Determining differences between therapists using an extended version of the facilitative interpersonal skills performance test

Abstract

Objectives: The therapist‐facilitative interpersonal skills (FIS)has shown to predict therapy outcomes, demonstrating thathigh FIS therapists are more effective than low FIS therapists.There is a need for more insight into the variability instrengths and weaknesses in therapist skills. This studyinvestigates whether a revised and extended FIS‐scoringleads to more differentiation in measuring therapists' inter-personal skills. Furthermore, we explorative examine whethersubgroups of therapists can be distinguished in terms ofdifferences in their interpersonal responses.Method: Using secondary data analysis, 93 therapists wereexposed to seven FIS‐clips. Responses of therapists using theoriginal and the extended FIS scoring were rated.Results: Three factors were found on the extended FIS scoringdistinguishing supportive, expressive, and persuasive inter-personal responses of therapists. A latent profile analysisenlightened the presence of six subgroups of therapists.Conclusion: Using the revised and extended FIS‐scoringcontributes to our understanding of the role of interpersonal