Elaboration of some sequence analysis strategies: examples and guidelines for level of confidence

Although not the only way to approach the interpretation of Rorschach test data, the Comprehensive System (Exner, 1991) search strategy is the most systematized and empirically informed to date. Within that search strategy, a role for sequence analysis remains (Weiner, 1998). Sequence analysis adds a specificity of nuance useful in bringing personal meaning to, answering more difficult test questions about, or explaining apparent incongruities in the data. In this article, I elaborate a few aspects of some particular sequence analysis strategies as a way of supplementing Weiner's (1998) description. I discuss and expand the following ideas: (a) conjoint (configurational) examination of individual responses, (b) specifics about patient concerns, (c) specifics about response deterioration and their treatment implications, (d) specifics about response recovery and their treatment implications, (e) contribution of attitude toward the response, (f) minisequence and configurational analysis strategies for particular test questions, and (g) guidelines for establishing level of confidence in sequence analysis inferences.