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Development of the Therapist Empathy Scale

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 March 2013

Suzanne E. Decker ,
Charla Nich ,
Kathleen M. Carroll  and
Steve Martino
Suzanne E. Decker
Affiliation:
New England Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Centers, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, and Yale School of Medicine, USA
Charla Nich
Affiliation:
Yale School of Medicine, USA
Kathleen M. Carroll
Affiliation:
Yale School of Medicine, USA
Steve Martino*
Affiliation:
Yale School of Medicine and VA Connecticut Healthcare System, USA
*
Reprint requests to Steve Martino, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, 950 Campbell Avenue (151D), West Haven, Connecticut 06516, USA. E-mail: steve.martino@yale.edu
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Abstract

Background: Few measures exist to examine therapist empathy as it occurs in session. Aims: A 9-item observer rating scale, called the Therapist Empathy Scale (TES), was developed based on Watson's (1999) work to assess affective, cognitive, attitudinal, and attunement aspects of therapist empathy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the inter-rater reliability, internal consistency, and construct and criterion validity of the TES. Method: Raters evaluated therapist empathy in 315 client sessions conducted by 91 therapists, using data from a multi-site therapist training trial (Martino et al., 2010) in Motivational Interviewing (MI). Results: Inter-rater reliability (ICC = .87 to .91) and internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = .94) were high. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated some support for single-factor fit. Convergent validity was supported by correlations between TES scores and MI fundamental adherence (r range .50 to .67) and competence scores (r range .56 to .69). Discriminant validity was indicated by negative or nonsignificant correlations between TES and MI-inconsistent behavior (r range .05 to −.33). Conclusions: The TES demonstrates excellent inter-rater reliability and internal consistency. Results indicate some support for a single-factor solution and convergent and discriminant validity. Future studies should examine the use of the TES to evaluate therapist empathy in different psychotherapy approaches and to determine the impact of therapist empathy on client outcome.

Keywords

Empathytherapist empathypsychotherapypsychotherapy processadherencetherapist adherence and competence
Type
Research Article
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 42 , Issue 3 , May 2014 , pp. 339 - 354
Creative Commons
This is a work of the U.S. Government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States.
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2013

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