Paradoxical Findings Regarding Therapist Empathy Based on Length of Professional Experience

Abstract

Empathy is considered a key condition for an effective outcome of the therapeutic process in many psychotherapeutic approaches. A number of transactional analysis authors have stressed the importance of empathy and empathic transactions. This quantitative study aimed to test the hypothesis that levels of therapist empathy increase with professional training and work experience. A comparative analysis of data obtained from more than 100 practitioners with experience ranging from 1 month to 15 years did not confirmed this hypothesis. In response, the authors have formulated a way to differentiate professional empathy as a trained skill and personal empathy as a personality trait. Directions for future exploration are outlined.

• empathy
• professional empathy
• personal empathy
• self-actualization
• quotient of empathic abilities
• personal orientation inventory
• professional self-assessment
• length of professional experience
• burnout
• compassion fatigue

Notes

Declaration of Conflicting Interests The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Vladimir Goussakovski

Author Biographies

Vladimir Goussakovski is a PhD psychologist and a Teaching and Supervising Transactional Analyst (psychotherapy) who lives and practices psychotherapy, TA training, and supervision in St. Petersburg, Russia. He is a founder member and past president of the St. Petersburg Institute of Transactional Analysis (SITA). He also originated the first ongoing TA training programs in several cities in Russia, Ukraine, and Armenia. Vladimir was a vice president of ITAA and currently is chair of the ITAA Conference Committee. He can be reached at Apt.75, H.2, Privokzalnaya Square, Pushkin, St. Petersburg, Russia; email: [email protected].

Margarita Sizikova

Margarita Sizikova is a psychologist and doctoral student at the National Research University Higher School of Economics. She lives in St. Petersburg, Russia, and can be reached at Apt.75, H.2, Privokzalnaya Square, Pushkin, St. Petersburg, Russia; email: [email protected].