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Therapists' Verbal Behavior Analysis: A Descriptive Approach to the Psychotherapeutic Phenomenon

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2013

M. Xesús Froján ,
Montserrat Montaño  and
Ana Calero
M. Xesús Froján*
Affiliation:
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain)
Montserrat Montaño
Affiliation:
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain)
Ana Calero
Affiliation:
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain)
*
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to María Xesús Froján. Departamento de Psicología Biológica y de la Salud. Facultad de Psicología. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. C/ Ivan Pavlov, 6. Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco. 28049 Madrid. (Spain). Phone: +34-914973956. Fax: +34-914975215. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

This paper presents some preliminary results from a different approach to research on psychotherapeutic processes. As activity in psychotherapy is predominantly verbal, we propose a scientific study of therapists' verbal behavior from a behaviorist perspective. Data were obtained through observational analysis of the recordings of 16 clinical sessions involving 4 cases, all of which based on individual cognitive-behavioral therapy with adults, in the framework of private clinical practice in Spain. The analysis used a previously validated system of categories and The Observer XT software to register and code data. A descriptive analysis enabled us to identify several patterns of psychologists' verbal behavior, irrespective of the therapist and/or the case analyzed. Notable differences were also observed in clinicians' performance, which raises important questions about potential variables associated with therapeutic change. Finally, we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the present research agenda, the development of which should lead to a fuller understanding of the psychotherapeutic phenomenon.

El objetivo perseguido en este trabajo es presentar los primeros resultados de una nueva forma de abordar la investigación del proceso terapéutico. Partiendo del hecho de que la psicoterapia es eminentemente hablada, se propone el estudio científico de la conducta verbal de los psicólogos desde una perspectiva conductual. Los datos fueron obtenidos a partir del análisis observacional de las grabaciones de 16 sesiones clínicas procedentes de 4 casos distintos, todos ellos desarrollados en el marco de la terapia cognitivo-conductual individual con adultos en un centro privado español. Para la observación, codificación y registro de los datos se empleó un sistema de categorización previamente validado y el software The Observer XT. Un análisis descriptivo de los registros nos permitió identificar ciertos patrones de comportamiento verbal de los psicólogos, independientemente de las características particulares del caso y/o del terapeuta. Se apreciaron además notables diferencias en la forma de proceder de los clínicos, lo que sugiere importantes preguntas acerca de las posibles variables asociadas al cambio terapéutico. Por ultimo, se discuten las fortalezas y debilidades de esta nueva línea de investigación cuyo desarrollo permitirá una mejor y más completa comprensión del fenómeno clínico.

Keywords

verbal behaviorprocess researchobservational methodologyclinical sessionspsychotherapyconducta verbalinvestigación de procesosobservaciónsesiones clínicasterapia de conducta
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 13 , Issue 2 , November 2010 , pp. 914 - 926
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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