Use Of Self-disclosure Research Articles

Considerations for Intentional Use of Self-Disclosure for Family Therapists

ABSTRACTOne of the most debated ethical issues in psychotherapy is that of therapist self-disclosure. In this article, relevant marriage and family therapy literature on therapist self-disclosure will be presented. The influence of practice setting, particularly in training clinics and private practice, on therapist self-disclosure is discussed. A distinction is drawn between intentional and spontaneous self-disclosure. Risks for excessive self-disclosure become amplified in private practice, whereas training clinics are more likely to discourage the use of self-disclosure as a clinical technique. Literature presented is intended to demonstrate that advanced training settings and advanced practice settings hold disparate positions on the issue of self-disclosure. This gap between advanced training and advanced practice may leave therapists open to ethical vulnerabilities. Recommended steps toward intentional and ethical practice are presented.

Needs and Motives of Instagram Users that Predict Self-disclosure Use: A Case Study of Young Adults in Kuwait

This study employed the media uses and gratifications model to examine the needs and motives of Instagram users that predict self-disclosure use. Students from the Gulf University of Science and Technology, Kuwait, were surveyed for this study. This study suggests that Instagram provides categories of needs and motives similar in nature to those of the other social media such as self-expression, social interaction, entertainment and opinion exchange. It also caters to the need for experimenting with photography that few available social media satisfy. Self-expression and social interaction needs were the strongest predictors of the use of Instagram for self-disclosure on all its dimensions, that is, honesty, amount, positive valence and depth. Other intersecting factors such as biological sex and frequency of use showed different patterns of use. The implications of Arab culture on Instagram use are discussed since Kuwaiti culture, as opposed to the Western cultures, is more collectivist in nature.

Practical considerations for self-disclosure in applied sport psychology

Practitioner self-disclosure is a complex technique that can have tremendous influence—for better or worse—on an applied sport psychology consultation. Relative to the large body of literature in counseling and clinical psychology, few substantive resources are available to guide consultants' use of (or restraint from) self-disclosure in applied work with athletes. This article provides recommendations to begin filling that gap. Insights from existing literature are synthesized to provide practical guidelines and reflective considerations for the ethical and effective use of self-disclosure in applied sport psychology.

Listening to Both Sides of the Therapeutic Dyad: Self-Disclosure of Gay Male Therapists and Reflections From Their Gay Male Clients

Clinicians vary as to their beliefs about the use of self-disclosure in psychotherapy depending on theoretical framework, experience level, and the problem focus. Given the limited number of studies examining therapeutic pairs (client and clinician), this study used qualitative methodology to interview gay male therapists and their gay male clients about how therapist self-disclosures affected their therapy. Results show that clients often felt aware of therapist self-disclosures, whether explicit or implicit, and believed the disclosures assisted them in feeling connected to their therapists and served to normalize the clients’ experiences. Limitations to the study are discussed.

The use of self-disclosure among Swedish psychotherapists

Although self-disclosure, when handled with discretion, is often seen as an important intervention in many psychotherapy orientations, including psychodynamic as well as humanistic and cognitive-behavioral approaches, many psychotherapists seem reluctant to use it. The frequency and type of those interventions from psychotherapists of different orientations is less well known. In this study, a random sample of Swedish psychotherapists was asked about their use of different types of self-disclosing information. The results showed that therapists with CBT orientation told their clients more about their training and about their personal ways of handling affective-relational issues. It was apparent that the trend toward more use of self-disclosure in relational psychodynamic treatment has not been accepted among a large number of psychodynamic and psychoanalytic psychotherapists in Sweden. It is recommended that psychotherapists inform their clients more about their training and in appropriate ways share more with their clients about their own relational experiences. Doing so may help enhance clients’ hope and their ability to address their ongoing difficulties.

Pushing, Patience, and Persistence: Peer Providers' Perspectives on Supportive Relationships

Little is known about the experiences of peer support providers. This report describes a qualitative study of such experiences drawn from a project offering peer support to persons with mental illnesses who had multiple inpatient admissions within an 18-month period. Interviews focused on peer staff's relationships with participants; identifying and exploring participant interests, strengths, and aspirations; use of self-disclosure; and connecting participants to other services. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using established phenomenological data analytic strategies. Peer staff described a tension between pushing and patience and the need for gentle persistence, the art and value of adopting an accepting and nonjudgmental attitude, and the process of identifying and building on strengths in pursuit of personal goals. The mutual identification between peer supporters and clients represented both an advantage and a potential liability, in that peer staff tied their own feelings of self-worth to ...

