Clients' deference in psychotherapy.

Abstract

In the present study, 14 psychotherapy clients were interveiwed about their recollections, assisted by tape replay, of an immediately preceding therapy session. A major category derived from a grounded theory analysis of the interview protocols was clients' deference to the therapist, constituted of 8 lower level categories: concern of the therapist's approach, fear of criticizing the therapist, understanding the therapist's frame of reference, meeting the perceived expectations of the therapist, accepting the therapist's limitations, client's metacommunication, threatening the therapist's self-esteem, and indebtedness to the therapist.