The assessment of therapist responsiveness in psychotherapy research: a systematic review.

Therapist responsiveness is an emerging construct in psychotherapy research that still lacks a clear definition and, consequently, a unique operationalization. Indeed, there is a great overlap between therapist responsiveness and other variables, such as attunement, flexibility, and empathy. This overlap inevitably hinders the assessment of the therapist's responsiveness, although it is crucial for the effectiveness of the treatments.