Browsing by discipline "Psykologi"

OBJECTIVE Eating disorders are serious and often long-lasting conditions with significantly elevated mortality risk. Treating eating disorders is challenging, and the interventions commonly used do not benefit all patients. The aim of this literature review was to examine the effects of different mindfulness-based interventions on the treatment and prevention of eating disorders. METHODS The literature was searched in PubMed and Google Scholar databases using combinations of the terms mindfulness, ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy), MBCT (Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy) and eating disorder. Three meta-analyses and six randomized controlled trials examining the effects of mindfulness-based interventions on eating pathology were selected for the review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Results concerning the effects of mindfulness-based interventions on eating disorders were promising. Several mindfulness-based interventions appear to be efficacious in the treatment of both subclinical eating disorder symptoms and diagnosable eating disorders. There are some limitations in this review and in the literature used. The meta-analyses included many uncontrolled studies and waitlist and treatment as usual control groups were often used in RCTs. Furthermore, the heterogeneity of the studies was high. More RCTs are needed, but based on this review, mindfulness-based interventions can be considered as potential psychosocial treatments for eating disorders and disordered eating behavior.

Objective. The aim of this literature review was to research whether mindfulness-based methods are related to stress reduction among students. Mindfulness, in other words the ability to be fully present in the moment, has been found to have many neurobiological, psychological and physiological effects on human health. Stress is linked to students' health in many ways and it is important to find effective ways to manage stress already while studying to prevent the negative sides of stress. In previous studies, stress has been reduced with mindfulness training. Methods. Research on mindfulness and students’ stress was searched in PubMed and Google Scholar with the keywords mindfulness, student and stress. Recent studies were searched between the years 2018 and 2019. Articles were also manually searched through the bibliographies of already selected articles. A total of six research articles were selected for the review, three of them using a mindfulness-based phone application and three of them using a traditional mindfulness course. Results and conclusions. The results between students’ stress and mindfulness exercises were ambiguous. In half of the studies, those who practiced mindfulness were less stressed after the intervention than those who were non-practitioners, and the results remained in follow-up. In half of the studies, mindfulness practitioners were as stressed after the intervention as non-practitioners. However, the latter studies give some hope for the effectiveness of mindfulness interventions among students. They found, among other results, that an improvement on the aspects of mindfulness was associated with less stress and stress decreased after mindfulness intervention in women but not in men. In one study they also found a slight decrease in stress among mindfulness practitioners. Mindfulness is a potential tool for students’ stress management, especially for students who are motivated to learn mindfulness and are ready to engage in regular practice.

Aims. The aim of this thesis was to consider whether interventions based on mindfulness are effective in job stress management. Job stress causes harm both to the working individual and the organisation as well as the whole society. The individual consequences of job stress include coronary heart diseases, which are the main cause of death in our societies, and burnout, a clinical condition that can be compared to depression. This thesis emphasises the individual aspect and management of job stress. Mindfulness aims at concentrating on the exact moment and accepting all emotions and stimuli in that moment. Mindfulness is seen as a skill that can be trained. The emphasis of mindfulness training is on different types of meditation, and the trainings can also include yoga or journaling. Originally mindfulness evolved from Buddhism and it was first used in clinical practice for patients with chronic pain. Mindfulness as an intervention is currently used in a variety of other contexts, such as depression, anxiety and job stress. Concerning job stress, mindfulness is seen as a cost-effective and an easy method to be put in practice even at the workplace. Mindfulness can be a more approachable intervention compared to for example psychotherapy. Methods. The results of the thesis, which was executed as a literature review, were gathered from several review articles and meta-analyses. Only research on working adults was included in the results section. Results and conclusions. Considering the results, mindfulness is quite an effective method in managing job stress. However, the effects found so far are only moderate and there is not enough evidence on longitudinal effects of mindfulness on job stress. Longitudinal effects on meditation have been found, which points at possible future findings also in mindfulness. Also, the mechanism of mindfulness is still unclear: the question of why mindfulness is beneficial and effective in job stress management has also been raised. Mindfulness is thought to affect the health positively through changes in for example attention, sleep quality and self-compassion. More research in job context is still needed to determine this, and future research should concentrate on distinguishing the effects of mindfulness on behaviour, cognition and emotions on job context.

