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The assessment of therapist responsiveness in psychotherapy research: a systematic review
Giovanna Esposito1, Francesco Cuomo2, Angela Di Maro3
1Department of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II. giovan.esposito@unina.it.
Abstract:
Therapist responsiveness is an emerging construct in psychotherapy research that still lacks a clear definition and, consequently, a unique operationalization. Indeed, there is a great overlap between therapist responsiveness and other variables, such as attunement, flexibility, and empathy. This overlap inevitably hinders the assessment of the therapist's responsiveness, although it is crucial for the effectiveness of the treatments. Therefore, the current systematic review aims at exploring the different methodologies of measurement and analysis of therapist responsiveness, including both direct and indirect instruments. The results confirmed difficulties and divergences in the operationalization of the construct, as shown by the great heterogeneity found in the choice and use of the tools. Furthermore, this review provides guidance for future research, clinical practice, and training of therapists.
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