Emotions and Primary Process in Guided Imagery Psychotherapy: Computerized Text-Analytic Measures

This single-case study explored the therapeutic ingredients of a psychotherapy method using an imagery technique. From a 19-session psychodynamic psychotherapy, 6 sessions containing guided affective imagery were compared with the remaining 13 sessions, which did not contain imagery. The completely transcribed sessions were screened by 3 computerized text-analytic instruments: the Regressive Imagery Dictionary (RID), the Affective Dictionary Ulm (ADU), and computerized Referential Activity (cRA). We hypothesized that imagery will elicit more primary process (as indicated by RID), more (and in particular more positive) affects (as indicated by ADU), and more Referential Activity (as indicated by cRA). Results from all 3 vocabulary measures confirm these hypotheses. These results are of interest regarding how to access the domain of implicit (procedural) knowledge in psychotherapy and may contribute to the domain of dream research.