The First Empirical Demonstration of Transference in Psychotherapy

One aspect of the relationship pattern, the patient's response to the therapist and to others, was consistently similar and offers objective evidence in support of an age-old and central tenet of psychodynamic therapy, the transference concept.

Abstract

This study investigates the similarity between patients' relationships with their therapists and patients' relationships with others in their life. We examined the in-session narratives about the therapist and compared them with the patient's general relationship pattern as determined by a previously tested method, the Core Conflictual Relationship Theme (CCRT) method. The source for both narratives and CCRT patterns were transcripts of therapy sessions from 35 consenting outpatients in a university clinic. We found significant similarity between the patterns of relationship with the therapist and with others. One aspect of the relationship pattern, the patient's response to the therapist and to others, was consistently similar. We offer objective evidence in support of an age-old and central tenet of psychodynamic therapy, the transference concept.