PSYBER NEWS, 2,4,2011 , October issue

LEVEL OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND POSITIVE HEALTH by Deepti Hooda, Nov Ratten Sharma and Amrita Yadava.

Nov Ratten Sharma

ABSTRACT
Positive Health is a state where a reserve of positive emotions, strengths and experiences associated with past, present and future, are build up not only in order to enable the individual to deal with adverse situations, sufferings and illness, but also to lead a meaningful, purposeful and cheerful life. Positive Health is likely to be influenced by various individual characteristics like type of personality, level and types of intelligence etc. The present study examined the effect of level of Emotional Intelligence on Positive Health. Emotional Intelligence of 300 Working adults were assessed by using an Emotional Intelligence scale and the three components of Positive Health (happiness, life satisfaction and optimism) were assessed by Happiness scale, Satisfaction with life scale and Optimism scale. The sample was classified into two extremes groups i.e. High and Low by using Mean±1 S.D procedure to their overall scores on Emotional Intelligence scale. Means of the two groups were compared using t-test. The two extreme groups showed significant differences on all the three components of Positive Health, reporting better positive health for high emotional intelligence group. Thus, the results implicate the role of Emotional Intelligence in Positive Health i.e. happiness, Satisfaction with life and Optimism. Findings imply that strengthening or enhancing one’s Emotional Intelligence would in turn lead to enhance Positive health.

FEELINGS OF LONELINESS AMONG INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING DIFFERENT LEVELS OF ANXIETY SENSITIVITY by Sheeba Ali.








ABSTRACT

Anxiety sensitivity which refers to a fear of anxiety sensations can be better understood if it is studied in relation to other relevant factors. The present research is concerned with studying anxiety sensitivity in the context of feelings of loneliness experienced by individuals. The sample comprised of 140 subjects, 70 male and 70 female. The Reiss-Epstein-Gursky Anxiety Sensitivity Index scale (ASI) developed by Peterson and Reiss, 1991 was used. Loneliness was studied through scale constructed by author (Khan, 2003). On the basis of scores obtained on anxiety sensitivity, three groups were formed, high anxiety sensitivity, moderate anxiety sensitivity, low anxiety sensitivity. Inter group comparisons revealed that subjects having high anxiety-sensitivity showed a significantly higher score on loneliness as compared to low anxiety-sensitivity subjects. Some differences in the two gender groups were also found.

PRINCIPAL COMPONENT ANALYSIS OF LIFE SKILL QUESTIONNAIRE by Sangeeta Goswami




ABSTRACT

Life Skills are abilities for adaptive and positive behavior that enable individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life. As it is conceptualized in terms multiple interrelated abilities. , current study examined latent relations among the abilities using principal component analysis. Data were collected from 200 adolescents using one Likert - type questionnaire measuring ten areas of life skill. Principal Component Analysis extracted two factors namely, thinking and social skills. Results have application in psychological counseling.

PICTURE COMMUNICATION TYPE SEMI-PROJECTIVE TEST FOR ASSESSING
ACHIEVEMENT MOTIVATION OF RURAL PEOPLEby Tanusri Bhowmick, D. Dutta Roy

ABSTRACT
This paper examined Achievement motivation of rural people across different demographic categories. Data were collected from 400 villagers of West Bengal using one picture communication type semi projective test developed for the study. Results revealed significant mean differences among people of different educational levels, land sizes and socio-economic conditions. Results were discussed in terms of achievement motivation training.

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN COPING AMONG PARENTS OF INTELLECTUALLY CHALLENGED CHILDREN by NK. Premika Devi, M. Akshayakumar, N. Heramani Singh, Sameeta Ng & L. Roshan


ABSTRACT
In wake of the present global scenario there has been a lot of investigation, empirical research, and consequential evolution around the globe in mode of therapies applied for maintaining positive thoughts and bodily balance in the domain of sports. The focus is gradually shifting from western approaches to eastern indigenous techniques and unconventional methods of healing, and treatment for excellence in sports viz. meditation, yoga, music therapy which are gaining momentum within the ambit of sports psychology that aids in contributing immensely towards restoring health and well-being of sportsmen and athletes though integrated therapy programs. The present paper seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of the psychological benefits of these techniques in sports.

