Does awareness of relationship patterns predict intensity of resistance? /
This study examined resistance intensity as it related to the client characteristics of awareness and distress for clients with interpersonal problems. It was hypothesized that lower client awareness of interpersonal patterns and higher distress associated with interpersonal patterns would predict r...
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| Format: | Thesis Book |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
[Place of publication not identified] :
[publisher not identified] ;
1999.
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://proxy.library.tamu.edu/login?url=http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=730294071&sid=1&Fmt=2&clientId=2945&RQT=309&VName=PQD |
| Summary: | This study examined resistance intensity as it related to the client characteristics of awareness and distress for clients with interpersonal problems. It was hypothesized that lower client awareness of interpersonal patterns and higher distress associated with interpersonal patterns would predict resistance. Fifty one participants completed self- report questionnaires, responded to interview questions, and completed one psychotherapy session. Client self-report measures assessed for demographics, interpersonal patterns, interpersonal distress, and alliance. Observational measures assessed for client interpersonal patterns and 5 types of resistance. Client awareness of interpersonal patterns was calculated as the correlation (correspondence) between self- report and observational measures of relationship patterns. Interpersonal distress was calculated as client self-reported distress associated with observational measures of relationship patterns. Flexibility of interpersonal patterns was calculated as the statistical variance of client self-reported relationship patterns. As it was not clear whether variance was a valid measure of flexibility, the construct of flexibility should be interpreted with caution. The predictors of Awareness (self and other), Flexibility (self-view and other-view), Distress, and Alliance were regressed onto 5 types of resistance. Five regression equations were calculated using step-wise multiple regression analyses. Lower Other-Awareness and lower Flexibility of Other-view predicted higher Resistance to Therapist. Lower Self-Awareness predicted Resistance to Expressing Material. Distress did not predict any of the 5 types of resistance as expected. However, higher Distress was correlated with lower Self- and Other-Awareness. Resistance to Expressing Painful Affect was predicted by Alliance. Resistance to Change was predicted by the Alliance subscale of Task Alliance. Results provided partial support for Freud's (1912/1958) hypothesis that resistance may protect against increased awareness of relationship patterns and Greenson's (1967) hypothesis that clients defend against experiencing painful affect. Results also showed the importance of therapeutic alliance in predicting the two important therapeutic tasks of expressing affect and change. |
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| Item Description: | Vita. "Major Subject: Psychology". |
| Physical Description: | x, 91 leaves ; 28 cm. Issued also on microfiche from University Microfilm Inc. |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references (leaves 63-68). |