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The Cooper–Norcross Inventory of Preferences (C-NIP) is one of the most widely used measures of psychotherapy preferences. However, its psychometric properties have not been examined in non-Western samples. Research on disparities between the preferences of mental health professionals and their clients is also limited. We evaluated the C-NIP's psychometric properties and measurement invariance in Chinese lay clients and mental health professionals and evaluated the latent mean differences between clients' and professionals' scores on the C-NIP's four scales (preference for therapist vs. client directiveness, emotional intensity vs. emotional reserve, past vs. present orientation, and warm support vs. focused challenge). This cross-sectional investigation involved 301 lay clients and 856 mental health professionals who completed the Chinese version of the C-NIP. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) were used to examine the factor structure of the C-NIP. ESEM provided stronger evidence than CFA for the four-factor model in both samples. The four scales had adequate internal consistency in both the lay clients (αs =.68–.89) and the mental health professionals (αs =.70–.80). Partial scalar invariance was established across these two populations. Chinese mental health professionals preferred less therapist directiveness, past orientation, and warm support—but more emotional intensity—than Chinese lay clients (ds = 0.25–0.90). Culture-specific cutoff values (norms) to identify strong therapy preferences were established. This study supports the application of the C-NIP to non-Western populations and suggests that discrepancies between the preferences of lay clients and mental health professionals are a cross-cultural phenomenon. Public Significance Statement: This study confirms the factor structure and measurement invariance of the Cooper–Norcross Inventory of Preferences (C-NIP) in Chinese psychotherapy populations. The study further reveals systematic differences between lay clients' and mental health professionals' treatment preferences in the Chinese clinical context. These disparities suggest that professionals should be cautious in projecting their therapy preferences onto their clients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Existential isolation refers to an individual's awareness of the unbridgeable gulf between oneself, other people and the world. This kind of isolation has been found to be higher in individuals with nonnormative experiences, such as racial or sexual minorities. Bereaved individuals may experience a stronger sense of existential isolation and feel that no one shares their feelings or perceptions. However, research on bereaved people's experiences of existential isolation and its effects on post‐loss adaptation is scarce. This study aims to validate the German and Chinese versions of the Existential Isolation Scale, investigate cultural and gender differences in existential isolation and explore the associations between existential isolation and prolonged grief symptoms in German‐speaking and Chinese bereaved individuals. Methods: A cross‐sectional study with 267 Chinese and 158 German‐speaking bereaved participants was conducted. The participants completed self‐report questionnaires assessing existential isolation, prolonged grief symptoms, social networks, loneliness and social acknowledgement. Results: The results indicated that the German and Chinese versions of the Existential Isolation Scale demonstrated adequate validity and reliability. No cultural or gender differences (or their interaction) were found for existential isolation. Higher existential isolation was associated with elevated prolonged grief symptoms, which was further moderated by the cultural group. The relationship between existential isolation and prolonged grief symptoms was significant for the German‐speaking bereaved people but not significant for those from China. Conclusion: The findings highlight the role of existential isolation in the adaptation to bereavement and how different cultural backgrounds moderate the effect of existential isolation on post‐loss reactions. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cooper-Norcross Inventory of Preferences (C-NIP) is a commonly used and psychometrically validated measure of client preferences in therapy. However, the C-NIP version for therapists (C-NIP-T) has not yet been validated. This study aimed to develop a Chinese version of the C-NIP-T and test its factor structure, reliability, and concurrent validity. A national sample of 1,054 Chinese mental health professionals completed the C-NIP-T and provided relevant demographic information. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) were used to examine the factor structure of the C-NIP-T. ESEM provided stronger evidence than CFA for the hypothesized four-factor model. Internal consistency coefficients (Cronbach's α) of the four subscales ranged between.60 and.76. Full or partial scalar invariance was established across therapists' therapeutic orientations, gender, personal therapy, and clinical experience. There were significant differences in subscale scores among therapists who identified as cognitive/cognitive-behavioral, psychoanalytic/psychodynamic, and humanistic/client-centered, supporting the concurrent validity of the C-NIP-T. The C-NIP-T is a psychometrically sound measure that can be used to assess therapists' preferences about therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]