Antaki2010

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Antaki2010
BibType ARTICLE
Key Antaki2010
Author(s) Charles Antaki, Andrew Jahoda
Title Psychotherapists’ practices in keeping a session “on-track” in the face of clients’ “off-track” talk
Editor(s)
Tag(s) EMCA, Psychotherapy
Publisher
Year 2010
Language
City
Month
Journal Communication & Medicine
Volume 7
Number 1
Pages 11–21
URL Link
DOI 10.1558/cam.v7i1.11
ISBN
Organization
Institution
School
Type
Edition
Series
Howpublished
Book title
Chapter

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Abstract

Based on an inspection of sessions with intellectually impaired and non-impaired clients, five conversational practices are identified by which a cognitive behaviour psychotherapist may keep the session "on-track" in the face of possible deviation. Close inspection of audio- and video-recordings reveals a gradient of therapist responses. They range between minimal receipt of what the client has said, even when this would otherwise have warranted expansion, all the way to explicit active topic shift which takes a more directive role. The operation of these topic-management practices is explained using Conversation Analysis, and their therapeutic utility and possible dangers are outlined. The article ends with a brief sketch of the tension between an "outsider's" Conversation-Analysis perspective on the organisation of therapy talk, and a therapist's, "insider's", view of the meanings and intentions of what participants say.

Notes