The Dynamics of Empirically Derived Factors in the Therapeutic Relationship

Datos Bibliográficos

ID8333763
AutoresEric J Nuetzel (St. Louis Psychoanalytic Institute 8820 Ladue Road, Suite 301 St. Louis, MO 63124 Fax:314-361-6269, , Washington University School of Medicine, autor de correspondencia), Randy J Larsen (Department of Psychology, Washington University), Zvjezdana Prizmić (Department of Psychology, Washington University)
Año2007
Volumen55
Número4
Páginas1321-1353
Fecha de publicación2007-12-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaJournal of the American Psychoanalytic Association (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0003-0651 • E-ISSN: 1941-2460
EditorialSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/000306510705500411
PMID18246764
OpenAlexW2113630133
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas3
Referencias citadas22

The therapeutic relationship is the source of major concepts in psychoanalytic clinical theory. Such concepts as resistance, transference, countertransference, and the alliance are fundamental, even though there may be shifts in meaning between theoretical schools and clinical contexts. In the clinical psychoanalytic literature, disagreement exists over the nature of the alliance and its essential components. Empirical studies using reliable patient, therapist, and observer scales to assess the alliance demonstrate a correlation with psychotherapeutic gains. In the study reported here, thirteen patients were followed for 6 to 33 months of psychodynamic psychotherapy, during which time their views of the therapeutic relationship were assessed, and several experiential measures taken, all on a weekly basis. Statistical analyses reveal that the therapeutic relationship, as reflected in the patients' weekly responses to the St. Louis Therapeutic Relationship Rating Scale, has four distinct components: therapeutic alliance, resistance, transference love, and negative transference. On a week-by-week basis, the therapeutic alliance was the strongest predictor of improvement in patient-reported general adjustment, as reflected in such areas as self-esteem, positive affect, social relations, work productivity, satisfaction, and optimism. Time plots of the variables show the typical time course for the components of the therapeutic relationship, as well as for improvement on the experiential variables. Results indicate that the therapeutic alliance, transference, and resistance are central components of the psychotherapeutic relationship, which in turn predict the ongoing life experience of the patient

Alliance · Countertransference · Experiential learning · Psychoanalytic theory · Psychodynamic psychotherapy · Psychodynamics · Psychotherapist · Resistance (ecology) · Therapeutic relationship · Clinical Psychology · Personality Disorders and Psychopathology · Psychology · Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications · Social Psychology · Transactional Analysis in Psychotherapy