Being Female and in a Romantic Relationship Enhances the Association between Satisfaction with Love Life and Capacity to Love.

This study aims to evaluate if the relation between love life satisfaction, assessed by the satisfaction with love life scale (SWLLS), and capacity to love, assessed by the capacity to love inventory (CTL-I), is moderated by gender and by being or not in a romantic relationship, in a Portuguese sample. To this end, the adaptation and validation of CTL-I for this population were carried out through an exploratory factorial analysis (EFA) followed by a Robust Maximum Likelihood (MLR) confirmatory factorial analysis (CFA). A multi-group analysis for measurement invariance depending on being in a romantic relationship or not was assessed. The model's reliability was also evaluated. The associations between SWLLS and CTL-I were tested by correlations, regressions and moderations. At last, differences between means and distributions concerning sociodemographic variables were determined. The results showed that a good model fit for the Portuguese version of the CTL-I was found, as well as good psychometric properties. Results also showed that satisfaction with love life contributes to explaining the capacity to love and all its dimensions, and that gender and being in a romantic relationship moderate the association between love life satisfaction and the capacity to love. Being female and being in a romantic relationship make the relationship between love life satisfaction and the capacity to love stronger and more meaningful.

Capacity to love and problematic sexuality: the role of defense mechanisms and psychopathological suffering.

BACKGROUND: Limitation to the capacity to love is often a feature of a suffering personality. AIM: We aimed to investigate the role of the capacity to love in hypersexual behavior, considering both distress and defense mechanisms as possible psychological mediators. METHODS: Through an online platform, we recruited a convenience sample of 521 subjects (390 [74.9%] females and 131 [25.1%] males; mean [SD] age, 26.46 [5.89] years). OUTCOMES: Recruited subjects completed a psychometric protocol that included completion of the following measurement tools: (1) the Capacity to Love Inventory (CTL-I), (2) the Hypersexual Behavior Inventory (HBI), (3) the 30-item self-report Defense Mechanisms Rating Scale, and (4) the Brief Symptom Inventory. We then performed correlation and regression analyses and used a mediation model for data analysis. RESULTS: A significant negative relationship between the capacity to love and hypersexual behavior was found. Furthermore, indirect effects were also statistically significant, supporting the hypothesis that limitation to the capacity to love is related to hypersexuality through the paths of psychological distress and immature defense mechanisms. Finally, compared to the other subjects, those with pathological scores for the HBI showed significantly lower scores on the CTL-I, which suggested limitations to the capacity to love. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The relationship between limitation to the capacity to love and hypersexuality is fundamental to the diagnostic process in persons with problematic sexuality and psychopathological distress. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: This study is the first, to our knowledge, to highlight the role of the capacity to love in sexual behavior, although future studies in specific clinical sample groups would be suitable for further investigation of the relationships among the considered variables. CONCLUSION: The etiology of limitation in the capacity to love is related to dysfunctional aspects of psychological functioning, such as psychological distress and immature defense mechanisms, and these factors together generate problematic sexuality such as hypersexual behavior. Our results highlight the central role in mental and sexual health of the capacity to love. Based on these findings, clinicians should take these aspects into consideration for diagnosis and treatment of patients presenting with problematic sexuality.

Representação de professoras em Mário de Andrade: Loucura e velhice / Representation of female teachers in Mário de Andrade: Madness and old age

O presente artigo busca analisar as representações de professoras presentes no conto "Atrás da Catedral de Ruão" (1947) e no romance Amar, verbo intransitivo (1944), ambos de Mário de Andrade, com ênfase nas questões insertas sobre a noção de velhice e loucura. São textos escritos sob a égide do Modernismo e que tematizaram as respectivas práticas pedagógicas, mas ressaltam também as angústias de mulheres trabalhadoras e itinerantes, que são malvistas por exercerem funções de natureza pública em espaços privados. Se por um lado era emblemático o fato de ser mulher, por outro, eram ainda mais acentuados os destaques feitos pelo escritor, pois a idade estava à mostra e a loucura era vista como condição inata de um gênero supostamente inferior. A literatura no presente estudo significou importante artefato cultural, também serviu como peculiar fonte para interpretação pelos historiadores do presente, de modo que o método aqui utilizado foi aquele sintetizado na noção de operação historiográfica preconizada por Michel de Certeau (1975/2020).

