REASONS THERAPISTS GIVE FOR REFUSING TO PARTICIPATE IN PSYCHOTHERAPY PROCESS RESEARCH

The purpose of this study was to investigate the reasons why a majority of practitioners refused to participate in a field-based psychotherapy process research project and to learn from them what would be required to enlist their future participation in this type of research. In a sample of 109 psychologists, the main reasons for refusing to participate included insufficient time, unwillingness to audiotape clients, and clients deemed inappropriate for the research. In terms of what would be required to facilitate their participation in future process research, the most common responses were more time and no recording of the therapy sessions. The implications for process research are discussed.