The satisfactions and stresses of psychotherapeutic work: A factor analytic study.

Abstract

The present study investigated patterns of satisfactions and stresses in psychotherapeutic work. A heterogeneous sample oj 60 psychotherapists was administered three Likert-type rating scales. Factor analysis of the data revealed that the most satisfying aspects of therapeutic work include promoting growth and change, achieving intimate involvement in the lives of patients, and feeling professionally respected. The most stressful aspects include feeling personally depleted by therapeutic work, coping with pressures inherent in the therapeutic relationship, and dealing with difficult working conditions. In addition, stressful patient behaviors were found to cluster into two distinct categories: overtly psychopathological symptoms and resistant behaviors. Patterns of satisfactions and stresses were also found to be related to certain therapist background variables such as gender, profession, case load, setting, and experience level.Psychotherapy has been viewed by its practitioners as work that offers both intrinsic satisfactions and stresses (Burton, 1972;Greben, 1975;Rogow, 1970). Anticipated satisfactions such as "helping people," "feeling socially useful," and "feeling financially secure" (Rogow, 1970) have undoubtedly contributed to the continued popularity of psychotherapy as a career choice for students. On the other hand, therapeutic work is undeniably difficult and personally taxing. Freud (1964) wrote of the "dangers of analysis," referring to the potential psychic distress that analytic work could create for the analyst. Other sources of stress identified in the literature include the enforced isolation of therapeutic work, the pressure of constant "giving," lack of status in relationship to other professional groups, the perceived rigidity and detachment of colleagues, and doubts about the efficacy of the treatment process (

MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST INTERNs' EXPERIENCES OF GROWTH

“…McCarly recommended that psychotherapists implement more group experiences within their professional lives, which could influence their personal growth. Farber and Heifetz (1981) examined therapists' work influences, yet in contrast to…”

Stress and coping in the practice of family therapy: a British survey

“…Unfortunately there are no comparative data on the personal 'problems' of family and individual therapists before training which could help clarify this issue. Faber and Heifetz (1981) found that the 'side effect' of 'growth' featured strongly as a job satisfaction for psychodynamic therapists. Therefore it could be that one element of coping with work-related stress involves the intrinsic benefits of the work itself.…”

Une étude exploratoire des sources de stress et de soutien social chez les intervenantes communautaires en santé mentale

“…Ainsi, les principaux facteurs de stress que rapportent des psychothérapeutes (Farber et Heifetz, 1981 ont trait à l'absence de succès thérapeutique, à l'épuisement personnel consécutif au travail, aux exigences de la relation thérapeutique, aux conditions de travail et au comportement des clients. Des intervenants de centres de crise soulignent que les aspects les plus difficiles de leur travail comprennent la faible rémunération, les interruptions à la routine de la vie familiale, les horaires de travail ainsi que la tension physique et émotive associée au travail et aux horaires (Weaver, 1984).…”

“…Le risque de stress s'accroît lorsque le contact avec le client est très perturbant, difficile et frustrant (Maslach, 1978). L'attitude et le comportement négatifs de certains clients, par exemple la résistance, l'hostilité et l'agressivité, exercent aussi une influence significative (Ackerley et al, 1988 ;Browner et al, 1987 ;Farber et Heifetz, 1981 ;Hiscott et Connop, 1989). Il en est de même de l'absence de feed-back ou d'un feed-back négatif de la clientèle (Eisenstat et Felner, 1984 ;Maslach, 1978).…”