This paper analyzes the representations of female teachers in the short story "Behind Ruão's Cathedral" (1947) and in the novel "To Love, intransitive verb" (1944), both by Mário de Andrade, with emphasis on the questions about the notion of old age and madness. These texts were written under the aegis of Modernism, and they thematize the respective pedagogical practices, but also highlight the anguish of working and itinerant women, who are disliked for performing public functions in private spaces. If on the one hand it was emblematic that she was a woman, on the other, the writer's highlights were even more pronounced, for age was on display and madness was seen as an innate condition of a supposedly inferior gender. Literature in the present study meant an important cultural artifact, and also served as a peculiar source for interpretation by historians of the present, so that the method used here was that synthesized in the notion of historiographical operation advocated by Michel de Certeau (1975/2020).

A difícil arte de amar: A limitação do conhecimento entre o homem e a mulher. Uma interpretação da Psicologia Simbólica Junguiana / The difficult art of loving: Limitation of knowledge between man and woman. An interpretation of Jungian Symbolic Psychology / El difícil arte de amar: La limitación del conocimiento entre el hombre y la mujer. Una interpretación de la Psicología Simbólica Junguiana

Baseada na formação da identidade pela elaboração dos símbolos e funções estruturantes coordenadas por arquétipos nas incontáveis vivências existenciais, a Psicologia Simbólica Junguiana argumenta, neste artigo, que o amor exige o conhecimento das personalidades dos amantes e que o desconhecimento entre o homem e a mulher, que ainda é muito grande, dificulta sua vivência. A seguir, o autor defende a tese segundo a qual o conhecimento entre o homem e a mulher vem se desenvolvendo lentamente na história da humanidade, mas ainda está no seu início. Ele afirma também que grande parte desse pequeno conhecimento acumulado está deformado por projeções defensivas mútuas, oriundas da constituição física, do problema do desenvolvimento diferente de um e de outro e da confusão da identidade do homem e da mulher com os papéis que desempenharam na história. Assim sendo, o autor descreve resumidamente essas deformações e, concluindo, afirma que, para se conhecerem e poderem se amar, o homem e a mulher necessitam antes de tudo elaborar essas deformações milenares que os afastaram e ainda hoje os iludem.

Based on the formation of identity through the elaboration of symbols and structuring functions coordinated by archetypes in countless existential experiences, Jungian symbolic psychology asserts in this article that love requires knowledge between the personalities of lovers, and that the lack of knowledge between man and woman, which is still very pronounced, limits this experience. The author defends the thesis that knowledge between man and women is slowly developing in the history of humanity, but is still beginning. He states that even this small amount of knowledge accumulated is deformed by mutual projections. They have their origin in our physical constitution, in the differences of our process of development and in the confusion between the identity of man and of woman and the roles they have lived in history. Therefore, the author describes summarily these deformations and concludes that, in order to know and to love each other, man and woman need, first of all, to elaborate these millenary deformations, which have driven them apart through wounds and illusions. ■

Basada en la formación de la identidad por la elaboración de los símbolos y funciones estructurantes coordinadas por arquetipos en las incontables vivencias existenciales, la Psicología Simbólica Junguiana argumenta en este artículo que el amor exige el conocimiento de las personalidades de los amantes y que el desconocimiento entre el hombre y la mujer, que aún es muy grande, dificulta su vivencia. A continuación, el autor defiende la tesis según la cual el conocimiento entre el hombre y la mujer se está desarrollando lentamente en la historia de la humanidad, pero todavía está en su inicio. También afirma que gran parte de ese pequeño conocimiento acumulado está deformado por proyecciones defensivas mutuas, oriundas de la constitución física, del problema del desarrollo diferente de uno y otro y de la confusión de la identidad del hombre y de la mujer con los papeles que desempeñaron en la historia. Por lo tanto, el autor describe brevemente estas deformaciones y, concluyendo, afirma que, para conocerse y poder amarse, el hombre y la mujer necesitan antes de todo elaborar esas deformaciones milenarias que los alejaron y aún hoy los engañan. ■

Italian Validation of the Capacity to Love Inventory: Preliminary Results.

Introduction: Within a wider international research project aimed at operationalize the psychodynamic construct of capacity to love (Kernberg, 2011), the Capacity to Love Inventory (CTL-I) is a 41-items self-report questionnaire assessing six dimensions: interest in the life project of the other, basic trust, gratitude, common ego ideal, permanence of sexual passion, loss, and mourning. Objectives: The study is aimed at validating the Italian version of the CTL-I. Method: A total sample of 736 Italian non-clinical adults was administered a checklist assessing socio-demographic variables, and the CTL-I. A Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFA) was conducted to examine the construct validity of the Italian version of the CTL-I. Only a part of the total sample (320 participants) was administered an additional series of concurrent measures in order to investigate the convergent validity of the CTL-I. Correlations with measures of socio-sexual orientation, quality of romance relations, and psychopathological questionnaires were examined through Pearson's correlation coefficients. Results: CFA results suggested that the Italian CTL-I fully replicated the six-factor structure of the original CTL-I. Cronbach's alpha index provided satisfactory results for all subscales and the correlations with concurrent measures were in expected direction. Conclusion: The results showed promising psychometric characteristics of the Italian version of CTL-I. Implications of the feasibility of the instrument in clinical and psychotherapeutic settings are discussed.

Measuring the Capacity to Love: Development of the CTL-Inventory.

Objective: The individual capacity to love (CTL) has been linked to various mental health parameters and is considered to be an important outcome parameter of psychotherapeutic treatment. However, empirical examinations of the concept have not been conducted up to now. The aim of this study was to develop a valid and reliable instrument for the assessment of CTL [Capacity to Love Inventory (CTL-I)] as a trait of personality, which is shown to be related to clinically relevant symptoms and conditions. Method: Four independent healthy samples in Austria (n = 547, n = 174, and n = 85) and Poland (n = 240) were assessed by a prototype of the CTL-I and its final shorter version in a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Internal consistency of the total questionnaire and each subscale was assessed by Cronbach alpha. External validity was measured against Beck Depression Inventory, Quality of Relationship Inventory, Sociosexual Orientation Inventory, Pathological Narcissism Inventory, and Narcissistic Personality Inventory according to the theoretical framework of the CTL concept. Further test-retest reliability was assessed. Results: The CFA confirmed 41 items in six dimensions: Interest in the life project of the other, Basic trust, Humility and gratitude, Common ego ideal, Permanence of sexual passion, and Acceptance of loss/jealousy/mourning. The Cronbach alphas of the total CTL-I and its subscales ranged between 0.67 and 0.90 in all samples, suggesting a valid construct. The CTL-I was moderately positively associated with quality of relationship (Support r = 0.63, Conflict r = -0.66, and Depth r = 0.66) and inversely associated with symptoms of depression (r = -0.37), pathological narcissism (r = -0.29) and promiscuity (r = -0.42). The test-retest reliability of the total CTL-I was high with r = 0.81, suggesting the stability of answers over time. Conclusion: The proposed 41-item version of the CTL-I is a psychometrically sound and validated instrument measuring six dimensions of the concept of the CTL. The reported negative associations with clinically relevant parameters such as depression, pathological narcissism and promiscuity as well as associations with relationship qualities such as conflicts, support, and depth warrant its future use in burdened populations including couples in clinical settings.

