title: The effects of social sex-role stereotypes and sexual orientation on psychotherapeutic outcomes.
abstract: This paper examines the relationship of biological sex, social sex-role stereotypes, and sexual orientation of client and the therapist to psychotherapeutic outcomes. It was hypothesized that analogus biological sex, departures in social sex-role, and sexual orientation of client and therapist would have positive effects on psychotherapeutic outcomes. Twenty-four clients and 16 therapist, including five client-therapist pairs, were interviewed on how issues of social sex-role stereotyping and sexual orientation arose and were dealt with in therapy. The results indicated (a) a trend toward more positive outcomes when client and therapist were of the same sex, and (b) that similarity of sexual orientation of client and therapist is related to positive psychotherapeutic outcomes. The results for deparature from social sex-role stereotypes were inconclusive.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001519:Behavior; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D007062:Identification, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011613:Psychotherapy; D012919:Social Behavior; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior