Papers by Lars-Gunnar Lundh
slso.sll.se
Anhörigprogrammet Familjeband (engelska Family Connections) är ett 12-15 veckors pedagogiskt pr... more Anhörigprogrammet Familjeband (engelska Family Connections) är ett 12-15 veckors pedagogiskt program för anhöriga till patienter med borderline-personlighetsstörning och andra patienter med svårigheter att reglera sina känslor. Detta program har översatts till svenska och ...
Journal for Person-Oriented Research, 2024
The first issue of Journal for Person-Oriented Research (JPOR) was published in 2015, representin... more The first issue of Journal for Person-Oriented Research (JPOR) was published in 2015, representing the first international journal specifically focused on person-oriented research. With this issue, the JPOR completes its tenth yearly volume. The status of JPOR as a truly international journal is reflected in the number of published articles from different countries. The number of submissions to JPOR has been steadily increasing, as has also its CiteScore as measured by Scopus. A call is made for papers on the application of non-linear dynamic system modelling.
Journal for Person-Oriented Research, Dec 6, 2023
There are different ways of dividing psychology into subdisciplines. The purpose of the present p... more There are different ways of dividing psychology into subdisciplines. The purpose of the present paper is to explore one specific metaperspective on psychological science, seen as having three main branches: person psychology, population psychology, and mechanism psychology, linked to three different levels of research. Person-level research focuses on psychological phenomena as experienced and enacted by individual persons in their interaction with other persons and other parts of the environment, and in their development over time. Population-level research focuses on populations of individuals, frequencies of various psychological phenomena in a population, risk factors, and population-level effects of various psychological interventions. Mechanism-level research focuses on psychological functioning as explained in terms of neurophysiological mechanisms and information processes at a sub-personal level. It is argued that the failure to differentiate clearly between research questions at these three levels lead to questionable research practices. Most notably, a failure to differentiate clearly between the population level and the person level leads to problem-method mismatches in the form of researchers trying to answer questions about persons by research on populations. Also, because of a failure to differentiate between the person level and the mechanism level, explanations in terms of sub-personal mechanisms are too often seen as providing answers about what occurs at the person level, thereby failing to study persons as intentional agents in interaction with other persons and other parts of the environment. It is argued that a clear differentiation between three levels of psychological science-population, person, and mechanismmay contribute to an increased clarity in these matters and may thereby contribute to the development and maturation of psychological science.
Frontiers in Psychology, Jan 10, 2022
During history humans have developed a large variety of contemplative practices, in many differen... more During history humans have developed a large variety of contemplative practices, in many different areas of life, and as part of many different traditions and contexts. Although some contemplative practices are very old, the research field of Contemplation Studies is young, and there are no agreed-upon definitions of central concepts such as contemplative practices and contemplative experiences. The present paper focuses on contemplative practices, defined as practices that are engaged in for the sake of the contemplative experiences they afford (e.g., the contemplation of nature, or the contemplation of various aspects of being-in-the world). The purpose of the present paper is to discuss the potential of experimental phenomenology to contribute to the development of the research field of Contemplation Studies. Experimental phenomenology is defined as the investigation of phenomenological practices and their effects on experience. Phenomenological practices involve intentional variations of experiencing by means of changes in the direction of attention and the choice of attitude, typically as guided by verbal instructions or self-instructions. It is suggested that contemplative practices represent a subcategory of phenomenological practices. Two different varieties of experimental phenomenology are described and illustrated in the present paper: (1) an informal variety which involves the development of new phenomenological practices by creative variation of procedures and observation of effects; and (2) a more rigorously scientific variety, which involves the systematic variation of phenomenological practices in accordance with experimental designs to study their experiential effects. It is suggested that the development of contemplative practices during the ages is the result of an informal experimenting of the first kind; this variety of experimental phenomenology can also be used to develop personalized health interventions in a clinical setting. As to the more rigorously scientific experimental phenomenology, it is possible that it may lead not only to an improved understanding of general principles underlying contemplative practices, but also to a more systematic development of new contemplative practices. The experimental-phenomenological approach to contemplative practices is illustrated by various examples involving mindfulness, gratitude, receiving and giving.
