Therapist Experience and “Style” as Factors in Co‐therapy

Abstract

NOTE: SEVERAL PASSAGES HAVE BEEN TRANSPOSED IN THIS ARTICLE. IT HAS BEEN REPRINTED CORRECTLY IN VOL. 11, JUNE, 1972 AT PAGE 227 Self‐descriptions of general in‐therapy behavior, attitudes toward co‐therapy, and ratings of co‐therapy effectiveness were collected from 25 experienced (E) and 25 inexperienced (IE) therapists who treated a total of 48 married couples in co‐therapy. Major findings were: (a) six different therapeutic “styles” emerged via factor analysis of the therapists' self‐descriptions of in‐therapy behavior, (b) E and IE therapists as a group had different personal therapeutic styles and preferences as to the style desired in a co‐therapist, (c) subjectively rated effectiveness of co‐therapy correlated with the degree of comfort felt by the therapist in the relationship and the acceptance by the co‐therapist, and (d) there was evidence of a “point of diminishing returns” in satisfaction for therapists in general, which came with increasing experience in doing co‐therapy.