Psychotherapists’ reported management of value conflict in individual psychotherapy

Details

Supervisors

Fragakis, George ; Zech, Emmanuelle

Faculty

Faculté de psychologie, logopédie, sexologie et des sciences de la famille

Degree label

Master [120] en sciences psychologiques, à finalité spécialisée
Master [120] en sciences psychologiques, à finalité spécialisée

Abstract

enTherapists’ and clients’ values are an inherent part of the psychotherapeutic process, and their differences can create conflicts that challenge the therapeutic alliance. While therapists are typically encouraged to maintain neutrality, the reality of clinical practice frequently involves navigating diverse value systems. This scoping review, conducted according to the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology and reported in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, explores how therapists manage value conflicts in individual psychotherapy. A secondary framework by Luo and Levendosky (2025) was used to structure the therapist microprocesses reported to manage value conflicts. A systematic search was conducted across five databases, including PsycINFO, PubMed and Scopus, covering the period from 1987 to 2026. This review included English peer- reviewed articles, theoretical papers, and empirical studies (quantitative, mixed-methods and qualitative) focusing on therapist-client value conflicts, excluding group settings and including therapists with at least one year of experience. Based on 15 included articles, the results synthesize 14 strategies by mapping them onto four in-session microprocess domains (affective, cognitive, behavioral and relational) as well as after-session strategies. The findings suggest that management necessitates a double focus on intrapersonal strategies and interpersonal strategies. Ultimately, the review highlights the role of ethical pluralism and emphasizes a non-paternalistic approach for managing value conflicts.