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JRLS Dissertation Final.pdf (3.09 MB)

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Experiential Personal Construct Psychology and Severe Disturbances: Exploring Developmental/Structural Disruptions in Self-Other Permanence

Schirm, Julia R. Lonoff
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1399719556

Abstract Details

2014, Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, Psychology.
An experiential personal construct psychotherapy (EPCP) understanding of severe disturbances (e.g., "schizophrenia") is based on the idea that early trauma (broadly construed) may disrupt children's development of the ability to consistently experience self and others as permanent and persisting across time and space. Such developmental/structural disruptions in "self-other permanence" (SOP) may result in a range of subsequent difficulties including hallucinations and delusions because without permanence, one may experience things such as the self or external objects and/or persons (e.g., voices) disappearing and reappearing, seemingly at random. The purpose of the current study is to evaluate the usefulness of the EPCP concept of developmental/structural disruptions of SOP in understanding the experiences of people with severe disturbances. I interviewed five patients at an inpatient psychiatric hospital who were diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, asking about their earliest memories, traumatic experiences, early relationships, current relationships, the history of their psychological difficulties, and how they ended up in the hospital. I constructed narratives for the participants, weaving together portions of the transcripts and interspersing my interpretations based on EPCP theory. The participants' narratives strongly supported EPCP theory of developmental/structural disruptions. Participants' struggles could be meaningfully conceptualized in terms of disruptions in SOP. They experienced significant early traumas, and these traumas were connected to difficulties with SOP. I also offer additional implications for EPCP theory, possibilities for elaborating EPCP theory, and areas of future research.
Larry Leitner, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Paul Anderson, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Ann Fuehrer, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Vaishali Raval, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
689 p.
Psychology
severe disturbances; Experiential Personal Construct Psychology; trauma; self-other permanence; schizophrenia; qualitative research

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Schirm, J. R. L. (2014). Experiential Personal Construct Psychology and Severe Disturbances: Exploring Developmental/Structural Disruptions in Self-Other Permanence [Doctoral dissertation, Miami University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1399719556

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Schirm, Julia. Experiential Personal Construct Psychology and Severe Disturbances: Exploring Developmental/Structural Disruptions in Self-Other Permanence. 2014. Miami University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1399719556.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Schirm, Julia. "Experiential Personal Construct Psychology and Severe Disturbances: Exploring Developmental/Structural Disruptions in Self-Other Permanence." Doctoral dissertation, Miami University, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1399719556

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

miami1399719556
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This open access ETD is published by Miami University and OhioLINK.