Countertransference in the initial visit of women victims of sexual violence

Abstract

Objective: To identify demographic and clinical correlates associated with therapists' countertransference feelings on the first visit of women victims of sexual violence. Method: Forty patients were seen by 26 therapists, during 2 consecutive years, at the Center for the Study and Treatment of Psychological Trauma, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Brazil. After the first visit with the patient, the therapist completed the Assessment of Countertransference Scale and the patient was evaluated with the Davidson Trauma Scale, the Standardized Assessment of Personality -Abbreviated Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Defense Style Questionnaire. Results: The therapists showed a predominance of feelings of closeness (Mean = 5.42, SD = 1.25) in relation to the feelings of indifference (Mean = 1.82, SD = 1.22) and distance (Mean = 1.57, SD = 1.08) [p < 0.001]. Multivariate analyses did not present significant associations between countertransference feelings and clinical characteristics of patients. The gender of the therapists did not influence the pattern of countertransference feelings. In the subgroup of female therapists, we detected an inverse correlation between a higher probability of patients' personality disorders and feelings of closeness in the therapists. Conclusion: We did not detect a differential pattern of countertransference feelings associated with specific clinical characteristics. Therapists of both genders presented a similar pattern of feelings of empathy towards women victims of sexual violence, although the gender of the therapist may moderate the feelings evoked by patients with increased likelihood of personality disorders. Descriptors

Systematic review of studies about countertransference in adult psychotherapy

“…23 CT, often defined as the therapist's transference, 21 is part of the field that is created by the interaction of the dyad. 25,40 CT is associated with the patient's commitment to the treatment, 42 should be examined during supervision,…”

“…However, the therapists were students, 19,27,30,35 psychiatry residents 23,24,25,40 and professionals from other areas, such as nurses and art therapists, in addition to psychologists and psychiatrists.…”

“…When trauma occurred less than three months before, more intense closeness was found. 25 The third study evaluated CT features and treatment dropout. No associations were found between outcome and specific types of CT, but rejection scores were higher in the group of therapists younger than 27 years.…”

Trauma and countertransference: development and validity of the Assessment of Countertransference Scale (ACS)

“…20 This list was made through analysis of the therapist's CT report and retrospective analysis of sessions audiotaped during treatment by a group of experts. 16 This version (Chart 1) was assessed by experienced analysts and psychotherapists with a psychoanalytical background, which considered that the items could assess conscious countertransference feelings.…”

Segredos de família: a contratransferência como recurso terapêutico

“…Ademais, esses estudos podem contribuir para o cuidado com a saúde emocional do analista, que muitas vezes sofre severas dissociações psíquicas quando confrontado com segredos familiares (Eizirik, Schestatsky, Kruel & Ceitlin, 2011;Júnior, Polanczyk, Hauck, Eizrik & Ceitlin, 2011). …”