Brief Description
The Cooper–Norcross Inventory of Preferences (C-NIP) is an 18-item self-report questionnaire designed to assess clients' preferences for various therapist behaviors and styles in psychotherapy. The measure includes items inquiring about preferences for goal-setting, focus of therapy, and client-therapist relational factors. This tool facilitates discussion between clients and therapists to tailor therapeutic approaches that align with client preferences. Eliciting and accommodating client preferences using the C-NIP is associated with significant reductions in dropout rates and improvements in clinical outcomes.
Assessment Administration Type
Self-Report
Number of questions
18
Age Range for Administration
Primarily designed for adults; suitability for adolescents should be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Recommended Frequency of Administration
No standardized frequency; Blueprint recommends administration during the initial assessment or early sessions to inform treatment planning.
Summary of Scoring and Interpretations
The C-NIP consists of 18 items rated on a 7-point Likert scale. Respondents indicate their preferences on a scale ranging from -3 to +3, where 3 indicates a strong preference in one direction, -3 indicates a strong preference in the opposite direction, and 0 indicates no preference or an equal preference for both options.The C-NIP includes four scales, each consisting of three to four items:
Scale | Items |
Therapist or Client Directiveness | 1-5 |
Emotional Intensity or Reserve | 6-10 |
Past or Present Orientation | 11-13 |
Warm Support or Focused Challenge | 14-18 |
Each scale and its associated score reflect a dimension of therapy preferences:
Therapist Directiveness vs. Client Directiveness: Scores range from -15 to +15.
Score Range | Description |
+8 to +15 | Strong preference for therapist directiveness |
-2 to +7 | No strong preference |
-3 to -15 | Strong preference for client directiveness |
2. Emotional Intensity vs. Emotional Reserve: Scores range from -15 to +15.
Score Range | Description |
+7 to +15 | Strong preference for emotional intensity |
0 to +6 | No strong preference |
-15 to -1 | Strong preference for emotional reserve |
3. Past Orientation vs. Present Orientation: Scores range from -9 to +9.
Score Range | Description |
+3 to +9 | Strong preference for past orientation |
-2 to +2 | No strong preference |
-3 to -9 | Strong preference for present orientation |
4. Warm Support vs. Focused Challenge: Scores range from -15 to +15.
Score Range | Description |
+4 to +15 | Strong preference for warm support |
-3 to +3 | No strong preference |
-4 to -15 | Strong preference for focused challenge |
These scales help identify client preferences, enabling therapists to adapt their approach accordingly.
Blueprint Adjustments
Blueprint provides total scores for each of the four subscales. Clinicians should ignore the total score interpretation shown in Blueprint and interpret the subscale scores with the scoring ranges in the tables outlined above.
Clinical Considerations
Estimated completion time: 5-10 minutes
Discussing the results with clients can enhance the therapeutic alliance by acknowledging and respecting their preferences.
Studies have demonstrated that the C-NIP reliably measures therapy preferences across different languages and countries, ensuring its applicability in diverse cultural contexts.
Preferences may evolve over time; periodic reassessment can be beneficial.
Citation
Relevant Articles + Further Resources
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