Interviewee matching of interviewer temporal speech behaviors as related to perceived empathy, warmth, and...

The present study used an experimental analogue of the initial interview to examine the relationship of therapist durational speech characteristics to therapist empathy, warmth, genuineness and the state of the "therapeutic relationship" as rated by the interviewee. Cross-validated results revealed a modest direct relationship between interviewee speech modelling (DOU) and all process variables examined, with the exception of genuineness. Efficacy of the automated standardized interview as a research tool also was demonstrated. The results implicate the future examination of the relationship between therapist-client speech and silence measures and process variables.