The significance of the personality traits of schizophrenic patients and their therapists for the therapeutic relationship.

Objectives: To analyse: 1) the associations between the therapists' and patients' assessments of the relationship, 2) the relationship between the personality traits of the therapists the personality traits of the patients and their assessments of the relationship, 3) the relationship between age, sex and the personality traits of both groups and their assessment of the relationship.

Methods: 34 patients in long-term psychotherapy and their 11 therapists were investigated. The Dyadic Therapist-Patient Relationship Questionnaire, The Costa and McCraeea's NEO-FFI Personality Inventory, Pearson coefficients of correlation and the regression analysis were used.

Results: The therapists' sense of professionalism was associated with the patients' acceptance of them (p=0.032). Therapists in whom the traits of Extroversion and Openness were more prominent accepted their patients more often (p=0.006; p=0.041), felt more professional (p=0.000; p=0.023) and more rarely felt uncertain in the relationship (p=0.013; p=0.048). Patients in whom the trait of Conscientiousness was more prominent more rarely rejected therapists (p=0.004) or perceived them as uncertain (p=0.007). A higher level of Neuroticism in patients was associated with greater uncertainty in the relationship on the part of therapists (p=0.039).

Conclusions: 1) Extroversion and Openness of therapists are associated with their attitude to patients 2) Conscientiousness and Neuroticism of patients are associated with their perception of therapists as well as with therapists' experience of the relationship 3) There is a positive influence on the therapeutic relationship when the patient is younger and the therapist older and female.