Empathy

Robert Elliott; Arthur C. Bohart; Jeanne C. Watson; Leslie S. Greenberg

doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199737208.001.0001

Empathy

Robert Elliott, Arthur C. Bohart, Jeanne C. Watson, Leslie S. Greenberg

Counselling

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Abstract

After defining empathy, discussing its measurement, and offering an example of empathy in practice, this chapter presents the results of an updated meta-analysis of the relation between empathy and psychotherapy outcome. Results indicated that empathy is a moderately strong predictor of therapy outcome (mean weighted r = .30) but revealed considerable nonrandom variability. The empathy–outcome relation held equally for different theoretical orientations. Client and observer perceptions of therapist empathy predicted outcomes better than therapist perceptions of empathic accuracy measures, and the relation was strongest for less experienced therapists. We conclude with practice recommendations, including endorsing the different forms that empathy may take in therapy.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Psychotherapy relationships that work
Subtitle of host publication	evidence-based responsiveness
Editors	John C. Norcross
Place of Publication	New York
Publisher	Oxford University Press
Pages	132-152
Number of pages	20
Edition	2nd
ISBN (Print)	0199737207
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199737208.001.0001
Publication status	Published - Apr 2011

Keywords

empathy
psychotherapy
outcome
meta analysis

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10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199737208.001.0001

Elliott, R., Bohart, A.C., Watson, J.C., & Greenberg, L.S. (2011). Empathy. In J. Norcross (ed.), Psychotherapy relationships that work (2nd ed.) (pp. 132-152). New York: Oxford University Press. Accepted author manuscript, 274 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

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Empathy

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