The goal of this thesis was to examine how the representation of faces and identities has been researched with multivariate brain-imaging analysis methods. The coding of the visual identity of faces is a complex process, which arises from abstract high-level representations that are viewpoint independent. This process has been localized to certain visual brain areas, namely FFA and ATL-FA in humans and AM in macaque monkeys. The coding processes of identities have been researched with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) methods, where the measured brain activity distribution is compared with the distributions predicted by the processing models of identity. Most models are based on face spaces, which are defined by the identities, features or abstract properties of a face. The neural basis for coding of the identity of faces has not yet been resolved. However, the low-level and feature models were best at predicting the data, although low-level models explain mainly the properties of the stimuli and the function of V1. The prototype model was not as successful in predicting the activity distributions as the other models. In general, the models explained the orientation of the faces better than their identity. This might be due to the differences between the brain activities associated with different identities being so subtle that the multivariate pattern analysis cannot differentiate between them. It is also possible that the coding of identity does not happen within the face processing areas, but perhaps in the connections between frontal and face areas. To conclude, the usefulness of fMRI-MVPA in studying identity has been questioned and the methods still need improvement. However, MVPA is a more versatile and sensitive method of investigating the coding of identity than traditional univariate analysis methods.

Work meaningfulness has been under increasing interest in the field of organizational psychology during the last years. Stronger experience of work meaningfulness have been found to correlate for example with job satisfaction, work engagement and workplace commitment. Due to these benefits, the organizations have also started to realize the importance of ensuring the meaningfulness of work for employees. However, the scholars lack mutual agreement of ways of increasing work meaningfulness. The goal of this thesis is to provide further knowledge of these means by integrating existing theoretical and empirical literature. This thesis was conducted as a review. The main sources of the thesis were recent review articles and empirical studies. Furthermore, this thesis investigates large number of theoretical papers on work meaningfulness. The primary database of references used in this review was Google Scholar. Research findings suggest that employee work meaningfulness can be improved in multiple ways. Based on the review, organizational ways of increasing meaningfulness are possible on the areas of job design, social environment and organizational practices. In particular, the studies demonstrate the importance of job crafting and task significance. Moreover, organizational culture and climate seem to correlate with experienced meaningfulness. All in all, based on this thesis, the importance of a holistic approach to work meaningfulness can be emphasized. Finally, the review highlights the importance of conducting more research based on meaningful work, especially with empirical and longitudinal settings. This additional research would greatly help organizational scholars to put the accumulated knowledge into practice.

Objectives Over the past decade the importance of psychological phenomena as part of political behavior has begun to be recognized and research on the subject has increased. The formation of political opinions is influenced by several psychological factors and individual characteristics of information processing. Studies have found that thinking style is associated with political orientation and with what type of needs motivate cognition. Thinking style and motivation together effect how information is viewed and what type of influences are adopted. Rejecting new information and accepting false news can have a problematic effect on political opinion-forming. The purpose of this review is to explain how political opinions are formed and what kind of differences in processing result in political differences. There is also an interest in what kinds of heuristics can influence opinion forming. Psychological factors that are examined include thinking style, epistemic and existential motivation, as well as rejection of science and acceptation of false information. Methods Studies were found using Helka-, PubMed- and Google Scholar databases and search terms "analytic thinking" + "political orientation", "fake news" + "political orientation" and "political psychology" + ”motivation”. In addition, articles were discovered with a manual search from the reference lists of found studies. Conclusions Several studies have found a link between intuitive thinking and conservative political orientation, but there are some differing results. Intuitive thinking could also be associated with epistemic and existential motivation, which have also been found to be stronger among politically conservative. Intuitive thinking together with epistemic and existential motivation expose to heuristics that influence the formation of political opinions. Furthermore, the rejection of information is also more common among intuitive and conservative people. The results regarding the predisposition to accept false news as true and its relation to thinking style and political orientation are more controversial and require further research. Studying the interaction of thinking style, motivation and stance on information could in future shed light on which psychological tendencies and characteristics can potentially lead to diverse political behavior.

