The Ability to Authentic Presence of the Therapist as a Method of Quality Follow Up the Effectiveness of Psychotherapy

Abstract

There are disputes and a large number of methods that claim to measure efficacy in psychotherapy. Most studies focus on the personality and skills of the therapist, fewer which examine the process of psychotherapy and how interconnections between the therapist and the client change this process. In this study we present a method of assessing the authenticity and the level of communication inspired by the theory of Budgatal (Budgendhal), examining the authenticity of the client’s contact after each session, together with two therapist-related factors: expression and openness ( Reflectiveness according to Peseschkian). In the semantics of positive psychotherapy, these are the abilities of the therapist, the ability of openness, emotional expression, and so on. The results are determined through the correlation analysis of the authentic presence and communication scale (Alpha of Cronbach Alfa 0.6) which presents the correlation relationship between abilities of Expression and accessibility of the therapist and the level of authenticity in the therapeutic sharing of the client. The results show that there is a statistically significant positive correlation (Spearman’s Correlation .748 and .511, p=0,01) between the ability of openness and high levels of authenticity in therapeutic communication and a negative correlation with the emotional expression of the therapist. In conclusion, we can say that the level of authenticity in therapeutic communication depends on the ability of openness (frankness according to Peseschkian) and needs the opposite of expressiveness, namely the introverted function of the emotion capable of “the contents of the other’s experiences, without taking space with excessive expression of their emotions.