Factor structure, reliability, and validity of the Therapist Response Questionnaire

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• The Therapist Response Questionnaire (TRQ) measures clinicians' emotional reactions during psychotherapy.
• Understanding therapist countertransference is crucial for effective treatment, especially with personality-disordered patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the stability of the factor structure and psychometric properties of the TRQ.
• To assess the TRQ's validity and reliability across different therapist orientations.

Main Methods:

• A national sample of 332 psychiatrists and clinical psychologists completed the TRQ.
• Participants also completed the Shedler-Westen Assessment Procedure-200 and administered the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised to patients.
• Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to analyze the TRQ data.

Main Results:

• Factor analyses identified 9 distinct countertransference factors, largely consistent with previous findings.
• The TRQ scales demonstrated excellent internal consistencies and good validity.
• The instrument effectively captured and differentiated therapists' emotional states with complex patient populations.

Conclusions:

• The Therapist Response Questionnaire is a valid and reliable instrument for evaluating countertransference responses.
• The TRQ provides clinically sensitive and psychometrically robust insights into therapist reactions.
• Findings support the TRQ's utility regardless of therapist orientation.