Presenter Information

Mahmoud Yacoub, B.A.

School of Education/Department of Counseling, Psychology, & Special Education

Abstract

Previous literature suggests a connection between dispositional power and authenticity, where those with high dispositional power reported higher levels of authenticity than participants who had lower dispositional power (Kifer, Heller, Perunovic, & Galinsky, 2013). There is little research about the intersectionality of prosocial lying, authenticity, and dispositional power, as well as their utility in group work. This session will introduce a conceptual model that explores the intersection prosocial lying, authenticity, and dispositional power in addiction recovery groups under the framework of narrative and existential theory. Narrative theory posits that people suffer from living under a dominant narrative that often ignores vital aspects of a person’s personhood. When people live under a dominant narrative and not their own, personal narrative, their sense of dispositional power is lessened. Narrative theory argues that people gain power and lessen suffering through dismantling the dominant narrative and building a personal narrative that appreciates the vital aspects of their personhood. Existential theory posits that there are four existential concerns that affect humanity: death, freedom, isolation, and meaning. Each of these four existential concerns potentially drives people to utilize prosocial lying as a means to deflect from confronting the concerns. Existential theory argues that people live a more authentic life with less suffering if they confront the existential concerns. The conceptual model proposed in this session integrates narrative and existential theory to foster authenticity in addiction recovery groups. By fostering authenticity within these addiction recovery groups, this conceptual model will potentially create protective measures against relapsing.

School

School of Education

Advisor

Yihhsing Liu, Ph.D., NCC

Submission Type

Poster

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Exploring Authenticity, Prosocial Lying, and Power in Addiction Recovery Groups: A Conceptual Model

Previous literature suggests a connection between dispositional power and authenticity, where those with high dispositional power reported higher levels of authenticity than participants who had lower dispositional power (Kifer, Heller, Perunovic, & Galinsky, 2013). There is little research about the intersectionality of prosocial lying, authenticity, and dispositional power, as well as their utility in group work. This session will introduce a conceptual model that explores the intersection prosocial lying, authenticity, and dispositional power in addiction recovery groups under the framework of narrative and existential theory. Narrative theory posits that people suffer from living under a dominant narrative that often ignores vital aspects of a person’s personhood. When people live under a dominant narrative and not their own, personal narrative, their sense of dispositional power is lessened. Narrative theory argues that people gain power and lessen suffering through dismantling the dominant narrative and building a personal narrative that appreciates the vital aspects of their personhood. Existential theory posits that there are four existential concerns that affect humanity: death, freedom, isolation, and meaning. Each of these four existential concerns potentially drives people to utilize prosocial lying as a means to deflect from confronting the concerns. Existential theory argues that people live a more authentic life with less suffering if they confront the existential concerns. The conceptual model proposed in this session integrates narrative and existential theory to foster authenticity in addiction recovery groups. By fostering authenticity within these addiction recovery groups, this conceptual model will potentially create protective measures against relapsing.