Adverse effects of psychotherapy
Vol.12,No.2(2018)
This qualitative explorative study is focused on the topic of adverse effects of psychotherapy. The aim was to explore the negative effects in Czech Republic. Individual interviews were conducted with eight participants in order to get the research data. The use of thematic analysis led to identification of seven main themes, which reflect the clients’ experience with negative effects: negative effects emerge from intense self-observation; leaving responsibility to therapist reinforces client’s passivity; therapist elicits negative reactions in client; therapy causes difficulties at work/school, in social relationships and in everyday life; psychotherapy experience results in rejection of further treatment; therapy does not lead to improvement, and therapy contributes to building a negative self-image. The results of the study indicate that the different negative effects are needed be taken very seriously, and as a topic of further research.
psychotherapy; negative effects; dependence; therapist; deterioration
Copyright © 2018 Lucia Polakovská, Zbyněk Vybíral