Professional subjectivity of the client and the stability of the therapeutic contact in online counseling

Granovskaya Polina Leonidovna Postgraduate student; Department of Humanities; Autonomous Non-profit Organization of Higher Education 'Russian New University' 22 Radio Street, Basmanny district, Moscow, 105005, Russia polin-kat@yandex.ru

Introduction. The digitalization of psychological practice has led to the possibility of switching counseling to an online format. However, the transfer of classical models of therapeutic interaction to a virtual environment faces a number of difficulties.: decreased non-verbal information, technical failures, and a sense of "distance" between participants. At the same time, a significant part of the research focuses on the competencies of a psychologist ^{[1; 2]}, while the role of the client in building and maintaining therapeutic contact remains insufficiently studied. In particular, it is little known how the professional characteristics of the client himself – his field of activity, job status, and habitual work format – affect the stability of contact in online therapy.

In conditions where the client and the psychologist interact through a screen, the client's ability to reflect, plan, empathize, and respect boundaries is largely determined by his professional subjectivity, an integrative quality manifested in a conscious attitude to his activities, including in the digital environment. Moreover, clients whose daily work involves a remote or hybrid format may have more advanced digital communication skills, potentially increasing the resilience of therapeutic contact. Thus, the study of the client's professional subjectivity as a predictor of the quality of the therapeutic alliance is an urgent task to increase the effectiveness of online counseling.

The possibilities of psychological counseling are traditionally associated with an in-depth study of the client's personal experience, his semantic constructs and life narratives. As the analysis of the potential of an existentially oriented approach shows, referring to personal stories allows not only to diagnose a problem, but also to launch the processes of rethinking and personal growth ^[3]. However, the realization of this potential directly depends on the quality of therapeutic contact: only in conditions of trust and stable communication is the client ready to reveal his vulnerable feelings. When switching to an online format, such contact faces additional barriers - mediating the monitor, reducing non–verbal information, and the need for more active verbalization. In these conditions, not only the skill of the psychologist comes to the fore, but also the involvement of the client himself, which, in turn, is determined by his professional subjectivity – the ability to consciously relate to his activities, plan, analyze and empathically interact even in a digital environment. To understand why the client's subjectivity is becoming an important resource, it is necessary to turn to a systematic analysis of the barriers and opportunities of the online format itself. A systematic analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of online psychological counseling conducted by A.S. Danilov and A.A. Filippenkova ^[4] shows that the key barriers are a decrease in nonverbal information and difficulties in establishing trusting contact, while the advantages include accessibility and flexibility of the format. At the same time, the authors emphasize that the success of online interaction largely depends on the client's willingness to such a format, which indirectly indicates the importance of his professional and personal characteristics. S.L. Lenkov and co-authors ^[5] substantiate a new professional type of "human - artificial intelligence", highlighting the need to study the subjective qualities of a person in interaction with digital G.U. Soldatova et al. ^[6] have developed tools for diagnosing technophobia/technophilia, which indirectly indicates individual differences in digital adaptation, justifying the relevance of studying the subject characteristics of the client in online counseling. In foreign studies ^[7], the comparability of the therapeutic alliance in face-to-face and online formats has been confirmed, but the client predictors of its stability have not been disclosed. Thus, there is a gap in understanding how the client's professional experience and status affect the quality of contact.

The purpose of the study is to identify the relationship between the client's professional subjectivity (operationalized through the field of activity, job status, work format and indicators of the professional orientation questionnaire) and the stability of therapeutic contact in online counseling.

Objectives: to characterize a sample of clients by field of activity, job status and work format; to measure the professional subjectivity of clients using a professional questionnaire; to assess the stability of therapeutic contact (client's self-report); to conduct correlation and regression analysis to identify significant predictors of contact stability.

Hypothesis: the client's professional subjectivity, operationalized through belonging to certain fields of activity, remote or hybrid work format, as well as indicators of professional orientation (subscales "People", "Information", "Objects", "Strategy", "Efficiency", "Management", "Execution") are associated with the stability of therapeutic contact in online consulting.

