Interpreting therapeutic process: A constructivist perspective

Abstract

Application of personal construct theory to investigations of psychotherapy process provides insights into the nature of the therapeutic process. Direct relationships between therapist and client epistemologies and their in-therapy behaviors may be described, interactions between participants' ways of giving meaning to their in-therapy experiences can be demonstrated, and implications for therapeutic outcome are suggested. Two research examples are used to illustrate the potential of construct theory to advance present understanding of therapy. The article concludes with a discussion of possible future directions for constructivist investigations of psychotherapeutic process.