Comment: Can some interpersonalists be more different than alike? Implications for method in practice and research

The paper provides a commentary on two qualitative case studies of therapist use of immediacy in two brief interpersonal psychotherapies involving two senior White male clinicians and two young female patients with diverse identities (Hill et al., 2008; see record 2008-13167-001; Kaspar, Hill, & Kivlighan, 2008; see record 2008-13167-002). The commentary proposes an alternative interpersonal model by which the data collected could be examined. The model suggests that therapist and patient interact in a complex process of power and affection toward mutual recognition, which is further shaped by their respective gender and cultural identities. Several implications for the study of the psychotherapeutic situation based on this interpersonal model are presented, including using observer-based measures that can assess power plays and therapist immediate awareness, as well as another qualitative strategy that would capture the richness of clinical process. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).