SIGNS OF DEFENSIVE CONTROL LOCATE CONFLICTED TOPICS IN DISCOURSE

Background: Psychodynamic clinicians cite defensive actions observed i n evaluation and treatment as a source of important information. Empir ical support for such assertions has seldom been based on objective st udy of recorded psychotherapy. A quantitative study of the association of signs of defensive control with disclosure of conflicted beliefs w as undertaken. Methods: Brief dynamic psychotherapies of two patients with pathological grief reactions were recorded and reviewed by indepe ndent judges. Periods of heightened defensive control of verbal and no nverbal communication were quantified using operational definitions. R eliably scored defensive episodes were algorithmically selected by com puter programs. The people and topics discussed by patients were indep endently scored. Results: Highly defensive periods contained dispropor tionately more frequent instances of patient discourse about people in volved in conflict and unresolved topics. Conclusions: The findings su pport the psychodynamic hypothesis that observation of defensive behav iors may locate times of communication about conflicted themes.