Exploring the Language of Body Boundaries in Person-Centred Psychotherapy

  • Laura A. Cariola University of Edinburgh

Abstract


This study is based on the assumption that verbal expression of the body boundary personality is a dynamic personality state depending on immediate social demands rather than a stable personality trait. By drawing Fisher and Cleveland (1958), the exposure and internalisation of social values, and behavioural expectations represent the most important influence in the formation of body boundary finiteness, and also the development of psychological disturbances (Rogers, 1951, 1961). Given this relationship between body boundary formation and Roger’s influence on the development of body psychotherapy, this correlational study explored the use of words and changes in body boundary finiteness of twelve patients attending person-centred psychotherapy. Changes of personality expressions were assessed by measuring the strengths of associations between barrier imagery, as measured using the Body Type Dictionary (BTD) (Wilson, 2006), and the general semantic content, as measured using the Linguistic Inquiry Word Count text analysis program (LIWC) (Pennebaker, Booth, & Francis, 2007).

 

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Published
15-Jan-2017
How to Cite
Cariola, L. (2017). Exploring the Language of Body Boundaries in Person-Centred Psychotherapy. Language and Psychoanalysis, 5(2), 62-80. https://doi.org/10.7565/landp.v5i2.1561
Section
Original Articles