Self-concept of relational skills in psychotherapy trainees: A pilot study

Background Personal characteristics and relational skills represent central aspects of the psychotherapist's work, and yet, little is still known about them in the context of psychotherapy training. Objective This paper presents a preliminary exploration of the self-concepts of relational skills in psychotherapy trainees. Changes in the self-concept in N = 131 psychotherapy trainees were explored through analysis of self-image ideal-self and self/ideal-self discrepancy in two stages (beginning vs. advanced). Method Data were collected with a modified version of the self-rated instruments Trainee Background Information Form and Trainee Current Practice Report (Orlinsky et al., 2015), and analysed with analyses of covariances for each dependent variable. Results Expected differences in the self-image of beginning versus advanced trainees were not detected. However, differences in trainees' ideal-self and in self/ideal-self discrepancy were found. Some gender and age differences were also detected. Conclusions The results suggest possible changes in the self-concept of relational skills, indicative of self-development processes such as discovering a realistic sense of self and self-boundaries, managing intensive emotional interactions and developing regulatory interpersonal mechanisms. An in-depth and more refined future exploration of various aspects of the self-concept in the context of psychotherapy training is needed to help understand the complex processes of forming an integrated self of psychotherapists.