A systematic review of intervention effectiveness for problem anger in an adult outpatient population
- Authors: von Ruben, Adriana
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Anger , Anger -- Treatment , Rational emotive behavior therapy , Personality assessment , Social psychology
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/36059 , vital:33886
- Description: Increasing levels of anger are becoming one of the major social problems of modern society, yet anger is one of the least understood emotions. Given the long-term consequences and the seriousness of the negative outcomes associated with anger, there is a pressing need for effective anger management interventions targeted at different populations experiencing various types of problem anger.The purpose of this dissertation was to conduct a systematic review of current qualitative and quantitative research regarding the status of anger reducing interventions within outpatient populations. The aim was to explore the efficacy of various psychological approaches utilised to reduce problem anger. Eligibility criteria included studies with samples that had problem anger defined psychometrically. The search of available literature revealed 16 relevant reports containing 15 studies. All located studies utilised intervention modalities derived from cognitive and behavioural approaches. Results indicated large to moderate improvements in problem anger for the participants receiving the treatment. Cognitive and behavioural anger interventions were found to produce reductions in trait anger, general anger, the negative expression and suppression of anger, anger related physiological arousal, and increased the positive, controlled anger experience. More large-scale studies are needed implementing other psychological approaches to test their effectiveness in reducing maladaptive anger. The dearth of anger research conducted within outpatient populations is discussed in the context of the emerged themes.
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- Date Issued: 2018
A psychobiography of Helen Martins
- Authors: Mitchell, Donna Leigh
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Martins, Helen Elizabeth, 1897-1976 -- Criticism and interpretation , Psychology -- Biographical methods , Women sculptors -- Psychology , Psychohistory , Personality -- Social aspects , Personality -- Age factors , Personality assessment , Personality change
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:3204 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011670 , Martins, Helen Elizabeth, 1897-1976 -- Criticism and interpretation , Psychology -- Biographical methods , Women sculptors -- Psychology , Psychohistory , Personality -- Social aspects , Personality -- Age factors , Personality assessment , Personality change
- Description: Helen Martins devoted approximately the last thirty years of her life to converting her family home into a unique fantasy world which she named the Owl House. Since her death in 1976 the Owl House has become a national monument and museum in South Africa. Throughout her life Helen was considered by most of the surrounding villagers to have been strange, and she withdrew increasingly from society. However, she appeared to have contained a desire for human connection. There are several instances in which she expressed this desire, such as through the numerous letters which she wrote to fellow artists. The existing body of literature on Helen illustrates the complex nature of her personality; however the question of which personality style she best typifies has remained unanswered. In order to answer this question a psychobiography was conducted on Helen. Psychobiographies entail a biographical representation of a person's life history to which a psychological theory is applied. The psychological theory utilised within the current study was Millon's (1969/1996) Biosocial- Learning Theory. Thus, the chief objective of this study was to describe and interpret Helen's personality style through the use of Millon's (1969/1996) Biosocial-Learning Theory. Alexander's model of data extraction and Miles and Huberman's three step approach were implemented in order to reduce, organise and analyse the data. The findings of this study reflected that Helen deteriorated from one of Millon's (1969/1996) proposed personality styles to another as she aged. The current findings may illuminate Helen's motives for obsessively devoting her life to the creation of her fantasy world.
