I cannot offer an article but I can offer some experience. I work with children and teen and they difference between genuine and a false facade. My client are slow to trust as it is and is they feel you are not fully honest from the beginning you are finished before you start. Strong respectful relationship and radical acceptance are concept I live by. However, I am a DBT therapist. I would encourage you to take a look at Marsha Linehan’s work.

Congruence is that the therapist should be, within the confines of this relationship, a congruent, genuine, integrated person. It means that within the relationship he is freely and deeply himself, with his actual experience accurately represented by his awareness of himself. It is the opposite of presenting a facade, either knowingly or unknowingly.

It is not necessary (nor is it possible) that the therapist be a paragon who exhibits this degree of integration, of wholeness, in every aspect of his life. It is sufficient that he is accurately himself in this hour of this relationship, that in this basic sense he is what he actually is, in this moment of time.

Certainly the aim is not for the therapist to express or talk out his own feelings, but primarily that he should not be deceiving the client as to himself. At times he may need to talk out some of his own feelings (either to the client, or to a colleague or supervisor) if they are standing in the way of the two following conditions. (Rogers , 1957)

You can start by looking at this recent review of research on empathy:

Elliott, R., Bohart, A.C., Watson, J. C., & Greenberg, L. S. (2011). Empathy. In J. C. Norcross (Ed.), Psychotherapy relationships that work (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.

Many thanks dear John. very useful and helpful. much appreciated.

You're welcome!  I think your question is an important one! 

Thompson C, (2003). CLIENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF THE THERAPEUTIC

RELATIONSHIP AND ITS ROLE IN OUTCOME. (A Thesis Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies of the University of Lethbridge In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree MASTER OF EDUCATION).

...or maybe you can find some ideas in this paper:

http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/bitstream/handle/123456789/194625/RoyseRoskowskiJ_2010-1_BODY.pdf?sequence=1

Also the work of Irvin Yalom can provide you some good issues on the topic.

Dear Elena and Jose thank you very much ...  I appreciate talking your precious time to send me those intresting informations  ... 

I cannot offer an article but I can offer some experience. I work with children and teen and they difference between genuine and a false facade. My client are slow to trust as it is and is they feel you are not fully honest from the beginning you are finished before you start. Strong respectful relationship and radical acceptance are concept I live by. However, I am a DBT therapist. I would encourage you to take a look at Marsha Linehan’s work.

try a different therapy

The following publications do not give direct results, but might still be helpful:

Klein, M.H., Kolden, GG., Michels, J.L. and Chisholm-Stockard, S. (2002). Congruence. In: J.C. Norcross (ed). Psychotherapy Relationships that work. Therapists contributions and responsiveness to patients. Oxford University Press, 2002.

Bierman, R. (1969). Dimensions of interpersonal facilitation in psychotherapy and child development. Psychological Bulletin. Volume 72, No. 5, 338-352. (Bierman suggests an interesting model in which congruence and empathy together seem to have the best therapy outcome)

Bouwkamp, R. (1999). Helen door Delen. Experientiele Interpersoonlijke Therapie. Theorie, methodiek, onderzoek. Tijdstroom Uitgeverij (It is written in Dutch. Maybe his dissertation is also available in English at Univerity Utrecht?)

With my common logic I think empathy only has its positive effect when it is truely meant (authentic and congruent). And empathy and congruence together are needed to create a true, warm and genuine relationship, which to my opinion is the most essential in therapy. Etc. Etc.

There is so much to say about this subject. But also I have not yet been able to find concrete research results. I'm really interested in this subject, so if you find anything, let me know!

Absolutely not. The putcomes have been too good.

Anneke de Vries thank you so much for the precious data !! Very appreciated !!I do believe the same !!! I am conducting an IPA on the subject !! I will let you know about incomes and data of other publishings ! Maybe you will find something that could intrest you in my next answer to Suzan ..

Dear Suzan Swayze thank you for the time you took to write! Though I didn't understand your second answer ... you mean that congruence and empathy dont cooperate ?  

Have a look  at KathiynAMoon Chicago Counseling and Psychotherapy Center, Chicago, USA Nondirecrive Client-Centered Therapy with Children1

and Play Therapy By ELAINE DORFMAN

and The Case Against Disciplining Children

at Home or in School

Thomas Gordon Effectiveness Training, Solana Beach, California

McLeod J. (1994) Doing Counseling Research, Sage

and 10 ETHICAL ISSUES IN

COUNSELLING RESEARCH

and Talkinsense.com What Works? 

Research on What Makes a Difference in Psychotherapy

The Heart and Soul of Change  I hope you find it interesting !! 

Dear Jose Garriado:

would you mind uploading the chapters on positive regard and conguence of the Norcross 2010 volume as well? I would really appreciate getting these chapters as pdf as well. Tank you so much.

Esther

I was responding to someone esles comment to find another therapy model. No I believe the work hand in hand with each other.