Resistance/reactance level.
Psychotherapists from all professions and perspectives periodically struggle to effectively manage a patient's resistance to change. This article provides definitions and examples of patient-treatment matching applied to patient resistance or reactance. We report the results from an original meta-analysis of 12 select studies (N = 1,102) on matching therapist directiveness to patient reactance. Our findings support the hypothesis that patients exhibiting low levels of trait-like resistance respond better to directive types of treatment, while patients with high levels of resistance respond best to nondirective treatments (d = .82). Limitations of the research reviewed are noted, and practice recommendations are advanced.
Pacific Graduate School ofPsychology, Palo Alto University, 1791 Arastradero Rd., Palo Alto, CA 94063, USA. lbeutler@pgsp.edu
Larry E
LE
Beutler
T Mark
TM
Harwood
Aaron
A
Michelson
Xiaoxia
X
Song
John
J
Holman
D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D016312:Treatment Refusal