Two methods of assessing unconscious communication in psychotherapy.

Explores the relation between 2 quantitative measures of unconscious communication: (1) referential activity, which emerged from the dual-coding model of mental representation, and (2) newness of themes and extent of narrative/imagery, first identified as bearers of derivative material in the communicative approach to psychotherapy. The measures are applied to data from 2 female patients, each of whom was seen separately by 3 out of a group of 6 psychoanalysts in videotaped consultation interviews. Findings include significant correlations between referential activity and both newness of themes and extent of narrative/imagery. Newness of themes and extent of narrative/imagery also correlated significantly with each other. Scores on the measures tended to be lowest with the analysts who spoke most often. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)