The Analysis of Natural Language in Psychological Treatment

Abstract

For a number of years, we have conducted research designed to promote increased understanding of psychological treatment through an analysis of the language used by those who are participating in such treatment. Although our assumptions, conceptual work, and method have been shaped by work in several areas such a linguistics, psychology, and sociology, the research itself is a direct development from theorizing and earlier empirical investigations conducted by Pepinsky and his colleagues (cf. Pepinsky, 1970; Pepinsky & Karst, 1964; Pepinsky & Patton, 1971). This early work developed an interactive definition of psychological treatment (Pepinsky & Patton, 1971) which subsequently became the basis for a still developing model of counselor-client interaction and change (Patton, Fuhriman & Bieber, 1977; Pepinsky, 1974, 1984; Pepinsky & DeStefano, 1983; Rush, Pepinsky, Landry, Meara, Strong, Valley, & Young, 1974).