Categories of Therapist Skills
As may be seen from Table 1, five of the categories of therapist skills (Refining CT skills, Communication of the conceptual framework, Therapeutic flexibility, Attention to the therapeutic relationship, Empathic attunement) map readily onto precisely those factors that are associated with good outcomes in CT and other therapies, while the sixth (Therapist self-reflection) has been identified as a key component in the development of therapist competence. It is therefore concluded that the kinds of changes reported by participants undertaking SP/SR are those that research studies have identified as central to the development of competent and effective therapists.
Of course, any conclusions about the value of SP/SR need to be tempered by the fact that all the data are based on self-report, and there are no objective measures of therapist performance. For example, therapists may report that they are more tolerant and understanding of their clients when they do not do their homework, or that they are better able to communicate the cognitive model to clients, but this has not been measured, and it is not known how stable any such changes might be. These are clearly questions that need answering, but Therapist skills enhanced by SP/SR Therapist skills associated with good outcome in cognitive and other therapies
