Transference interpretations in short-term dynamic psychotherapy
Ogrodniczuk, J.S.; Piper, W.E.; Joyce, A.S.; McCallum, M.
Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease 187(9): 571-578
1999
ISSN/ISBN: 0022-3018 PMID: 10496513 Document Number: 498044
Transference interpretations are one of the distinguishing features of dynamically oriented psychotherapy. Previous studies have suggested that too many transference interpretations may be detrimental, in particular for certain kinds of patients. Given the potential for negative effects, attempts to validate (replicate) the previous findings are worthwhile. The relationships between the frequency and proportion of transference interpretations and both the therapeutic alliance and treatment outcome were examined in a sample of 40 patients who received time-limited, 20-session, individual psychotherapy. Inverse relationships were found between the frequency of transference interpretations and both patient-rated therapeutic alliance and favorable outcome. The relationships differed as a function of the patient personality characteristic known as quality of object relations (QOR). These results extend previous findings regarding transference technique in short-term dynamic therapy with low-QOR and high-QOR patients.