| Client preference accommodation is important for enhancing positive psychotherapy outcomes;
however, East Asian American psychotherapy preferences are less understood. The present study
explored East Asian American preferences regarding therapist personality characteristics, the
alliance, and how acculturation (i.e., generation status, Asian value alignment, and acculturation
level) influenced preference strength. Participants were recruited via online survey invitations to
mental health providers, clinics, and client social media groups across the nation. Results
indicated that East Asian American client participants (N = 50) most preferred therapists to
display emotional stability (p < .001), followed by traits of agreeableness (p < .001) and
conscientiousness (p < .001), with displays of openness (p < .001) and extraversion (p < .001)
being least preferred. East Asian American clients valued all alliance domains equally, and
acculturation was not related to preference strength. The results of this study may offer insight
into treatment tailoring for East Asian American clients.
Keywords: psychotherapy, alliance, personality, acculturation, preference |