[A study of attributes of psychotherapists through the therapeutic process: evaluations of the meaningful actions of clients].

This study sought to clarify the therapeutic process through the evaluation of clients' meaningful action and to investigate possible relationships between the attributes of therapists and the therapeutic process. Two hundred and one therapists participated in the study by answering an inventory which evaluated the meaningful actions of clients. This inventory consisted of 47 items of therapeutic situations which were judged using a six-point scale. Factor-analysis resulted in seven factors: 1) resistance and inner conflict, 2) stable and reliable relationship, 3) autonomy, 4) disclosure, 5) activeness, 6) relaxation, 7) tension. The possible relationships were investigated between the therapists' attributes (such as his vocational standpoint, age, sex, clinical experience, therapeutic approach and the client's type of disorder and age) and each of these factors. Using the results of the inventory, 22 therapists were requested to arrange these seven factors in an order which reflects the process of their psychotherapy. The usual order was (7)-(1)-(2)-(4)-(6)-(5)-(3). The importance which the therapists gave to each specific stage of the therapeutic process with a client was found to be related to the therapist's attributes.