Research methodology. The study involved 65 clients undergoing online counseling (at least three sessions with one psychologist). There were 51 women (78.5%) and 14 men (21.5%) among the participants. The age of the respondents varies from 22 to 57 years (M = 34.2, SD = 8.7). The job status of the clients was divided into the following categories:creative professions (26.2%), managers and specialists (13.8%), self-employed and individual entrepreneurs (13.8%), teachers (12.3%), managers (12.3%), IT specialists (10.8%), representatives of medicine and psychology (4.6%), marketers (3.1%), and also other categories (3.1%). According to the format of work, clients were distributed as follows: 31 people (47.7%) work remotely, 21 people (32.3%) work in hybrid mode, and 13 people (20.0%) work in the office.

A set of diagnostic tools was used in the study. The first of them was the questionnaire "Integrative-typological professional orientation of personality" (INL-2), developed by N.E. Rubtsova and S.L. Lenkov ^[8]. This methodology includes seven scales: "Strategy" (propensity for long-term planning and goal setting), "Efficiency" (speed of decision-making, flexibility), "Information" (analytical skills, working with data), "Management" (leadership, organization of others), "People" (empathy, orientation towards interpersonal relationships relationships), "Execution" (responsibility, following instructions) and "Objects" (interest in material objects, technology). The psychometric parameters of the questionnaire are satisfactory: the Cronbach's alpha for the scales ranges from 0.78 to 0.89, and constructive validity has been confirmed.

To assess the stability of therapeutic contact, we relied on modern Russian-language adaptations of the WAI–S (Working Alliance Inventory – Short) questionnaire, validated on Russian samples in the works of K.D. Khlomov and co-authors ^[9] and K.V. Tarasova and E.V. Kuftyak ^[10] (the latter is a thesis publication indicating the direction of standardization; in particular our study used K.D. Khlomov's version as the most complete). In the adaptation by K.D. Khlomov and co-authors, the methodology consists of 11 points for clients and 10 points for psychotherapists, while confirming a one-factor structure reflecting a common therapeutic alliance. In this study, only the client version is analyzed, and the answers of psychologists were not used. The reliability of the questionnaire is high (Cronbach's α > 0.94 in K.D. Khlomov's version; for our sample α = 0.91). In addition, a professional status questionnaire was used to collect data on the clients' field of activity, position, and work format. The theoretical basis for the identification of these parameters was the work of V.A. Tolochek ^[11], in which it is proposed to consider the phenomenon of profession through three hierarchical levels: profession, specialty and workplace.Our questionnaire, accordingly, reflects the field of activity (profession), position (specialty) and working conditions (work format), which allows us to operationalize the professional subjectivity of the client in accordance with modern concepts.

The clients were informed about the research objectives and gave informed consent. After 3-5 online therapy sessions (an average of 4 sessions) They filled out the INL-2 and WAI-S questionnaires through a secure online platform. The professional status data was previously collected during the initial registration. The study was conducted anonymously, and the data was processed in an average form.

The following methods were used for statistical data processing. At the first stage, descriptive statistics were calculated: averages, standard deviations, and frequencies. Then the distributions were checked for normality using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov criterion, as a result of which most of the indicators did not obey the normal law, which led to the use of Spearman's nonparametric rank correlation coefficient (p). The Kruskal-Wallis H-test was used to compare the groups identified by the work format, followed by pairwise comparisons with the Bonferroni correction. In order to identify predictors of the stability of therapeutic contact, a multiple regression analysis (step-by-step method) was performed. Data processing was performed in the statistical packages SPSS version 27 and JASP 0.18.

Results. Table 1 shows the average values for the INL-2 subscales for the entire sample, as well as the average score of therapeutic contact resistance.

Table 1. Descriptive statistics (N=65)

The highest average contact stability scores were recorded for clients from the creative field of Photography and Art (M = 61.6, SD = 7.4) and from the field of IT (M = 61.0, SD = 8.3). Clients from the Education sector demonstrated average values (M = 59.4, SD = 6.9), which did not differ significantly from the general average in the sample. The lowest indicators of contact stability were recorded among customers working in the industrial sector (M = 49.8, SD = 9.4), and among representatives of office sales (M = 51.3, SD = 8.6). The differences between the groups are significant (H = 18.7, p = 0.009, h2 = 0.12). Post-hoc comparisons confirm that creative professionals and IT specialists significantly outperform industrial workers (p = 0.02 and p = 0.03, respectively). The assumption of higher sustainability in the creative and IT fields has been confirmed, while in the field of education, the sustainability indicator does not differ from the average level.

