Empathy, warmth, and genuineness in psychotherapy: A review of reviews.

Several reviews of therapist variables in relation to therapy outcome appear to be biased and to underestimate the effects of empathy, warmth (or respect) and genuineness. These reviews are analyzed and evaluated, and reviewer biases are noted. In spite of the generally negative, or at best equivocal conclusions of these reviews, the evidence is actually supportive for the necessity, if not the sufficiency, of these therapist conditions.