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Compatibility Matching on Age and Gender in Predicting Psychotherapy Outcomes.

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Title:	Compatibility Matching on Age and Gender in Predicting Psychotherapy Outcomes.
Authors:	Lehane, Sabine (AUTHOR), Medoro, Luigi (AUTHOR), Kelly, Adrian B. (AUTHOR), Strodl, Esben (AUTHOR)
Source:	Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy. Nov/Dec2025, Vol. 32 Issue 6, p1-11. 11p.
Subjects:	Psychotherapy, Statistical correlation, Cross-sectional method, Community support, Effect sizes (Statistics), Psychological distress, Statistical significance, Sex distribution, Scientific observation, Questionnaires, Multiple regression analysis, Logistic regression analysis, Age distribution, Treatment effectiveness, Symptoms, Descriptive statistics, Client relations, Longitudinal method, Odds ratio, Research, Self-report inventories, Therapeutic alliance, Interpersonal relations, Data analysis software, Confidence intervals, Patient participation
Abstract:	Objective: This study investigated whether specific client–therapist age and gender pairings increase compatibility and bolster psychotherapy outcomes and engagement. Identifying influential relational factors may inform compatibility‐based, data‐driven matching processes in clinical practice. Method: Analyses were conducted using historical questionnaire data from a large sample of 1044 community clients (68.6% female; M = 31.6 years, SD = 12.8; aged 18–76) and 138 provisionally registered student therapists (79.7% female; M = 30.1 years, SD = 8.2; aged 21–57) at a university‐affiliated community psychology clinic. Moderated multiple regression examined whether age differential (therapist age–client age), gender combinations (four‐level moderator: female–female, male–male, female–male and male–female) or their interaction predicted treatment outcomes, controlling for treatment length (n = 886) (Analysis 1), and hierarchical logistic regression examined the influence on early dropout within three sessions (n = 1004) (Analysis 2). Outcomes were assessed via the Outcome Questionnaire‐45 (OQ‐45), which measures symptom distress, interpersonal relations and social role functioning. Results: A greater age differential, with an older therapist, revealed a small but significant improvement in outcomes, namely, in symptom distress and social role OQ‐45 subscales. For female clients, older male therapists decreased early dropout compared to older female therapists. Conclusions: Findings suggest a 'perceived expertise' effect, where older therapists, relative to the client, may be viewed as more competent, enhancing client outcomes. For female clients, gendered experiences and expectations influence the impact of age differential on early dropout. These results underscore the potential value of considering relational demographic dynamics in clinical matching processes. Summary: For outcomes, greater therapist age relative to the client was associated with greater improvements in treatment outcomes, suggesting that age differential may shape client perceptions of therapist expertise; outcome improvements were primarily observed in symptom distress and social role functioning rather than interpersonal relations, pointing to potential domain‐specific effects.For early dropout, age differential interacted with gender combination: For female clients, older male therapists protected against dropout, whereas older female therapists heightened dropout risk.The authors propose a shift from similarity‐based matching models towards data‐driven compatibility matching due to the complexities of client–therapist compatibility.Findings underscore the importance of exploring matching factors in combination to recognise the potential for interactive effects; future research should continue to explore compatibility factors (demographic, psychosocial or otherwise) in combination.Age differential and gender pairing may represent just some components of a broader compatibility framework that informs client–therapist data‐driven matching systems, with the potential to improve psychotherapy effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database:	Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection

Description
Abstract:	Objective: This study investigated whether specific client–therapist age and gender pairings increase compatibility and bolster psychotherapy outcomes and engagement. Identifying influential relational factors may inform compatibility‐based, data‐driven matching processes in clinical practice. Method: Analyses were conducted using historical questionnaire data from a large sample of 1044 community clients (68.6% female; M = 31.6 years, SD = 12.8; aged 18–76) and 138 provisionally registered student therapists (79.7% female; M = 30.1 years, SD = 8.2; aged 21–57) at a university‐affiliated community psychology clinic. Moderated multiple regression examined whether age differential (therapist age–client age), gender combinations (four‐level moderator: female–female, male–male, female–male and male–female) or their interaction predicted treatment outcomes, controlling for treatment length (n = 886) (Analysis 1), and hierarchical logistic regression examined the influence on early dropout within three sessions (n = 1004) (Analysis 2). Outcomes were assessed via the Outcome Questionnaire‐45 (OQ‐45), which measures symptom distress, interpersonal relations and social role functioning. Results: A greater age differential, with an older therapist, revealed a small but significant improvement in outcomes, namely, in symptom distress and social role OQ‐45 subscales. For female clients, older male therapists decreased early dropout compared to older female therapists. Conclusions: Findings suggest a 'perceived expertise' effect, where older therapists, relative to the client, may be viewed as more competent, enhancing client outcomes. For female clients, gendered experiences and expectations influence the impact of age differential on early dropout. These results underscore the potential value of considering relational demographic dynamics in clinical matching processes. Summary: For outcomes, greater therapist age relative to the client was associated with greater improvements in treatment outcomes, suggesting that age differential may shape client perceptions of therapist expertise; outcome improvements were primarily observed in symptom distress and social role functioning rather than interpersonal relations, pointing to potential domain‐specific effects.For early dropout, age differential interacted with gender combination: For female clients, older male therapists protected against dropout, whereas older female therapists heightened dropout risk.The authors propose a shift from similarity‐based matching models towards data‐driven compatibility matching due to the complexities of client–therapist compatibility.Findings underscore the importance of exploring matching factors in combination to recognise the potential for interactive effects; future research should continue to explore compatibility factors (demographic, psychosocial or otherwise) in combination.Age differential and gender pairing may represent just some components of a broader compatibility framework that informs client–therapist data‐driven matching systems, with the potential to improve psychotherapy effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:	10633995
DOI:	10.1002/cpp.70180