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Countertransference disclosure of resolved issues : how are therapists perceived?
Author
Syakirin Zainudin
Supervisor
Lim, Kam Ming
Abstract
Therapist self-disclosure has been found to have both positive and negative effects towards the therapy session which could depend on the nature of the disclosure. This study sought to examine the differential effects of therapist disclosures between resolved and unresolved countertransference issues on perceptions of therapists and therapy session. Using an analogue method, participants (N = 63) were randomly assigned to read one of the two scripts in which a therapist disclosed personal issues that were relatively resolved or unresolved. The proposed hypothesis stated that therapist disclosure of issues that were more resolved would cause the therapist to be rated as instilling greater hope, perceived as more professional and expert besides having stronger therapeutic alliance than therapist disclosure of less resolved issues. However, the results showed no significant differences for the dependent measures between the two conditions of types of disclosure. Instead, racial group of participants showed significant difference to the expertness of the therapist and instillation of hope. Implications of the results will be discussed in terms of how self-disclosure could be an essential tool in therapy.
Date Issued
2015
Call Number
RC489.C68 Sya
Date Submitted
2015