Linguistic Reflections on Psychotherapy: Change in Usage of The First Person Pronoun in Information Structure Positions

Abstract

Aim of present study was to understand changes in speech of clients with regard to certain linguistic features from 5th to 15th session of psychotherapy. First person pronoun use in information structure positions were analyzed in speech of clients. Participants of this study were 11 psychotherapists (clinical psychology master and doctorate students) and 16 clients (applicants to AYNA Psychotherapy Unit). In present study word count results of clinets' speeches were analyzed by ANOVA method. According to results, use of first person pronoun changed significantly in preverbal position from 5th to 15th sessions of psychotherapy. Findings of this study suggest that, psychotherapy leads to certain linguistic changes, and these changes discussed to be means of understand change of clients during psychotherapy.