Abstract
We introduce two complementary measures of relational depth, defined as a state of profound contact and engagement between client and therapist. Using an internet-based survey of client and therapist accounts (n=342), judges rated relational depth as present in over a third of significant therapy event descriptions. Participants also completed the Relational Depth Inventory (RDI), for which we report reliability, validity and factor structure. Relational depth events were more likely to occur in the presence of strong therapeutic alliance, and with female participants, but client or therapist role and therapy duration were not related to relational depth content or RDI. RDI items for connectedness, love, respect and intimacy were most strongly associated with relational depth content.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 139-58 |
| Number of pages | 20 |
| Journal | Psychotherapy Research |
| Volume | 22 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2012 |
Keywords
- Empathy
- Female
- Humans
- Interpersonal Relations
- Male
- Prevalence
- Professional-Patient Relations
- Psychological Tests
- Psychotherapeutic Processes
- Psychotherapy
- Reproducibility of Results
- Sex Factors
- Surveys and Questionnaires
- Time Factors