The psychoanalytic approach views intrapsychic conflict, to be the cause of psychological disorder. Choose the correct sequence of steps involved in reaching the expected outcome from the psychodynamic therapy.
A. The client shows resistance.
B. Establishing the therapeutic relationship with the client.
C. Use of free association is met with transference neurosis.
D. Confrontation and clarification takes place.
E. This repeated process is known as working through.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → B, C, A, D, E
(B) Establishing the therapeutic relationship with the client. — first. In the initial phase the client becomes familiar with the routines and establishes a therapeutic relationship with the analyst.
(C) Use of free association is met with transference neurosis. — second. As unconscious forces are brought into the conscious realm through free association and dream interpretation, the client starts identifying the therapist with the authority figures of the past and acts out the feelings s/he could not express then. This stage is called transference neurosis.
(A) The client shows resistance. — third. The process of transference is met with resistance: it exposes unconscious wishes and raises distress, so the client opposes the progress of therapy, for example by becoming silent or missing appointments.
(D) Confrontation and clarification takes place. — fourth. The therapist overcomes the resistance by repeatedly confronting the client. Confrontation and clarification are the two analytical techniques of interpretation: in confrontation the therapist points out an aspect of the psyche the client must face, and in clarification a vague event is brought into sharp focus.
(E) This repeated process is known as working through. — fifth. The repeated process of using confrontation, clarification and interpretation is known as working through; it leads to insight.
Note: The steps of psychodynamic therapy (transference neurosis, resistance, confrontation and clarification, and working through) were there in the chapter ‘Therapeutic Approaches’ of the pre-rationalised NCERT, which NTA followed in 2023, and are not there in the NCERT book (2025-26).
NCERT (Pre-rationalised): “Modality of Treatment … As the unconscious forces are brought into the conscious realm through free association and dream interpretation described above, the client starts identifying the therapist with the authority figures of the past, usually childhood. … This is the process of transference. … This stage is called transference neurosis.…” “…The process of transference is met with resistance. … Due to resistance, the client opposes the progress of therapy in order to protect herself/himself from the recall of painful unconscious memories.…” “…The therapist overcomes the resistance by repeatedly confronting the patient about it and by uncovering emotions such as anxiety, fear, or shame, which are causing the resistance. Interpretation is the fundamental mechanism by which change is effected. Confrontation and clarification are the two analytical techniques of interpretation.…” “…The repeated process of using confrontation, clarification, and interpretation is known as working through.…” “Duration of Treatment … Stage one is the initial phase. The client becomes familiar with the routines, establishes a therapeutic relationship with the analyst, and gets some relief with the process of recollecting the superficial materials from the consciousness about the past and present troublesome events.…” |