The repeated process of using confrontation, clarification, and interpretation is known as ________ in Psychodynamic Therapy.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Working Through
Option (1) Transference — Incorrect. In transference the client starts identifying the therapist with the authority figures of the past, usually of childhood, and acts out the feelings she or he could not express then. It is a means of treatment, not the repeated use of confrontation, clarification and interpretation.
Option (2) Resistance — Incorrect. Resistance is the client’s opposition to the progress of therapy, to protect herself or himself from recalling painful unconscious memories. It is something the therapist has to overcome.
Option (3) Working Through — Correct. In confrontation the therapist points out an aspect of the psyche the client must face; in clarification a vague event is brought into sharp focus; in interpretation the uncovered unconscious material is used to make the client aware of her or his conflicts. The repeated process of using confrontation, clarification and interpretation is known as working through, and its outcome is insight.
Option (4) Free Association — Incorrect. Free association is a method in which the client is asked to openly share all the thoughts, feelings and ideas that come to mind. It brings unconscious material up; it does not interpret it.
Note: Working through, the repeated use of confrontation, clarification and interpretation, was there in the pre-rationalised NCERT, which NTA followed in 2023, and is not there in the NCERT book (2025-26). Hence this question has been picked from the pre-rationalised NCERT.
NCERT (2025-26): “Type of Therapies …Psychodynamic therapy uses the methods of free association and reporting of dreams to elicit the thoughts and feelings of the client. This material is interpreted to the client to help her/him to confront and resolve the conflicts and thus overcome problems.…” “…Freud used free association (a method in which a person is asked to openly share all the thoughts, feelings and ideas that come to her/his mind), dream analysis, and analysis of errors to understand the internal functioning of the mind.…” 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. The therapist may be seen as the punitive father, or as the negligent mother. The therapist maintains a non-judgmental yet permissive attitude and allows the client to continue with this process of emotional identification. This is the process of transference.…” “…Due to resistance, the client opposes the progress of therapy in order to protect herself/himself from the recall of painful unconscious memories.…” “…In confrontation, the therapist points out to the client an aspect of her/his psyche that must be faced by the client. Clarification is the process by which the therapist brings a vague or confusing event into sharp focus. This is done by separating and highlighting important details about the event from unimportant ones. Interpretation is a more subtle process. It is considered to be the pinnacle of psychoanalysis. The therapist uses the unconscious material that has been uncovered in the process of free association, dream interpretation, transference and resistance to make the client aware of the psychic contents and conflicts which have led to the occurrence of certain events, symptoms and conflicts. Interpretation can focus on intrapsychic conflicts or on deprivations suffered in childhood. The repeated process of using confrontation, clarification, and interpretation is known as working through. Working through helps the patient to understand herself/himself and the source of the problem and to integrate the uncovered material into her/his ego.…” |