The role of cultural beliefs and expectations in the treatment process: Clients' reflections following individual psychotherapy
Abstract
Qualitative data acquired within the recent Czech part of the independent, multi-site collaborative research project Corrective Experiences are the core basis of this paper. Eight post-treatment interviews with clients of individual therapies were analysed with a special focus on the role of cultural beliefs and cultural expectations in the clients' change of interpersonal attitudes.
The methodology of this research is based on in-depth interviews providing data on significant shifts or changes in attitudes toward relationships after the end of therapy. All clients completed their therapeutic treatments prior to the interviews.
We monitored the experiences of our participants in the following significant domains: first, how they perceive the aspect of the self and others, including relationships that had been modified, and second, what they perceive as corrective experiences within as well as outside of therapy and in interactions with others. These data were then analysed within the Czech cultural context with the intention of understanding the dynamics of clients' relationships and the role of cultural knowledge in the psychotherapeutic treatment.