Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Exploring "psychic transparency" during pregnancy: a mixed -methods approach.  
 
 
Version: 0 Date: 28 Apr 2016  
 
 
Reviewer: Louise  Gyler  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
I found this study is thought -provoking as it raises a number of  conceptual and methodological 
concerns. The intention to test the concept of 'psychic transparency' is worthwhile as embedded 
in this assumption is a number of other related  essentialist claims about women's subjectivity. 
Given this pilot study did not support the claim, there is potential for the authors to develop their 
discussion in critical directions. While the study found that psychic transparency was not self 
evident t o the observer (psychoanalyst or otherwise), to be fair to the original authors who 
generated this concept, the current research methodology does not provide comparable 
conditions.Psychoanalytic understandings generated in the consulting room emerge in the  
intersubjective space of transference / countertranference encounter; unconscious desires, 
motivations and defences require the work of interpretation to acquire intelligibilty. A research 
interview (the data treated as a static object) is not comparable to a psychoanalytic session (a 
dynamic and changing object). For example, reports of dreams in psychoanalytic sessions 
acquire meaning not just from their manifest and latent content but also from the way the 
reporting functions in the analytic relationshi p. Further, as noted in the paper, the so -called 
methodology of 'spontaneous' speech was predicated on censorship - a contradiction. This study 
is an an attempt to test a psychoanalytic concept empirically. Some discussion of the inherent 
problems in this project is needed - and some engagement with this issue would strengthen the 
paper. This pilot study offers a platfom for some critical discussion.  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify wh at is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require further  
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I recommend additional statistical review  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Acceptable  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from 
an organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of this  
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose  
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content of the  
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds  or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below.  If you r reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understand that my name will be included  
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report  
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors'  
responses. I agree for my report to be made available under an Open Access Creative Commons  
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that any comments  
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be included as confidential comments  
to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal