ABSTRACT

In 1974, the then-editor, Ray Corsini, asked readers of the Journal of Individual Psychology the question, “Were you to suggest some objective nomothetic studies within Individual Psychology, which one would you feel [was] particularly important?” (p. 37). Although not uniformly, the responses tended to endorse research in “the practice of Adlerian psychotherapy” (p. 37) or in the verification of the effectiveness of Adlerian methods. William Pew summarized the trend well:

We need longitudinal studies, long term follow-up of individual, couple, group and family counseling and therapy. We need studies of attitudinal and behavioral changes resulting from participation in family education centers and marriage education centers. We need studies which prove the efficacy of Adlerian principles in the classroom. We need verification of the efficacy of Adlerian childrearing techniques. (p. 42)

Since then, except for studies in parent education effectiveness (Berrett, 1975; Burnett, 1988; Croake & Burness, 1976; Croake & Glover, 1977; Frazier & Mathes, 1975; Freeman, 1975; Gordon-Rosen & Rosen, 1984;

Hinkle, Arnold, Croake, & Keller, 1980; Krebs, 1986; McKay & Hillman, 1979; Mullis, 1999; Newlon, Borboa, & Arcinega, 1986; Todres & Bunston, 1993, Urban, 1991; Wiese, 1989), little research has been done in these areas. In 1999, Watkins and Guarnaccia stated that we still “need studies of Adlerian counseling and psychotherapy.… They are few, far between, and hard to find” (p. 226). Nonetheless, we would point out that as little as has been done in outcome and efficacy research, correspondingly little has been done in research in the basic concepts and principles of Individual Psychology (IP). For example, where is research related to the connection between apperception and perception? Where is research concerning the relation of apperception to memory, or between encouragement and change in apperception? What is the relationship between social interest and courage? How can we operationalize the concept of activity? How would we measure “standing still” or “retreating”? Can we assess personality characteristics as methods, rather than as traits? Is social interest a personality characteristic, a method of dealing with others, a property of activity, or a momentary state?