Countertransference as Projective Identification

SUMMARY

While all countertransference reactions call upon the therapist to examine his/her internal family and unresolved issues, many instances of countertransference can best be understood as originating from and replicating and clients' internalized object relations. In this way, countertransference can be likened to projective identification. By processing countertransference as a form of projective identification the couples therapist can more effectively comprehend and work with important relationship problems. This article outlines the process of analyzing and responding to these kinds of countertransference reactions.     

Countertransference as compromise formation

Countertransference is a ubiquitous phenomenon, a set of compromise formations comprising the analyst's transference to the patient(s). Some consequences of this fact are discussed, including the factors responsible for those instances when countertransference impedes analysis.     

The development and validation of a measure of character: The CIVIC

The present research study sought to develop and validate a character scale – the Comprehensive Inventory of Virtuous Instantiations of Character using a total sample size of 3679 across five studies. In Study 1, character trait items were generated using an integrative classification system. In Study 2, character trait scales were further refined and their factor structure examined, revealing eight higher-order character dimensions or character cores: appreciation, intellectual engagement, fortitude, interpersonal consideration, sincerity, temperance, transcendence, and empathy. Study 3 established convergent validity of character traits with extant measures and discriminability from personality facets, social desirability, and moral cognitive development. Study 4 revealed that character cores were more strongly related to evaluative constructs than personality dimensions. Study 5 demonstrated that character cores predicted performance and psychological well-being outcomes above and beyond personality. The implications of our findings for the assessment and taxonomy of character are discussed.     

The Relevance of Countertransference

No abstract available for this article.     

The MCMI as a measure of DSM-III

The Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI) has been interpreted as a measure of DSM-III disorders. However, the MCMI was constructed and validated primarily as a measure of Millon's (1969, 1981) taxonomy, not DSM-III. Comparison of the two taxonomies and examination of the MCMI's content validity for two of the MCMI scales indicate only a partial congruence between the Millon and DSM-III taxonomies. There has been no published empirical research concerning the relationship between the MCMI and DSM-III, and the derivation and cross-validation research for the MCMI scales employed Millon's taxonomy and not DSM-III. It is suggested that until such data have been presented one should be cautious in one's interpretation of the MCMI as a measure of DSM-III disorders.     

Countertransference as a guideline in the treatment of a psychotic patient

Presenting vignettes from a long analysis, the author describes many varieties of rage provoked in her by Meagan, a 29-year-old schizophrenic woman, and shows how the countertransference was the primary tool in helping to distinguish among the states, understand their origin, and work them through in the transference.     

Countertransference as a corrective emotional experience in existential family therapy

An existential approach to family psychotherapy should be cognizant of both individual human development and family life cycle growth. In Existential Family Therapy a family developmental challenge often occurs when the developmental progression needs of one family member challenge the pace of total family developmental progression. In such a situation intervention by the therapist should occur in a way that facilitates both individual and family developmental growth. Such interventions often best occur through the creative and controlled use of the family therapist's countertransference feelings in a way that helps the family accept and master its developmental challenges. Case material is provided to illustrate the described intervention approach.     

The Meta-Cognitive Beliefs Questionnaire: development of a measure of obsessional beliefs

A 67 item self-report questionnaire called the Meta-Cognitive Beliefs Questionnaire (MCBQ) was developed to assess endorsement of beliefs about the importance of control and negative consequences associated with unwanted, ego-dystonic intrusive thoughts, images and impulses. The MCBQ and a battery of questionnaires that assessed symptoms and cognitions of worry, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, and depression were administered to large samples of undergraduate students. Beliefs about control of intrusive thoughts and perceived negative consequences due to uncontrolled mental intrusions had a unique significant relationship with obsessions, and to a lesser extent, worry. These findings are consistent with current cognitive behavioral theories that suggest an important role for meta-cognitive beliefs in the pathogenesis of obsessions.     

