Preferences for behavioural, analytic and gestalt psychotherapy

Abstract

This study investigated preferences for behavioural, analytic and gestalt psychotherapy among a sample of 40 SES class III and IV adult females and 67 college freshmen who had never been actual therapy patients. A scaled survey assessed general preference, preference given an imagined long-standing depressive disorder, preference given an imagined specific phobia, and preference for the therapist-patient relationship. Three audio tapes were designed, each describing one of the modalities. High inter-rater reliability and agreement were determined by three independent judges. Results showed that young females had a general preference for gestalt therapy. Young and old females, but not young males, significantly preferred behavioural therapy for a specific phobia. Under forced-choice conditions the group as a whole significantly preferred gestalt therapy. No differences were found for the relationship or preference given a depressive disorder. Preference was hypothesized as a cognitive structure with potential use in therapist-client matching.

Efficacy and Emerging Trends in the Psychotherapy ‘Industry’

“…Within this approach there are rational reasons to support some forms of psychotherapy as being particularly relevant in defined symptom clusters or groups of disorders (Beutler, 1979); for instance, group therapy (May, 1976) and family therapy (Goldstein et al, 1978) in schizophrenia, cognitive and behavioural therapy in some depressions (Shaw, 1977; McLean and H a k s t i a n , 1979) a n d behavioural psychotherapy in some neurotic disorders (Rosenthal and Bandura, 1978; Marks, 1978). Interestingly, attention has been given to the preference for different forms of therapy by potential patients (Sobel, 1979).…”

Effects of member and leader expectations on group outcome.

“…Although many studies support the critical role which initial cognitive factors can assume (Bandura, 1977), they often do not differentiate specific functional relationships between the factors (Wilkins, 1973). Knowledge of a client's preference does not necessarily imply that we have an understanding of his or her expectation of success (Boulware & Holmes, 1970;Dremen & Dolev, 1976;Holen & Kinsey, 1975;Sobel, 1979). Whereas both variables are anchored in the cognitive style, an expectation represents only one structure of an underlying belief.…”

Developing Pluralistic Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy: Using What the Client Knows

“…A large number of studies have been based on questionnaire measures of expectations, beliefs and preferences in relation to therapy. One of the most consistent findings within this literature is that preferences exist: people differ in terms of the kinds of intervention and treatment that they believe to be credible and effective for conditions such as anxiety, depression and trauma (Bakker, Spinhoven, van Balkom, Vleugel, & van Dyck, 2000; Bragesjö, Clinton, & Sandell, 2004;Hemmings, 2000;Lang, 2005;McLeod & Sweeting, 2010;Sobel, 1979;Tarrier, Liversidge, & Gregg, 2006). Some studies have explored preferences for psychotherapy in contrast to drug treatments (Kocsis et al, 2009;Kwan, Dimidjian, & Rizvi, 2010;Lin et al, 2005;van Schaik et al, 2004) and have found support for both types of intervention in research participants.…”