The analysis of professional status by position showed that the most stable contact is demonstrated by clients with the positions of "creative professions" (photographers, designers, artists) – M = 62.4, followed by "managers" – M = 59.5, then "IT specialists" - M = 58.4. The lowest values are for "managers/specialists" (M = 53.5) and "self-employed without specifics" (M = 54.3). The differences are statistically significant (H = 15.4, p = 0.031). Pairwise comparisons with the Bonferroni correction showed that clients from the "creative professions" group significantly outperform the "managers/specialists" (p = 0.02) and "self-employed without specifics" (p = 0.03) groups in terms of contact stability; the remaining intergroup differences do not reach statistical significance.

The professional subjectivity of clients, manifested in their usual work format, is related to the stability of contact: remote clients show the highest results (M = 60.6), followed by hybrid clients (M = 56.7), and office clients have the lowest values (M = 51.5). The differences are significant (H = 9.68, p = 0.008). Pairwise comparisons in our sample of 65 respondents: remote and office workers differ at the level of p = 0.006; hybrid format and office workers differ at the level of p = 0.047; remote workers differ from the hybrid format at the level of p = 0.21 (insignificant). The hypothesis of differences in the work format confirms that remote and hybrid client work formats are positively associated with the stability of contact.

In addition to the work format, correlations of contact stability with personal scales of professional orientation were analyzed. Table 2 shows Spearman's rank correlation coefficients between the INL-2 questionnaire scales and the therapeutic contact stability index, measured using the adapted Russian version of WAI-S.

Table 2. Correlations of INL-2 scales with the stability of therapeutic contact

Significant correlations (p < 0.05) are highlighted in bold.

The strongest positive associations were found on the scales of "People" (p = 0.68), "Information" (p = 0.63) and "Strategy" (p = 0.51). The "Performance" scale gives a moderate correlation (p = 0.31). The "Objects" scale shows a tendency towards negative correlation (p = -0.24, p = 0.053). The other scales (Efficiency, Management) do not reach significance.

The obtained correlations indicate the expediency of a more detailed analysis using a regression model, in which all seven scales of the INL-2 questionnaire, as well as variables of the work format and field of activity, were included as potential predictors.

At the final stage, a step-by-step multiple regression analysis was performed, in which the dependent variable was the stability of therapeutic contact, measured using the 11-point version of the WAI-S questionnaire. All seven scales of the INL-2 questionnaire were considered as potential predictors, as well as a variable of the work format (value 1 for the remote format, 0 for all others) and a variable of the field of activity (creative sphere and others). The regression model turned out to be significant and included three predictors, explaining 62% of the variance in contact stability (adjusted R2 = 0.59, F(3.61) = 33.1, p < 0,001). The first predictor was the "People" scale (β = 0.44, p < 0.001), reflecting the empathic orientation of the client. The second significant predictor was the "Information" scale (β = 0.38, p < 0.001), which measures analytical abilities. The third predictor was the remote format of the client's work (β = 0.21, p = 0.009), which indicates a positive relationship between remote work and contact stability. The scale "Strategy" was not included in the final model due to its high correlation with the scales "Information" (p = 0.55) and "People" (p = 0.48), that is, its contribution to predicting contact stability overlaps with these variables. Thus, the hypothesis was confirmed for the "People" and "Information" scales; the "Strategy" scale significantly correlates with the stability of contact at the level of simple connections, but is not an independent predictor in the regression model.

Discussion. The data obtained generally confirm the hypotheses put forward and expand the understanding of the role of the client's professional subjectivity in online counseling.

The strong connection of the "People" scale (empathy, orientation towards the other) with the stability of contact is consistent with classical works on the therapeutic alliance and with the conclusions about the importance of the empathic orientation of the psychologist ^[12]. Moreover, our results show for the first time that the client's empathy is no less significant. Clients who are capable of decentralizing and understanding the feelings of another (including a psychologist) are better able to maintain contact even in conditions of digital mediation. This result is especially important in the context of research that has revealed that psychologists have difficulty staying in touch online and rate the therapeutic alliance lower than in face-to-face meetings. The high empathy of the client can serve as a compensatory resource, reducing the dependence of the success of the alliance solely on the actions of the therapist. This conclusion is consistent with the thematic review ^[13], the authors of which concluded that the objective effectiveness of telepsychiatry is not inferior to face-to-face therapy, and the subjective doubts of specialists often do not reflect the real quality of interaction.