Students' Attitudes Towards and Engagement in Self-Disclosure: Implications for Supervision

Social work students were surveyed to ascertain their attitudes toward and engagement in two types of self-disclosure (SD), transparency and self-involving. In general, trainees reported being prepared by their classroom education to engage in SD with clients. Students' use of self-disclosure was consistent with what has been found to be helpful to clients, even though they often were unsure of their actions. Of particular concern was the finding that students generally were not comfortable discussing SD with their field supervisor. Yet, the results suggest that the field supervisor plays an important role in encouraging students' appropriate use of self-disclosure. Suggestions for how the supervisor can assist trainees in making informed decisions regarding self-disclosure in their work with clients are provided.

Conducting qualitative research in the context of pre-existing peer and collegial relationships.

To highlight issues and challenges faced in recruitment and interviewing during a study that sought to explore the transition of nurses into academic life and the associated ethical implications. This paper explores the challenges faced in conducting research where the potential participants are peers and workplace colleagues. There are advantages when conducting research with those among whom a pre-existing relationship is shared. However, difficulties can also arise. A methodological review was undertaken. Key database searches included CINAHL, MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar using the keywords as search terms. Studies were included if they described in detail issues surrounding qualitative interviewing of peers and colleagues. Management of the issues involved is discussed, with emphasis on boundaries, trust and rapport, the use of self-disclosure and maintaining confidentiality. Research involving peers and colleagues has received relatively little consideration in the literature. There are difficulties associated with interviewing participants with whom the researcher has a pre-existing and ongoing relationship in the same organisation. To ensure ethical conduct, strategies can be used to mitigate negative situations such as issues surrounding dual roles, practising reflexivity, trust and rapport, self-disclosure and confidentiality. It is imperative that dual roles are declared and acknowledged. Researchers need to be mindful of the difficulties that may occur and prioritise participants' confidentiality and privacy.

The Use of Self-Disclosure: Lived Experiences of Recovering Substance Abuse Counselors

This phenomenological investigation explored the lived experiences of recovering substance abuse counselors regarding their use of self-disclosure of their personal histories of addiction with clients in counseling for substance abuse–related issues. A total of 10 recovering counselors were interviewed and asked to describe in detail their uses of self-disclosure, changes in frequencies, amount, and rationale for use or nonuse of self-disclosure. The interviews were analyzed for patterns in recovering counselors' lived experiences related to self-disclosure, and themes related to rationale for and against the use of self-disclosure, benefits, and drawbacks of self-disclosure were identified.

PURPOSES AND APPROACHES OF SELECTED MENTORS IN SCHOOL‐BASED MENTORING: A COLLECTIVE CASE STUDY

Over the last decade, community leaders have connected with students through school‐based mentoring (SBM) programs (e.g., adults who mentor at‐risk students). However, research in the area of SBM is only on the cusp of understanding relationship elements for impacting youth. In this collective case study, we examined the perceptions and experiences of 11 selected mentors in dyadic relationships (i.e., mentee and mentor) to understand better ways to retain and to engage mentors for longer‐lasting mentoring relationships, providing a sense of connectedness for students. Specifically, we investigated purposes and approaches of mentoring through the voices and experiences of mentors working with elementary‐aged students in SBM. Results revealed self‐sustaining synergy within the dyads (with little or no program support) and themes of consistency, commitment, spirituality, playfulness, the use of self‐disclosure, creativity, and emphasis on the present. In addition, implications for cross‐cultural and, in particular, cross‐age mentoring are discussed. One exemplar case illustrates specific profile characteristics used to bridge age, gender, and cultural differences.

Sociodrama à Deux: A New Hybrid

Sociodrama à deux (SAD) is a new variation of sociodrama which combines elements of psychodrama, sociodrama, and motivational interviewing. SAD allows clinicians to work with clients in the early stages of the change process. Safety is regulated by limiting the use of self-disclosure through the use of a fictional character. This article outlines the theory of this new hybrid technique and the procedure.