EFFECT OF MEDITATION, YOGA AND MUSIC THERAPY ON SPORTS: A REVIEW by Diljot Soin



ABSTRACT
In wake of the present global scenario there has been a lot of investigation, empirical research, and consequential evolution around the globe in mode of therapies applied for maintaining positive thoughts and bodily balance in the domain of sports. The focus is gradually shifting from western approaches to eastern indigenous techniques and unconventional methods of healing, and treatment for excellence in sports viz. meditation, yoga, music therapy which are gaining momentum within the ambit of sports psychology that aids in contributing immensely towards restoring health and well-being of sportsmen and athletes though integrated therapy programs. The present paper seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of the psychological benefits of these techniques in sports.

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH – TO BE OR NOT TO BE – RELIABLE?by Jayanti Basu


Abstract:
This paper examined problems of reliability assessment in qualitative research. Greater number of replications under well-defined (controlled) condition increases the merit of reliability. Qualitative method eschews, epistemologically, this kind of evidence based and number based conceptualization of reality. It states that we should be interested not in understanding the cause and effect relation between two or more defined events but in the nature or content of an event or diverse events – the phenomenon as it takes place. Qualitative approach assumes that the nature of the observed behaviour changes during the process of observation. This conflict can be reduced by converting questions from quantitative to qualitative approach. Finally, some research designs for assessing reliability in qualitative approach are illuminated.

SPSS CLASSROOM ON TEST-RETEST RELIABILITY (PART-I)by Debdulal Dutta Roy

BOOK REVIEW
Title: 'SPIRITUALITY AND HOLISTIC HEALTH: A PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE'
Author: Akbar Husain, Professor, Department of Psychology, Aligarh Muslim University
Aligarh-202002.


Reviewer: Nilanjana Sanyal, Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata-700009





Message from Editor
POSITIVE LIVING

Dear Readers,

This fourth issue includes five empirical studies, two theoretical articles, one tutorial and few research news based on published articles in different journals. All focus on different perspectives of positive living. In the 3rd issue, we have published research paper on Emotional intelligence. In this issue, you will find another paper on relation between emotional intelligence and positive health. Authors suggested strengthening of emotional intelligence to enhance Positive health. With rapid changes in social structure, we are perceiving uncertainty in outcome of our work. This leads to anxiety sensitivity. The paper titled ‘Feelings of loneliness among individuals experiencing different levels of anxiety sensitivity’ has noted relation between anxiety sensitivity and feeling of loneliness. Author finally raises question - can persons high on anxiety sensitivity be taught through appropriate learning procedures to have command on negative volatile situations?. Parents of Intellectually challenged children use different strategies to cope with daily hassles. The paper titled ‘Uses of coping strategies by the parents of intellectually challenged children’ has noted that parents irrespective of gender differences use both cognitive and emotion focused coping strategies. Social support is relatively less used by them possibly due to feeling of alienation. In questionnaire development redundancy error is a serious issue as it causes assessment of same variable with different names. Principal component analysis reduces this error. In this issue, you will find one article in which author noted two components of life skills out of assumed ten variables. McClelland after his famous Kankinada experiment in India focused on achievement motivation training. The prelude of training is identification of trainees. The paper titled “ Picture communication type Semi-projective test for assessing Achievement motivation of rural people” identified people of specific demographic groups who need more achievement motivation training. In researches on sports psychology, there is a paradigm shift. This is discussed in the review article titled ‘Effect of Meditation, Yoga and Music Therapy on Sports: A Review’. There is a prolonged conflict between quantitative and qualitative approaches in reliability assessment. The article titled " Qualitative research-to be or not to be reliable" examines this conflict and illuminates research designs for assessing reliability in qualitative approach. Psybernews aims at inclusive growth in psychology researches by publishing different tutorials. From this issue, you will get SPSS tutorial for psychological assessment.

I am thankful to all the contributors for taking interest to publish articles in this issue. This can not be fulfilled without sincere effort of the Editorial Board of the journal. I am grateful to all the members of the Board. In this issue, you will find letters to the editor. We are interested to include more letters about any sort of experience related to any article published in this issue. You can share your experience on following topics as emotional intelligence, anxiety sensitivity, life skills, achievement motivation training, semi projective test and sports psychology. Your experience will help in researches of our authors. You are welcome to write us the topic in which you find more interest. We will try our best to satisfy you.

Have a Good day!
With best wishes,