Skip to main content
Log in

The therapeutic relationship in Rational-Emotive Therapy: Some preliminary data

  • Articles
  • Published:
Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study assessed the therapeutic relationship between psychotherapy clients and Albert Ellis and other Rational-Emotive Therapists. Clients at the Institute for Rational-Emotive Therapy completed the relationship questionnaire (Truax, & Carkhuff, 1967). The results suggest that RET therapists do develop positive therapeutic relationships. Clients receiving RET endorsed significantly higher scores on most therapeutic relationship subscales compared to subjects in the initial articles introducing the therapeutic relationship scale. There were no differences in therapeutic relationship scores by gender of the therapist. Also, there was no correlation between the relationship scores and the number of sessions completed, which suggests the therapuetic relationship develops early. Both clients of senior and junior therapists received higher relationship scores than did clients of Dr. Ellis. This disconfirms the argument that RET practices cannot lead to a therapuetic relationship and Ellis' therapeutic relationship is a result of his fame and could not be duplicated by other therapists using RET.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Cormier, W., & Cormier, S.L. (1991).Interviewing Skills for Helpers: A Cognitive Behavioral Perspective.3rd Ed. Monterey, CA: Brooks/Cole.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barrett-Lennard, (1962). Dimensions of therapist responses as causal factors in therapeutic change.Psychological Monographs, 76 (42 Whole number 560).

  • DiGiuseppe, R. (1991). A rational emotive model of assessment. In M.E. Bernard (Ed.).Using Rational Emotive Therapy Effectively. New York: Plenum pp. 151–169.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellis, A. (1959). Requisite conditions for basic personality change.Journal of Consulting Psychology, 23, 538–540.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellis, A. (1962).Reason and Emotion in Psychotherapy. Seacacus, N.J.: Lyle Stuart.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellis, A. (1973).Humanistic Psychotherapy: The Rational Emotive Approach. New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellis, A. (1985)Overcoming Resistance: Rational-Emotive Therapy with Difficult Clients. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellis, A., & Dryden, W. (1987).The Practice of Rational-Emotive Therapy. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garfield, A. (1989). The therapeutic relationship in RET. In M.E. Bernard, & R.A. DiGiuseppe (Eds.)Inside Rational Emotive Therapy: A Critical Appraisal of the Theory and Therapy of Albert Ellis. Orlando, Fl.: Academic Press, pp 115–134.

    Google Scholar 

  • Horvath, A., & Greenberg, L. (1986). The development of the working alliance inventory. In L.S. Greenberg, & W.M. Pinsoff (Eds.)The Psychotherapeutic Process: A Research Handbook, (pp. 529–556). New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ivey, A. (1983).Intentional Interviewing and Counseling. Monterey, CA.: Brooks/Cole.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lazarus, A. (1979). Can RET become a cult? In A. Ellis, & J. Whitely (Eds.)Theoretical and Empirical Foundations of Rational Emotive Therapy. Monterey, Ca.: Brooks/Cole pp. 236–240.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin, T. (1973). Revision and validation of the Truax Carkhuff relationship questionnaire.Measurement Evaluation in Guidance, 6, 82–86.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahoney, M. (1991).Human Change Processes: The Scientific Foundations of Psychotherapy. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahoney, M., & Gabriel, T. (1987). Psychotherapy and the Cognitive Sciences: An Evolving Alliance.Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, an International Quarterly, 1, 39–59.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahoney, M.J., Lyddon, W.J. & Alford, D.J. (1989). An Evaluation of the Rational-Emotive Theory of Psychotherapy. In M.E. Bernard and R. DiGiuseppe (Eds.),Inside Rational-Emotive Therapy: A Critical Appraisal of the Theory and Therapy of Albert Ellis, pp. 69–94. New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, C. (1957). The necessary and sufficient conditions of therapeutic personality change.Journal of Consulting Psychology, 21, 459–461.

    Google Scholar 

  • Truax, C., & Carkhuff, R. (1967).Towards Effective Counseling and Psychotherapy: Training and Practice. Chicago: Aldine.

    Google Scholar 

  • Truax, C., Altaian, H., & Mills, W. (1974). Therapeutic relationships provided by various professionals.Journal of Community Psychology, 2(1), 33–36.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

The authors wish to thank the Board of Trustees of Institute for Rational-Emotive Therapy for their financial support of this study.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

DiGiuseppe, R., Leaf, R. & Linscott, J. The therapeutic relationship in Rational-Emotive Therapy: Some preliminary data. J Rational-Emot Cognitive-Behav Ther 11, 223–233 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01089777

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01089777

Keywords

Navigation