The effects of social cognition and object representation on psychotherapycontinuation

This study investigates the extent to which the number of psychotherapy ses sions attended is predicted by the Rorschach Mutuality of Autonomy Scale (M OA; Urist, 1977), Holt primary (Al) and secondary (A2) process aggression v ariables (Holt, 1977), and ratings of Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) narr atives using Westen's (1995) eight Social Cognition and Object Relations Sc ale (SCORS) variables (complexity of representation of people, affective qu ality of representations, emotional investment in relationships, emotional investment in values and moral standards, understanding of social causality , experience and management of aggressive impulses, self-esteem, identity a nd coherence of self). Seventy-six patients with a DSM-IV Axis II diagnosis participated in this study. Two separate stepwise regression analyses (one for Rorschach variables, N = 76, and one for the SCORS ([TAT]) variables, n = 63) indicated that the Rorschach MOA PATH score (sum of scale points 5, 6, and 7; positive), as well as two individual SCORS variables (in order o f relative magnitude, affective quality of representations, negative, and e motional investment in relationships, positive), were predictive of the num ber of psychotherapy sessions attended by patients. The conceptual nature a nd clinical utility of these variables are discussed in relation to the ter mination and continuation of psychodynamic psychotherapy.