Self-Verification and Drug Abusers: Implications for Treatment

Abstract

The work of Swann and his colleagues suggests that a desire for self-verification is a ubiquitous human motive, as important as the desire for positive evaluations When the self-view is negative, the reinforcement value of self-verification can lead individuals to maintain lifestyles and seek out other individuals who will maintain the negative self-view Trying to change negative self-views by simple verbal invalidation is not often successful The reinforcing qualities of self-verification for most individuals and the apparently aversive qualities of invalidating an individual s self-views have potentially important implications for treatment of drug abusers This commentary briefly reviews self-verification research and discusses implications of findings for psychotherapy, particularly as they relate to strengthening clinical progress and attachment to therapy and to giving feedback to clients