| dc.description.abstract | Psychologists engage in a multitude of social roles of varying degrees of emotionality, subjectivity, and objectivity due to the nature of their profession, as well as their unique backgrounds that have drawn them to that profession. This study sought to understand how psychologists recognize and experience the concept of authenticity in the context of their personal and professional lives. A purposeful sample of 17 clinical psychologists from metropolitan areas in the Southwest and the Pacific Northwest were interviewed. Utilizing a phenomenological, qualitative research design (Creswell, 2007; Moustakas, 1994), 641 significant statements were extracted and grouped together, resulting in 38 emergent themes. Rigor and thoroughness were achieved via multiple validation procedures. Psychologists defined authenticity as matching of one's inner thoughts, beliefs, and feelings with outer presentation and behaviors. They believed authenticity involves sensory and emotional qualities rather than purely cognitive or verbal qualities. Concepts of self-disclosure, mindful awareness, culture and gender influences, psychological-mindedness, and theoretical orientation were discussed as related to authenticity. Participants discussed how authenticity and inauthenticity are experienced and modified in the therapeutic relationship. Participants also gave their perspectives about negative effects of inauthenticity at both a personal and professional level. Lastly, participants described how their psychological-mindedness adds to complexity of separating the person from the psychologist during encounters with others. | |
