Elephant in the Room: A Methodology for Case Studies Metasynthesis

Abstract

The Relationships Between Categories (RBC) technique is a qualitative methodology for the metasynthesis of psychoanalytic case studies. By analyzing repetitive bilateral, trilateral, or quadrilateral relationships of transference themes, this methodology seeks to analyze case studies with existing theoretical concepts, thereby formulating a new theory. The proposed tool attempts to explore and validate hidden connections between different psychotherapy components, thus enhancing integration of various bodies of knowledge and decreasing the gap between practice and theory. This methodology is demonstrated here by research on transference case studies that connect transference to components of cognitive behavioral therapy.