The Experiencing Scale
The Experiencing Scale: A Research and Training Manual Volume
1, (p.56-63)
by M. H. Klein, P. L. Mathieu, E. T. Gendlin and D. J. Kiesler (1969)
Wisconsin Psychiatric Institute
Excerpts from the
Experiencing Scale
Short Form of EXP Scale
The EXP Scale
Order Form for the Experiencing
Scale Manual and its accompanying tapes
La escala experiencial (Carlos Alemany)
The Dimension of Experiencing has been elaborated in the theoretical work of
Eugene Gendlin. It refers to the quality of an individual's experiencing of
himself as revealed in his verbal communications; it ranges from impersonal,
superficial, or abstract-intellectual content at low levels, progresses through
intermediate stages where bodily feelings and experiencing are revealed in
fuller descriptive detail, to more advanced stages where feelings are
purposefully explored and emergent levels of experiencing serve as referents for
problem resolution and understanding. Its association with independent
evaluations of therapeutic success is established in a number of studies with
different patient populations. There is a consistent, positive relationship
between successful therapeutic outcome and the experiencing level manifested by
the patient throughout a series of therapy sessions. More complex findings
suggest that different trends and patterns of experiencing may occur in
different diagnostic groups.
The scale and rating technique can be applied to brief samples of spoken or
written material from individual or group therapy sessions. Its uses are not
restricted to therapy, and already the scale has been employed as a research
tool to characterize the experiencing of normal subjects in different settings.
For those involved in training and supervision of therapists, the scale and
rating technique also offer a means of enhancing a trainee's sensitivity to
patient's feelings and provides him with a frame of reference for therapeutic
listening and immediate evaluation of the patient's moment-to-moment progress in
the session. Intraclass reliabilities for ratings in a variety of studies are
typically in the 80s.
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