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Using personality traits and attachment styles to predict people's preference of psychotherapeutic orientation
Author(s) -
Petronzi Gregory J.,
Masciale James N.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
counselling and psychotherapy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.38
H-Index - 32
eISSN - 1746-1405
pISSN - 1473-3145
DOI - 10.1002/capr.12036
Subject(s) - psychology , preference , big five personality traits , attachment theory , personality , openness to experience , psychodynamics , orientation (vector space) , social psychology , clinical psychology , psychotherapist , geometry , mathematics , economics , microeconomics
Abstract Aim This study examined whether people's personality traits and attachment styles would predict their preference for one of three common psychotherapies (psychodynamic, person‐centred and cognitive‐behavioural therapy). Method An online survey was administered to participants ( n = 209) for remuneration. Personality traits were measured using the HEXACO ‐60; attachment was measured using the R elation‐ships Q uestionnaire; preference for psychotherapeutic orientation was assessed using the P references for P sychotherapy A pproaches S cale. Results Regression analyses indicated that various personality traits and attachment styles predict preference of therapeutic orientation. Specifically, the data indicated that openness and secure attachment significantly predicted preference of psychodynamic psychotherapy. No personality traits or attachment styles significantly predicted person‐centred preference. Lastly, previous study of psychology and fearful attachment significantly predicted preference of cognitive‐behavioural psychotherapy. Conclusion This study's findings provide supporting evidence for the claim that people's personality traits and attachment styles are predictive of their preferences for various psychotherapies. Implications for further research are discussed.