Individuals who report better relationships with their mental health providers have better treatment outcomes. One element of the relationship is therapist empathy, or the therapist's ability to see the world from the client's point-of-view. Researchers have struggled to define, measure, and teach empathy. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether instruction in character analysis techniques, such as those used by actors, had an effect on cognitive empathy. A convenience sample of 20 adults enrolled in undergraduate or graduate-level coursework was recruited for participation in this study. Each individual provided demographic information and completed the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) and the Literature Empathy Test (LET). The intervention group (n = 10) participated in a 45-minute character analysis training prior to completing the LET. The control group (n = 10) completed both assessments in a separate meeting with no intervention. A univariate analysis of covariance was used to discover the effect of character analysis training on LET scores in light of IRI scores. The data analysis revealed no significant relationship between the intervention and LET scores, but the findings provided several insights. Future research would benefit from modifications to the LET, inclusion of an additional empathy measure, and revisions to the sample size and inclusion criteria. Although the results of the present study were not significant, this area of research remains a promising means by which to promote social change by informing the pursuit of positive interpersonal relationships and prosocial behaviors

Many clients drop out of therapy before reaching their goals, (Bohart & Wade, 2013) though research shows that being in therapy is more effective in producing change than not being in therapy, (Lambert, 1992). Little is known about what makes therapy effective (Davis & Piercy, 2007a, b; Pinsof & Wynne, 2000). The purpose of the present study was to understand what clients believe is productive about therapy, and how clients’ assessment of therapy productiveness impacts their decision to remain in therapy or to drop out of therapy. For the qualitative strand of this simultaneous convergent mixed methods study, grounded theory was used to inductively develop a common-factors informed model describing how productive change processes influence intended retention. The convenience sample consisted of 19 current clients in therapy with a marriage and family therapist. For the quantitative strand, participation involved completing a semi-structured interview and quantitative survey. Direct, binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine whether perceived productiveness, goal attainment and therapeutic alliance, predicted intended treatment retention or intended dropout. The convenience sample for quantitative analysis included the 19 qualitative participants, and continued sampling until adequate statistical power was reached with 72 participants. Mixed analysis strategy was data comparison for the purpose of triangulation. Qualitative results span three categories emerged from qualitative: client factors, therapy process factors and evaluation of progress. Client factors, including presenting problem factors, expectations and motivation were considered when participants made decisions about staying in therapy or dropping out of iii therapy. Therapy process factors, including therapists’ understanding of the presenting problem, therapeutic alliance, therapists interventions and the pacing and timing of those interventions were also considered when participants made decisions about staying in therapy or dropping out of therapy. When participants evaluated the progress made because of therapy, they evaluated changes in the presenting problem, symptom reduction, and noticed this progress took place outside of therapy. Quantitative results showed that goal attainment, therapeutic alliance and productiveness significantly predicted intended retention when each was tested as an individual predictor. When tested in a full model, containing goal attainment, therapeutic alliance and productiveness; only the task domain of therapeutic alliance emerged as significant. Results confirm the importance of therapeutic tasks to clients’ decision to stay in therapy or to drop out of therapy. Results contribute to the importance of common factors in keeping clients in therapy until they reach their goals. Further, results inform research, clinical practice and training in the MFT field. / Ph. D.

Studien syftade till att belysa hur ungdomar med missbruksproblem i efterhand värderar en behandlingsinsats samt vilka betydelsefulla förändringar som de uppfattar har skett. Studien har utgått från ungdomarnas egna utsagor med hjälp av UngDOK och dess uppföljningsformulär. Studien har sin grund i mixed methods, vilket innebär inslag av både kvalitativ och kvantitativ forskningsansats. Den teori som användes för att analysera resultatet var The Common Factors Theory. Resultatet visade att gemensamma faktorer såsom den terapeutiska alliansen mellan behandlare och ungdom samt den professionellas acceptans och empati var viktiga aspekter för ungdomarna under behandlingskontakten. När det gäller betydelsefulla förändringar var faktorer utanför behandling mest betydelsefullt för tillfrågade ungdomar. Dessa förändringar handlade om att ungdomarna har lyckats med att återuppbygga relationer till sin familj och vänner samt att de har träffat en ny partner eller att de har lyckats fullfölja sina studier och skaffat en meningsfull sysselsättning.

