The DOI matches its Crossref record; 55 of the 57 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
A self-determination theory approach to psychotherapy: The motivational basis for effective change.
Abstract
The application of self-determination theory (SDT) to psychotherapy is particularly relevant because a central task of therapy is to support the client to autonomously explore, identify, initiate, and sustain a process of change. In this article, the authors discuss the experimental work, field studies, and clinical trials representing the application of SDT to the domain of psychotherapy. Evidence supports the importance of client autonomy for the attainment and maintenance of treatment outcomes. In addition, intervention studies suggest that therapist autonomy support enhances the likelihood that treatment gains will be achieved and maintained. The authors discuss some of the processes involved in enhancing autonomy, including the role of awareness, the importance of exploring and challenging introjects and external regulations, attention to need-related goal contents, and therapist attitudes required for a therapy approach that is process- rather than outcome-focused.
Overview
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In the citing paper
“Empirical findings have supported SDT’s claim that the provision of effective need support predicts treatment engagement and outcomes in healthcare [10, 11] and psychotherapy [12].”
From Suicide attempt survivors’ recovery-related agency in the relational context of services: a qualitative analysis (2024) · cites this paper as [12]
In the citing paper
“An understanding of recovery as co-created is in line with both the SDT [10, 12] and recovery models of suicidality [18, 19].”
From Suicide attempt survivors’ recovery-related agency in the relational context of services: a qualitative analysis (2024) · cites this paper as [12]
Citations
Cites
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000) · American Psychologist · doi:10.1037//0003-066x.55.1.68 · Cited by 54,599
Self-citationThe "what" and "why" of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000) · Psychological Inquiry · doi:10.1207/s15327965pli1104_01 · Cited by 34,210
Self-citationIntrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behavior
Miller, K. A. J., Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1988) · Contemporary Sociology A Journal of Reviews · doi:10.2307/2070638 · Cited by 15,406
Self-citationThe benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being
Brown, K. W., & Ryan, R. M. (2003) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.84.4.822 · Cited by 13,448
Self-citationOn Happiness and Human Potentials: A Review of Research on Hedonic and Eudaimonic Well-Being
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2001) · Annual Review of Psychology · doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.141 · Cited by 11,567
Self-citationHuman agency in social cognitive theory.
Bandura, A. (1989) · American Psychologist · doi:10.1037/0003-066x.44.9.1175 · Cited by 8,263
Handbook of Competence and Motivation
Elliot, A. J., & Dweck, C. S. (2013) · Cited by 4,671
Meany, J. O., Rogers, C. R., Dorfman, E., Gordon, T., & Hobbes, N. (1951) · The American Catholic Sociological Review · doi:10.2307/3707825 · Cited by 4,192
Perceived locus of causality and internalization: Examining reasons for acting in two domains.
Ryan, R. M., & Connell, J. P. (1989) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.57.5.749 · Cited by 3,311
Self-citationToward a hierarchical model of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation
Vallerand, R. J. (1997) · Advances in experimental social psychology · doi:10.1016/s0065-2601(08)60019-2 · Cited by 3,198 · cited 1×
“These motives, with corresponding regulatory processes, vary along a continuum of relative autonomy (Ryan & Connell, 1989; Vallerand, 1997), and people typically have varied degrees of each type of motive.”
Background
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Self-determination theory: A macrotheory of human motivation, development, and health
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2008) · Canadian Psychology / Psychologie canadienne · doi:10.1037/a0012801 · Cited by 6,664
Self-citationDeci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2012) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195399820.013.0006 · Cited by 1,476
Self-citationA Meta-analysis of the Effectiveness of Intervention Programs Designed to Support Autonomy
Su, Y.-L., & Reeve, J. (2011) · Educational Psychology Review · doi:10.1007/s10648-010-9142-7 · Cited by 924
Motivation, self-determination, and long-term weight control
Teixeira, P. J., Silva, M. N., Mata, J., Palmeira, A. L., & Markland, D. (2012) · International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity · doi:10.1186/1479-5868-9-22 · Cited by 422
Ryan, R. M., Lynch, M. F., Vansteenkiste, M., & Deci, E. L. (2011) · The Counseling Psychologist · doi:10.1177/0011000009359313 · Cited by 429
Self-citation
Metadata
- Authors
- Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L.
- Affiliations
- University of Rochester (US)
- Venue
- Canadian Psychology / Psychologie canadienne
- Published
- 2008-08
- Volume
- 49
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 186-193
- ISSN
- 0708-5591 (ISSN-L)
- 1878-7304
- OpenAlex
- W2170728205
- Cited by
- 629
- References
- 57
- Citations by year
- 2026: 26 · 2025: 43 · 2024: 48 · 2023: 41 · 2022: 48 · 2021: 33 · 2020: 57 · 2019: 38 · 2018: 36 · 2017: 38 · 2016: 34 · 2015: 37 · 2014: 42 · 2013: 22 · 2012: 34
- FWCI
- 23.18
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Canadian Psychology/Psychologie canadienne (publishedVersion)
- Research Bank (Australian Catholic University) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Behavioral Health and Interventions
- Keywords
- self-determination theory, psychotherapy, client autonomy, motivation, treatment modification, maintenance of treatment effects, introjects, external regulation, process-oriented therapy, therapist attitudes
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
