Client-centred therapeutic relationship conditions and authenticity: a prospective study

ABSTRACT

The aim was to investigate the association between experiencing a therapeutic relationship and subsequent authenticity. Forty-six clients completed the Barrett–Lennard Relationship Inventory (B-LRI), Relational Depth Inventory (RDI), a measure of the therapeutic alliance (ARM-5) and the Authenticity Scale (AS) at intervals over 10 therapy sessions. Higher scores on the B-LRI at sessions 3, 5 and 10 were associated with an increase in authenticity over the 10 sessions. These results provide some initial evidence in support of Rogers's (1957) theory that it is the conditions of the therapeutic relationship that lead to greater authenticity.

KEYWORDS:

• Positive psychology
• Authenticity Scale
• Relational Depth Inventory
• Barrett–Lennard Relationship Inventory
• therapeutic alliance

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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

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Notes on contributors

Cecelia Bayliss-Conway

Cecelia Bayliss-Conway is a recent graduate from the MA in person-centred counselling and psychotherapy at the University of Nottingham, UK. The present article is based on her final dissertation research. Cecelia is a member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy.

Sue Price

Sue Price (formally Wiggins) is an assistant professor at the University of Nottingham, UK, and teaches on the MA in person-centred counselling and psychotherapy. Sue is an accredited counsellor and psychotherapist with the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy. Her research interests are in the topic of relational depth. Sue is the developer of the Relational Depth Inventory.

David Murphy

David Murphy is an associate professor at the University of Nottingham, UK, and is the course director for the MA in person-centred counselling and psychotherapy. David is on the British Psychological Society's Register of Psychologists Specialising in Psychotherapy. He is interested in the mutuality of the therapeutic relationship. He is editor of Counselling Psychology: A textbook for study and practice (BPS-Wiley 2017).

Stephen Joseph

Stephen Joseph is a professor at the University of Nottingham, UK, and teaches on the MA in person-centred counselling and psychotherapy. Stephen is on the British Psychological Society's Register of Psychologists Specialising in Psychotherapy. He is editor of the PCCS Handbook of Person-Centred Therapy and Mental Health (2017).