Use of Self-Disclosure for the Gay Male Therapist: The Impact on Gay Males in Therapy

ABSTRACT Homophobia and heterosexism often can negatively affect a gay male's development, and developing internalized homophobia can challenge connecting with others. Using a sample of eight therapist–patient pairs (16 participants), each participant responded to how often the therapist self-disclosed. In addition, each participant completed a measurement inventory to determine how connected each was to the other (patient to therapist or therapist to patient). Findings indicated that self-disclosure occurred often during therapy, and there was a fairly high level of connection between patients and therapists. Patients who perceived that their therapists self-disclosed more often also reported higher levels of connection when compared with those who perceived a lower level of therapist self-disclosure. Recommendations for future research are made along with practice implications designed to help therapists effectively use self-disclosure when working with gay male clients.

Supervisee Self‐disclosure: A Clinical Psychology Perspective

Clinical supervision is a multi-functional intervention within numerous psychotherapeutic professions, including clinical psychology. It often relies on supervisees' verbal disclosures of pertinent information. There is limited research on supervisee self-disclosure in the UK, and none using clinical psychology populations. This study aimed to address the limitations in the evidence base. It used a constructivist grounded theory methodology to investigate qualified UK clinical psychologists' use of self-disclosure in supervision in order to develop a theoretical understanding of their self-disclosure processes. Ten clinical psychologists from various time points across the career span were recruited to the study. Four core conceptual categories were identified in the analysis as being integral to participants' decision-making processes: 'Setting the Scene', 'Supervisory Relationship', 'Using Self-disclosure' and 'Reviewing Outcome of Self-disclosure'. These four categories are comprised of a number of subcategories. The study's findings are compared with the current literature base, and it is argued that there are tensions with the scientist-practitioner model as it could be interpreted to encourage an expert stance, which may limit the self-disclosure of qualified supervisees. The implications of this perspective are discussed. Supervision is a key process in supporting qualified clinical psychologists and the use of disclosure appears to be important in facilitating useful supervision. It appears that clinical psychologists go through a number of complex processes in deciding whether to self disclose.

The Reluctance to Self-Disclose: Reflexive or Reasoned?

Despite a growing body of clinical literature advocating the thoughtful and judicious use of self-disclosure in psychoanalysis, there remains a reflexive reluctance to intervene in this way by many analysts of various theoretical persuasions. Why is this the case? Four motives for this reflexive reluctance to self-disclose are discussed: (1) theoretical reasons; (2) psychoanalytic authoritarianism; (3) fears of influencing the patient through suggestion; and (4) the analyst’s personality characteristics. Examining the reasons for this state of affairs should help to reduce the rigidity or orthodoxy with which clinical psychoanalysis is practiced.

Social Workers’ Attitudes Towards and Engagement in Self-Disclosure

This article reports on a study of social workers’ engagement in self-disclosure. Consistent with theory and research, participants limited their use of personal self-disclosure but were more willing to be transparent with clients. Yet, the social workers in this study did not always feel prepared by their education to appropriately engage in self-disclosure nor did they believe their use of this skill was grounded in theory or research. Many of the participants also didn’t feel comfortable talking about self-disclosure in supervision or with colleagues. Findings suggest that more attention should be devoted to teaching social work students about appropriate use of self-disclosure, particularly its different manifestations and its indications and contraindications. The findings also underscore the need for more open and direct discussion of this set of skills in supervision and consultation.

Song to Self: Promoting a Therapeutic Dialogue with High-Risk Youths Through Poetry and Popular Music

This article presents the implementation of a specialized poetry therapy intervention that incorporated hip-hop and rap music with high-risk youths. The use of this popular musician group work supported these young people's use of self-disclosure. The intervention also involved creative writing as a means of encouraging connection and self-expression among an often difficult-to-engage population.

Commentary on “Life as a Pregnant Genetic Counselor: Take Two”

Commentary on “Life as a Pregnant Genetic Counselor: Take Two”

The application of the Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists to teaching: Mandatory self-disclosure and alternatives in psychology courses.

