Interrelationships between client strength of feeling, in-session client change events, and type of therapy.

Abstract

A growing number of psychotherapy researchers are studying in-session events that signify therapeutic change, process or progress. Similarly, a number of psychotherapy theorists have suggested that client strength of feeling is related to therapeutic change, process and progress. The purpose of the present research was to: (a) examine the relationship between client change events and client strength of feeling, (b) identify what particular levels of client strength of feeling are related to given categories of client change events, and (c) examine the effects that type of therapy may have in the relationship between client change events and client strength of feeling. Judges assessed the occurrence of categories of client change events and the level of client strength of feeling in 982 statements in 10 sessions of client-centered, rational-emotive and experiential therapies. The findings indicated that: (a) there is an overall positive significant relationship between client change events and client strength of feeling; (b) given categories of client change events are significantly related to particular levels of client strength of feeling; and (c) type of therapy is a significant variable in the relationship between client change events and client strength of feeling. These findings have implications for psychotherapeutic practice and also for clinical theory, with especial relevance for the role and meaning of level of strength of feeling, in-session client change, and a practitioner relevant matrix of conducting sessions of therapy on the basis of the research variables. Possible directions for further research were outlined.