Functions of the Personal Style of the Therapist in Specialists from the Field of Drug Addiction

Abstract

Objective. The aim of this article was to compare the Personal Style of the Therapist (PST) between two groups of professionals: one specializing in the tending of drug addicted patients (Addiction Group), and the other specializing in general clinical practice (Clinical Group). Method. The sample was comprised of 100 psychotherapists who work in public and private institutions in three provinces from the interior of Argentina; an effort was made to standardize the demographic variables of both groups (similar proportion of gender, average age and years of experience, theoretical framework, treatment extension and skill of specialization). The Personal Style of the Therapist Questionnarie was used as an instrument of data collection, to assess the different functions of the PST. The subjects who belonged to the Addiction Group were contacted in specifi c institutions of treatment. Results. For the data analysis, means comparison tests were used and the effect size was calculated. Signifi cant differences were obtained in the Expressive Function: Clinical Group (M = 40.36) and Addiction Group (M = 29.86), similarly in the Instructional Function: Clinical Group (M = 28.01) and Addiction Group (M = 32.67). This would indicate a greater emotional distance and increased rigidity of the therapeutic setting in the addicted patients’ therapists. Conclusion. These results are discussed in terms of previous assumptions that point out the complexity of the therapeutic relationship and the emphasis on the characteristics of the therapeutic setting, such as setting limits.