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Psychoanalytic psychotherapy and the analytic attitude : a cross-cultural case study approach

Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2008.

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Other Authors: Gildenhuys, Assie
Format: Thesis
Published: University of Pretoria 2013
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access_status_str Open Access
author2 Gildenhuys, Assie
author_browse Gildenhuys, Assie
author_facet Gildenhuys, Assie
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © University of Pretoria 2007 D473 /
description Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2008.
format Thesis
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institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:39:39.216Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2013
publishDateRange 2013
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publisher University of Pretoria
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spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/27141 Psychoanalytic psychotherapy and the analytic attitude : a cross-cultural case study approach Gildenhuys, Assie garyread@mweb.co.za Read, Gary Frank Hoyland Psychoanalysis Universalism Cross-cultural Case study Individualism Dualism Analytic attitude Relational Postmoderm Psychotherapy UCTD Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2008. The relevance of individual psychoanalytic psychotherapy in the context of post-apartheid South Africa is a contentious issue. The western-centric universalist bias of this treatment approach has been criticised for not being applicable to Black South African individuals. With these criticisms in mind the appropriacy and efficacy of psychoanalytic psychotherapy was examined by focusing on three Black English-speaking South African women between the ages of 25 and 35 from the urban Western Cape. A collective case study design situated within a postmodern framework of enquiry was chosen for its capacity to incorporate both the therapist’s and the participant’s experience of the therapeutic process over time. This study focused on the analytic attitude, which comprises the basic template through which psychoanalytic psychotherapy is practised. The model used was that described by Ivey (1999) which includes five elements: generative uncertainty, abstinence, neutrality, countertransference receptivity, resoluteness and three related concepts: the task process and setting. The therapeutic dyad comprised the principal unit of analysis; by examining the interactive responses within this dyad in terms of the eight sub-units of the analytic attitude it was possible to evaluate the effectiveness of this modality. The findings showed that this model was successful with an emerging group of individuals who simultaneously hold traditional collective values and western values of individuation and self-determination. Some adjustments to abstinence and neutrality were necessary and a high degree of vigilance and self-reflection on the part of the therapist was required. It was revealed that western ideals of individualism, subject/object dualities, and taken-for-granted assumptions tend to obscure the practice of psychoanalytic psychotherapy across culture. The relational two-person model was able to accommodate cultural difference to good effect, opening the way for universalistic assumptions to be challenged and re-thought. This attitude was effective both as a treatment model and as a research tool. The participants in this study represent an emerging class of Black South Africans who are seeking different pathways for psychological concerns. The findings of this study can be generalised to a body of knowledge concerning the use of the analytic attitude in specific cross-cultural contexts in South Africa. Psychology unrestricted 2013-09-07T10:44:42Z 2008-08-13 2013-09-07T10:44:42Z 2007-09-05 2008-08-13 2008-08-11 Thesis a 2007 D473 /gm http://hdl.handle.net/2263/27141 http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-08112008-175047/ © University of Pretoria 2007 D473 / application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle Psychoanalysis
Universalism
Cross-cultural
Case study
Individualism
Dualism
Analytic attitude
Relational
Postmoderm
Psychotherapy
UCTD
Psychoanalytic psychotherapy and the analytic attitude : a cross-cultural case study approach
title Psychoanalytic psychotherapy and the analytic attitude : a cross-cultural case study approach
title_full Psychoanalytic psychotherapy and the analytic attitude : a cross-cultural case study approach
title_fullStr Psychoanalytic psychotherapy and the analytic attitude : a cross-cultural case study approach
title_full_unstemmed Psychoanalytic psychotherapy and the analytic attitude : a cross-cultural case study approach
title_short Psychoanalytic psychotherapy and the analytic attitude : a cross-cultural case study approach
title_sort psychoanalytic psychotherapy and the analytic attitude a cross cultural case study approach
topic Psychoanalysis
Universalism
Cross-cultural
Case study
Individualism
Dualism
Analytic attitude
Relational
Postmoderm
Psychotherapy
UCTD
url http://hdl.handle.net/2263/27141
http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-08112008-175047/