This study compares the counselor credibility of therapists who use problem-focused with those who use solution-focused language. Participants from two undergraduate classes at a southeastern state university were assigned to one of two eight-minute videotapes of a role-played family therapy session: problem-focused or solution-focused. This study is a posttest only quasi-experimental design. One group (N=35) viewed a videotape of a session that used solution-focused language. Another group (N=38) viewed a videotape of a session that used problem-focused language. The same therapist conducted both sessions and the same actors were used as the client couple. After viewing the videotape, participants rated the therapist's credibility (as measured by the Counselor Rating Form - Short Version), completed a Demographic Questionnaire and answered three open-ended questions. Two research questions were examined in this study: (1) Do potential clients perceive a therapist using solution-focused language as more attractive, experienced, trustworthy, and more credible than the same therapist using problem-focused language? (2) What other variables affect potential clients' view of the therapist? No significant differences in counselor credibility were found between the two groups. Three categories were discovered in the analysis of the open-ended questions: therapist characteristics, actions/skills of therapist, and other. When asked what they liked the most about the therapist, the majority of the participants' (86 percent) responses fell into the category of actions and skills of the therapist. When asked what they liked the least about the therapist, the majority of the participants' (64 percent) responses fell into the category of therapist characteristics. / Master of Science

The purpose of this study was to explore the aspects of therapy as proposed by "common factors" literature (e.g., extratherapeutic change, hope and expectancy, therapy technique, and therapeutic relationship) by surveying the clients of a university based family therapy clinic. Data were used to provide information about what factors are therapeutically helpful according to the client's perspective. Surveys provided a quantitative and qualitative description of the client's therapeutic experience and were compared with those aspects of therapy found in the research. Quantitative results indicate that therapeutic relationship, client motivation, factors outside of therapy, and hope and expectancy accounted for around 49% of the variance of clients' perception of change and about 73% of the variance of clients' perceptions of therapy helpfulness. Findings further suggest that the clients' level of hopefulness and expectancy for positive change is the most significant predictor for both client change and therapy helpfulness. Qualitative results indicate that the therapeutic relationship is considered by clients to be the most helpful aspect of their therapeutic experience. / Master of Science

Inledning: Syftet med den här uppsatsen att undersöka hur fem psykodynamiskt inriktade privatpraktiserande psykoterapeuter definierar begreppet det psykoterapeutiska kontraktet, hur de arbetar med det psykoterapeutiska kontraktet och vilka effekter de anser att detta arbete ger. Frågeställningar: Hur definierar du begreppet psykoterapeutiskt kontrakt? Hur arbetar du praktiskt med det psykoterapeutiska kontraktet? Vilka effekter ser du av ditt arbete med det psykoterapeutiska kontraktet? Metod: En kvalitativ induktiv analys har använts. Fem psykodynamiskt inriktade psykoterapeuter har intervjuats med semistrukturerade frågor. Därefter har materialet kodats, tematiserats, analyserats och sammanställts. Resultat: Det psykoterapeutiska kontraktet som begrepp har inte upplevts som vedertaget av de intervjuade. Samtliga använder sig dock av ett psykoterapeutiskt kontrakt på olika sätt. Samtliga intervjuade upplever fördelar av att arbeta med det psykoterapeutiska kontraktet under förutsättning att det används på rätt sätt. Diskussion: Det psykoterapeutiska kontraktet tolkas och tillämpas på varierande sätt beroende på teoretisk inriktning. Utifrån uppsatsens ramar kan slutas att psykodynamisk psykoterapi tolkas och utövas på olika sätt beroende på hur psykoterapeuten förhåller sig till det psykoterapeutiska kontraktet. / Introduction: The purpose of this paper to examine how five psychodynamic oriented private practice psychotherapists define the concept of the psychotherapeutic contract, how they work with the psychotherapeutic contract and what effects they think this work provides. Issues: How do you define the concept of psychotherapeutic contract? How do you work practically with the psychotherapeutic contract? What impact do you see your work with the psychotherapeutic contract? Method: A qualitative inductive analysis has been used. Five psychodynamic oriented psychotherapists were interviewed with semi-structured questions. The material has thereafter been encoded, thematized, analyzed and compiled. Results: The psychotherapeutic contract terms have not been perceived as acknowledged by those interviewed. All uses, however, a psychotherapeutic contract in different ways. All interviewees are experiencing the benefits of working with the psychotherapeutic contract provided it is used correctly. Discussion: The psychotherapeutic contract is interpreted and applied in various ways depending on the theoretical orientation. Based on the frames of the essay it can be concluded that psychodynamic psychotherapy is interpreted and practiced in different ways depending on how the psychotherapist relate to the psychotherapeutic contract.

