Ein theoretischer Ansatz zur Empathie

Abstract

A Theoretical Approach to Empathy
This article, based on our work with severely disturbed patients and on research findings in developmental psychology/psychopathology, tries to enlarge our understanding of empathy as a core concept in developmental psychology, developmental pathology, aetiology of disorders and psychotherapy. Deficits and deteriorating processes in early empathy development are considered to be decisive for the onset of severe disorders. Therapeutic empathy is defined as a pro-social emotional frame of reference for the awareness and the understanding of the client’s/patient’s experience. Therapeutic empathy aims at a complex understanding of processes that are relevant for change to occur.
Severe disorders/psychotic processes are exemplified as a prototype for a deeper and more specific approach of understanding clients/patients. It is assumed that for people suffering in different ways a similar approach of working out a disorder-specific empathic understanding might be helpful, because we can hardly be satisfied with the state of the art in theory, research and psychotherapeutic practice.