Complete Schedule
The Relationship of Client’s Interpersonal Style and Perception of Relationship to Therapy
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation (Electronic Copy Not Available)
Keywords
Therapist and patient; Interpersonal relations;
Abstract
Rational: There is an abundant amount of research concerning the importance of the counseling relationship; however, less attention has been given to how the client’s perception of the relationship and interpersonal style influence therapy outcome. The purpose of the current study is to (1) explore aspects of the client's interpersonal style and perception of the counseling relationship, and (2) explore their relation to therapy outcome.
Method: A systematic review was conducted on search engines such as Google Scholar and PsychInfo, and search methods were recorded (i.e., databases utilized, keywords entered, search method). Thirty articles were sampled, categorized by feature of the client’s interpersonal style or type of relationship, and the results were reviewed.
Results & Discussion: The client’s perception of the therapeutic/working alliance and the real relationship were explored in relation to outcome. Three aspects of the client’s interpersonal style in relation to outcome were explored; interpersonal openness, self-concealment, and self-disclosure. The therapeutic/working alliance was found to yield moderate and consistent positive association with outcome; the real relationship yielded inconsistent but often positive association with outcome; interpersonal openness was found to have a positive relationship with outcomes, however available literature was very limited; self-concealment research was extremely limited and inconsistent but tended to have a negative association with outcome; self-disclosure usually had a weak positive relationship with outcome but the measures were inconsistent and the literature was limited. Implications for future research and psychotherapy will be discussed.
Start Date
4-4-2017 11:00 AM
End Date
4-4-2017 1:30 PM
Faculty Advisor
Seong-in Choi
Department
Department of Psychology
Copyright
©2017 Elisheva Havlik and Sage Comstock
Embargo Date
4-4-2017
The Relationship of Client’s Interpersonal Style and Perception of Relationship to Therapy
Rational: There is an abundant amount of research concerning the importance of the counseling relationship; however, less attention has been given to how the client’s perception of the relationship and interpersonal style influence therapy outcome. The purpose of the current study is to (1) explore aspects of the client's interpersonal style and perception of the counseling relationship, and (2) explore their relation to therapy outcome.
Method: A systematic review was conducted on search engines such as Google Scholar and PsychInfo, and search methods were recorded (i.e., databases utilized, keywords entered, search method). Thirty articles were sampled, categorized by feature of the client’s interpersonal style or type of relationship, and the results were reviewed.
Results & Discussion: The client’s perception of the therapeutic/working alliance and the real relationship were explored in relation to outcome. Three aspects of the client’s interpersonal style in relation to outcome were explored; interpersonal openness, self-concealment, and self-disclosure. The therapeutic/working alliance was found to yield moderate and consistent positive association with outcome; the real relationship yielded inconsistent but often positive association with outcome; interpersonal openness was found to have a positive relationship with outcomes, however available literature was very limited; self-concealment research was extremely limited and inconsistent but tended to have a negative association with outcome; self-disclosure usually had a weak positive relationship with outcome but the measures were inconsistent and the literature was limited. Implications for future research and psychotherapy will be discussed.
Comments
Location: Maucker Union Ballroom