A difícil arte de amar: a limitação do conhecimento entre o homem e a mulher: uma interpretação da psicologia simbólica junguiana / Difficulties in the art of loving: the limitation of knowledge among men and women

Baseada na formação da identidade pela elaboração dos símbolos e funções estruturantes coordenados por arquétipos nas incontáveis vivências existenciais, a psicologia simbólica junguiana argumenta, neste artigo, que o amor exige o conhecimento das personalidades dos amantes e que o desconhecimento entre o homem e a mulher, que ainda é muito grande, dificulta sua vivência. A seguir, o autor defende a tese segundo a qual o conhecimento entre o homem e a mulher vem se desenvolvendo lentamente na história da humanidade, mas ainda está no início. Ele afirma também que até mesmo esse pequeno conhecimento acumulado está deformado por projeções defensivas mútuas, oriundas da constituição física, do problema do desenvolvimento diferente de um e de outro e da confusão da identidade do homem e da mulher com os papéis que desempenharam na história. Assim sendo, o autor descreve resumidamente essas deformações e, concluindo, afirma que, para se conhecerem e poderem se amar, o homem e a mulher necessitam antes de tudo elaborar essas deformações milenares que os afastaram e ainda hoje os iludem (AU)

In this article Jungian symbolic psychology suggests that love requires a good deal of knowledge of the personalities of men and of women and that lack of knowledge, still very pronounced, limits this experience. The theory is based on identity formation by the elaboration of symbols and structuring functions according to archetypes. The author supports that knowledge among men and women is slowly developing in the history of humankind, but is still in the beginning, and even this little knowledge is deformed by mutual projections originated in our physical constitution, in the differences of our process of development and in the confusion between the identity of man and of woman and the roles they have lives through history. Therefore, the author summarily describes these deformations and concludes that, in order to know and to love each other, men and women firstly need to elaborate these millenary deformations which have driven them apart through wounds and illusions (AU)

A difícil arte de amar: a limitação do conhecimento entre o homem e a mulher: uma interpretação da psicologia simbólica junguiana / Difficulties in the art of loving: the limitation of knowledge among men and women

Baseada na formação da identidade pela elaboração dos símbolos e funções estruturantes coordenados por arquétipos nas incontáveis vivências existenciais, a psicologia simbólica junguiana argumenta, neste artigo, que o amor exige o conhecimento das personalidades dos amantes e que o desconhecimento entre o homem e a mulher, que ainda é muito grande, dificulta sua vivência. A seguir, o autor defende a tese segundo a qual o conhecimento entre o homem e a mulher vem se desenvolvendo lentamente na história da humanidade, mas ainda está no início. Ele afirma também que até mesmo esse pequeno conhecimento acumulado está deformado por projeções defensivas mútuas, oriundas da constituição física, do problema do desenvolvimento diferente de um e de outro e da confusão da identidade do homem e da mulher com os papéis que desempenharam na história. Assim sendo, o autor descreve resumidamente essas deformações e, concluindo, afirma que, para se conhecerem e poderem se amar, o homem e a mulher necessitam antes de tudo elaborar essas deformações milenares que os afastaram e ainda hoje os iludem.

In this article Jungian symbolic psychology suggests that love requires a good deal of knowledge of the personalities of men and of women and that lack of knowledge, still very pronounced, limits this experience. The theory is based on identity formation by the elaboration of symbols and structuring functions according to archetypes. The author supports that knowledge among men and women is slowly developing in the history of humankind, but is still in the beginning, and even this little knowledge is deformed by mutual projections originated in our physical constitution, in the differences of our process of development and in the confusion between the identity of man and of woman and the roles they have lives through history. Therefore, the author summarily describes these deformations and concludes that, in order to know and to love each other, men and women firstly need to elaborate these millenary deformations which have driven them apart through wounds and illusions.

Hemorragia posparto, muerte materna y monumento al amor / Postpartum hemorrhage, maternal death and monument to love

