Social Distance Between Client and Professional

The effect of social distance between client and professional on the stability of their interactions is studied from reports of the former clients of ministers, physicians, and psychotherapists who are now applying to a psychiatric clinic. On the four dimensions of social distance-normative, interactive, cultural, and personal-ministers are closest, physicians are more distant, and psychotherapists are the most distant from their clients. Stable interaction between client and professional is most likely when internalized norms, common expectations, and optimum cathexis exist among the role partners. These conditions are best met by the physician-patient pair, less well met by ministers and counselees, and least of all by psychotherapists and patients. Social proximity and distance each have advantages and disadvantages in maintaining the conditions of stable interaction. Mechanisms which bridge the social distance gap yet keep professionals from too high an involvement with clients are described. For psychotherapists, a community of "friends and supporters of psychotherapy" serves this purpose. The majority of patients are left out of this community, however, and therefore have difficulty in obtaining adequate treatment.