in accordance with the goals set, understanding of responsibility for the successes and failures in their activities, due to its capabilities. The methodological support of the formation of professional responsibility of future military specialists on the basis of the relationship between reflexivity and life-meaning orientations has been determined, which includes: reflexive seminars aimed at the development of self-governing personality mechanisms; the use of situational tasks as a methodological technique that imitates a practically significant professional situation; the method of projects, which allows to apply in practice the intellectual resources of the student, to form teamwork skills and responsibility for the result in the conditions of educational and professional activities; organization of research activities, providing search and research activity in relation to non-standard professional tasks. The productivity of the influence of the interrelation of reflection and the peculiarities of life-meaning orientations on the formation of professional responsibility of future military specialists has been confirmed.

Living in the New Normal: Effect of Residential Setting on Perception of a Meaningful Life among Older Women

Perception of a meaningful life is related to depression, anxiety, and general well-being. The sense that one’s life is meaningful influences overall quality of life, which influences aging well. It is not clear whether differences in residential setting influence perception of a meaningful life. This study evaluated the effect of residential setting (community versus assisted living) on perception of a meaningful life in 48 older (79.7 ± 1.0 years) women living in the community (n=24) or assisted living (n=24) who were pair matched by age. They completed a one-time questionnaire regarding self-rated health and whether life has meaning. Both questions were scored on a 5-point scale with 0 indicating poor health or no life meaning and 4 indicating excellent health or strong life meaning. There were no significant differences in age between women in community living (CL) and assisted living (AL) (78.0 ± 09 vs. 81.5 ± 1.6 years, respectively; p=0.7). Both groups also reported similar self-rated health scores (CL: 2.4 ± 0.2; AL: 2.2 ± 0.2; p=0.4), indicating good-very good health. However, there were significant differences between groups in their perception of a meaningful life. Women in CL reported significantly lower scores compared to women in AL (2.9 ± 0.2 vs. 3.6 ± 0.1; p=0.006), indicating that women in CL perceived a less meaningful life. Based on our findings, it appears that the supportive infrastructure provided by AL residential settings may promote quality of life and successful aging by enhancing the perception of a more meaningful life.

Perceived Life Meaning and Purpose and Its Association with Mental and Physical Health among Family Caregivers

Evidence suggests that having a sense of life meaning and purpose is related to physical health. However, the association between life meaning and purpose and physical and mental health among family caregivers remains unclear. This study aimed to examine whether family caregivers’ perceived life meaning and purpose was associated with their physical and mental health (depression and anxiety). The National Study of Caregiving (NSOC) III cross-sectional survey (2017, N = 2,652) was utilized. One item was used to measure family caregivers’ perceived life meaning and purpose and two composite variables were generated to measure depression and anxiety. Physical health was assessed by questions including pain, breathing problems, limited arm/leg strength, low energy, and sleep problems. Weighted logistic regression analyses with covariate adjustments (i.e., caregiver’s age, sex, and race/ethnicity) were conducted to examine the association among family caregivers’ perceived life meaning and purpose, mental and physical health. Results indicated that family caregivers’ perceived life meaning and purpose was associated with a lower probability of having depressive symptoms (OR, .29, 95% Confidence Interval [CI], .15, .57) and anxiety (OR, .43, 95% CI, .23, .79). Furthermore, perceived life meaning and purpose was associated with a lower probability of having breathing problems (OR, .50, 95% CI [.25, .99]). Findings suggest that having a strong sense of life meaning and purpose is linked to better mental health and physical symptoms. Further research is needed to determine the mechanism regarding how life meaning and purpose may improve mental and physical health among family caregivers.

Meaningful orientations of insulator’s convicts

В статье представлены результаты исследования смысложизненных ориентаций у осужденных следственного изолятора. В исследовании приняли участие 35 осужденных мужского пола в возрасте от 23 до 30 лет, находящихся под стражей по г. Санкт Петербургу и Ленинградской области. Психодиагностические методики исследования: 1) тест смысложизненные ориентации (Д.А. Леонтьев); 2) методика «Пословицы» (C.М. Петрова). Статистическая обработка данных производилась с помощью U-критерий Манна-Уитни для выявления значимости различий. Факторами риска антисоциального поведения осужденных являются психологические; социальные (воспитание в неполной семье, низкий образовательный уровень, низкий уровень материального положения, склонность к антисоциальным рецидивам, повышенная конфликтность). Установлено, что осужденные, совершившие преступления против личности резко отличаются от осужденных, совершивших преступление нападение с целью грабежа по критерию «Процесс жизни», это говорит о том, что осужденные в достаточной степени не довольны своей жизнью. Данные исследования могут быть применены при прогнозировании поведения осужденного в условиях лишения свободы (риск развития суицидального поведения, отношения с другими осужденными, вероятность нарушения распорядка и совершения противоправных действий на территории исправительного учреждения). The article presents the results of a study of life-meaning orientations among convicts in a pre-trial detention center. The study involved 35 male convicts aged 23 to 30, who are in custody in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region. Psychodiagnostic research methods: 1) test of meaningful life orientations (DA Leontiev); 2) the "Proverbs" technique (SM Petrova). Statistical processing of the data was performed using the Mann-Whitney U-test to identify the significance of differences. The risk factors for antisocial behavior of convicts are psychological; social (upbringing in an incomplete family, low educational level, low level of financial situation, a tendency to antisocial relapses, increased conflict). It has been established that convicts who have committed crimes against the person differ sharply from those who have committed a crime of assault with the purpose of robbery according to the criterion "Process of life", this indicates that the convicts are sufficiently dissatisfied with their lives. These studies can be used to predict the behavior of a convict under conditions of imprisonment (the risk of developing suicidal behavior, relationships with other convicts, the likelihood of disrupting the order and committing illegal actions on the territory of the correctional institution).

The Impact of Meaning in Life and Reasons for Living on Suicidal Behaviour in Young Adults: A Systematic Review

A systematic review is presented which aims to synthesise relevant literature focused on the influence of Meaning in Life (MiL) and Reasons for Living (RFL) on Suicidal Behaviour (SB) in young adults. Twelve papers of suitable quality were sourced through a rigorous search strategy and a narrative synthesis was performed. This revealed that RFL and MiL act as protective factors against SB in young adults. Additional findings revealed a cultural universality of the protective aspect of MiL/RFL on SB, as well as further insights into the sub-components of life meaning- Search for Meaning in Life and Presence of Meaning in Life. The associated risk factors of SB- Hopelessness, Life Regard and Mental Pain, are also discussed in relation to MiL and RFL. This study paves the way for further research on the same topic and draws attention to something that is frequently neglected in the psychiatric community- consideration of the transcendental aspects of human nature.