Solowoniuk, Jason

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https://opus.uleth.ca/handle/10133/1249

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Browsing Solowoniuk, Jason by Author "Nixon, Gary"

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    An archetypal inquiry into the gambler's counterfeit quest for wholeness : a phenomenological-hermeneutics investigation
    (Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Education, 2006, 2006) Solowoniuk, Jason; University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Education; Nixon, Gary; Gunn, Thelma
    A phenomenological-hermeneutic method of study was employed to ascertain whether archetypal psychology could contribute to the biopsychosocial model's understanding of gambling pathology. After analysis, four-stage process was brought to light, consisting of 16 themes. These themes chronologically illustrated the journey of becoming and recovering from pathological gambling disorder from inception to the present day. Equally, these themes illustrated developmental aspects of the individuation process and displayed how the archetypes' manifestation and integration helped to restore ego functioning leading to an established and sustained recovery process. In all, these stages demonstrate and suggest that archetypal psychology can make a viable contribution to the biopsychosocial model's understanding of gambling pathology. Therefore, the study's findings may support further study between archetypal psychology and gambling pathology, as this perspective may have important insights toward helping pathological gamblers gain a foothold on their addictive process leading to a meaningful and purposive future.
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    The Counterfeit Hero’s Journey of the Pathological Gambler: A Phenomenological Hermeneutics Investigation
    (Springer, 2006-07) Nixon, Gary; Solowoniuk, Jason; McGowan, Virginia Margaret
    This research study sought to interpret and strove toward understanding the lived experience of 13 pathological gambler from an archetypal–mythic perspective. Through a phenomenological hermeneutics inquiry, 11 clusters of themes were illuminated. These themes highlighted a three stage mythical journey that elucidated how gambling began as regular pastime, but ended in failure in regards to becoming extraordinary and financially secure. Thus, resulting in extreme gambling behaviors such as psychological distress, family disintegration, and self-effacement. Clinical implications from this inquiry suggest that understanding pathological gambling from a archetypal–mythical perspective not only encapsulates our current paradiagms of thought about gambling, but may offer a more a holistic approach to understanding the pathological gambler as it sets its theoretical tenets in a cultural, historical, and psychosocial world.
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    "Double trouble": The lived experience of problem and pathological gambling in later life
    (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 2005) Nixon, Gary; Solowoniuk, Jason; Hagen, Brad F.; Williams, Robert J.
    Objective: The objective of this phenomenological qualitative study was to explore the lived experience of older adults who engage in problem or pathological gambling. Method and sample: Older adults who gambled were recruited and were administered two gambling screens to ensure that they met the criteria for problem or pathological gambling. Eleven problem-pathological gamblers were identified and contributed their narratives via in-depth interviews about their experiences of problem or pathological gambling. Results: Several themes arising from the interviews were similar to patterns identified with younger gamblers, yet distinct patterns emerged. Some older gamblers gamble as an opportunity to break away and escape from traditional roles and go to extreme measures to continue their gambling while hiding it from significant others. Conclusion: Despite research suggesting few seniors encounter problems with gambling, this qualitative study suggests that gambling can have devastating consequences. Older adults may have lessened ability and time to recover from these consequences or from hitting bottom.
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    Introducing the Hero Complex and the Mythic Iconic Pathway of Problem Gambling
    (Springer, 2008) Nixon, Gary; Solowoniuk, Jason
    Early research into the motivations behind problem gambling reflected separate paradigms of thought splitting our understanding of the gambler into divergent categories. However, over the past 25 years, problem gambling is now best understood to arise from biological, environmental, social, and psychological processes, and is now encapsulated under the biopsychosocial model. While, the biopsychosocial model brings a great degree of understanding regarding the etiology and process becoming a problem gambler, it is clear that further research is needed to improve theoretical perspectives that identify causal trajectories that underlie gambling related problems amongst sub-groups of problem gamblers. One line of research that has gone understudied with respect to exploring such causal paths is the Mythic Iconic Pathway of problem gambling. Such a pathway conceptualizes gambling pathology as a life-world phenomenon that arises within an individual who filters perceptions of the self and world through a hero’s complex. Thus, this paper will outline the Mythic Iconic Pathway, including its phenomenological processes, and describe the key therapeutic insights and implications to consider when adopting such a novel approach toward understanding and treating the problem gambler. Keywords Problem gambling - Biopsychosocial - Mythic - Icon - Hero’s journey