Person-centered/experiential psychotherapy for anxiety difficulties : theory, research and practice

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Elliott, Robert (2013) Person-centered/experiential psychotherapy for anxiety difficulties : theory, research and practice. Person-Centered and Experiential Psychotherapies, 12 (1). pp. 16-32. ISSN 1477-9757 (https://doi.org/10.1080/14779757.2013.767750)

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Abstract

Anxiety difficulties are an increasingly important focus for person-centered/experiential (PCE) psychotherapies. I begin by reviewing person-centered, focusing-oriented, and emotion-focused therapy (EFT) theories of anxiety. Next, I summarize a meta-analysis of 19 outcome studies of PCE therapies for adults with anxiety, most commonly supportive or person-centered therapies (PCT) carried out by cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) researchers. The results indicate large pre-post change but a clear inferiority to CBT. I then summarize promising early results from an ongoing study of PCT and EFT for social anxiety, which show large amounts of pre-post change for both forms of PCE therapy but substantially more change for clients in the EFT condition. I conclude with a discussion of the implications for PCE therapy practice, including the value of process differentiation and the possibility of developing more effective PCE approaches for anxiety.

ORCID iDs

Elliott, Robert ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3527-3397;
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)