Therapist’s emotional responses to the patient (or countertransference) can be considered as a source of valuable diagnostic and therapeutic information, as well as play a crucial role in the psychotherapy process and outcome, especially with the adolescent patient. However, empirical literature has paid little attention, to date, to the therapist-patient relationship in the treatment of adolescents and only a few studies has sought to explore countetransference reactions elicited by this patient population. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between therapist’s emotional responses and personality pathology and psychological functioning of the adolescent patient. A random national sample of clinical psychologists (N=70) completed the Therapist Response Questionnaire for Adolescents (TRQ-A) to identify patterns of countertransference, and the Shedler-Westen Assessment Procedure-200 for Adolescents (SWAP-200-A) to assess personality disorders and styles in a randomly selected patient currently in their care and with whom they had worked for a minimum of eight sessions and a maximum of ten months. Results showed that there were significant relationships between therapists’ responses and patients’ personality pathology and psychological functioning. Antisocial-psychopathic and narcissistic personality disorder were associated with angry/frustrated countertransference. Emotionally dysregulated personality disorder was associated with overinvested/worried therapist response. Bored/angry at parents therapist response was associated with avoidant-constricted personality disorder. Healthy and inhibited-self critical personality styles were associated with warm/competent countertransference. Overall, personality pathology of the adolescent patient are mostly related to consistent therapists’ emotional responses, which suggests that clinicians can make diagnostic and therapeutic use of their responses in the psychotherapy with adolescents.

PATIENT PERSONALITY AND THERAPIST EMOTIONAL RESPONSES IN THE PSYCHOTHERAPY WITH ADOLESCENTS: AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION / Tanzilli, Annalisa; Gualco, Ivan. - ELETTRONICO. - Suppl. 4/2 B 1:(2016), pp. 122-122. (Intervento presentato al convegno XVIII NATIONAL CONGRESS ITALIAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION CLINICAL AND DYNAMIC SECTION tenutosi a Roma nel SEPTEMBER 16-18 2016) [10.6092/2282-1619/2016.4.1289].

PATIENT PERSONALITY AND THERAPIST EMOTIONAL RESPONSES IN THE PSYCHOTHERAPY WITH ADOLESCENTS: AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION

TANZILLI, ANNALISA;
2016

Abstract

Therapist’s emotional responses to the patient (or countertransference) can be considered as a source of valuable diagnostic and therapeutic information, as well as play a crucial role in the psychotherapy process and outcome, especially with the adolescent patient. However, empirical literature has paid little attention, to date, to the therapist-patient relationship in the treatment of adolescents and only a few studies has sought to explore countetransference reactions elicited by this patient population. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between therapist’s emotional responses and personality pathology and psychological functioning of the adolescent patient. A random national sample of clinical psychologists (N=70) completed the Therapist Response Questionnaire for Adolescents (TRQ-A) to identify patterns of countertransference, and the Shedler-Westen Assessment Procedure-200 for Adolescents (SWAP-200-A) to assess personality disorders and styles in a randomly selected patient currently in their care and with whom they had worked for a minimum of eight sessions and a maximum of ten months. Results showed that there were significant relationships between therapists’ responses and patients’ personality pathology and psychological functioning. Antisocial-psychopathic and narcissistic personality disorder were associated with angry/frustrated countertransference. Emotionally dysregulated personality disorder was associated with overinvested/worried therapist response. Bored/angry at parents therapist response was associated with avoidant-constricted personality disorder. Healthy and inhibited-self critical personality styles were associated with warm/competent countertransference. Overall, personality pathology of the adolescent patient are mostly related to consistent therapists’ emotional responses, which suggests that clinicians can make diagnostic and therapeutic use of their responses in the psychotherapy with adolescents.
2016
XVIII NATIONAL CONGRESS ITALIAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION CLINICAL AND DYNAMIC SECTION
04 Pubblicazione in atti di convegno::04d Abstract in atti di convegno
PATIENT PERSONALITY AND THERAPIST EMOTIONAL RESPONSES IN THE PSYCHOTHERAPY WITH ADOLESCENTS: AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION / Tanzilli, Annalisa; Gualco, Ivan. - ELETTRONICO. - Suppl. 4/2 B 1:(2016), pp. 122-122. (Intervento presentato al convegno XVIII NATIONAL CONGRESS ITALIAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION CLINICAL AND DYNAMIC SECTION tenutosi a Roma nel SEPTEMBER 16-18 2016) [10.6092/2282-1619/2016.4.1289].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/888133
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