Critical refl ections on intersubjectivity in psychoanalysis1

The authors review the philosophical trend known as postmodernism and the way it has infl uenced a part of psychoanalytic thought, concluding with some comments on the qualities and shortcomings of the new developments. The authors consider the origins and the cultural and aesthetic‐philosophical meaning of postmodernism, identifying some key concepts such as deconstructionism, the disappearance of the ‘individual subject’ and individual identity, and the rejection of ‘in‐depth’ models of psychoanalysis. Then they examine various, wide‐ranging developments in psychoanalytic thought and treatment. They review the intersubjective fi eld in psychoanalysis, especially in the USA, and then explore whether the underlying lack of truth to be discovered, stressed by these ‘new view’ statements, or the fact that the ‘truth’ only exists in linguistic‐narrative constructions is consistent with basic analytic concepts such as the unconscious, phantasy, transference and countertransference, which recall the tri‐dimensional nature of inner psychic reality. The psychoanalytic process is a condition activated through a bond that is able to hold and contain the relationship of the analytic couple and the patient's unconscious world and not through hermeneutic or narrative constructions.     

Hidden in Plain Sight: The Active Ingredients of Executive Coaching

We propose that I/O psychologists who coach executives have overlooked psychotherapy outcome research as a source of information and ideas that can be used to improve our executive coaching practices. This research, based on thousands of studies and many meta-analyses, has converged on the conclusion that four "active ingredients" account for most of the variance in psychotherapy outcomes. We describe how this literature has identified four primary "active ingredients" that account for most of the variance in psychotherapy outcomes: 1) Client/extratherapeutic factors (40%), 2) The relationship or alliance (30%), 3) Placebo or hope (15%), and 4) Theory and technique (15%). Working on the assumption that psychotherapy and executive coaching are sufficiently similar to justify generalization from one domain to the other, we describe these four active ingredients at length and explore how they may be at work in the executive coaching process. We also suggest that I/O psychologists have training and experience that allows us to leverage some of these active ingredients in our executive coaching (e.g., understanding of client individual differences related to coaching outcomes). But we also have areas of weakness (e.g., building a strong working relationship with an individual client) that may need to be bolstered with additional training and development experiences.     

Whosoever Will Let Her Come: Social Activism and Gender Inclusivity in the Black Church

This study examines the relationship between Black Church involvement in social and racial justice issues and support for women in the pastorate, using Faith Factor 2000 national data for seven denominations and bivariate and logistic regression analyses. Findings suggest that involvement in social activism does not necessarily correlate positively with support for women as pastors. Although frequent sermonic focus on Black Liberation and Womanist theology, and clergy involvement in protest efforts, engender such support, sermonic focus on general issues of racial justice actually undermine support for women in the pastorate. These findings have important implications for efforts toward increased gender equity in the Black Church tradition.     

Perverse relationships: The perspective of the perpetrator

The author examines the theme of perverse relationships within the couple, focusing on the question of men's maltreatment of their female partners, particularly in the psychological sense. Various aspects of the perpetrator's personality and relational style are described. The author takes as her starting point and discusses in depth the concepts of narcissistic perversion (Racamier, 1992) and relational perversion (Pandol, 1999), considered useful for understanding and identifying this type of pathology. She postulates that maltreating behaviour, in fact, originates from the encounter of particularly non–empathic relational styles which are typical of certain personalities (mainly, but not exclusively, of the narcissistic disorder) with perversity, that is, perversion, understood as a character trait. The author makes a distinction between relational perversion and sado–masochistic relationship, and presents a clinical picture deriving from the analysis of a man who maltreats his companion, in order to shed light on the above–mentioned aspects, touching on some problems arising in the analysis of such patients. In conclusion, she considers some aspects of the experience of victims of maltreatment.     

David V. Tiedeman: Statistician,Scholar, and Sage

David V. Tiedeman, a major contributor to vocational guidance, was interviewed about influences on his initial career choice, significant others, his major contributions, and perspectives on his career. Also interviewed was Anna Miller-Tiedeman, his collaborator and wife.     

Family Therapy and Drug Abuse: A National Survey

The following report describes the results of a national study of the role of family therapy in the drug abuse field. Characteristics of agencies that work with families are described, as well as the demographic characteristics and psychological problems of the clients most apt to be treated in family therapy. The study also looks at the role and structure of family therapy in the ecological system of the treatment institutions. A profile of the family therapists who are responsible for providing services to families is presented. An attempt was made to assess agencies' level of development with regard to family therapy by using an instrument, The Progress Index for Family Therapy Programs. Generally, findings indicated that there is considerable variation in expertise. More extensive training in family therapy techniques was of major concern, particularly among clinics with a heroin addict population.     

Employee Counseling Services: Ethical Dilemmas

Issues surrounding the definition, identification, and handling of emotional problems in the work environment are presented. Strategies for dealing with these dilemmas are provided.