A Qualitative Meta-analytic Review of the Therapist Responsiveness Literature: Guidelines for Practice and Training

AbstractPsychotherapy researchers have developed a body of research on the construct of therapist responsiveness. This literature seeks a clearer picture of how therapists adapt their relational and intervention strategies to their individual clients. The goal of this review was to summarize this literature and generate clinical recommendations. We used the PsycINFO database to identify theoretical papers, case studies, quantitative research, and qualitative research focused upon therapist responsiveness. After exclusion criteria were applied, 75 articles were included in the final thematic analysis. A thematic analysis organized the findings into categories that identified the contextual cues for responsiveness and summarized the clinical recommendations being made. These initial categories then were grouped into three overarching categories that describe responsiveness within the therapeutic relational context, within psychotherapy interventions, and in response to client characteristics. Within the presentation of findings, the methodological forms of support for each claim were examined to provide direction to the field. Based upon the findings, guiding principles were developed to identify contextual markers to guide responsiveness and enhance clinical practice. In addition, suggestions for future therapist training and directions for research are provided.
Source: Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research