WHAT HINDERS A CLIENT FROM FEELING SAFE IN PSYCHOTHERAPY: A PILOT STUDY

Abstract

Client safety is a cornerstone of psychotherapy. It can either complement or compete with other clientmotivations, such as self-disclosure, self-exploration, or trauma healing. Enhancing safety facilitates defensesystem desensitization and enables focus on other therapy goals. Purpose. This article presents the rationale foran empirical research program investigating the client’s experience of safety in psychotherapy and the resultsof the pilot stage. The study focused on four components that influence the client’s experience of psychologicalsafety: interpersonal risk regulation (vulnerability to social pain), existential security, interpersonalfunctioning, and negative emotional states. Methods. In the pilot study, 35 individuals with experience inpsychotherapy were surveyed using author’s questionnaire and the following instruments: Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale; Autonomy–Connectedness Scale; Express-test SCL -9-NR ; Trust/Distrust of the Individual tothe World, to Other People, to Oneself; International Trauma Questionnaire (IT Q); Spielberger-Hanin anxiety test; PH Q-2 and PH Q-9 Depression Test Questionnaire; Intersubjectness Diagnostic Survey; InterpersonalRelationships Scale of the Outcome Questionnaire-45; and The Relationship Questionnaire. Results.The study found that situational anxiety during psychotherapy has a negative correlation with self-esteem, trustin oneself, others, and the world, client’s intersubjectivity, interpersonal relationship scale, and self-reportedtherapy effectiveness. It has a positive correlation with personal anxiety, trauma index, global distress index,and depression severity. The therapist’s behavior also plays an important role in shaping the client’s senseof safety. Conclusions. The results of the study require replication with a larger sample for final verification.A deeper understanding of the phenomenon of psychological safety in the context of psychotherapy can becomethe basis for developing tools to help improve the effectiveness of psychotherapeutic care.