Mutuality of Rogers's therapeutic conditions and treatment progress in the first three psychotherapy sessions

Abstract

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. Method: 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 journey to client and therapist mutuality in person-centered psychotherapy: a case study

“…A recent study that focused on the presence of the mutual experience of the therapeutic conditions considered the association between mutuality and client progress (Murphy, 2010;Murphy & Cramer, 2014). The finding provided support for a mutuality hypothesis.…”

“…The study asked therapists and clients, using items from the Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory (Barrett-Lennard, 1962), to rate their own and their perception of others' experience of the therapeutic conditions. Findings indicated the perceived mutuality of relationship conditions predicted client progress during the first three psychotherapy sessions (Murphy & Cramer, 2014). Whilst such studies support the proposal that mutuality is related to progress they are yet to shed light on how mutuality develops within the therapeutic relationship.…”

Differential Prediction of Resilience Among Individuals With and Without a History of Abuse

“…Taken together, these studies demonstrate that perceptions of mutuality contribute to important life variables that influence the degree that individuals believe they can achieve, their overall well-being, and the trajectory of counseling outcomes. Although we did not find any research that explored the connection between mutuality and resilience in the context of abuse, previous studies have found correlations between mutuality among family members and close friends and the development of resilience (Deci et al, 2006;Murphy & Cramer, 2014;Weinstein & DeHaan, 2014). Herth (1992) defined hope simply as an expectation that a goal will be achieved.…”

“…Weinstein and DeHaan () found that mutuality was strongly correlated with achievement motivation and future goal setting among participants' family members and close friends. Murphy and Cramer () found that when perceptions of mutuality were associated with the use of therapeutic core conditions (i.e., empathy, unconditional positive regard, and genuineness; Rogers, ), participants made progress toward treatment goals. Taken together, these studies demonstrate that perceptions of mutuality contribute to important life variables that influence the degree that individuals believe they can achieve, their overall well‐being, and the trajectory of counseling outcomes.…”

Development and validation of the relational depth frequency scale

“…Mutuality is a third quality of the therapeutic interaction that is both related toÑbut also distinct fromÑthe working alliance and the real relationship. Mutuality has been operationalized as the bidirectional experiencing of RogersÕs (1957) core conditions (empathy, congruence, and positive regard); with higher levels of mutuality associated with greater treatment progress (Murphy & Cramer, 2014). As with the real relationship, mutuality implies a co-openness across the therapy dyad.…”