Model
Digital Document
Publisher
Florida Atlantic University
Description
The present study investigates the affectual interaction of three highly competent
therapists using different theoretical approaches with a shared male client and female
client in a professionally recorded video series. The interactions of clients and therapists
in a total sample of six psychotherapy sessions were coded using the twenty code version
of Gottman, Woodin, and Coan’s (1998) Specific Affect Coding System. Coded data
were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis tests which found no significant differences between
the mean ranks of therapists’ codes between therapists. Significant effects among some
affective behaviors were noted in therapists’ codes when compared by client. Coded data
were also used to create mathematical models using ordinary differential equations for
each of the six sessions. Kruskal-Wallis tests did not reveal significant effects in the
mean ranks of the parameters of the mathematical models, and visual similarities and
differences of these models were discussed. Additional analyses were conducted to examine clients’ affective behaviors as well and significant effects were revealed in the
Kruskal-Wallis tests amongst many coded behaviors. The results support the presence of
common factors and similarities in the therapeutic relationship among different
theoretical approaches. The findings also add to the growing body of literature dedicated
to the use of observational coding and dynamic nonlinear modeling in psychotherapy
research. The implications for psychotherapy practice, education, and research are
discussed.
therapists using different theoretical approaches with a shared male client and female
client in a professionally recorded video series. The interactions of clients and therapists
in a total sample of six psychotherapy sessions were coded using the twenty code version
of Gottman, Woodin, and Coan’s (1998) Specific Affect Coding System. Coded data
were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis tests which found no significant differences between
the mean ranks of therapists’ codes between therapists. Significant effects among some
affective behaviors were noted in therapists’ codes when compared by client. Coded data
were also used to create mathematical models using ordinary differential equations for
each of the six sessions. Kruskal-Wallis tests did not reveal significant effects in the
mean ranks of the parameters of the mathematical models, and visual similarities and
differences of these models were discussed. Additional analyses were conducted to examine clients’ affective behaviors as well and significant effects were revealed in the
Kruskal-Wallis tests amongst many coded behaviors. The results support the presence of
common factors and similarities in the therapeutic relationship among different
theoretical approaches. The findings also add to the growing body of literature dedicated
to the use of observational coding and dynamic nonlinear modeling in psychotherapy
research. The implications for psychotherapy practice, education, and research are
discussed.
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