Search

The positive relationship between social support and mental health is well documented. Tang, Pu, and Yao (2009) suggested that the relationship might be mediated by a third variable, which provides the basis for the current study. We examined the mediating effects of social interest on perceived social support and mental health. Participants were 102 university students who completed measures of social interest, mental health, social desirability, and perceived social support. Using Baron and Kenny’s (1986) causal steps approach, a hierarchical linear regression was conducted to assess the mediating effects of social interest. The results indicate a full mediation effect of social interest on the relationship between perceived social support and mental health. We found that the relationship between perceived social support and mental health became nonsignificant because of the mediating effects of social interest.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Adlerian E5 psychoeducational group counseling on university students’ authenticity and social interest. The study’s design was quasi-experimental, with pre- and posttest control groups. Participants in the experimental group participated in E5 group counseling, and the control group participants met weekly for open, experiential group-counseling sessions. The results indicated that participants in E5 groups reported significantly higher scores for all subscales and total scores of authenticity, but not for social interest. These findings provide the first empirical support for the impact of E5 group counseling. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

This study examined the contribution of social interest to the established link between adult attachment and well-being in romantic relationships (dyadic adjustment). Results from a sample of 246 university faculty, staff, and students indicated that both attachment avoidance ( r = −.496, p r = −.299, p r = .218, p B = −.242, CI95 [−.566, −.033]). These results are consistent with an ecosystemic view of relational functioning and indicate the importance of developing social interest during clinical work with couples.

To explore predictors of life satisfaction as defined by the U.S. Religion, Aging, and Health Survey (Krause, 2004), a logistic regression was conducted that significantly correlated with life satisfaction. Survey variables were feeling of worth or at least of equal value to others ( e B = 5.0), I always look on the bright side of things ( e B = 2.3), and I am optimistic about my future ( e B = 3.1). All were found to predict life satisfaction at significant levels. Outcomes align with Adlerian philosophy and researchers who have shown the neuroplastic impacts of the need to belong (an important component of social interest), being able to shift one’s perspective, and imagining the future.

We present in this article qualitative data to empirically support the idea Adlerians have many of the foundational skills, beliefs, and knowledge required to be trauma-competent clinicians. In doing so, we posit evidence-based trauma-counseling competencies for trauma counselor education, training, and development using applied principles of Individual Psychology; this strengths-based model requires a fundamental belief in recovery and resilience that relies heavily on social interest and includes encouragement, holism, and lifestyle considerations.

Although numerous social interest scales and questionnaires exist, none has specifically been developed to measure social interest in Iranian children. In response to this gap in research, we developed the 24-item Social Interest Scale for Iranian Children (SISIC), which was based on a first-approximation 66-item scale that had less convincing factor-analytic support. The SISIC measures parents’ statements about their children. Boys and girls from age 4 to 12 were selected from different cities in Iran. Confirmatory factor analysis identified three factors in our final 24-item scale, each of which revealed a critical Adlerian construct related to social interest: concern for others, courage, and vertical striving (reverse scored). We found that girls demonstrated more overall social interest than boys and less vertical striving. Differences among grade level were also identified. The SISIC will allow for more effective future research on social interest in children. Implications and future directions are discussed.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of an Arabic version of the Basic Adlerian Scales for Interpersonal Success–Adult Form using a Jordanian sample. The sample included 330 Jordanian citizens for whom Arabic is the native language. The results revealed three factors instead of the original five. The first factor included all items from the Belonging and Social Interest scale and nine items from the Wanting Recognition scale. All eight items of the Taking Charge scale, as well as one item from the Going Along scale, constituted the second factor. Finally, the third factor included seven items from the Being Cautious scale, two of the Going Along items, and one item from the Wanting Recognition scale.

This research compared social interest (SI) and its constituents in children with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The sample consisted of 86 children aged 7 to 12 years of age, including 41 children with ADHD and 45 children without ADHD. The diagnosis of ADHD was established based on the criteria of DSM-5 , and through clinical interviews with parents, children, and teachers. Parents of the two groups of children completed the Social Interest Scale for Iranian Children (SISIC). Results revealed that SI in children with ADHD was lower than in children without ADHD in three subscales of SISIC. Accordingly, we conclude that underdeveloped SI in children with ADHD should be considered in the evaluative and treatment processes.

The article explores Generation Z, its special relationship with technology and social media, and its values, as well as how this generation may form and practice social interest. The author shares recommendations for parents, teachers, and clinicians.

Adolescents' Internet use, when done properly, can be viewed as a healthy, appro- priate way to facilitate social interest. However, without guidance, the Internet can create a variety of problems for adolescents and their families. The authors of this article contend that extreme stances regarding adolescent Internet use can negatively affect adolescent development. The authors present a case study in which Adlerian therapy was used to facilitate developmentally appropriate Internet use in a family that originally banned adolescents from using the Internet at home.

Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is a process that develops from a cognitive response to cope with traumatic events and an outcome that sees positive personal changes (Calhoun & Tedeschi, 2006). Coping and certain personality traits have the potential to influence PTG. The purpose of this study is to examine the contributory roles of personality themes and coping resources, and their interaction on PTG in a sample of college students. Hierarchal regression analyses determined that coping resources, social interest, and being cautious (∆R2 = .075, β = .352, p < .01) were all signifi cant predictors of PTG after v ariance explained by age was partialed out.

This article is an analysis of the movie Cars from an Adlerian perspective. The authors focus on the psychological growth of the protagonist, Lightning McQueen, from a self-centered, narcissistic character to a communally oriented individual who lives with social interest. Members of a dilapidated and bypassed community aid him in this process. Those who help McQueen also grow psychologically. The role of the cinematic medium in developing and promoting social interest is discussed.

Self-efficacy relates to individuals’ beliefs in their ability to respond to challenging situations. Theoretically, self-efficacy is inherent in the Adlerian principles of the lifestyle, social interest, and holism. Self-efficacy is also integral to wellness theory in the broad context of a person’s life. As a projective technique, early recollections provide an incisive means for appraising the qualitative level of self-efficacy.

In a contemporary response to Katz and Nikelly’s (1983) article “The Impact of Television on Social Interest: An Adlerian Analysis,” four Adlerian students reexamine the article’s themes from a modern perspective, more than three decades later. Exploring quintessential Adlerian themes like embeddedness, inferiority, and belonging, the authors contemplate how television (and now social media) continues to shape both individuals and generations.

The phenomenon of workplace bullying is complex, as the various theoretical interpretations of its underlying factors reflect. The field, however, is lacking a holistic view of the antecedents of the phenomenon. Individual Psychology is a useful theory for explaining the underlying factors of workplace bullying because it provides insights related to dysfunctional behavior, principles for successful implementation of the work task, the impact of the social context, and viewing of the individual from a holistic perspective. This article explains the underlying factors of workplace bullying based on the Individual Psychology principles of family of origin, belonging, inferiority and superiority dynamics, social interest, lifestyle, and social context of an organization.