Biographical Interviews with GDR Psychotherapists - First Hypotheses on their Social Positioning and Professional Action

Abstract

First results of a socio-historical analysis of the life stories of GDR psychotherapists are presented. Interviews, carried out as part of the project Seelenarbeit im Sozialismus, are intended to enable statements about social and family backgrounds, educational paths and social position. An exemplary case is presented in order to develop hypotheses for the design of professional behavior by GDR psychotherapists. Narrative/biographical interviews are processed as a source for historical and sociological research strategies. For a descriptive presentation of the topics described in the interviews, a cross-case category system was created inductively, which should enable statements about the frequency of certain characteristics. The individual case is analyzed by using the grounded theory method. A first overview of the sample relates to the demographic characteristics of the interviewed persons, their level of awareness and professional qualifications. The interviewed psychotherapists can be assigned to different decades of the historical development of GDR psychotherapy with regard to their years of birth. They are further determined with regard to their social origin (parenting professions), their professional career (distribution of qualification paths), their party membership (SED or block party) and experience disadvantages by the state. In the case study, the dependence of the professional attitude on socializing influences is illustrated. Ultimately, the study can show a heterogeneous group of psychotherapists from the GDR, whose biographies can be used to trace the historical development of psychotherapy in the GDR. A look at the actors' families shows that the profession from fathers were often located in the field of self-employed entrepreneurs or academics. In addition, only a few psychotherapists were members of the SED, but frequent disadvantages by the state are named. As a conclusion there is an advice of a high importance of personal reflexivity and a reflective professional self-image.Conclusions Further evaluations should prove the social and political positioning as well as the professional self-image of GDR psychotherapists.