A longitudinal analysis of the effect of experience on the therapeutic approach

Abstract

Eight outpatients, four from the V.A. and four from a University counseling center, were seen by eight different counselors in the two different settings. Predictions for patient gain in interpersonal functioning were generated by the differential between tape rating assessments of the counselor's level of functioning (empathy, respect, genuineness, concreteness, self-disclosure) in his initial session with the client and tape assessments of patients cast as counselors in the helping role with standard clients. In general, the inventory ratings were in the predicted direction for all dimensions for all indices of interpersonal and gross behavioral functioning by all of the following sources: experts; therapists; patients; standard interviewee; objective tape ratings.

Sex of client and sex and experience level of counselor.

“…A further variable that might interact with the sex variables is the experience level of the counselor. Strupp (1960Strupp ( , 1962, Ornston, Cicchetti, and Towbin (1970), Mullen and Abeles (1971), Anthony (1967), and Campbell (1962) have noted differences between inexperienced and experienced counselors. Inexperienced counselors gave more advice, were chatty, and were affected more by clients whom they liked or disliked; the experienced counselors were more sure of themselves, more flexible and open, more interpretive, and focused more on the clients than on techniques.…”

A longitudinal analysis of the effect of experience on the therapeutic approach: Revisited

“…The major concerns of this study are to emend some reported findings (Anthony, 1967) and to make known the interpretations of these corrected data. It was found that: (1) inexperienced adherents to therapeutic schools differ on several issues and these differences remain, on the whole, after 4 or more years of experience;…”

“…Differences present among schools on several TO& factors were present initid and were mostly still there at the readministration. Although relative to eaci other the groups were stable, many scores shifted, essentially, away from a Freudian philosophy.The following is a reworking of some data on the Therapist Orientation Questionnaire (TO&) reported earlier (Anthony, 1967;Sundland, 1961;Sundland & Barker, 1962). Anthony described the results of readministering the TO&, 4 years later, to the 60 therapists who were in the "low experience" group of the Sundland and Barker study.…”

“…The following is a reworking of some data on the Therapist Orientation Questionnaire (TO&) reported earlier (Anthony, 1967;Sundland, 1961;Sundland & Barker, 1962). Anthony described the results of readministering the TO&, 4 years later, to the 60 therapists who were in the "low experience" group of the Sundland and Barker study.…”

Does development do the deed?: Clinical experience and epistemological development together account for similarities in therapeutic style.

“…Even though some later studies have corroborated Fiedler's conclusions (e.g., Anthony, 1967;Norcross & Wogan, 1983;Parloff, 1961;Raskin, 1965;Rice, Gurman, & Razin, 1974;Wrenn, 1960), these have been unwarrantedly generalized with the consequent acceptance of the belief that all experienced therapists behave therapeutically in the same manner (Wogan & Norcross, 1985).…”