The present research was an attempt to examine the relationship between counselor interpretation of client's transference and counseling outcome. According to the psychodynamic theory, transference interpretation is the critical means for the change o...
The present research was an attempt to examine the relationship between counselor interpretation of client's transference and counseling outcome. According to the psychodynamic theory, transference interpretation is the critical means for the change of the client and it closely relate with the counseling outcome. The previous studies, however, had not showed any congruent result, which is thought to be due to the fact that they did not consider the adequacy of transference interpretation and the therapeutic alliance between the counselor and the client. In other words, the adequate transference interpretation will be effective only when the counselor and the client have good working alliance. In this research, the transference is defined as client's 'Core Conflictual Relationship Theme', and examined the interaction effect of the working alliance and the adequacy of transference interpretation on counseling outcome. This study investigated the interaction effects of working alliance and transference interpretation on counseling outcome through 43 counseling cases (86 sessions). The adequacy of transference interpretation was measured by three viewpoints (client, counselor, and observer), and estimated by the score of congruity, correspondency, and accuracy of transference interpretation. Results of the research indicate that the interaction effect of working alliance and transference interpretation on counseling outcome exist, and the adequacy of transference interpretation has different effect on counseling outcome by the viewpoint of measurement.