Therapist Complementarity Index (CI) derived from a weighted 4x4 Interaction Matrix¶

Element · All elements
Evidence · 4 claims (2 for, 2 against) · 1 study (1 associational), q2 · 1 of 1 report an effect size · 4 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The article develops a quantification of therapist complementarity: a 4x4 Interaction Matrix in which "All 16 cells were assigned weightings (3, 2, or 1)" reflecting the relative complementarity of each elicitation-response exchange on the Leary Circumplex axes. Proportions of rated interactions are inserted into the cells, multiplied by the weightings, and summed across all 16 cells to yield a Complementarity Index for a therapist at a given therapy stage, with larger values indicating higher complementarity. The index was built because no prior behaviorally-based procedure existed for deriving response-by-response complementarity levels.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Requires tape-recorded sessions rated with the Freedman, Leary, & Coffey interpersonal behavioral analysis system by trained raters, with client as sender and therapist as respondent.

Constraints¶

• The article notes its applications to various clinical endeavors, including clinical training, are yet to be investigated.

Target Learners¶

• therapists and counselors whose interaction patterns are being assessed

Target Learning Goals¶

• quantifying and adjusting interpersonal complementarity in helping relationships

Claims¶

• Observed interaction frequencies support the Interaction Matrix cell weightings, with the most interactions in the highest-weighted cells [+W]
• During the early stage of therapy, more severely maladjusted clients elicit higher levels of therapist complementarity [+W]
• During the middle stage of therapy, successful therapists respond at a significantly lower level of complementarity than unsuccessful therapists [-W]
• Overall therapist complementarity across the full therapeutic relationship does not differ significantly between successful and unsuccessful outcome groups [-W]

Related Elements¶

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Dietzel, C. S.; Abeles, Norman. (1974). Client-Therapist Complementarity and Therapeutic Outcome. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED091646. doi:10.1037/h0076731