Abstract
This paper outlines a procedure for measuring personal identity that uses self-characterisations to elicit and integrate ideographic data for fixed construct repertory grid nomothetic applications. There is a focus on how family members view their personal identities when they are recovering from the impacts of having a ‘loved one’ with a mental illness and/or substance used disorder. The unique nature of personal and relational empowerment journeys necessitates the use of an ideographic approach to capture changes in personal identity. A significant research implication for this procedure is that the consistent meaning generated through this initially ideographic approach can then be used to explore changes in identity across larger populations. The clinical implications include having a phenomenological framework upon which care plans that include a focus on identity processes can be individually tailored.
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PhD Scholarship from the Salvation Army, NSW, Australia.
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Appendices
Appendix A
Appendix B
Self-Characterisation
Self as I am Now
Male Example:
I want you to write a character sketch of yourself (Harry Brown), as you are now, just as if he were the principal character in a play. Write it as it might be written by a friend who knew him very intimately and very sympathetically, perhaps better than anyone ever really could know him. Be sure to write it in the third person. For example, start out by saying, ‘Harry Brown is….’
Preferred Self—how you ‘would like to be’
Female Example:
I want you to write a character sketch of yourself (Sally Brown), as you prefer to be, just as if she were the principal character in a play. Write it as it might be written by a friend who knew her very intimately and very sympathetically, perhaps better than anyone ever really could know her. Be sure to write it in the third person. For example, start out by saying, ‘Sally Brown is….’
After completion of the self-characterisation the interviewer along with the participant will go through the script and identify relevant constructs (emergent pole). The interviewer will then ask the participant “To you, being (emergent pole) would contrast with someone who is …..?”, this then generates the contrast pole.
The emergent and contrast pole will form one construct, which will then be used in the Repertory Grid for the participants to complete.
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Buckley-Walker, K., Crowe, T.P. & Caputi, P. Measuring Identity Processes in Family Relational Empowerment. Int J Ment Health Addiction 11, 358–368 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-012-9420-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-012-9420-3