Constructivist metatheory: implications for psychotherapy
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33898/rdp.v1i2-3.666Keywords:
metatheory, constructivist, psychotherapeutic processAbstract
This paper analyzes the development of cognitive therapies to provide an idea of the state of the art, reflecting its extant different trends. Cognitive therapies that are not the result of the efforts of a single creator but of several independent thinkers (Beck, Ellis, Kelly) along with the "cognitive-behavioral" trend. In the eighties, the development of a constructivist perspective (Guidano, Liotti, Mahoney, Neimeyer) within the cognitive realm suggest the idea of "a revolution within the revolution." In describing the present situation we follow the distinction proposed by Mahoney & Gabriel (1987) between rationalist and constructivist perspectives. This bears important implications for conceptualizing the client's problem and providing therapy. Further distinctions are suggest to propose a taxonomy for the cognitive therapies. Within the rationalist perspective we can distinguish between skills training (self-control, problem solving, coping) and cognitive restructuring. Among the constructivist therapies we distinguish evolutive approaches (structural, human change processes, piagetian) from the classical personal construct therapy. Although such a diversity provides a rich heritage, it also presents some problems regarding the identity and internal coherence of cognitive therapies. The need for a theoretical foundation based on cognitive psychology is especially highlighted.
Downloads
References
ADAMS-WEBER, J. (1981). Fixed role therapy. In R. Corsini (Ed.), Handbook of innovative psychotherapies.
New York: Wiley.
BANNISTER, D. (1975). Personal construct theory psychotherapy. In D. Banister (Ed), /ssues and approaches
in the psychological therapies. New York: Wiley.
BREWER, W.F. & AKAMURA, G.V. (984). The nature and functions of schemas. In R.S. Wyer & T.K. Srull
(Eds). Handbook of secial cognition, Vol 1 (pp. H9-160). Hillsdale, NI: Lawrence Erlbaum.
BUGENTAL. JF.T. (1978). Psychorkerapy and process: The fundamentals of an existential-humanistic
approëch. Reading: MA: Addison-Wesley.
BUGENTAL, VE.T. & BUGENTAL, E.K. (1984). A fate worse than death: the fear of changing. Psychotherapy,
SA3-SA9.
BUTTON, E. (Ed.) (1985). Personal €onstruct theory and mental health. London: Croom Helm.
ELLENBERGER, H.F. (1970). The discovery of the unconscious. New York: Basic Books
EPTING, FR. (1984). Personal construct counseling and psychotkerapy. New York: Wiley.
FRANK, J.D. (1985). Therapeutic components shared by al] psychotherapies. In M.J. Mahoney & A. Freeman
(Eds.), Cognition and psychotherapy (pp. 49-79). New York: Plenum.
FRANSELLA, f. (1972). Personal Change and reconstruction: Research and treatment of stuuering. London:
Academic Press.
FRIEDMAN, M. (1967). To deny our nothingness. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
FRIEDMAN, M. (1974). The hidden human image. New York: Dell.
GOLDFERIED, M.R. (Ed.) (1982). Converging themes in psychotherapy. New York: Springer.
GREENBERG, L.S. & SAFRAN, J.D. (1987). Emotion in psychotherapy. New York: Guilford Press.
GUIDANO, V.F. (1987). Complexity of the self: A development approach to psychopathology and therapy. New
York: Guilford Press.
GUIDANO, V.F. & LIOTTI, G. (1983). Cognitive processes and emotional disorders. New York: Guilford
Press.
IVEY, AE. (1986). Development therapy. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
JOYCE-MONIZ, L. (1985). Epistemological therapy and constructivism. In M.J. Mahoney & A. Freeman
(Eds.), Cognition and psychotherapy. (pp. 143-179). New York: Plenum
Press,
KELLY, G.A. (1955). The psychology of personal constructs. New York: Norton.
KILBURG, R.R. NATHAN, P.E. & THORESON, R.W. (Eds) (1986). Professionals in distress: Issues,
syadromes, and solutions in psychology. Washington, DC: American Psychological
Association. LANDFIELD, A.W. (1971). Personal construct systems in psychotherapy. Chicago: Rand
McNally
LANDEIELD, A.W. & LEITNER, L.M. (Eds.) (1980). Personal construct psychotherapy and personality. New
York: Wiley.
LEITNER, L. (1987). Crisis of the self: The terror of personal evolution. In R.A. Neimeyer & Neimeyer (Eds.),
Personal construct therapy casebook. New York: Springer.
LERNER, R. (1984). 7he nature of the human plasticity. New York: Cambridge University Press.
LIOTTI, G. (1987). The resistance to change of cognitive structures: A counterproposal to psychoanalytic
metapsychology. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy: An International @Ouarterly, 1, 87-104.
MAHONEY, M.J. (1978). Psychotherapy and human change processes. In M.J. Mahoney & A. Freeman (Eds.),
Cognition and psychotherapy (pp. 3-48). New York: Plenum Press.
