Dr Obohwemu’s New Window into How We Think About Self-Comfort

By Barnabas Benjamin-Iorguma 

Reading Time: 2 min read

In March, we were introduced to Dr Kennedy Obohwemu’s Self-Comforting and Coping Theory (SCCT) and Scale (SCCS), lenses through which the world began to reimagine coping as something intimate, intentional, and inward. But while the theory gave us the blueprint, the next question naturally arose: Do we believe in the power of self-comforting? With this, Dr. Obohwemu offers his next gift to the field—The Self-Comforting Attitude Theory (SCAT) and Scale (SCAS).

       Dr. Kennedy Oberhiri Obohwemu, PhD.

Unlike existing measures that focus on how much people use coping strategies, the SCAS is a subtle probe into what we truly believe about those strategies. It was developed through rigorous theoretical mapping, expert review, and empirical testing; the SCAS is not merely a scale; it is a mirror. It shows us whether we trust the quiet rituals we perform: a moment of mindfulness, a whispered affirmation, a warm cup of tea held like a lifeline.

This is where the SCAT and SCAS find their echo, not just in action but in attitude. The SCAS shifts the terrain from behavioural observation to cognitive insight. It asks: Do you see self-comfort as weakness or wisdom? Do you give yourself permission to be gentle with yourself?

With 10 carefully validated items drawn from a universe of lived and literary experience, the SCAS does not impose a narrative. Instead, it uncovers one. In its pilot with university students in the UK, it resonated not only as an academic instrument but also as a personal revelation. Many participants found themselves reflecting deeply on habits they had overlooked or undervalued.

The brilliance of Dr. Obohwemu’s work is not just its scholarly rigour; it is the compassion embedded in its method. The SCAT, like the SCCT, insists that survival is not always loud. Sometimes, it is soft, repetitive, and quiet. Sometimes, it looks like humming a song no one else hears.

In times when mental health discourses are increasingly driven by performance metrics, Dr. Obohwemu redirects our gaze to the inner world of belief and perception. The SCAS offers us a tool for reflection, a platform for further research, and a call to action; to honour the small, personal practices that hold us together.

As we continue to unpack these findings, it becomes increasingly evident that the way we view self-comforting as indulgence or resilience directly influences our approach to mental health and well-being. Dr. Obohwemu’s work invites a paradigm shift, it challenges the normative understanding of coping and offers a new lens for interpreting self-care not as an afterthought but as a deliberate act of self-compassion.

This shift could have profound implications across various fields, from therapeutic practices to workplace mental health strategies. As we embrace the SCAS, we are not just measuring comfort; we are affirming its significance. It is a call to integrate self-soothing practices more deeply into our social and cultural fabric, emphasizing the power of inner peace amidst the chaos.

In the promotion of a deeper understanding of self-comforting attitudes, Dr. Obohwemu’s new theory presents an opportunity to rewrite the narrative around vulnerability and strength. In an age that often celebrates external achievements and external markers of success, we may now have a tool that champions the quieter, more introspective victories, the ones that, while invisible, are crucial for long-term well-being.

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