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Coping Dynamics of Consulting Psychology Doctoral Students Transitioning a Professional Role Identity: A Systems Psychodynamic Perspective

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  • Antoni Barnard

    (Department of Industrial & Organisational Psychology, UNISA, Pretoria 0003, South Africa)

  • Aden-Paul Flotman

    (Department of Industrial & Organisational Psychology, UNISA, Pretoria 0003, South Africa)

Abstract

To remain relevant and valuable, the psychology profession in South Africa continues to transform and evolve in response to the changing needs of society. Some psychologists embark on development opportunities to advance their professional qualifications and skills. In doing so, they experience identity tensions inherent to professional identity development and transformation. Understanding how psychologists cope with professional identity transition will enable them to develop a self-efficacious service offering and broaden the reach of psychology in the South African context. The aim of this study was to explore the identity work of a group of eight consulting psychology doctoral students to develop a system psychodynamic understanding of their coping dynamics while transitioning to a professional role identity. Students’ self-reflective essays about becoming a consulting psychologist constituted the data protocols for the study and were analysed through hermeneutic phenomenological analysis. Findings describe how students cope with performance and survival anxieties through anti-task behaviour and immature as well as sophisticated psychodynamic defences. The study contributes to the exploration of the coping concept and its manifestation, by proposing defensive coping as a natural dynamic phenomenon in the process of adapting to a transforming professional identity.

Suggested Citation

  • Antoni Barnard & Aden-Paul Flotman, 2020. "Coping Dynamics of Consulting Psychology Doctoral Students Transitioning a Professional Role Identity: A Systems Psychodynamic Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-18, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:15:p:5492-:d:391784
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mats Alvesson & Hugh Willmott, 2002. "Identity Regulation as Organizational Control: Producing the Appropriate Individual," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(5), pages 619-644, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Orna Braun-Lewensohn & Claude-Hélène Mayer, 2020. "Salutogenesis and Coping: Ways to Overcome Stress and Conflict," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-6, September.

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