Prospective psychotherapists' bias and accuracy in assessing their own facilitative interpersonal skills.

We aimed to investigate prospective psychotherapists' bias in assessing their own facilitative interpersonal skills (FIS) and predictors of high self-assessments. In this cross-sectional observational study, we examined 132 psychology students and trainee psychotherapists. Therapists' demographic variables and self-concepts were assessed through self-report questionnaires, and their therapeutic skills were assessed with the German version of the "FIS" task.

Who are the skilled therapists? Associations between personal characteristics and interpersonal skills of future psychotherapists.

Objective: Facilitative interpersonal skills (FIS) are a promising variable to explain the so-called therapist effect. We aimed to investigate associations between observer-rated interpersonal skills and self-reported personal characteristics of future therapists.

Method: In this cross-sectional observational study, psychology students and trainee therapists completed self-report personality and sociodemographic questionnaires as well as the FIS Performance Task (German version, observer-rated).