Client-Felt Empathy As a Dynamic Predictor of Worry Reduction in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder

We explored whether dynamic changes in client-felt and/or therapist-offered empathy predict next-session symptom reduction in cognitive behavioral therapy for generalized anxiety disorder. Results indicated that whereas increases client-felt empathy may be an active driver of subsequent symptom reduction, therapist-offered empathy may be driven by perceptions of prior client improvement.