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Metacommunications. A missed opportunity?
Summary
Human communication involves metacommunicating, which is communicating about communication. Therapists interpret patient metacommunications to shape therapeutic relationships for patient benefit.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Communication Studies
- Therapeutic Relationships
Background:
- Communication is a complex, multilevel phenomenon.
- Humans possess the unique ability to metacommunicate, or communicate about their communication.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the role of metacommunicative "meta" instructions in therapeutic discourse.
- To examine how therapists interpret these instructions to shape the patient-therapist relationship.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of therapeutic discourse.
- Interpretation of patient "meta" instructions by therapists.
Main Results:
- Therapists' interpretations of metacommunicative cues influence the therapeutic relationship.
- A complementary interactional approach leverages patient-therapist inequalities for therapeutic gain.
Conclusions:
- Metacommunication is a critical element in therapy.
- Understanding and utilizing metacommunicative dynamics can enhance therapeutic outcomes.