Structural analysis of social behavior: application to a study of interpersonal process in differential psychotherapeutic outcome.

Abstract

Research strategies employing Structural Analysis of Social Behavior (SASB) were demonstrated in a study comparing 4 therapists, each of whom saw a good and a poor outcome case (N = 8), on interpersonal process variables in the third session. SASB represents complex interactive processes in a manner that is both theoretically cogent and empirically sound. Good versus poor therapeutic outcome was differentiated on the basis of the following interpersonal process variables: greater levels of helping and protecting and affirming and understanding*' and significantly lower levels of blaming and belittling were associated with high-change cases. Patient behaviors of disclosing and expressing were significantly more frequent in high-change cases, whereas walling off and avoiding and trusting and relying were significantly more frequent in low-change cases. Additionally, negative complementarity was greater in poor outcome cases. Implications for research methodology and interpersonal theory are discussed.