AVATAR Therapy: Pathopsychology of Transforming Relations with The “Voice” in Auditory Hallucinations

The paper examines the problem of the use of modern AVATAR therapy for auditory hallucinations (AH). There is a traditional asymmetry of the focus of interest in the study of AH with a bias towards the study of the final result of perception at the expense of comprehension of the process of AH development. The methodology of the cultural-activity approach and study of the patterns of the genesis of the “voices” in pathopsychology provide an adequate basis for understanding the nature of AH. Current intervention in psychosis is based on recognizing the role of psychological factors. АН are amplified in the state of anxiety, or in case of disturbed interpersonal relationships. AVATAR therapy provides the patient with psychological means of restoring deliberate mental activity, gaining control over one’s mental activity through its objectification, making the “voice” less malevolent and managing negative experiences. The method is based on a dialogue with an avatar, a visual digital image of the “voice”. It is designed in a virtual environment evoking a presence effect, which allows directed interaction with it in order to increase assertiveness. The experiments showed encouraging, but still debatable, results of the effectiveness of AVATAR therapy.

Psychosemantic Analysis of Metaphors in Psychological Counseling

The paper describes the results of a psychosemantic study of metaphors in psychological counseling for adults. The research material consisted of metaphors from the records of 25 open individual psychological consultations. The chosen metaphors were evaluated by 80 respondents (50 women and 30 men) aged 25—54 (Mage=33.08, SD=9.25). The following research methods were used: the content analysis of metaphors and psychological testing in the framework of G. Kelly’s personality constructs and the specialized method of semantic differential. We present our classification of metaphors in psychological counseling. Categorical structures for evaluating metaphors in psychological counseling were identified, and the semantic spaces of metaphors for respondents of different sexes were constructed and analyzed. The results show that respondents evaluated metaphors based on the emotional valence (positive/negative) of the state they caused; the most positively perceived were educational metaphors of counselors that affected the cognitive sphere. Moreover, women found it more important that metaphors caused a state of calm or anxiety, and men paid more attention to funny or melancholy-inducing metaphors.

Interrelation of Attachment and Coping Behavior In Adults

Attachment as the ability to form long-term close relationships provides protection and support at all ages, frees from anxiety and tension, and directly affects well-being and health. This study explored the relations between attachment and coping styles and hardiness in adults. The participants — 127 adults aged 18—77 — filled out the Relationships Questionnaire (Bartholomew, Horowitz, 1998), Experiences in Close Relationships Questionnaire (Fraley, Waller, Brennan, 2000), Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (Endler, Parker, 1990), and Hardiness Survey (Leontiev, Rasskazova, 2006; based on Maddi’s Personal Views Survey). The results showed that securely attached adults used coping aimed at problem solving and avoiding anxious thoughts less frequently. Fearful attachment style was related to the reduction of effort to change the situation, it increased the feeling of helplessness and disregard of vigorous activity. As for individuals with avoidant attachment anxiety they experienced in close relationships increased the feelings of rejection and the disposition to security.

Self-Destructive Online Content: Features of Attitude and Response of Adolescents and Youth

The paper examines the most common types of self-destructive online behavior of adolescents and young people (self-harm, suicide, and eating disorders), which are reflected on the Internet in the form of self-destructive content. We present the results of the empirical study on the perception of and reactions to self-destructive content and content about psychological assistance by 15—17-year-old adolescents and 18—25-year-old youths. The yielded data confirms that adolescents and young people are active consumers of self-destructive online content. Based on the analysis of the role of gender, age differences, and differences in the use of the Internet in responding to the aforementioned types of self-destructive content, we marked out a risk group, represented by adolescents and young people who show increased attention to self-destructive online content, as well as those who use the Internet more intensively and are more often subjected to various types of violence in real life. We emphasize the importance of developing effective online prevention measures for self-destructive behavior in adolescents and young people, nurturing a digital culture of online behavior, and raising digital competence, allowing for the creation of a safe and comfortable online space.

Psychotherapy of a Relationship Break-Up in the Context of Assisted Reproductive Technologies

The paper is focused on ethical issues of making decisions about cryopreserved embryos in the context of relationship break-up in the framework of the embryo’s legal status and the church’s stand on the matter. All these issues can be viewed as part of a broader problem of intuitive and rational foundations for decision-making when facing difficult situations in life. On the one hand, the stressful context of the situation implies intuitive-driven decision-making; on the other hand, assisted reproductive technologies are largely counter-intuitive. We describe the peculiarities of family psychotherapy with mixed-agenda couples going through a divorce who have joint cryopreserved embryos but disagree on what to do with them. We introduce a protocol for psychotherapeutic work in the situation when one partner wishes to continue with the fertility treatment and have a child while the other partner is determined to utilize joint embryos as unwanted biological material. In addition, we discuss emotional and social complications that may arise (guilt, unfaithfulness of one of the partners, other losses, and grieving).