MAHONEY, M.J. (1986). The tyranny of technigue. Counseling and Values, 30, 169-174.
MAHONEY, M.J. (1987). The cognitive sciences and psychotherapy: Patterns in developing relationship. In K
Dobson (Ed), Handbook of cognitive-behavioral therapies. New York: Guilford Press.
MAHONEY, M.J. (1988). Constructive matatheory: 1. Basic features and historical foundations. /nternational
Journal of Personal Construct Psychology. 1, 1-35.
MAHONEY, M.J. (1990). Human changes processes: Notes on the facilitation of personal development. New
York: Basic Books.
MAHONEY, M.J. & GABRIEL, T.J. (1987). Psychotherapy and the cognitive sciences: An evolving alliance.
Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy: An international @Ouarterly, 1, 39-59.
MAHONEY, M.J., NORCROSS, J.C., PROCHASKA, JO. & MISSAR, C.D. (1987).Principles and processes
of human change: A transtheoretical survey of American clinical psychologists. Unpublished raw data.
MABHRER, AR. (1985). Psychotherapeutic change: An alternative approach to meaning and measurement.
New York: Norton.
MALCOM, J. (1980). Psychoanalysis: The impossible profession. New York: Knopf.
MANCUSO, J.C. & ADAMS-WEBBER, J.R. (Eds.) (1982). The construing person. New York: Praeger.
NEIMEYER, R.A. (1980). George Kelly as therapist: a review of his tapes. In A.W. Landfield & L.M. Leitner
(Eds.), Personal construct psychology: Psychotherapy and personality. New York: Wiley.
NEIMEYER, R.A. (1986). Personal construct therapy. In W. Dryden & W. Golden (Eds.), Cognitive behavioral
approaches to psychotherapy. London: Harper & Row.
NEIMEYER, RA. & NEIMEYER, G.J. (Eds.), (1987). Personal construct therapy casebook. New York:
Springer.
NORCROSS, J.C. & PROCHASKA, J.O. (1986a). Psychotherapist heal thyself: 1. The psychological distress
and self-change of psychologists, counselors, and laypersons. Psychotherapy, 23, 102-114.
NORCROSS, J.C. & PROCHASKA, J.O. (1986b). Psychotherapist heal thyself:I1. The self-initiated and
therapy-facilitated change of psychological distress. Psychotherapy, 23, 345-356.
PEPPER, $.C. (1942). World hypoteses. Berkeley, CA: University of Califomia Press.
PROCHASKA, J.O. (1979). Systems of psychotherapy: A Transtheoretical analysis. Homewood, II]: Dorsey.
REDA, M.A. (1986). Sistemi cognitivi complessi e psicoterapia. Roma: Nuova Ttalia Scientifica.
RICE, LN. & GREENBERG, L.C. (Eds.) (1984). Paterns of Change. New York: Guilford Press.
RUMELHART, DE. & NORMAN, D.A. (1981). Accretion, tuning, and restructuring: Three modes of learning.
In J.W. Cotton & R. Klatzky (Eds.), $emantic factors in cognition (pp. 37-60). Hillsdale, NI: Lawrence
Erlbaum.
SCOTT, CD. & HAWK, J. (Eds.) (1986). Heal Hyself: The health of health care professionals. New York:
Brunner/Mazel.
SOLDZ, $, (1987). The flight from relationship. In R.A. Neimeyer & G. J. Neimevyer (Eds.), Personal construct
therapy casebook. New York: Springer.
VOSNIADOU, $S. & BREWER, W.F. (1987). Theories of knowledge restructuring in development. Review of
Educational Research, 57, 51-67.
WALSH, R.N. & VAUGHAN, F. (Eds.) (1980). Bevond ego: Transpersonal dimensions in psychology. Los
Angeles: Tarcher.
WASKOW, 1. & PARLOFF, M. (Eds.) (1975). Psychotherapy change measures. Washington DC: US Goverment Printing Office.
WEIMER, W.B. (19822). Ambiguity and the future of psychology: Meditations Leibniziënnes. In W.B. Weimer
& D.S. Palermo (Eds.), Cognition and the symbolic processes, Vol. 2 (pp. 331-360). Hillsdale, NI:
Lawrence Erlbaum.
WEIMER, W.B. (1982b). Hayek's approach to the problems of complex phenomena: An introduction to the
theoretical psychology of The Sensory Order. In W.B. Weimer & D.S. Palermo (Eds.), Cognition and the
symbolic processes, Vol. 2 (pp. 267-31). Hillsdale, NI: Lawrence Erlbaum.
WILKINSON, S.J. (1981). Constructs, counterfactuals and fictions: Elaborating the concept of possibility in
science. In H. Bonarius, R. Holland & S. Rosenberg (Eds.), Personal construct psychology: Recent
advances in theory and practice (pp. 39-46). New York: Macmillan.
