The positive psychology of relational depth and its association with unconditional positive self-regard and authenticity

ABSTRACT

Relational depth (RD) refers to moments in a therapeutic relationship in which a person has feelings of aliveness, satisfaction and immersion. However, no research has yet tested for the association between RD and concepts closely aligned with Carl Rogers’ hypothesis of how people change in a growth-promoting relationship. In this study, 55 therapy clients completed the relational depth inventory (RDI), the unconditional positive self-regard scale (UPSR) and the authenticity scale (AS). It was found that higher scores on the RDI were associated with higher scores on the UPSR and the AS. These results provide initial evidence for the growth-promoting effects of RD. Further prospective research is now warranted.

La psychologie positive de la Profondeur Relationnelle (PR) et son association avec le regard positif inconditionnel et l’authenticité.

La Profondeur Relationnelle fait référence aux moments d’une relation thérapeutique au cours desquels une personne vit des sentiments de vie, de satisfaction et d’immersion. Cependant, aucune recherche n’a encore testé l’association entre la PR et les concepts qui lui sont étroitement proches chez Rogers (1957) quant à la manière dont les personnes changent dans une relation favorisant la croissance. Dans cette étude, 55 clients en thérapie ont complété l’Inventaire de Profondeur Relationnelle (Relational Depth Inventory – RDI), l’Échelle de Regard Positif Inconditionnel (Unconditional Positive Self-Regard Scale – UPRS) et l’Échelle d’Authenticité (Authenticity Scale - AS). Il a été constaté que les scores les plus élevés obtenus avec la RDI étaient associés avec les plus hauts scores notés sur les échelles UPRS et AS. Ces résultats apportent une première preuve des effets favorisant le développement de la PR. D’autres pistes de recherche sont maintenant justifiées.

Die positive Psychologie der Beziehungstiefe und ihre Verbindung zu bedingungsloser Selbst-Wertschätzung und Authentizität.

Beziehungstiefe (BT) bezieht sich auf die Momente in einer therapeutischen Beziehung, in der eine Person Gefühle von Lebendigkeit, Zufriedenheit und Vertiefung erlebt. Bisher gab es jedoch keine Forschung zur Verbindung zwischen BT und denjenigen Konzepten, die mit Carl Rogers’ (1957) Hypothese in enger Verbindung stehen, wie sich Menschen in einer wachstumsfördernden Beziehung verändern. In dieser Studie füllten 55 Therapie-Klienten das Relational Depth Inventory (RDI), die Unconditional Positive Self-Regard Scale (UPSR) und die Authenticity Scale (AS) aus. Der Befund: Höhere Werte im RDI stehen in Verbindung mit höheren Werten bei der UPSR und der AS. Diese Resultate liefern erste Hinweise auf die wachstumsfördernden Effekte von RD. Weitere prospektive Forschung ist nun garantiert.

Positiva da profundidade relacional e sua associação com o olhar incondicional positivo sobre si mesmo e a autenticidade.

A Profundidade Relacional (PR) refere-se a momentos na relação terapêutica nos quais a pessoa experiencia sentimentos de vivacidade, satisfação e imersão. Contudo, ainda não existe investigação acerca da associação entre a PR e conceitos profundamente alinhados com a hipótese de Carl Rogers (1957) de que as pessoas mudam no seio de uma relação promotora do crescimento. Neste estudo, 55 clientes de terapia centrada responderam ao Inventário de Profundidade Relacional (RDI), à Escala de Olhar sobre Si Mesmo Incondicional Positivo (UPSR) e a Escala de Autenticidade (AS). Os resultados mais elevados obtidos na RDI encontram-se correlacionados com resultados mais elevados na UPSR e na AS. Tais resultados fornecem uma evidência inicial de que a PR é promotora do crescimento. Fica assim justificada a prossecução de futuras investigações.

La psicología positiva de profundidad relacional y su asociación con la autoestima positiva incondicional y la autenticidad.

La profundidad relacional (PR) se refiere a momentos en una relación terapéutica en los que una persona tiene sentimientos de vida, satisfacción e inmersión. Sin embargo, ninguna investigación ha probado aún la asociación entre PR y conceptos estrechamente alineados con la hipótesis de Carl Rogers (1957) de cómo las personas cambian en una relación que promueve el crecimiento. En este estudio, 55 clientes de terapia completaron el Inventario de profundidad relacional (IPR), la Escala de autoestima positiva incondicional (S de API) y la Escala de autenticidad (S de A). Se encontró que los puntajes más altos en el IPR se asociaron con puntajes más altos en el S de API y el S de A. Estos resultados proporcionan evidencia inicial de los efectos promotores del crecimiento de PR. Más investigación prospectiva ahora está justificada.

KEYWORDS:

• Person centered
• fully functioning person
• unconditional positive self regard
• authenticity
• relational depth

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jiyea Kim

Jiyea Kim is a registered psychotherapist with BACP Accreditation. Jiyea graduated with a Masters degree in person-centered experiential therapy from the University of Nottingham in 2018. She is a psychotherapist in the Ministry of Health and Welfare at the Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital in the Catholic University of Korea. Currently, she is working with clients who have problems with substance use and specializing in smoking cessation.

Stephen Joseph

Stephen Joseph is a registered coaching psychologist and a senior practitioner member of the British Psychological Society’s register of psychologists specializing in psychotherapy and an HCPC registered health and counseling psychologist. He is a professor at the University of Nottingham in the School of Education where he is part of the human flourishing research group and convener of the counseling and psychotherapy teaching group.

Sue Price

Sue Price is a lecturer and a member of the Center for Research in Human Flourishing at the University of Nottingham in the School of Education. Sue is a practising counselor and psychotherapist with BACP Accreditation. She completed her PhD at The University of Strathclyde in 2012 under the supervision of Professor Robert Elliott and Professor Mick Cooper. Her PhD focused on the development of an inventory designed to assess relational depth in counseling and psychotherapy.