Abstract
In the explicit framework of personal construct theory, as formulated by Kelly (1955, 1969, 1970) and summarized by Adams-Webber (1984a), psychotherapy is viewed as essentially a form of scientific inquiry (cf. Adams-Webber & Mancuso, 1983; Epting, 1984; Landfield & Lietner, 1980). More specifically, according to Kelly, psychotherapy is not strictly a method of treatment, but rather “an experimental procedure for activating personality change” (Kelly, 1973, p. 394). The client serves as the principal investigator, whereas the therapist provides mainly methodological assistance in a series of experiments designed to elucidate important issues in the client’s life (Adams-Webber, 1981a, b; Bannister & Fransella, 1980; Landfield, 1971).
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Adams-Webber, J. (1986). Self-Construct Perspectives in Psychotherapy. In: Hartman, L.M., Blankstein, K.R. (eds) Perception of Self in Emotional Disorder and Psychotherapy. Advances in the Study of Communication and Affect, vol 11. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-1793-7_11
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-1793-7_11
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