INTERPRETATION AND EXPECTATION - THE ANXIETY OF INFLUENCE

Interpretations go beyond assigning unconscious meaning to analytic ma terial. They inevitably communicate the analyst's assessments of the p atient's present and past conflicts, and his expectations for their fu ture resolution. The analyst's estimation of a patient's potential, as well as his personal investment in helping the patient realize that p otential, is embedded in the interpretive process. Although careful an alysis of unintended interpretive influences on a patient's transferen ce and resistance is required to assure relative neutrality, there rem ains a residual conditioning effect of interpretations that catalyzes the analytic process and reinforces a patient's efforts to change.