Existerande skolstrider, överlappande skolteorier samt vetskapen att erfarna psykologer arbetade integrativt var anledningarna till att Örebro Universitet, 2002, startade ett Psykologprogram med integrativ psykoterapiinriktning. Den grupp som examinerats från programmet har ännu inte studerats utifrån hur de beskriver sitt arbetssätt, deras föreställningar om psykoterapiintegration och hindrande faktorer för integration av terapiskolor samt hur de tolkar evidensbegreppet. Studien är en tvärsnitts enkätstudie med kvantitativa och kvalitativa frågor som syftar till att besvara dessa frågeställningar. Ett tillgänglighetsurval resulterade i 70 stycken deltagare. Deltagarna anger sitt arbetsätt som i huvudsak integrativt. En förvirring kring hur och när integration ska ske samt en snäv tolkning av hur evidensbegreppet definieras finns i gruppen. Vi föreslår att framtida integration bör guidas av evidensbaserad praktik. / Existing school conflicts, overlapping schooltheories and knowledge that experienced psychologists were working integrative were reasons why Örebro University, in 2002 started a Psychologist Program with an integrative psychotherapy approach. The graduated from this program have not yet been studied based on how they describe their practices, their beliefs about psychotherapy integration and impeding factors for the integration of therapy schools and how they interpret the concept of evidence. The study is a cross-sectional questionnaire study with quantitative and qualitative questions designed to answer these questions. An availability sample resulted in 70 participants. Participants indicates their practices as substantially integrative. A confusion about how and when the integration will take place, and a narrow interpretation of how evidence is defined is present in the group. We suggests that future integration should be guided by evidencebased practice.

Couple therapy has been proven to be successful in treating marital distress and mental health problems; however, not everyone benefits from couple therapy. Although research suggests that some couple therapists are more effective than others, little research has explored the in-session behaviors of effective couple therapists. The purpose of this study was to code the therapist behaviors of therapist warmth, empathy, validation, presence, collaboration, systemically-based techniques, and session structure in the first session of 17 Emotionally Focused Therapy cases of couple therapy to examine their ability to predict pre-therapy to post-therapy change in male and female marital satisfaction. The seven hypotheses were tested utilizing Bayesian structure equation modeling (BSEM). Results indicate that 13 of the 14 hypothesized relationships between therapist behaviors and change in marital satisfaction were not significant. Only therapist empathy was a significant predictor, but it unexpectedly predicted a decrease in female marital satisfaction over the course of therapy. Possible explanations for the findings and clinical implications were discussed.

No description available.

O objetivo desta tese consiste na elaboração de dois estudos empíricos. No primeiro, estuda-se as propriedades da estrutura a termo das taxas de juros e em particular testa-se a validade da hipótese de expectativas a dados brasileiros e americanos. Os melhores resultados foram obtidos para os dados americanos. No segundo estudo pesquisa-se os determinantes da volatilidade dos títulos de dívida soberana de quatro países – Brasil, Argentina, Rússia e México. Os modelos utilizados são multivariados da família GARCH. Avalia-se em que medida as crises financeiras pelas quais passaram os países citados implicaram em algum tipo de contágio aos demais. Há evidência favorável à hipótese de contágio de muitos dos eventos estudados. / The thesis is composed by two empirical studies. In the first it’s analyzed the proprieties of the interest rate term structure and, in particular, it’s investigated whether or not the expectation hypothesis is a good description of Brazilian and American data. The results are better for American data. In the second study it’s investigated the sovereign debt bonds volatility of four countries – Brazil, Mexico, Russia and Argentine. The volatility was analyzed by the estimation of multivariate GARCH models. The existence of financial crises contagion was investigated and tested. There is some evidence in favor of the contagion hypothesis.