Structure and Contents of the Value and Meaning System of Mentally Ill Patients with the Religious Outlook

Bibliographic Data

ID12944307
AuthorsО Борисова (0000-0002-7429-7244, corresponding author), Vasily V Gusev (0000-0003-4682-1923), А М Двойнин (0000-0003-0530-740X, National Research University Higher School of Economics), G I Kopeyko
Year2019
Volume15
Issue4
Pages56-67
Publication date2019-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueCultural-Historical Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1816-5435 • E-ISSN: 2224-8935
PublisherMoscow State University of Psychology and Education (PUBLISHER • RU)
DOI10.17759/chp.2019150406
OpenAlexW2997598750
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited22

The purpose of the study described in the article is to elicit value and meaning elements and to describe their structure in mentally ill patients with the religious outlook. The assumptions that the value and meaning system (VMS) of believing patients and non-believing ones differ are put forward. Four groups of subjects participate in the study: “Orthodox patients” (N = 24, 9 men and 14 women, age m = 26.7 ± 6); “Unbelieving patients” (N = 12 people, 3 men and 9 women, age m = 28.9 ± 7.6); “Healthy Orthodox believers” (N = 15 people, 4 men and 11 women, age m = 30.2 ± 6.4); “Healthy unbelievers” (N = 14 people, 5 men and 9 women, age m = 29.7 ± 5.1). G. Kelly’s methodology of personal constructs is applied in the study to assess the VMS: the triad method, Hinkle’s Laddering technique, and the repertory grid technique. The results show that the VMS of mentally ill patients with the religious outlook is characterized (in the structural aspect) by a greater mutual connection of value and meaning elements than in patients who do not believe. In comparison with believing patients, the unbelieving ones display significant disintegration and reduction of multiplicity of interrelationships between various value and meaning elements. The stability of the structure and key elements in the contents of the VMS in believing patients are probably explained by their special religious attitude to the disease as well as by the possibility, despite the disease, to actualize the meaning of life though the reaching for God

Meaning (existential · Mental health · Mental illness · Mentally ill · Psychiatry · Psychoanalysis · Psychotherapist · Triad (sociology · Value (mathematics · Cognitive and psychological constructs research · Mental Health and Psychiatry · Psychology · Social Psychology · Transactional Analysis in Psychotherapy