Objectives. Multisystemic therapy (MST) is one of the most studied interventions for adolescent conduct disorder and new results of the efficacy of it is published every year. Earlier reviews have come up to some extent with inconsistent results of the efficacy of MST. The objectives of this thesis were to view the most recent findings of treating adolescent conduct disorders with MST, to evaluate the reliability of this information and especially view those factors that make MST an efficient intervention. Methods. Background information, latest reviews, meta-analyses and randomised controlled trials were searched from Pubmed and Helka databases. Three of the most recent reviews or meta-analyses and six randomised controlled trials which were published after the latest review were included. Results and conclusions. The results of the efficacy of MST were mostly positive, but partly inconsistent. There was some variation in the quality of research methods and the accuracy of reporting the results which influenced the results of this review. The most efficient factors in MST were directing the treatment towards parenting skills as well as the multi-sidedness, flexibility and continuous follow- up of the efficacy of the treatment. If the treatment as usual is of good quality, MST may not bring any added value. All in all, MST is a useful intervention especially if there is not suitable clinical pathway for adolescent conduct disorder already.

Abstract Objective. Strokes are common diseases, and the stroke survivals may suffer from many symptoms that affect their everyday living. Efforts are made to develop efficient interventions for stroke survivals, some of which make use of the therapeutic effects of music. Music activates and increases blood flow in widespread neuronal networks and engaging in musical activities is correlated with neuroplastic changes in healthy subjects. This thesis presents findings of music supported interventions and their effects on the performance of stroke patients with different types of outcome measures. Method. This thesis is a review including studies examining the effects of music supported interventions on physical, social, cognitive or psychological functioning after stroke. Results and conclusions. The results suggest that music and especially rhythmic music facilitates the rehabilitation of gait after stroke. The studies examining the effects of music on cognitive and psychological functioning after stroke are underrepresented, but there is some evidence suggesting that music improves memory, attention and mood. Using music in stroke rehabilitation is a promising option, and it can readily be integrated in an existing rehabilitation program. In addition, merely listening to music as a part of the rehabilitation is feasible with minimal resources.

Objective. Ambivalence refers to a state where there is incongruity between different factors driving an agent towards and away from change. An ambivalent person will sometimes act against change, even though they want to change and are aware of effective methods of change. In psychotherapy, ambivalence often manifests as the rejection of guidance, avoiding meaningful topics and engaging in other unproductive behaviors that work against the goals of treatment. The objective of this review is to examine the connection between ambivalence in psychotherapy clients and the outcome of treatment. Methods. A search was done using Google Scholar, Helka and PubMed databases. “Ambivalence” and “resistance” were used as keywords combined with ”psychotherapy”, ”therapy”, ”psychotherapy outcomes” and ”psychotherapy drop-out rate”. Predefined criteria were followed when choosing the final material. Results and conclusions. The evidence reviewed here indicates a possible connection between client ambivalence and the outcome of psychotherapy. Counter-change talk in client dialogue, which is used to measure client ambivalence, was found to be connected to resistance in psychotherapy, disconnects in the therapeutic relationship and poor outcome. However, the evidence was not unequivocal: one study found that clients who reported feeling ambivalent about treatment before the initiation of therapy had better outcomes when compared with clients who approached treatment with exaggerated positivity. Harmful ambivalence can be difficult to notice before additional problems arise. Psychotherapists should receive basic training on how to discern and solve ambivalence. Methods that are specifically designed to resolve ambivalence should also be integrated into standard practices more efficiently. Some examples of methods that are both effective and easy to integrate are the two-chair technique and motivational interviewing. In addition to paying more attention to ambivalence on the clinical field, more research is needed.