In recent decades, we have made significant progress in the area of the ethical conduct of research. However, it appears that parallel progress with respect to our ethical responsibilities in the teaching arena has not kept pace with that made in the research area. The focus of this article is on the use of self-disclosure as a mandatory component of psychology courses. Issues such as competence, perceived coercion, confidentiality, conflict of interest, and others are addressed. Our Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists is examined with a view to arriving at decisions on these issues that will be beneficial to most students and not endanger some other students. Viable alternatives to mandatory self-disclosure are presented. Keywords: ethical teaching, mandatory self-disclosure, alternatives to mandatory self-disclosure Resume Au cours des dernieres decennies, d'importants progres ont ete accomplis dans la conduite ethique de la recherche. Toutefois, il semble que le domaine de l'enseignement n'ait pas suivi la meme evolution en ce qui a trait aux responsabilites ethiques. Le present article porte sur le recours a G autorevelation comme volet obligatoire des cours de psychologie. On y traite des notions de competence, de coercition percue, de confidentialite et de conflits d'interets. Par l'examen du Code canathen de deontologie professionnelle des psychologues, on vise a etablir des decisions sur ces notions qui pourront etre utiles a la plupart des etudiants et eviter des dangers a d'autres. Des solutions possibles autres que l'autorevelation obligatoire sont aussi discutees. Mots-cles : enseignement ethique, autorevelation obligatoire, solutions autres que l'autorevelation obligatoire. We have made considerable progress in recent decades with respect to ethical principles in the conduct of our research [Canadian Psychological Association (CPA), 2000; Tri-Council Policy Statement, 2010]. For instance, we now recognise mat potential research participants cannot be coerced into participating in our research. We now recognise that research participants have the unequivocal right to free and informed consent. We now recognise that research participants have the unequivocal right to decline to answer questions or to perform tasks that we would like them to answer or to do in the course of our research, that they have the right to decline to reveal their inner-most thoughts, perceptions, and emotions, and that we do not have a right to know. We now recognise that participants are free to withdraw from a study at any time including, if deception has been used, deciding that they want their data deleted from the study after they have been debriefed. We now even recognise that the provision of bonus course marks for signing up to participate in research has to have an alternative that is not burdensome. But what about our ediical responsibilities in the courses that we teach? Have we made as much progress in this sphere as we have with respect to the ediical conduct of research with human participants? The Unexamined Life Is Not Worth living? As educators, we aspire to ensure that university students' experience of postsecondary education is transformative, that they will never again see the world in quite the same way, that a curiosity will have been nurtured, that they will know more about tiiemselves and about others than they did before entering the hallowed halls of academe. This aspiration is really quite Socratic in nature. For example, in his Dialogues, Plato has attributed to Socrates die statement that 'The unexamined life is not worth living (Plato, nd). But need we require students to share diat transformative experience, either publicly, for example in inperson class discussions or on web-based discussion fora, and/or semipublicly, for example in written assignments to be read by teaching assistants and/or the instructor. Do we have the right to know the intimate details of students' lives? …

Psychotherapist self-disclosure: Ethical and clinical considerations.

Self-disclosure is an ever present and unavoidable aspect of psychotherapy. But, why, how, and when it is done requires careful forethought. The use of self-disclosure is discussed in the context of boundaries, highlighting its ethical and appropriate use in psychotherapy. Rather than avoiding self-disclosure out of a fear of violating ethical and professional standards, a thoughtful approach to addressing self-disclosure is presented. Recommendations for the ethical and effective use of self-disclosure are provided to include the use of ethical decision-making models and thoughtful consideration of contextual factors that include the psychotherapist's motivations, the client's treatment needs and personal history, the psychotherapist's theoretical orientation, and individual differences to include each aspect of the client's and psychotherapist's diversity. Recommendations for psychotherapists considering the use of self-disclosure with clients are made along with specific recommendations for the profession of psychology to provide greater guidance on the ethical, effective, and clinically appropriate use of self-disclosure.

How does disclosing countertransference affect perceptions of the therapist and the session?

Therapist self-disclosure has been theorized and found to have both positive and negative effects. These effects depend, in part, on the nature of the disclosure. This study sought to examine the differential effects of therapist disclosures of more and less resolved countertransference issues on perceptions of therapists and therapy sessions. Using an analogue method, undergraduate participants (N = 116) were randomly assigned to watch one of two videos in which a therapist disclosed personal issues that were relatively resolved or relatively unresolved. As hypothesized, therapist disclosure of issues that were more resolved caused the therapist to be rated as more attractive and trustworthy and instilled greater hope than therapist disclosure of less resolved issues. The type of therapist disclosure, however, did not affect ratings of the expertness of the therapist, the depth or smoothness of the session, or the perceived universality between client and therapist. Implications of the results for the judicious use of self-disclosure are discussed.