Analytic Process and Linguistic Style: Exploring Analysts\u2019 Treatment Notes in the Light of Linguistic Measures of the Referential Process

Rachele Mariani,Leon Hoffman

doi:10.1007/s10936-021-09771-6

Abstract

This paper presents a comparison between a clinical evaluation and a computerized linguistic analysis of the treatment notes of the first two years of an analysis conducted four sessions a week with the patient lying on a couch. Clinical notes had been written as part of the analyst’s standard practice after every session, some years prior to the planning of this study. The notes describe the analytic interchange and the analyst’s internal thoughts. The linguistic analysis focuses on two analytically relevant linguistic variables: Referential Activity (RA), a measure of the degree of connection between emotional processing and language, and Reflection, the use of words referring to thoughts. The examination of the linguistic measures point to overlooked parts of sessions which may be clinically significant. In particular, the examination of the clinical material during the nodal points of the first summer break, where significant changes in the linguistic measures were seen, provided clinical understanding of the analytic work that was not explicitly noted at the time of treatment. This method has the potential to be utilized in ongoing treatments and to improve the supervisory process.

Highlights

The value of the empirical study of psychoanalytic treatment has been widely disputed
Would elements emerge of which the analyst is unaware? Would this help the progress of the treatment in subsequent sessions? Or, perhaps, would elements that are highlighted by the linguistic analysis appear irrelevant or even derail the internal exploration of the analyst and of the patient? We address these questions following the presentation of the case material
As in the study of Hoffman et al (2013), measures related to referential activity (RA) and Reflection were used for this linguistic analysis of the psychoanalytic process

Summary

Introduction

The value of the empirical study of psychoanalytic treatment has been widely disputed. Many analysts as well as researchers argue that systematic empirical research, including process as well as outcome research, is necessary for the development of the field. Argue that empirical research is at best unnecessary, and at worst has the potential to interfere with analytic work; and that the efficacy of the analytic process may be nullified by recording sessions. Tuckett (2000) has noted that psychoanalytic data refer to “the occurrences noted by the analyst in the session, provided they are apprehended within the framework of free-floating attention and free association” The essence of psychoanalysis is that the analyst, as a receptive human being making sense within a communicative field, unconsciously (as well as consciously) picks up the data within a framework of meanings. A subjective report rather than an “objective” transcript is indispensable as the basic data [Tuckett 2000, p. 407]

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