The Countertransference Project

Countertransference in the treatment of patients with personality disorders

Background

This is a PhD project at University of Oslo about therapists’ countertransference (CT) reactions in the treatment of patients with personality pathology. It is a prospective, longitudinal study based on data from the Norwegian Network of Personality Disorders in the period 2010 to 2016.

Key issues of the study

  • Is there a relationship between therapists’ countertransference reactions and patient characteristics?
  • Is there a relationship between countertransference reactions and patients experience of therapeutic alliance?
  • Can CT reactions predict therapy outcome?

Publications

  • Breivik R, Wilberg T, Evensen J, Røssberg JI, Dahl HSJ, Pedersen G (2020). Countertransference feelings and personality disorders: A psychometric evaluation of a brief version of the Feeling Word Checklist (FWC-BV). BMC Psychiatry, 20:141. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02556-6.
  • Øvstebø, R. B., Pedersen, G., Wilberg, T., Røssberg, J. I., Dahl, H. S. J., & Kvarstein, E. H. (2023). Countertransference in the treatment of patients with personality disorders: A longitudinal study, Psychotherapy Research, DOI: 10.1080/10503307.2023.2279645.

The Project Group

  • Principal investigator: Geir Pedersen (main supervisor) - Section for Personality Psychiatry and Specialized Treatments, Oslo University Hospital / Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Norway / Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Norway.
  • PhD candidate: Randi Breivik - Section for Treatment and Research, Department of Research and Innovation, Oslo University Hospital.
  • Co-supervisor: Jan Ivar Røssberg - Section for Treatment and Research, Department of Research and Innovation, Oslo University Hospital.
  • Co-supervisor: Hanne Sofie Dahl - Vestfold Hospital Trust, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Tønsberg, Norway.
  • Theresa Wilberg - Section for Treatment and Research, Department of Research and Innovation, Oslo University Hospital.
  • Elfrida Kvarstein - Section for Personality Psychiatry and Specialized Treatments, Department for National and Regional Functions, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital / University of Oslo, Institute of Clinical Medicine.
Published Feb. 22, 2022 2:48 PM - Last modified Dec. 13, 2023 12:16 PM