Tavoitteet. Mystiset kokemukset ovat harvinaislaatuisia kokemuksia, joita kuvaa vähentynyt tietoisuus itsestä ja voimakkaat yhteyden kokemukset ympäröivän maailman tai jonkin itseä suuremman voiman kanssa. Mystisiä kokemuksia pidetään yleensä hyvin merkityksellisinä, jopa elämän- ja maailmankatsomusta mullistavina kokemuksina, ja niille annetaan usein hengellisiä merkityksiä. Mystisiä kokemuksia on pyritty tutkimaan kartoittamalla tiettyjen aivotoiminnan häiriöiden yhteydessä ilmeneviä hengellisiä kokemuksia sekä hengellisen harjoittamisen, erityisesti meditaation, aikaisia aivotapahtumia. Viime vuosina kiinnostavaa uutta tietoa mystisiin kokemuksiin liittyvistä aivotoiminnan muutoksista on saatu aiheuttamalla tällaisia kokemuksia niin kutsuttujen psykedeelisten aineiden avulla. Tämän kirjallisuuskatsauksen tarkoituksena on luoda katsaus ajankohtaisiin teorioihin ja tutkimusnäyttöön mystisten kokemusten aikaisista aivotapahtumista. Menetelmät. Kirjallisuuskatsaus toteutettiin hakemalla erityisesti viimeisen 20 vuoden aikana ilmestyneitä aihepiirin tieteellisiä tutkimuksia laajasti eri tietokantoja hyväksikäyttäen. Käytettyjä hakusanoja olivat muuan muassa: mystiset kokemukset ja aivokuvantamistutkimus ja mystisten kokemusten neuraaliset korrelaatit. Tulokset ja johtopäätökset. Mystisten kokemusten fenomenologiset piirteet viittaavat tunne- ja kehollista tietoa käsittelevien aivoalueiden rooliin näissä kokemuksissa, ja osalla näiden aivoalueiden toimintahäiriöistä kärsivistä ihmisistä esiintyy poikkeavia kehollisia kokemuksia, jotka saatetaan tulkita hengellisiksi tai mystisiksi. Sekä kokeneet meditaation harjoittajat että psykedeelisten aineiden vaikutuksen alla olevat henkilöt kuvaavat mystisen ykseyskokemuksen piirteet täyttäviä kokemuksia. Meditaation ja psykedeelisten aineiden piirissä tehdyn aivokuvantamistutkimuksen perusteella vaikuttaa siltä, että mystisiin kokemuksiin saattaa liittyä aivojen lepotilaverkoston toiminnan muuttuminen tällaisten kokemusten aikana. Meditaatiotutkimuksessa lepotilaverkoston vähentynyt aktivaatio on yhdistetty mielen vaeltamisen lakkaamiseen meditatiivisen tilan aikana. Psykedeelisissä tiloissa lepotilaverkoston toiminnan vaimeneminen ja konnektiivisuuden heikentyminen on yhdistetty itsen katoamisen kokemuksiin. Lisäksi alustavaa tutkimusnäyttöä on lepotilaverkoston ja niin kutsuttujen tehtäväsuuntautuneiden aivoverkostojen keskinäisten suhteiden muuttumisesta mystisten ykseyskokemusten aikana. Meditaation harjoittaminen on pitkällinen prosessi, johon liittyy monia hienovaraisia muutoksia kokemuksessa ja aivotoiminnassa, eivätkä täysimittaiset mystiset kokemukset ole todennäköisesti tahdonalaisesti tuotettavissa tutkimusolosuhteissa. Sen sijaan psykedeelisten aineiden avulla pystytään melko luotettavasti aiheuttamaan täysimittaisia mystisiä kokemuksia laboratorio-oloissa, mikä saattaa avata uuden oven näiden kokemusten aivoperustan tutkimiseen.