Inclusive Environment for Working with Children with ASD Organisation Problems in Different Types of Museums

Museums today play a pivotal role in creating an environment that follows principles of social inclusion and is accessible for individuals with disabilities including museum visitors with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Extracurricular activities are an integral part of comprehensive support for children with ASD that require coordinated efforts of museum professionals, psychologists, and educators. However, museum professionals may lack information about autism and appropriate approaches. The Federal Resource Center for Organization of Comprehensive Support to Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders at MSUPE studied this process by conducting a survey about the availability of resources for accommodating individuals with ASD as independent visitors as well as participants in museum programs. The results of the survey attest to a high level of engagement of museum community in creating provisions for visitors with ASD in addition to the demand for consulting centers that would facilitate development of appropriate tools. We present a project that has introduced “social narratives” as an instrument for ASD in a setting that can serve as a model for such a center.

Mental Health and Professional Burnout among Residents During the Covid-19 Pandemic: Situational and Psychological Factors

The paper presents the results of a study of the level and factors of mental malad- justment and professional burnout of medical residents undergoing training at the Training Center of N.V. Sklifosovsky Research Institute for Emergency Medicine during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study involved 110 first and second year residents (30 men and 80 women; mean age — 25.1±2.32), both working in the COVID-19 “red zone” and helping other patients. The follow- ing methods were used to assess symptoms and factors of mental maladjustment and professional burnout: Beck Depression and Anxiety Scales (Beck et al., 1988; 1996), Maslach Burnout Inventory (Maslach & Jackson, 1981), PTSD Checklist for DSM 5 (PSL-5; Weathers et al., 2013) Distress Thermometer (Holland, Bultz, 2007), UCLA Loneliness Scale (Russell et al., 1978) Three-Factor Perfectionism Inventory (Garanyan et al., 2018) and Toronto Alexithymia Scale (Taylor et al., 2003). According to the data, 43% of young doctors noted symptoms of depression of moderate and high severity, suicidal thoughts were present in 10%, symptoms of heightened anxiety in 30%, and more than a half (55%) had critically high rates of symptoms of post-traumatic stress. About a quarter of the respondents showed high rates of general distress (24%) and professional burnout in all three of its as- pects (emotional exhaustion — 21%, depersonalization — 23%, and personal ac- complishment — 22%). Most residents associated distress with difficulties in com- bining work and study and fear for the quality of education during the pandemic. Social support was noted as a factor in coping with stress. A series of regression analyzes showed the importance of the contribution of the experience of loneli- ness, as well as high rates of perfectionism and alexithymia, to mental distress and professional burnout of residents.

The Burnout of Informal Caregivers: Contemporary Perceptions and Research Perspectives

The central theme of the paper is the fundamental possibility of using the theoretical construct of burnout in relation to relatives caring for chronically ill patients. Based on the overview of contemporary literature and the results of our empirical studies, we show that the concept of burnout differs from the concept of burden widespread in clinical psychology. One of the most relevant models for studying burnout of relatives taking care of chronically ill patients proves to be the Informal Caregiving Integrative Model (ICIM). ICIM is based on the Model of Career Stress and Burden and Job Demands-Resources Model. Analysis of the main components of ICIM (determinants, mediators, specific outcomes, general outcomes) and their circularity interactions shows the multifaceted nature of informal caregivers’ burnout. We conclude that further development of the conceptual framework and appropriate assessment tools for studying the emotional burnout of informal caregivers is necessary.

Between Grief and Pride: Visual Methods for the Study of Intergenerational Features of Emotional Experiences and Collective Memory of the War

The category of generation and emotional reactions within the framework of collective memory are considered as central categories within the framework of the research presented here. It is assumed that historical events are associated with certain emotional experiences, and the collective memory retains extremely positive or extremely negative ones. The study was conducted using visual methods, in which the subjects were asked to assess their feelings and emotions when looking at photographs of various wars of the XX century. Conclusions are drawn about the most pronounced feeling of fear among all generations of Russians when assessing various images of war; the absence of differences in the perception of the Second World War among four generations of Russians (N = 589 people) in all emotional reactions, except for the experience of pride in the results of the war. Separately, the so-called “Y” generation is described, experiencing the least vivid emotional reaction, including in terms of feelings of empathy.