Affective indicators of the psychotherapeutic process: An empirical case study

By analyzing facial expressions of emotion and the emotional experience of a patient and a psychotherapist, we attempted to objectively register uncon scious interaction processes that could have contributed to the failure of a psychotherapy that ended prematurely. In this connection, the affect "con tempt" played a particular role. It is made clear how an unconscious enactm ent results in a gap between emotional expression and experience. In additi on, the countertransference of the psychotherapist is examined and the emot ional experience is contrasted with her affective behavior. In this study, it is demonstrated how this particular psychotherapy failed due to a Lack o f acknowledging the involvement of the interactive dynamics.