Psychotherapist Orientation and Expectations for Liked and Disliked Patients

Two fictional intake summaries were presented to either psychodynamically ( n = 32) or cognitive-behaviorally oriented ( n = 22) psychotherapists. Therapists rated the personality attributes of and expectations for the course of therapy with these potential patients. Therapists were less inclined to treat hypothetical patients whom they did not like, even though they believed these individuals to be in greater need of psychotherapy. When imagining themselves working with less liked patients, therapists expected to feel less confident of their skills and were more concerned that such patients would engage in countertherapeutic activities. Cognitive-behavioral therapists were somewhat more likely to differentiate between liked and less liked patients in their expectations for the course of therapy than were psychodynamic therapists. Implications for the provision of psychotherapy services are discussed.