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- Date Issued: 2014
The personality of an entrepreneur : a psychobiography of Steve Jobs
- Authors: Ndoro, Tinashe T R
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Jobs, Steve, 1955-2011 -- Psychology , Personality assessment , Psychology -- Biographical methods , Businesspeople -- Psychology , Psychohistory , Entrepreneurship -- United States , Businesspeople -- United States
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:833 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1013215
- Description: From Integrative Summary: There has been a growing interest in successful entrepreneurs. Research on entrepreneurship has focused on the identification of personality variables that would assist in the prediction of entrepreneurial success. The present study moves away from attempting to predict entrepreneurial success and instead focuses on exploring and describing the personality of a successful entrepreneur. A psychobiographical case study was adopted by the researcher to explore and describe the extent to which Steve Jobs demonstrated the entrepreneurial characteristics identified by Rauch and Frese (2007). A personality trait approach to entrepreneurship was adopted in the study. The study also attempted to explore the socio-cultural and economic context within which Jobs practised his entrepreneurial activities. Jobs was a successful entrepreneur who co-founded Apple and founded NeXT and Pixar, which were all companies that transformed various technological industries. His entrepreneurial orientation allowed him to produce innovative products that transformed society in various sectors which included personal computing, mobile phones, music, retail stores and films (Isaacson, 2011). A qualitative approach was adopted in the study. The data collection and analysis was guided by the three linked sub-processes proposed by Miles and Huberman (2002) which involved data reduction, data display and conclusion drawing and verification. The findings of this study showed that Jobs demonstrated, at varying levels, all the entrepreneurial characteristics identified by Rauch and Frese (2007) which included a need of achievement, risk-taking, innovativeness, autonomy, locus of control and self-efficacy. The researcher however noted that the desire for autonomy, risk-taking, innovativeness and self-efficacy were the most dominant characteristics driving his entrepreneurial orientation. The research thesis adopted the structure of a teaching case which can be used to explore and discuss the personality trait perspective to entrepreneurship in a classroom setting. The findings of the study can be recognised as positively contributing to the growing field of psychobiographical research on exceptional individuals, including entrepreneurs. The study can be considered as a foundation for future studies which will add to the body of knowledge relating to entrepreneurship and personality.
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- Date Issued: 2014
An exploration of the personality preferences of post graduate psychology students utilising the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
- Authors: Smit, René
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Personality assessment , Students -- South Africa -- Psychology , Personality and academic achievement -- South Africa , Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9898 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1096 , Personality assessment , Students -- South Africa -- Psychology , Personality and academic achievement -- South Africa , Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
- Description: In order to continue their contribution to the profession of psychology in South Africa the selection committees of psychology departments of higher education institutions are faced with the difficult task of selecting the most suitable candidates to fill their Clinical, Counselling, Educational and Industrial Psychology masters coursework programmes. Selection committees have traditionally made use of several admission criteria and procedures ranging from academic performance to personality assessment to a combination of methods. Admission criteria vary greatly across Higher Education Institutions. The selection committee at the selected participating institution of higher education takes into account the prospective students' academic performance, relevant work or practical experience, research experience, active participation in the classroom, active involvement outside of the classroom (participation in and engagement with community activities), and personality. Currently the institution of higher education that provided the sample for the current study employs the NEO PI-R as well as the MMPI-2 to assess masters applicants’ personality traits. A study by Britz (1994) recommended that the MBTI® be included in the assessment battery for psychology masters students. The primary aim of the proposed study is to identify, explore and describe the personality preferences of a group of prospective psychology masters applicants and a group of successfully selected psychology masters students at a South African Higher Education Institution utilising the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®). The study was exploratory descriptive in nature and was based on the quantitative research approach. Non-probability convenience sampling and the survey method was utilised to identify and approach prospective participants. Participants were requested to complete the MBTI® questionnaire. The MBTI® protocols were hand-scored and the findings analysed utilising frequency distributions and inferential statistics, that is, means and standard deviations. The MBTI® was found to be valid and reliable in a variety of populations and contexts. xi Results indicated that the ISTJ (15 percent), INTP (15 percent) and ESFJ (15 percent) personality types were the three most common personality types amongst participants from the group of prospective psychology masters applicants. The ENFP (13 percent), INTP (13 percent) and ISFJ (13 percent) personality types were the three most common personality types amongst participants from the group of successfully selected masters students. The majority (14 percent) of participants from the total sample displayed a preference for the INTP personality type. An examination of the dichotomous personality types of the participants revealed that the majority of participants preferred the Extraversion attitude, Sensing and Thinking functions, and Judgement attitude.
