Increase in Coherence in Action Control as a Feature of Successful Psychotherapies: A Sequential Analytical Examination of the Therapist-Patient Interaction

Abstract

The authors investigated the hypothesis that utterances of patients and therapists concerning action control theory (Kuhl, 1985) would converge in successful therapies. This study focused on the motivational content of patient and therapist statements from 128 therapy sessions of 32 different therapies. Using sequential analysis, the authors analyzed the starting and final therapy phases, different therapeutic conditions, and outcome. Generally, successful therapies had more action-oriented successions of utterances. In successful therapies, patients adhered less to their preferred action control style and moved closer to the motivational attitude of their psychotherapists. Independent of therapy success, more coherent action control sequences were found in therapies focusing on clarification than in those focusing on behavioral change. An increase of coherent action control sequences, either action or state oriented, promoted a successful course of therapy.