Attachment, countertransference, and mentalization: Therapist and dyadic dimensions impact on psychotherapeutic process and change

Funder

Organizational Unit

Publications

Mentalizing countertransference? A model for research on the elaboration of countertransference experience in psychotherapy

Publication . Barreto, João Francisco; Matos, Paula Mena

As a construct, the elaboration of countertransference experience (ECE) is intended to depict the implicit and explicit psychological work to which therapists submit their experiences with clients. Through ECE, defined as a mentalizing process of a particular kind, therapists' experiences are presumed to acquire and increase in mental quality and become available for meaning-making and judicious clinical use. In this paper, we claim that such an ongoing process facilitates engagement with common therapeutic factors, such as the therapeutic alliance and countertransference management, enhancing therapist responsiveness in psychotherapy. We synthesize relevant literature on countertransference, mentalization, and, in particular, therapists' mentalization, informed by a systematic literature review. As a result, we propose a model for assessing ECE in psychotherapy, comprising 6 diversely mentalized countertransference positions (factual-concrete, abstract-rational, projective-impulsive, argumentative, contemplative-mindful, and mentalizing), 2 underlying primary dimensions (experiencing, reflective elaboration), and 5 complementary dimensions of elaboration. Strengths and limitations of the model are discussed.

2018Journal article

Open access

Uncovering personality structure with the Inventory of Personality Organization : An exploration of factor structure with a Portuguese sample

Publication . Barreto, João Francisco; Matias, M.; Carvalho, H.M.; Matos, P.M.

The Inventory of Personality Organization (IPO) is a self-report measure intended to assess the severity of personality disturbance according to Otto F. Kernberg's model. To study factor structure and psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of IPO (IPO-Pt). Two independent samples of 586 individuals each were used for exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Different models were compared in terms of reliability and validity. A three-factor solution resulted, comprising dimensions labeled as Instability of Self, Instability of Others, and Psychosis. Internal consistency and temporal stability yielded acceptable to excellent results. Correlations with measures of self-concept coherence, emotion dysregulation, psychoticism, symptom severity, and personality disturbance were as expected, and sensitivity to clinical status was confirmed. IPO-Pt shows encouraging psychometric qualities and its latent structure resonates with important aspects of Kernberg's model, previous findings, and the DSM-5 level of personality functioning scale.

2017Journal article

Open access