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The narrative reconstruction of psychotherapy and psychological health

2008; Routledge; Volume: 18; Issue: 6 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/10503300802326020

1468-4381

Jonathan M. Adler, Lauren M. Skalina, Dan P. McAdams,

Counseling, Therapy, and Family Dynamics

Abstract When people complete psychotherapy, they carry the story of the experience with them. This retrospective reconstruction serves several psychological purposes, including contributing to narrative identity and influencing the maintenance of therapeutic gains after termination. Based on a prior qualitative investigation of therapy narratives (Adler & McAdams, 2007a), a new sample of 104 former clients wrote about their psychotherapy after treatment end. Quantitative analyses indicated that the retrospective narratives of participants high in subjective well-being focused on the protagonist's agency in struggling with a discrete problem. In addition, the narratives of participants high in ego development described a coherent story of growth. These findings suggest that the stories clients construct about psychotherapy reliably vary depending on their psychological health. Abstract Wenn Personen eine Psychotherapie beenden, nehmen sie die Gesichte dieser Erfahrung mit sich. Diese retrospektive Rekonstruktion dient mehren psychologischen Zwecken, inklusive des Beitragens zur narrativen Identität und der Aufrechterhaltung des therapeutischen Zugewinns nach Beendigung der Therapie. Basierend auf einer früheren qualitativen Untersuchung von Therapie-Narrativen (Adler & McAdams, 2007a), wurde eine neue Stichprobe von 104 ehemaligen Klienten gebildet, die über ihre Psychotherapie nach Beendigung dieser schrieben. Qualitative Analysen deuteten an, dass die retrospektiven Narrative der Teilnehmer mit hohem subjektivem Wohlbefinden auf die Wirkung des Protagonisten fokussieren sich mit einem diskreten Problem auseinander zusetzen. Zusätzlich beschrieben die Narrative der Teilnehmer mit einer hohen Ego-Entwicklung eine kohärente Geschichte über Wachstum. Diese Ergebnisse sprechen dafür, dass die Geschichten, welche Klienten über Psychotherapie konstruieren, reliabel in Abhängigkeit der psychischer Gesundheit variieren. Abstract Lorsque une personne achève une psychothérapie, elle porte une histoire de son expérience avec elle. Cette reconstruction rétrospective sert plusieurs buts psychologiques, incluant la contribution à une identité narrative et l'influence du maintien des gains après la terminaison. Basé sur une investigation qualitative précédente de narrations de thérapies (Adler & McAdams, 2007a), un nouvel échantillon de 104 anciens clients a écrit à propos de leur psychothérapie après la fin du traitement. Les analyses qualitatives ont indiqué que la narration rétrospective des participants avec un bien-être subjectif élevé se focalisaient sur les protagonistes en tant qu'agents luttant avec un problème discret. De plus, les narrations des participants avec un développement de l'ego élevé décrivaient des histoires cohérentes de développement. Ces résultats suggèrent que les histoires que les clients construisent a propos de leur psychothérapie varient de manière fiable en fonction de leur santé psychologique. Abstract Cuando las personas completan una psicoterapia, llevan la historia de la experiencia consigo. Esta reconstrucción retrospectiva satisface múltiples propósitos psicológicos, incluyendo el aporte a la identidad narrativa y al mantenimiento de los logros después de terminar la terapia. Con base en una investigación cualitativa previa de narrativas de terapia (Adler & McAdams, 2007a), una nueva muestra de ciento cuatro clientes anteriores escribió acerca de su tratamiento luego de finalizado este. Los análisis cuantitativos indican que las narrativas retrospectivas de los participantes con alto grado de bienestar subjetivo se focalizaron en la acción del protagonista al luchar contra un problema determinado. Además, las narrativas de los participantes con gran desarrollo yoico describieron una historia coherente de crecimiento. Estos hallazgos sugieren que las historias que construyen los clientes acerca de la psicoterapia varían en forma confiable según su salud psicológica. Abstract Quando as pessoas completam a psicpterapia, eles levam a história da experiência consigo. Esta reconstrução retrospectiva serve vários propósitos psicoterapeuticos, inclusivamente contribundo ientificar narrativamente e influnciar a manuttenção dos ganhos terapeuticos após o témino da terapia. Baseado numa investgação qualitativa anterior (Adler e McAdams, 2007a), uma nova amostra de 104 antigos pacientes escreveram sobre a sua psicoterapia após o final do tratamento. As análises qualitativas indicaram que as narrativas restrospectivas dos participantes com bem-estar subjectivo elevado se focavam na capacidade do protagonista em lidar com um problema discreto no tempo. Adicionalmente, as narrativas dos participantes com valores elevados de desenvolvimento do ego descreveram uma história coerente de crescimento. Estes resultados sugerem que as histórias que os clientes constroem em relação à psicoterapia variam dependendo da sua saúde psicológica. Abstract Quando le persone completano la psicoterapia, portano la storia di questa esperienza con loro. Questa ricostruzione retrospettiva serve diversi scopi psicologici, incluso il contributo all'identit narrativa e l'influenza sul mantenimento dei miglioramenti terapeutici dopo la cessazione della terapia. Basato su uno studio qualitativo precedente su narrazioni di terapie (Adler & McAdams, 2007a), un nuovo campione di 104 ex clienti ha descritto la loro psicoterapia dopo la fine di trattamento. Le analisi quantitative hanno indicato che le narrazioni retrospettive di participanti con elevato benessere soggettivo si sono concentrate sul ruolo attivo del protagonista nella lotta contro un problema determinato. Inoltre, le narrative dei participanti con elevati valori nello sviluppo dell'io hanno descritto una storia coerente di crescita. Questi risultati suggeriscono che le storie costruite dai clienti sulla loro psicoterapia variano affidabilmente in rapporto alla loro salute psicologica. Keywords: process researchoutcome researchqualitative research methodsnarrativeidentity Notes 1. It is necessary to make a distinction between the study of psychotherapy narratives and the study of the uses of narrative in psychotherapy. The former focuses on the stories clients construct about their experiences in therapy both during treatment and after it is over. The second field of study focuses on clients’ uses of storytelling in the therapeutic encounter. There is a large body of work in this second tradition that dovetails with the literature on identity construction via storytelling (i.e., McLean, Pasupathi, & Pals, Citation2007) that is not reviewed in this article (i.e., Angus, Levitt, & Hardke, Citation1999; Angus & McLeod, Citation2004; Levitt, Citation2001; Machado & Gonçalves, Citation1999). The distinction here is between the study of narratives about therapy and the study of narratives in therapy or therapy as a narrative endeavor. The present study is concerned with narratives about the therapeutic experience and, therefore, falls within the former tradition of research.