Metaphor and psychotherapy

"No man is an island": How Chinese netizens use deliberate metaphors to provide "depression sufferers" with social support

Objective

Online social support provides a way to positively influence depression sufferers. In the present study, we aim to analyze how social support in Chinese online depression communities is communicated through the lens of deliberate metaphor theory (DMT) to deepen the understanding of the under-researched complicated, emotionally laden, and culture-related concepts of this experience.

Methods

We collected data (n = 3546 comments) from the Warm Supporting section of the Depression Super Topic, a major Chinese online depression community on Weibo. The data were analyzed using a metaphorical analysis with the Metaphor Identification Procedure Vrije Universiteit and a thematic analysis.

Results

Our findings identify two themes: deliberate metaphors (DMs) of depression and DMs of social environment for depression sufferers. The former conceptualizes future expectations without depression (as rosy images; victorious battles; the beaten black dog); disorder (as subtle objects; subjective initiative events); depression sufferers (as valuable objects; important roles); and present life with depression (as optional events; spiritual practices; fragile objects). The latter conceptualizes social connection (as solid objects; nonessentials); individuals in the social environment (as energetic objects; vicious roles); and prejudice (as colored objects).

Conclusions

The findings suggest that DMs as important online social support resources, helping to express empathy and normalize depression with more common-sense, and non-judgmental concepts. Additionally, in DMs, Chinese netizens navigate the intricate intersection of medical and moral perspectives on depression and its recovery, leveraging both aspects to offer comprehensive social support. "Confucian-based" elements are embedded in culture-related social support expressions in DMs. In practice, our findings contribute to tailored and appropriate health interventions for depression.

Seeking Protection, Finding Despair: Closed Preferences as a Model of Neuroticism-Linked Distress

Introduction: Image schemas are perceptual-motor simulations of the world that are likely to have broad importance in understanding models of the self and its regulatory operations. Methods: Seven samples of participants (total N = 1,011) rated their preferences for unspecified entities being “open” or “closed” and scores along this dimension were linked to variations in personality, emotion, and psychopathology. Results: Individuals endorsing closed preferences to a greater extent were prone to neuroticism (Study 1), experiential avoidance (Study 2), negative affect in daily life (Study 3), and symptoms of anxiety and depression (Study 4). Discussion: Although closed preferences are likely to be endorsed for protective reasons (inasmuch as the contents of closed objects are better protected), such preferences are linked to higher, rather than lower, levels of neuroticism and distress. The findings offer new evidence for theories of neuroticism and psychopathology that emphasize operations related to defensive motivation and experiential avoidance.

Keeping metaphor in mind: training therapists in metaphor-enhanced cognitive behaviour therapy

Over the last decade, there has been increasing interest in the use of metaphor in cognitive behaviour therapy. However, to date, there has been only very limited research on the use of metaphor in CBT sessions, and no studies which have examined how to train therapists in this skill. The present study is the first in the literature to explore how we might train therapists in metaphor-enhanced CBT. Twelve therapists attended two half-day training workshops, 2 weeks apart. Details of the content of the training workshop are provided. The therapists rated the workshop quality and provided structured self-report ratings and reflections on their ongoing application of learning over a 3-month period which were compared with pre-training ratings. Therapists reported significantly increased awareness of metaphors, with increased confidence in responding intentionally to client metaphors and bringing them into shared conceptualizations. In addition, there were significant increases in reported time spent elaborating on client metaphors, and use of metaphors when conceptualizing with clients. Barriers and solutions to application of learning are discussed.

Development and Validation of the Marital Metaphor Questionnaire (MMQ-10) for Urban Chinese Women

Metaphors have long been applied to marital counseling and couple therapy. This pioneering study measures marital conceptualization through metaphors. It reports the validation of the Marital Metaphor Questionnaire (MMQ-10), designed to measure the marriage conceptualization of Chinese women through marital metaphors. The MMQ-10 was found to have favorable psychometric properties including reliable internal consistency, a good discriminative prediction of marriage at risk and moderate correlation with a Chinese indigenous multidimensional marital satisfaction inventory. Factor analysis reveals that the MMQ-10 is composed of three dimensions: conjugal relationship, marital anguish, and marital conviction. The MMQ-10 appears to be suitable for the use with Chinese women in premarital or marital counseling sessions. The present researchers hope that this study may support the use of metaphors in future research and clinical practice in other nations and cultures.

Previewing: a developmental principle that promotes the therapeutic use of metaphor

When one is treating mother-infant dyads psychotherapeutically, the infant's inchoate language skills render the traditional use of metaphor ineffective. This paper discusses how a developmental principle, labeled previewing, may function like a metaphor and be used to address the therapeutic needs of the dyad. Previewing and metaphor also may complement each other in the treatment of adults in individual therapy. Previewing--like metaphors--may provide a means of addressing interpersonal issues, may function as a shared language that promotes intersubjectivity, and may help the patient deal with conflict in a non-threatening manner that may circumvent defensive operations.