Formulating Transference in Cognitive and Dynamic Psychotherapies Using Role Relationship Models

Abstract

Configurational analysis, a system that can be used to organize formulations of transference phenomena, may be helpful to cognitive behavioral as well as psychodynamic therapists. We interviewed 41 experienced psychotherapists, 24 of whom were psychodynamic therapists and 17 of whom were cognitive-behavioral therapists. The therapists first each rated one of their well-known patients on a list of 12 simple positive and negative transferences. Next, they described the patient's transference in their own words. After that, each therapist formulated the same patient's transference contents according to a more complex format, the Role Relationships Model Configuration (RRMC). Both groups reported relatively similar levels of both positive and negative transference reactions. Both groups found the RRMC format useful, with 38 (92.7%) of the 41 therapists indicating that they found the RRMC method "moderately" to "very" useful. Using the RRMC as a structured approach to identify and describe transference and relationship patterns appears to be helpful to psychotherapists with different theoretical orientations.