This study describes the current state of qualitative psychology and gives an overview of the philosophical paradigms used in English language qualitative psychology studies from the post-socialist countries of Central Eastern Europe. For political and historical reasons, academic life of this area is unique, providing a special field for investigation. This study explored the following research questions: Which philosophical paradigms are used in qualitative psychology? What kind of methods are applied? What kind of fields in psychology are examined? Thirty-five articles were analysed from five countries. Articles were examined through their paradigmatic considerations, using a dichotomous qualitative quasi-testing to distinguish positivist/postpositivist from interpretive/constructivist paradigms. We examined the methodology and content of various articles and analysed the keywords to explore common themes of interest. A dominant constructivist philosophical approach was present. Pure positivist articles were found to be quite rare, but mixed paradigms seemed to be frequent. Most of the methodologies were not specified. In terms of interest, the most commonly examined field was found to be social psychology. In the postsocialist era, mixed paradigms were conspicuous since culture and tradition might have had a significant effect on ontology, epistemology, and knowledge of the researcher.

ObjectiveIdentity recovery in people diagnosed with schizophrenia who have committed homicide poses several difficulties. Premorbid mental illnesses, the experience of psychosis, and the absence of cohesive ego functions may result in the inability to integrate the homicidal act into self-identity. Problems with integration increase the risk of recidivism and further mental problems. The aim of the present research was to explore how homicidal people diagnosed with schizophrenia make sense of their actions, and how they identify with the homicide.MethodSix semi-structured interviews were conducted at a long-term psychiatric home with people who had committed homicide and who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), an idiographic method rooted in phenomenologist traditions that focuses on how participants experience and make sense of events in their lives, and how those events affect their identity and sense of self.ResultsThree personal experiential themes were established as a result of the analysis: (1) homicide and responsibility; (2) homicide and self; and (3) control over threats to self and self-evaluation. (1) Homicide was often reported to have been committed in a non-conscious, delusional state that may have led to the loss of self-determination. (2) Our interviewees struggled to integrate their acts into their identities. They distanced themselves from the crime or held multiple, parallel interpretations of the act. (3) Recovering patients experienced the constant threat of entering into a delusional reality and losing control. The importance of control was central to their self-evaluation. The patients appeared to distance themselves from the homicidal act and to regard their delusional selves as a threat to their lives.ConclusionTherapy aimed at bolstering self-control, supporting the integration of the fragmented self, and raising awareness of the connections between delusional reality and standard, intersubjective reality may be helpful in reducing the instability of the self. Therapy aimed at processing complex grief and loss of family is also needed.

BackgroundIn Hungary the psychological care provided during the rehabilitation of patients with chronic illnesses is insufficient. Patients with addiction, on the other hand, appear to make more use of psychological services. Narratives of patients recovering from addiction and patients with various chronic illnesses were examined in order to gain a better understanding of psychological phenomena during rehabilitation.MethodsSemi-structured interviews were carried out. Narrative and thematic analysis was used in order to determine the structure and characteristics of patients' narratives.ResultsThe narratives of patients recovering from addiction were found to be more structured and uniform; they identified with their illness and played an active role in their recovery. Patients with a chronic illness mainly recounted passive events and physical difficulties. Stigmatization was mentioned by both groups.Implications for practiceThe level of stigmatization experienced by patients with a chronic illness may be one of the reasons why they use healthcare services more frequently than patients with an addiction. The authors believe that teaching patients to provide good narratives about suffering from and recovering from chronic illnesses may aid them in the rehabilitation process. An adaptive mixture of different illnesses and addiction narratives might be beneficial in the recovery process of various patient groups.

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Purpose Understanding the experiences of long‐term care (LTC) may help to improve care by assisting mental health professionals and allowing mental health policies to be customized more effectively. Design and Methods Semistructured interviews were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Findings Three main themes emerged as a result: 1. Perception of selves, 2. Experience and representation of the institution, 3. Maintenance of safe spaces. Practice Implications Communication with patients, investigation of their identity processes, and relationship toward their past and present self during LTC might aid in well‐being and sense of congruency in their identities. Nurses should encourage patients to keep connected with their memories and past selves through different activities.