Beverly M. Walker

Dying in Palliative Care Units and in Hospital: A Comparison of the Quality of Life of Terminal Cancer Patients.

A comparison of the quality of life of terminal cancer patients in two palliative care units with that of those in a general hospital is reported here. Quality of life was considered as a multidimensional concept. It was assessed for the 182 patients by applying content analysis scales to transcripts of their responses to part of a standardized interview. A personal construct model of dying provided the specific hypotheses about differences in quality of life. Patients in specialized palliative care units were, as predicted, found to differ from those dying in hospital, showing less indirectly expressed anger but more positive feelings. They also reported more anxiety about death but less anxiety about isolation and general anxiety, and fewer influential and nonspecified shared relationships. Against prediction, the patients in the two specialized units were also found to differ from each other, those in the smaller unit showing more directly expressed anger and helplessness than those in the larger unit.

Dispersed and Undispersed Dependency

Abstract This study was aimed at developing a measure of Kellys concept of dispersion of dependency and providing evidence for its usefulness in differentiating degree of dispersion of dependency. Smith and Grassles (1977) adaptation of Hurlberts diversity index, a measure used by biologists to differentiate degrees of species diversity, was applied to dependency grids, specifically “being helped” grids. The diversity index was shown to be both useful in differentiating prototypes of relatively dispersed and undispersed grids and robust. Furthermore, evidence was provided for its predictive validity using predictions made by Kelly concerning dependency construing associated with differences in dispersion of dependency. Greater dispersion of dependency was related to making more discriminations about dependencies, and undispersed dependency was related to relatively impermeable and preemptive construing. Thus the measure was shown to be satisfactory for identifying dispersion of dependency, such that, u...

MALE STUDENTS IN THE HEALTH SCIENCES: A COMPARISON WITH FEMALE HEALTH SCIENCE STUDENTS AND MALE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Increasing numbers of males are entering the health sciences, particularly Physiotherapy. Fifteen males commencing such courses were compared with 252 female students and 30 male university students. Their backgrounds, career aspirations and attitudes were investigated in an attempt to explain their career choices and consider possible future effects on the health professions. Male health science students were older, came from large families of lower socio-economic status and were more likely to aspire to leadership positions than female students. None of the characteristics of females who enter male-dominated occupations were found to distinguish males making atypical career choices. It is suggested that the findings have implications for the future of Physiotherapy, particularly in regard to leadership positions.

How Residential College Students Adjust Socially and Emotionally to First Year University

ABSTRACT In this longitudinal study at the University of Wollongong, a model of social and emotional adjustment to first year university was developed. For the study sample of 126 late‐adolescent, non‐local college students it was found that social and emotional adjustment to university was only partly a function of the new, “objective” circumstances that confronted them. Most important was their outlook: feeling positive from the beginning about the transition, believing they had sufficient friends to rely upon, experiencing intimacy and not worrying about whether they were independent enough. Unexpectedly, membership of a particular college predicted more positive emotional adjustment. Differences between the colleges are discussed to help explain this desirable outcome. Interactions between sex and several other factors indicated that male and female students adjusted in different ways. Suggestions are made for how these findings would be very useful for those engaged in counselling students, for profe...

Psychological frailness and strength in an AIDS-affected community: a study of seropositive gay men and voluntary caregivers.

Addressed both the psychological frailness and strength in an AIDS-affected community. The gay community in Sydney, Australia, was represented by men who were seropositive (n = 60) and voluntary caregivers (n = 60). They were compared with two samples of men outside the gay community, who were ill with non-AIDS-related medical conditions (n = 30), and well (n = 30). Their psychological frailness and strength were measured by content analysis scales. Both the seropositive men and the caregivers showed the frailness of anxiety, indirectly expressed anger and helplessness, but also the compensating strength of greater personal competence and good feeling relative to the other men. The men who were seropositive or had other illnesses showed the predicted frailness of anxiety and depression but neither indirectly expressed anger nor helplessness. The seropositive men and caregivers of the gay community differed from each other only in the high levels of depression of the former.

Photography as a Measure of Constricted Construing: The Experience of Depression Through a Camera

The world of the individual experiencing depression is often enclosed and lonely, void of any new experiences or relationships. Kelly (1955) suggested that central to this experience is the process of constriction, whereby the individual concerned makes the world more manageable by limiting the parts of the world construed. Within the personal construct literature, constriction has primarily been examined using the repertory grid technique. Such usage seems questionable considering that constriction refers to a reduction in the extent of what is construed, which is usually predetermined in a grid by the provision of a predetermined number of elements. An alternative nonverbal measure of constriction using photography was proposed based on the range of themes present in the photographs. Depressed and control participants took 12 photographs in response to the question, “Who are you?” In addition to this exercise, the participants also completed a repertory grid. Results indicated that the depressed group showed a narrower range of themes in their photographs and a significantly larger number of midpoint ratings for the elements “Self” and “Future Self.” Consequently, it was shown that photography is a potentially valuable research tool that could be used within constructivist approaches.

The Psychosocial Impact of Multiple Deaths from AIDS

The cumulative psychosocial impact of multiple deaths due to AIDS within a single, gay community was examined. A personal construct psychology model of bereavement was used to generate hypotheses about the psychosocial functioning of the members of two gay communities differing in the extent of their bereavement. Their psychosocial functioning was assessed through content analysis of their responses to an open-ended interview question. Two hundred fifteen men participated in the study. We hypothesized that the more bereaved community would show more anxiety (in the form of death, mutilation, separation, anxiety, and guilt), depression, and indirectly expressed anger. The hypotheses for anxiety and anger were supported, but not the hypothesis for depression.

Values and kelly's theory: Becoming a good scientist

Abstract This paper examines the way in which George Kelly viewed values in his writings. His acknowledgement of the integral relationship of values and psychological theory and research is considered. The ways in which Kelly viewed adjustment and psychological well-being are discussed in terms of an analysis of the meaning of Kellys central metaphor of the scientist. I suggest that this metaphor may more profitably be considered a proscription, rather than a description, of human nature.

The Quality of Life of Palliative Care Staff: A Personal Construct Approach

Palliative care staff were compared with staff from burn and neonatal units, and with mature age general nursing trainees at the end of their training. Hypotheses, based on a personal construct model of their quality of life, sources of anxiety, and types of social interactions were tested. These tests were conducted by applying content analysis scales to their responses to an open-ended request in their interview schedule. The palliative care staff did express better quality of life, in terms of significantly less anxiety and depression, as well as more good feelings than the other staff groups. They showed, as predicted, significantly more anxiety about death, but less shame and diffuse anxiety. They also reported more helping and loving interactions but fewer influencing or vaguely defined, but shared interactions. The implications of these findings for the model and for the support of palliative care staff are considered.

Women's studies courses in Australian Universities

Women s Studies courses are at present offered at most Australian Universities. They have been introduced within the last 5 years amidst turmoil and reaction. Many women felt the achievement of putting on these courses would be last ing--that they had forced a concession from the patriarchal university which would have major long-term effects. However the struggle has remained a continuing one, with new problems emerging as the courses mature. In particular funding to Australian universities has been cut back, and increasing stringency in university spending has been foreshadowed by the conservative Liberal-Country Party Government, headed by Malcolm Fraser.