Aim
This study examined whether people's personality traits and attachment styles would predict their preference for one of three common psychotherapies (psychodynamic, person‐centred and cognitive‐behavioural therapy).
Method
An online survey was administered to participants (n = 209) for remuneration. Personality traits were measured using the HEXACO‐60; attachment was measured using the Relation‐ships Questionnaire; preference for psychotherapeutic orientation was assessed using the Preferences for Psychotherapy Approaches Scale.
Results
Regression analyses indicated that various personality traits and attachment styles predict preference of therapeutic orientation. Specifically, the data indicated that openness and secure attachment significantly predicted preference of psychodynamic psychotherapy. No personality traits or attachment styles significantly predicted person‐centred preference. Lastly, previous study of psychology and fearful attachment significantly predicted preference of cognitive‐behavioural psychotherapy.
Conclusion
This study's findings provide supporting evidence for the claim that people's personality traits and attachment styles are predictive of their preferences for various psychotherapies. Implications for further research are discussed.
| INTRODUC TI ONMen's psychological help-seek ing behaviours are increasingly discussed in popular culture; however, men are still far less likely than women to engage in treatment. Sev eral decades of research have established that gender socialisation influences men's reluctance to seek mental health help and we kn ow far less about factors promoting men's mental health help -seeking behaviours than factors diminishing it (Addis & Mahalik, 2003;O'Neil, 2008). Suggestions for addressing the issue range fr om psycho-education, to reframing help-seeking as a strength, to making psychotherapy more "man friendly" by using a "masculine-sensitive therapeutic style" (Englar-Carlson, Stevens, & Scholz, 2010). Although these suggestions are consistent with the APA's Propo sed Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Men and Boys (APA, In review), there is scant evidence that men prefer these approaches. The diversity of men's presenting issues and the complexity of masculinities pose challenges for therapists and underscore the imp ortance of tailoring treatment to meet client needs (Englar-Car lson, 2006). Understanding men's preferences for psychotherapy is a critical first step in evaluating the efficacy of therapeutic appro aches tailored to men. Thus, the current study sought to examine relations between gender socialisation, help-seeking attitudes, self-stigma and preferences for therapist orientations.
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