Journal for person-oriented research, Dec 30, 2019
Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, Jun 12, 2019
What core skills are needed to be an effective psychotherapist? Because of the large variety of e... more What core skills are needed to be an effective psychotherapist? Because of the large variety of existing psychotherapies, this question probably needs to be answered differently with regard to different forms of therapy. Different forms of psychotherapy may have widely different goals. For example, whereas some therapies aim to solve acute problems in living, the aims of other therapies may be increased self-knowledge, or the development of personal potential. Patients may use psychotherapy in very different ways, as seen in reports about what has worked for them. For example, when Adler and McAdams (2007) analysed the psychotherapy stories of 76 adult patients, they identified four different categories of narratives, of which the two most salient involved the following main themes: (a) the patient actively using the therapy to solve a personal problem and to re-assert personal agency; (b) the patient relying on the therapist and the therapeutic alliance as the mechanism of treatment. If patients make use of therapy in such different ways, it
Scandinavian Journal of Behaviour Therapy, 2000
The present paper describes an integrative cognitive-behavioural model for the analysis and treat... more The present paper describes an integrative cognitive-behavioural model for the analysis and treatment of insomnia. According to the theoretical model, insomnia is the result of an interaction between sleep-interfering processes (e.g. various kinds of arousal, and processes whereby various stimuli, behaviours and cognitive activities lead to arousal) and sleep-interpreting processes (sleep-related beliefs, attributions, attitudes, etc.). It is argued that insomnia involves various combinations of such processes, and that treatment should be based on a cognitive-behavioural analysis of how these processes combine in each particular case of insomnia. The treatment model focuses both on a reduction of sleep-interfering arousal processes (e.g. by replacing willful goal-directed control strategies with skills of mindful observation and acceptance) and on a modification of sleep-interpreting processes (by means of behavioural experiments and psychoeducative interventions).
Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, Mar 16, 2021
ABSTRACT Introduction: Deliberate self-harm (DSH) is a common symptom in psychiatric disorders. I... more ABSTRACT Introduction: Deliberate self-harm (DSH) is a common symptom in psychiatric disorders. It is a cross-diagnostic symptom, although it has mainly been associated with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Research has suggested an association between DSH and deficits in executive functioning. The main aim of the current study was to assess three specific aspects of executive functioning (EF) (working memory, inhibition and cognitive flexibility) among psychiatric patients with DSH, compared to a clinical and a healthy comparison group. Methods: Thirty psychiatric patients with DSH, 29 psychiatric patients without DSH and 29 healthy individuals were assessed with regard to psychiatric illness, self-harming behavior, EF, general cognitive functioning level and measures of psychopathology. The results were analyzed by means of ANOVA, regression analysis, Chi-square, and correlation analysis. Results: The patients with DSH showed deficits in cognitive flexibility and inhibition as compared to healthy individuals. In addition, the patients with DSH had greater deficits in cognitive flexibility than the patients without DSH; this effect was independent of concurrent severity of depressive symptoms but not independent of borderline symptomatology. Conclusion: Psychiatric patients with DSH may have deficits in cognitive flexibility as compared to both the healthy and clinical comparison groups. The results partly differ from previous related studies in the field. It is unclear to which extent the deficits in cognitive flexibility are due to other factors. More research is needed to understand the implications of such deficits, and if the results could be used for adapting treatment services and strategies. Future studies should include more similar comparison groups.
Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science, May 29, 2020
, evolutionary psychology may be the meta-theory that is needed if psychological science is to en... more , evolutionary psychology may be the meta-theory that is needed if psychological science is to enter a paradigmatic stage. Other writers have suggested that what is needed is a person-oriented approach, which focuses on the person as a complex system that needs to be studied (1) as a whole (holism), (2) as an intentional agent in interaction with its environment (interactionism), and (3) in terms of his or her individual characteristics and development (idiographic focus). The purpose of the present paper is to discuss the compatibility of these two suggestions. A brief analysis of some formulations central to Dawkins' gene-centered approach (e.g., "the intricate interdependence of genes", and the dependence of genes on their environment) suggests that it is quite compatible with holism and interactionism; and applications such as genetic genealogy illustrate the possibility of a person-oriented genetics. It is argued that these two perspectives are not only compatible, but also complementary. Without a complement in the form of a person-oriented perspective, a gene-centered evolutionary psychology will at best be able to produce a general understanding of the psychological potentials that inhere in the human gene pool. It will not, however, lead to any understanding of the unique profiles of psychological potentials that are produced by a re-combination of autosomal DNA at the origin of each specific individual person, and that develop over time in interaction with the environment. The latter requires that the gene-centered view is complemented with a person-oriented approach.
