Grant: Master's Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Clients of therapists who exhibit certain characteristics (such as empathy, warmth, and support) show greater improvement during psychological treatment (Dowd, 2005). Therapist variables, however, are rarely examined in the context of cognitive-behavioural treatment (CBT; Lambert, 1992). This remains true despite the fact that effective administration of CBT requires therapists who are appropriately empathetic and challenging, as clients are often encouraged to enter into anxiety-provoking situations during treatment (Woody & Ollendick, 2006). In order to examine the impact of therapist characteristics on symptom change, a client-rated measure of therapist characteristics will be constructed. This Therapist Behaviour Assessment (TBA) will comprise of two distinct subscales: 1) empathetic and caring, and 2) challenging and direct. A sample of 110 individuals with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD; as assessed by two diagnostic interviews) will receive CBT for the disorder, and will complete the TBA during the third treatment session. The factor structure of the measure, as well as the reliability and validity of each subscale will be examined. It is hypothesized that a higher overall rating of therapist characteristics will predict greater self-reported GAD symptom change over time. It is also hypothesized that a higher overall rating of therapist characteristics will predict lower clinician-rated GAD severity at post treatment. This study has the potential to provide therapists and researchers with a valid client-rated measure of therapist characteristics in CBT. It may also inform therapists how to behave at different stages of the treatment process in order to maximize treatment efficacy.