Along with the empathic orientation, the analytical component of the client's professional subjectivity makes a significant contribution to the stability of contact. The scale of "Information" (analytical abilities) reflects the client's ability to reflect, analyze his condition and feedback from the therapist. This is consistent with the phenomenon of "digital subjectivity" (Lenkov et al.): a client with high analytical skills adapts more easily to the specifics of online communication (the absence of non-verbal signals, the need to verbalize experiences). Similar processes of adaptation to the digital environment and artificial intelligence systems occur in the professional activity of the psychologist himself ^[14].

In addition to personal predictors, an important factor is the objective format of the client's work. The impact of remote work on contact stability can be explained by two mechanisms. Firstly, such clients have already developed routines and competencies for digital interaction (for example, the skills of maintaining attention in front of the screen, dealing with technical failures without frustration). Secondly, they are psychologically more ready for "transparency" and less control over the environment – factors that often reduce the stability of contact among office employees ^[15]. It is noteworthy that, despite the obvious advantages of clients with remote experience, psychologists themselves often rate the online alliance as less reliable, attributing this to anxiety about the loss of nonverbal information and reduced engagement. Our results show that clients with a developed digital routine are able to maintain steady contact, which is consistent with the data provided on the effectiveness of the remote format.

The lack of a meaningful relationship between the "Management" scale and the stability of contact contradicts expectations (managers build relationships better). Perhaps, in the therapeutic context, the client's leadership strategies (the desire to manage the process) even interfere – they can provoke resistance or competition with the psychologist. This conclusion requires further study.

Attention is also drawn to the tendency of negative correlation of the "Objects" scale (interest in technology, material objects). Object-oriented clients are likely to have difficulty establishing emotional contact through the screen, as their attention easily shifts to the interface, gadgets, and not to experiences.

The study should take into account a number of limitations. First of all, the sample is not representative of all online therapy clients, as it is dominated by women, representatives of creative professions and volunteers, which limits the generalization of results. In addition, the measurement of the stability of therapeutic contact was based solely on the self-report of clients, while the assessments of psychologists and independent observers were not involved. The correlational design of the study does not allow us to draw conclusions about the causal relationships between professional subjectivity and the stability of contact. Data on professional subjectivity were collected simultaneously (after 3-5 sessions), so the dynamics of changes in indicators over a longer period of time was not studied. Finally, the influence of a particular psychologist's individual style was not controlled, which creates the possibility for cluster effects related to the specifics of each consultant's work. In addition, the conditions of applicability of multiple regression analysis have not been verified, which imposes restrictions on the interpretation of regression coefficients.

At the end of the study, the following conclusions were formulated to assess the stability of therapeutic contact. The client's professional subjectivity, operationalized through the field of activity, job status and work format, is significantly related to the stability of therapeutic contact in online counseling. Clients from creative and IT fields, as well as those working remotely or in a hybrid format, demonstrate a higher stability of contact compared to office workers and industry representatives. The strongest predictors of contact stability are empathic orientation (the "People" scale) and analytical abilities (the "Information" scale) according to the INL-2 questionnaire; these two components of professional subjectivity, together with the work format, explain 59% of the variance in the stability index measured by the 11-point WAI-S version. The client's work format (remote) makes an additional contribution to the stability of contact, which confirms the need to take into account the client's digital experience when planning online therapy.

The theoretical significance of the work lies in the fact that the results obtained complement the therapeutic alliance model in a digital environment: the success of online counseling is determined not only by the psychologist's competencies, but also by the client's subjective characteristics, including his professional and digital experience. The practical significance lies in the fact that when selecting the therapy format (online or offline) and when initially assessing the client's readiness for remote work, it is advisable to diagnose his professional subjectivity (field of activity, job status, work format, as well as empathic and analytical orientation). Clients with low scores on the "People" and "Information" scales may need additional training, for example, psychological information on the rules of online communication, or the choice of a mixed format.

Prospects for further research include the need for longitudinal studies to study the dynamics of contact stability, the use of mixed design (self-reports combined with expert assessments), as well as expanding the sample to include clients from less represented fields such as medicine and industry. In addition, it is promising to study how the interaction of the professional subjectivity of the client and the psychologist affects the outcome of therapy.

The article is published in the version approved by the reviewers (after receiving a positive review recommending the manuscript for publication) with corrections made by the author (after receiving the editor’s comments, if any).
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