Theory and history in the human and social sciences, 2019
The purpose of the present chapter is to discuss whether psychological science today is in a stat... more The purpose of the present chapter is to discuss whether psychological science today is in a state of crisis, and if so how that crisis is to be characterized. Three aspects of a possible crisis are discussed: a replicability crisis, a normativity crisis, and a validity crisis. It is argued that the present crisis goes deeper than being merely a replicability crisis. There are also signs of a normativity crisis, due to a social incentive system that is not conducive to scientific progress, and a validity crisis due to a variable-oriented approach that is not suitable to the scientific problems that need to be solved. Whereas the normativity crisis requires changes in the social incentive system operating in the scientific community, the validity crisis requires a change of paradigm from a variable-oriented to a more person-oriented approach. These questions are illustrated with examples from the field of psychotherapy research.
Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, Sep 1, 1982
ABSTRACT
Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, Apr 29, 2022
IntroductionDeliberate self‐harm (DSH) is common in clinical populations. Childhood maltreatment ... more IntroductionDeliberate self‐harm (DSH) is common in clinical populations. Childhood maltreatment (CM) and attitudes both towards oneself and towards DSH may be of importance for the development of DSH. This study aimed to test whether patients with DSH report more CM, more negative attitudes towards oneself and more positive attitudes towards DSH than a clinical and a healthy comparison group, and whether the effects of CM are mediated by negative attitudes towards oneself.MethodFemales with DSH and psychiatric disorders (n = 34), females without DSH but with psychiatric disorders (n = 31) and healthy female individuals (n = 29) were compared regarding DSH, CM, attitudes towards the self and attitudes towards self‐harm.ResultsFemales with DSH reported more emotional abuse and more self‐hatred as compared to both comparison groups. The effect of emotional abuse was mediated by self‐hatred. The DSH‐group had significantly more positive attitudes towards DSH than the healthy comparison group.ConclusionSelf‐hatred and CM in the form of emotional abuse may be distinguishing characteristics of female patients with DSH in psychiatric settings. The present results are compatible with the hypothesis that emotional abuse leads to DSH via self‐hatred, but the cross‐sectional nature of the study precludes any causal conclusions. The clinical utility of the results is discussed.
Journal for person-oriented research, Dec 27, 2018
The pleasure derived from helping others is referred to as compassion satisfaction (CS). When a p... more The pleasure derived from helping others is referred to as compassion satisfaction (CS). When a psychologist feels a too heavy demand to be compassionate and effective in helping, however, this may result in compassion fatigue (CF). CF may take the form of burnout or secondary traumatic stress (STS). The present paper focuses on two factors that may possibly protect against the development of CF, and facilitate the development of CS: (1) access to supervision and (2) a reflective stance. An online survey was distributed to two closed Swedish Facebook groups of psychologists, and complete data were obtained from 374 psychologists (320 women and 63 men). Both variable-oriented and person-oriented analyses were carried out. Correlational analysis showed that both supervision and reflection was associated with more CS, whereas only supervision but not reflection was significantly associated with less CF. Cluster analysis gave a more nuanced picture, suggesting a non-linear and multi-faceted association between reflection and CF. Some clusters of psychologists showed the expected association between level of reflection and level of CF. This was balanced, however, by other clusters that showed an association in the opposite direction, indicating high levels of reflection in clinicians with high levels of CF, and low levels in clinicians with low levels of CF. The results are discussed in terms of these differences in associative patterns possibly being due to different patient populations being involved. Among the limitations of the present study are its cross-sectional design, absence of data on patient characteristics, and a crude measure of supervision and reflection.
Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, Sep 22, 2011
Background: Depressive personality is commonly seen in clinical practice, and today only one excl... more Background: Depressive personality is commonly seen in clinical practice, and today only one exclusive self-report instrument -the Depressive Personality Disorder Inventory (DPDI) -is available for its assessment based on the DSM-IV description of the construct. Aims: The purpose of this research was to evaluate a Swedish version of this measure (DPDI-Swe) in terms of its reliability, internal structure, and convergent validity using related variables from the DSM-IV criteria for depressive personality disorder (DPD) and the proposed DPD trait set for DSM-5. Methods: A non-clinical sample of 255 adults in southern Sweden completed a selfreport package, which, in addition to DPD, included the assessment of self-esteem, optimism, hope, rumination, worry, depression, and anxiety. Quality of life was also measured. Results: Results indicated that the DPDI-Swe was internally consistent ( α ϭ 0.96). Exploratory factor analysis with oblique rotation yielded three components, together accounting for 48.21% of the variance in DPDI-Swe scores. There were strong positive associations between the DPDI-Swe and measures of depression, anxiety, rumination, and worry, and strong negative associations between the DPDI-Swe and measures of self-esteem, optimism, hope, and quality of life. These signifi cant relationships remained, albeit slightly diminished, after statistically controlling for current depressed mood. Conclusions and clinical implications: The DPDI-Swe appears to be a reliable and valid measure of DPD, and it is available for clinical and research use.
Springer eBooks, 1988
Each person has his own way of experiencing the world. How a given situation is perceived and int... more Each person has his own way of experiencing the world. How a given situation is perceived and interpreted varies from one person to another, and may also vary from one occasion to another within the same person. Different psychological theories have tried to approach these basic facts in terms of various concepts. According to Piaget (1951), Neisser (1976) and others, each person has his own “schemata”, in terms of which he or she assimilates the world. According to George Kelly (1955), we all have our “personal constructs” which channel our psychological processes. Other psychologists speak in this connection of “mental structures” (e.g. Mandler 1975), “semantic networks” (e.g. Anderson and Bower 1973), “memory structures” (Posner 1973), and “interassociated nodes in long-term memory” (Shiffrin and Schneider 1977).
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Nov 1, 2003
The present study tested, and found support for, the hypotheses that crime victims with acute pos... more The present study tested, and found support for, the hypotheses that crime victims with acute post-traumatic stress disorder have: (i) a general memory impairment for faces; and (ii) a memory bias for faces that they perceive as hostile, even when these faces are not arranged to show any hostile face expressions. It is suggested that crime victims with acute post-traumatic stress disorder perform worse on recognition memory due to impaired concentration, and that they allocate their limited attentional resources to the detection of hostility in others in order to avoid being victimized again. This produces a memory bias for perceived hostility even in relatively innocuous everyday interactions with others, which contributes to maintaining the sense of serious current threat that characterizes post-traumatic stress disorder.
Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, Dec 1, 1995
Lundh, L-G. ( 1995). Meaning structures and mental representations. Scandinavian Journal This pap... more Lundh, L-G. ( 1995). Meaning structures and mental representations. Scandinavian Journal This paper argues for a distinction between meaning structure and mental representation, and presents the outlines of a theoretical model of their interrelationship. Meaning structures are defined as structures in the human mind/brain which develop as the combined result of genetic predispositions and individual experience, and lead to relatively stable patterns of perceiving, thinking, feeling, behaving, etc. Mental representation is defined as the aspect of mental processes which involves imagining and thinking of things that are not perceptually present. It is suggested that the mind includes a central network of meaning structures (CNMS) for the storage of information, and a number of other subsystems (e.g.. perceptual systems, behavioral systems, and a verbal system) for theprocessing of externally and internally generated information. Against the dualcoding theory, it is argued that there is one code for the long-term storage of information, but several codes for the processing of information. Mental representations are seen as products of activation that is spread from the CNMS to more peripheral systems. The spread of activation from the CNMS to perceptual systems results in mental imagery; when activation spreads to the verbal system the result is conceptual thinking; and when activation spreads to behavioral systems it produces intentions. It is argued that this conceptual model can help to solve some basic theoretical problems that have plagued cognitive psychology.
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Papers by Lars-Gunnar Lundh