COUNTERTRANSFERENCE BEHAVIOR AND MANAGEMENT WITH SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT

This study examined therapists' countertransference behavior with rape survivors in light Of: (I) therapists' gender and (2) their use of a two-step model of countertransference management. The two-step model c onsists of awareness of countertransference feelings followed by emplo yment of a theoretical framework to understand these feelings. Forty-s even graduate trainees completed measures of awareness of countertrans ference feelings and theoretical framework. One week later, therapists responded at six pause points to one of two videotaped client-actress es portraying a survivor of date rape. Countertransference behavior wa s measured by analzing therapists' responses to the client in terms of ''approach'' and ''avoidance.'' The two-step model of countertransfer ence management was analyzed via a hierarchical regression. An interac tion effect between awareness of feelings and theoretical framework : was identified, suggesting that high awareness and high theoretical fr amework yields the least avoidance while low awareness and high framew ork results ire the greatest avoidance. As hypothesized, male therapis ts provided significantly more avoidance responses to the rape survivo r than did female therapists.