DEVELOPMENT OF THERAPEUTIC ATTITUDES: ATTITUDES OF TRAINEES IN TRAINING

Abstract

Objectives: Therapeutic attitudes of trainees were identified and a possible relation between the therapeutic attitudes and the interpersonal problems of the trainees were examined. Therapeutic attitudes and the emotional reaction (counter-transference) of the trainees to a standardized patient and the trainees' ratings of the therapeutic relationship and the trainees rating of affect experience and affect regulation of the standardized patient were also related to each other. Methods: A random group of trainees of the psychotherapeutic propaedeutic (n = 59) was investigated. In the course of this training standardized patients had to be explored. The measurements used are the questionnaire for therapeutic attitudes (TASC 2), the questionnaire for interpersonal problems (IIP), the emotional response questionnaire (CTQ), the questionnaire for psychotherapeutic relationship (PRQ), and the questionnaire for affect perception and affect regulation (AREQ-K). To assess the relation between therapeutic attitudes and the reaction of the therapist to the standardized patient, the TASC 2 scores were analyzed in relation to the ratings in all the other questionnaires using Pearson correlation coefficients. Results: Therapeutic attitudes of the (future) therapist and his or her emotional response towards the patient were interrelated. The trainees´ evaluation of the emotional response is associated with his or her therapeutic attitudes and reflects patient-induced counter-transference reactions. Conclusion: The results indicate that trainees' self-perceptions are related to patient-perceptions. This leads to the conclusion that (future) therapist´s self-reported attitudes are of considerable value in understanding how individual therapists contribute to the therapeutic process.