Affective relationship patterns and psychotherapeutic change

Abstract

In this study, the significance of psychotherapeutic interaction for psychotherapeutic change is explored. Videotaped therapy sessions are analyzed with microanalytic methods (Frames, FACS), integrating verbal and nonverbal aspects (mainly facial expression) of the interaction. In a single case investigated, specific interactive patterns in the context of guilt feelings are identified (so called traps and prototypical affective microsequences [PAMs]). These interactive patterns are elements of a client's offer of specific roles to the therapist, and are characterized by typical verbal and nonverbal behavior. They help the client to cope with perturbations in his or her cognitive-affective regulation. According to the therapist's reactions, successful and unsuccessful traps and PAMs were differentiated. In order to study their effect on the psychotherapeutic process, we investigated a sequence of a therapy session with productive outcome. In this sequence, all traps were unsuccessful, while successful and ...