Exploring virtue ethics in psychodynamic psychotherapy: latent changes in humility, affect regulation, symptoms and well-being

Document Type

Article

Abstract

A rising interest in virtues in psychotherapy has spurred empirical exploration of their influence on both mental health symptoms and well-being. As such, we explored the virtue ethics premise that growth in the virtue of humility may ameliorate mental health symptoms and promote well-being. We also examined whether change in experiential avoidance was a mechanism of these changes. Using a multiple simultaneous latent change score model, we analysed latent changes among humility, experiential avoidance and the outcomes of symptoms and social well-being in a sample of clients (N = 778; M = 31.56 years of age; 59.4% female; 78.1% White) who received outpatient contemporary relational psychotherapy at a community mental health training clinic. Results indicated that change in humility corresponded to changes in symptoms and social well-being through change in experiential avoidance. Clinical implications centre on clinicians attending closely to client experiences of oscillation between self-abasement and self-superiority and utilising small ways within the therapeutic encounter to foster humility.

Department(s)

Seminary; Counseling (M.A.); Marriage and Family Therapy (M.A.)

Publication Title

Counselling and Psychotherapy Research

Volume

21

Issue

4

First Page

983

Last Page

991

Publication Date

12-1-2021

DOI

10.1002/capr.12389

ISSN

14733145

E-ISSN

17461405

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