Countertransference in Termination: Therapist Loss Resolution and Fear of Intimacy
Open Access
- Author:
- Cruz, Joslyn M.
- Graduate Program:
- Counseling Psychology
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- June 01, 2007
- Committee Members:
- Jeffrey Hayes, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
Louis Georges Castonguay, Committee Member
Joyce Karen Illfelder Kaye, Committee Member
Mary Boutselis, Ph D, Committee Member - Keywords:
- Therapist Factors
Countertransference
Termination
Loss
Intimacy
Therapy Process - Abstract:
- This study examined therapist loss resolution and fear of intimacy as origins of countertransference reactions involving therapists’ affective and behavioral responses to termination, potentially affecting therapeutic outcome. In this study, therapists responded to measures that assessed their fear of intimacy and loss resolution in their personal lives. Clients and therapists then completed measures of the therapists’ behavior in the termination session, and therapists rated their anxiety during the termination session as well. Therapist loss resolution and fear of intimacy individually contributed to a limited amount of the variance in therapists’ affective and behavioral reactions in termination sessions. However, when fear of intimacy and loss resolution were jointly considered, they accounted for a significant amount of the variance in both positive and negative countertransference behavior during termination, as well as therapists’ state anxiety.
Accessible Version in Progress
We're generating an accessible version of this file to meet ADA Title II requirements. This process may take up to one hour. Please return later to access the accessible copy once it's ready.
You can still download the current version by clicking "OK".
What's happening:
An accessible PDF is being generated using Adobe with AI used to generate alternative text (alt text) for images in the PDF.