You do not currently have permission to view the full text for this document. Please sign in to an account with an active subscription or contact support.
Bibring offers a comparative study of the methods of psychotherapy. He outlines five basic techniques: 1, Suggestion takes place within the transference (which is a primitive one in superficial therapy); the aim is symptomatic change. 2, Abreaction, the expression of emotion, has curative value; in analysis its use is limited to providing conviction through emotional reliving of past conflicts. 3, Manipulation: to the ordinary meanings of the term, Bibring adds the influence of experiences stimulated by the treatment. 4, Insight by clarification is defining unclear conscious or preconscious understanding; this results in shifting cathexis from the pathological complex onto the observing and critical part of the ego, thus strengthening the ego by increased objectivity. 5, Insight by interpretation refers only to unconscious thoughts; the ego must at first become even more involved by the reactivation of old memories and is strengthened by finding more adequate solutions of pathogenic infantile conflicts.
Bibring notes a current shift toward more use of manipulative measures and less effort to facilitate insight. Alexander and French believe that 'the role of insight is overrated'. Bibring himself in this article, by defining and delineating techniques, is offering us 'clarification' so that we may with more detachment observe with our critical faculties our departures from classical theory and technique.