This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citing articles on Web of Science (7)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Mardi J. Horowitz, MD; Constance Milbrath, PhD; Charles H. Stinson, MD

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1995;52(12):1040-1047.

Abstract
Background
Psychodynamic clinicians cite defensive actions observed in evaluation and treatment as a source of important information. Empirical support for such assertions has seldom been based on objective study of recorded psychotherapy. A quantitative study of the association of signs of defensive control with disclosure of conflicted beliefs was undertaken.

Methods
Brief dynamic psychotherapies of two patients with pathological grief reactions were recorded and reviewed by independent judges. Periods of heightened defensive control of verbal and nonverbal communication were quantified using operational definitions. Reliably scored defensive episodes were algorithmically selected by computer programs. The people and topics discussed by patients were independently scored.

Results
Highly defensive periods contained disproportionately more frequent instances of patient discourse about people involved in conflict and unresolved topics.

Conclusions
The findings support the psychodynamic hypothesis that observation of defensive behaviors may locate times of communication about conflicted themes.

Author Affiliations
From the Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?