RELATIONS AMONG MEDITATION EXPERIENCE, MINDFULNESS, DIFFERENTIATION OF SELF, AND COUNTERTRANSFERENCE MANAGEMENT
Open Access
- Author:
- Davis, Daphne
- Graduate Program:
- Counseling Psychology
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- December 13, 2010
- Committee Members:
- Jeffrey Hayes, Dissertation Advisor/Co-Advisor
Jeffrey Hayes, Committee Chair/Co-Chair - Keywords:
- differentiation of self
mindfulness
meditation
countertransference - Abstract:
- Given that research supports that therapists’ individual differences can facilitate positive client outcome or impede therapy, better understanding what mechanisms can contribute to countertransference management qualities can help further therapists’ training and development, and subsequently lead to more successful treatment. The present research is the first study to examine the relationship among mindfulness meditation experience, mindfulness, differentiation of self, and countertransference management qualities. Previous research on mindfulness, differentiation of self, and countertransference management provides evidence that these separate constructs share similar correlates, suggesting that these three constructs correlate with each other. Seventy-eight dyads comprised of therapist trainees and their supervisors completed self-report measures to assess trainees’ mindfulness meditation experience, mindfulness, self-differentiation, countertransference management qualities, controlling for social desirability. Results indicate that mindfulness itself is a function of meditation experience and that mindfulness is related to therapists' self-reported self-differentiation. Results support that countertransference management qualities are a function of mindfulness, but only in terms of a therapists’ non-reactivity. When examined holistically, countertransference management qualities were predicted by the linear combination of mindfulness, self-differentiation, and meditation experience. Among these three predictor variables, only meditation experience was found to be a significant predictor. Therapists’ mindfulness meditation experience predicted the degree therapists possessed the qualities that have been theorized and empirically supported to positively relate to countertransference management qualities. This is the first study to propose such a model to predict countertransference management. Implications for theory, practice, research, training, and supervision are discussed. Study strengths and limitations are also addressed.