Abstract
The therapist-patient relationship factors in behavior therapy have tended to be considered as minor importance. As a matter of empirical fact, behavior therapists usually take active roles in various manners in therapy, and therapists' activities seem to influence upon efficacy of treatment. The author reviewed literatures on experimental studies regarding relationship factors for outcome of treatment, and found the major part of literatures showed relationship factors' effect. A male agoraphobic's treatment course in which therapeutic styles were varied experimentally was examined thoroughly to know therapist-patient relationship : He had severe agoraphobia and also had severe social interaction difficulties. The followings appeared: (1) Variation of therapeutic role behavior during treatment brought on changing patient's behavior toward the therapist, therefore, changing the relationship. (2) Variation of therapeutic role behavior influenced the outcome of treatment. That is (a) treatment with more confidential relationship produced better result, and (b) treatment with less confidential relationship also produced ameriolation to a certain extent. (3) The therapeutic behaviors in the less confidential relationship stage seemed to be insufficient activities of therapeutic roles which were expected in the treatment techniques. Considering the above points, the author argue that the therapist-patient relationship in behavior therapy can be described to achievement of therapeutic role behaviors to be expected in each treatment techniques.
