Repressive Coping and Theories about Psychotherapy

Adrian Furnham and Alixe Lay

Abstract

Repressive coping style has been found to be related to an interpretive bias of negative information. The current study looks to explore differences in understanding toward psychotherapy among groups of four coping styles as classified by Weinberger, Schwartz and Davidson. Participants answered four questionnaires measuring reactions to psychotherapy; attitudes to, and beliefs about, psychotherapy; effectiveness of cures; prognosis of psychological problems; as well as questions regarding their contact with psychotherapy and demographics. Parallel analyses identified two clearly interpretable factors for each of the four questionnaires. A series of one-way ANOVAs indicated differences among groups in understanding of psychotherapy. Moderated hierarchical regressions show that demographic variables, contact with psychotherapy, trait anxiety, social desirability and the interaction between trait anxiety and social desirability predicted these differences. Limitations and implications were discussed.