TRANSFERENCE IN A GROUP WITH DIFFERENT THERAPISTS*

A long-term psychotherapeutic group was conducted by a “substitute ” therapist on each occasion that the senior therapist was absent. The group reacted to these temporary ab-sences in an indirect fashion, and this became more apparent after the senior therapist finally terminated his association with the group. These phases are designated as “therapist substitution ” and “therapist replacement”. The observations of the group’s behaviour are discussed with reference to the changed nature and function of transference in group psycho-therapy with multiple therapists. Transference is usually thought of in the context of individual psychotherapy, but its in-fluence extends to all interpersonal relation-ships and it plays a significant part in group psychotherapy. Group transference is diffi-cult to observe; in this study, it has been dem-onstrated by the reaction of a therapeutic group to changes of therapists. REVIEW OF LITERATURE In comparison with individual therapy, the transference to the therapist in a psychothera-peutic group is diminished in intensity and its manifestations are altered (Foulkes, 1964; Slavson, 1964; Stein, 1964; Block, 1966)). The fact that group members inhibit and deflect the transference from the therapist results in an increase in intra-group tension and enhances their identification with each other (Stein, 1964). Each patient in a group has a trans-ference neurosis, which can be worked throug