La hemorragia que puede ocurrir durante el parto y el posparto constituye una de las principales causas de muerte materna directa. En el presente artículo se realiza una reseña de la historia real, que data del año 1607, cuando un príncipe de tan solo 20 años de edad, heredero del Gran Imperio Mongol, conoce a una joven persa-musulmana llamada Arjumand Bano Begum más conocida posteriormente como Mumtaz Mahal de quien se enamora profundamente, y de la muerte que le ocurrió dando a luz a su 14ta. hija, de forma repentina, por una hemorragia. También se hace la historia de lo que significa el Taj Mahal, con sus visiones y leyendas, imponente conjunto que se erigió en su honor, con su naturaleza romántica, cuya construcción necesitó del esfuerzo de los mejores constructores (unos 20 000 obreros), de las mejores joyas, las mejores piedras; incluso, se desvió el río Yamuna para que el Taj Mahal pudiera reflejarse en sus aguas. Y allí, tras dos décadas de construcción, en el 1648, fue enterrada Mumtaz Mahal. Junto a ella, fue enterrado años después el propio emperador para que ambos reposaran siempre juntos eternamente. En el año 1983 el Taj Mahal fue declarado por la UNESCO como Patrimonio Nacional de la Humanidad y una de las nuevas siete maravillas del mundo.

Bleeding, which may occur during delivery and postpartum, is a major direct causes of maternal death. In this article a review of actual history, dated 1607, when a prince of only 20 years old, heir to the Great Mongol Empire, meets a young Persian-Muslim girl, named Arjumand Bano Begum, better known later as Mumtaz Mahal. This prince fell deeply in love, and death suddenly happened when Mumtaz Mahal was giving birth to their 14th child. She died due to bleeding. Also we comment the story of what Taj Mahal, means, with visions and legends, as an awesome construction built in her honor, its romantic nature. This construction required the effort of the best builders (about 20,000 workers), the best jewelry, the best stones. They even diverted Yamuna River so that Taj Mahal could be reflected in its waters. And there, after two decades of construction, in 1648, Mumtaz Mahal was buried. Beside her, the emperor was buried years later so they both could be together forever. In 1983, Taj Mahal was declared a UNESCO National Heritage Site and one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.

Hemorragia posparto, muerte materna y monumento al amor / Postpartum hemorrhage, maternal death and monument to love

La hemorragia que puede ocurrir durante el parto y el posparto constituye una de las principales causas de muerte materna directa. En el presente artículo se realiza una reseña de la historia real, que data del año 1607, cuando un príncipe de tan solo 20 años de edad, heredero del Gran Imperio Mongol, conoce a una joven persa-musulmana llamada Arjumand Bano Begum más conocida posteriormente como Mumtaz Mahal de quien se enamora profundamente, y de la muerte que le ocurrió dando a luz a su 14ta. hija, de forma repentina, por una hemorragia. También se hace la historia de lo que significa el Taj Mahal, con sus visiones y leyendas, imponente conjunto que se erigió en su honor, con su naturaleza romántica, cuya construcción necesitó del esfuerzo de los mejores constructores (unos 20 000 obreros), de las mejores joyas, las mejores piedras; incluso, se desvió el río Yamuna para que el Taj Mahal pudiera reflejarse en sus aguas. Y allí, tras dos décadas de construcción, en el 1648, fue enterrada Mumtaz Mahal. Junto a ella, fue enterrado años después el propio emperador para que ambos reposaran siempre juntos eternamente. En el año 1983 el Taj Mahal fue declarado por la UNESCO como Patrimonio Nacional de la Humanidad y una de las nuevas siete maravillas del mundo(AU)

Bleeding, which may occur during delivery and postpartum, is a major direct causes of maternal death. In this article a review of actual history, dated 1607, when a prince of only 20 years old, heir to the Great Mongol Empire, meets a young Persian-Muslim girl, named Arjumand Bano Begum, better known later as Mumtaz Mahal. This prince fell deeply in love, and death suddenly happened when Mumtaz Mahal was giving birth to their 14th child. She died due to bleeding. Also we comment the story of what Taj Mahal, means, with visions and legends, as an awesome construction built in her honor, its romantic nature. This construction required the effort of the best builders (about 20,000 workers), the best jewelry, the best stones. They even diverted Yamuna River so that Taj Mahal could be reflected in its waters. And there, after two decades of construction, in 1648, Mumtaz Mahal was buried. Beside her, the emperor was buried years later so they both could be together forever. In 1983, Taj Mahal was declared a UNESCO National Heritage Site and one of the new Seven Wonders of the World(AU)