Abstract
We explored the behavioral correlates ofreactance in actual psychotherapy relationships. Ninetyclient-therapist pairs participated. Clients completeda well-being improvement rating and two reactance measures. Therapists rated improvement inclient global functioning, medication compliance, 61client behaviors during therapy, and prematuretermination. Reactance was negatively associated withglobal improvement, positively with prematuretermination, but not with medication compliance.Reactance was positively associated with a set ofinterpersonal distancing behaviors labeled BoundaryAugmentation and weakly with boundary reducing behaviors.Reactance was not associated with behaviors indicativeof a collaborative relationship nor of disengagementfrom therapy. Improvementwas positively associated with a collaborative relationship andnegatively with boundary-reducing behaviors.
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Seibel, C.A., Dowd, E.T. Reactance and Therapeutic Noncompliance. Cognitive Therapy and Research 23, 373–379 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018751817046
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018751817046