Empirical search for psychotherapists' gender competence in psychotherapy.

Abstract

Over the past half century, psychotherapy research has demonstrated that psychotherapy outcomes do not vary based on clients' gender (Clarkin & Levy, 2004; Garfield, 1994; Wierzbicki & Pekarik, 1993). However, most studies assumed that all psychotherapists are equally competent to treat men and women, thus potentially missing essential information about variations in psychotherapy outcomes. In fact, there is a paucity of studies that have examined if psychotherapists' gender competence truly exists. We propose that psychotherapists' gender competence should be defined as the psychotherapist's ability to achieve positive psychotherapy outcomes with either female or male clients. This study examined the relationship between clients' gender and psychotherapy outcomes and if psychotherapists varied in their abilities to produce positive psychotherapy outcomes for female and male clients. The sample included 93 male and 229 female clients treated by 31 psychotherapists. Consistent with previous research, the results demonstrated that clients' gender was not related to psychotherapy outcomes. However, compared to other psychotherapists, some psychotherapists were better at treating men, whereas others were better at treating women. The results of this study demonstrate that psychotherapists' gender competence exists and relates directly to the psychotherapy outcomes (i.e., psychological well-being) of clients. Implications for psychotherapy practice, training, and research are offered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).

Developing a taxonomy of helpful and harmful practices for clinical work with boys and men.

“…Next steps should investigate helpful and harmful practices with boys and men focusing on psychotherapy outcomes to determine competent therapist practice (Wampold, 2005). Specific focus should be on determining what constitutes gender competence in working with male clients (Owen, Wong, & Rodolfa, 2009) and examining how intragroup variability for constructs such as conformity to gender role norms affects gender-competent practices (Owen et al, 2010).…”

Counseling Canadian Indigenous Peoples: The Therapeutic Alliance and Outcome

“…Research findings about client gender differences in counseling outcomes are ambiguous: some studies found no difference (Owen, Wong, & Rodolfo, ; Zlotnick, Shea, Pilkonis, Elkin, & Ryan, ), whereas other studies indicated that there are gender differences in outcome (Cottone, Drucker, & Javier, ; Ogrodniczuk, ). There have not been studies conducted with Canadian Indigenous peoples that examined the influence of gender on counseling outcomes.…”

Affirming the Strengths in Men: A Positive Masculinity Approach to Assisting Male Clients

“…Sex and gender, like other identity factors, are recognized as powerful organizing principles in peoples' lives and experiences (Kimmel, 2013). Although the concept of cultural competence has been addressed in the counseling field, the notion of gender competence has often been overlooked (Owen, Wong, & Rodolfa, 2009; Sinclair & Taylor, 2004). Haen (2011) noted that because gender is often viewed from a binary point of view—male and female—there does not seem to be much to know in terms of competency.…”