CONSISTENCY OF INTERPERSONAL THEMES FOR PATIENTS IN PSYCHOTHERAPY

In this study the extent to which patients in psychotherapy display si milar interpersonal themes across multiple narratives of their interac tions with others was investigated. Interpersonal themes were measured using a new instrument entitled the Quantitative Assessment of Interp ersonal Themes (QUAINT) method, which assesses the wishes, responses f rom others, and responses of self that occur in narratives about inter actions with others. For 60 patients in psychotherapy, evidence for re petitiveness of themes was found; the effect was relatively small but was highly statistically significant. Individual differences in the de gree of repetitiveness of themes were not related to type of treatment (dynamic vs. cognitive), but they were related to length of time. in treatment. The limitations of the study are reviewed and future resear ch directions are outlined.