PERSONALITY AS PROBLEM-SOLVING - A FRAMEWORK FOR THE ANALYSIS OF CHANGE IN DAILY-LIFE BEHAVIOR

Much of individuals' daily-life activity involves efforts to pursue and participate in important life tasks. We focus on the problems in living that develop when people doubt their abilities to meet the challenges presented by these tasks. Self-doubt at a task is problematic because it can lead to withdrawal or immobilization, and clients experiencing self-doubt can benefit from therapeutic efforts directed at encouraging enjoyable task participation. Here we provide a framework for determining the kinds of experiences, inside and outside of therapy, that can prompt beneficial change. We suggest that by understanding the nature of the self-doubt that individuals have at their tasks, and the daily-life dynamics that maintain self-doubt, therapists can work with clients to create daily-life environments and task pursuit strategies that encourage ongoing task participation, and eventually remove their self-doubt.