In group therapy, perceiving another member as similar to a parent who criticized you describes which phenomenon?

• A. Transference
• B. Countertransference
• C. Projection
• D. Regression

Answer: (A)

Transference is at play here: the client unconsciously directs feelings and expectations from a significant figure in their life onto someone in the current relationship. In group therapy, seeing another member as similar to a parent who criticized you means you’re reacting to that member through the lens of past experiences with that parent, not based on who the current person truly is. This can include feeling condemned, anxious, or defensive just because the group member reminds you of that critic. Recognizing this helps separate past dynamics from present interactions and informs how the group can respond to these reactions. The other concepts don’t fit this situation: countertransference would involve the therapist’s own emotional response to the client, projection would be attributing one’s own unacceptable feelings to others, and regression would be returning to earlier developmental behaviors under stress.