[Therapists' verbal behavior category system]. / Sistema de categorización de la conducta verbal del terapeuta.

This paper presents the theoretical and methodological basis of a therapist's verbal behavior category system that allows us to study clinical psychologists' language from a functional-analytic framework and with a rigorous observation method. The procedure to develop the coding system is explained in detail from a very early stage of exploratory observation, to the systematic observation through the use of The Observer XT software. An analysis of intra- and inter-rater reliability using the kappa coefficient and taking into account the factors that affect the values of Cohen's index was carried out. Results show high levels of observer accuracy (between approximately 87% and 93%) that justify the application of this category system to study therapists' verbal behavior in session.

Sistema de categorización de la conducta verbal del terapeuta / Therapists’ verbal behavior category system

En este trabajo se presentan los fundamentos teóricos y metodológicos para el desarrollo de un sistema de categorización de la conducta verbal del psicólogo clínico durante la intervención terapéutica, que nos permita el estudio de ésta desde una perspectiva analítico-funcional basada en una rigurosa metodología observacional. El procedimiento de construcción de dicho sistema es detallado desde las etapas iniciales de observación exploratoria hasta la observación sistemática de la conducta a analizar con la ayuda del software The Observer XT. Asimismo, se lleva a cabo un estudio del grado de acuerdo inter e intra observadores mediante el cálculo del coeficiente kappa y la consideración de los factores que afectan a los valores de dicho índice. Los resultados del análisis muestran altos niveles de precisión de los observadores (entre un 87 y un 93%, aproximadamente) que justifican la utilización del sistema de categorías elaborado para el estudio del lenguaje de los terapeutas en la clínica

This paper presents the theoretical and methodological basis of a therapist’s verbal behavior category system that allows us to study clinical psychologists’ language from a functional-analytic framework and with a rigorous observation method. The procedure to develop the coding system is explained in detail from a very early stage of exploratory observation, to the systematic observation through the use of The Observer XT software. An analysis of intra- and inter-rater reliability using the kappa coefficient and taking into account the factors that affect the values of Cohen’s index was carried out. Results show high levels of observer accuracy (between approximately 87% and 93%) that justify the application of this category system to study therapists’ verbal behavior in session