A measure of linear influence between patient and therapist

This paper describes the application of the cross-correlation function (CCF) to four quantified dimensions of the therapeutic consultation dialogue: newness of themes, degree of narration, and positive and negative thematic tone of images. A 10-min. window was used to study lag relationships in both directions of effect--from therapist to patient and the reverse. This measure of linear influence was applied to six psychotherapeutic consultation sessions carried out by different well known psychoanalysts with two women patients. Analysis showed a range of significant CCF effects that totaled from zero to 1360 sec. depending on the consultation. The implications of these and other findings are discussed in the context of viewing the present study as part of a program of investigations into the nonexperimental nature--the underlying laws, structures, and transactions--of therapeutic and everyday emotional dialogues.