The therapy relationship with lesbian and gay clients.

This study investigated the role of therapy practices and the therapy relationship on lesbian and gay clients' feelings about their current therapist. Participants were 76 lesbian and 40 gay male clients ranging in age from 19 to 69 years. The real relationship was found to predict an additional 8% of variance in clients' positive feelings about their therapist above and beyond months in therapy, therapy practices, and the working alliance. However, therapy practices did not add significance in predicting lesbian and gay clients' feelings about their therapist beyond the working alliance and the real relationship. Fifty-three of the participants responded to a question about their current experiences in therapy, and the data were analyzed using consensual qualitative research-modified (CQR-M; Spangler, Liu, & Hill, 2012). Thirty percent of clients indicated a preference for a lesbian or gay therapist, or gay-friendly therapist. Only 25% found that their therapist lacked knowledge about lesbian and gay issues, but 21% indicated that their therapist was dismissive of and/or viewed their sexual orientation as a problem. More than two-thirds of the participants indicated they had a positive therapy relationship with their therapist. Results highlight the important role that therapy practices and the therapy relationship play in lesbian and gay clients perceptions' of their therapist. The findings also provide support for heterosexual therapists' ability to develop a positive therapy relationship and be effective with lesbian and gay clients.

The development and initial validation of the dating attitudes inventory: a measure of the gender context of dating violence in men.

The development and initial psychometric investigation of the Dating Attitudes Inventory (DAI) is reported. The DAI was created, to fill a gap in the literature and to measure specific masculine ideology and traditional gender attitudes that rationalize the abuse of women. Using a sample (n = 164) of male college students, a 20-item measure was developed consisting of two subscales (Rationalization of Abuse and Dominance and Control) and a total score. The 20-item DAI and other measures used for validation were completed by 216 male college students. The DAI correlated in theoretically expected ways with measures of propensity for abusiveness, relational dominance, and masculine gender role stress. A confirmatory factor analysis supported the two theorized factors of the DAI. Results of the present study offer initial support for the validity and reliability of the DAI. The authors discuss the importance of measuring masculine gender role attitudes and beliefs that support and rationalize dating violence.

The real relationship inventory: development and psychometric investigation of the client form.

The development and validation of a client version of the Real Relationship Inventory (RRI-C) is reported. Using a sample of clients (n = 94) who were currently in psychotherapy, a 24-item measure was developed consisting of two subscales (Realism and Genuineness) and a total score. This 24-item version and other measures used for validation were completed by 93 additional clients. Results of the present study offer initial support for the validity and reliability of the RRI-C. The RRI-C correlated significantly in theoretically expected ways with measures of the client-rated working alliance and therapists' congruence, clients' observing ego, and client ratings of client and therapist real relationship on an earlier measure of the real relationship (Eugster & Wampold, 1996). A nonsignificant relation was found between the RRI-C and a measure of social desirability, providing support for discriminant validity. A confirmatory factor analysis supported the two theorized factors of the RRI-C. The authors discuss the importance of measuring clients' perceptions of the real relationship.