Role Induction

Abstract Role induction is a pantheoretical method that can be used in the initial phase of psychotherapy to prepare clients for treatment. This chapter defines and illustrates the clinical use of role induction. It then presents the results of an original meta-analysis on role induction that includes data from 17 experimental studies with adult individual psychotherapy clients. The results from the meta-analysis suggest that role induction can have a positive impact on reducing premature termination and improving immediate within-session outcomes and post-treatment outcomes, but not mid-treatment outcomes. This research evidence informs the diversity considerations, training implications, and therapeutic practices presented in this chapter.