Contact Work uses elements of Pre-Therapy to focus on psychological contact. Contact Work has been applied to many populations; for example persons with a pervasive developmental disorder, or dementia.

 

Psychological contact is the psychological function of interaction with persons but also with objects, feelings, etc. Prouty has proposed three domains of psychological contact: reality, affect, and communication. In parallel, he has differentiated between three contact functions: Reality contact is awareness of people, places, things, and events. Affective contact is awareness of distinct moods, feelings and emotions. Communicative contact is the symbolization of reality contact and affective contact to others.