Personality characteristics of therapists: Description of relevant variables and examination of conscious preferences.

Summarized and discussed recent studies of the significance of the psychotherapist's personality with the aim of developing measures for clinical research. 10 variables are described, comprising a relatively comprehensive and discrete list of potential importance. They include: objectivity, dependability, sincerity, sureness, directiveness, empathy (both affective and cognitive components, i.e., responsiveness and understanding), respect, interest, and warmth. The measurement of conscious attitudes toward these variables in 54 psychiatrists, 77 psychologists, and 78 social workers is described. The method uses a questionnaire requiring forced choices between paired adjectives and provides rankings among the variables. The results indicate both similarities and differences among therapist groups in relative preferences for these characteristics. (19 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)