Mutuality of Rogers's therapeutic conditions and treatment progress in the first three psychotherapy sessions.
OBJECTIVE
Research on the effects of Rogers's therapeutic relationship conditions has typically focused on the unilateral provision of empathy, unconditional positive regard, and congruence from therapist to client.


METHODS
This study looked at both client and therapist mutuality of the Rogerian therapeutic conditions and the association between mutuality and treatment progress in the first three psychotherapy sessions. Clients (N = 62; mean age = 24.32; 77% female, 23% male) and therapists (N = 12; mean age = 34.32; nine female and three male) rated one another using the Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory after the first and third session.


RESULTS
Both clients and therapists perceived the quality of the relationship as improved over time. Client rating of psychological distress (CORE-OM) was lower after session 3 than at session 1 (es = .85, [95% CIs: .67, 1.03]). Hierarchical multiple regression was used to test the predictive power of mutually high levels of the therapeutic conditions on treatment progress. The association between client rating of therapist-provided conditions and treatment progress at session 3 was higher when both clients and therapists rated each other as providing high levels of the therapeutic conditions (R(2) change = .073, p < .03).


CONCLUSIONS
The findings suggest mutuality of Rogers's therapeutic conditions is related to treatment progress.
a School of Education , University of Nottingham , Nottingham , UK.
David
D
Murphy
Duncan
D
Cramer
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000592:standards*; D055815:Young Adult
mutuality; psychotherapy; therapeutic relationship; treatment progress