Patterns of change in the symbolization of object-relations and narrative over the course of short-term psychodynamic treatment with psychiatric inpatients.
Item
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Title
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Patterns of change in the symbolization of object-relations and narrative over the course of short-term psychodynamic treatment with psychiatric inpatients.
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Identifier
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AAI9630453
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identifier
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9630453
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Creator
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Cristina, Patricia.
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Contributor
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Adviser: Vera Paster
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Date
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1996
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Psychology, Clinical | Language, Linguistics | Literature, General
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Abstract
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The focus of the present study is on patterns of change in symbolization over the course of short-term psychodynamic treatment. The aim is to shed light on some specific dimensions of symbolization and to propose that using measures of symbolization is a useful way of measuring change in psychotherapy.;The five minute monologues of 14 subjects at pre and post treatment, and five minute segments of initial and peak therapy sessions of 2 additional subjects were examined. All subjects were inpatients from an acute psychiatric unit of an urban medical center. The central measures used were the Level of Associative Organization (LAO), the Gottschalk and Gleser Hostility Scale, the Symbolization of Object Relations Scale (SORS) and the Symbolization of Narrative Scale (SONS). The SORS and SONS were developed to further operationalize the concept of symbolization as defined by the LAO.;It was hypothesized that, at pre-treatment patients can be distinguished along specific lines of symbolizing activity; at post treatment patients will show changes in the level of symbolization independent of initial trait characteristics; and there will be a comparability of change in the therapy study.;As predicted, at pre-treatment, the symbolizers were significantly different from both groups of non-symbolizers and demonstrated higher levels of symbolization of object relations and narrative. At post treatment there was a significant main effect and the non-symbolizer changers had a significantly higher level of symbolization of object relations and narrative. Finally, a comparability of change was found in the therapy study.;On the basis of these findings it can be concluded that different patterns of change occur for symbolizers, non-symbolizer changers and non-symbolizer non-changers on the dimensions of symbolization of object relations and narrative. The labels of symbolizer and non-symbolizer are not static entities impermeable to change. Finally, change can be determined from the therapy session itself. This study has attempted to offer a more descriptive rendering of symbolization and a more "common ground" approach in exploring the process of change in psychotherapy.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
