The manifestation of transference during early psychotherapy sessions: Exploring an alternate data source for therapist narratives in transference research

Abstract

Introduction: Previous transference studies have compared in-session client narratives about significant others to in-session client narratives about the therapist, limiting data to the information that clients are willing to share with the therapist. Method: The first three sessions of 30 therapies with high-functioning individuals were examined using the Core Conflictual Relationship Theme (CCRT) method. Client narratives about others were drawn from the psychotherapy sessions and client narratives about the therapist were drawn from a Participant Critical Event (PCE) interview conducted after the third session of therapy. Results: Factor analyses of the CCRT components indicated several relational patterns: a complementary pattern of relating characterised by a devaluation of the therapist and idealisation of others; a concordant relational transfer where clients feel bad with both the therapist and others; and as clients experience control issues with significant others, they wish to adopt a submissive stance toward the therapist. The results suggest that the source of therapist narratives may influence the results of transference research.

Keywords:

• therapeutic transference
• relationship patterns
• core conflictual relationship theme

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the contribution of Jennifer Janzen, PhD and Alexia Jaouich, PhD for their assistance in data collection, William B. Jaffee, PhD for his assistance with the editing of this manuscript, and the late William Temby, MD for his unique clinical perspective on therapeutic transference.