Further directions for research in relating theory and practice

This chapter summarises and critically evaluates the research presented in this book and proposes directions for future research on Relating Theory. Measures of relating/interrelating are introduced and issues, such as their psychometric properties, the need to develop further translations and Internet-administered versions, the issue of validity, and the need to measure relating/interrelating in various contexts and samples, are discussed. The application of Relating Theory and its associated measures in clinical and forensic contexts is then considered. Issues such as examining the effectiveness of Relating Therapy with methodologically robust studies, incorporating principles of Relating Therapy into other forms of therapy, contemporary applications (e.g. e-therapy and combining the Positive Psychology approach), the advantages of providing feedback to respondents, and the circumstances under which relating/interrelating changes are addressed. Although the editors conclude that Relating Theory has already established its own place in the literature, future research is encouraged to spread its use even further