SEX-RELATED EFFECTS OF EMPATHIC AND CRITICAL COMMUNICATION STYLE ON MOOD IN AN INITIAL THERAPEUTIC SETTING

The present study examines whether the psychotherapeutic communication styles clientcentered and rational-emotive differ in their impact on mood in an initial therapeutic setting and, if so. whether these diffe rences depend on psychological gender. The two communication styles we re operationalized by a subtle form of feedback (accepting vs. confron ting), given to male and female subjects. Five mood dimensions were me asured twice. Results show, that men and women differ in their reactio n to the two different communication styles. Women rate higher than me n on positive mood-dimension scales after having been exposed to empat hic feedback, whereas men report a more positive mood than women after having received critical feedback.