What is it about?
This paper presents a new qualitative research method called RBC (Relationships Between Categories). Instead of analyzing individual case reports in isolation, RBC synthesizes a collection of therapy case studies by mapping hidden patterns and recurring connections between categories within the text. Through this systematic mapping, researchers can uncover underlying theoretical insights that were previously hidden. To demonstrate how the method works, the author applies RBC through detailed case study analysis, revealing that what dynamic therapists describe as "transference" actually relies on core CBT mechanisms—specifically classical conditioning and cognitive overgeneralization.
Featured Image
Photo by Karl Solano on Unsplash
Why is it important?
It brings rigor to qualitative research by turning storytelling and clinical case descriptions into structured, objective, and reproducible data—without losing the depth of the patient's story. The importance of this methodological approach was highlighted in a dedicated editorial introduction by Dr. Katie Lewis in the Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association (JAPA), who noted that this work serves as a compelling and essential guide for researchers aiming to bridge clinical material with rigorous research methods (see Editorial: https://doi.org/10.1177/0003065120979619).
Perspectives
Different therapy schools (like psychoanalysis and CBT) often describe the exact same psychological processes using different vocabularies; the RBC method gives us a scientific way to connect these dots and understand what is truly happening in therapy.
Dr. Merav Rabinovich
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Elephant in the Room: A Methodology for Case Studies Metasynthesis, Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, December 2020, SAGE Publications,
DOI: 10.1177/0003065120979613.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
