The effects of two verbal techniques on the expression of feelings.

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A problem frequently encountered in psychotherapy is the client's use of impersonal, nonemotional statements. The therapist's requests for statements referring to the client's feelings are frequently met with descriptions of situations or impersonal observations, even though the client is highly motivated to cooperate. Therapists therefore frequently attempt to behave in a manner that facilitates their client's emotional expression. The present study involves a comparison of the specific technique of reflection of feelings with a simple undifferentiated vocalization, "Mm-hm," both applied as the only response given, in separate interviews, and occurring only after expressions of feeling. It was hypothesized that reflection of feelings results in greater expression of feelings than does an undifferentiated vocalization ("Mm-hm"). The subjects were 30 male undergraduate students. The results indicate that under the conditions of the present experiment there is no difference in effectiveness between reflection of feelings and the undifferentiated vocalization "Mm-hm," as techniques for increasing expression of feelings. The additional factor of clarification of feelings through re-expression in different words does not seem to increase the frequency of expression of feelings beyond that obtained with any technique which responds only to feelings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: