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The Role of Personality in Psychotherapy for Anxiety and Depression
Author(s) -
Zinbarg Richard E.,
Uliaszek Amanda A.,
Adler Jonathan M.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of personality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.082
H-Index - 144
eISSN - 1467-6494
pISSN - 0022-3506
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-6494.2008.00534.x
Subject(s) - psychology , trait , personality , psychotherapist , big five personality traits , anxiety , set (abstract data type) , alliance , character traits , clinical psychology , expression (computer science) , psychiatry , social psychology , computer science , political science , law , programming language
A trait approach to personality has many implications for psychotherapy. Given that traits contribute to the expression of symptoms of common psychiatric disorders, are moderately heritable, and relatively stable (yet also dynamic to some extent), long‐term change in symptoms is possible but is likely to be limited. Analogous to the manner in which genes set the reaction range for phenotype, standing on certain traits may set the patient's “therapeutic range.” On the other hand, some of the same traits that may limit the depth of therapeutic benefits might also increase their breadth. In addition, taking the patient's standing on different traits into account can inform the choice of therapeutic strategy and targets and can affect the formation of the therapeutic alliance and compliance with self‐help exercises. Finally, other aspects of personality beyond traits, such as ego development and narrative identity, also appear to have important implications for psychotherapy.