Individuals' preferences in psychotherapy methods, and their relationship with object relations and personality organization

Personality is known to be a structure that shapes human behavior; however, its influence on psychotherapy choices remains an area of curiosity. Høglend et al. (1993) identified that factors such as the desire for self-understanding, willingness to change, level of development, conflict, emotional flexibility, expectations, personality disorders, object relations, the number of sessions, and interpretations made during therapy affect individuals' criteria for choosing therapy and the outcomes of the therapeutic process. Another study found that some patients preferred an affirming and supportive psychotherapist, others sought a therapist who employs preventive techniques to avoid relapse, while some preferred a long-term psychotherapist (Heinze et al., 2023). In this study, the aim is to contribute to the literature by examining the differences in personality organization and object relations based on individuals' preferred psychotherapy methods to better understand these dynamics. The research was conducted with 490 participants who had psychotherapy experience, using Google Forms. Data collection took place online between May 2024 and October 2024, with participants aged between 18 and 65. Participants who voluntarily agreed to take part in the study were asked to complete the Personality Organization Inventory (KOREN), the Bell Object Relations Inventory, and a sociodemographic data form. The findings obtained from the scales were analyzed statistically using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0. According to the analysis results, individuals' psychotherapy preferences significantly differed based on their educational level. Another significant difference was found between psychotherapy methods and levels of personality organization. The psychotherapy preferences of individuals with differing levels of primitive defenses, identity diffusion, and reality testing also showed significant variation. Lastly, significant differences were observed between object relations and reality evaluation subscales and the selection of psychotherapy methods.