Countertransference as active imagination: imaginative experiences of the analyst

Active imagination is at the heart of Jung's elucidation of depth psychology. Yet, in the discourse of present day analytical psychology theory it is not always given the serious attention accorded to some other Jungian concepts. Active imagination emerges spontaneously within the 'third' area--the imaginal or dynamic field--in-between patient and analyst. It is commonly regarded as the patient's experience but I am proposing that, looked upon as the analyst's experience as well, active imagination offers a distinctly Jungian way of understanding some forms of countertransference. I am describing what I think many present-day analytical psychologists already do in their clinical practice but, as far as I know, it has not been theorized in quite this way before. The intention is to exploit the unique contribution of our Jungian heritage by reframing certain profoundly symbolic countertransference-generated imagery as active imagination. In this article these are differentiated from other less complex forms of imaginative countertransference through examples from clinical practice. The point is that such countertransference experiences may activate the symbolic function in the analyst and thus contribute to the mediation of emergent consciousness in the analysand.     

The development of a trait measure of ruminative thought

A 9-item questionnaire was designed to measure rumination. This questionnaire measures three distinct facets of rumination: emotionality, motivation, and distraction. Together, these factors measure the extent to which people engage in thoughts regarding their progress toward their goals. In Study 1, an exploratory factor analysis of an initial 28 items was used to reveal the underlying structure of the rumination construct. In Study 2, a confirmatory factor analysis revealed support for the hypothesized factor structure proposed by Study 1. Following the suggestions of PROC CALIS (SAS) for model modification, an acceptable model was found that retained 9 items (3 on each factor). Studies 3 and 4 demonstrate the predictive validity of the rumination inventory. Study 3 provides evidence of a correlation between distraction by ruminative thoughts and low scores on a statistics examination. Study 4 shows a negative correlation between distraction by ruminative thoughts and time taken to learn to solve a geometric puzzle.     

The equivalence interval as a measure of uncertainty

Subjects made a series of 15 psychophysical judgments, one about each of five stimuli in three different stimulus classes. Then, supposing that their answers were not exactly correct, half of the subjects indicated the range of values within which they were reasonably certain that the correct answer did in fact lie. This range is termed an equivalence interval. The remaining subjects simply rated their confidence in the accuracy of each judgment. It was found that the width of the equivalence intervals correlated quite highly with the confidence ratings, and that they became wider the further the judged stimulus was from a clearly defined standard of comparison. Interestingly, however, although the equivalence intervals increased in size as the subjects' judgments became less accurate, they still failed to enclose the correct value nearly 42% of the time. The results were discussed in terms of the usefulness of the equivalence interval as a measure of uncertainty.     

Therapist as Subject: A Review of the Empirical Countertransference Literature

This article presents a synthesis of the research on countertransference (CT) that has been conducted since the last major review of CT literature was published in 1977. The past quarter century has witnessed a growing body of research on CT marked by methodological improvements and increasing conceptual sophistication. In this article, the authors critically review this research, noting implications for counseling practice, making connections to relevant theory, and suggesting directions for future research on CT.     

The Work Addiction Risk Test: development of a tentative measure of workaholism

The development and analyses of the psychometric characteristics of a tentative self-report measure of work addiction are reported. A total of 363 college students completed a battery of tests including the Work Addiction Risk Test. Internal consistency of the scores was .88. Also, these scores were compared with those on the Type A Self-rating Scale and the Jenkins Activity Survey, which give self-reports of Type A behavior and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. That scores on the work addiction risk test were reliable and showed concurrent validity supported psychometric utility for research and clinical practice.     

Sibling attachment: The development of a new infant-based measure (SPPIR)

This paper describes a new infant-based measure for assessing infant attachment to a sibling during a modified strange situation procedure. Research has demonstrated that young siblings often form a special relationship and that they prefer to interact with one another rather than with an unfamiliar peer. Also it has been shown that older siblings can respond appropriately to the distress of an infant. Research on relationships has moved from frequency counts of discrete behaviours towards more global measures of the ways in which behaviour is organized. These have tended to focus upon the older child as caregiver or the influence of the mother-child relationship on child-child interaction during the strange situation. The main findings of previous studies are presented. This paper describes a new method for measuring sibling attachment. Advantages of the new scoring system over previous procedures are that it utilizes ethological attachment theory, it is infant-based, it allows for a variety of infant reactions to reunion with the older sibling, and it focuses on overall patterns of behaviour rather than tallies of frequences.