CIRCLES OF ATTUNEMENT

(From my research proposal at University of Guelph)

We all have a number of roles / domains that we hold throughout life.  Conflict occurs when time and energy demands imposed by our many roles become incompatible with one another.  As one performs in one domain it becomes increasingly difficult to participate in another (Duxbury, & Higgins, 2001).  

I was always interested in the matter of balanced life as many of us are.  When a person is able to create harmony in his/her life one will feel that life has more meaning and is more purposeful.  I believe there are five major domains in our lives that are interrelated. When these domains are in harmony/attunement, a person feels more complete, content, living a more satisfied life and is closer to a feeling of fulfillment. 

Five Domains In Life:

1. work-career,
2. love-attachment,
3. social-friendship,
4. family-parenting, and
5. healthy and functioning self-identity. 

Trying to find a balance between work and life is too simplistic an approach.  Most studies focus only on work and life as the only domains in one’s existence.  The Adlerian model offers broader approach proposing 5 major domains in our lives.  I would like to find out if the attunement of these five domains in life would keep people of getting clinically depressed.

Depression is a serious disorder and I would like to investigate if finding the “ideal attunement” in a person’s life would enable a person to be more resilient to life stresses and challenges.

A Question to Consider

“How do the five major life domains (work-career, love-attachment, social-friendship, family-parenting, and self-identity) affect one’s vulnerability / vulnerability for major depression."