Therapist Reflective Functioning, Therapist Attachment Style and Therapist Effectiveness

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between two therapist attributes (reflective functioning and attachment style) and client outcome. Twenty-five therapists treated a total of 1001 clients. Therapists were assessed for reflective functioning and attachment style using the Adult Attachment Interview and the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale. Clinical outcome was measured using the Outcome Questionnaire (OQ-45). Data were analysed using hierarchical linear modelling. Results indicated that therapist reflective functioning predicted therapist effectiveness, whereas attachment style did not. However, there was evidence of an interaction between therapist attachment style and therapist reflective functioning. Secure attachment compensated somewhat for low reflective functioning and high reflective functioning compensated for insecure attachment. Possible implications for the selection of therapy training candidates and therapist training are discussed.

Infant mental health home visiting therapists’ reflective supervision self‐efficacy in community practice settings

“…Finally, the importance of connecting reflective supervision with outcomes for infants, toddlers, and families is of central importance to the IMH field. There is promising evidence to support such inquiry (Cologon et al., ); however, future studies should include attention to the association between constructs measured by the RSSESS and parent–child outcomes including parenting self‐efficacy, parental reflective functioning, and children's social–emotional functioning.…”

“…However, there is evidence to suggest that such research could yield promising results. For example, Cologon, Schweitzer, King, and Nolte () demonstrated an association between a therapist's reflective functioning capacities and therapist efficacy as it relates to client outcomes. Such findings suggest that supporting the enhancement of therapists’ reflective functioning in the context of treatment can lead to improved outcomes for clients.…”

The Michigan infant mental health home visiting model

“…Intentionally not proscriptive, reflective supervision offers a relationship within which the IMH‐HV therapist and supervisor attend to “the real work with vulnerable infants and families as well as the personal thoughts, feelings, and memories that are aroused in response to the work” (Tomlin, Weatherston, & Pavkov, ). Rooted in the evidence that reflective capacity is core to understanding the feelings, wishes, values, beliefs, and motivations of self and others, and using that understanding to formulate responses (Cologon, Schweitzer, King, & Nolte, ; Fonagy, Steele, Steele, Moran, & Higgit, ; Slade, ; Suchman et al., ), RS offers the IMH‐HV therapist a place to insure they are retaining empathic awareness of the baby, the parents, and the relationship between them, as well as space for self‐reflection.…”

Was macht einen guten Therapeuten aus?

“…Sie Ebenso kompensierten die reflektierenden Fähigkeiten der Therapeuten ihre unsichere Bindung. Umgekehrt wurde durch eine sichere Bindung der Therapeuten eine eventuell vorhandene geringere Reflexionsfähigkeit bei der Vorhersage ausgeglichen [18]. Diese Ergebnisse lassen es aussichtsreich erscheinen, weitere Untersuchungen zur Interaktion von Therapeuten-und Patientenvariablen durchzuführen.…”