Reciprocal language style matching: Indicator or facilitator of therapeutic bond.

Objective: The tendency to linguistically synchronize is an adaptive and prosocial process observed in verbal and written communication. Research in therapeutic contexts has primarily conceptualized reciprocal language style matching (rLSM; i.e., similarity of function words) as indicating the therapeutic relationship. However, in non-therapeutic contexts, rLSM has been conceptualized as facilitating relationship formation and maintenance. The aim of the present study was to examine if an indication model or facilitation model provided a better explanation for the association between rLSM and the therapeutic bond.

Methods: Online text-based crisis-counseling sessions (N = 350) with clients in suicidal crisis were coded for rLSM and therapeutic bond. To examine and compare the indication and facilitation models, we used random intercept cross-lagged panel models.

Results: The association between rLSM and therapeutic bond was better explained by the facilitation model (i.e., rLSM predicting bond) than the indication model (i.e., rLSM co-occurring with bond). However, a model that included (a) rLSM predicting therapeutic bond and (b) the cross-sectional association between therapeutic bond and rLSM was the best fit.

Conclusions: Our findings indicate that rLSM may play a role in establishing the therapeutic relationship and be reflective of the client-counselor relationship. Implications for counseling practice are discussed.