Clinicians believe that increased self-awareness is synonymous with successful therapeutic outcome, and the reduction of self-deception is viewed as evidence of meaningful personality change. Despite this, no empirical work has been done on measuring the change in self-deceptive tendencies over the course of psychotherapy. The present investigation is an analogue study, on the relationship between self-awareness enhancing psychotherapy and its effect on client self-deception and mental health. One hundred and twenty junior college students participated in the investigation. Self-awareness training was found to have no effect on self-deception levels, but a positive effect on mental health scores. The results suggest that self-examination and the reduction of self-deception may not always be desirable or possible in therapy.
Richard Lettieri – Crime Psychologist
Orange County Forensic Psychologist
