Abstract

The present study focused on the relationships between therapists' preferences and expectations with regard to their own and their clients' role behaviors. Fifty therapists completed the Role Expectations and Preferences Questionnaire before entering 147 counseling sessions with clients. It was found that therapists' preferences differ from their expectations. This was more pronounced with regard to clients' behaviors than to therapists' role behaviors. Both preferences and expectations changed over time in therapy, but, contrary to hypothesis, the preferences‐expectations gap did not decrease over time. The overall pattern of results indicated that preferences‐expectations discrepancies reflect the therapists' assessment of the clients' willingness and/or ability to behave in ways prescribed by the therapists' theoretical orientation. The paper suggests that future research consider the time‐related aspects of role preferences and expectations and the consequences of preferences‐expectations gap.