PSYCHOLOGY OF CONFLICT BETWEEN STRUCTURES OF “MYSELF-CONCEPTS”: THE THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF STUDY

Abstract

The purpose of this scientific research is theoretical and practical study of the phenomenology of the transformation of the “Myself-concept” of a person who has a difficult life situation, which often becomes a personal crisis, that is the birth of a child with special needs and the study of the “Myself-real” and “Myself-ideal” of mothers’ personality.

Methods. The methodological basis of the research is the position on the integral character of the psychological organization of the individual and the mutual precondition of psychological and social phenomena.

The main method of the presented research is the method of active social and psychological training. The author who is a psychotherapist based on the method of “Symboldrama” is involved into the implementation of the project “The Psychological Support of Parents of Children with Special Needs”. The participants of the project are 28 mothers, nine of them are raising children with Down syndrome, and nineteen – autistic children. Classes with mothers were conducted in the form of active social and psychological training, aimed at deep-reflexive self-knowledge of oneself.

Results. The tasks of the first module of the Project were the follows: 1) an affective reassessment of the traumatic situation by means of the removal of psycho-emotional stress with the help of the technique of art therapy and psychotractive technologies due to the formation of a space of psychological safety and acceptance will enable to improve the emotional state of the participants; 2) the establishment of social contacts, which will promote successful existence in society; 3) research by the participants of the “Myself-real” and “Myselfideal”.

The author describes the psychological exercises: “Business card”, “Market”, “My dreams”, “Model of harmony” and analyzes the results.

Conclusions. Conflict between the structures of the “Myself-concept” and the experience of the situation as traumatic leads to personal disharmonization, can become the cause of depressive states, suicidal thoughts, etc.

The psychological trauma of a mother bringing up a child with special needs is localized in: 1) “Myself-real” that acquires a traumatic (post-traumatic) meaning, resulting in a person ceasing to experience the joy of life; 2) “Myself-ideal”, which is virtually absent or acquires a fantastic, utopian meaning. At the end of the first module the mothers giving their feedback upon the psychological work, noted the improvement in psycho-emotional feelings, mood, noted the importance of the created space of psychological security and adoption, an area where it is possible to reveal new ways to overcome everyday difficulties.