Desire for personal feedback: who wants it and what does it mean for psychotherapy?

Individual differences in desire for feedback did not exhibit any significant correlations with a variety of self-report personality dimensions. Additional survey studies indicated that a higher proportion of individuals in nonclinical as compared to clinical samples reported a strong desire to receive feedback about themselves. Subsequent studies revealed that the higher as compared to lower desire for feedback individuals: (1) were more willing to seek psychological help and to participate in therapy once in treatment; (2) exhibited more positive expectancies for change at the beginning of therapy; and (3) were more "responsive" to diagnostic feedback. Within the limitations of the present findings, the potential "adaptiveness" of desire for feedback is discussed and the negative motivational therapeutic consequences associated with a low desire for feedback are explored.