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- Date Issued: 2010
The personal, career and learning skill needs of first year psychology students
- Authors: Norris, Toni Louise
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Personality and academic achievement -- South Africa , Personality assessment , Students -- South Africa -- Psychology , Learning ability
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Soc Sc (Psych)
- Identifier: vital:11605 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/140 , Personality and academic achievement -- South Africa , Personality assessment , Students -- South Africa -- Psychology , Learning ability
- Description: This study assessed the personal, career and learning skills needs of 196 psychology students (M= 56, F= 103). The preferred means of counselling assistance, preferred experience of counselling and preferred counselling provider were also assessed. The most highly endorsed needs were time management skills (83.5 percent, n=162), learning test-taking strategies (82 percent, n=159), job search strategies (73.6 percent, n=142), increasing self-confidence (70.3 percent, n=135), increasing motivation (72.4 percent, n=134), controlling anxiety and nervousness (68.7 percent, n=134), public speaking anxiety (68.4percent, n=134), understanding career interests and abilities (67.5 percent, n=131), fear of failure (68.1 percent, n=130), and improving study skills (66.5 percent, n=129). Significant sex differences were found for the following, finding a greater purpose in life, controlling weight, job search strategies, concerns about career choice, understanding career interests and abilities in the selection of major subjects and improving study skills. Males highly endorsed the need for finding a greater purpose in life, job search strategies, and concern about career choice, understanding career interest and abilities, selection of major subjects and to improve study skills, whereas females endorsed the need for controlling weight. Respondents indicated individual counselling as being their preferred means of counselling assistance, but lectures were the most prevalent means of assistance previously received by respondents. Most respondents (78.1 percent) found the assistance they had received to be helpful.
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- Date Issued: 2008
The relationship between three anxiety related clusters in projective drawings and anxiety and ego-strength scales of the Minnesota multiphasic personality inventory-2
- Authors: Brink, André
- Date: 2002
- Subjects: Projective techniques , Personality assessment , Personality tests , Anxiety , Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2942 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002451 , Projective techniques , Personality assessment , Personality tests , Anxiety , Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory
- Description: Based on the shortcomings of past research, the need for understanding and investigation of the general relationship between self-report measures and human figure drawings required understanding and investigation (Riethmiller & Handler, 1997b; Waehler, 1997) while utilising a quantitative, configural scoring approach. Riethmiller and Handler (1997a; 1997b) hypothesised that subjects have one of two typical approach styles to anxiety/stress that influences their execution of the Human Figure Drawing (HFD) Test: “Avoidance” or “Coping” as measured by composite scoring index clusters. They argue that these two approach styles had to be taken into account when investigating anxiety on the HFD Test. According to Handler and Reyher (1965) those who experience more intense anxiety typically rely on an “Avoidant” approach, while those with lower anxiety typically rely on a “Coping” approach. The “Coping” response is hypothesised to suggest good ego-strength, and the “Avoidant” response poor ego-strength. Handler and Reyher (1964; 1965; 1966) also argued that there are two sources of anxiety on projective drawings: internal and external sources of anxiety. They hypothesised that the “External” anxiety cluster (measured by utilising the car drawing) and self-report measures both assess ‘external’ anxiety. Using Handler’s (1967) HFD index scoring manual, this research therefore inve stigated the level of correlation of the two MMPI-2 anxiety scale scores with (a) the hypothesised Stress Approach HFD cluster scores, as well as with (b) the “External” anxiety cluster score, while the hypothesised Stress Approach HFD cluster scores were compared with the (c) MMPI-2 ego strength scale score. The results of the investigated relationships yielded non-significant correlations overall. The differences in nature of the two measurement instruments, and the potential weaknesses of this study, as two likely explanations for these correlations, are discussed. In the consideration of the differences of the two measurement instruments, the weaknesses of SR measures and criterion-related validity are discussed while self- attributed and implicit motives are contrasted with each other. Potential extraneous variables and possible truncated range are discussed as potential weaknesses of this study.
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- Date Issued: 2002