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Abstract
Over 90% of therapists self-disclose to clients (Mathews, 1989; Pope, Tabachnick,
& Keith-Spiegel, 1987; Edwards & Murdock, 1994), however, the implications of therapist
self-disclosure are unclear, with highly divergent results from one study to the next.
The goal of this paper was to review the empirical literature relevant to therapist
self-disclosure, and provide the reader with a comprehensive understanding of the
factors that affect, and are affected by, therapist self-disclosure. Findings are
organized into an integrated model examining the who, what, when, why, and how of
therapist self-disclosure. In addition, training implications and suggestions for
future research are provided.