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On negative and positive therapeutic reaction
The International Journal of Psycho-Analysis
|January 1, 1989
Summary
This study clarifies the negative therapeutic reaction in psychoanalysis, distinguishing it from similar phenomena and exploring its roots in separation anxiety. It highlights that overcoming this reaction can lead to a favorable patient outcome.
Area of Science:
- Psychoanalysis
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- The negative therapeutic reaction (NTR) is a complex phenomenon in psychoanalysis.
- It is often confused with other therapeutic difficulties, including positive therapeutic reactions with negative presentations.
- Understanding the NTR is crucial for effective psychodynamic treatment.
Observation:
- The paper differentiates the NTR from similar clinical pictures, especially positive therapeutic reactions that appear negative.
- It identifies separation anxiety, stemming from joint work between patient and analyst, as a key motivator for the NTR.
- Distinctions are drawn between the NTR and other analytic process disturbances like impasses, resistances, negative transference, and unanalysability.
Findings:
- The NTR is distinct from other psychoanalytic disturbances such as impasses, resistances, and negative transference.
- Difficulties in working through separation anxieties following periods of intense patient-analyst collaboration can motivate the NTR.
- The NTR is not an insurmountable obstacle; some patients can overcome it, leading to a positive therapeutic evolution.
Implications:
- Accurate differentiation of the NTR is essential for appropriate clinical management.
- Addressing separation anxieties may be key to resolving the NTR.
- The potential for favorable outcomes in patients experiencing NTR underscores the dynamic and adaptable nature of psychoanalytic treatment.