Secondary therapist variables operating in short-term insight-oriented, and behaviour therapy

Three therapists from a short-term insight orientation and three practicing behaviour therapy each provided treatment to five clients over a three-month course of therapy. Measurement of therapists' attitudes was taken at the beginning of treatment, at the mid-point, and at the conclusion of therapy, and tapped the therapist's attitude towards the suitability of the treatment administered, the patient's attitude toward the therapist (as perceived by the therapist), the type of patient and problem presented, and attraction to and liking for the patient. Pre-post-outcome measurement was also undertaken on a range of selected criteria. Results showed that behaviour therapists both believed more in the efficacy of their treatment throughout the course of therapy, and perceived their clients to be more positively disposed towards them than did insight-oriented therapists. Data highlight the role played by such secondary factors as these therapist variables, and emphasize the potential error in attributing therapeutic effects solely to traditional primary variables defined in terms of the treatment techniques or procedures being utilized.