Contrary case
A contrary case is a case where there is an absence of the
attributes of befriending previously identified. In this context,
a contrary case is provided by several papers where
befriending is used as the control in a series of randomised
controlled trails (RCTs) exploring the efficacy of Cognitive
Behavioural Therapy (CBT) as an intervention in Schizophrenic
and Psychotic illnesses (Sensky 2000, Shawyer
2012, Hutton 2013). Here, the term befriending is used to
describe a situation where a designated health professional
conversed with a participant in the trial who is not receiving
the CBT intervention, to provide a neutral experience
against which to judge the efficacy of CBT. Here, befriending
is not understood to be an active intervention with specific
qualities, rather it is defined negatively in that it is not
CBT. In this situation, the nature of the relationship and
the relationship is pre-determined by the professional. The
interaction is between a professional and a client and therefore
is not friend-like and the individual has limited scope
to be active in the negotiation of the relationship.